Solamente en la Noche

Hours passed. I didn't get up, just shivered in the moonlight, considering why Draco had asked me what he did. It had made me nervous, but worst of all, I wanted to tell him. I wanted to trust him with my secrets. Things that even Ron and Hermione didn't... and never would... know about me.

It wasn't until the sun's light crept through the window and spread over my legs that I got up and trudged down the 587 stairs to the main corridor.

I stepped into the Great Hall and was greeted with silence.

"Everyone must still be asleep," I thought and settled myself on the side of the Gryffindor table nearest the High Table.

I don't know how long I sat there, an hour maybe. I only looked up from my lap when I heard the door slowly swing open and saw Draco Malfoy step through it.

"Harry?" He said, his voice flowing through the air in barely more than a whisper.

"What?" I replied, my voice cold and indifferent. I shifted my weight on the bench so that I faced more away from him.

"Can I talk to you?"

"Why are you even bothering to ask? My saying 'no' hasn't stopped you the last couple of times you've wanted to 'talk' to me, has it, Malfoy?" I said, a note of impatience mixed with a cold, unfeeling anger that had burned just below my stomach since he had walked away after questioning me the previous evening.

"And it won't stop me this time. I want to know about Voldemort... My father never tells me anything..." He said, his voice still in that same whisper. He started to walk toward me, his footsteps echoing off the walls as his feet crossed the stone floor.

"You want to know about Voldemort?" I repeated back to him, shocked that he had the audacity to ask me this. "Because your father never tells you about him. Your father, who participated in the plot to have me murdered, who spoils you, who is in Azkaban now, hasn't told you?"

I was very angry and nearly shouting by now, the only thing causing me to keep my voice down was fear of someone outside overhearing.

Draco's eyes dropped from mine to the stone floor. Was that a tear? No. Couldn't be. When he looked back up I saw that it wasn't, just the way the light had angled on his pale face.

"Yes, Potter, I want to know about the man who is responsible for my father's permanent imprisonment in Azkaban," he said, his fingers gripping into loose fists, not out of anger, his face was calm.

"Draco, I'd tell you... I really would, but how do I know that you're not going to use what I tell you to try and take over... To free your father? I can't tell you Draco, I just can't. It's too risky and you wouldn't understand," I said, glaring at him.

"Yes! He never told me! He'd come home with mysterious injuries... It was horrible for me to see that! He was my father!" Draco said, glaring back at me, a new emotion, malice, spreading over his features.

"Draco, you don't know what it's like. You never had to fight him. You were never in any danger from him as your father was in his Inner Circle. He never... Never tried... To kill you..." my voice was failing me now. Visual memories flashing through my mind like a violent slideshow.

He must have noticed the expression on my face because it was a minute before he pressed me again.

"Harry, I never told you about my Aunt Bellatrix, did I?" Draco asked me in that same whisper.

"Bellatrix Lestrange? Yeah, she's the one who killed my godfather, enough said," I said back through gritted teeth.

"Yes... But not quite what I was getting at. She was Voldemort's favorite, ex-lover, even. But she was killed by him simply because she knew too much about him and he couldn't have that, could he? People knowing too much is probably what caused his downfall... And that's not a bad thing..."

I didn't answer. I couldn't help but feel she'd gotten what she'd deserved after murdering Sirius, but I didn't say that out loud.

By this time the sun has shifted position enough to shine in through the window and was dancing on Draco's blonde hair.

"I'm sorry..." was all I was able to manage before the door swung open again and a stream of people entered the Hall for breakfast.

The meal was eaten with Ron and Hermione in near silence, save for some idle chat about the Potions essay due first thing this morning.

I stood to leave the Great Hall after the eggs and sausages had vanished from the plates and I had to walk past the Slytherin table to do it. I walked right past Malfoy who 'accidentally' dropped a piece of parchment at my feet. I bent quickly to pick it up.

Meet me on the big staircase at 11 pm

-Malfoy

~*~

It wasn't as if I'd never been asked to meet anyone anywhere in the dead of night before, but Draco Malfoy? This wasn't happening.

I paced the center step of the marble staircase and watched the door that I knew led to the Slytherin Common Room carefully.

I was facing the opposite direction in my pacing when I finally heard his footsteps on the marble floor of the Entrance Hall. I watched him climb the stairs up to me, noticing for the first time how gracefully he moved. He definitely had beautiful eyes that seemed to glow in the moonlight that was streaming in through the window over the oak doors.

"Good evening," he said in that silky voice he used when he was speaking to someone he thought to be on his social level.

I nodded, my eyes drifting over his body. In all of our years being enemies I had never really looked at him, save to glare menacingly, but now I saw him, really, really, saw him.

His frame was thin, but not skinny, and you could see the muscles on his stomach and chest through the tight black shirt he was wearing.

It wasn't until he reached over and grabbed my arm did I come back to reality from the alternate universe that the sight of him in the streaming moonlight had taken me to. I felt as though someone had hit me in the stomach, for a moment I actually wondered if he had hit me, but no. Just took my wrist and draped my cloak over my arm and released me. Was I disappointed? I can't say... I just know I felt, strange.

I glanced at his face and he was looking at me, just looking, no emotion.

"Why did you want to meet me?" I asked him finally, a yawn creeping into my voice.

"Part to give you your cloak back to you as I seem to have walked off with it last night, and part to just talk to you. I think we've been enemies for so long for the wrong reasons. This may not seem like me talking, but it is and I really think that I could -" he started, but broke off.

He sat down on the step in front of me and placed his head in his hands. He was obviously tired; I don't think he had slept at all the last two nights, not by the look of him, anyway. I know I hadn't.

I yawned again and sat down next to him, resting my elbows on my knees and propping my chin up on my fist.

"Tired, Draco?" I asked him in an offhanded tone, trying to sound as though I didn't care.

"Mmmhmm," he said, his voice was low, as though it were a great effort for him to make the sound.

I continued talking to him about such random things as Potions homework to how his mother was since his father had been carted away, but I always got the same answer.

"Mmmhmm."

I really stopped trying when he emitted a soft snore and slumped sideways into the rail on the stairs. I laughed a little and didn't have the heart to wake him.

~*~

That was the last thing I remember before I saw Snape's face looming ominously over me. I was laying across Draco's lap in what would have been a very uncomfortable position had I not been asleep when I moved into it.

"Malfoy, Potter, wake up and explain yourselves!" He snapped in that voice that usually came from him when he was giving out detentions.

It wasn't until I sat up and moved the cloak that was being used as a blanket from Draco did he wake up and look around, rubbing the sleep from his eyes.

I glanced past Snape and out the window where snow was swirling down in white torrents and coming to a stop on the green grass just outside the castle.

Chapter Four

"Watsamatter?" He stammered, his face still sleepy and his eyes weren't focused which is probably why he didn't notice Snape right away.

"I think you know perfectly well 'watsamatter', Mr. Malfoy," Snape said coldly, glaring at me, then at Draco.

"Professor!" he said, suddenly snapping full awake but not looking at his surroundings. "I haven't finished that essay yet! Can I hand it in tomorrow?"

"Yes, you can. Tomorrow is the only day this week you have my class,"

Snape said smoothly, still glaring at me but speaking to Draco, who had clearly forgotten I was there.

"That's detention, I think. You not only slept - together - on the stairs, but that clearly means that you were up after hours. Your detention is to be served with me tonight. My dungeon at 8:30 pm," he continued, brushing past us and walking up the steps in the direction of the library.

"Detention?" Draco repeated, still looking mildly confused.

"Yeah. I guess we fell asleep," I replied, getting to my feet and helping Draco do the same.

Draco nodded his goodbye and yawned again before stumbling down the stairs, obviously still tired and going back to bed.

I got up and headed for Gryffindor Tower, thinking vaguely of a hot shower and clean clothes.

I walked blindly through the corridors and nearly banged into the portrait of the fat lady who shouted at me to watch where I was walking.

I gave her the password and stepped inside the Common Room. The fire was out and the room was void of all life save for Crookshanks asleep in a chair in front of the non-existent fire.

I yawned and stretched my arms over my head, then started the stairs up the boy's dormitories. I pushed the door open and immediately saw Ron sitting at the foot of my bed, a dark scowl on his face.

"Where have you been?"

"Just... Out...." I said, lying in the middle of a loud yawn.

"Well, you worry people when they wake up in the middle of the night to find you gone with no note or anything!" Ron said in a tone so reminiscent of his mother I couldn't help but laugh a little.

I laughed even louder when his ears went a funny shade of reddish-purple and his cheeks followed suit.

"What in the name of Merlin is so funny?" Ron snapped, his ears returning to almost their normal color.

"I was.... Asleep," I said simply, walking across the carpet to my trunk from which I removed a clean change of clothes.

"You - you're wearing the same clothes you were yesterday," Ron said accusingly.

"Yeah.... I guess I am...."

"Care to tell me... Why?"

"I fell asleep in the common room in front of the fire. Dobby woke me up when he was cleaning," I lied, digging around for my comb.

"You didn't. I've been down to the common room four times and you weren't there," Ron yelled, causing Neville to stir. Thankfully he didn't wake up.

"Ok, I'll tell you where I was, if you promise to not start shouting and wake everyone up," I said hastily, giving him a silencing look.

All right, I promise," Ron said, but his face was unconvincing.

For a moment I actually considered telling him about how I had spent the night asleep with Draco, but no, I decided, I knew he wouldn't take it well.

"I went for a walk and I feel asleep in the Entrance Hall. Snape woke me up a few minutes ago and gave me detention," I said, lying again. I didn't like lying to Ron, but he just wouldn't understand this.

"Oh..."

"I'm going to go shower before I go back to bed..." I said and Ron nodded.

I threw my cloak on my bed and gathered up my clothes, then headed for the washroom. Once inside, I shut and locked the door behind me. I put my clothes on the countertop and started to undress. First kicking my shoes off, then my socks, then undoing my belt and letting my jeans fall, soon followed by the rest of my clothing. The cold in the room made me shiver and I reached over and turned the shower on. When the water was as warm as I could stand, I stepped inside and winced. The hot water in contrast to the cold air burned.

I let the water wash over me... Soothe me... Relax me. I needed it. But the moment I relaxed myself enough to lean against the wall of the shower and close my eyes, Draco drifted across my mind again.

I had never had a homosexual thought or urge in my entire seventeen years, but here I was, wanting, needing to be as near to Draco as I had been earlier.

I opened my eyes and stared blankly at the crimson red wall, the Gryffindor emblem inscribed on it.

I turned my back on the fall of the water and let it cascade down my back. I leaned my head back and allowed the water though my hair, guided by my fingers.

I wonder what Draco's fingers would feel like...

I shook that thought off immediately. I didn't want to think of Draco Malfoy like this. He was someone I had sworn to hate the moment I met him, and here I was, lusting after him like a silly schoolgirl.

Ahh... But you were only eleven when you swore that to yourself...

Came that impossible voice in the back of my mind that always managed to ruin any chance I had a conscious thought.

I turned around to face the hot cascade of water again, reaching down to turn it off. I opened the door of the shower partially to allow my arm out to feel around for a towel. The steam that was clouding the air didn't make this easy, but I managed.

I dried my face and my arms, then over my torso before I wrapped the towel around my waist and stepped out of the shower, again greeted by colder air that made me shiver involuntarily. I finished drying and dropped the towel to the floor and began to dress again, silk boxers feeling wonderful against my bare skin.

I dressed in silence and willing myself not to think. All my thoughts seemed to turn to Draco, and I didn't want that. I couldn't possibly...

I picked my shoes, socks and towel up off the floor and walked back into the dormitory where Ron and the others still slept soundly.

Getting into my own bed, surrounded by the warmth that was the blankets and the memories of Draco's warm body I fell asleep almost immediately, and perhaps why I dreamed what I did...

"I love you, Harry..."

"I know," I whispered, pulling him close to me and kissing his forehead. I let my hands rub over his back and his head rest on me.

How warm his breath was against my skin... How gentle his touch was... I never wanted this contact to end, I needed it to last... To never move...

"Harry, wake up," Ron said in my ear, shaking my arm perhaps harder than usual. "I already let you sleep through breakfast, now get up. We've got Divination in twenty minutes."

"Hmm?" I gurgled sleepily, barely having heard him.

"Get up. Class," he repeated.

I got up slowly, my feet finding the floor and I nearly fell sideways. I was still drowsy and not able to stand very well.

It took me a moment to find my robes and clothes that I would be wearing that day, but when I did I looked at Ron.

"What?" He asked me.

"Can you go while I get changed?"

"Harry, you've never cared before..." Ron said uncertainly, looking at me as though I'd gone mad.

"Yes... Well, I care now," I said lamely, my eyes averting from his.

"Fine," he said and swept from the room.

I didn't mean to make Ron feel like I didn't want him around, but I suddenly felt very strange about who saw me dress or undress...

~*~

"This is, as you know, your N.E.W.T year. We will be going over basic principals of Seeing again, just as we did in your O.W.L. year, starting again, with the Dream Oracle," Professor Trelawney said, her voice just as misty as it ever was. "With only this week left before the Christmas holiday, I am going to assign you the Dream journal again, and have you interpret them. You may start now with any dreams you may have had last night."

"Malfoy..." I whispered, my breath catching.

I had suddenly remembered the dream I had that morning and the kisses and how warm he had been...

"What?" Ron's voice interrupted my thoughts of Draco and dragged me back into the real world. "Why did you just whisper 'Malfoy'?"

"Erm, just a dream I had last night Ron," I said, for once, being completely truthful.

"About Malfoy?" Ron asked me, plainly confused.

"Yeah, just your standard nightmare about the graveyard... Only it was Draco and not Voldemort..." I said, a pang of guilt coursing though me.

"Oh, are you all right then?"

"Yeah, I'm fine now."

I had never been happier to hear the bell to signal the end of class, and even better, it was the only class I had before lunch.

I think I'll go back up to the dormitory, Ron. Tell Hermione for me, will you?" I said, climbing through the portrait hole behind Ron and heading directly for the stairs.

With the intent on sending a note to Draco, asking him to meet me in the Astronomy Tower an hour before we had to serve our detention, I pulled a spare piece of parchment out of the pocket of my cloak. I slowly unfolded it and set it on my bed, then started looking around for a quill and some ink.

I finally located some in my bag, scowling slightly at the fact that the quill was bent a little at the top, but still useable. I picked up a heavy book to write on and then set the parchment down on it, but wait -

December 16, 1997, Wednesday

I haven't had any word from my father since he was taken to Azkaban, after the fall of Voldemort, I haven't heard from anyone I used to know anymore. All my family have either been arrested or killed save for my mother who is home at the Manor. What she's doing there all alone escapes me. I'd have run away if it were I.

I stopped, completely dumbfounded. Words, written by Draco Malfoy by the look of the content and penmanship, were appearing on the parchment.

Yes, it is entirely Harry Potter's fault that my father is back in Azkaban, but this time I don't care. Yes, I miss him, but he never was a wonderful father figure. He was never home and when he was he wasn't the most pleasant person to be around. Always swearing and angry and secretive. I remember how he used to be when he'd come home from work when I was a child, he seemed happy to see me then, like I wasn't the disappointment he now referred to me as. Why mother has put up with him for twenty-three years is completely beyond me. I assume it was an arranged marriage.

Lord Voldemort was a very frightening man. I only met him once... He has eyes that seem to look through you rather than at you and a voice that makes your eardrums just want to crack. I met him when my father took me to meet the man that, according to him, would one day be my Lord and Master. I suppose I should consider myself lucky that they didn't brand the Mark on me right then and there, but were going to wait until I turned 18. 18, which I will be on the twenty-fifth of July.

"Wow..." I whispered to myself as the words continued to form. It was quite shocking for a piece of parchment to suddenly start showing me diary entries. Not to mention the fact that the last time something of this nature happened, it had been Voldemort in disguise.

I never knew that Draco's birthday was just six days before mine...

Ironic, perhaps, that my sworn enemy and me are born under the same sign and just six days apart. Yes, Harry Potter.

Speaking of the Golden Boy, I had a lovely little chat with him this morning.

I asked him what it was like to be him. Wondered what it was like to have the weight of the Magical and Muggle worlds on my shoulders. Until recently, I hated Potter, but now... It's different. I want to know him, really know him. I offered him friendship once and he all but spat in my face. But with the Voldemort era behind us all, I think that he might actually be beginning to accept me. He doesn't insult me or turn me away anymore, that's definitely a big change.

I find myself thinking about him more and more lately, taking notice of how his hair always seems to fall in the right place or how the moon seems to create a glowing aura around him. Why, I do not know, but it confuses and scares me to the core of my very being.

I need to go now, I am meeting Potter in an hour...

I sat dead quiet for several moments, just staring and re-reading over the parchment.

Chapter Five

Draco,

I found this in the pocket of my cloak; I think it belongs to you. I'll see you in detention tonight.

-H.J. Potter.

I attached it to the parchment that had extracted all of Draco's inner thoughts to me and walked over to Hedwig's cage, where she sat perched on top of it.

"It's for Malfoy, Hedwig," I whispered to her, attaching it to her leg and opening the window.

She hooted softly and nipped at my fingertip before taking flight though the window.

~*~

Draco wasn't in the Great Hall for lunch, nor did I see him in any of the corridors between classes that afternoon.

"I've got to be going, Ron. I've got that detention with Snape..." I said, getting to my feet and starting towards the portrait hole. I glanced back and saw Hermione, slumped across the arm of her chair, sound asleep and laughed. Ron was watching her, too.

"All right. Don't have too much fun now," he said, tearing his eyes away from her and smirking.

"That won't be difficult, trust me," I said, returning the smirk and pushing the portrait open.

I waked silently with my hands buried deep in my pockets, taking the long way to the dungeons. My mind drifted back to Draco. I saw him all the time around the school, but not today.

8:15

I looked up and saw that I was not too far from the dungeons, but I'd still have to hurry if I wanted to be on time for my detention. I didn't particularly want to be on time, but what choice did I have?

"Potter," came a cold drawl from the shadows.

"Draco?" I said, squinting around, my heart thudding painfully against my rib cage.

"Hmm. Here for Snape's detention. Just making sure that was you slinking around in the dark and not the Bloody Baron," Draco said, shuddering.

"You're not scared, are you?" I said, grinning at him.

"Scared? Me?" He said, and then laughed.

He leaned back against the wall of the corridor, pressing his hand to his forehead and staring at the ground.

"Are you all right?" I asked him, taking a single step forward.

"Fine. Perfectly fine," he said with a heavy sigh and started down the steps to Snape's dungeon.

~*~

"Now, Mr. Potter and Mr. Malfoy, you have been given detention for a reason that I'm not sure even I care to know," Snape drawled delicately.

"Anyway, you'll be scrubbing out those cauldrons until they shine. You do not leave until they sparkle."

I stared at where he was pointing and saw twelve or so cauldrons that looked like they were meant to be silver, but were now a grungy blackish color.

"Professor, can't we just copy lines or something?" Draco asked imploringly, giving the cauldrons a sick look.

"No, Mr. Malfoy, you may not 'copy lines,' and if you ask such a stupid question again you'll have a week of detentions," Snape barked.

I saw a pout flash across Draco's face, but he regained his composure quickly.

"So, I suppose we're stuck cleaning these things then...." He said, picking up a rag and holding about foot away from his body and between two fingers.

Poor Draco. I could tell he'd never done a moment of manual labor in his entire life and his hands were bleeding by the time we finished. I, however, was used to it and didn't even blister.

When Snape was finally satisfied with the condition of the cauldrons he allowed us to leave.

"Potter, Malfoy, it's nearly one a.m., are you finished yet?

We nodded and Draco hid his bleeding hands in his pockets.

"Fine. You may leave," Snape said, his lip curling.

And so we did. We walked up to the Astronomy Tower again under the pretences of talking about the events of earlier that day.

"So, you read my diary..." Draco said, his eyes averting away from me and focusing on the steps in front of him.

"Well... Yes, but -" I started, but he cut me off.

"Everything that I feel is on that parchment... I'm surprised you even sent it back. I'm sure your friend Ron would have thought it a fantastic joke to read it aloud to the entire school!" he said, making a noise that I couldn't distinguish between a hiccup and a sob.

"Draco, I -" I started again, taking the first step off the stairs and into the Tower.

"So, now you know what I think and how I feel. What do you think of me now? Scared and forlorn is not exactly the reputation I have worked so hard to build for myself," he continued, now standing with his back to me, his hands on the window ledge.

"Draco, I didn't take it from you -"

"Now you know exactly why I asked you what it was like to be you. I could never do what you do. How you carry it all..." he sighed audibly and made another hiccupping noise.

"I found it in my cloak pocket... The only way it could have gotten there is you putting it there before you gave me the cloak back," I said quickly before he could interrupt me again.

"Oh... Yes... I suppose...." He said, his shoulders heaving.

I stood and walked over to him, grabbing his shoulder to turn him around to face me. When he shrugged me off I rubbed my left hand up and down his back softly.

"Draco, I know what it's like to be scared like that. To not have a proper family. I know, I understand...." I whispered, willing him with every particle of my being to not cry. I couldn't take it if he cried.

He pulled away from me again, this time walking a few paces away and sitting down against the wall.

"Draco, the only father I've ever known is my Uncle Vernon who is quite possibly the most unpleasant muggle in existence. My Aunt Petunia is a gossip who resembles a horse and my cousin, Dudley, used me a punching bag for 13 years, I know what it's like to have no family that you can count on," I said, sitting next to him.

"It's not just my family, Potter... It's other things... You read it... you know..." he said, burying his face in his hands as though to hide from me.

"Look, I've met Voldemort, too, and I agree, he wasn't a nice guy. But at least he didn't want to kill you, be thankful for that..." I said, watching him carefully.

He looked up at me now, a silent tear running down his otherwise flawless cheek. I couldn't stop myself; I reached over and wiped that tear away because I couldn't stand to see it. His eyes opened a little more and he didn't flinch away from me, so I moved a little closer to him.

I wanted to comfort him, to hold him while he cried, but would he let me?

I wiped another of his tears away, but this time I leaned a little closer, and he leaned back. I'm not sure which of us kissed the other first, but it really didn't matter. In about three seconds everything I thought I knew about the world changed. Suddenly every confusing thought I had had all that day was gone and I knew exactly how I felt about Draco... But what if it wasn't mutual? I broke the kiss at that point, not being able to stand the agony that was the possibility of him not wanting me any longer.

"I'm sorry, Draco," I whispered before getting quickly to my feet and running from the tower, taking the steps two and three at a time.