Paint it Black

Paint It Black
Chapter Four: Blackberry Kisses

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Harry didn't come down for dinner that night, he spent the entire time writing a letter to Ron. Or, rather he was trying to write a letter but found nothing truly interesting to say. He spent hours sitting on the bed in the cream and gold furnished room he had been show too trying to compile even a short note. Maybe the sheets were too soft or the paint on the walls was too bright, or perhaps it was just that there simply was nothing to write. Nothing exciting had happened - nothing scandalous, nothing outrageous!

After Harry had been shown his room, he began to unpack his clothes. He couldn't help but feel a little silly as he placed all his hand-me-down sweaters and pairs of pants into the chest of drawers and wardrobe. It was a strange feeling to be standing in such a huge room so lavishly furnished while wearing such worn, ragged clothes and putting the same tattered garments away in the beautiful furniture.

Once all this things were away and he had settled into his room, and after he told Hedwig he'd be right back, he left the room and began to explore the house on his own. He would be living there for the entire summer, so he thought he should familiarize himself with the layout. Of course, Harry knew better than to go nosing around any rooms, so he stuck to walking in the halls and corridors.

Some of the halls were narrow dank, though many others were wide and adorned with beautiful carvings. In this way, it reminded him of Hogwarts, and that was definitely a plus. The bright, spacious corridors reminded him of Gryffindor tower and, though he spent several minutes examining each intricate carving and every beautiful portrait, none seemed quite a lovely as the ones he had seen every day for six years. None of the paintings talked to him, none of them smiled or even gestured, and he suddenly felt very alone.

He walked on, though, continuing down more and more corridors, and accidentally discovering the library, or what he thought very well could be one of many libraries, when it's doors were standing open. A small smile crossed his face as he poked his head curiously into the room and looked about. The shelves were full of books and reached the ceiling, and many black and red couches were set about in sitting areas. The focal point of the room though, was not a book or a couch or anything remotely library-like. It was a beautiful antique globe set on a desk at the far end of the room, and it caught Harry's eye only seconds after he walked in.

Slowly and cautiously, Harry made is way across the room, weaving between couches and small tables, moving constantly closer to the globe. He couldn't place just what it was, but there was something alluring about it's antique paper covering and old-fashioned mechanisms - something different and beautiful. It seemed like it was calling to Harry as though it needed him to come closer for some unspoken reason. And Harry, being the ever-curious Gryffindor he was, did not feel that he should not answer the siren song of the globe.

Just as Harry was close enough to read the bolded font that labeled the continents, shaped slightly different than on a modern globe, a strange faint glow from inside began to pulse rhythmically. Swallowing hard, Harry back away slowly, a few steps at a time. But the further away Harry backed, the brighter the light became and the stronger it's beat. It felt like he had stopped breathing, and sweat was dripping down his brow showing just how nervous the raven haired by truly was. By the time Harry had backed across the room, the globe was glowing like a celestial body against a black night sky. Harry only stopped backing up when he walked into the door. Feeling slightly relieved when he realized that he was so far back, but slightly afraid because of how bright the globe had grown, he slipped out of the library pulling the heavy carved door shut.

"That is the last time I explore alone," Harry said with a deep sigh as he leant against the shut door and wiped his forehead.

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It was around eleven that night when Harry still sat awake writing a letter to Ron explaining his encounter with the globe and how strangely mysterious it was to him when there was a light knock on his bedroom door. Harry knew it was either Draco or a house elf, and so he reluctantly stood and walked across the wooden floor. He wrapped his warm fingers around the cold metal door handle and pulled it quickly inwards leaning on it slightly for support. On the other side of the threshold was Draco wearing a matching set of pajamas and holding his hands behind his back.

"What do you want, Malfoy?" Harry asked sleepily.

"You missed dinner," Draco said, "and Father sent me away without any because you are an inconsiderate guest."

"Sorry," Harry said, not sounding very sorry at all, as he shrugged. "I'm not here to impress your father. I'm only here because you asked me to be. And since you can't stand up to Lucius because you're weak, Malfoy, I felt bad for you."

"I told you to never feel bad about me," Draco began in protest, but stopped when Harry's words sank in. "Hey... Potter!"

"How sad, you're stupid too," Harry complained.

"Is stupid all you can come up with?" Draco said, as though he were boasting that he was the better insult dealer.

Harry sighed and shook his head, "I'm not trying to insult you, Malfoy, just trying to make you go away."

"Fine," Draco spat, "but I am taking the food with me!"

"Fine! I'm not hungry anyway," Harry said, and with an abrupt nod, shut the door in Draco's face. He smiled to himself and walked back over to his desk to continue his letter to Ron. Normally, he could have continued right away, but his muse had left him and he no longer desired to write to Ron. So, figuring there was nothing else to do, he decided to begin to get ready for bed. Pulling out his pajamas from the chest of drawers, he felt a slight emptiness in his stomach and when he stood up, it grew deeper and emitted a quiet rumble.

"Maybe I was hungry," he said to himself. He bit his lip and looked toward the door, wondering if he should go find where Draco had gone with the food, but dreading another globe sort of encounter, he decided he would just peak out into the hall.

Again he crossed the wooden floor and gripped the cold door handle. Slowly he pulled it open just enough so he could fit his head though and then, his eyebrows furrowed when he saw who was outside. Draco was sitting on the opposite side of the hall with a bowl of dark colored berries in his lap.

"Malfoy," Harry began, "what are you doing?"

"Eating," he replied without looking up.

"Really?" Harry said sarcastically, "Well, I never would have guessed."

It seemed clear to Harry that Draco had no intention of offering him any of the berries, and just seeing them had made the pit of Harry's stomach quake uncomfortably. He knew he'd have to ask to have some, though he didn't want to. The though of asking Draco Malfoy's permission to do anything made him feel unsettled.

"Are you just going to sit there, or are you going to share those?" he demanded.

"Whatever," Draco said as he stood up and pushed past Harry into the cream colored room, flopping down on the bed.

"Ah... hey!" Harry objected.

"My house, my bed," Draco said with a smirk. Harry did the opposite as he walked over and snatched up a handful of berries.

"You're such," Harry began, trying to think of something to say, "such a, um, a..."

"By God, Potter," Draco said, pushing the bowl off his lap, "Weasley is better at insulting me that you are!"

"Shut. Up," Harry said, turning his attention to his handful of berries.

"Why don't you try to make me, Potter?" Draco asked, crossing his arms and narrowing his eyes. Harry looked up at the blonde from the berries in his hand and smiled mischievously. He knelt down on the bed next to Draco and leant in close - very close - to him. "Potter, what the hell are-" Draco began to ask, but found himself silenced by a sudden mouthful of blackberries.

"Too much for your huge mouth, Malfoy?" Harry asked with a smug grin. Naturally, Draco did not reply, but only shot Harry a rude glare as he tried to chew up and swallow the berries that had been forced upon him. As Draco slowly worked at the berries, Harry sprawled out on the bed on his back watching gleefully and watched. After a few minutes, Draco inhaled deeply and put one hand to his chest as he swallowed the last bit.

"What was that?" Draco demanded.

"I shut you up didn't I?" Harry asked, turning his head sideways slightly to look at the blonde.

"So what?" Draco asked, a serious expression masking his pale skin.

"So I did exactly like you told me to."

"Oh, so, now you choose to listen to me?" the blonde questioned with a mocking smile downward.

"I'll listen as long as it benefits me, Malfoy," Harry replied as he tucked his hands under his head and stretched this legs out fully.

"And only then?" Draco asked, leaning down over top of Harry.

"Eh... Malfoy...?" Harry protested as he sat upright, which only brought Draco and himself closer yet. The blonde smiled almost gently and narrowed his eyes just slightly, giving him an pure, calm, innocent aura. "What are you doing?" Harry asked taking immediate notice of Draco's changed expression.

"Nothing, nothing?" Draco said, his small smile growing into a grin. He ran his fingers over Harry's now raised shoulders and chuckled a bit to himself. "If you want to be convincing - if you really feel that bad for me - you'll have to come down to dinner tomorrow night and formally meet my parents."

"A-alright..." Harry said, feeling slightly uncomfortable with how Draco was touching him, especially with no reason to be so close.

"Good," Draco said as he stood up and sauntered across the room, leaving Harry on the bed with the berries. "See you in the morning, Potter."

"Goodnight Malfoy," Harry said as Draco walked out of the room. The Gryffindor was about to move the bowl to set it down on the chest of drawers when the door creaked open again.

"Forgot my berries," Draco said as he strutted over to Harry and took the bowl from him. Popping one last berry between his lips, Draco gently placed a kiss on the corner of Harry's mouth. "Goodnight, Potter."

"Goodnight..."