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"Erm," Harry said, attempting to push through the crowd. A swarm of girls had descended on him again as he pushed his way through to Potions. It took him 15 minutes to walk something that should have taken him 2 minutes because he literally couldn't move. This hero thing wasn't worth all the fuss. Yes he felt proud but the attention, from girls and whoever was there, was unbearable.
He explained the situation to Hermione, "I can't move. Literally I leave a room and suddenly a swarm of girls descend on me."
"Doesn't sound too bad," Ron chimed in. Hermione shot him a dirty look. "I mean obviously I wouldn't want that Hermione." She rolled her eyes and looked back at Harry. "Well what do u want to happen?" She asked. He looked into her eyes and desperately said, "for them to go away."
"You could always start dating someone. Become unavailable," Ron said, emerging from the daily prophet. Hermione pierced her lips, "And how would that help Ronald?" He smiled at her because he had had a better idea than her, "well he becomes unavailable so people start leaving him alone cos they can't have him." Hermione nodded, "yeah good idea." He smiled, "aww thank you Mione." She glared at him.
Harry walked through the corridor to the astronomy tower, the one place he never seemed to get bothered in. He sat and thought to himself. It was a good idea, except he didn't want to date anyone. Well not any of the people who wanted to date him.
"Ooo the boy who lived has graced us with his presence," Draco said. Harry rolled his eyes, "leave me alone." Draco smirked and sat next to him, "but why would I want to do that?" Harry looked over the edge, "maybe the girls are better than this," he said under his breath.
"What?" Draco asked, "did I just hear you correctly? Because girls are never better than this." He signalled to himself and smirked again. God he was so self obsessed. "No, I didn't say that."
"Good."
"But I didn't mean that either."
"Well what did you mean?"
Harry looked into his eyes, "oh come on you don't expect me to tell you all my problems do you?"
"Well why not?"
"Cos you're Draco Malfoy"
"And? I promise I won't tell," he held out his pinky finger.
Harry smiled a bit and took it.
"Fine, it's just loads of girls keep following me around and it's getting really annoying."
Draco looked at him, judgement all over his face, "oh no! Girls like you."
"I knew I shouldn't have told you," Harry said collecting his things and going to stand up.
"Sorry, no more judgement."
Harry raised his eyebrows
"I promise," he said pulling him back down.
"Well it might be great for some people but not for me."
"I get it."
"And Ron said I should get a girlfriend to stop them but I don't know who. And I don't want to lead anyone on or hurt their feelings"
Draco smirked as if the best plan had just suddenly appeared in his mind.
"What?" Harry asked.
"Well it's just that's a good plan. Why don't you just get someone to agree based on it being a fake relationship?"
Harry looked concerned, "I don't think I could ask someone that and I don't think anyone would agree"
Draco raised his eyebrows, "I bet someone would agree. I mean I would."
"You would?" He asked, his voice rapidly increasing in pitch.
"Yeah. But I'm just proving a point. You could find someone else."
"But that would involve asking someone else."
"Well you never actually asked," he pointed out.
Harry sighed, "are you really going to make me ask?"
Draco smiled, "yes, yes I am"
Harry turned to face Draco and took his hand, "Draco," he said with an incredibly serious voice, "will you be in a pretend relationship with me?"
"Erm, I'm going to have to think about it," he said, smirking.
Harry sighed, "I mean if you're going to be difficult about it." He began to get up.
"Nope. I'm done thinking. Yes Harry, I will be your pretend boyfriend."
Harry smiled and put his arms around Draco. Draco stiffened slightly before relaxing. He thought to himself, I could get used to this.
The next day Harry walked into the Great hall and sat down at his normal spot. Ron had already eaten 2 plates full and Hermione was looking at him disgustedly. Ron smirked, "Come on, you know you love it." She rolled her eyes. Ron puckered his lips and proceeded to attempt to kiss her. She squealed and slid down the bench as far as she could. Harry rolled his eyes and smiled at his best friends. Ron had wrapped his arms around her waist and she was leaning on him, eating stuff off of his plate.
To both of their suprise Draco joined them. "Hi!" He said as he put his arm around Harry's waist. He jerked away and moved away from him. Draco's positive attitude lessened. He smiled weakily at the couple across the table.
Breakfast couldn't be more awkward. Barely a word left anyone's mouths and apart from Ron and Hermione's occasional smiles no one was enjoying themselves. Harry excused himself from the table and Draco followed almost immediately.
They walked down a corridor Draco trailing at the back.
"What the hell was that Draco?!" Harry yelled.
Draco glared at him. "Pwease Draco, will you be my pretend boyfriend?" He said mockingly. "What did you want to happen? You wanted it to be convincing."
"Yeah but..."
"But you're a dick. God I never knew you were so stuck up."
Harry hung his head shamefully, "no it's not that. I just hadn't told them yet. I didn't want them to judge me."
"They'd get it. The whole pack of girls following you would make them understand."
"I know. But you're a guy."
"Oh... Really?" He said sarcastically. He paused for a second. "wait they don't know do they?"
"Know what?"
"That you're gay."
"What makes you say that?"
"Just taking one long look at you. I mean you can practically see the rainbow pouring out of you."
"Really?" He said shamefully.
"It's not a bad thing." Harry nodded. "You need to tell them. They're your best friends. They'll get it. And if they know you as well as I think they do they'll know already."
Harry had spent all day preparing his coming out. He wasn't expecting the response that he got.
"I'm... Gay"
Ron looked at him expectantly, "okay, is that it?"
"What do u mean?" He said panicking.
"You told us that you had this big news."
"That was my big news."
Hermione looked at him, "aww did you get all worked up for this?" Harry nodded. "You didn't need to."
Harry looked at her with a confused look on his face.
"We had already guessed mate." Ron said. "I mean you had to be. Literally every girl in the year is dying to get with you and you said no to every single one."
"So..." Harry began, "you're okay with it?"
"Of course we are Harry." Hermione said.
"We're your best mates. We love you." Ron said.
They hugged and stayed heaped together on the sofa.
"I have something else to tell you," Harry said, breaking the silence.
"Does it have something to do with Draco bloody Malfoy at breakfast?" Ron asked.
"Yeah. He's my fake boyfriend."
"Fake? So you're seriously taking Ron's advice?" Hermione asked.
"You sure it's only fake?" Ron winked at Harry which made him blush profusely. "You do you, we won't judge."
Harry was lucky to have such wonderful friends.
The next day Harry went to the main hall for breakfast like normal. He sat down with his friends and began eating. 10 minutes later Draco walked in and went to go to his usual seat. Harry waved at him and signalled for him to come over. Draco walked hesitantly over to the table and sat next to him. He didn't try to hug him or anything, he distanced himself from Harry making sure no physical contact occurred. He had no idea what had gone on so didn't want to push any boundaries.
"Come closer."
Draco shuffled down the bench a little.
"I'm sorry for yesterday."
Draco nodded, "it's okay. Did you speak to them?"
"Yeah. They already knew."
"I told you they would."
"I know I just didn't realise it was so obvious."
"It's not. Just to people who know you and people who have epic gaydars." He smirked.
"Well that doesn't really help. It's meant to be obvious."
"We can fix that."
Harry looked bewildered.
"Calm down. It's okay."
He took Harry's hand is his and kissed his cheek.
"See. Easy."
Harry smiled.
They sat together for the rest of breakfast, holding hands. They laughed together.
Everyone was watching and that's exactly what they wanted.
Draco walked out of potions to find Harry waiting for him. He couldn't help but grin.
"Hi"
"Hi"
Harry wrapped his arm around Draco's waist and pulled him closer.
"How's you day been?"
Draco smiled, "much better now."
They both smiled at each other. Their act was very convincing.
Everyday they became closer, taking it to new levels to confirm the reality of their relationship. They'd sit with each other constantly, pick each other up from lessons, they spent all their free time together.
It turned into a game. How far they were willing to go to be a couple. It went from sitting together and holding hands, to kisses and grabbing each others arses. And then something happened.
Draco became distant. Harry didn't know what had happened or why it had happened. Then he saw. A new boy had moved to Hogwarts from Beauxbatons. He was gorgeous, Harry wasn't going to deny it and it was clear Draco thought the same. They would steal kisses between classes in darkened corridors and concealed staircases.
A whisper spread around the school like wildfire. 'Did you hear? Draco's cheating on Harry. I heard Harry found them together.'
Harry felt betrayed and angry. How dare he do this to him? How dare he humiliate him like this?
Harry walked down a corridor which happened to be where Draco was. He couldn't help himself.
"What the fuck is happening Draco?" He erupted at him, screaming about betrayal.
"This was all a joke Harry. We both know that. I'm allowed to be happy, I don't have to spend the entire year in a pretend relationship with you. It's not fair."
"Not fair! Everyone thinks you cheated on me. There is more drama than to begin with."
"This was your choice Harry don't blame me. You didn't have to do this."
"Like I had any choice. You basically pressured me into it."
"I pressured you! You wouldn't stop hinting at it the entire time. I was doing you a favour."
"The kisses and everything. That was all you."
"Oh fuck you Harry. Don't pretend you didn't enjoy every second of that. You're just jealous. We're over Harry. Get over it."
"We were never together to begin with."
"Oh yeah? Then why are you so jealous?"
"I'm not!"
"Whatever. Just fuck off."
Draco walked away as Harry carried on screaming. His voice was starting to go so he turned around and began walking to the common room. He muttered to himself, "What does he mean I'm jealous? I'm not jealous. He's just an idiot. He just obviously wasn't getting enough attention. Fucking prick."
Ron walked into the common room to find Harry, legs crossed on a chair, ranting to himself. "You alright mate?" Harry looked up and shook his head. "Wanna talk about it?" Which was something he might regret asking.
Harry exploded, "that prick is going out with that new guy. And he had the audacity to say I was jealous. Like he's not in love with me. Eurgh and then he makes it out like I'm over reacting but everyone thinks he cheated on me. And that's worse than all the girls originally. And he's saying it's all my fault but he was the one that started everything. It's his fault."
Ron raised his eyebrows, "take a breath."
Harry looked annoyed and then proceeded to stare at the floor.
"So Draco is really going out with that new guy?"
"Yeah."
"I heard. I'm sorry."
"Why are you sorry? It's not like any of it was real."
"Harry do you honestly think you'd be this pissed off if none of it was real."
"It's a matter of principle Ron."
"It's not. It's a matter of you're in love with Draco, Draco is in love with someone else and you're jealous. Cos it was a bit more than a fake relationship to you."
"No it wasn't."
"Yes it was. And if I'm being honest I think it was a bit more to Draco too. Those kisses weren't fake."
Harry paused for a second. "Oh fuck... You're right, aren't you?
"I always am." Ron smirked.
"But it's too late now."
"Is it? You can still tell him."
"But what if he says no?"
Ron looked at him and began to leave. "But what if he says yes?"
He left him alone to think. He needed time to process all his new found emotions.
Harry had to make a decision. Be upset and pine after Draco or let his feelings be known and risk everything. His life was already not great. Everything was going down hill. Well not everything, everything with Draco. But Draco was his everything. He had to say something. He had to be able to say that he tried.
He walked up to Draco's friends and asked where he was. "You're not gonna scream at him again, are you?" Blaise asked. "I know what he did was shit but still he didn't deserve that."
Harry shook his head, "no I know he didn't deserve that. I promise no shouting."
Blaise looked at Pansy, and she replied, "he should be down by the lake."
Harry turned to leave and Pansy shouted, "go get him tiger!"
Harry blushed, "I'll try"
Harry walked down to the lake practicing what to say.
"I'm sorry. Wait do I need to apologise? Of course I do I screamed at him. I love you. Do I say that? Is that too much? I care about you. I really like you. No that's dumb."
He saw Draco sitting under a tree.
"Fuck. I cannot do this"
He turned back around and made his way up the hill.
"Nope you will do this. You can do this" he told himself.
He walked back down the hill.
"Just tell him. Just tell him everything."
He got to a point where he could see Draco and he could tell he'd been crying. He had red eyes and his face was all puffy.
"Hi"
He cringed slightly, he was gonna tell someone he loved them and he started with hi.
"Look Harry, if you've come to shout at me again I'm really not in the mood."
Harry shook his head, "No I haven't. And just for the record I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have done that."
Draco looked up and wiped his eyes, "so what do you want?"
"I wanted to say I'm sorry. I was out of order the other day. I want you to be happy. And if that's with him then that's okay. I was just jealous."
"Okay. But it's over so it doesn't matter anymore."
"What happened?"
"He ended it. He thought I was still in love with someone else. And he's not wrong."
Harry smiled slightly.
"You could at least pretend to be sad for me."
Harry removed the smile from his face.
"I'm sorry."
"It's okay. It wasn't meant to be. Anyway if that's all you had to say."
"No! No I have more to say. I am sorry that you broke up. But I'm also not. You were right I was super jealous. I can't believe that Ron was the one that made me realise. But I really care about you Draco. And I know that it was fake but it wasn't to me."
"Harry, I..."
"Please let me finish." He took a breath. "You mean a lot to me Draco. And no I don't want you to go out with anyone. Anyone but me. And I know it's too late but I just thought you needed to know."
"Can I speak now?"
Harry nodded.
"So as I was going to say. He thought I was in love with someone else. And that someone else is you."
"Really?"
"You really are clueless aren't you?" Draco smiled and even with the blotchy face and red eyes he was still gorgeous.
Harry blushed, "yeah just a bit."