The Closet

Chapter 5: Time's Up

Though Harry did make a step in the right direction with Neville, telling someone who is already gay that you are too is one thing. Telling someone who is straight and also your best friend that you're gay is a horse of a different colour. Harry still couldn't bring himself to tell Ron. He tried but the words just wouldn't come out.

Two days after talking to Neville, Harry and the other Gryffindors had Potions with the Slytherins first thing in the morning. Harry was dreading it. But today he had a whole new reason to hate Mondays. He hadn't told Ron yet and this was the day Draco had deigned his last chance.

The trio left the Great Hall early at Harry's insistence. Harry wanted to get there early and perhaps talk to Draco about getting more time. The three of them had just rounded the last corner before the Potions room when they heard a voice from behind them.

"Potter, a word?"

Harry turned around to see Draco leaning coolly against a statue, halfway down the hall they had just passed through.

Ron scowled. "Shove off, Malfoy."

Hermione glanced quickly from Ron to Harry to Draco and back to Harry.

Harry, for his part, was concentrating on Draco so much, that he didn't even hear Ron's comment. He was too busy trying to decipher the strange look in Draco's eyes. Draco was difficult to read at the best of times, but Harry thought he'd become pretty good at it in the three months since they'd become...whatever they were. At the moment, Harry saw the façade of hatred and behind it, something that confused him. There was that look that was akin to love, or at least deep liking, which Draco had when he and Harry were alone, but there was also disappointment, sadness and...regret? Harry wasn't sure of the last one. He'd never seen Draco look regretful before. Harry was sure that whatever the look was it didn't bode well for him.

Draco raised an eyebrow at Ron. "Well that's original, Weasley. But I wasn't speaking to you, was I?" He turned to face Harry again. "Potter?"

Harry just looked at him for a minute before nodding slowly.

"Harry," Ron cried. "You can't just go with this guy. He'll probably hex you or something."

Harry looked at Ron, who was looking at him like he'd grown another head. "It's all right, Ron. I can handle myself. I'll catch up with you."

Then he turned to Draco and walked towards him. Hermione grabbed Ron's arm and started pulling him away from Harry and Draco. Ron went reluctantly, but not without yelling his final advice over his shoulder.

"Don't turn your back to him, Harry."

I don't intend to, Harry thought. I'm not letting him go.

Draco led the way to a smaller corridor just off the main one. Once they were out of hearing distance, Draco stopped and turned to face Harry. Neither boy said anything for a few moments, both reluctant to start the conversation they both knew was coming.

Eventually, Draco cleared his throat. "Have you done it, Harry?"

Harry tore his gaze from the ground and looked up into Draco's eyes. "Kind of."

Draco raised one perfectly shaped eyebrow. "Kind of? Either you told your friends or you didn't."

Harry looked back down at his hands. "Well, I told a couple of people..." he trailed off, unable to keep going.

"Did you tell Weasley?"

"No." Harry's voice was so soft that he himself could hardly hear it.

Taking a quick glance up through his lashes, Harry saw Draco's face, demeanour and poise crumble slightly before he regained control.

He cleared his throat again before responding. "Then you and I have nothing more to talk about."

Harry wasn't sure but it seemed that Draco's voice was a little thick. The other boy calmly started walking past him and Harry panicked. He couldn't let Draco go.

"Wait," he said, grabbing Draco's arm. "I told Hermione. A-and I told Neville I was seeing someone." Harry knew he was grasping at straws with that.

"But you didn't tell Weasley." That was more of a statement than a question.

"No."

"Then there's nothing left to talk about. We're through."

Harry could feel his face contort with hurt and pain but he didn't care anymore. "But I need you," he said softly.

"I'm sorry, Harry. But this is the way things have to be."

Draco didn't even look at Harry as he said that and at the same time, broke out of the grip on his arm. Without a backwards glance, he strode down the corridor, leaving Harry to collect what was left of his dignity.

When Harry finally started walking back to class, he found Draco waiting outside the door. Harry looked up hopefully but there was no sign that Draco had changed his mind. He was simply waiting for Harry to go back in. Harry sighed and sadly opened the door, with Draco right behind.

"Mr. Potter, you're late," Snape barked. "Ten points from Gryffindor."

Harry sighed internally, but didn't respond outwardly. It didn't matter anyway.

"And who's that behind you?" Snape said, not seeing Malfoy clearly since Harry was the taller one. "They're late as well. Ten points from them."

Harry stepped aside, and Snape's eyes widened as he recognized Draco.

"M-Mr. Malfoy?" Snape said, rather disbelievingly. "I expected better from you," he added when he'd recovered himself.

"Potter and I were just having a word," Draco explained as he gracefully took his seat. "Don't worry, Professor. It won't happen again." He shot a quick significant glance at Harry, emphasizing the double meaning.

He doesn't ever want to talk to me, again, Harry thought. I really fucked this up.

Hermione looked at Harry from her seat beside him but he cut her off before she could say anything. "Don't," he whispered. "It's over."

"For good?" she whispered back, looking to make sure Ron wasn't listening.

"For good," Harry assured her. "We're done."

"I'm sorry," she said, giving Harry's hand a quick squeeze before turning her attention to Snape.

Harry sighed quietly and tried to pay attention as well. That plan didn't work very well, though. He was so caught up in thinking about Draco, or trying to sneak glances at Draco that he fouled up his potion royally. It was supposed to be a pearly pink colour, like Hermione's, but Harry's came out a dark purple. When Snape came over, he sneered and insulted Harry, as usual.

"What is this sludge, Potter? Because it can't possibly be the potion I asked you to make."

Harry lowered his eyes to the ground. He didn't even have the energy to get angry. "It is, Professor," he said quietly.

"This is a complete failure, Potter. Evanesco." The contents of Harry's cauldron disappeared, and Harry didn't even care. Snape sneered at Harry again. "Longbottom could have made a better potion, Potter."

At this point, Harry looked up at the Potions Master. "Neville can do a lot of things better than me," he said, still keeping his voice low.

Snape seemed at a loss before he decided to just pretend he hadn't heard. He swept back to the front of the classroom and Harry once again looked down at his empty cauldron. For a split second, he caught the confused look in Draco's eyes before the other boy looked away.

When class was over, Harry picked up his bag and walked out of the class without saying a word to Ron or Hermione. His friends hurried to catch up with him but he just kept on walking.

"Oi, Harry!" Ron called. "Where are you going?"

Harry stopped and slowly turned around. "For a walk," he said without expression.

Ron stopped and Harry heard him growl, "Malfoy, what did you do to him?"

Before he turned the corner a dazed voice drifted back to him.

"I don't know."