Ain't It Funny

Ain't it Funny?

Draco walked down the long road, looking for the Leaky Cauldron. He never should have asked his father to drop him off, no matter how much he wanted to look at - or rather, laugh at the muggles. He's been through several shops, and in a few he'd actually found stuff he liked. He would have bought something hadn't it been for his complete lack of muggle money. But then again, what would his father say if he came into the dining hall one day, wearing 'jeans'. No, robes were much more practical, besides, those clothes might be infected with something.

He turned a corner, positive that he would see the entrance to Diagon Alley, but no, nothing. He had to hurry up now. His father wouldn't be very gentle with him if he were late. So if the leaky cauldron didn't show up soon he might have to pay for his school supplies himself, not to mention the physical damage it would cost him

It seemed to be like the perfect thing for you and me
it's so ironic you're what I had pictured you to be
but there are facts in our lives we can never change
Just tell me that you understand and feel the same

Draco was starting to sweat too. Why was the sun so hot today? Why couldn't it have been hot yesterday, when he was trying to get a tan? But the sun obviously didn't listen to such demands; probably saw itself above his needs. He'd have to ask his father if there was anything they could do about it. There probably wasn't though, or something would have been done by now.

Draco tried to amuse himself with the muggles again; anything to make the time go by faster. That boy over by that bookshop was picking his nose. His own cousin also picked his nose. Nothing special about that really. And how about that extremely short skirt that girl over there was wearing. Something his mother might use actually. Draco almost screamed in annoyance, but restrained himself. His father had taught him better than to show emotions in public. But what was going on? Were muggles human all of a sudden?

This perfect romance that I've created in my mind
I'd live a thousand lives, each one with you right by my side
but yet we find ourselves in a less than perfect circumstance
and so it seems like we'll never have the chance

What on earth was that annoying song? What kind of a lyric was that? If someone was so stupid as to fall in love with someone they couldn't get, too bad for them. Not his problem. But maybe muggles were so stupid that they believed that one person's worries belonged to them all. It could be useful of course, he sometimes needed a friend to consult himself, but sad love stories really did not belong in public.

Ain't it funny how some feelings you just can't deny
and you can't move on even though you try
ain't it strange when your feeling things you shouldn't feel
Oh, I wish this could be real

He wished that he would find the Leaky Caldron soon. If not he might just die from lack of bodily fluids; they all seemed to find disgusting ways out of his body. Maybe he could take a shower at the Cauldron. His anger at the muggles returned, those stupid love emotions were not meant for him. You married someone of your own status, and that's that. No worries about true love. But somehow that song - or rather, the feeling in it - hit something in him. Draco felt like screaming out loud again. He didn't love anyone, so why should the stupid song relate to him?

Ain't it funny how a moment could just change your life
and you don't want to face what's wrong or right
Ain't it strange how fate can play a part
In the story of your heart

Story? What story? Your heart didn't have a story. Or maybe muggle hearts did. Draco had a sudden rush of jealousy; no matter how much it hurt, it must feel great to love and be loved.

Sometimes I think that a true love can never be
I just believe that somehow it wasn't meant for me
Life can be cruel in a way that I can't explain
And I don't think that I could face it all again

True love could never be, at least not for him. He was to marry Pansy Parkinson, a suitable match for someone like him. The child of a highly respected man, a personal friend of the minister himself. And a Death Eater of course, like he would be as soon as he finished his last year at Hogwarts. Which was only a year ahead; time seemed to move fast at the most inconvenient times. Draco doubted that even the Dark Lord could do anything about that. He certainly seemed to nag about deadlines and how things should move swiftly way too much to know of such a spell. Unless it was some sort of punishment or the fact that he just liked to be cruel, even to his trusted men. And that man was supposed to rule his life. No way.

I barely know you but somehow I know what you're about
A deeper love I've found in you and I no longer doubt
You've touched my heart and it altered every plan I've made
And now I feel that I don't have to be afraid

Again Draco felt that the song hit a nerve. It hurt, but the worst part was that he didn't know what hurt. His entire body was aching. No, not his body, his soul. Longing for something he didn't know what was. He'd never been loved, not even by his parents. They just treated him like something the dog dragged in that and they couldn't get rid of fast enough. Draco vaguely remembered having tried to make his parents proud. But he had stopped that after a while; the only thing to make them happy was him making Voldemorts right hand. But he would never do that, he decided. If anything, he would be his own boss. His parents could go to hell. But he was probably the one going to hell; he would die the minute he suggested something like that. No one would help someone like him. Well, Potter probably would. That annoyingly perfect, oh so good, stinking Potter. He helped anyone, even if they tried to kill him, because it was the right thing to do. Yeah right. Take care of your own business, not everybody else's.

The chorus was repeated as Draco turned yet another corner and yet again failed to see the Leaky Cauldron. That song had been following him for ages now, and it was repeated over and over again. Draco found himself humming along, but stopped abruptly; his father had taught him better than to... To hell with his father. Draco continued the singing.

There it was, the Leaky Cauldron, right across the street. Finally, he must have been walking these streets for years. Draco hurriedly crossed it and walked in, glad to be rid of the song. He knew that the minute he saw his father, all plans of abandoning his heritage would be completely forgotten. The sweltering sun had made him thirsty, and he walked over to the barman to order some pumpkin juice. He was still humming along to the... humming along? The god damned song was still there, in the Leaky Cauldron. Who the fuck had the nerve to follow him around with that stupid song; they had to know who he was. He turned around quickly, insults waiting ready at the tip of his tongue. But he swallowed them quickly. Potter was standing there smirking with some sort of black thing at his shoulder. That was where the music came from.

'So, stalking me are you Potter. I bet you did it just to annoy me, playing that song over and over again, twenty times at least.'

'Seventeen actually,' Potter answered, still smirking.

'What, you counted? And why that song, of all the ones you could have chosen?' Draco said angrily. He truly hated Potter so much that it hurt, loathed him he did. The song was almost at the end now, and Draco was still humming.

I locked away my heart
but you just set it free
Emotions I felt
Held me back from what my life should be

'You like the song don't you. Why else would you be singing it,' Potter said, his smirk even wider. Draco didn't care, but started singing at the top of his lungs, anything to get these emotions out. But it hurt even more as he sang, and mixing it with the emotions he felt when looking at Harry almost made him cry.

I pushed you far away
and yet you stayed with me
I guess this means
that you and me were meant to be

Draco turned around on his heels and ran. He didn't know why, and it was against who he was. Draco Malfoy didn't run, he stayed and fought. With words or wands, it didn't matter. Draco Malfoy never gave in.

Ain't it funny how some feelings you just can't deny
and you can't stop move on even though you try
Ain't it strange when your feeling things you shouldn't feel
Oh, I wish this could be real

His feet carried him up the stairs and into one of the rooms in the Leaky Cauldron, but the song was following him still. His eyes were starting to water, but Draco didn't cry, that was an ability he'd long lost.

Ain't it funny how a moment could just change your life
and you don't want to face what's wrong or right
Ain't it strange how fate can play a part
In the story of your heart

The song stopped and Draco turned again. Potter was still there, but he wasn't smirking now.

'It worked, didn't it?' Potter smiled slightly, as if he was unsure of something. Draco suddenly understood.

'My god Potter, you really thought that by playing that song you would make me fall in love,' he sneered.

'No. I knew it. As I said, it worked,' Potter answered, moving slowly towards Draco. He didn't walk backwards, as he had expected he would He just stood there, waiting for what was bound to happen. And as it did, he embraced it, letting himself drown in what he had never known before. He could feel his heart skip a beat and a warm feeling was spreading from his stomach. The hairs on his arms were raising and a shiver ran down his spine. There were no more fears and his father and all that he stood for was completely forgotten. All that existed was here and now and most of all, Harry. For the first time in his life, Draco Malfoy knew what it was like to love. And better yet, he knew how great it was when that love was returned.