Coveting Thy Enemy

Chapter 14: Questions

Just like all holidays, the winter one ended way too quickly. Before Harry knew it, he was back in classes yet again. He and Draco had decided to keep their relationship a secret. After all, even if wizards were more open-minded about things than Muggles, there were still some things that raised eyebrows. Not only that, Harry wasn't quite ready to let his friends in on his sexual orientation. And, with Malfoy's precarious standing with the Slytherins, they didn't need to rock the proverbial boat. So, Harry and Draco had to be satisfied with a platonic relationship in front of Hogwart's society and a few quick, but meaningful, snogs in hidden classrooms and closets.

Harry had one of these snog sessions in mind when he walked toward the steps leading down to the main floor looking for Draco. He couldn't help but to feel an instantaneous jolt of de ja vu when a pair of hands grabbed him and pulled him into the same classroom he and Draco had shared their first consensual kiss. He spun around with an unchecked grin on his face. "It's about time, love, I though I'd go crazy if I had to wait another day." Unfortunately though, his eyes did not meet stormy gray eyes, but chocolate brown ones. Hermione. "Erm, Herm. What do you want?" he asked, a blush spreading from his cheekbones to the nape of his neck.

"Well, since you mentioned it, I'd like to know who this 'love' is that you seemed so happy to meet. And furthermore, why it needs to be such a secret," said Hermione. Harry could tell she was angry. Her voice only reached that pitch when she was angry. He was glad they were in an empty classroom because if there had been glass around, it would have probably exploded in a million pieces. She looked at him, staring him down, with her hands on her hips. Despite her 5'2" frame, she seemed seven feet tall in formidability.

Harry was speechless. His mind went into overdrive as he tried to think of a lie, any lie. But, Harry wasn't a liar, so he said nothing. He glanced toward the doorway wondering if he could make a run for it, but glancing back at Hermione, he realized she was mad enough to hex him before he reached the threshold.

Hermione rolled her eyes at him as if she knew what he was thinking. Instead of hexing him, however, she gathered her robes and sat on the floor. She patted the flagstones beside her, and he sat down, not meeting her eyes. "Harry, it's time we had a little talk."

"About what?" Harry asked and then chided himself for asking such a stupid question.

Hermione only rolled her eyes again. "You know, Harry, you may think you're sly, but I know you well enough now that I can pretty much tell whatever's going on with you."

"You do?"

"Well, most of the time. When I don't, all I need to do is try to put together the pieces of the puzzle and then talk to you to see if I'm right. Anyway, I want to let you know that no matter what you tell me, I will never think any less of you. I love you Harry, you're like family to me." She paused a minute to catch her breath before she went on. "Since we're family and all, if you want to tell me you're gay, you can."

"What?" Harry was astounded. All this time, he had tried his best to not come off gay in front of Hermione, and it would seem that she knew all along. What should he do? Should he deny it? Hermione must have realized he needed a few minutes to think about what she said because the silence stretched uncomfortably for quite some time. Finally, Harry lay back on his elbows and muttered, "So, what if I am?"

"I take it, that means yes?" she asked, lying back in the same position Harry had just taken. This way she could see his face as he spoke.

"Yea," he muttered. The blush he was wearing throughout the discussion had deepened to a shade that was almost as dark as Gryffindor crimson. He then sat up, his eyes wide, and looked down at her. "You didn't mention any of this to Ron, did you?"

Hermione looked up at him, her face turning its own bright shade. "Um, well. I guess I might have mentioned something before hols, but he didn't believe me."

"Fuck!"

She sat up and laid a consoling hand on his shoulder. "I said he didn't believe me, Harry. I'm sure your date with Cho made it seem even more ludicrous."

"Oh."

"So, you don't want him to know?" she asked, searching his expression.

"No, Herm. Not yet," he answered, remembering how Ron had reacted when Harry had caught him stalking through the common room nude. He shook his head vehemently. "Definitely not yet!"

Hermione did something surprising then. She said, "Fine."

Harry turned to her with shock. "You mean, you won't say anything?"

"No, Harry. It's not my secret to tell. Just promise me that you'll tell him before the end of the year."

"Alright."

Hermione looked at him, a question in her eyes. She wondered if she should ask it. She knew Harry had just made a really big confession, and she wasn't sure if he was ready for another. However, Hermione wasn't one for beating around the bush, so she asked anyway. "So, I take it this mysterious 'love' is Malfoy?"

She didn't think Harry's eyes could get any wider, but they did. She even wondered if she would have to take him to Madame Pompfrey when they popped out of his head onto the floor. "How. . . how did you know?" he asked and swallowed. Thankfully, he closed his eyes as if wondering if he were dreaming the whole conversation. Hermione was glad because the pop-eyed expression was quite unsettling.

"I didn't. I mean, I wasn't sure. But, now I am." She said. Harry collapsed to the floor, his head in his hands. She sat down next to him and put her arms around him. "Harry, it's okay."

He looked up at her and unknowingly leaned into her embrace. He needed some comfort when it came to his situation. He had never been able to talk about it with anyone other than Draco, and since their relationship was under wraps, he had had very little chance to talk to him about it. He leaned his head on Hermione's shoulder, thankful for the support she was giving him. "Is it okay, Hermione? He was my enemy. He was your enemy. I don't know how it happened, I really don't. All I know is that it feels . . ." He pulled away from her, searching for the word.

"It feels what, Harry?"

He finally met her eyes. "It feels . . . right."

"Well, maybe it is."

"You aren't angry with me?"

Hermione chuckled. "No, Harry, I'm not angry with you. To tell you the truth, the Malfoy I've come to know this year seems like a completely different person from the Malfoy I knew for six years." She quirked her head at him and raised her eyebrow. "You don't think he's an imposter, do you? Like in Invasion of the Body Snatchers?" She laughed at her own joke.

Harry joined her. It felt good to laugh about the situation. "No, I don't think so. Malfoy went through a lot over the summer. Well, throughout his entire life, I guess."

"Has he talked to you about it?"

Harry shook his head sadly. "No. Only snatches here and there. I think whatever happened must be too painful for him to mention just yet."

"Well, then," said Hermione, standing up, "I would say, just be there for him Harry, he'll tell you when he's ready. Just like you'll tell Ron about him when you're ready. By the way Harry, did you see what time it is?" she asked, glancing down at her watch. You're late for your study session. I'll bet Malfoy's waiting for you." She had to laugh to herself when Harry bolted to his feet and ran from the room.

A second later, he poked his head through the doorway. "Hey, Herm?"

"Yes, Harry?"

"Thanks," he said and then dashed off at breakneck speed.

Harry was over ten minutes late when he ran into the library and sat across from Draco. Draco looked up from the book he was reading and gave him a cross look. "You're late, " he said simply, his eyes rather frosty like the surface of a lake when frozen over in the winter.

"Sorry," said Harry, "Hermione caught me about an hour ago wanting to talk."

Draco didn't ask any questions. He placed a green and silver bookmark between the pages he was reading and shut the book. It was the book Harry had given him for Christmas, its pages rather dog-eared from frequent reading.

"What do you find so interesting with that book?" he asked Draco. He had wanted to ask that question for quite some time. Of all people, Draco Malfoy seemed the least likely person to find religion. Especially a Muggle religion.

"I don't know," said Draco truthfully. "It's just interesting what people put their faith in," he said and shrugged. He quite honestly wasn't sure why the book interested him so much. It just did. "Besides, it's on our reading list," he added logically.

"Yea, but not until April. You're three months ahead of schedule."

"I don't know, Potter. It's just . . . fascinating. I mean, these people, Muggles, place their undivided loyalty with a being that doesn't seem to care that they exist."

"You mean, God? He's supposed to be the creator of everything. Well, to Muggles, I mean," said Harry, clearly confused.

Draco sighed and rubbed his eyes. It was difficult explaining what he had been thinking. "Have you read it?"

"Parts of it," admitted Harry. "Aunt Petunia made me go to church a few times, during holidays mostly."

"Well, then you have some idea. This God these Muggles are so fond of, he doesn't seem the sort to deserve such loyalty." He looked at Harry who was raising his eyebrows. Clearly, he needed to further explain himself. "I mean, he throws Adam and Eve out of the Garden of Eden for eating an Apple, of all things. Then, he destroys almost everything on earth with a huge flood, but he lets one man and his family live? I mean, weren't there others that deserved to live as well?" Draco was talking to himself now, wondering aloud. Harry listened to Draco's ramblings, rather interested in what he had to say. "He wages a war on a city with sulfur and brimstone, then there's Job. Job was the most loyal of all, but what did this God do? He let Satan kill his wife and children, destroy his crops.. . then, after it was all over and he proved himself loyal, he gave him a new wife and children. Did he think that would make up for losing the ones he loved? And Abraham and Isaac. . . I don't even want to get into that," Draco said, a shiver pulsating through his body.

Harry looked at Draco with sympathy. The Slytherin's obsession with the book was quite clear to him, but it was apparent that Draco either didn't see it or was refusing to see it. He reached out and covered Draco's hand with his. "Draco, I think you're confusing God with Voldemort." Draco's head snapped up and his wide eyes clashed with Harry's. "Don't you see? Voldemort does all of these terrible things, but yet he still has followers. Your father being one of them. You were meant to be one of them, but you rightfully refused."

Draco swallowed and continued to look at Harry. His gray eyes had lost their iciness. He digested the information Harry had just given him. "I think you're right, Potter," he said finally. "All the time I've been reading this book, I have been comparing it to Voldemort, to my father. But still, don't you think the similarity is uncanny?"

Harry sighed. Draco knew nothing about Muggles. He may never understand their way of thinking, or their way of believing. "Not really, Draco. In the Bible God did all of those things, yes. He banished Adam and Eve, but it was because they did something wrong, something he warned them not to do. Not only that, they had believed Satan in snake form, note the similarity to Voldemort, over their creator. He flooded the earth to repopulate it again with descendants he believed to be good. He made a mistake, yes, but he admitted to the mistake afterward and made a promise never to do it again. When he destroyed Sodom, it was because the people there were behaving evilly and they wouldn't repent their ways. I could go on, but the simple matter is, the Bible gives the Muggle something to believe in, something good. They know someone is looking out for them and that if they are led astray they will be shown the light. Besides, it seems as if you've almost ignored the New Testament. The God in that is a rather forgiving God, not so vengeful. People have to have something to believe in. There are a lot of faiths out there. Probably not a one of them have gotten it right, but at least people believe in something. Something they would die for if it came right down to it. Is there anything you would die for, Draco?"

Draco mused to himself for a few seconds before simply saying, "You Harry, I would die for you."

To say Harry was shocked would be an understatement. "You would?"

"Yes, I would. What about you, if you had to, would you give your life for me?" Draco asked. He awaited Harry's answer with trepidation because he had all but said exactly how he felt about the raven-haired Gryffindor for the first time.

Harry looked Draco and thought about what he had just asked him. He was astonished when the answer came to him without complication. "Yes. Yes, Draco, I would." He said. Draco pulled his hand out from under his and placed it in the top position, giving Harry's hand a squeeze. His eyes, which were expressive only around Harry, spoke volumes that neither one were ready to discuss. He simply nodded to Harry, accepting his answer without argument.

Halfway through the eleventh chapter of their Muggle Studies text, Draco looked up at Harry. "You know, you called me Draco, when we were talking earlier."

Harry smiled and met the other boy's gaze. He didn't realize Draco had realized his slip of the tongue during the philosophical discussion they had had earlier. "Yes, I did. That's how I think of you. Is that okay?"

Draco's face lit up when he smiled. "Of course it is, Harry."