How To Lose A Guy In Ten Days

Chapter Six - Monday - Day Five

I'm sinking slowly, so hurry, hold me

Your hand is all I have to keep me hanging on

Please can you tell me, so I can finally see?

Where you go when you're gone

If you want to, I can save you

I can take you away from here

So lonely inside, so busy out there

And all you wanted was somebody who cares

~ I Can Save You, Michelle Branch

Like promised, everyone was waiting at 8 o'clock in Hermione's office. McGonagall was there too, forcing everyone to promise that they would behave. When McGonagall finally left, Hermione lit the fire and handed out the floo powder.

"This fireplace is only linked to the one in our dorm, you can't use either of them to go anyway part from between here and there. Terry, would you like to go first?"

It took a while but soon everyone was in the common living room at Oxford.

"The Open Day actually doesn't start until ten and breakfast has been set up in the kitchen for us."

Everyone followed Hermione through the three-floor house.

Breakfast was a noisy affair; all seven of them packed into a small kitchen, eating the large amounts of food on the table before them, which kept replenishing themselves. Blaise and Draco were sitting at one end of the table; neither was talking but both were making sure they knew exactly what was going on around them. The two Slytherins were not used to being in the muggle world and this was definitely muggle. At the other end, Harry was joking with Neville while Hermione sorted out maps of the University for everyone.

After breakfast, Neville and Harry wandered around the house for a while. Hermione handed out the maps and answered any questions that came up. Draco sat in the kitchen alone, slightly annoyed that Harry had gone off with Neville.

"Are you ok?"

Draco looked up at the voice. Hermione was standing in the doorway.

"Yes."

"Mind if I join you?"

"It's a free world."

Hermione entered the room and sat down.

"Why are you sitting here alone?"

"I chose to."

"Malfoy, I don't understand completely what is happening between you and Harry, but I want your promise that you are not going to hurt him."

Draco growled. "I don't have to give you anything, Granger. Harry can take care of himself."

"Draco," she used his given name and Draco gave her a sharp look but he understood the reason behind it. This was a serious conversation. "Harry has never been in a serious relationship before. The one time he tried it, he was hurt very badly. I can't tell you the state of the relationship but it took Harry a very long time to get over it and move on, and then when he had done that, Voldemort happened. In his life, Harry has been denied human contact. He is very confused and he has lots to offer someone. He's the brother I never had and Ron and me are his family. I want to know, are you deadly serious about him?"

Draco raised his head and stared at her, looking straight into her eyes.

"I am. I always thought him and me would be enemies forever, that it was our destiny to fight each other. But for the past six months it seemed he had lost the will to simply be. Someone told me that the only reason I shouted insults at you, Harry and Weasel was so that Harry would pay attention to me. They struck home with that comment. I give you permission to kick the shit out of me, if I ever hurt Harry."

Hermione gave a nod, satisfied with his answer.

"He has shown more emotion over the past five days than he has in six months. You have a good effect on him."

"Granger..."

"Hey, are you two coming to look at the Uni or not?"

Harry appeared in the doorway, a smile on his face as he caught sight of Draco and Hermione sitting so close together.

"Yes, we'll be there in a minute."

Harry shot her a puzzled glance but hurried off to re-locate Neville.

"Malfoy?"

"Yes?"

"I don't trust you. I don't even like you, but for Harry, I'm willing to put all that aside."

She held out a hand and Draco slowly shook it.

"What?" she asked. "No, don't-touch-me-you'll-dirty-my-skin-up-you-mudblood comment?"

"I am not my Father anymore," Draco whispered at her. "I don't think of you like that. You are a good witch, Hermione."

"Thank you."

Harry skidded back into sight, Neville right after him.

"Come on!"

Draco stood and walked to the door. His hands caught hold of Harry's waist and he bent down, his lips pressing against Harry's softly.

Hermione smiled. "It's been so long since he smiled at anything," she whispered to herself. "Who would have guessed that it was Draco Malfoy who was able to put that smile back on his face?"

* * *

"So, where do you want to go?" Harry asked, his eyes scanning the surrounding buildings. One hand was clasped in Draco's and the other held a map of where everything was. Hermione was standing on his left, her own eyes fixed on the map.

"Well, do you want to take a look at the Defence Class?" she asked. "It's the nearest building to our dorm."

Harry gave a nod. "Sure, lead the way."

Hermione took hold of Neville's arm and pulled him up the path past the muggle dorms and towards the scholar buildings. Harry followed, leading Draco after the two Gryffindors.

"You want to stay with us?" Harry asked as they entered the first building. Beside the door was a notice informing them they were entering the sport department.

"Yes, beats wandering with Blaise."

"I thought he was your friend."

"Not after the other night."

Harry smirked but was prevented from saying anything more because Hermione had come to a stop in front of them.

"I don't know how we get to..."

"Harry? Hermione? Is that you?"

Harry spun to look at the girl who was strolling towards them, a broomstick tucked under her arm.

"Angelina," Harry greeted her. She had been a Gryffindor Chaser on the Quidditch Game until she had left Hogwarts two years ago. She had been captain in her final year.

"How are you both? I didn't think I would be seeing you two here."

"It was Hermione's idea. She gathered up about eight of us."

"Seven," Hermione corrected. "I didn't know you continued on your education."

"Yes, I want to be a professor in Muggle Studies. It's lots of fun. I'm taking a few muggle subjects too, English and Drama to get an idea of muggle life style as well as my major in M.S. What are you hoping to do?"

"Defence against the Darks Arts. If we can find where it is."

"I'll show you. It's beside the quidditch pitch, hidden from muggle view. It's dangerous you know, nothing like what we did at Hogwarts. They sometimes use the pitch for practicing spells and stuff."

"You still play quidditch then?" Harry asked as she began to lead them down the corridors. He let go of Draco's hand and strolled alongside her.

"I'm chaser on the Oxford team. We play against Cambridge. Age old rivalry. Hey, you should try out for Seeker in September. I'll put in a good word for you. I hope Gryffindor won the cup this year."

"We did," Harry beamed at her. "Still the best team in the school." Harry glanced over his shoulder at Draco who was the captain of the Slytherin Team. He glared back.

"You wish Potter, you cheated in the game against us and that's why you won."

Angelina looked over her shoulder and stared at the blond Slytherin. She hadn't noticed him before now.

"What are you doing here, Malfoy?" she asked. Her eyes narrowed. She could remember him well and he hadn't been a very nice person to her.

"He's with us," Hermione said, touching Draco's arm.

Angelina shrugged. "Beats me why you want to hang out with a Slytherin. Ah, here we are."

Angelina pushed open a door, which was labelled "broom cupboard", and they walked in. As soon as the door shut, the cupboard was transformed into a corridor with two doors on. One door had "quidditch" written on the glass and the other had "Defence Against The Darks Arts" sprawled across it. Angelina crossed to the door and opened it.

"Professor Micwick?" she called out and the light flicked on.

"Yes?"

There was a woman dressed in jeans and a t-shirt sitting on the desk at the end of the room.

"These are Hogwarts Students. One of them is interested in your subject."

The teacher snorted and stood up. "Introduce them."

"I'm Harry Potter." Harry took a step forward and the woman turned to face him with an odd look upon her face.

"Indeed you are."

Harry looked back at where Draco, Neville and Hermione stood. Angelina had stepped forward with him.

"She's only slightly mad," Angelina muttered, "but she knows her stuff."

"I heard that," Micwick scolded. "I've heard about you, about how you defeated the Dark Lord."

Harry rubbed his hands together nervously as she stepped towards him.

"Well," the creepy air disappeared and she gave a bright smile. "How can I help you?"

* * *

"Is she always that odd?"

"No, she does it to scare you. Look, I have to run or I'll be late for English. I'll send you a form about the seeker position via owl as soon as I can get one." Angelina turned to face them all. "Where are you after next?"

"Potions, we are all taking that subject," Hermione said, her head buried in the map.

"Well, head for the food quarters. There is a portrait hanging on the wall near the kitchen which will lead you to the potions lab."

"What's the portrait of?"

"Trust me, you'll know it when you see it."

She waved goodbye at them and hurried off, her broomstick was still tucked under her arm.

"Isn't she giving something away carrying her broom around?" Draco asked as they headed towards the food quarters.

"A muggle probably sees it as a book or something. She isn't thick you know." Hermione sent a dirty look at Draco who sneered back.

"Let's go find this portrait," Harry said quickly breaking up any argument that was about to take place.

Angelina was right. There was no way they could have missed this portrait.

"The teacher must be a fan," Hermione giggled.

"Ewww, that's a really gross thought."

"He isn't too bad."

"Are you kidding? He's a bastard."

"I actually think he's a genius."

The four jumped at the sound of the voice and looked around to see a man approaching them.

"You must be from Hogwarts," he greeted them. "I'm Professor Lebes."

"Nice to meet you. Draco Malfoy," Draco introduced himself as he was standing nearer to the professor.

"I knew you were a Malfoy. You have the same look that your father has."

"The stick-up-your-ass look."

Draco hissed at Harry who laughed.

"And you are Harry Potter."

"Yeah, this is Hermione Granger and Neville Longbottom."

"I knew your parents Neville, lovely people."

Silence fell after this sentence.

"Sorry," Lebes blushed. "That was horrible of me. I hold your parents in deep respect Neville, as do I hold yours." Lebes fixed Harry with his dark blue eyes. "Well, I have succeeded in making you all depressed. Let's go into the lab shall we, and talk some more about the subject."

"Can I ask a quick question?" Harry asked.

"Yes?"

"Why do you have a portrait of Snape over your classroom door?"

Lebes smiled. "Me and Professor Snape were at school together. He was a good friend of mine and still is." Lebes pushed open the portrait and waved the students in. They clambered into the lab, which was brightly lit, and Lebes followed them in.

"I will be in contact with Severus to find out how good you all are at potions."

"He'll tell you that us Gryffindors all suck and you shouldn't let us onto your course."

"Talk for yourself, Granger, I'm a decent potion maker."

Harry rolled his eyes at his boyfriend and paused at the thought. Boyfriend? It had a nice feel to it.

Lebes laughed again. "Yes, Gryffindors never were any good in lessons, but always managed to do well in exams."

"That's because they cheat. They cheat at Quidditch and cheat at Potions."

"Get over it Draco. I got to the Snitch before you fair and square."

Draco glared at Harry.

"You tried to push me off my broom, Potter."

Harry smiled sweetly at Draco.

"It's Quidditch. It's meant to be rough. Just face it, I'm a better player than you..."

"Are they always like this?" Lebes asked Hermione in an undertone.

"Sadly, yes. You better get used to it."

* * *

They spent most of the day getting to know their new potions teacher. He was extremely interested in all of them and even managed to freak them all out by mentioning one "wild night" he had had with Snape.

"There were some things I really did not need to know," Hermione giggled as they left the lab. Even Draco was grinning as they headed back towards their dorm.

"The very thought is greatly disturbing."

"It's worse for me, he's my godfather!" Harry laughed at Draco's wrinkled nose. "I'll never be able to look at him in the same way ever again."

Hermione shook her head and led the way back. Draco watched the two best friends laugh together as they walked ahead of him and Neville.

"You don't need to look so jealous, Malfoy," Neville spat and Draco sent a death glare at the Gryffindor beside him. "Hermione loves Ron and Harry thinks of her as a sister and nothing more."

Draco threw an Evil-Slytherin-Smirk at Neville. "I am not jealous. I know what Potter and Granger are and I have Potter, not her."

"I don't see, none of us do, what Harry sees in you."

Draco's smirk widened.

"He sees talent. Why would he want a worthless Pureblood like you when he can have me?"

Neville's blood began to boil at Draco's words and his face turned a deep shade of crimson. Draco sneered knowing he had just hit a sensitive spot.

"Oh my!" Draco gave a dramatic sigh. "Who would have guessed that Longbottom loved Potter?"

"Shut it, Malfoy."

"Or what?" A dangerous glint appeared in Draco's eye. "You'll tell Harry? He hardly notices you as a friend, what chance do you have at being anything more? You and Weasel both need to learn that there are people like you and there are people like me. And you want to know what? People like you always come last. They fail and become what is known as a Loser. Losers in everything."

"SHUT UP!"

Neville pulled his wand out and forced Draco up against the wall at wand point. Harry and Hermione spun round.

"NEVILLE!"

"STOP!"

Draco raised his head and barked an evil laugh.

"You don't have the guts to hex me, Longbottom. Just like you haven't got the guts to tell Potter you love him."

Both Hermione and Harry hurried towards the two boys. Neville was visibly shaking.

"You don't love him."

Draco lowered his voice so only Neville could hear him. "No, but I know there is something between us and he is falling for me. You lose, Longbottom, Harry's mine."

Neville couldn't keep his wand arm steady and he couldn't think of any hex to throw at Draco. The Slytherin, however, pulled his wand from his sleeve and muttered. "Expelliarmus." Neville's wand flew into the air and Hermione grabbed it. Neville was pushed backwards by the force of the spell.

"DRACO!"

"MALFOY! Ten points from Slytherin!" Hermione yelled and she placed herself between the two boys. Harry looked at Draco with a confused glare. "Lower your wand," Hermione ordered and Draco complied. Once his wand was away, Hermione turned on her heel and began to address Neville. Draco bit his tongue to force himself not to speak to Harry and instead he walked off, making sure he stormed past Harry.

"Drac..." Harry's words died away as the boy paid no attention to him.

Draco never noticed the slight look of sadness in the pair of green eyes that watched him leave.

Draco had no destination in mind and ended up wandering the streets of campus with no real idea as to where he was or where he was going.

"Hey gorgeous."

Draco looked up to see a girl perched on the top of a wall. He frowned at her and she laughed.

"You look lost."

Draco glanced around him quickly. "I think I am."

"I'm Shinko, come take up a piece of this wall and let's see if I can help you out."

"Shinko? Doesn't that mean Child of Death?"

She laughed again. "That's only a rough translation, but yes it does. Friends call me Shi, which means Death, so I just have bad luck in the name department. Care to tell me yours?"

"Draco."

"And that means Dragon."

"I don't bite but I've been known to breath fire."

She laughed, something, it appeared, she did a lot. "Come sit." She patted the wall beside her. "I need someone to keep me company while I wait."

"Wait for what?" Draco took a step forward, his hand already clutching his wand, which was hidden beneath his sleeve. He wasn't a very trusting person.

"My boyfriend. He is meant to be picking me up, but my lecture finished early and his mobile is switched off, but I wouldn't mind waiting for him with a guy like you."

"I could attack you."

"I would like to see you try." She flashed a smile at him and rose up a leg. She pulled the jean leg up to reveal calf-high black leather boots and she pulled out a muggle knife. It looked very sharp and dangerous.

Draco gave her a friendly smirk. He knew that the muggle blade would do nothing against him if he chose to attack her, but he said nothing and joined her on the wall.

* * *

Hermione gazed at Harry; her brown eyes were slightly narrowed as she looked at him in concern. He was sitting rigid against the wall of his dorm room, on the bed. His eyes were fixed on the alarm clock that was on the bedside table. She glanced at it herself from where she was seated at his desk. There were four more minutes to go. It had become a daily ritual for her, Ron and Harry to sit in silence as Eight O'clock approached. All of them dreading what were about to occur. She had done the usual checks, made sure that Harry was health, she made sure there was a silencing charm around the room and made sure she had a first aid kit ready, just encase.

It happened everyday but it never got any easier.

* * *

Draco finally forced himself to say goodbye to the muggle girl and she waved him off in the right direction back to his dorm. He muttered "tempus" and was politely informed that it was eleven minutes to eight. He quickened his steps slightly at the thought of food, but as he opened the door, his movements halted as he thought of Longbottom and what Harry was going to say to him. He quietly shut the door and lent against it.

"You blew it," Blaise sung as he entered the hallway. "Potter, Granger and Longbottom have been discussing you since they got back. None of their words were very nice."

Draco growled in the back of his throat at Blaise. Damn the Slytherin. Pansy must have asked him to spy for her while he was away.

"It wouldn't do you any good to fall out of favour with Potter and it's already half way through the bet. Does Potter love you yet?" Blaise teased as he crept closer to Draco. "If I were you, I..."

"Oh just shut up Blaise and go fuck yourself," and with that comment Draco took the stairs two at a time, heading for Harry's room.

* * *

Hermione hated this.

She raised her wand and pointed it at the withering boy on the bed. Her courage wavered and she wished that Ron were there for support. She forced herself to mutter the incantation and chains appeared out of thin air and they locked around Harry's body forcing the boy to lie still on the bed. They could never tell what it would be like. Sometimes it was nothing more than a short burst of pain and others - like tonight - the agony and the screaming just kept going on and on. Tying Harry to the bed ensured that he could not hurt himself. When these bursts of pain hit him, he lost all control of his body and could do serious damage to himself and others. On more than one occasion Harry had managed to break a few bones and even Ron's nose.

Hermione crossed the room quickly and sat beside Harry's head. Her hand reached out and she gently stroked his raven hair as his back arched off the bed and his mouth opened wide and he screamed louder. She bit her lip in an effect to stop from crying but she couldn't help it. Silent tears ran down her cheeks. She hated this and it always left her feeling helpless. She could not stop the pain nor prevent it from coming, and she was forced day after day to watch her friend lose himself in agony.

Her tears dripped onto Harry's face and the boy turned to look at her. His lips were open slightly as he panted, fighting to breath and fighting the crushing feeling around his throat that was trying to cut off his airway. His green eyes fluttered closed as he gasped for more breath. A thin layer of sweat coated his skin.

"GRANGER! What the fuck is going on here?!"

Hermione looked up at Draco, who was standing in the doorway, his eyes impossibly wide as he stared at the two on the bed.

Draco took a step forward into the room as another scream rented the air and Harry's eyes snapped open.

Hermione gave a small scream and Draco gasped. Draco's movements stopped as he found himself staring deep into Harry's eyes, transfixed by what he saw.

Gone were the warmth filled green eyes that Draco swore you could lose your soul in. Replacing them were blood-red hateful eyes that glared at Draco in silent mocking laughter. Red eyes that didn't belong to Harry. Red eyes that Draco had seen long ago on the face of the Darkest Creature that was know to mankind. Or had been, seeing as he was now dead.

The boy strained against the chains, his muscles conversing, his eyes locked on the Malfoy Heir.

"I..."

"Mion?"

She blanked the boys at the whispered plea and took hold of Harry, holding him the best she could, whispering words of comfort into his ear. Slowly the pain faded away, the red eyes closed and Harry fell into slumber.

Hermione gave a broken sob of relief and buried her face in Harry's tossed locks.

"What the hell just happened here?" Draco demanded in a whisper.

"It's not my place to say," Hermione whimpered. "Please Draco, please leave. Please go!"

Draco gave an understanding nod and left but he looked back, fear showing on his face. He shut the door as he exited the room.

Finally alone, Hermione raised her head and glanced at the clock.

8:01

Nine minutes had passed, but to her it had been an eternity.

* * *

Draco was nursing a glass of firewhiskey when the kitchen door opened and in walked Harry. He looked deadly pale. Harry looked at the boy sitting at the table and gave a quiet sigh. It was nearly midnight and he had hoped that no one else would have been up and about.

"Should you be out of bed?" Draco asked as Harry shut the door.

"I'm fine," Harry replied.

"What happened? Why did you have that fit or whatever it was?"

Harry sat opposite Draco and took the glass on the table across from him. He took a gulp of firewhiskey.

"It's a long story and I am not about to talk about it."

"You know talking helps."

"The people that matter the most know and that's enough for me."

Draco felt a little hurt by that statement.

"So, I'm not important enough to know? I'm your boyfriend but I'm not important?"

Harry gave a smile. "You're my boyfriend?"

"Well, I... um..." Draco blushed.

"Listen, it's not that you aren't important but I've only known you properly for two days. Yes, I am beginning to like you a lot but it's early days. Maybe at a later date I'll tell you."

"Harry..."

"I'll tell you when I'm ready."

Draco gave a nod. He really wanted to know why Harry had gone into that fit, but it was clear that he wouldn't know until Harry was ready to tell, so he stood up and grabbed another glass and poured out some more firewhiskey.

"Where did you get to? You weren't at dinner," Harry asked after a few minutes of silence.

"I met a girl named Shinko. She was muggle but strangely nice."

Harry gave a light chuckle. "Muggles are not evil nor are they freaks."

"I know. Well, some are. I talked to her a bit and then I came back here."

"Why did Neville attack you?" Harry was interested to know what had provoked the normally shy boy to attack Draco. Neville hadn't said much on the subject before he had locked himself in his room and neither him nor Hermione could work out what had been exchanged between them.

"If you can call what he did an attack," Draco scoffed. "Stupid idiot."

"I know Neville. You must have said something for him to pull his wand out at you. What did you say?!"

"Does it really matter?"

"Yes. Neville's my friend."

"Trust me, he wants to be more than just your friend."

"Pardon?"

"I said... never mind. You keep your secrets and I'll keep mine. It's only a fair deal."

Harry glared but nodded in agreement.

"Is there any food left?" Harry asked, he hadn't eaten much at dinner.

"The house elves fetched me the drink. They'll get you some food too."

Harry stood and disappeared in search of a house elf.

Draco mentally kicked himself. What had happened to his cool icily Slytherin attitude? Since when did he worry about telling other people's secrets? When did he get concerned over others well-being? The answer was Potter. Since last Wednesday, Draco had changed from a selfish stick-up-his-own-arse Slytherin to just plain Draco. But not even a Malfoy ever let himself get this emotional. Draco cursed Harry and blamed everything on his stupid Gryffindor behaviour.

"What have I done?"

Draco started. He hadn't realized that he had spoken out loud. Nor had he realized that Harry had re-entered the room.

"You haven't done anything."

"So what are you blaming me for then?"

Draco found himself mesmerised by the sparkling green eyes and the small smile that graced Harry's perfect features.

"For being so god damn beautiful," Draco charmed with a sexy grin and was rewarded by a blush that appeared on Harry's cheeks.

"I'm not..."

"Don't deny it. A Malfoy is always right!"

Harry laughed and at the sound Draco forgot all about Harry's fit, and he decided like everything else, he didn't care that Harry had brought about some changes in him. He lost himself in that laugh, the smile and those gorgeous green eyes, and he honestly no longer cared about who he had been and he simply focused on nothing more than just being.

Tbc...