Underneath Your Clothes

***

Because of you
I forgot the smart ways to lie
Because of you
I'm running out of reasons to cry
When the friends are gone
When the party's over
We will still belong to each other

- - Shakira

February 27, 1998

Today was my 18^th birthday. Harry Potter, who is currently sitting on my lap, pretending he can't see this, gave me this journal, with strict instructions to write my every feeling and thought down in here.

I was never pretending!

That was he, having stolen my quill. I took it back from him and shoved him off my lap. He currently sits on the floor, looking dreadfully sulky. He is very sexy when he sulks. I don't think he realizes what kind of effect he has on me when he does that. Or maybe he does, and that is why he does it so often. Damn! That man has me wrapped around his little finger.

Just don't tell him that.

The both of us are in my Common Room. People seem to have gotten used to seeing the two of us together, since the staring seems to have decreased. Of course, he and I will always be stared at when we are together.

Not only are we two of the sexiest students at Hogwarts, we were once enemies, he and I. We argued constantly. I think a majority of the school placed bets on which of us would win the next battle. I would not be surprised if most of the dirty looks shot our way came from those whose spending money came from the outcome of our fights.

Like Seamus Finnegan, you mean?

There he goes, stealing my quill again. He doesn't seem to get the meaning of privacy. I am tempted to go into my dorm and send him home... Though he does have a point. Finnegan is one of the people who is constantly sending nasty looks our way. Harry thinks it's because of betting. What a naïve boy.

He must not have heard about the fight Finnegan and I had several months ago...

I heard about that. I assumed it was because he was being his usual cocky self. Or was it something else?

That's it. He's going to leave so I can have some peace.

Now that that's taken care of, I can get back to Finnegan. Yes, poor Harry darling is so naïve. Finnegan and I got into a fight over him. Apparently, the Irish slut seems to have his eye on my Harry. Wretched boy. I had to end that infatuation before he did something drastic. It seemed to have worked, actually. He hasn't mentioned his 'crush' since then.

But back to Harry and I.

Ever since that fateful day one year ago, he and I have been inseparable. I know that sounds ridiculously cliché, but it is true. In truth, the two of us were always inseparable. We were not friends by any stretch of the imagination, but we are enemies. Father always said you should be closer to your enemies than your friends.

Well, we were close, in a strange way. Both of us went out of our way to torment the other. We slung insults at each other and spent most of our free time figuring out ways to make the other lose points. Okay, maybe not Harry. But I was did truly spend most of my time thinking up ways to hurt him further.

It didn't start out that way, mind. In the beginning, he was just a thorn in my side. Merlin, how I hated him! He was so solemn and bloody perfect. He turned down what could have been a spectacular friendship, and embarrassed me in the process. Father had been so angry with me; I can still hear the Howler he sent me the next night:

DRACO AMADEUS MALFOY! IF YOU DO ONE MORE THING TO BRING SHAME TO THE MALFOY NAME, I WILL PERSONALLY SEE THAT FILCH FINDS THOSE TORTURE DEVICES OF HIS AND HANGS YOU FROM THE CEILING BY YOUR ANKLES!

YOU ARE A DISGRACE TO THE MALFOY NAME. DON'T EVEN THINK ABOUT COMING HOME FOR CHRISTMAS!

In reality, it was more embarrassing because half the Slytherin Common Room had heard it. I was taunted about it for a few weeks, until I got annoyed enough to send Crabbe and Goyle after them. They certainly shut up quickly after that.

I did go home for Christmas, and everyone forgot the incident. Everyone but myself, that is. It stuck with me like a bout of the flue that just won't go away. It was painful and shameful. I don't think I got over that for many years. Hell, even thinking about it now causes me to wince.

I must be getting into bed. I'll be continuing this at a later date.

Draco A. Malfoy