It had been an annoying, long day in the library for Harry. He'd been trying to read up on Potions stuff, but his head didn't seem to quite want to understand it. Add that to the fact that the new librarian, Madame Jasmina, was very attractive, and you had a problem. Cursing, he walked towards the Gryffindor common room in a very annoyed, very confused state of mind.
"Super Wizard Crackers," Harry muttered to the Fat Lady, shaking his head at the password. They just kept getting dafter and dafter. Looking up, Harry stopped dead. In front of him, sat in an arm chair, was Draco Malfoy. Harry stared. The boy shouldn't be here - not in this common room, not even in the school - hadn't he gone home for Christmas? Drawing his wand, Harry pointed it at him. He'd had just about enough for today, and if Malfoy's plan was to fight, he'd be sorry he messed with the Boy Who Lived.
"Potter, put the wand down," he sighed. "I didn't come here to fight you."
"Really?" Harry asked, jade eyes narrowed in suspicion. "Then what-"
"Sit down," Draco said with a laconic wave of his hand. Harry did so, in a seat close to him, but didn't put his wand away. Something wasn't quite right here... "Look, I wouldn't be here, but - well, I-" Draco stopped. Was that a blush? Harry stared, his suspicion melting into surprise and amusment. "Don't you dare laugh, Harry." Another surprise. Had Malfoy ever called him by his first name before? What was going on? Maybe he was still asleep? He tried to surreptitiously pinch himself. "What are you doing?" Draco asked, eyebrow raised in amusement. "Well, never mind. Now that you've made a prat of yourself, I don't feel quite so bad. Crabbe and Goyle made me come here, said they were sick of me whining." Draco paused, and Harry wondered. Since when did Malfoy do what the two great bully's told him? Wasn't it the other way around? He began to feel quite dizzy, and wished Malfoy would get to the point.
Unexpectedly, Malfoy sat forward, looking somewhere between angry and embarressed. "I shouldn't have come. It was stupid, pointless-"
"No way are you leaving now," Harry said. "You've made your way here - confused the hell out of me - so you're going to damned well tell me what this is about. I don't know what it is, but just spit it out - do you know what sort of day I've had?!" Harry was starting to get mad - and here was a chance to unload. "I've been in the library all day trying to do research, and there're no books with what I need - there never are, or maybe I'm just stupid, maybe that's what you think, I-"
"I don't think you're stupid Potter. That's what I came here to tell you." Harry stopped, suddenly deflated and confused again. What was happening? His amazement increased when Malfoy took his hand. "I don't think that at all. I don't think any of the things you probably think I do. That's what I've been moaning about to Crabbe and Goyle, why they made me come here - to tell you how I feel about you." Harry stared. "I... really like you. I mean, I-" Malfoy blushed, then spoke in a whisper. "You probably don't feel the same way, but if you do, I was wondering, do you want to do something sometime? You know, together."
Harry looked around suspicious again. Where were Crabbe and Goyle? Were they waiting to jump out and had missed their cue?
"Potter, I'm serious!" Malfoy yelled, jumping to his feet and looking mad. "I just spill my heart in front of you and you think I'm joking? Well I'm not. I'm attracted to you, Potter. Something I'm not proud of, but I can't hide it anymore." Harry looked at him, still suspicous. Malfoy looked down at him, with what looked suspiciously like tears in his eyes. "Fine. I guess that's your answer. Then this conversation never happened." Harry watched him leave, slamming the portrait behind him. He stared in the direction Draco had gone for a long while whilst his tired brain tried to sort out what had just occured. Draco Malfoy was attracted to him? To him? Harry had thought Draco had hated him. Never stopped teasing him, calling him every name he could think of - but maybe - just maybe.
"Bloody hell," Harry muttered, getting to his feet. Malfoy had been serious. That took some guts to say in front of anyone, especially when you didn't know if they felt the same way. Harry paused, and felt colour rise to his own cheeks. And I do. Blinking at the revelation, a small smile curved Harry's lips, then his eyes widened. He had to go after Draco.
Leaving the common room, Harry looked left and right, unsure of which way to turn. Shrugging, he guessed the Slytherin common room would be a good start. As he walked along the corridors, he wondered what exactly he would say, and realised that Draco had been through this exact same process, only more so. At least Harry had an idea of what the reaction might be. Either Draco would accept his apology, and they could stop being enemies - though Harry wanted to try being friends before anything else. Or else - and this was more likely, Harry thought with a grim smile, Draco would go off his nut at him. It was fair enough. Like the other boy had said, he'd told Harry his deepest, most secret feelings and Harry had done everything short of laugh at him. He'd make up for that, if Draco would let him. Reaching the Slytherin common room, Harry wondered what to do. The didn't know the password, and there weren't any Slytherin's at the school to ask. And it'd be a cold day in hell before Harry would ask Snape - who wouldn't give it to him anyway. His dilemma was solved when the portrait swung open, revealing Draco Malfoy, who stared at Harry. His eyes were red, and his hair dishevelled. Had he really been crying - over him? Harry stared at him in wonder.
"Come to gloat some more, Potter?" Malfoy snarled, and Harry shook his head. It was ignored. "Well, you can go back to where you came from, because I-" Harry leaned forward and kissed him softly on the lips. Malfoy stared at him in utter shock. Harry smiled, blushing.
"If I'd known it were that easy to shut you up..."
"I- I-" Draco stopped, then stood aside. "Come in," he said, and Harry followed him into the common room. They both sat down, staring at each other intently. This was very strange - but very nice, too. "Well, what do you want?"
It seemed almost a strange question, and it was stranger still being here, not fighting with Malfoy. It seemed that was all they had ever done, and just talking, sitting, maybe more, was something alien. They were both uncomfortable, but getting more relaxed.
"I think we need to be friends, first," Harry said slowly. "Maybe over Christmas, if you're staying. And then - Well, we'll see." To his surprise, Draco smiled at him, a dazzling smile that made him beautiful.
"Thank you, Harry," he said, taking his hands in his own. "I was scared you'd tell everyone - But now you're here, and-" He looked as though he didn't quite believe it, but gave The Smile again. "If nothing else, I'm glad you're my friend."
Harry gave a warm smile himself, feeling comfortable in Draco's precense for the first time. "Me too."