Too Pretty For His Own Good

Too Pretty for his Own Good

Harry was seated comfortably, at his desk. Many days ago, he had begun writing his autobiography. Not that he wanted to, it was just that being The-Boy-Who-Lived, and The-Man-Who-Defeated-Voldemort and all, he was...well... famous. Many biographies had been written about him and all too many of them were giving people the wrong idea about how things really turned out and how he felt about it. Therefore, naturally, Harry wanted to set things straight and give his own version of his life story, beginning with his life at the Dursleys. He also talked about his Hogwarts years, one at a time. Each of them, filled to the brim with adventures and discoveries.

Harry often wondered how he could write down all this stuff about his past, his life in general and love life, and at the same time keep some sort of privacy. The young man had indeed found love at Hogwarts, like almost eighty percent of his friends. Ron had married Hermione a year after graduation and the couple was now expecting their first child. Five years post-Hogwarts, Hermione was a part-time Healer and Ron was playing for the Chudley Cannons as Keeper. Both were happy and so was Harry, with his lover.

Leaving his book few minutes, his mind started to wander, searching his past for facts he could write down. How did it happen? It had all happened so fast, that Harry hadn't seen it coming. One day he was refusing Malfoy's friendship on the first train ride to Hogwarts, and next, he was telling his best friends, that Draco was spying for the Order. So many things had changed so fast, and Harry still couldn't believe, that Draco and he were al ready together for six difficult, but happy years now.

At first, nobody except Ron and Hermione believed Harry, when he told them that Draco had changed. They eventually even began to question his sanity. One of the Hufflepuff's had even started a bet, that Draco wasn't really in love with his former nemesis, and that it was his initiation mission for the Dark Lord. What in Merlin's sake had made the situation change so completely?

Looking at a picture of Ron, Hermione, his boyfriend and himself, Harry couldn't stop thinking just how gorgeous Draco was. The blond man was six feet tall, slightly taller than Harry, and was still as slender as he was back then, at Hogwarts. The raven-haired man chuckled as the word pretty crossed his mind. Wait a second... Draco used to tell him, that he was pretty. Maybe...

(Flashback)

September 1997

Another year at Hogwarts, Harry, Ron and Hermione were starting their seventh year and final year already, the journey by train had been surprisingly uneventful. Not even Malfoy had showed up at their compartment, and the boy had remained eerily calm, ever since they had left platform 'Nine and Three Quarters' earlier that day.

"I bet ferret face is scared of you, Harry. After all, his father is in Azkaban prison now, he can't go and hide behind him anymore," sneered Ron.

"Or maybe, he just grew up and decided that that kind of behaviour was too childish to be worth both of our time," added Harry. It wasn't, that he didn't care. He did notice that in fact, Malfoy had just avoided him earlier that day, when they had crossed paths in one of the passages.

"Anyway, Ron, you should do the same. It is childish to insult each other all the time," quickly replied Hermione, while glancing at Ron.

If they thought Harry didn't notice the longing glances, and the biting lip thing...they were wrong. Harry knew perfectly well that his two best friends were in love with each other.

"Well, well, well. If it's not Potter, Granger and Weasley. Having fun? Potter, what's wrong? Are you too pretty to answer a simple question? Well, I'm off now. I just wanted to be sure you three hadn't forgotten about me. Have a nice day. "

After a very long moment, the trio, wide eyed and open mouthed regained its senses, Ron was the first to speak up.

"He didn't call me Weasel... "

"Or Mudblood..., " said Hermione weakly.

"..."

"Harry? "

"Yes Ron? "

"What's wrong with Malfoy?" asked the red-haired boy, concerned.

"Maybe...I don't know, Ron," answered his friend, " but one thing is sure, he doesn't seem to be the same as last year. On the other hand, he could be up to something. What do you think about it Hermione?"

"I don't know. But, I must admit that this situation is actually strange and unusual. I mean.Come on, he called me Granger and not Mudblood! Harry, you're always the one saying that there is always something good in each person. Maybe, with his father gone, ... I don't know...only time will tell. "

(end flashback)

The only thing time told them, was that Malfoy got increasingly stranger as the days passed by. He stopped being followed around everywhere by his goons, he started to eat apart from his Slytherin friends; he wasn't even talking to them. Something else had changed as well , he continued to insult them, but it seemed like his intention to hurt them, was gone. His Potties, Weasels and Mudbloods weren't as insulting as they used to be. No more smirks or sneers expressing his pure hatred. The Malfoy they hated so much was gone, replace by a kind of empty shell. He still had good marks, sure, but his head was somewhere else and so was Harry's.

During his fifth year, the young Gryffindor had grown to have feelings upon seeing male bodies. Unlike his dorm fellows, Harry wasn't looking at the girls growing breasts or up their skirts while they would be walking up the stairs. Instead, he preferred to look at other guys. But, being totally loyal to his friends, he avoided being in their company during showers, and while they dressed up in the morning. Nobody knew except for Hermione. Harry wasn't sure if he could tell Ron about that, but he had promised Hermione, to tell Ron before anything happened with someone.

What Harry didn't tell his best friend and confidant, was that he much-preferred blondes to any other. Of course, he had had this little thing for Cho Chang two years before, but compared to the feelings that were growing inside of him for this boy, ...that was nothing. Nothing more than a simple crush, that was. This new feeling was burning, and eating him alive. This boy would never love him back, and Harry thought that it was worse than homosexuality itself. Malfoy had called him pretty on the train, and he had had serious thoughts about that. But, how could it be? Malfoy of all people was as straight as an arrow. There had always been rumours about his sexuality, but Harry had never believed any of them.

As things tend to do, the winds changed.

(flashback)

October 1997

Harry was sitting beside the lake, when 'he' came to talk to him. HIM, with his expensive clothes, his expensive shoes, his hair always perfectly in place, his perfect manicured hands and his legendary smirk. A smirk that meant nothing more than a memory of something that used to be. Or perhaps it wasn't a smirk anymore, perhaps it was more a half smile.

"Hello Potter, what are you doing here? You're far away from your fan-club you know, they're looking for you," Draco Malfoy teased.

"What do you think that I'm doing, Malfoy," Harry simply answered, trying to wipe away a tear without Malfoy seeing him.

"I don't know, maybe you want to drown yourself and you're saying goodbye to the view," the Slytherin retorted, his eyes locked on a spot in front of him.

"I don't want to commit suicide!" the Gryffindor said, a bit irritated his nemesis could think he would ever do such a thing, "Why would I do something like that?"

"Well, what are you doing here in that case? Not that I care, it's just that I would understand, if you were trying to do so. You see, with friends like yours...Your parents dead...Your godfather dead too...," he started with his common bitter voice. Once again, something was missing.

Getting up on his feet, Harry prepared himself for a little fight like all the others. "Malfoy, I said absolutely nothing to you, so why do you keep following me around and insulting everybody like you're doing. It's childish and annoying!"

"Exactly, Potter, I like to annoy you. So, tell me, are you still crying over your godfather's death. You really should give up, Potter, it's not good to mourn dead people for too long."

"Shut up Malfoy! Don't you have anything better to do? I just want to be alone, far away from you and that so-called fan club that doesn't even exist! Leave me alone!" Harry screamed to the blond boy.

"Well, I guess I should leave you then. You know, Potter, I really begin to think that you are too pretty to be conscious of your environment. Actually, THERE IS a Harry Potter fan club. Ciao!"

"What? Malfoy?"

(end flashback)

That was it. Harry wanted to be rid of his feelings for Malfoy, who kept showing up, trying to insult him and above all, telling him that he was too pretty to be conscious of what happened around him! How dare he? Then again, Harry thought that Malfoy was back to his old self, insulting his seventeen years-old rival that he was stupid because he didn't know about the Fan Club. And indeed he had a fan club. Harry was sure Malfoy had started this whole thing only to annoy him, like old times. Instead, he found out that it was some first years little girls who started it. How could he have been so stupid, Malfoy was right. Harry really wasn't paying enough attention to his surroundings.

"Pretty." The word was always bouncing around in his head . Malfoy had told him he was pretty. And it wasn't the last time he did so either. Once, Harry remembered, he ran directly into Malfoy (who he had started calling Draco in his head). 'Potter, Are you too pretty to look in front of you when you're walking?' was the reply instead of 'Potter, watch where you're going, you idiot!' Surprising as it might be, other sane replies came out of Draco's mouth for Harry. Sometimes Harry could've sworn, he had seen the blond boy winking at him.

Days passed by and Harry continued to struggle against the hope running through his veins, nourishing his heart. Never Draco would love him back. Never. The young man tried as hard as he could, with Hermione's help, to forget about that stupid idea that Draco Malfoy could feel something else than hatred for Harry. One day, Ron came to him asking Harry what the hell was happening to his friend.

(flashback)

November 1997

"Harry? Harry, mate are you alright?" Ron asked carefully, as if his best friend could break at the slightest sound of his voice.

"Yes, Ron. Yes I'm all right. Why do you ask?"

"Well, you see, the thing is," started the freckled boy to his friend," I...I was wondering...Are you in love with Hermione? Please tell me the truth, Harry. I can take it."

" Ron, no! I'm not in love with Hermione," said Harry quickly.

"Good. You see, I noticed that you were spending a lot of time together and..." His voice trailed off giving Harry the time to finish the sentence for him.

"You wanted to be sure I wasn't stealing her away from you?

"I'm sorry mate. Really. But, if you're not in love with Hermione, then what's wrong? You can tell me everything you know that, don't you?"

"Yes I know that. But if I tell you, can you promise me to keep it secret and that it won't change anything between us?" questioned Harry. The boy wanted to tell his friend so he would have somebody to talk to.

"I promise, mate. You know you're like a brother to me. Who is the lucky one? Who is the one who stole The-Boy-Who-Lived's heart?"

"Ron, I'm not like you." began Harry. It's not easy to tell your friend that you don't 'play in the same 'team'.

"If you're talking about your attraction to boys, I already know. No, Hermione didn't tell me, I figured it out by myself. You don't shower with us anymore, you avoid conversations about girls...It doesn't take Merlin to understand that you're gay, Harry!"

"Bloody hell! Thank you so much, Ron. You can't believe how relieved I am that you understand."

"Of course I do! What kind of best friend would I be. So...Who is it?"

"Well...Draco Malfoy?" said Harry with a tiny voice, unsure about the reaction of the fiery-tempered boy in front of him.

" THAT is a surprise..."

"Don't tell anyone...please. I'm trying to forget about him."

"Harry, it's ok. I've seen the way he's treating us now. I'm not telling you it's all right, that we will befriend him, and that he won't receive The Talk. But, love is love as mum says. You can't control it."

(end flashback)

As simple as that, he had told Ron he was gay AND in love with his ex-nemesis. Ron and Hermione hadn't really forgiven Draco yet for everything he had said and done, but for Harry's sake..., they would have moved mountains. Days went on and Draco would ask, once again, Harry if he was too pretty as they were working together in Potions. Draco asked his partner to slice the slug. As Harry dropped the little bug it wasn't, "Really Potter, even a 2 years old baby would do that better than you do," that came out from Draco's beautiful lips but, "Potter? Are you too pretty to slice your slug, really you should do something about that."

One day, Draco Malfoy had crossed the line between 'strange' and 'he must be insane'. He apologised to Ron AND Hermione personally for everything he called them over the years. He said that he wasn't expecting forgiveness but that he, at least, had to say he was sorry.

That evening Harry felt particularly lonely. Immediately after Harry told Ron that he wasn't in love with Hermione, the latter went directly to his love and expressed his feelings for her. Wanting to leave them alone a bit, Harry went into an empty classroom after curfew. He sat on a window ledge and watched the first snow of the year fall over Hogwarts grounds. At three o'clock in the morning, he woke up in his bed comfortably installed under his covers. The next morning he passed Draco, who simply asked him if he slept well. Responding him to bugger off Harry sat beside his two best friends.

If he only knew...

(flashback)

December 1997

HP

Astronomy Tower midnight.

I need to talk to you.

Please come alone.

DM

So that night, Harry went to the Astronomy Tower at midnight, to find out what Draco wanted from him.

"Malfoy?" Harry called as he entered the tower.

"I'm here Potter. Thanks for coming," replied Draco, stepping out of the shadows.

Harry was nervous like he had never been before. His hands began to shake as his love came out into the light. There was something about him that was different. His eyes were different. Not grey anymore, but a light blue, like the ocean. His worries came back in his mind. 'What if he knows, maybe he knows I love him and he just wants to toy with me a little!

"Why did you asked me to come?" Harry suddenly asked Draco, not knowing what else to say.

"I-I...wanted to talk with you," he replied looking at his shoes.

Surprised Harry only said, "about what?"

Draco began to walk through the room toward the door, " Never mind! It was a mistake, I should never have asked you to come, you will never believe me, much less forgive me."

"Believe what and forgive you for what? Malfoy, you're scaring me. What the Hell is this all about?"

At this moment, Harry really started to be afraid. Well, he didn't know if he was scared or just curious to know what this was all about. Maybe at this moment he began to feel hope coming into his mind. Draco started to tell his story, and he stood there unable to say anything to comfort him.

"I-I went to Dumbledore. I thought my father was using the 'Imperius Curse' on me. He tested me with that new spell...I was. Shit, Potter! I was under the Imperius Curse for almost three years. So my first move was to apologise to you for the way I've treated you since you refused my hand in first year. I was sad and hurt about that. When I told my father that you didn't want it, he just said that if you didn't want to be a Malfoy's friend, that you would be our enemy. Potter, he forced me to be your enemy. I had to make up this war. He probably had to put me under the spell because I began to...I'm so sorry. I just wanted to tell you that, and that's why I apologised to your friends personally. I never wanted this whole fucking situation. I only wanted to be your friend, but I didn't know that you would despise my way of telling you. I didn't know it was bad the way I acted."

"How can I trust you after all of the things you said? After all the things you have done? " The question was clear and simple, but still, Harry wanted answers.

"Because I want more than that and I know a simple sorry will not make that happen, so...I..."

"What do you mean you want more? Malfoy...what do you want with me?" Harry responded trying to make him stay.

Avoiding Harry's piercing gaze, Draco began to speak, "I was sneaking around the castle the other night..."

"You are not answering to my question, Malfoy. What..."

"Let me finish, please," he pleaded, he was obviously about to cry which was quite disturbing at first. " I was sneaking around the castle, and I found you in that classroom, you were asleep. I didn't want you to get caught, so I brought you back to your tower. The Fat Lady let me in. I just had to ask her if she wanted to see her precious Harry Potter get caught. I carried you into your bed. You were so...so peaceful. I stayed there all night under your invisibility cloak, watching you sleep. Did you know Potter that you're really too pretty for your own good? And for mine..." he said with a soft and gentle voice.

Harry couldn't believe it! Still in shock, his mouth and eyes wide open he managed to ask, " Too pretty for...Malfoy? Are you telling me that...that you meant it? I mean, really? Pretty like in... cute and not like in stupid?"

"Exactly, now if you would excuse me...I'm going to sleep. See you tomorrow at the meeting, Dumbledore will let me in to help you all against You-know-who. Since I know a lot about Dark Magic... Good night Potter," said Draco Malfoy as he walked out of the tower back to the dungeons.

"Malfoy, wait!" Harry yelled, but it was too late. Draco had already left the room, leaving behind a rather disturbed and very confused Harry Potter.

(end flashback)

That night, Draco had told Harry he was pretty. And that scared him. He was truly scared. They used to hate each other but now...could it be called love? As they always say: "It's a thin line between love and hate". Harry crossed it, and now, Malfoy had to.

Harry was afraid of something else as well. Draco was supposed to remain on the dark side. He was supposed to become a Death Eater. Harry was supposed to continue to fight against that love that was burning inside of him like he already did. He was supposed to be sad and distraught, to cry every night like that day at the lake. Yes, he was really crying. Not for Sirius, but for Draco Malfoy. Only silent tears, so no one would notice. And, they were for the only one Harry ever loved, his enemy. And now, he had just turned sides. He wasn't an enemy anymore. He was an ally. He would fight with Harry. But, that is why he was scared to death. Now he had to tell him how he felt.

How his knees would turn into pudding whenever he approached him. How Harry's cheeks would burn when he was looking at him. How his, now blue, eyes made him shiver. Harry had to tell Draco all that. It was much easier to continue to hate him, to fight against him (maybe even kill him in the war), and cry for a love that could never be. That was very much easier than say, I love you Draco Malfoy. But then again, he hadn't let go. Draco Malfoy wasn't supposed to love Harry Potter back, but he did.

They began to talk regularly. Hermione and Ron were tolerating Draco because they knew of their friend's feelings for him. They became friends. For Christmas, Draco brought Harry a magnificent black old quill. As his father disowned him, Harry brought him a seal for his correspondence. The war came. Harry won, They won. Voldemort lost, he died and most of his followers too. The others ended up in Azkaban prison. Draco got hurt and he had to spend a month at St-Mungo's. Harry stayed with him the entire time, watching him sleep. He looked so... peaceful. A month is enough to think about the most important things. Do I love him? Does he love me back?

They never had talked about that night at the Astronomy Tower. They should have, but they didn't. Too afraid of their own feelings and now it was too late. Draco was in a coma. Mr. Weasley had found him just before Harry had found Voldemort and killed him. For his Draco, he killed the man who almost killed his love. When Draco woke up Harry kissed him; a sweet and telling kiss. The first thing Draco said was 'Took you long enough, I began to think you were really too pretty to understand what I love you means.' Harry didn't know why but he cried. He cried on Draco's shoulder and told him everything, from 'I love you' to ' I want you as soon as you're out of here'.

***

"Harry? Harry, love what the hell are you doing? It's bloody five o'clock in the morning! Were you up writing all night? Will you ever finish that book?" asked a very tired Draco Malfoy.

"Yes, love, I was telling our story."

"Our story? There's nothing to say. I hated you and you hated me, then I loved you and you loved me. A war, a coma, 'I love you' s, kisses, sex and babies. Nothing much. Oh! And, speaking about the baby, remember you have to get up for her in 2 hours. Your turn."

"Yes, I know, don't worry. Hey! Wait a second, it's your turn!"

"Oh! Please Harry! Please, can you go, just this time?" asked Draco, performing his best pout.

Harry sighed deeply, "Yes... ok... I'll go."

"Thank you so much, Love...Harry?"

"Yes, Draco?"

"Do you still love me?"

"Of course. I will always, remember? Forever and a day, why are you asking?"

"I feel insecure."

"Ah! Can you help me to find a title for that chapter, I don't know what to choose between: 'The Big Change of Draco Malfoy' or 'The Boy Who Found Love With His Worst Enemy'?"

"How about 'Not too Pretty for Draco'?"

"I have a better idea, why not, Too Pretty for his Enemy's Good?"

"Ha!ha! Not bad Potter! Try this: Too Pretty for his Own Good."