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Harry took a deep breath.

Okay. You can do this.

He really couldn't.

Come on. It's just a handshake! An innocent handshake! He caught the snitch! You've caught that snitch at least ten times by now, you've technically already had ten indirect handshakes, this is just a more... direct one. One handshake. One! It's nothing. It's not like you're trying to redefine seven years of scorned friendship and sworn enmity or anything. It's just a handshake, you've done it a million times before. How hard can it be?

"Nope!" He turned on his heel, ready to walk back to the castle.

He came face to face with an entirely unimpressed Hermione.

"Oh, h-hi, Hermione! I was just-"

"No."

"But I was just-"

"No."

"But I-"

"No! Harry James Potter, I cannot believe you! You've been talking about this game for months! You've been playing and replaying this scenario in your head, and aloud, may I remind you, for weeks!"

"Hermione, I-"

"Thanks ever so, by the way, for all the descriptions of what you think his hand would feel like in yours. Really, you'd put Voldemort and his dramatic monologues to shame."

"Hermione-"

" Stunning narratives, really. Truly poetic. I didn't even know the word 'calloused' existed in your vocabulary. Or 'delicate'."

"Now that's just mean-"

"And the rant about his wrist was actually quite amusing. I might have even enjoyed it, if you hadn't gone on about it for two weeks."

She gave him a meaningful look. Only he couldn't understand what she meant.

"Okay...I'm glad you like my rants? I'll be sure to come to you when I've thought up another one? Good talk! I'm just going to-"

"Don't you dare, Harry!"

Wow. If looks could kill, he'd...well he'd probably be standing right where he was. Hermione wasn't much of a glarer. She looked more constipated than angry.

"If I have to listen to you talk about Draco bloody Malfoy's perfectly groomed cuticles over breakfast one more time, Harry, I swear to Merlin-"

He lunged at her and covered her mouth with his hand. "Hermione! You- you can't just say something like that! Out loud!"

She was still talking under his palm. He stared at her for a few seconds. He took his hand off her mouth.

"-don't care how fucking luminous his fingernails look, you'd better get your arse on that pitch and march up to him and shake his bloody perfect hand right this second Harry or so help me-"

And now she was swearing. That was never good news.

"-eat my eggs in peace! Don't you walk away from me, Harry Potter-"

Harry smiled and waved and just kept slowly backing away from her. It'd be fine, he knew. He just needed to give her some time to cool off, maybe a day or a week. Or two. A month if he could manage-

He felt something hard hit the back of his shins and the next thing he knew, he was lying flat on his bum on the edge of the quidditch pitch.

There was silence. Wow, if he'd known all it would take to shut Hermione up was falling flat on his arse he would've tried that sooner. Like, years ago. He glared up at the three Slytherins who had just walked off the pitch. Two were in deep green sweaters, one was in green quidditch gear hemmed with silver. One was smirking at him, straightening the broom that he'd just used to trip him. The second was standing beside her friend, torn between concern and amusement. The third was... pretending he couldn't see anything, staring blankly at the castle, waiting for his friends to start walking back again.

"Parkinson, Zabini, Malfoy, good to see you."

"And you, Potter." Blaise's smirk grew. "For such a good seeker, your reflexes are poor. I thought you'd see my broom coming ages ago. Like, before I even decided to stick it out."

Harry rolled his eyes. "So much for being the youngest in a century, then. I'll be sure to tell the scouts I'm losing my touch when they send for me. 'Couldn't see a broom from two feet away, I fear my life has been a lie.'"

"Well, you are blind as a bat, so they probably wouldn't even be surprised. Definitely not disappointed, who would want your ugly mug on their team posters?"

"Lovely to see you too, Pansy. I'm well, thanks for asking."

This friendship thing was new, but not unwelcome. The first month had been hell, actual literal hell, with the smallest jabs turning into screamed altercations and hexes fired at the slightest misconstrued tone. But four bottles of firewhiskey and a few rounds of 'Never Have I Ever' later, the hostility had vanished. All the eighth years now tolerated each others' presence with good grace. New friendships sprouted. Some had possibly blossomed into more, if Terry and Ernie's constant couch cuddling and Neville and Millicent Bulstrode's frequent disappearances meant anything.

Their new...acquaintanceship with the Slytherins was unexpected, but Harry wasn't going to complain. Not if it got him some borrowed time with-

"Yeah, good to see you, Potty. I've missed your stupid face. Good game, huh? Hufflepuff didn't stand a chance, of course. Oh, is that Hermione? She looks furious, what did you do?"

"Nothing!" Harry cried, affronted.

"Well, she's far better company than you lot. I'll just ask her myself."

"Wow, Pans, I'm hurt."

"Shut up, Zabini. Bye, Draco. Later, Spotty."

"Weak, Plantsy."

She ignored him and sauntered off with her hands in her pockets. Harry looked at Hermione. She looked far less mad and far more...pink. Oh, he was definitely calling her out on that later.

"So, Potter," Blaise handed Draco back his broom, "are you planning to stay on the ground all evening or would you like to walk back to the castle with us?"

"What, really?" He put a hand on his chest in pretend shock. "The great Blaise Zabini, inviting a mere peasant to walk back to the castle with him? I'd be honoured, really, there's nothing I'd rather be doing, it'd be such a pleasure-"

"And just for that, I'm not helping you up, you git," He rolled his eyes and started walking away. Draco followed him silently. "Catch up with us, if your knobbly knees can handle it!"

"Hey, they're not that knobbly!" Harry grinned and stayed on the grass for a few seconds, enjoying the view. Two minutes later, he shoved himself off the ground and half-jogged to them, waving as he passed Pansy and Hermione. They ignored him.

"Hey, Draco, nice game toda-oomph."

He spat out a mouthful of grass as Blaise cackled above him. "Twice in one day, and the second wasn't even a sneak attack! For shame, Potter!"

Harry stared up at the two, mortified. Draco, on being directly addressed, was staring at him, grey eyes wide. Blaise was doubled over laughing. He could hear Hermione and Pansy giggling in the background. He couldn't look away from Draco's eyes. Draco had never actually looked at him before. Fuck.

"It was good! The game! Today! Great! You were good! You looked really good! Great! Fuck!" ohmygodshutupshutupshutup "Bye!"

He pushed himself off the ground and sprinted to the castle faster than he could think 'bloody buggering fuck.'

Pansy's cackling rang in his ears until he threw himself face-down on his bed and slammed a pillow over his head.

It was barely a month after the Faceplant Incident, and Harry was bored. Hermione and Pansy had run off to the library to get some "studying done" (which he strongly doubted), and he was sitting in the common room watching Ron and Blaise playing wizards chess with the intense concentration that only really good players could muster up (which he was not) and he didn't really feel like hanging out with anyone else.

He was bored out of his mind.

He got up from his spot on the couch and stretched. "I'll see you guys later." Ron waved without looking up from the board and Blaise gave him a distracted nod before moving a piece and pronouncing, "Check."

He considered going up to get his broom, maybe go for a fly, but he wasn't really in the mood. He could finish that book Hermione had given him for Christmas, but he felt too restless to sit in one place.

Pushing up the sleeves of his jumper, he headed for the portrait hole.

*

It was a beautiful day. The sky was blue, with a shimmering sun peeking out from behind fluffy white clouds that looked like spun sugar, its golden reflection dancing on the water. The breeze was soft against his cheeks and the dandelions at the edge of the Great Lake seemed to wave at him as he walked by.

He liked days like this. When the world seemed at peace, and things seemed a little bit better. He didn't know when he could smile at eleven-year-olds playing with Fanged Frisbees and not feel his heart twist thinking of Colin and his flashing camera, or Fred and his mischievous smirks. Of Sirius' barking laugh and Remus' soft smile and Tonks' everchanging hair and Dobby with his socks and everyone - sometimes it was just too much. It seemed like everywhere he went, he was reminded that a war had taken place here, that people had died. He didn't know when it would stop hurting. He didn't think it ever would, to be honest. But on days like this, he felt like he could bear it. He could carry the pain inside him and not break. And for now, that was enough.

He wondered if Draco was going though this too. An involuntary sigh escaped his mouth. He hadn't spoken to Draco since the Incident. Not that anyone had. Draco didn't talk much these days. He was quiet at meals, quiet in the common room, quiet in class, giving monosyllabic responses to teachers when asked questions, which was almost a non-occurence. Even around his two friends, the only other Slytherins in their eighth year, he was quiet. They didn't give him a hard time about it, including him in conversations even when a smile or a laugh would be his only input.

It made Harry happy to know there were people who cared about him. People who were giving him the space that he apparently needed Still. He wished he could talk to him. He didn't know what he would say, he hadn't really planned that far. Maybe "Hi, you're a bit of a git and your father's an asshole but I was hoping we could maybe try the being friends thing over again? Because I've been dreaming about your hand in mine." wasn't the best way to strike up a conversation?

He scoffed to himself as he kicked a pebble into the lake. It made a soft "plop" as it broke the waters surface. His shoes scuffed on the grass as he walked along the lakeshore with his head down. Maybe he could just keep doing this, just keep walking and walking and walking until the world made sense again. It was bound to at some point, right?

He felt shade shield him from the sun. He looked up and stopped dead in his tracks.

Draco Malfoy was sitting under a tree, not ten feet away from him. He hadn't noticed Harry, who immediately stilled so as not to draw attention to his presence. Draco was wearing a soft blue jumper and he had a dandelion in his hand, not the sunny yellow ones that littered the grass all around him, but a snowy white dandelion puff. His face wore an expression that wasn't quite a smile, but wasn't quite not either. Harry took in the softness around his lips, in his eyes, in the way he held the dandelion, his fingers loose and caressing the stem, like it was something fragile, breakable.

He had never seen Draco Malfoy, pointy and proud Malfoy, look soft before.

As Harry watched, Draco raised the flower to his lips and closed his eyes, his brow crinkling the tiniest bit, his hair fluttering in the breeze, and then he puckered up his soft pink lips, and he blew.

Tiny white fuzzballs took flight, dancing in the breeze. Draco slowly opened his eyes and watched them flutter away. Some scattered into the grass around him, some fell into the water a couple feet away. But Harry watched Draco watch a sole seed, carried up, up and away by its cotton umbrella. And as Harry watched (he couldn't look away if he tried), Draco Malfoy's face split open in a grin. And he laughed.

He must have made a noise then. That strangled, choking sound, it must've been him. Because Draco stopped laughing abruptly and looked in his direction, startled. A mixture of emotions crossed his pale face - shock?anger?disgust?fear? - before he settled for just staring blankly at him.

"Potter. What the fuck are you doing."

Dull, emotionless, but it was the most Harry had gotten out of Draco in the past three months. He'd take it.

"Draco, I-"

thwump!

There were stars winking in front of his eyes, and his head, ow, his head and the next thing he knew he was falling, falling-

splash!

"Potter? Potter!"

Well, if the embarassment didn't kill him, maybe the drowning would. Or, there was always the squid.

"I can't believe you almost drowned, Harry. Honestly, I leave you alone for one hour and you almost drown. What on earth were you thinking? Do you know how worried I was?"

"Ow, Hermione, that hurt! Cut me some slack, would you? I only just woke up!" He rubbed his shoulder where she'd punched him, glaring at her. She gave him her usual unimpressed look.

"Really Harry, I thought you'd know better than this. I thought you'd be better than this." Her expression shifted to one of concern. "You know it's alright to not be alright, right?"

"That was a lot of rights in one sentence, I'm impressed."

"And I'm always here if you want to - oh shush Harry, I'm trying to have a serious conversation! You left Ron and Blaise without saying anything-"

"They were playing chess Hermione, you know how they get!"

"And I come back to the common room to find them panicking, saying Draco just sent them a patronus saying he'd dragged your unconscious arse here,"

"Well they weren't panicking when I left- wait Draco brought me here? Where is he? Is he okay?" His eyes frantically searched the room. No blonde hair in sight. His heart dropped a little. He cursed himself for getting his hopes up.

Hermione rolled her eyes at him, albeit fondly. "He left as soon as we arrived. The others left just a few minutes ago, they'll bring some dinner up for us."

"Oh." Harry frowned. "What exactly did Draco tell you?"

"He didn't say anything, actually, just up and left, but...I didn't want to pry. You know how he is. I assume something happened? Did you talk? Oh my goodness did you have a fight, is that why your head-"

"Jeez, Hermione, calm down. I didn't talk to Draco. Well I did, but I didn't. It's complicated." She stared at him and he sighed. "I was standing by the lake and I fell in."

"You fell into the lake? Oh my goodness did he push-"

"No, Hermione, for fuck's sake. Draco didn't do anything. There were some kids playing frisbee, alright? And..." He rubbed the side of his head and winced. Ow.

"You..." She stared at him for a moment. "You were hit in the head by a frisbee, and fell into the black lake."

"Yep."

"You were hit in the head by a frisbee and fell into the Great Lake."

"I thought I'd get eaten by the squid, but I wasn't lucky enough, apparently."

He sighed as the end of his sentence faded away, background noise to her laughter.

Two weeks after the Lake mishap, Harry realized his friends were the absolute worst.

"Honestly, Ron, if you pretend to trip in front of me one more time,"

His best friend just winked and ignored him, getting back into character. "Oh look, what beauty over yonder!" His friends chuckled at Ron's dramatics. Harry scowled. "A blonde head, so fine and fancy. It calls to me! Oh, I think I'm- oh, look at that! I've fallen!" He tripped over air and landed right in Harry's lap.

He glared as all of them laughed. "It's not that funny."

"It is, mate. Trust me, it is." Ron looked up at him with lovestruck eyes and his hands clasped under his tilted head. "I've fallen for you, my love. Twice!" Harry pushed him onto the floor in disgust. He only laughed, the remorseless fool.

Pansy put her arm around a giggling Hermione and smirked. "Trust me Potter. You having the hots for ickle Draco is the funniest thing that has happened in years."

Harry spluttered. "It's not like that! Draco and I- I just want to be his friend!"

"Oh really?" Blaise shot him a sceptical look from across the table as he reached to take a bean from the big box in the middle. "You do reaIize you've started calling him Draco? Out of nowhere?"

It was a chilly Saturday evening and the five of them were relaxing in the otherwise empty common room. Pansy and Hermione sat together on the sofa, while he and Blaise had claimed the two armchairs. Ron, still on the floor, snorted.

"Yeah, mate, it's weird. And don't think we haven't noticed you staring at him in class."

"Or in the Great Hall," Hermione piped in.

"Everywhere, really. It's like you have no self control, Potty." Pansy smirked at him.

Thank goodness Draco wasn't here to witness his (continued) mortification. He had "things to do", apparently.

"And then there was all that ranting about his hands. Honestly Potter, you'd think you'd find a more interesting body part to fixate on." Blaise snorted.

Harry wasn't completely okay with letting Malfoy go off alone while he hung out with all his two friends, but he'd checked the Map and Malfoy's dot had popped up in a secluded corner of the library, which meant he really was busy. Or maybe he just liked being alone.

"It would be annoying if Draco wasn't just as bad about the whole thing." Pansy rolled her eyes. Hermione laughed. "I know, right?"

Maybe he should go check up on him? What if he needed something? What if he was hungry? Or cold? Or both?

"Alright mate, we'll let off, just stop frowning so much." Ron tossed a black Bertie Bott's Bean at him and he shook himself out of his stupor. "Party pooper."

"I just remembered, I wanted to check out that book for our Charms assignment but I completely forgot!" Harry stood up. "I'll be right back, you guys."

Hermione smiled knowingly (but what did she know?) and nodded at him, Pansy ignored him as usual, and Blaise gave him a sarcastic salute. Ron looked at him with a furrowed brow. "But you've already finished that-"

He jumped as the portrait door slammed behind Harry.

"Well, that was odd." Ron pushed himself up and plopped down on the armchair Harry had just vacated. He looked around at the others, who seemed strangely unconcerned. "He already finished that assignment, I read through it yesterday. Do you think we should call him back?"

Blaise smirked and popped a purple bean into his mouth. "Don't worry, Weasley. He's going where he wants to go."

Pansy rolled his eyes. "He must've figured out that Draco's in the library studying Runes. How does he know this stuff anyway? I'd be weirded out by his stalkerish tendencies if he wasn't such a klutz about the whole thing."

Hermione laughed. "Oh, Harry has his ways. He means well, I think. And call me crazy, but I think they might be good together." She snuggled into Pansy's shoulder and nibbled on her blue bean, a content smile on her face.

Ron considered what Hermione had said. A year ago, he'd thought his best friend would end up with his baby sister and he'd marry Hermione and they'd both become aurors and have perfect wives and perfect lives and perfect families. But then they'd come back to Hogwarts, and things with Hermione hadn't been everything they'd thought it would. They'd decided they worked better as friends. It had been a rather amicable breakup on both sides. And then Harry came out as bisexual. Which wasn't weird. It was just...unexpected. But not weird. And now he had a crush on Malfoy. Ron honestly didn't know how to feel about that, considering both their pasts, all their pasts. But he knew it would be unfair of him to judge. He'd come out of the war a different person, all of them had, so why would Malfoy be any different? And if there was the slightest chance that post-war Malfoy could make post-war Harry happy, then Ron was going to let him fight for that chance. He'd help him fight for that chance.

He looked up and saw Pansy tucking a gently snoring Hermione's hair behind her ear and giving her the softest look he'd ever seen on a Slytherin's face. Maybe it was alright that the war had left them a little worse for wear, because even if it had changed a lot of things for the worse, some things had been changed for the better. And at the end of it all, that's what mattered.

*

It didn't take long to find Draco at his lone table in the library, parchment and quills scattered around him and an open book in front of him. He looked up him as he approached, eyes empty as ever. Harry shot him a nervous smile.

"Hi." He waved jerkily, then forced his arm back down to his side. "I- I just thought you might be lonely. Up here. All by yourself."

Malfoy just stared at him, saying nothing. Harry focused on a spot above his shoulder and tried to wrangle his nerves back into some semblance of sanity.

"And I thought maybe you could use a frie- use some company. Company. Right. That's why I'm here. To give you company." Harry ran a hand through his hair. "You can study or whatever, I'll be quiet, I can be quiet, you know, you won't even notice I'm here. Which I realize defeats the purpose but-" Harry paused when he realized Malfoy was looking back at his book, paying no mind to his rambling.

He sighed. He didn't even know why he had come up here. He'd stopped trying to analyze it. Feeling a bit put out, he turned to leave. Then he saw a twitch at the corner of his eye and stopped in his tracks.

He turned back to Malfoy, who hadn't moved an inch. It hadn't been him then. Some part of Harry had hoped...well, obviously, that part of Harry was stupid. Deciding Malfoy really didn't want him to stay, he turned around again.

Only to stop again when he heard a throat being cleared behind him.

Harry turned again and narrowed his eyes at Malfoy. He was still seemingly engrossed in his book, but Harry caught the slight upward twitch at the corner of his mouth. His heart soared.

He tried, he really did, but he couldn't tamp down the huge grin that started to spread on his face. He skipped the few feet over to the table where Malfoy sat (still looking at his book, the stubborn git) and fell into the chair across from him.

Malfoy still didn't look up at him, but that was okay. Harry looked at the parchment strewn around him. It looked like he was studying Ancient Runes. Harry decided not to bother him. Maybe he should get some studying done himself?

He balanced his elbow on the table and rested his chin in his palm, pretending to look at Malfoy's notes while discreetly looking at Malfoy. He noticed the slight purse of his lips when he was concentrating, the way his fringe fell forward over his eyebrows, but apparently it didn't bother him enough to push it back. He noticed the way his grey eyes traced the lines as he read, the way his eyelashes, so long, fluttered when he blinked. He noticed the elegant dip of his nose, the high arch of his cheekbones, the tilted point of his chin, the curve of his Cupid's bow-

He whipped his head away when he realized he'd been staring. Malfoy hadn't noticed, but Harry's cheeks heated up anyway. He didn't know if this would become a problem. Maybe it already had. But he'd had enough of worrying. If the war had taught him anything, it was that life was too short to not even try to get the things you wanted.

But maybe you could go after them without turning into a bloody stalker?

Harry silenced the annoying voice in his head and looked out the window. The sky was grey, close to the colour of Draco's eyes. It was beautiful.

Harry looked back at Draco again, and nearly jumped in shock when he saw Draco looking right back at him. His eyes weren't empty anymore. Harry could see the faint curiosity in them. Maybe a hint of apprehension.

"Potter, what are you doing here?"

Harry stared at him for probably too long to be considered normal. Draco's expression shifted from exasperated to concerned. I want to take him out on a date.

"Are you oka-"

"GO TO HOGSMEADE."

Draco stared at him. "What?"

Shit. Had he said that out loud? He'd been trying to frame the question and he'd gone and blurted it out like that. Idiot. Well, it wasn't the end of the word. He could try again, play it cool. He leaned back in his chair, balancing it on two legs and running a hand through his hair, trying to appear casual. Playing it cool.

"I was just wondering if you would-"

Harry felt the moment his center of gravity slipped too far out to pull back in. As his chair teetered back and Draco gave a squawk of surprise, he wondered why he kept putting himself in these situations. He couldn't even ask Cho out on solid ground. Honestly, he should know better by now.

He flailed as the chair fell back onto the bookshelf behind him. He waited for his head to hit something but by some miracle, it didn't. He let out a relieved breath and stopped flailing.

"Draco, I'm-"

And then a book was hurtling toward his face from the sky at lightning speed. He thought he saw a pygmy puff on the cover.

And everything went black.

"A book fell on your face."

"Yes."

"And you passed out."

"Yes."

"You passed out because a book fell on your face."

"Yes, it was a big book and it fell from the top shelf, Ron, can we please talk about something else now?"

"Oh this is rich, I didn't think you could possibly embarrass yourself more than the last two times but mate, you have proven me wrong. So, so wrong."

Harry sighed in annoyance. "Alright, laugh it out then. Just get it out of your system."

"No mate, it's not even funny anymore. I'm just concerned."

"Wow, Ron, I didn't think you cared-"

"Malfoy's brought you to the hospital wing twice now. Is this some kind of secret desire or something? To be taken to the hospital wing?"

Harry groaned. "Oh, not you too. It was an accident, Ron! I told you, I'm fine!"

"To be taken to the hospital wing by Malfoy?"

Harry stared at him, disbelieving. "Well, the beds are actually quite comfy here."

Ron's concerned expression turned to one of disgust. "Oh, gross Harry, I did not need to hear that."

"You asked, you pillock! It was a stupid question!"

"Keep the dirty details of your weird relationship to yourself, please."

"It's not a relationship, Ron, I've barely even talked to him! And there's nothing dirty-"

"And I do not need to know your weird kinks! There is a line Harry. Boy, is there a line!"

Harry gave up and let Ron rant. His nose still itched. Madam Pomfrey had fixed it up good as new but it was all a bit humiliating. And he hadn't seen Draco. He'd left after bringing him here, according to Ron. Harry sighed. He'd obviously said something stupid before falling and embarassing himself further. He couldn't remember exactly what he and Draco had talked about but he'd remembered Draco's curious look. Like he couldn't understand what Harry was doing there.

Maybe all these injuries were a sign. Maybe Malfoy hadn't wanted him there. Maybe Malfoy didn't want him around at all. Maybe he really was bothering Malfoy. Maybe Malfoy really did want to be left alone. Maybe Harry should leave him alone.

But he couldn't. Maybe he could stop stumbling around hoping things would go his way. Yeah, that could work. He needed a plan. A solid, foolproof plan.

A throat cleared in the doorway and Ron stopped midway through his ranting. Draco Malfoy stood awkwardly in the doorway. He was trying to keep his face blank, Harry could tell, but a tiny furrow between his eyebrows betrayed his concern. Harry's heart soared.

"Ron. Leave."

"But I-"

"Now."

Ron rolled his eyes. "I'd be hurt if this wasn't all so hilarious." He winked discreetly at Harry before getting up, nodding to Draco on his way out.

Draco nodded back and walked slowly to the side of Harry's bed. Harry felt fine but Madam Pomfrey had insisted on some bed rest, just in case he'd "gotten a concussion, wouldn't put it past you, dear". His friends would never let him forget this, he knew.

"Draco. How are you?"

"You're the one in the hospital bed, Potter."

Harry rolled his eyes. "Yeah. I'm quite the klutz these days, couldn't you tell?"

A ghost of a smile appeared on Draco's face before vanishing. "You're an idiot, Potter."

"And you're beautiful."

Draco's eyes widened. Harry paused, then realized what he'd said.

"No wait, I- I meant to say fool. You're a fool. A fool! Not- well, I mean, you're not a fool, that was a joke, you're actually quite clever, and it's not that you're not beautiful, you are, it's just-" He sighed and put his face in his hands. "I'm going to stop talking now." His words were muffled by his palms.

He heard Draco laugh softly beside him. He'd made Draco laugh! But he didn't trust himself enough to take his palms off his mouth, so he peeked out at the taller boy through his fingers. Draco was smiling softly down at him, a little bewildered but mostly amused. Harry breathed out a sigh of relief. He hadn't chased him away, thank goodness.

"What were you trying to ask me?"

Harry put his hands in his lap, hoping his face wasn't too pink. "What?"

"In the library? You were asking me something."

"Was I?" Harry frowned. "I don't recall."

"Oh?" Draco's expression seemed to close off a bit. "You said- oh. Alright then. My apologies, I thought it might have been something...important." He nodded at Harry and turned to leave. "Take care, Potter."

"Wait, Draco."

Draco stopped but didn't turn.

"Would you...would you maybe like to go to Hogsmeade with me sometime?"

Draco turned around and stared. shitshitshitwhathaveidone

A few seconds passed in silence and Harry squirmed. "It's alright if you don't want to, I just, I don't know, I thought it might be fun, but it's completely okay if you say no, totally fine, you don't need to feel bad or anyth-"

"Yes."

Harry stared at Draco, who gave him the smallest of smiles. "Y-yes?"

"Yes, Potter, I'll go to Hogsmeade with you. On a date. Next Saturday?"

Harry couldn't breathe. Holy shit. This was really happening.

"Uh yeah, that sounds- that sounds good, actually. Yeah. A date. Good. Great."

"Great." Draco's eyes sparkled with amusement. "I'll see you, Potter."

Harry just stared at him as he walked away.

"Wait!"

Draco turned around with an exasperated expression. "What is it? You need to rest."

"What did I say to you yesterday? Just, it seemed like it mattered to you-"

Draco laughed. "Nothing, Potter. It's nothing. I'll see you tomorrow."

He left without a backward glance. Harry didn't know it was possible to feel this happy and this anxious at the same time.

So much for going into this with a plan.

It'd been four days since Draco Malfoy had agreed to go out on a date with him and Harry couldn't get him out of his mind.

*

"What if I don't know what to say?" He asked Hermione as they slushed through Giantess Gourds in Herbology, scooping out pulp and sifting out the seeds. "What if we sit in awkward silence for an hour?"

"Oh, I'm sure you'll find something to say Harry." She transferred another handful of gourd guts into their bowl. "If you really run out of things to say, you can always rant to him about his hands. I'm sure he'd enjoy it."

He threw a purple seed at her. She laughed.

*

"What if he thinks I'm stupid?" Harry handed Pansy the correct amount of ground lacewing flies, and she carefully tipped them into their cauldron.

"He probably already does."

"Pansy."

"What, Potter?"

"You're useless."

"And you're only realizing this now?" She gave him an exasperated glance. "I expected better from you. Now, stir that potion counterclockwise while I dice these labaloo sprouts, will you? We need to add them as soon as the fumes turn green."

*

"What if I accidentally offend him?"

"How exactly does one go about 'accidentally' offending people?" Blaise asked. He moved his rook three spaces to the right. "Check."

"I don't know, alright, but it happens a lot when he's involved." Harry frowned and moved his king one step forward. His queen shook her head in disappointment and his bishop started bawling. He could only shrug helplessly. He just wasn't that good at chess!

"Well, just think before you say anything then. Don't just blurt out the first thing that comes to mind." Blaise moved his bishop. "Check."

"See, it sounds so easy when you put it that way." Harry's king looked resigned to his fate. He have him an apologetic look as he captured Blaise's bishop. "But it's like I lose all common sense when he's around! Like some stupid-switch gets flicked on in my brain."

"That switch is probably on all the time, don't fret, Potter."

"See, now you just sound like Pansy."

"Look, you care about Draco right? So just be yourself. Even if you're not the brightest bulb on the shelf, he's clever enough to realize your awkwardness is just you being overly nervous. I'm sure he won't call you out on your anxiety or anything. He's far too nice."

"This isn't really helping."

"So stop worrying so much and just be natural, Potter. Checkmate." Harry glanced at the board, unsurprised. His knight whinnied irritably at him. "You care about him. So show it. And he cares enough about you to know that you're trying."

"That...was nice to hear. Thanks, Blaise."

"Don't mention it."

"No really, I-"

"Ever. Now, get your arse off that chair, I have to beat Ron again, he's being way too smug about winning twice yesterday."

*

"What if he hates me, Ron?"

"It wouldn't be that big of a change then, would it?"

"Ron."

"I'm kidding, mate. Look, he said yes. He could've said no, but he said yes. Merlin knows why, you're not even that much of a catch."

"Thanks ever so, Ron. It's times like these that remind me why you're my best friend in the world."

"And don't you forget it. But the point is, he said yes. Which means he wants to try this out just as much as you do. You're in this together. Every question you've asked yourself, he's probably asked himself too. So just, remember that this is a two person thing. The two of you will figure it out."

"....Thanks, Ron."

"Anytime, mate. Now can you shut up so we can finish our Charms essays by tonight? Hermione's already all over me about not finishing the Herbology reading for tomorrow."

"Ron, tmi."

"Shut up, idiot."

*

Harry was rushing out of Charms, stuffing his quills into his bag, hoping to catch Draco before he disappeared for the day. They'd barely spoken since the conversation in the hospital wing. Was a "Hello, how are you?" too much to hope for? Well, if Harry wasn't getting it, then he was sure as hell going to give it.

But Draco had been the first to leave the classroom and his blonde head was nowhere to be seen. Harry sighed. He shouldn't be disappointed, considering they had a date in two days' time but...he just wanted to talk to him. Maybe make him smile.

He was going a bit mad. He was self aware enough to admit it.

He turned to walk to the Dormitories when he saw a white peacock feather quill lying on the floor at the end of the corridor. He'd know that quill anywhere. It must've fallen out of Draco's bag when he turned the corner.

Grinning, he ran down the corridor. Finally, a reason to approach him without it being weird. He knew it was Draco's favourite quill, he might even get a smile out of-

His train of thought was cut off abruptly as he collided with another body walking up from the left. Harry flailed as he lost momentum and fell to the floor, the unfortunate sod coming down with him.

Harry was uncomfortably aware that he was lying flat on another boy's chest. He looked up at them sheepishly. "Sorry, I-"

His eyes widened and his jaw fell slack. Draco Malfoy glared at him. From underneath him.

"Why must I be constantly privy to your clumsiness, Potter?"

"Draco? What - I - What are you doing here?!"

"I came back to get my quill. Obviously." He reached out and picked up the quill, lying innocently beside them. "Why were you running down the corridor?"

"I - I was just-"

"And get up, Potter, you're squashing my ribs."

"Sorry," Harry squeaked. He awkwardly raised himself off Malfoy, accidentally jabbing his elbow in his gut. He gave another apologetic squeak and stood up. "Here, I-", he held out a hand. "I'm sorry."

Malfoy looked up at him sceptically, but finally took his hand and allowed himself to be pulled up. "Thanks." Had his eyebrows always been so perfectly arched? "Potter? You can let go of my hand now."

Harry dropped his hand like it burned. He felt his cheeks flame. "I- I-"

Malfoy raised an eyebrow at him.

"I have to go, Malfoy. I- bye!" He turned on his heel and ran up the corridor, away from stupid perfect Malfoy and his stupid perfect eyebrows.

Why was he like this?

"Slow down, Potter!"

Stupid considerate git.

*

"So you finally held his hand, huh?"

"Go away, Hermione."

"Was it everything you dreamed it would be?"

He looked into her laughing eyes and sighed. "It was more."

He was so screwed.

Harry couldn't remember ever being this nervous. He hadn't been this nervous when facing down a basilisk. Or a dementor. Or a three headed dog. Or Umbridge. The Hungarian Horntail...well maybe that had come close to what he was feeling now. Very close. Maybe it was just a dragon thing then.

His rubbed his hands over his green jumper and sighed, hoping he looked presentable enough. Hermione said it brought out his eyes, whatever that meant, and Blaise had loaned him his skinny jeans with a shrug, saying "if you got it it, flaunt it." Pansy had pronounced him significantly less scruffy than usual. And Ron had clapped him on the back with a "Have fun, mate."

But that was fifteen minutes ago, and now he was all alone in the common room, waiting for Draco. Hannah Abbot smiled at him from across the room and gave him a thumbs up. He smiled weakly back.

"Let's go, Potter."

Harry turned. His mind went blank. Draco was dressed in the soft blue jumper he'd been wearing the day Harry had fallen into the lake. His hair was swept back casually and his eyes were smiling.

He was breathtaking.

"Potter?" Harry jumped. Draco rolled his eyes at him. "Shall we?"

"Yes, I- let's go." Internally cursing himself, he led the way to the portrait hole. Get a grip!

"For the record," Draco whispered in his ear as they crawled through, side by side, "I'm nervous too."

He didn't even try to hide his dopey grin. Draco smiled back.

*

Harry laughed as Draco chased him down the slope, turning right and running up towards Honeydukes.

"Get back here, Potter! I swear to Merlin, once I get my hands on you I'll-"

"You'll never catch me, Malfoy!"

They'd had a wonderful morning. They'd browsed the Quidditch shop, and the bookshop. Draco'd bought some fancy new quills and Harry, colour changing ink. They'd stopped by the Three Broomsticks for some warm butterbeer, nodding politely to Madam Rosmerta when she brought them their drinks with a wink. He'd stuttered and blushed but then Draco had asked a question about apples, of all things, and they spent a few minutes in random conversation until Harry forgot why he was nervous in the first place. They talked for hours, the first real conversation he and Draco had ever had. He'd enjoyed every second of it.

"Why apples? Why was that the first thing you said?" Harry asked him as they were leaving.

Draco shrugged. "It was the only thing I could think of that didn't connect to our history. Plus, who doesn't love apples?"

They wandered the village for a while, visiting the Shrieking Shack and a few other shops.They'd just left Zonko's jokeshop when it happened.

A little boy had dropped a Hairdye-Mist Bomb inside and all the customers in the vicinity's hair had turned green. Namely, the boy, the boy's mother, and Draco, who'd been looking at cotton candy pillows nearby. Harry, looking at fake noses on the other side of the store, had been spared. But Draco had been furious. Harry had rushed over and gripped his hand, hoping he wouldn't cause a scene. The manager had been all apologies, and Draco had assured him tightly that it was fine.

He'd still been sour when they'd left, though. His lips pouted the tiniest bit and there was a little wrinkle between his eyebrows and his hair was bright, fluorescent green. Harry had thought he'd looked adorable.

"You can't just kiss someone and run away, Potter!"

"It was on the cheek!" Harry could barely breathe for laughing. Tired out, he stopped running and bent over, wheezing.

He shouldn't have been surprised when the body collided with him. Really, he shouldn't.

"Looks like your clumsiness is rubbing off on me, Potter."

Harry looked into shining grey eyes and gulped. "Looks like it."

Draco smirked at him. "Well, seeing as you can't run away now," he leaned closer and Harry's brain stopped working. "Maybe we should try that again, properly."

"Wha-"

He was cut off as Draco's warm lips pressed onto his own. Closing his eyes and wrapping his arms around Draco's neck, Harry decided it was okay to not know what to say when he was around this gorgeous, gorgeous man.

There were so many other things he could be doing with his mouth, anyway.

"Hermione."

"Hmm?"

"Did you know his lips feel just like pillows? Soft pillows made of dandelion fluff! They're so beautifully shaped, too, his Cupid's bow is so perfect I could kiss it all day. And all night. And they taste so-"

He laughed as she threw her muffin at him. "At breakfast? Again? Really, Harry? Really?"

"Uh oh. What did you do this time?" Draco kissed his cheek as he sat down beside him.

Harry grinned and pecked his boyfriend on the lips before turning back to Hermione. "I thought you missed my rants, so I wrote you a new one."

Hermione dropped her head on the table and muttered irritably. "Why me. Merlin, why."

Ron frowned quizzically as he sat next to her. "What did I miss?"

"Nothing, just my boyfriend being a menace." Draco rolled his eyes at Harry when he pouted.

"Nothing new, then?" Blaise sat next to Harry. "Morning, all. Pass the butter, would you?"

"You love me really," Harry nudged Draco, who winked at him in response.

"Leave poor Hermy alone, you imbeciles." Pansy slid into the seat next to Hermione and put a hand on her shoulder. "You okay, love?"

"I'm going to kill Harry. And his stupid boyfriend. And the stupid friend who told you about that stupid nickname."

"Ah. I guess that's my cue to leave, then?"

Harry laughed as Hermione's second muffin hit Ron square in the forehead. Blaise threw his muffin at her in retaliation, completely unaffected by her answering glare. Pansy cackled and Draco wrapped an arm around Harry's waist, sighing. "Will it be like this every day, then? Is this what being your boyfriend is like?"

Harry smiled up at him.

"Yep! And I wouldn't change it for the world."

He could feel Draco's smile against his own as he kissed him.

"Harry! What did I just say! It's breakfast!"

"Well you know what they say, Hermy, love is deaf and all that."

"It's blind, Pansy, not deaf. Love is blind." She sighed in exasperation, glaring at Harry and Draco as they separated. Harry smiled angelically at her. "I wish I was blind," she muttered.

"Oh, I could arrange that, love. Three Broomsticks at 7?"

"Smooth, Pansy."

"Thank you, Blaise. Now shut up. Hermione?" If Harry wasn't mistaken, she actually sounded nervous.

Hermione's eyes widened. "I- yes?" She cleared her throat. "Yes, Pansy, I'd love to."

"Finally!" Harry cried. Draco laughed beside him as Ron whooped and high-fived Blaise. Pansy smirked smugly , her arm around a blushing Hermione.

Harry smiled. He couldn't believe how far they'd all come, from hating each other, to being friends.

And, maybe, falling a little bit in love along the way.