Watching You Watching Me

'Where the hell are we going Potter?' Draco demanded, as the pair stepped out of The Leaky Cauldron and onto the streets of Muggle London. Harry favoured him with yet another smug look which told him that he did not intend to reveal their destination. Draco scowled back at him, which only elicited another grin, and followed him down the road. After ten minutes of silent walking, they arrived in front of a huge modern building with flashing signs on the front screaming 'Cinema!' in neon colours. Draco looked from the building to Harry who was waiting expectantly for a reaction.

'What's this?' Draco asked, his brow furrowed in confusion.

'It's a cinema, Draco. We are here to watch a movie.'

'A Muggle movie?' Draco said sceptically, 'Are you sure this is wise?'

Harry laughed at him and reached out to ruffle up his immaculate hair. Draco ducked away from his hand; smoothing his own over his head in an attempt to flatten his hair again. He was about to protest once more when he caught the excited expression Harry wore. Draco knew that Harry had been looking forward to this surprise outing for weeks. He didn't have the heart to crush him. He sighed in resignation and followed Harry into the building and up to the ticket booth. Harry dug into his pockets for some Muggle money and pushed it across the counter to the spotty, bored looking teenage girl sitting behind it.

'Two for Prisoner of Azkaban,’ Harry told her.

The girl pulled a couple of tickets off a roll and handed them to Harry. She snapped her bubblegum noisily and told him the movie would start on screen four in twenty minutes. Harry thanked her and pulled Draco into the foyer of the cinema. He marched up to the refreshment stand and ordered a couple of cokes and some popcorn while Draco eyed the Muggles around him with disdain. Laden down with food, Harry led Draco towards a door marked 'screen four', and after handing over their tickets to the usher, pulled him inside. The room was large and bright; filled with rows upon rows of seats. Harry filed into one of the back aisles and sank into one of the seats. Following his cue, Draco flopped down next to him, scooping up a handful of popcorn.

'So what is this movie then?' he asked between bites. 'Prisoner of Azkaban? Why would there be a Muggle movie about our prison? I didn't even know that they knew it existed.'

'Just wait and see Draco. It's a surprise. Just try not to shout too loudly when it begins to make sense.'

Draco shot Harry a sidelong glance and frowned.

Finally the lights started to dim into darkness and Draco felt the ghost of Harry's breath against his ear, whispering that the movie was about to begin. After a number of adverts and trailers for future releases, a melodic piece of music started up. Draco's eyes widened as the full title: 'Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban' flashed up on the screen. He glanced at Harry who was suppressing a smile, deliberately avoiding Draco's eyes.

A small boy with dark hair and glasses appeared on the screen, reading under his bed sheets with light from the end of a wand, and Draco settled down to watch the movie. His jaw dropped as one of the horrible Muggles told the boy off, calling him 'Harry Potter'. Draco looked back at Harry, determined to get answers. He found Harry was watching him with an amused expression on his face.

'What the hell is this?' Draco hissed. 'That character is called Harry Potter, and he kind of looks like you, if you squint a bit.'

A new scene in front of him suddenly caught Draco’s attention; he watched with a shocked expression as a red headed boy called Ron came on the screen and started conversing with Harry.

'Harry?' Draco asked, his voice trembling slightly. He was more that a little freaked out, and looked to his boyfriend for reassurance.

'It's our world, Draco,' Harry said. 'A Witch wrote a series of books about me and my defeat of Voldemort, and they have been turned into movies. They were so popular that they have been re-released at the cinema in celebration of the release of the seventh movie.'

Draco's jaw worked up and down in sheer astonishment. 'There are seven?' was the only thing he managed to say.

Harry nodded. 'This is the third. If you want, we can see all of them at some point.'

'Do you not think this is weird?' Draco whispered, his eyes glued to the scene of Harry getting onto a replica of the Hogwarts Express.

'I did at first, but I find it quite amusing now. Not to mention flattering. I don't think that boy looks much like me though. Now your character is another matter...'

Harry stuffed a handful of popcorn into his mouth to suppress his laughter as Draco's eyes grew even bigger.

'I am in this?' Draco managed.

'You are in all seven actually,' Harry replied. 'Well, an actor playing you is, at any rate. He looks a lot like you actually. The hair is dyed, obviously; not many people have hair your colour. Your eyes are more silver, and of course you are more handsome. But there is far more than a passing resemblance.'

'I think I feel sick,' Draco replied.

Harry laughed and nudged him. 'Don't worry, Draco, nothing bad happens. It's very true to our pasts. You should be glad we have such an accurate, if not spooky, record of our lives. Just relax and try to enjoy it.'

Draco felt a grin tugging at the corner of his mouth as 'Professor Snape' came onto the screen. 'Not very flattering is it?' he smiled. 'I bet Snape blew a gasket.'

'Oh I don't know. I think he is very much like Snape,' Harry replied. 'Although this Snape has a certain dashing quality about him that ours doesn't.'

Draco nearly jumped out of his seat when his movie counterpart waltzed onto the screen, and Harry had to hold him down with a firm hand.

'Oh Merlin, that's ME!' Draco cried, mesmerised by the drawling sarcastic blonde boy.

'Uh huh,' Harry said. 'But don't worry, he's not nearly as sexy as you are.'

'Well of course he isn't,’ Draco retorted. 'Nobody could be as sexy as me. But I wouldn't kick him out of bed. Actually that could be fun. It would be like doing it with myself....OWW...what was that for?'

He shot a disgruntled look at Harry who had just elbowed him sharply in his ribs. He recognised the familiar jealous expression on his boyfriend’s face and smirked, one eyebrow raised questioningly, at exactly the same time as onscreen-Draco executed the same expression.

'Of course,' Draco continued. 'I would rather have you in my bed any day.'

He pulled a grumbling Harry into his arms and gave him a kiss smack bang in the middle of his forehead before releasing him.

'Hey Harry, you know you said there were seven movies?'

'Yeah,' Harry murmured, his eyes fixed on the uncannily realistic Hagrid who had just appeared on screen.

'Well does that mean that they show when we got together?'

Harry turned to Draco and sighed.

'I'm afraid not,' he said. ' The Witch who wrote the books didn't think it was a good idea to write about that. A lot of Muggles wouldn't approve of a relationship between two males.'

'That's just stupid,' Draco replied, snorting.

'Yes it is, but Muggles are not always as opened minded as us wizards are. They would have had a hard time accepting it,' Harry reminded him. 'But even if they were, the Witch probably wouldn't have written about us getting together. It was hard enough for us to finally understand that all our hate and animosity over the years developed into this, never mind a bunch of strangers trying to understand. Oh, and by the way they don't know we are real, either.'

'What? So what do they think this is then if it isn't real?' Draco indicated towards the screen with a theatrical sweep of his hands.

'A story, Draco. Just something somebody made up.'

'I knew Muggles were weird, but this is just crazy. I feel like I am being exploited!'

'Shh, silly,' Harry whispered, leaning into Draco and capturing his lips with his own. Draco tasted like popcorn, and the spiced apple pie he had eaten at lunch.

After the sudden shock at finding himself watching their world on the screen, Draco settled down to enjoy the movie. On screen a Care of Magical Creatures class had just begun and Harry was flying on Buckbeak the Hippogriff over the lake by Hogwarts. Harry bent his head down close to Draco and whispered in his ear.

'They actually show me getting attacked by Buckbeak?' Draco asked with surprise in his voice.

'You were not 'attacked' by Buckbeak', Harry replied. 'Besides, you deserved it. If you had listened to Hagrid's instructions in the first place you wouldn't have insulted him.'

Draco winced as his on-screen counterpart received a gashed arm from Buckbeak and fell to the floor, moaning melodramatically.

'I did not act as much of a wimp as he is,' Draco retorted with a snort. Harry raised an eyebrow at him. 'What? I didn't!' Draco exclaimed.

'Yes you did; you were much worse,' Harry said. 'You were very melodramatic and milked the injury for all it was worth. Snape even made me take your notes in Potions if you remember correctly.'

Draco smiled, nudging Harry's shoulder gently. 'You know you didn't mind,' he laughed.

'I did at the time,' Harry replied. 'Plus, I was angry about Buckbeak's execution, too.'

'I already told you, Harry, that wasn't my doing, it was Father's. He insisted that the bloody bird was dangerous. It worked out okay in the end though, didn't it? You used that time turner thingy and saved him.'

Harry nodded. 'Thank goodness Hermione had one,' he replied.

The pair continued watching the movie in silence, occasionally whispering a comment to the other about a particular character or scene. Draco was impressed at the lengths Harry and Hermione had gone to in their efforts to save Sirius from the Dementor's Kiss and told him so.

'It was pretty hard to do,' Harry said. ' Like Hermione said in the movie, we couldn't risk being seen.'

Draco smiled. 'Talking of Hermione, what did she think of the girl who played her?'

Harry stifled a laugh, 'She was a little shocked,' he admitted. 'Especially at the part when she commented on her hair. We all know the real Hermione couldn't give a damn about her appearance.'

Draco nodded. 'They did well showing the seeds of her relationship with Ron blossoming though,' he said. 'They’ve always meant to be together.’

The movie started to draw to a close and Draco watched as Harry received his Firebolt from Sirius.

'I was so jealous when you got that broom,' he mused. 'I remember when your Nimbus was trashed. For a little while there I thought that finally I would be in with a chance at beating you to the Snitch, but then the Firebolt was delivered and that put pay to those dreams.'

Harry leant over and gave Draco a brief kiss on the lips. 'You may never have caught the Snitch while I was around,' he said. 'But you caught me instead.'

Draco presented him with one of his million-watt smiles that he reserved especially for Harry. 'Yes I did, didn't I? And you are a much better prize than the Snitch.'

Harry grinned at him and the lights started to come up in the cinema. People began getting to their feet to file out, and Harry and Draco joined the queue to the exit. Once outside they stood blinking in the bright sunlight. Draco leant against a wall, pulled a slightly crumpled pack of clove cigarettes out of his pocket, and offered one to Harry. They stood smoking for a while in silence, absorbing the movie they had just seen.

'So what did you think of it?' Harry asked, breaking the companionable silence that had descended upon them.

'I thought it was really good, once I had gotten over the initial shock,' Draco replied, shooting a glare towards Harry. 'There was a lot of stuff that wasn't strictly true to life, but I can let that slide, especially as it wasn't a first hand account of the story.'

'So do you want to go see the others with me then?' Harry asked him.

Draco nodded. 'Of course I do. I want to see what my Parents look like, the battle at Hogwarts, and your defeat of Voldemort.'

Harry smiled and was about to answer when he was interrupted by a screech behind him. The two boys turned to see two teenage girls walking towards them with big flustered smiles on their faces. The slightly taller of the two was wearing a black t-shirt that had the slogan 'Free Sirius Black' emblazoned across the front, and had coupled it with a tie in Gryffindor colours. The other girl wore a green sweatshirt with a tie in Slytherin colours.

'Fan girls,' whispered Harry to Draco who looked at him quizzically. Before Harry could elaborate the two girls were upon them.

'I hope you don't think us too rude,' began the girl in the Gryffindor tie. 'But we had to come up and say something to you. We both think that you look exactly how we imagine Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy to look. The actors who play them do a good job but when we read the books we imagine people who look just like you. We couldn't help but notice you kissing in the cinema, and we thought it was so cute! Harry and Draco would never get together.'

The two boys exchanged a knowing smile and then grinned at the girls.

'A lot of people say we look like Harry and Draco,' Harry told them.

Draco pointed to the ties the girls were wearing. 'I guess there is no need to ask which houses you prefer then,' he said, smiling at the girl who wore the Slytherin tie.

'Well I love the Gryffindors,' the first girl piped up. 'They are so brave and loyal.'

The second girl snorted. 'Stupid if you ask me, always running headfirst into trouble.'

Draco laughed and prodded Harry in the back so the girls couldn't see. 'I am always telling him exactly that,' he said.

'At least Gryffindors are brave,' Harry replied. 'Unlike Slytherins who only look out for themselves.'

'That is a common misconception,' Draco said. 'Slytherins can be very brave if they or someone they care about is in danger. They would do anything for those they love.' He gave Harry a pointed look to accompany this remark.

The girl wearing the Slytherin tie was nodding empathically. 'That's what I am always saying!' she cried. 'And I think Slytherins are more interesting. They are much more complex characters than the Gryffindors.'

'Hey!' said Harry. 'We...er...they...the Gryffindors...they can be complicated too. They just hide their intricacies from people they don't know.'

Draco smirked and rested his hand on the small of Harry's back in quiet reassurance. He turned back to the two girls. 'So who are your favourite characters in the series?' he asked.

The Gryffindor fan beamed up at him. 'Well there is Harry, obviously, and I really love Ron and Hermione too. I also really like Remus Lupin.'

Draco rolled his eyes, looking back at Harry who was smiling as if it were Christmas Day. 'Good choices!' he nodded at her.

'What about you?' Draco asked the girl wearing the silver and green tie.

'My favourite character is Snape,' she said, looking smug.

'What about Draco?' Draco asked, seemingly a bit put out. Harry tried to suppress a grin.

'Well Draco is alright,' the girl replied. 'But he whines and moans a bit if he doesn't get his own way. I would think he would be quite high maintenance to have around.'

Harry burst out laughing, his hand on Draco's arm restraining him from reaching for his wand. 'Yes, Draco is rather high maintenance isn't he?' he replied. 'But he is a very intelligent, very charming character when he wants to be.'

'You like Draco?' the girls asked him in unison.

'I love Draco!' Harry declared, avoiding Draco's open mouthed surprise at this comment.

'Don't you get jealous that your boyfriend fancies Draco?' the Gryffindor girl asked Draco.

Draco shook his head and reached for Harry's hand, interlacing their fingers and giving them a squeeze. 'No not at all,' he replied. 'Why would I get jealous when I'm in love with Harry Potter?'

He turned and caught Harry's adoring look and offered him a smile. The two girls looked rather confused, and Harry decided it was a good time to end the conversation.

'Well it was nice meeting the both of you,' Draco said to them. 'But we have to be going now.'

The two boys turned and started walking away when they decided to apparate, leaving behind two very bewildered young Harry Potter fans rubbing their disbelieving eyes.