Missing the Point

Draco Malfoy sat in bed, trying to compose a letter, and several failed attempts were lying crumpled on the floor. Eventually he decided on a simple note. This done, he was able to sleep properly for the first time since...since before a few weeks ago.

Harry lay in bed, trying to catch some sleep and failing as usual. Curiously, a large plumed eagle owl flew in through the open window and dropped a note on his bed. It flew off; satisfied its work was done.

H

Meet me outside the Room of Requirement at 12.00pm. I'll explain later. Please

DM

Harry debated not going, but realised he would regret it for a long time hence if he didn't. At ten to twelve, he got up and changed into his robes. He tried to flatten his hair, dismissed it as a lost cause, and left. He arrived exactly on time, to find Draco already there. Even though Draco was always fashionably late.

Draco looked at him briefly, then returned his gaze to the floor. Harry was surprised to find that the other boy looked as dishevelled and badly rested as Harry himself did.

"You came," he whispered, and Harry nodded, but didn't say anything. There was silence for a few minutes.

"This isn't working," said Draco in a rush, still not looking at Harry.

"Yeah?" Harry decided to play nonchalant.

"I...I know I was the one who broke it off, because of my father--"

"He's not worth it." Harry interrupted.

"I know." Draco looked away, and smiled bitterly to himself. A strange expression, different from the smirks and sneers the world saw and the smiles shown occasionally to Harry. "You called me a coward, and, well, I suppose I proved you right. I didn't even mean to break it off...actually I came to say my father wanted me to marry someone pure-blooded and Slytherin, and that if I wouldn't choose to his approval then he would chose for me. And then you called me a coward, and...no one insults Draco Malfoy. And when they do, it isn't supposed to hurt."

"I always could get under your skin," said Harry scathingly.

Draco understood. He took a breath and turned to leave, willing the tears not to fall, at least until he left the room. The room of requirement was small, painted in a nondescript colour and without furniture. Of course Draco noticed none of this as he walked slowly towards the door.

"Draco," he stopped. "Come here." He shouldn't, it wouldn't do any good, Harry was just here to make him regret his mistake, but his feet took him there anyway. He stopped a few feet from Harry. "Closer," Harry whispered.

Draco couldn't breathe. He hadn't been breathing properly for the past few weeks anyway. Harry tilted Draco's chin up, and looked at him. Memorising the face he'd tried so hard to forget, but which still had haunted his dreams.

And then he kissed him. A whisper of a touch at first, knowing it would drive Draco mad. The kiss grew desperate as they gave in, fighting to possess each other, bodies pressed together hungrily. It was like a narcotic; fierce pleasure and need, totally addictive, and if you don't have it then you feel only half alive--

And after weeks of trying to forget, trying to resist temptation that was impossible to resist for long, they spent an hour imprinting the other on their memories, remembering exactly what bliss felt like.

"We'd better get to lunch," said Harry.

"Mmmn...yes, all right. I didn't have breakfast," said Draco.

"Neither did I."

"Well, lunch looks to be the order of the day,"

They parted reluctantly and went to lunch, separately of course.

Harry sat down at the Gryffindor table with a large grin on his face. Ron and Hermione looked surprised and slightly alarmed, but decided not to push it...that much.

"Hi, Ron; hi, Hermione." said Harry, and began wolfing his lunch. There was a silence.

"Er...well, we thought something was bothering you, but it...seems to have gone." said Ron in puzzlement.

"Oh...just tying up a few loose ends." said Harry thickly. Ron relaxed a little, and Hermione looked at him with interest. Harry caught Draco's eye, and the other boy rolled his eyes exaggeratedly at Harry's table manners. Harry smiled sheepishly and slowed down. He looked up a moment later to see Draco lick his knife. Harry smirked and Draco licked his knife again saucily.

Hermione grabbed Ron and dragged him bodily out of the Great Hall.

"What's with Harry? He's acting like...well, strange. What happened to his depression? And, Ron, he looked over at the Slytherin table, and he smirked! Something strange is going on," she determined.

"Er, 'Mione, he...er,"

"What?"

"He had a...a...er, a..."

"Oh, Ron, just spit it out!"

"He had a...a love bite on his neck." said Ron, his ears going red.

Hermione stared. "You were right!"

"Shall we ask him tonight?" asked Ron hopefully.

"Yes, all right."

Hermione and Ron formed a front in the common room, preparing for Harry's arrival. Harry came in and sat down on an armchair smiling contentedly. Hermione took a breath and opened her mouth, going over her planned speech. In the end, she just blurted,

"Harry, we know you have a girlfriend. Who is she?" she said, realising that that the chances of Harry giving a name were slim. Harry looked at her for a second. Then he burst out laughing. Now it was Hermione's turn to stare.

"You can't deny it. We're your friends and we know you," put in Ron helpfully.

"Hmm," said Harry, clearly enjoying himself thoroughly. "I haven't been seeing a girl, I promise you." Hermione and Ron were too stupefied to keep their front, so Harry went up to the dorms, still grinning madly.

"He's lying," said Hermione definitely. "At least, I think he is. Mostly, anyway."

******

Notes: Please leave a review, even if it's only a one-liner, because I live off them (that and coffee). Thanks must go to my friends for tolerating my strangeness while writing this, and hope you like it!

CelebrianAngel