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Scared, Potter?
Two Days Before The First Task
Draco watched as Harry walked across the quad. Watching Harry had become one of his favourite pastimes, but today the object of his interest seemed a little more nervous than usual.
Jumping down from his seat, he took a few steps, and put himself into Potter’s path.
“Scared, Potter?” He said, his trademark sneer on his lips.
“Malfoy” Harry nodded, then he tilted his head to one side “Scared of what? Of you?” He gave a soft laugh “Should I be?”
“Scared of what’s coming” Draco replied “Goyle reckons you won’t last five minutes”
“And you?” Harry quirked an eyebrow “How long you do think I’ll last?” Draco gazed into his eyes, his face softening for a moment then he allowed his sneer to reassert itself.
“I don’t think you’ll last more than five seconds” He said, although his voice was a little less cocky than before. Harry noted this, then smiled again.
“I’ll try to put on a good show” He said before walking round Draco and carrying on into the shadowed walkway. Draco looked around, then – when he saw no one was watching – he quickly took off after Harry.
“Potter” He said in a lower voice “You know what The Task is about? What you’re facing?” Harry stopped, then half turned.
“I do” He said “My friends told me” He looked round “I promise I’ll put on a good show when I die, Malfoy” Draco watched him, then he smiled.
“I just wanted to make sure you were ready” He said in a slightly sardonic tone “It’s no fun if you aren’t prepared” Harry gazed at him for a moment, then he gave a nod before turning back and walking away.
Two days After The First Task
“Was I suitably entertaining then?”
Draco turned at the sound of Harry’s voice. The Boy Who Lived was walking towards him, a slight smile on his face.
“Barely” Draco replied “A flying show? You couldn’t come up with something more original?”
“I do what I’m good at” Harry shrugged.
“Granger’s idea?” Draco guessed.
“You don’t think I came up with it myself?” Harry asked in a hurt tone “I’m almost insulted”
“Oh please – everyone knows she’s the brains of the outfit. You are just there to look pretty” Draco smirked.
“You think I’m pretty?” Harry snickered, and Draco opened his mouth, then closed it again. Harry stared at him, then laughed out loud.
“A speechless Malfoy. Now this was DEFINITELY worth facing a dragon for” He said with another laugh.
“And now I’m almost insulted” Draco replied in the same tone Harry had used before, making Harry smile.
“Are we becoming friends?” Harry asked after a moment.
“An insufferable Gryffindor friends with an untrustworthy Slytherin?” Draco arched an eyebrow “Stranger things have happened”
“That horse that ruled England” Harry agreed.
“Quite” Draco said, then blinked “Sorry?”
“Never mind” Harry shook his head “Friends?” Draco looked around, and saw a few students in silver and green walking across The Quad.
“We’ll see” He said, then he turned and walked off before Harry could reply.
The Winter Ball
Draco watched as Harry danced around The Great Hall with Padma in his arms.
“If you wanted to come with her, you could have just said so” Pansy’s voice was soft, understanding and gentle – far from the usual whine she had when she was addressing the Gryffindors or other people she didn’t like. He turned and looked at her.
“Pardon me?” He asked.
“You’ve hardly taken your eyes off them since they came into The Hall” She nodded towards where Harry and Padma had finished the dance, and were walking towards their table “If you wanted to come with Patil, you could have told me. I wouldn’t have minded”
“Yes…… come with Patil” He nodded “No – sorry, Pansy. I didn’t want to come with Padma. I just thought they made a cute couple” He paused “They were also quite good dancers” Pansy smiled, then held out her arm to him.
“Would you like to show them how it’s done?” She offered. He tilted his head, then took her arm. With a final glance over his shoulder to where Harry was pulling out Padma’s chair, he turned and lead his date onto the dance floor.
One Day Before The Second Task
“They’re going to take Weasley” Draco said in a quiet voice. Harry looked around, then he parted the books in front of him to see Draco on the other side of the shelf in the library.
“Pardon me?”
"The treasure? The riddle? They’re going to take Weasley – it’s him you’ll have to rescue” Draco repeated himself, staring intently back at Harry.
“Oh” Harry blinked “Why…. How…… why………”
“Three very good questions, Potter” Draco snickered “I thought I’d warn you so you’d be ready” He paused “They’re also taking Granger to be Krum’s treasure”
“Hermione? For Viktor?” Harry blinked.
“Oh Merlin and Morgana! Am I speaking Mermish?” Draco asked.
“No, no” Harry shook his head “Ron and Hermione are going to be hostage, and Viktor and I have to rescue them” He paused “What about Fleur and Cedric?”
“Her sister and Cho” Draco replied “Before you ask, I can’t tell you how I know”
“Okay” Harry nodded “Can you tell me why?”
“Why what?”
“Why you are telling me?”
“Weasley and Granger won’t be there tomorrow, and………” Draco paused, biting his lip “I was worried you’d be distracted” Harry gazed at him, a soft smile coming to his face.
“Thank you” He said.
“Don’t let it go to your head” Draco smirked “I bet 20 galleons you’d win and if you’re distracted I could lose everything”
“Well now I know that I’ll do my best to come last” Harry gave him a wry smile.
“Why thank you, Potter” Draco rolled his eyes “Always good to know I can rely on you”
The Evening Of The Second Task
Harry walked into his dorm, and over to his bed. He looked down at his pillow and blinked in surprise at the envelope there.
He reached down, took it and opened it up, then let out a slight gasp as fifteen galleons slid out onto his bed, followed by a piece of paper that floated down.
He picked it up and unfolded it.
“Potter – I thought since you made me quite a lot of money today, you should at least get some of it. Try not to spend it all in one place. Draco”
He glanced down at the gold again, then smiled.
One Hour Before The Third Task
“Scared, Potter?”
The two boys were sat face to face in The Room of Hidden History – a chamber in the foundations of the school that Draco had found two months before and that they had been meeting in to avoid the prying eyes of their schoolmates – and Draco had reached out to take his hands.
“Scared, Potter?”
Since the evening after The Second Task……… since that day in The Library……… since the events of The First Task……… since Christmas in the second year……… since their very first meeting in Madame Malkins, Harry knew they had been heading to this moment.
“Scared, Potter?”
The secret meetings, the clandestine conversations, the private talks, the ever more intimate trysts……… he’d tried to deny it, but all the while he had known what was happening, and had welcomed it and encouraged it.
“Scared, Potter?”
He knew the arguments against it. He knew the reasons for not doing it. He knew why he shouldn’t. He knew why it was wrong.
“Scared, Potter?”
He knew what she would say. He knew what everyone would say. He knew what they would have to face.
He knew all of that.
“Scared, Potter?”
He knew all the reasons why he shouldn’t do what he was about to do.And yet…….
“Scared, Potter?”
Harry looked up, then smiled. He leaned forward, and gave Draco a soft kiss.
When he leaned back, Draco smiled back at him.
“I guess not”