Drowning

Ch 1

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters, they solely belong to J.K. Rowling.

Draco touched the ugly bruise that covered his right hip and winced. The area was a mix of purple and blue that stood out harshly against the pale skin. Not able to stand the pain the clothing caused on the bruised skin, the Slytherin pushed his boxers and pants lower on his hips and let out a sigh of relief. He pulled his shirt and sweater on and made sure the sleeves covered his wrists well. With a final look in the mirror and adjustment to his tie, he threw on his school robe and walked out the room.

"Damnit Adrian!" Draco yelled as he stormed into the empty Slytherin classroom. Everyone was still in the Great Hall having dinner. Adrian walked in after him at a more leisured pace with a smile on his lips.

"Don't be like that Draco. It was only a small kiss." He chuckled and pulled the blonde into a hug and kissed the frowning lips. Draco in turn pushed the taller boy away.

"THAT was not ONLY a SMALL kiss. You shoved your tongue down my throat and your grabby little hands began to molest me. IN the Great Hall in front of EVERYONE!" Draco took a deep breath and forced himself to calm down a bit. Sometimes he wondered why he had to go and fall for the older Slytherin and then he would remember he had a weakness for dark haired boys who happened to be Quidditch players. Draco never had expected to fall for the older boy's charm. He threw himself on one of the couches and sighed as he rubbed the side of his face in annoyance. He felt the dip in the couch to the left of him and a muscled arm pulled him against a firm chest.

"Don't be like that. We've been dating for a while now and you still won't let me show my affection in public. I'm lucky enough to be able to hold your hand in public, let alone embrace you. At least let me kiss you." Adrian kissed the corner of the blonde mouth, while he stroked a baby smooth cheek. The blonde was just too irresistible and asking to be touched.

Draco pushed Adrian away as a hand traveled up his leg. A look of disdain crossed his face as he stood up. That's all it was about now a days for the older Slytherin, having his hands all over him as, feeling him up. It unnerved Draco and made him feel a bit of disgust, he wasn't some whore that was there for the other's pleasure.

"Holding my hand is probably the safest act. Kissing leads to your tongue down my throat, holding me leads to your hands all over my body, mostly my arse. You let your dick think for you rather than your brain."

Adrian's expression turned from smug to livid as quickly as it took to blink, he stood before the blonde with a only a breath's space between them.

"I would watch what you say Draco. I care about you deeply but I will not be insulted by you.
If Draco had been surprised by his boyfriend's speed or the anger that radiated off him, he didn't show it. He managed to take a step back to put some distance and glared.

"Don't tell me what I can or cannot say, you don't own me, and if the truth hurts well to bad. When you learn some self control then you can look for me, as for now, we need a break." He turned around ready to turn in early due to the pounding headache that was getting worse by the minute. He only managed to get a few steps when his wrist was grabbed in an almost bone breaking grip and he was jerked backwards, making him stumble. This time a look of shock covered Draco's features, but he was quick and replaced it with his mask of annoyance.

"Adrian, let go of me. Now."

A harsh tug had him stumbling again and both his wrists were held tightly this time around. It didn't help matters that the older boy towered about a head over Draco, making him seem more menacing.

"Do not order me around. Since when do you get off acting like you decide what goes on in this relationship?" He tightened his hold and narrowed his eyes.

"Adrian, let go. You're hurting me." Draco began to panic. His wrists felt like they were ready to snap at any second. He tugged on his arms trying to get loose from the hold.

As if realizing what he was doing, Adrian's brown eyes widened and gave a small shove as he let go of Draco. The moment he had let go and pushed the other away was the same time the blonde had pulled his body from the grasp. Draco tumbled back and tripped on the rug, his hip smashed into the iron canister that held the metal firewood tools and fell along with it. He landed on top of the firewood rods and fell on a sharp edge of one of the handles and hissed in pain.

Adrian rushed over to his boyfriend's side and pulled him up into a sitting position.

"Draco, are you alright? I didn't mean- It was an accident, really." He kept babbling on as he pushed the canister away from under the blonde's legs and tossed the rods another way away from them. His arms came to wrap themselves around the small frame.

Draco on the other hand didn't know how to react. He sat still in his boyfriend's arms and finally, after composing himself a bit, found his voice and cut the other off.

"I'm fine. You can let go of me." He sighed as he was slowly let go and given the chance to breath. "I tripped alright. Now I just want to go to bed. My head is killing me." The headache had gotten worse from the fall and now there was a dull ache to his body. Draco was helped to his feet and without warning lifted off the floor and carried up the stairs towards the boys dormitories.

"Adrian, I'm not an invalid." Draco swatted at the boy's arms. He was put down when they reached the sixth year rooms.

"Sorry, I'm just a bit worried. It looked like a nasty fall." The dark haired Slytherin held Draco's pale hands close to him. Almost as if though in reassurance or guilt, he wasn't sure. The shorter boy pulled away and pushed open the door. Draco just wanted to crawl into bed and get some sleep and he didn't want to deal with anything anymore tonight.

"I'll see you tomorrow."

A warm hand, the color of milk coffee, cupped his cheek before he could turn away and stroked the fine skin. The other hand pushed aside some of the stray blonde hair that had fallen into the younger boy's face.

"I love you, you know that, right?"

"I know."

"Don't leave me."

"I won't."

Almost, as if to seal the deal, Adrian leaned forward and gave Draco a sweet chaste kiss.

Draco walked the halls, heading for the Great Hall for breakfast, or what was left of it. After the kiss from last night, he remembered faintly that he had barely removed his clothes before tumbling into bed and fallen into a fitful sleep. He had woken up late and with a dull ache on his side and head, which didn't help his mood one bit. Finally, he reached the Great Hall and took his customary seat between Pansy and Blaise and across from Vincent, Gregory and Theodore. His sulking did not go unnoticed.

"Seems you're still mad about last night." Blaise pointed out.

"I'm not mad about last night. I'm mad because no one woke me up this morning and now I barely have time to eat." As if proving his point, students began to file out of the hall towards their first class of the day.

"You wouldn't budge. You come up with pretty creative threats when you're grumpy." Theo handed him a chocolate muffin, Draco's favorite, as they headed out as well.

"I'm not grumpy." Draco bit out.

"Of course you're not Dear, only just a bit cross when your beauty sleep is disturbed. I told them to try harder." Pansy easily evaded the blonde's striking hand.

"Just don't do it again."

"Yes sir!"

Draco managed to give Blaise a double middle finger salute as he finished his muffin.

"Anyway, onto more important matters. Why are you still with the captain of the Slytherin team? You told me it was only a summer fling. He may be good looking but he's nothing but bad news."

"Blaise are you sure you're not completely gay? You would do well in our ranks, especially when important matter deal with talking about another gay man's boyfriend." Draco smirked and couldn't help the chuckle that escaped him at the horrified look aimed his way while Pansy, Greg, Vince, and Theo laughed. The group split up as they headed towards their separate classes, it was just Pansy, Blaise and Draco for Potions.

"Take that back, right now." Blaise pointed an accusing finger at him. "I'm here worried about you and I get jabbed at my masculinity and told to completely join the dark side. Aren't you going to offer me cookies first?"

"Oh shut up Blaise. You're acting like a complete girl. And you wonder why people question if you go for cock or breasts."

"I couldn't agree more, Pansy."

They continued their walk and pointedly ignored the Italian's huffs of annoyance and took their usual seats as they reached the classroom, Blaise in the front row and Pansy and Draco Rright behind them in the next.

"On a serious note though, Draco."

The blonde let out a groan. Any time Pansy wanted to have a serious conversation it was bad news for him.

"Do we need to discuss anything seriously right now?" Even though the question was ridiculous in its self, he still had to ask.

"Yes, we do. Blaise is right. Adrian is nothing but trouble. What happened to the fact that it was just a fling?"

Blaise pushed away from his table and leaned closer in order to hear all the 'juicy information' as he called it. He was such a gossipy whore even if he didn't admit it. Pansy just waited and gave Draco a calculating look, expecting an answer to her previous question.

"Look, Adrian asked me to help out with the summer training for the Slytherin Quidditch team and I couldn't exactly say no to the Captain of said team when I'm Seeker myself, now could I? Besides, with all the new team members they need all the training they can get so we can have even a chance of beating Gryffindor this year." Draco shrugged his shoulders." Somewhere along the way he made his move and I-"

"Have a thing for Qudditch players and guys with dark hair."

"Shut up Pansy. Anyway, I thought once school started we would break it up but he seems keen on making it last."

"Draco, the guy is a player. He's gone through more guys than you can count on your hands."

"He's been…sweet ever since we started dating. Besides, you're one to talk Blaise." Draco scowled.

"That would be the reason I'm warning you."

There wasn't time for a rebuttal as Professor Snape came in with the usual billowing of robes and demanded complete attention. It seemed they had been too caught up in their conversation to notice the rest of the students pile in as well. Draco continued to frown as he thought about what his two friends had said. They just didn't understand how Draco craved for human affection and he was receiving it from Adrian, someone who found him attractive and wasn't frightened or despised by him. He was brought out of his musing when someone cleared their throat. He looked up only to groan and refrain from smacking his head into the table.

"The universe despises me." he grumbled as he looked around and spotted Pansy next to Granger. How out of it must he have been if he hadn't noticed her leave her spot next to him.

Potter frowned and huffed as he took his spot next to Draco.

"Aren't you just full of lovely dramatics."

The blonde glared and wished that if he glared hard enough, Potter would blow up into a million pieces and all the little pieces would then catch fire and turn to ash. With Potter still sitting and fully intact, it seemed his wish would not be coming true any time soon, even if he continued to wish with all his might.

"Glaring isn't going to get rid of me, Malfoy."

"One could only hope, Potter."

Why did Professor Snape insist on assigning these incredibly hard potions if most of the class were bumbling idiots? It wasn't for the joy of explosions, he was sure. Draco sighed as yet another cauldron exploded. He looked at his own perfectly simmering one. Just five more minutes and he could add the last ingredient.

"Potter, please refrain from knocking over our potion with your annoying twitching. I worked hard on it and will not be failed because of you."

The Gryffindor had smacked his elbow into the cauldron and it had nearly toppled over, but with Seeker reflexes Draco had it back on the table.

"Don't act like I made you do all the work yourself. You were the one who decided to take over control of the assignment."

"Because you lack the skill and brains to make a decent potion. I have no idea why they allow you behind a cauldron."

"Shut up, Malfoy. Maybe you should get your boyfriend to help you relax a little." Potter snapped and instantly cursed himself as he watched the shock cross the Slytherin's face and the slight tinge of color appear on the pale cheeks.

Draco would be lying if he said he hadn't been surprised by the Gryffindor's retort. Grey eyes narrowed as he bit back his own choice of words with embarrassment and anger fueling him.

"Mind your own business, Potter. Don't be envious because you have no one to love. It's pathetic that Weasley can at least get someone, even if it is Granger, and you can't." Draco turned back to the potion with a huff. The heat of the room and fire was getting to him so he rolled up his sleeves, while thinking of painful ways to torture the idiot besides him. His sweater and robe had been discarded long ago. He reached for the final ingredient that was needed as he stirred with his other hand.

"Malfoy, what's that?" Potter pointed at the large bruise that covered the whole of Draco's wrists, while ignoring the painful stab the boy's earlier comment had caused. He had been thinking of a way to apologize while keeping some of his pride, he had been distracted by the marks on the pale skin.

"It's nothing." Draco hissed and yanked the sleeves down and proceeded to ignore his table partner. Before Potter had the chance to pry further, Professor Snape stood before them and demanded full attention.

"Since the both of you have time to sit around and talk, perhaps it is time to test out your potion?" It really wasn't a question.

The potion was ladled into a vial and handed over, it was the correct milky white yet that didn't guarantee the effectiveness. The professor retrieved a single red rose from his robes and placed it in the middle of his desk before pouring the potion over it. The students all craned their bodies to get a look from where ever they were seated. It was a beautiful yet depressing site. At first the liquid quickly consumed the rose in a white glow before crystalizing. Even in the dim light of the Potion's classroom the rose glistened in it's new skin. The poor thing however didn't retain its new look for long. Just as quickly as the rose had changed the crystallization fell away and revealed a shriveled up black remain of the once beautiful flower.

"Next time Mr. Potter, do not put all the work on your partner. The rest of you turn in your vials now. Class dismissed." With the man's back turned to the class the students scurried to do as they were told and leave as quickly as possible.

Draco packed his books up quickly, making sure not to make any eye contact with Potter. Why did he have to go and forget about the bruise on his wrist? A shadow loomed over his desk and was surprised to see that it was Adrian.

"Ready?"

The blonde nodded, his eyebrows furrowing as he watched him pick up his bag while glaring at Potter. He took Draco's hand and dragged him out the room. Draco never noticed the confused look that had crossed the raven's face.

"What did he say to you? You both seemed a bit riled up?" Draco finally managed to stay in step with Adrian.

"It was nothing you need to worry about. Potter was just being the usual arse that he is."

The grip on his hand tightened making Draco wince but it loosened enough so that it wasn't as uncomfortable. A thumb rubbed the smooth expansion of the blonde's hand.

"Sorry, let's just get you to class."

There wasn't much room for arguing as Adrian led Draco through the halls. Somehow, everything wasn't going to be the same this year if the gut twisting feeling he had was any warning of the troubles to come.