Chapter Text
CH:1 How It Began?
It was nearing midnight when Harry reached the statue of the one-eyed witch. These night time wanderings under the Invisibility cloak, with the Marauder's Map under his arsenal; was one activity he could never get enough of. The huge castle, whose magic still amazed him as much as it did to his 11-old self. Sometimes, Ron went with him, a few rather daring times, Hermione as well; but they were with him at night for adventures. But, on these times, he liked it alone.
As he passed an empty classroom, he looked at the map to see the dot labelled 'Draco Malfoy' inside. Well, if his rival was in an unused classroom in the middle of the night, you can't really blame Harry for trying to peep in! As he got near the door, he hard whispered voices of the pompous ferret. Only that they sounded nervous.
"-again. 'Hey, so neither of us has a date, shall we go together?' No, no. It sounds like I am spying on him. What about, 'Wanna go to ball with me?' Huh, he will punch me on my face. But-"
And Harry stopped paying attention as the pronouns of Malfoy's desired date registered. He. So Malfoy swung the other way. Even though Hermione had told him back in second year that the Wizarding world did not discriminate between gender of lovers or spouses, his muggle upbringing was still surprised at the openness.
Not that Harry had anything against homosexual couples. That would be like pot calling the kettle black. He had realized that he played for both the fields when he observed that hearing the masculine groans, when one his dorm-mates forgot the Silencing charm, while wanking at night was strangely erotic. Although he didn't have designs on any of his mates, but the low pitched voices were indication enough. Then, when seeing the boys from Durmstrang did nothing for Harry with their heavy built bodies, that girls were fawning all over, he couldn't help but frown; it was wildly confusing. Eventually, a Beauxbatons' boy caught his eye and he realized that he had a type. He couldn't define it yet but it was there somewhere.
Listening to Malfoy, Harry scowled, even though his guts were churning weirdly. Who knew, that the one thing that was so personal to him and not related to his public figure status, he would share with Malfoy. As he noticed the dot labeling him coming closer to the door, Harry made sure that his Invisibility cloak was covering him fully and stepped out of the way. He saw Malfoy coming out, tucking a strand of hair back to its proper, slicked back, pure-blood hairstyle that he so preferred.
Hmph. Some poor bloke will have to tolerate all that sleazy hair.
But, Harry couldn't explain why his gut wobbled violently at the thought. Neither could he tell why he watched the slytherin's back until he rounded the corner and disappeared.
Must be the Yule Ball jitters. It's just me realizing that I don't have a date either. I need to ask someone out too. And the champions' dance. ugh.
Next morning, after another round of
"We need to buckle up and ask someone out, mate"
"Uh.huh"
"Hurry up, Ron! We are going to be late for the first class.",
the trio set off towards Double Potions in the dungeons. Needless to say, Hermione was dragging the two boys to the dungeons. As they waited on the wall opposite to the slytherins, Harry noticed that Malfoy did not have the usual jaunty and condescending air about him. He was just leaning against the wall; deep in thoughts. Parkinson was whispering something to him and he was humming in agreement. Suddenly, she caught Harry looking, smirked and gave Malfoy a look. Harry looked away, embarrassed at being caught. Apparently, Ron noticed the unusual behavior too and sneered,
"Look at that. The pug and the ferret. Who knew that the price for Malfoy to stop sauntering about would be to see their kids some day."
Harry would have said something but he was busy thinking that those two shouldn't have kids together at all! Parkinson might have ugly kids but Malfoy,s pretty DNA would be lost-wait what? Why am I thinking of him as pretty?? Oh no! Wait is my mind saying I find him attractive? No, right? Rightt?
Hermione saw something on Harry's face, as she narrowed her eyes and the latter hastened to ask Ron about the latest match between Chudley Cannons and Holyhead Harpies, hoping beyond hope that she didn't realize that the world has done a whole 360-degree for him.
As the potions class went on, he had half a mind to the fact that he found his rival to be attractive. Why? He was supposed to hate him. He did hate him.
But did he?
Their enmity was always too heated. Like dancing around each other cautiously. It was never boring. Malfoy was the only one who got under Harry's skin that easily. And vice versa. Vice versa, hmph! Even though he does like guys, which is totally the reason I am thinking about this right now, he considers me as nothing but his arch-nemesis. And so do I.
At least I hope so.
It took Harry whole of the double period to work his thoughts in order and come to the conclusion that he did indeed found Malfoy to be handsome and there seemed to be something that made him want to look him in the eye and pin him to the wall till they both accepted the other side of the coin; opposite to hatred.
"Of Course, Mr. Potter is in the La La Land, as always. If you could pay attention to your brew instead of your teenage fantasies, we wouldn't have the privilege of inhaling that smell more rotten than your ego. Just like your father." Snape's voice interrupted his inner tirade. "Ten points from Gryffindors."
Harry flushed and lowered his head, absently noticing the titters that ran through the class. Hermione gave him a stern look and he kept his head down throughout the verbal thrashing.
In the end, Snape vanished his potion with five minutes to bell, and no chance to salvage a passing grade for the day. He dismissed the class with a "Stay behind Mr. Potter." Ron gave him a sympathetic look and went away with the rest of the class.
After ten minutes of "You have inherited your father's arrogance, self entitlement and empty brain", "Even a first year student makes a better potion than this" and "Get out of my class and report for detention Friday evening.", Harry was dismissed.
Git. Could have taken a couple of points to suffice his hooked nose but No! Had to give a detention. Harry rounded a corner in the dungeons and ran into Malfoy, who seemed to be pacing.
He looked up at his arrival and asked,"Potter, can we talk?"
well, I am truly fucked, ain't I?