It Felt Right

Draco dashed towards the doors of the Great Hall. Once outside, he leaned against the wall and closed his eyes. He felt...pressured. Lines of maturity were revealing itself at the sides of his eyes. He widened his fingers and gripped the gray-colored wall. The veins looked as though they were about to burst. Draco drew in a long breath and held it for a while. Nothing had changed. The memories kept on popping in his head since the day he laid eyes on the Golden Boy. It was the ultimate discovery. He had not been checking him out but who could blame the size of the world? Too damn small to not inadvertently avoid the sudden emergence of the boy.

Draco was once again overcome by his troubled thoughts. There was just too much pain that time could not erase. He felt as though heavy chains were encircled around his neck. Heavy, rusted and rough. Too painful to even move an inch. However, he tried so without any insulation from the collusion of the skin. There was not much protection offered.

"Malfoy?"

Draco's eyes flashed opened and he coughed hard.

"Pot...Potter!" replied Draco, a hand placed on his mouth, another on the wall, supporting his balance. Apparently, Harry's sudden appearances were always catching him unprepared.

"Whoa-whoa...steady...alright there?" Harry asked, taking a step closer.

Draco needed a helping hand, but not from someone that was weak himself, and to witness the frailty cannibalizing his Harry was leaving scars inside his cold heart.

Straightening his posture and a hand on his chest, Draco offered an explanation. "Wonderful Potter. Never felt better in my life!" He shook his head slowly, quickly wet his dry lips and returned the surprised look to Harry. "Of course I'm not fine you moron. I almost coughed myself to death, thanks to you!"

That was enough to fix Harry with a tired expression.

-"Great Draco. Just great. Look what you've done. Why don't you just smile and shut up!"

Harry was glued to his position and he didn't say anything. Draco, on the other hand was immobilized with his fear of offending Harry.

"I've been feeling blue lately Malfoy," Harry said, looking directly into Draco's sharp eyes. Focusing on Draco with a cold, hard stare once more, he added, "I don't think I need you to spell that out for me."

Draco was surprised at Harry's confession, but he still found himself unable to stop the cruel humour. "Aww...Pity Potter. You completely ruined any sort of evil plans I have in store for you," supplied Draco, sarcastically as Harry forced himself to walk away.

"Running away so soon?" Draco immediately enquired, since his first utterance was obviously unattended to. He scowled at this.

Harry turned back to Draco. In the field of his frozen mind, he wished Draco hadn't asked that. He wanted so much to tell him what had been troubling him, affecting his life and causing him to daydream in class.

"What's the matter Potter? Cat got your tongue?" Draco asked, sneering.

"I'm fine, if that's what you're implying," muttered Harry, low enough so that Draco would not detect his uneasiness.

Draco must have heard him "Okay, so I'm now fit to receive the unlikely deaf award," Draco coyly winked, playfully pulling his earlobe. "Come on, Potter, you could do better than that. I can hear bugs buzzing meters from here," explained Draco, leaning his slender figure forward to have a better view of Harry.

Harry couldn't help himself. He giggled and soon the resentment went unnoticed. He captured a glimpse of Draco and he could have sworn he saw a smile forming at the corner of Draco's lips- Unusual, yet touching. Harry ran a hand through his dark hair and took a deep breath.

"I know what you are trying to do here Malfoy. It is not very Slytherin of you, but I appreciate it," Harry replied, coolly.

"It's not like I'm forcing you to trust me Potter. Need I remind you that I do need a strong enemy to use my choice foul words and attain a satisfying duel," said Draco, narrowing his eyes.

"Don't try to fix me Malfoy, I'm not broken," replied Harry quietly.

"You're not broken, but shattered." Draco protested weakly.

They fell into sullen silence. Both were lost for words. Harry's stare dropped to the ground and Draco was still looking at him unabashedly.

"Forty percent," Draco interrupted, his face beaming.

"What?" Harry asked, face up and pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose.

"It won't kill you to have forty percent trust in me Potter," Draco paused, and added, "I could give you a refreshing new concept in your dull life."

Harry's expression softened slightly. He didn't actually know what to say. His eyes were roughly scanning Draco's muscular physique and were halted at Draco's right shoulder.

"What happen to you?" asked Harry, pointing a finger towards the well-structured bones.

"What? This one? A classic story," explained Draco, not even looking at the mess. He was eager to know if they had reached to a decision.

"Oh...well then, guess I better get going." Harry's voice sounded numbed and distant.

Draco remained silent. He glared at Harry in disbelief. A fleeting look of chagrin was partially shown on Draco's features, and he knew exactly what Harry must have been feeling right now. And for that, he felt like he had given him an impressive resemblance of wrongly acted description effectuated by his sensitive emotion.

Vague footsteps were soon heard a couple minutes later.

Draco was brought back to his senses only to find himself baffled and alone.

*********

"Bloody first years!" grumbled Draco, taking off his stained robe. With a disgusted face, he held his robe by the tip of his fingers and dropped it to the floor. He was left with his white colored long sleeved shirt and a tie. The tea had penetrated itself to Draco's shirt and it was sticky. Feeling uneasy, Draco began to undress himself.

"Hah...much better," Draco announced to himself. He was lying there half-waist naked and stretched his arm to ease the numbness. Quidditch practice had done some serious changes and now he possessed lean muscles under his skin.

Draco positioned his hands at the back of his head and faced the ceiling. His fortunes had not changed much. One thing for sure, bad lucks had been lingering around at short intervals in every corner of his twisted life. Twisted? No, it was not at all twisted. The truth about human nature is substantially wide. He knew which type of nature he was willing to be classified with and although it was slightly unacceptable, he didn't need the society to let petty, small, insignificant things block his way to happiness.

Draco slowly raised his body and went to the window. His belt was still dangling on his waistband. He walked obediently towards the window rear and lost himself to the greenish surrounding. Maybe someday others will see that it is only in their decisions that they are important.

*******

"Harry, you look tired," Hermione said, seeing her friend walking into the common room slouching.

"I am, Ron," replied Harry, patting Ron's shoulder as he stood behind him.

"I am what, Harry?" asked Ron confusingly as he brought his face up from the Daily Prophet he was reading.

"You are...gay?!" shouted Harry, backing himself up.

"What?!" asked Hermione and Ron simultaneously.

Harry hardly blinked and focused his stare towards Ron.

"What joke are you pulling now Harry? I'm...I'm not gay!" protested Ron in despair.

"Bah," snorted Hermione. "You can say that again."

Ron was appalled. "What?"

"Nothing...nothin'..." hummed Hermione, shaking her head lightly and almost insincerely.

"Hermione!" Harry cried out her name. A warning.

Harry sighed. "I didn't mean you Ron," explained Harry. "It's the Daily Prophet. The newly elected bishop is gay. That is shocking, don't you think?"

Ron immediately sent out a current breath towards his hair. He took the paper and looked at it. He looked at Harry in a second and replied, "Oh, yeah...still I do think your introduction was really really bad Harry."

"Yeah, I guess so. And oh by the way, I'm fine."

Harry glanced up at Hermione and she was giving him a concerned look. He didn't know what to make up from all the mess so he decided to drift away to his room.

"Oh-No-You-Don't!" Hermione practically screamed. She pulled Harry by the hand, out of the bed. She led him to the window seats and applied gentle pressure to make Harry sit down.

"What now Mione?" asked Harry, sleepily.

"What now? Harry, you have to take control of the situation. Your imaginary life is destroying you," explained Hermione, gripping his arm. She felt as if she was touching a lifeless body. A skeleton. Afraid of breaking Harry, she took away her hand.

She slowly rested her back on the chair and continued, "He has got you frenzied and you can't even tell it." Hermione paused and then added, "maybe it's time you prepare to take detours in stride Harry."

Harry stared at Hermione and chuckled. "What are you suggesting? That I should not trust my feelings and my instincts?"

Hermione was silent. She knew she never should have asked Harry to do what he hated. But she felt that what Harry desired was so far than it is closer.

She turned her face towards Harry. "I heard what he offered to you Harry. I was there."

Hermione let her gaze went down as she noticed Harry's surprised look on her. Then, her expression hardened and her eyebrows nearly coalesced.

"You neglected him, Harry. No feedback, no response...nothing. What was that suppose to mean?"

Harry was stunned. A rare surge of emotions came rushing into Harry's mind. He took a long deep breath.

"It means you are not ready and afraid to make it to the other side," replied Hermione finally. With that she stood up and left the room quietly and hoped that Harry would understand.

Harry stood up and went to the window. He placed his hand on the wall and another on his waist. His mind wandered, trying to trace every wrong move that Hermione claimed had been taken by him. All the tiring time between and all the faith that he had in that boy just took so much of Harry...

And not far away, the other boy was feeling the exact same thing...

********

"Potions," replied Harry weakly to Ron.

"Bollocks! Why do we even need to learn Potions in the first place?" Ron asked as he positioned himself in front of Harry at the breakfast table.

"That's because it's one of the easiest ways to have your head separated from your neck," Draco piped in while Crabbe and Goyle lingering behind.

"Drop dead Malfoy," snapped Ron, glaring him from the corner of his eyes.

Draco smirked. "Too bad your hopes don't excite me Weasel." He carried on regardless. "And too bad that day would never come." With that, Draco went off to their side of the tribe.

Ron was not in the mood to devise havoc. He looked at Harry and signaled him to depart for Potions.

Hermione was already there when they entered the class. She was busy preparing her work and performing some important changes in her notes. Ron smiled and jostled her through her task. He banged his books onto Hermione's table.

"For Pete's sake, Ron!" Hermione shouted suddenly. Ron jumped and dragged his books away, slowly. "How many times do I have to tell you to Not-Do-That?" said Hermione, glaring intently from beneath her bushy eyebrows. Ron sat at his place trying to act normal, but Hermione was still fixing him with a deadly stare that vowed for revenge.

"Hey, who's Pete?" asked Harry as he appeared before Ron.

Hermione looked at Harry for a while and then, turned back to what she was doing before being rudely interrupted- her work.

"Pete is Merlin's son-in-law, Harry," explained Ron as he tried to hide his smile.

Harry blinked and thought to himself.

"I didn't even know Merlin has a daughter..."

"Fighting? Weasley, Granger?" Snape asked in his sneering voice. "Ten points from Gryffindor for interrupting the class."

"But the class hasn't started yet..." said Ron slowly, as he took out his parchment and quill. "Or maybe not." Ron ended his complaint when Snape gestured towards Ron's place.

"Apparently my stipulation of being quiet during my class is just a mere indispensable saying," said Snape. He began to walk and stopped beside Harry. "You will notice that this intolerable behavior will only bring destruction and loss of points to your house."

Harry was speechless. He had not committed any offence, but to have Snape standing next to him meant...

"Potter," asked Snape in his drawling voice. "Tell me the ingredients of the Strengthening Solution that we did last week."

Harry paled. "Uhh...I don't know, sir," replied Harry. Sounds of disappointment were heard all around the class and giggles from the other houses.

"It seems to me that being famous is not the only thing needed in being The-Boy-Who-Lived. I don't know how you manage to survive," said Snape, lips curled.

"Ten points from Gryffindor for not paying attention in my classroom!" declared Snape. He quickly turned and went back to the board. "We will carry on."

Harry was depressed.

********

"Hurry up will yer' Harry?" ushered Ron, waiting for the boy impatiently.

"Well, someone is in a hurry," supplied Harry, demoralized. An hour of being lectured personally in Potions class made him consider suicide the next morning.

"What's with Divination?" asked Harry still packing his things into his bag.

"Not Divination. Hermione..." answered Ron, eyes focused on the exit door.

Harry paused and looked around the class. "Yeah, where is she anyway?"

"She's gone for class that's it. I have things to talk with her. Will you get on with it?" complaint Ron, his patience was coming to an end.

"Alright, alright. Hold your horses!" replied Harry, shoving his book inside mercilessly.

"There." Harry positioned his bag on his left shoulder. "Let's go, Ronny."

"Ronny?" snapped Ron from behind Harry.

"It suits you...being cranky and all," Harry said, smiling. "You're everything my heart desires." With that Harry went straight out of the class.

Ron was pinned to the spot. His face was reddening and he clutched his books to his chest. A smile was forming at the corner of his lips and suddenly everything he thought of just drifted away...

*******

Harry and Ron were walking together towards Divination class. Picturing Professor Trelawney was enough to invite extreme monotonous impact. Then again, the thought of how he should die was interesting and useful, in some way.

"...I will be run over by a muggle car in Privet Drive that in return causes me to be handicapped. No, that would not satisfy her...or I could say..."

"Harry!"

"Wha-"

"Hmphh! Argh!!"

"Harry! Are you alright?" asked Ron, helping his friend up.

"Oh Ron, you could have warned me sooner!" argued Harry, attempted to stand up.

"These damn flowerpots are always in my way."

"Sorry mate. I wasn't looking," replied Ron, feeling guilty.

"But if you weren't looking, then who warned me?" Harry asked, brushing his robes and looking both ways in case someone else was there. And there was. All he could see from afar was shining silvery blond hair, disappearing to the corner of the hall.

"It's Malfoy."

Harry looked at Ron and nodded his head slowly.

"On first name basis?"

*********

That night was one of the most miserable times for Harry. He was unable to sleep because there were some arduous matters that the truth was unwilling to reveal.

"He did call me by my first name..." Harry lay down on his bed. He took off his glasses and placed it on the table next to him, its usual place. The room was getting darker than ever. Everything was blurry and he felt as if he was being swallowed up in some kind of a black hole.

"Harry...Harry..."

Someone was inside the room and it was someone else's voice. Harry turned his face towards the sound, but was unable to detect exactly where the sound came from. It was croaking like a frog learning ABCs and Harry hated that.

"Harry...Harry..."

"What's wrong with people nowadays? It's not hard to say my name. They make it sound like a detergent."

Harry scrambled to his table and took his glasses on his hand. He tried to look for his wand too but only to realize that it was still inside his robes.

"Damn!"

"Harry, are you awake?" enquired the sound. It was surely the sound of a man and it came from underneath his bed. Harry didn't bother to search for it but gave a signal that he was wide-awake.

"Emm...yeah."

"Good."

Moments later, a dark, tall figure crawled slowly and quietly from under the bed and stood in front of Harry. He had a scarf covering his mouth and a wand in the other hand. He was silent like a predator and as if the moment was right to hunt, he brought down his hand, exposing his entire face.

"You could really do some cleaning down there," asked the man arrogantly.

"Who...who are you?" replied Harry, ignoring the criticism the man just made. He brought his knees to his chest.

"Honestly Potter, you are so vulnerable now," it drawled. "It's such a shame I'm not here to destroy you."

Harry was shocked. He quickly went to the other side of the bed and privately agreed to the fact that he was too vulnerable now.

"Slytherin"

The darkness he was in was making it hard to see who the person was.

"Lumos."

A spark of light began to appear at the tip of the man's wand. He began to walk towards Harry and halted a few centimeters away. The wand was moving closer to his face.

"Zabini? Blaise Zabini?"

"That's what I'm called."

"What the hell are you doing here? In my room?"

"I'm here to visit you," acknowledged Blaise. He wriggled his head and added, "Of course I'm here for a reason, Potter." He took away the wand and continued, "Do you really think that I would waste my time in this horrible place then relax myself with several manicures?"

Harry smiled. Slytherins were so weird.

"Now I know using my first name by you lot is meaningless." Harry drew his brows together and narrowed his eyes.

"It was nothing, Draco"

"Oh, that one. Well, I had to gain your filthy attention and by using your first name, it made you feel safe," explained Blaise, innocently.

"Is that why you made that cracking sound Zabini? My name is not poison, if that is what you meant," supplied Harry, looking directly into Blaise's eyes.

Blaise smirked. "Sit down Potter. Be quiet. I have more complicated things to discuss with you."