Good Intentions

Chapter 10: Mortar and Pestle

Draco and Harry looked at each other before they both burst out laughing.

"I had to think of something to get your attention Weasley," Draco smirked. Ron, blushing the same shade as his hair, reclaimed his seat, although he was having a hard time getting his eyes to focus on anything.

"Okay, okay. You've got my full attention now," Ron said sulkily.

Harry looked uncertainly at Draco. Now that Ron and Hermione had nothing distracting them and he had his friend's attention, he was unsure of what to say.

He paused again, looked once more over at Draco, but he had emptied his face of all emotion, and cleared his throat.

"Right. Well, I've got no idea how to make this sound any better, so I will just say it," he nervously pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose. "DracoandIaredating," Harry finished lamely.

Ron's eyebrows disappeared into his hairline, while Hermione failed to look surprised at all.

"Come again?" Ron said laughing slightly. "Because I could have sworn that you said you and Malfoy were a couple." He then started laughing so hard that tears started leaking out the corner of his eyes.

"Thanks for that Harry. I needed a good laugh. Now really, you do have my full attention. Why did you bring us here?"

Draco's face was masked with stone. "He wasn't joking Weasley."

Ron's mouth was hanging slightly open as he looked back and forth between Harry and Malfoy. Not knowing what to say to the pair, he turned to Hermione. "Well? What do you have to say about all of this?"

"I rather thought it was about time the two of them finally admitted their feelings towards each other. I can't believe that neither you, nor anyone else hadn't noticed it," she said with a small smile in Harry and Draco's direction. "Congratulations, both of you."

"Thanks," Harry said with a big sigh of relief. He squeezed Draco's hand, which he had been holding onto ever since he had began his revelations to his two friends.

"What? How? Why?" Ron sputtered in outrage. "But we hate him... all three of us, ever since the first day of school..." Ron said as he tried to cling onto his certainty.

Harry lifted his and Draco's intertwined hands and laid them on top of the scrubbed wooden table. "Don't you see Ron? He makes me happy. Happier than I have been in a long time."

When Harry looked at Ron, his eyes were full of confusion and distrust. "What about 'Mione and me? How can you betray us for him?" Ron's eyes were pleading now. Pleading with Harry to tell him it was all one big misunderstanding or joke. This couldn't be happening...

Ron seeing the truth in Harry's eyes, stood up so fast he nearly knocked Hermione off the bench they had been sitting on. He looked at all three of them, back down at Harry and Draco's joined hands, then turned and left as quickly as he could.

"Ron!" Both Harry and Hermione called after him, but it was no use, he was already out the door.

Hermione smiled gently at the two boys, then she said, "Harry, you know I want to stay and talk with the two of you...but I have to go after him. You understand, don't you?"

Harry nodded. "Go," he managed to choke out, his throat thick with emotion. Hermione didn't need telling twice. She smiled encouragingly at him one more time before she turned and fled from the pub.

Draco noticed that Harry was nearly in tears, so he threw a couple galleons down on the table for their drinks and tugged on Harry, wanting to get him out of The Three Broomsticks without causing a scene.

They were at the door when Harry's legs gave out. Before Harry could hit the ground, Draco was there. He scooped Harry up, cradling Harry against his chest and carried him out of the crowded bar. Luckily, few people noticed, as they were too engrossed in their own drinks and business.

"Well that is just great," Draco swore loudly.

It had started snowing since they had entered The Three Broomsticks. Most of the ground was already covered as the huge flakes continued to fall.

Harry was beginning to sob against Draco's chest. Nearly running, Draco climbed one of the hills overlooking the wizarding village, and stopped under a large oak tree.

Draco pushed Harry's hair out of his face. "Can you stand?"

Harry sniffed, but nodded slightly. Draco gingerly sat him on his feet, steadying him as he wobbled in the beginning. Almost immediately, Harry stuffed his hands into his pockets as an old habit and watched as Draco transfigured his Slytherin scarf into a large blanket and placed a warming spell on it.

Draco lightly pressed the back of his hand against Harry cheek, then his forehead.

"Merlin, Harry. You are full of fever," Draco said as he wrapped Harry in the Slytherin blanket.

Harry sniffed quietly before he looked up and met Draco's worried face. He once again was lost for words, so he wrapped the blanket more tightly around him, and held Draco's intense gaze.

Draco looked away first. "So," he said abruptly. "What do we do now?"

Harry didn't say anything, but stared off into the distant landscape. He had known Ron wouldn't take the news well, but he hadn't even given Harry a chance to explain himself. He also hadn't been mentally prepared for the look of utmost loathing and betrayal in Ron's eyes when he looks in his direction. Harry had thought he had prepared himself for whatever Ron decided to throw at him, but he was obviously wrong.

Harry was shaken out of his thoughts when Draco tenderly took hold of his chin, forcing Harry to look at him. Draco's hand trailed softly against his jaw and down the side of this neck before he let his arm fall back down by his side.

Draco shivered as the wind started blowing again and Harry smiled sadly at him. "It doesn't change anything between us."

Draco sighed in relief. He took a step forward, wrapping his arms tightly around Harry's back, pulling him close. "Please don't blame yourself Harry. You have done nothing wrong," Draco reassured him. He placed a soft kiss on Harry's forehead. "Come on, let's go back to the castle before it starts snowing any harder.

***

That next week passed slowly for Ron Weasley. With the combination of being lonely and feeling guilty, things didn't look good for him in the near future.

Hermione wasn't talking to him outside of their classes together and his other Gryffindor friends recognized the trouble brewing between the friends and stayed out of the dispute.

He had finally started at trying to catch Harry's eye when they passed in the hall or shared a class. Harry ignored him at every attempt. Damn Harry for being so proud and stubborn. It was one of the many things that Ron had always admired about Harry, but in this case the odds were turned against him.

Harry and Draco had started being more open about their relationship. When the two were found together in public, they were always in close proximity with each other. Anything from holding hands while walking to class or sitting with their chairs pushed close, their shoulders meeting.

By Thursday of that next week, Ron finally admitted to himself he was wrong.

***

"Coming," Harry called as someone knocked outside the entrance to his and Draco's room. The wall slid open to reveal... no one. He stuck his head outside the doorway and looked around the deserted corridor and shrugged. "Draco, didn't you hear that too?" he asked as he concealed the door once more.

"I think there is someone here to see you," Draco said, smiling slightly and nodding his head to where a large black dog was sitting.

"Sirius!" Harry said excitedly as his godfather appeared before him. He was greeted with a bone crushing hug and a hard thump on the back.

"Good to see you Harry," Sirius said simply.

"Have a seat, will you?" Harry offered as he and Draco seated themselves comfortably on one of the couches.

Sirius immediately noticed how comfortable Harry and Draco were with each other... which in return was making him feel a bit fidgety.

"So how have things been? I know I've been gone for a long time and I've heard that a rather lot has happened since then." He was now incredibly nervous for some reason.

"Things have been great actually," Harry said, his eyes lighting up when he looked over at Draco.

"Ah... I see. So, you've been keeping well then, uh, Draco?"

"Quite well. Yourself?" Draco replied politely.

"I can't complain."

The three continued to chat idly for another ten minutes before the conversation began to be stretched.

"Well, I'd better head off then. Dumbledore needs me to do something again for him, but I'll try and not stay away for so long this time. Keep safe Harry, so long Draco."

***

"Well that was rather uncomfortable, eh?" Draco snickered as he poked Harry playfully in the side just where he knew it would make Harry squirm the most.

Harry laughed slightly. "Well, it went better than I had expected. I've no idea why he was so nervous though. I figured he would be more on the angry side if anything."

"That was a bit odd," Draco admitted. "Maybe Dumbledore had given him a heads up."

"Maybe," Harry agreed uncertainly.

"Hmm..." Draco said pensively. "I think a shower sounds nice right about now. Care to join me?" He held out his hands towards Harry, a small smile playing about his lips.

"I don't know..." Harry said leaning away from Draco's touch, trying to keep from smiling.

"Is there someone else in your life, Harry Potter?" Draco asked mockingly.

"Well, there is Hedwig... and I've been promising to bring her a few owl treats sometime soon." Harry put a thoughtful expression on his face.

He took Draco's outstretched hand, letting himself be pulled onto his feet. "Although I guess she can wait. There's plenty of food in the owlery," he said as he jumped on Draco, wrapping his legs around Draco's waist, his arms circling around his neck.

"You know, one day you are going to do that and I won't be paying attention. Of course, the floor shouldn't be too hard..." Draco smirked.

Harry scrunched his nose at him before blowing a raspberry on Draco's neck and hopping out of his arms.

Draco couldn't help but laugh. "What are you, four years old?"

Harry winked at him. "I think you know the answer to that question... race you to the shower!"

***

"Toast darling?" Harry offered to Draco at breakfast that next morning.

Draco made a face at the sweet offer. Harry knew he hated it when he used words like that, which was all the more reason for him to do it more. "Does it have jam on it?" Harry smiled innocently at him and shrugged. "You know I don't like jam."

"Your loss," Harry said before he ate the toast in two bites. "Tastes good to me."

"Why are you in such a good mood this morning?" Draco asked suspiciously.

Harry spread more jam on a second piece of toast. "You'll see soon enough."

Just about that time, a shrill scream pierced through the air from the direction of the Slytherin table, and all was left quiet in the Great Hall.

***