Bacon & Eggs

Draco chewed furiously at his toast, trying in vain to shut out the strong smell of bacon and eggs, that wafted from Crabbe's and Goyle's overfilled plates. In his view, it was a barbaric way to start the day, and not even the threat of being locked up with wild hippogriffs could make him eat a breakfast that rich and greasy. He glared across the hall, scowling as he watched Harry shovel his eggs into his mouth, his eyes fixed on his plate.

A wave of nausea washed through him. He put his coffee cup down with a bang, and left the Great Hall hurriedly, feeling he might throw up if he didn't get fresh air right this instant. He never noticed a pair of worried, green eyes watching him leave, through a fringe of messy black hair.

*****

The spring sun was warm, but not enough to drain the last remains of winter from the ground, and Draco could feel the cold seeping through his robes, chilling him to the bone. He made no move to get up though. Instead he scooped up another handful of pebbles that he proceeded to throw into the lake, slowly, one by one. He didn't even bother to look up when he heard footsteps on the path leading to his favourite thinking spot.

"I'm sorry." Harry sounded truly embarrassed. Draco turned to look at him, squinting against the sun.

"What for?"

"For yesterday."

Draco shrugged. "Nah, don't fret about it. You were drunk."

"Pissed out of my skull is more like it..."

"Yeah, you could say that again." Draco chuckled. "Merlin, you couldn't walk straight even where the tunnel is so narrow you get claustrophobic."

Harry frowned and chewed on his lower lip. "Still, I shouldn't have..."

Waving his hand dismissively, Draco interrupted him. "Don't. We all say stupid things when we're drunk, right? Why should you be any different?"

Harry didn't answer, and Draco went back to staring out over the water, which rippled slightly in the wind. He couldn't help feeling a bit apprehensive about what would come next. While he didn't doubt that the rock solid friendship Harry had with Ron and Hermione would stand almost any blow, he wasn't so sure about the one he himself shared with Harry. It was new, and quite fragile, and sometimes it was hard to know whether the other was joking or not, whether it was drunken ramblings that could be blamed on one too many drinks or not.

Draco guessed that the teachers had grown tired of his and Harry's constant fighting, because all this year, they had been paired off in just about every class they'd had together. Of course he'd been greatly annoyed about it at first, but soon he was surprised to find that they actually worked pretty well together. He'd been even more surprised when he found that he even liked studying with Harry. Liked sitting together with him, huddled over books and scrolls, sharing a very comfortable silence.

The silence they were sharing now was all but comfortable. It was downright oppressing, and in the corner of his eye, Draco could see Harry shift his weight from one foot to the other, and then back again. He decided Harry was probably just as edgy about the whole thing as he was himself, and he felt a sudden urge to scream. But that very moment Harry started talking again.

"I just... I mean... I..." Harry took a deep breath. "I don't think I said anything stupid. I mean, I am sorry I said it, but I'm not really sorry about what I said."

Draco felt as if he was drowning. He opened his mouth, but his lungs seemed to have forgotten how to breathe, and there was a deafening pounding in his ears. Still he managed to keep his voice level, and it sounded almost cold.

"What do you mean?"

Harry's voice was low, apologetic, but he spoke quickly, the words tumbling out, almost tripping over each other. "Look, I'm really sorry. If you knew how much I wish I could just take it all back. But I can't." He paused a moment, as if gathering strength to continue. "I can't, because that would be a lie, and I hate lying. I'm really, really sorry I said it, but I did mean every word of it."

With his fists balled, fingernails digging into his palms, Draco swallowed hard. He felt a surge of panic, as he realized he didn't have a clue how to react. He was a Malfoy, dammit. He always knew how to handle things. As if in a haze he heard Harry turn around and head back the way he had come, and in an instant he was on his feet. He grabbed Harry's arm just above the elbow and yanked so hard Harry literally spun around on his heels. With teeth clenched and eyes narrowed, he hissed.

"Where the hell do you think you're going?"

"Please, Draco, I said I'm sorry. Don't be angry with me. Please?" Harry looked pleadingly at him, and Draco suddenly let go of Harry's arm, his hands falling to his sides. He looked down, but could still feel the other's eyes boring into his skull.

"I'm not angry." It came out as a whisper. Draco cleared his throat before continuing, frowning as he couldn't keep his voice steady. "I can't be angry. Had I been the one being pissed out of my skull, as you so elegantly put it..." He smiled a little to himself. "...it could just as well have been me saying it."

When Harry remained silent he lifted his head and looked at him. Harry was staring blankly at him, and Draco imagined he could hear cog-wheels churn in Harry's head, as he tried to process what Draco had just said. Then, suddenly, a light flared in Harry's eyes, as it dawned on him.

When Harry leaned forward and kissed him, Draco could feel Harry's stubble, much coarser than his own, scraping across his chin. Harry's lips were dry and chapped. He tasted of bacon and eggs. Draco couldn't understand how he had ever thought that was a bad way to start the day.