Come On Harry

Chapter 6: Male Bonding

Draco was growing more and more frustrated that Harry was conspicuously avoiding him.

But he had other things to worry about. The Slytherin Quidditch team needed more than a lot of help this year. Malcolm Baddock and Graham Prichard were both new Chasers, while Theodore Nott had only one year of experience on the team. Crabbe and Goyle were still the beaters, but Draco couldn't count on them to think for themselves during a game, which distracted him from his immediate goal of finding the snitch.

He was the natural choice for team captain and had been gloating about it all summer, but a few days in, he regretted having to be in charge. Due to the lack of skilled players, he'd had to pick Millicent Bulstrode as Keeper. Not an hour after his decision, he received an owl from his father telling him what a disgrace it was to have a girl on the Slytherin team. However, there had been no other alternative when Draco made the decision. "Besides," he had written back to his father, "she certainly looks like a boy."

So almost a few days after he'd given that kiss to Harry in the dark corridor, Draco was out on the Quidditch field, making sure his team was ready for the game they had against Hufflepuff the next day. He was flying around, giving tips to Millicent and the Chasers, while finding out how well Crabbe and Goyle were able to implement some strategies he had come up with.

"Baddock," he said in an irritated voice, "Did I not just show you the proper angle to use from that position?"

Malcolm Baddock nodded, moving his broom accidentally along with his head. Graham Pritchard started laughing, while Theodore Nott looked towards the stands at a blonde girl who looked tiny and alone in the gigantic empty bleachers. He waved and she waved back.

Draco sighed. "I hate repeating myself. Theo, show Baddock what I showed him less than a minute ago."

Theodore looked dumbfounded and coughed uncomfortably. "Sorry, Draco, I wasn't really watching either."

"You better start watching or else we're going to get creamed by the Gryffindors this year. And we don't want that to happen. Do we, Baddock?"

Baddock nodded again, and Theo continued watching the blonde girl in the stands. Draco put his head down for a moment as a break from the utter frustration he was feeling. As he did so, he noticed Ginny walking out onto the field, wearing a pair of blue jeans and looking relaxed. She glanced up and shielded her eyes from the sun.

"All right, you keep working on those shots," he told his team, his eyes still fixed on Ginny's small figure down below. "Just the left hoop, now, so Millicent doesn't get confused. I'll be right back." He dove down as quickly as he possibly could, and hopped off less than an inch away from the redhead.

She smiled. "You look so cute when you're commanding your team."

"It's not easy. They're so dreadfully appalling. It's quite frustrating, really."

She put her hands on his shoulders. "It'll get better."

He leaned his head in and whispered, "Why couldn't you be on my team?"

"I think you know why."

Draco hugged her and rested his head on hers. "Maybe I should make sure that Daphne doesn't come out to watch Theo anymore because he gets so distracted. But then I don't know what to do about Baddock. The boy is just a blithering idiot."

"Wow, they're really that bad? You sound in need of a nap."

He pulled away and laughed. "I am. Where's Potter?"

Ginny pointed to the other side of the Quidditch field, and Draco followed her hand to see Harry lying on the grass, reading. It seemed he studied outside all the time now, but perhaps it was only because he knew that Draco would be in the library, and he was trying to avoid him.

"How's he doing?"

"Fine," Ginny answered, keeping her hands on Draco's shoulders. He was still staring at Harry. "Look," she said hesitantly. "Maybe you should go talk to him."

Draco looked back at his girlfriend. "You know he'll just hex me or something."

"Since when are you scared of that?" she asked, cocking her head to the side.

He laughed. "You're right. He's just in denial." Pausing, he sighed. "I'll go talk to him now. I'm not mentally prepared to go back to my team yet, anyway."

Ginny nodded and after a quick kiss, headed back to the castle, towards another tall blonde haired boy who was calling her.

Draco, on the other hand, hopped on his broom and flew low to the other side of the field, where Harry immediately put his head up, sensing the other boy's presence. He didn't say anything.

"Studying?" Draco asked. Harry nodded in response. "For what?"

"Potions."

Draco jumped off his broom and approached the other boy. "I could help if you want."

Harry shook his head and looked back down towards the book.

"You sure?" Harry didn't answer. Frustrated, Draco stomped his foot. "Stop ignoring me. It's so ungentlemanly-like."

He lifted his head again. "Oh, and you're just the epitome of gentlemanly-like behavior, Malfoy," Harry sneered with a certain engaged expression. The other boy smirked. It may have been anger, but at least it was a response.

The blonde boy drew closer. "My attitude is necessary for achieving my goals. If you don't know that by now, I don't know what to tell you."

Harry sat up and folded his arms. "The ends don't justify the means."

Draco cracked a smile. "Sometimes they do. Besides, no harm was done."

"That's what you think," was the mumbled response.

Draco remained standing, but looked inquisitively at the Gryffindor on the ground, his Potions book lying open in front of him to a page Draco remembered well from last night's assignment.

Noticing that the other boy was seeking an explanation, Harry pointed to himself. "I'm scarred for life."

Stealing a glance at the other boy's forehead, Draco rolled his eyes. "Tell me something I don't know."

The Gryffindor let out a frustrated groan. "I mean I was scarred by you and your uncontrollable lust!"

The blonde-haired boy began to laugh. "I didn't kiss you because I have uncontrollable lust." He paused and eyed Harry, sobering. "First of all, if that were the case, a silly kiss like that would not have satisfied it. Second, I did it because I wanted to show you what it would be like. For your benefit, not mine."

"How in any way, did that benefit me?"

"Now you know you're not straight."

"I am, too."

"Don't kid yourself, Potter. I know you stare at Ron Weasley and the other stupid Gryffindor boys in the changing rooms."

Harry grew red, and yelled, "That's a lie! How could you possibly know that if you're not even allowed to be in the Gryffindor changing rooms?"

The Slytherin began to smirk and nonchalantly examine his fingernails. "Oh, I have my ways." His expression suddenly changed as he looked down at a reddened Harry. "Just don't disregard your real feelings, Potter."

"You don't know anything about me, Malfoy. How could you possibly even suggest that you know what my real feelings are?"

"I don't, but I do know that we will continue this conversation later because right now I have to go command my team for a bit longer and then perhaps feed myself to the giant squid." With that, Draco mounted his broom and took off. Harry watched him silently return to the Slytherin team and bark orders at them as soon as he got there.

***

That night, Ginny put a dark cloak over her shoulders before climbing down the stairs into the common room. As she'd expected, Harry was there, sitting on a couch, and he propped his head up as soon as he heard her come in. "Ginny..." he called. "Where are you going?"

She blushed very rapidly and turned her face away to conceal it. "I was going to go to Draco's tonight. You can come, if you want. It would be fun."

Harry dropped his head and sighed, "Oh. No, it's okay."

Feeling guilty, Ginny approached him and played with his hair. There was silence for a few moments, her hands still tangled in his locks, before she whispered to him, "He's a good guy, you know. He's nothing like he acts towards you. But I can understand if you..." She stopped then said more forcefully, "Please, Harry, just give him a chance."

"He's insane, Ginny! He's my enemy; he's not supposed to be entertaining thoughts of snogging me in his little perverted Malfoy head!" He blushed, not bearing to think about Malfoy's kiss in the dark corridor the other night.

"Harry, please!" She reached down to his chin and pointed it up towards her so that he was staring at her. There was something distant in his eyes; he seemed to be looking right past her. "Don't talk about him like that."

He didn't move, but responded angrily, "Then perhaps you're insane, too."

This time she sat down next to him. "And what exactly do you have against him, Harry?"

He sighed. "I couldn't even begin to answer that question."

"Try."

Slamming his feet onto the table in front of them then focusing his eyes on her, he responded, "He's rude. The way he treats Ron and Hermione is inexcusable. I don't know how you deal with that seeing as Ron's your brother and Hermione's your best friend. His father practically killed you, and he's the sidekick of the man who killed my parents... if you can call that thing a man. And Malfoy... ah, he's a just a selfish close-minded git. And I bloody hate him!"

"Draco isn't his father, okay? And he's just as rude to Ron and Hermione as they are to him. Not to mention, you are as close-minded as he is if you don't give him a chance or at least listen to what he has to say to you."

Harry's cheeks were still burning red as he tipped his head down, his eyes away from her gaze. "Fuck. Just go."

She stood up quickly. Turning around, she whispered soothingly, "Don't be angry with me, Harry. I'm just trying to help both of you."

Harry sighed for what seemed like the twentieth time that evening. "Fine, I'll listen to him. But not now."

Catching his eyes darting up at her, Ginny smiled and threw her arms around his neck. "So you're not angry with me?"

"No," he said in a low troubled voice.

"Give me a kiss?" Her shoulder propped up as she put her hand on her waist and the maroon cloak fell behind her back, revealing her pale freckled shoulder and a thin black strap.

Harry gulped, then realized that his eye was twitching and his lips trembling. He hadn't gotten close to kissing her before now...his nervousness startled him. Several seconds had passed and in order for Ginny not to wonder what was going on in his head, Harry closed the gap between them and placed his lips lightly on her red, sparkling ones.

It was not a short kiss as Harry had expected, because Ginny had pulled him in closer to her. Gripping her waist with his sweating hands against her soft cloak, he deepened the kiss and practically melted seconds later. So this is what Ginny tastes like. This is better than fantasizing.

A moment later, she pulled away with a smile tearing at her lips. "I'd better go," she whispered, giving him one more quick kiss.

Not being able to deal with her departure, he grabbed a hold of her waist and pulled her close to him again until his mouth was touching the soft hairs on her neck. "Stay with me. Please."

She could feel his soft breath against her side and started giggling under his grip. "Harry...you can come, you know. We just can't stay here, I promised Draco..."

"No, just stay..." he mumbled as he began kissing her neck, moving around the clasp of the maroon cloak.

After a few seconds of hesitation, she pulled him up to his feet and announced, "You're coming."

He let go of her cloak reluctantly and stared at her blazing hair. "No, I'm not," he said matter-of-factly. Then, gesturing towards the portrait hole, he suggested, "Go ahead".

Ginny didn't say another word. She looked at him almost pleadingly for a moment, but then turned around, her hair swishing against her back. The cloak reached the ground and dragged quite a distance behind her as she walked.

***

The next night Draco walked into the great hall, for the first time in his life looking as if he were trying to conceal himself. His attempt at a discreet entrance had the opposite effect of the one he'd intended. Harry watched as all the Slytherins stood up to go pat Draco on the back.

"It's not your fault, Draco. You did your best! You'll beat them next time!" they all shouted as they crowded around him.

Draco plowed through the multitudes to take his usual seat near the front of the Slytherin table. He reached down and picked up his utensils, examining his reflection elegantly in a silver spoon.

Pansy Parkinson approached him determinedly. "Draco! You were terrific, you know, don't let anyone tell you otherwise." She paused, clearly undeterred by his lack of a response. "Besides, even if you did lose, it was still only by ten points! And you caught the snitch! You should be proud of yourself! Don't listen to what anyone else says, really. I'm sure you're doing a great job coaching your team. They may be unprepared now, but with your great guidance, they'll be sure to win next time. I just know they will!"

Not looking up, Draco opened his mouth for the first time since entering the great hall and groaned, "Sod off."

"Draco, I know you're upset, but you'll win the next game! Don't worry about it."

This time he turned his head to meet her grinning expectant face. Her straight brown hair was cut neatly below her ears, with a few of her bangs hanging across her eyes intentionally. She was so enraptured by Draco's attention that when he opened his mouth, she found herself incapable of breathing. All her hopes flashed through her mind; but she immediately found they were discordant with the words that left Draco's mouth. "What part of 'sod off' didn't you understand?"

Pansy folded her legs beneath her and sat in the seat adjacent to Draco's. Petting the tabletop involuntarily, she purred, "Listen, Draco, I know we haven't really been as close this year as we were last year. In fact, I think we've had a bit of a falling out... but I really like you, and I can see that you've looked worse since you left me - since we broke up."

Draco cleared his throat and took a sip of juice from an oversized goblet. "I've looked worse? ... Thank you."

"Oh you know I didn't mean it that way, Drac - "

"Don't act like you really care about me, Pansy. You only pester me because I'm rich and good-looking, not to mention every other Slytherin wished that he or she was you last year. You crave that sort of attention, and I'm sure your parents praise you for it. However, I am telling you now: there will be no repetition of our relationship this year."

He felt her tearing grip on his bicep. "Just because you're angry about the game, doesn't mean you can take it out on me. I know you like me, you've told me you do. And I've told you that I like you! You can't really believe that I don't care about you. I care about you! I care about you more than I care about myself!"

"Then maybe you should just sod off, like I asked you to."

"Draco!"

"Sod OFF!" The entire Slytherin table turned to look at Draco's guilty face and Pansy's stricken and embarrassed one. Her hand was still gripping his arm, but she was too stunned to move it. Instead he peeled it off slowly and headed towards the exit, for the second time having to make his way through the crowd.

Ginny turned towards Harry suddenly and stated, "I'd better go."

***

Harry was supposed to believe that Ginny liked him and Draco equally, but she was gone all day consoling the other boy because of Slytherin's loss. At least, that's what Harry thought.

Ginny passed through the Slytherin common room, getting odd looks from everyone, and stopped in front of two large Slytherin boys guarding Draco's private room, one uglier than the next. "You can't go in," they stated routinely until she shoved her wand in their faces.

"How about now?" she teased, basking in the looks of sheer terror on their faces.

With the boys having stepped aside sheepishly, she entered Draco's room as silently as she could. All the lights were off except for a small lamp on the far wall which was giving the room a dull glow. The large bed was centered and seemed to take over the entire room with its towering wooden bedposts. Draco was there of course, completely wrapped up in an enormous bedcover, not moving.

Ginny approached the bed and sat on the side. She whispered, "Draco..." There was no response, so she called his name again. For the second time there was no response, so Ginny took on a louder voice. "You're not asleep," she said, ripping open the covers to find Draco's eyes wide open and staring at her.

His voice came out in a half whimper. "So I'm not. You must know me too well."

"It's such a shame, isn't it?" she teased. "You're not really upset about Slytherin losing, are you?" He shook his head and closed his eyes halfway. "Good, because that would be the silliest reason to be as depressed as you're acting now."

"...I am not depressed. I am feeling mildly unpleasant. That is all."

Ginny haloed Draco's face with her hands and kissed his forehead gently. "So why are you feeling mildly unpleasant? Or is it not polite to ask?"

"It is polite, because you are someone I love." She looked down at him expectantly. Blinking twice, he continued, "I'm feeling mildly unpleasant because Harry wasn't even at the game yesterday."

Ginny shook her head with disappointment. "Draco... Never mind what I said a few seconds ago. That is the stupidest reason to be depressed."

"Mildly unpleasant..." he pointed out softly, and then put his hands on hers, and drew himself up so that they were eye to eye. "Well, that's not all. It's just... Harry. I really hate him."

"But... Then why are you..."

"I hate him because I fancy him. And because he doesn't fancy me. In fact, he hates me, so really it's only fitting that I hate him back, a bit like it was before... yet, I still fancy him, so it's not really like it was before. Not to mention, I kissed him, so it's really not like it was before. Does that make sense?"

Ginny sat down next to him and looked straight ahead at the wall, thinking. "Unfortunately, it makes perfect sense," she finally said, a bit distantly. "I don't know what to do about Harry. But he did say that he'd listen to you."

"I know, you told me. I haven't had the time today, and he seems to still be ignoring me, which is all well and fine, except that I want to get it over with and have either a defined acceptance or a defined... refusal." He put a shaking arm around her waist desperately.

Leaning her head onto his shoulder, she whispered, "Harry is a very accepting person."

"Excepting me, naturally," Draco let out in a self-deprecating manner.

Lacking tone, Ginny answered, "We'll see, won't we?"

He raised his eyebrows and asked excitedly, "What are you suggesting?"

"We'll see, wont we?"

"In that case," Draco said, standing up for what seemed like the first time in hours, "will you wash my hair for me?"

***

"Why does she have to wear those bloody dresses all the time now?" Ron cried, standing up near the back shelves of the library. He placed a hand on a half-empty shelf and leaned on it. "I know Malfoy buys them all for her. Just what does he think he's doing? Does he think he's playing doll with her now? You've noticed it, haven't you? She used to be a tomboy, but now... you've seen the way she fancies herself up. She does it every bloody day!"

Hermione was sitting across a table from Harry, her nose very close to a dusty green book. "She only wears the dresses at night, you know," she said without lifting her eyes from the page.

"Yeah," Harry agreed, putting his feet up on the table, confident Madam Pince wouldn't spot him back here. "During the day she still wears T-shirts and jeans and plays football with Dean."

"She plays football with Dean?!?" Ron yelled, approaching the couches suddenly. "What, is she bloody dating EVERYONE now?"

Harry stood up irately. "She's not dating everyone!" When he realized his anger was being misplaced by the shocked look on Ron's face, he sat back down.

"I think what Harry means is," Hermione continued for him, also a bit startled by Harry's reaction, "that Ginny is still her normal self."

"She's not dating everyone," Harry repeated, more softly this time.

Hermione put her book down slowly. "I know, Harry," she said, reassuringly.

"How do you two know? I, apparently, know nothing." Ron was now completely leaning against the shelves, pulling books out and pushing them back in absentmindedly with his index finger.

The bushy haired girl pointed dully to the page in front of her. "There's nothing in here about silver lights. Only a sentence and it doesn't seem very relevant."

"Maybe it is. What's it say?" Harry asked suddenly, leaning forward.

Hermione raised an eyebrow at him. "It's not, but fine. 'In the early 1700s Thomas Kraken invented the Metal Colour Lamp, which produces either a gold, silver, or bronze light on command.'"

"Well, that's the case-cracker right there," Ron muttered sardonically. His frown disappeared the moment Hermione turned her head to give him a toothy grin.

Harry leaned back again, spreading his arms across the chairs on either side of him. "You never know. The person out there could have had a Metal Colour Lamp."

"And why exactly would it have made you faint, Harry?" Harry shot her a hurt look, not wanting to admit that he had fainted. "Besides, there are loads of spells that produces silver lights. Maybe this isn't the best approach to researching. You said her skin was hot when you found her, right, Ron? Where exactly?"

"It was hottest around her neck, and then it faded further away. Maybe the spell was aimed at her neck. It's rotten luck she can't remember a thing."

"They probably planned it that way," said Harry darkly.

"Who would do that to her? There must have been some motive..." Hermione flipped the book shut and looked around the shelf Ron was standing by.

He stepped away from it. "Probably one of her million boyfriends, upset that he's not her only fellow."

Harry crossed his arms. "She doesn't have a million boyfriends."

Standing and approaching him, Hermione said softly, "Ron, really...let's focus on what is more important here."

"No. You two know something, and you're not telling me. What is it?" He looked at his two best friends, who were now glancing blankly at one another. "Why do you two know more about Ginny than I do?"

"Well, I'm her best friend," Hermione responded.

"Yeah," Harry put in. "And I'm her boyfriend."

At that instant, both Ron and Hermione turned on him, and Harry realized what he had just said. He hadn't meant to tell them just yet, not until he had sorted things out with Malfoy. But perhaps it was better this way. "What?" Ron asked, because Harry had not yet responded to their open stares.

"I'm her - I'm her boyfriend."

"Sorry Harry. Malfoy's her boyfriend," Hermione said, turning towards him slowly, the green book still clasped uselessly in her hands.

"I thought she rejected you, mate," Ron said, wondering why his best friend was imagining things.

"Well she did. But then she and Malfoy came up with this plan. Proposition, really."

The redhead squeezed his large pale hands together, before continuing to idly pull out books with his index finger. "I don't like the sound of that," he said.

Harry's eyes grew dark as Hermione put her hand on top of Ron's when she found the book she wanted. "Ginny told me that I could date her." He paused and sighed, watching as Hermione's face swerved to face him. "If and only if I dated Malfoy as well."

"That's bloody disgusting." Ron picked up Hermione's hand, drawing it away from the book, and using his other hand to keep it trapped in between his.

"That's what I thought, too. But I love her." He looked away abruptly and Ron's jaw dropped.

Hermione, still unable to believe it, managed to ask, "So you said yes?"

"I had no other choice."

"You could have said no!" Ron pointed out, letting go of Hermione's hand. "She's not that bloody worth it!"

"Ron..." Hermione hit him lightly on the arm. "She's your sister."

Ron folded his arms and thrust them against his chest, his cheeks reddening. "I don't know who she is anymore."

"Come on, Ron," she assured him. "Ginny hasn't changed. She's always been a bit of a flirt."

"A bit of flirt? She's shagging everyone!"

"No, she's not!" Harry and Hermione said at once.

The redhead slumped down into the seat beside Hermione's, his hands still folded across his chest. "I bet she's shagging Malfoy now."

***

She let the water rush over every strand of his white-blonde hair, making sure it seeped through the top layer of shine into the depths of what made the boy before her Draco. She thought he looked like a child, his neck on the edge of the sink leaning his head in, while she acted as a mother would, making sure the soapy water did not get in his eyes or his ears.

At the same time, she became distracted every time she remembered that he had taken off his white shirt so that it wouldn't get wet. That he had been able to do on his own, she thought to herself with half a smile.

Every now and then, he'd lift his twinkling eyes to catch a glimpse of her face, which looked natural and focused at the same time. Noticing him watching her, she said, "You couldn't do this yourself?"

"Don't you like washing my hair for me?"

She began combing her fingers through the slick tresses of hair in front of her. "I'm not sure yet. I'll tell you once I'm done."

Draco's hips bucked upwards in surprise when she got a blast of water in his eyes. "Try not to do that," he warned.

She didn't apologize, but instead sharpened her attention to the task at hand.

They listened to the calm drizzling of the water for a few minutes before Draco said, "Nothing is turning out the way I thought it would."

"What do you mean?"

"Today at dinner...Never mind, I couldn't possibly..."

She lifted his head with her hands powerfully. He stared up at her. "Draco. What is it?"

He stared at her a moment before saying dramatically, "I yelled at Pansy! You heard me, everyone heard me! I've never done that before. It was the shock of my life, well, almost the shock of my life." He lifted his head suddenly from the sink and Ginny's hands, and she watched, mesmerized, as water dripped down his neck and spine in straight wet lines all the way until they were soaked up in his black trousers.

When he turned towards Ginny, she realized that he looked more raw than she'd ever seen him before. His hair was in a wet mess on top of his head and on the sides of his face, and there was a noticeable amount of light brown stubble across his chin and his well-defined cheeks. She had never seen him with anything other than a clean-shaven face.

"I'm not sure what made me yell at her. I refuse to believe that my emotions took over me. I usually have extraordinary control over them. It wasn't as if it were amusing to yell at her either. I just wanted to hurt her, Gin, badly." He looked up apologetically, then ran a hand through his sopping wet hair. "Now I've ruined it for myself. I needed to stay on good terms with Pansy. What am I going to tell my father now?"

She stared at the man before her with an expression mixed with pity and disgust. "The truth?" she suggested, a little more harshly than she'd intended.

"What use is telling the truth? It will only make me more vulnerable." His face looked pained. The veins in his eyelids gave them a blue tint, and he strained to keep his eyes down and away from her glance.

Ginny reached out and dragged her hand across his stubble. "You yelled at her because you let your emotions take over. You made a mistake. It's not a big deal."

He placed a gentle hand on her forearm. "I know I can fix it easily. But I'm not good at apologizing."

"Trust me, I know."

They stared at each other until Draco began to shiver with cold. Ginny dried him with a charm and put his white shirt back on for him. "Thank you," he whispered while her hands were still on the edges of the shirt. "Will you - " He paused when she looked up at him, but then continued a few seconds later. "I don't have enough energy to shave right now. I'll tell you the incantation..."

Ginny nodded and five minutes later Draco was clean shaven again. She led him back to bed and he flopped down then made room for her to sit. She didn't and instead stated, "I should go back to Gyffindor now."

Draco bowed his head as a nod, his hair also dry from Ginny's charm. His eyes looked dark and narrow at her statement, but they lightened considerably once she rolled the bedcover over his stationary body.

She leaned down and let her lips rest on his for a moment before standing back up. "Good night, Draco."

"Good night, Ginny."

Glancing at his face one last time, Ginny turned to leave the room. Before she left, she said "Everything will be all right" and turned out the light.

***

Harry trudged slowly behind Ron and Hermione, who had been holding hands for so long that Harry felt certain that they ought to be fused together. He didn't look around in the hallways, and instead just watched his feet, which were individually stepping forward at a constant beat.

Ginny, of course, had gone off to help Draco get ready for the special Halloween dinner. "He's an awful wreck," she'd told Harry earlier that day. "He can't do anything besides sleep on his own. I even had to wash his hair yesterday... it will be quite a chore getting him to dinner today." Harry hadn't offered to help, even though Ginny had looked at him in anticipation.

His tie was choking him slowly. He felt it would be the perfect sort of torturous death, although not nearly as torturous as having to share Ginny with his arch enemy. Draco had never reserved this position of arch enemy until Harry had found out about him and Ginny; it had earlier been occupied by Voldemort, whom this god-awful affair had at least kept Harry from thinking about.

One foot stepped in front of the other, again and again, until his bowed head hit Ron's back. "Why are you stopped," he asked his best friend before lifting his head inquiringly. However, Harry's question was answered when he saw an elegant Ginny arm in arm with an even more elegant Malfoy. Harry's hand flew to his tie and he pulled it out so it was looser. Ron seemed appalled at the sight of his sister with Malfoy, so he kept walking silently towards the great hall with Hermione, who desperately looked as if she wanted to speak with Ginny.

Harry was left staring at the elegant couple, realizing at once that it hadn't been his tie that had been choking him. It was something else, something completely intangible.

Ginny looked at Harry, worriedly. "Harry, are you okay? You don't look well."

The Gryffindor nodded in response, not removing his eyes from the beautiful yet appalling sight before him. His stomach jolted in pain.

"I think he looks pretty damn good," Malfoy said softly, swinging his free arm back and forth. "I mean," he continued, looking Harry in the eye, "you look nice."

Harry couldn't muster up a response, because his heart was beating too rapidly. Instead he just nodded gratefully and held his hand out to Ginny. "Uhm, should we go inside?" he added nervously as he felt Draco's eyes on him.

Ginny grabbed his hand and nodded gracefully to Malfoy, who continued alone into the Great Hall. Ginny moved to follow, but Harry stiffened his grip.

"Can we talk?"

She turned towards him uncomfortably. "Now?" She pulled her black dress down, then up again, and Harry suddenly forgot what he'd intended to say. "Come on, Harry, let's go inside. I need to make sure he's okay."

With that, Harry remembered. "Ginny, I think Malfoy can take care of himself."

"He can't..."

Ignoring this, he continued, "It hardly seems like you're my girlfriend at all, since you never spend any time with me. You're always with Malfoy, every sodding night. Why did you even want to be with me if you're never going to see me? I can't help but feel as if you've been teasing me this whole time."

She threw her hands onto each of his shoulders. "Harry, listen. Things would be completely different if Draco weren't in such a rut right now. If you just talked with him, then we'd be able to see each other more."

"So now it's my fault? Just because I'm not in love with my arch enemy? You're just as twisted as he is! Goddamn." Harry turned to storm out, until he saw Ginny's face. It looked as if she'd just been stabbed. His expression and tone immediately changed as he said, "I'm sorry. I'm just upset. And I want to see you more."

She looked down and then back at him, her eyes seeming fuller, and her blazing hair coming down in curls on the side of her face. "You will, I promise."

He held his arm out to her again, and this time they walked into the great hall. It had been decorated more extravagantly than Harry had ever seen before, with floating candles and pumpkins above the ornamented tables, monstrous torches on the walls, and shining constellations on the ceiling. Ginny gripped his arm more tightly as they sat beside Ron and Hermione.

Ron didn't look toward his sister, but Hermione smiled. "How are you, Ginny? I haven't seen you for quite a while."

"That's for sure..." Ron snorted.

Hermione nudged him. "Oh, hush."

"I'm fine, thank you," the redhead answered before stealing a glance towards Malfoy. She turned back around quickly, not wanting to upset anyone further. "So are you all going to the Ravenclaw party tonight? They throw the best parties."

The other girl answered, "I don't know, we hadn't really thought about it."

Harry added, "We hadn't really known about it, actually."

His girlfriend turned towards him and replied cheerfully, "Oh please come, it won't be any fun without you."

"Well, if you put it that way..." he blushed.

Ron threw in, "We're going, too. I need to keep an eye on you, Ginny."

"You don't need to do any such thing."

"Says who?" he replied, a bit more angrily.

Ginny tried to keep calm. "Says I."

"Me too," Harry added, unsure how his best friend would react.

Ron looked at him, aghast. "You too? What do you mean?"

Harry started softly and waveringly, but then steadied his voice. "Ginny can take care of herself. She's only a year younger than you, you know, and one of the most capable witches at Hogwarts." Ginny was beaming.

The other boy had no response, and just looked towards Hermione, who was nodding her head. "Yes, she is."

***

Harry and Ginny walked in front of Ron and Hermione, who had seemed more out of spirits than earlier this evening. Ginny didn't seem to be focused on this however. The Ravenclaw party was just a few hallways away, and she couldn't wait to see how Harry danced.

When they knocked on the common room door, which Ginny seemed to know the location of from previous parties, Terry Boot answered, with a drink in his hand. "Ginny!" he exclaimed, smiling wide. "I haven't seen you for so long. How are you, girl?"

"I'm great," she answered, parting with Harry to give Terry a hug.

"You haven't been too wrapped up in homework, I hope," Terry continued. "Sixth year is the worst."

"No, it's not at all. It's been fantastic so far. How's being Head Boy? Have they got you busy all day long?"

"No, not really. And I certainly enjoy the privileges."

She saw Harry twiddling his thumbs in the corner of her eye, so she said, "Okay, well, I'll see you later."

"Yeah, bye," he smiled, not being able to tear his eyes from her, and not even noticing that Ron and Hermione had stepped into the Ravenclaw common room.

Harry was immediately struck by the loud music and the hordes of students dancing in the middle of the cleared away room. The couches had been moved towards the edges of the room, and they were occupied as well, but mostly by snogging couples.

Ginny dragged Harry into the middle of the dancing students, and started to move with the music. Harry at once went stiff. "You're not afraid of dancing, are you?" she asked him.

"As a matter of fact, I am. Especially since, I've never really danced... like this... before," he said loudly enough for her to hear over the blasting music. He was completely unable to tear his eyes away from the boys and girls surrounding him, grinding against each other.

"I suppose if you're new to it, it would look horrendous. But it's fun. Just try. Follow my lead." Harry's heart skipped a beat as Ginny calmly took his hands and moved in close to him.

After a few minutes, Harry needed a break, so he went to sit on the couches and observed Ron and Hermione snogging unashamedly not far away. Looking back towards the crowd, he found that Ginny was being surrounded by at least seven boys, all asking her to dance. She was about to take Anthony Goldstein's hand when Malfoy stepped in and grabbed her passionately. They kissed for a couple seconds, causing all the other boys to go away.

The couple seemed to be talking to one another, but Harry couldn't hear what they were saying.

"Tonight's the night," Draco cooed, picking up Ginny's hand and bringing it around his neck. "I'm going to approach Harry."

"Oh, good," she said, smiling and moving her hips along with Draco's. "He's in a better mood now, too."

"Excellent." He laid a kiss on the side of her fair neck, and they danced some more.

Not long after this display of affection, Harry found that he was plastered to his seat on the couch, and not even Draco's threatening approach towards him would allow him to move. The boy's silver hair was reflecting the different colored lights changing randomly from somewhere on the ceiling, and his face looked so serious and determined. When he stopped in front of Harry, Harry drew up his body and sat up straight.

"Let's talk," Draco said loudly, so the sound wouldn't be drowned out by the music.

The other boy's static condition seemed to have dissolved as he stood up quickly and precisely, replying, "Okay."

Ginny watched from the dance floor and through the arms of Ernie Macmillan as Draco led Harry out of the common room.

"It's okay if we go outside, right?" Malfoy asked, running his hands nervously through his hair.

Harry nodded and followed the other boy as they took several turns and walked down the hallways silently. They finally reached the doors to the outside, and found themselves in almost complete darkness, on the opposite side of the quidditch field near a short concrete wall.

The tension had been growing throughout the long walk and was not relieved once they were outside, staring at each other silently. Malfoy finally said, "Alright, so let's talk."

"Okay," Harry answered again. "What do you want to talk about?"

Draco smirked. "I'm not sure, which monster do you feel like uncovering?" He brushed his hand through his hair again.

"What?"

"My relationship with Ginny, your relationship with Ginny, our relationship, you ignoring me, that... er, time I kissed you?"

"No, let's talk about how Ginny deserves a whole lot better than you." Harry raised his eyes slowly, almost defiantly, and looked Draco in the eyes.

The other boy shook his head. "Ouch. Why do you hate me so goddamn much?" Harry looked at him incredulously, so Draco continued. "All right, I know I've been an arse to you in the past. But now you know I fancy you, so that all really shouldn't matter."

"To me, you're practically Voldemort, himself, except a cheap imitation. I absolutely hate him, I hate your father, and I really sodding hate you."

Draco visibly relaxed. "So you hate me because you think I'm like the Dark Lord? Well, you can scratch that since I've never even met the man. I'm not my father either, for that matter. But that's a bit more complicated, and I'd appreciate it if you didn't mention him again."

"Why do you hate Muggles so much then?"

He stepped closer, running his hands through his light hair again. "It's the way I was brought up, Potter. Weren't you raised to believe certain things?"

Harry threw his arm across his own chest. "I couldn't even begin to tell you how I was raised."

"Oh, that's right. You grew up with Muggles. Must have been bad, then." Draco sat down on the short wall and put his hands down to steady himself.

"It was bad. But not because they were Muggles."

Draco looked down at his lap. "Go on. Make excuses for them," he said pointedly.

"Shut up."

"Well, at least we were getting somewhere."

Harry kept standing and was tapping his foot impatiently. "Yes, but we didn't get there."

"Yes. That's unfortunate." He shook his head involuntarily, then looked back at Harry with a sudden urge for words. "Look, I'm clearly not anything like my dad since I like you. He would never sleep with the enemy. Or want to, anyway."

"So you're admitting I'm the enemy?"

"You're the enemy of my family. Not me. It's true we have been rivals at school, but on nowhere near as large a scale as I am with my father. So really, I'd feel no guilt in being with you." Harry didn't speak, wondering why Draco and his father would be rivals. "You're right. I must sound like such a sodding fuck right now."

"No, it's not that. I'm just really confused. There's too much to think about." Harry crossed his arms and gripped his own waist as he began to see white dots dancing in front of his eyes.

Draco hit the back of his heels against the side of the wall. "Then don't think." Another time, he drew a trembling hand through his hair.

"Your hairline is going to recede a whole lot faster if you keep doing that," Harry pointed out before moving closer to the wall and putting his hands up onto it in order to steady his head which felt like it was zooming around. Draco looked embarrassed and dropped his hands, but Harry continued on the old subject. "I have to think."

The Slytherin slid off the wall and stood by Harry's side. Harry looked troubled and leaned on the hand which was placed firmly on the top of the wall. "What are you thinking about then? Whether you're gay or not?"

Harry turned his head to look at Draco and nodded. "If I'm even considering it, I suppose I must be... somewhat, right?" He was surprised at himself, realizing he would never say such a thing to Ron.

"It's my personal belief that everyone is. Just a bit, anyway," Draco said, using his index and thumb to show how much 'a bit' was.

"But I'm in love with Ginny," Harry put in quickly.

Draco laughed. "So am I. But I still fancy you."

Hesitantly, Harry moved his hand to Draco's shoulder, turning the blonde boy into jelly. Harry said in a low voice, "I'm trying to decide if I should hold on to - to this old prejudice... it seems safer, let me tell you. Or if I should just give in to this... new feeling." Before Draco could answer, Harry had trespassed the barrier that he'd created in his first year at Hogwarts by pulling Draco's head close to his own. He gave the Slytherin boy a quick soft kiss before he pulled away.

But the blonde boy grabbed Harry back and parted his lips with a determined tongue. Harry felt hot, much hotter than he ever had while kissing someone. Draco's hands were suddenly placed firmly on Harry's hips, pulling him in closer while they kissed. The presence of another body so close made Harry tense, yet gave him a certain sensation that he had never been experienced. It seemed centuries before Harry was able to gasp for air.

Draco dragged his chin against Harry's rough cheeks, feeling every small hair, as he moved his fingers all across the dark haired boy's body, but Harry wasn't used to such teasing. He pushed Draco against the wall, moved his right hand down the front of Draco's stomach and played with the edge of his boxers. Eventually he slid his hand in and grabbed hold of the other boy. But at that moment, Draco pushed Harry away. "Don't do that!" he yelled, already a few meters away.

"What?" Harry was in a rage. "First you tell me how much you want me, now you won't even let me touch you? What the bloody hell is wrong with you?" He waited for some kind of a response, but Draco said nothing. "Are you trying to make me look like a sodding idiot, because your plan is working!" He stormed back into the castle, leaving Draco alone near the wall.

The Slytherin hopped up onto the wall again and put his head in his hands, slowly shaking his head. He found that his eyes were wet with tears, and he was suddenly glad that he was outside in the dark, where no one else could see him.

***

Ginny had been dancing with Kevin Entwhistle for over five minutes before the other boys started getting jealous. She decided that perhaps it was time to dance with a Hufflepuff when she spotted Draco enter the common room painfully as if he had just been running.

She excused herself and hurried over to him, ignoring the calls and hoots from the boys she had just left. "What's wrong?" she asked her Slytherin boyfriend quickly.

Breathing helplessly, he looked up at her from his bent over position and she saw his red eyes.

"What happened?" she asked.

He took another short breath and said, "You have to get your brother. Tell him to take Potter to the hospital wing. And say he fell out of bed."

"What did you do to him?"

"I didn't. I found him. Unconscious. Now go get your brother and tell him. Potter's just outside. I'll be with him until you come back." Draco, still breathing hard, exited the common room.

Minutes later, Ginny came bounding out with Ron and they spotted Malfoy bent over the unconscious boy. "What did you do to him?" Ron yelled.

"There's no time, Weasley. He needs to get there now."

"Why didn't you do it yourself if you're so concerned about him?" Ron asked, kneeling down towards his best friend who looked neither troubled nor peaceful in his state.

"I didn't want to get in trouble for being out after hours again," Draco said as though it was nothing to be ashamed of.

The redhead did not seem to agree. "You selfish snobbish little - "

"This way no one will get detention," Draco interrupted. "And Potter will get treated."

Ron let it go and murmured the lighten-ing charm he had learned from Draco not long before in the Forbidden Forest. As he slung his best friend over his shoulder and began heading towards the hospital wing, he demanded of the other boy, "I want to know exactly what happened."

Reluctantly, the blonde haired boy followed him. "I was talking to him outside," he admitted. "But then he left. And a few minutes later, I walked back to the castle, and he was lying on the steps, unconscious. I don't know what happened to him."

Ron wrinkled up his nose and examined the other boy. "I don't believe you."

Draco didn't think before answering, "I don't care."

Ginny stepped between them now, whispering, "Not so loud. I don't want us to get caught."

Her brother turned towards her. "Ginny, we can take care of this. You go back to the party and tell Hermione what's happened."

"I'm not going to leave him," she snapped, pointing to Harry. "I want to make sure he's okay."

"I'll make sure," Ron said with so much emphasis that Draco rolled his eyes. "Go tell Hermione but don't come after us because I don't you two to get into trouble."

Draco said nothing to defend her, so she gave them one last angry look before running off.

"What did you do to Harry?" Ron asked again, once his sister was out of earshot.

"I told you. I found him."

They made a left turn into a dark hallway and walked on silently for a moment with only the harsh sounds of their breathing to accompany them. Suddenly, Ron turned on the boy next to him and accused, "You're up to something, Malfoy. I don't know what, why, or how, but you are."

"You've got me," Draco countered dully.

"You forced Harry to date you! You're just doing it to get close to him, for You-Know-Who."

"What is it with you Gryffindors and the Dark Lord?" He paused and sighed. "Besides, I didn't force Potter to do anything. We asked, and he accepted. There was no forcing of any kind."

Ron looked thunderstruck, then shook his head and continued with his accusation. "I know you did this to him, Malfoy. I know you're working for You-Know-Who, and I reckon you had something to do with the silver light, too."

"Weasley, I was with you when we saw the silver light. I was just as curious about it as you were."

The redhead gripped Harry tighter, his arms wrapping around the other boy's cold back. "You could have been acting. I know you were behind it somehow."

"I'm glad you think of me as so capable." He clasped his pale hands together and tried not to watch Ron hold onto Harry's limp body.

"That's not something to be proud of," Ron said harshly. "Besides, you haven't denied that you work for You-Know-Who."

Draco said quickly, "Why should I?"

"SEE?"

They were just outside the infirmary door, and Draco neared the redhead and said quietly, "Tell Pomfrey that you heard a thud and you found Potter had fallen out of bed. Tell her you expect he was unconscious before he fell but you're not sure."

"Unconscious before he fell," Ron repeated. "Okay. Sounds alright, I suppose." He looked up and remembered it was Malfoy in front of him. "Don't think I've forgotten anything we've discussed right now. Once Harry's awake, I'm going to tell him everything. And he won't come near you anymore."

"I doubt he needs your help to do that," Draco muttered to himself dejectedly.

"Harry's always had his suspicions about you."

"I've had suspicions about who?" Ron and Draco both jumped as they heard Harry's voice loud and clear. Ron dropped him by accident but Harry landed on both feet. "I feel light as a feather," he admitted to them. Both their eyes were wide as Ron cast the charm to return Harry to his normal weight. "That's better. Where are we?"

"In front of the infirmary..." Ron whispered. "Harry, what happened to you?"

"How did I get here? Last I remember walking towards the castle and feeling sick..." A look of realization came over his face.

"What?" Draco asked. "What is it?"

"Oh, nothing. Let's go back to the party. The party is still going on, isn't it?"

Ron stepped forward. "Did Malfoy attack you, Harry?"

"N - no, he didn't. I just fell, or something."

"Or something?" the redhead asked.

Harry was playing with his hands and looking at his feet. "Maybe I should go to bed. I'm a bit tired."

"You don't want to get checked by Madam Pomfrey?"

"I'm fine, Ron, really." He looked towards Draco, whose gaze fell to the opposite wall.

"Well, okay." Ron also glanced at Draco and noticed his nervousness. "Let's go back to Gryffindor tower then."

Draco said uncomfortably, "I'll tell Ginny where you've gone." He headed away from them, back to the Ravenclaw common room. Near the end of a dark hallway, he spotted someone coming, so he leaned into the wall and slumped down out of sight lest he be spotted in return.

A pair of pale slender legs passed by him. This was no teacher; it was Ginny. He stood up quickly. "Ginny!" he called and she turned around.

"Draco. Where'd you come from?"

"I was here. What are you doing? I thought you were supposed to be with Granger."

She looked guilty, but tried not to act it. "I was, but then she went to Gryffindor tower to wait."

"Potter woke up," he said very suddenly.

"He did? What did Madam Pomfrey say?"

He stepped forward. "He woke up before we got there. Ron took him back to... Gryffindor tower." He ended quietly, almost silently.

Ginny heard his rough breathing. "Are you okay?" she asked him, reaching her hand out.

"Fine," he said systematically, leaning into her arm.

"And Harry? He's okay?"

"A bit shaken up, but fine." He sighed. "You should get back to Gryffindor tower. They'll be worried about you."

"Normally I wouldn't care," she assured him, "but I want to make sure Harry's okay."

"It's fine."

She stepped on her tiptoes to give him a kiss before heading back down the dark hallway.