sassy_cissa (sassy_cissa) wrote in slythindor100, @ 2007-03-29 21:02:00 |
|
|||
Entry tags: | challenge #46 |
First Day Of Spring
Original poster: kcstories
Title: First Day Of Spring
Author: kcstories
Pairing: Harry/Draco
Rating: PG at most
Word Count: 989
Challenge: #46.
Warnings: Flangst and fluff, mostly fluff.
A/N: The Potterverse is JKR's, not mine. Um, I think I got all the words, though I cheated with the "Now?" *is sheepish*
On the first day of spring, Harry knows he really ought to be happy.
After all, the sky is a lovely shade of blue, the flowers are starting to bloom and the sun warms his face pleasantly as he makes his way down to the lake.
But he’d be lying if he claimed to be anywhere near content.
Certainly, Voldemort is gone.
The bastard was finally vanquished, permanently dealt with on a hot August afternoon, leaving Harry free to live his own life and to think about a real future, but now, as he finds himself here, back at Hogwarts for his seventh year, all he can think of, all he can wonder about is, what the hell is he supposed to do next?
He lets out a deep sigh, sits down on the grass and flips open his book.
Not that he’ll be able to read much. He’s too lost in thought to concentrate properly on the words in front of him. But at least if he pretends he’s reading, no random passersby will interrupt him, stare at him or wonder what’s got their hero so upset.
Not many people are aware of how he feels (except for Hermione probably because there’s very little that she doesn’t notice), but he’s been in this frazzled state of mind for a while now. It’s getting to the point where his grades are starting to suffer too.
The sad (and rather embarrassing) fact of the matter is that lately, all his thoughts have been focused on one single person, and he’s probably the last one Harry should be thinking about at all.
Draco Malfoy
On the second of July, the spoiled, arrogant brat unexpectedly showed up at Grimmauld Place.
After a few tense, unpleasant days filled with suspicion, animosity and mutual disdain, an impressive (and probably long overdue) argument ensued.
Years of bitterness and fury surfaced that night and once the boys were done shouting and screaming and spilling their guts, they decided they might as well call a truce.
A temporary one anyhow; one that would only last for the duration of the war, aiming to make the atmosphere at Headquarters more civil and bearable for everyone, not in the least themselves.
But somehow, by some odd twist of fate, not before long, a pair of unlikely allies ended up as friends.
Countless hours they spent, just the two of them, talking on that old living room sofa or drinking hot chocolate in the kitchen when they couldn’t get a wink of sleep,
And during the day, Draco was of invaluable help to the Order too as the search for the remaining Horcruxes continued – ever so diligently because even the slightest delay could cost them many lives.
And now?
Once again, things are very different.
Ever since Harry and Draco arrived back at Hogwarts, they’ve been actively avoiding each other, though neither of them really knows why, and truth be told, the whole thing has Harry at a complete loss.
It’s almost as if nothing has changed.
But it has. He knows it has.
Everything changed last summer.
He shakes his head and tries to turn his attention back to his novel, because this whole situation is completely stupid and ridiculous, and thinking about it serves no purpose at all, other than making him feel even more miserable.
Harry always assumed that the unexpected crush he developed on his former rival was only due to loneliness, an odd side effect of the war.
But a shameless voice in his head – one that sounds a lot like Hermione’s – keeps asking him repeatedly, “If your feelings for Malfoy were only there because of the war, then why aren't they gone by now? You haven’t in fact stopped fancying him, have you, Harry?”
And Harry sighs, because he knows that’s true, but he’s also well aware that all this is pointless.
Malfoy couldn’t possibly feel the same way, and now that they’re back in the real world, whatever friendship they forged in the close quarters of 12, Grimmauld Place has been reduced to less than nothing.
Deep in thought as he is, it doesn’t register with Harry that he’s no longer alone, not until he suddenly hears a familiar voice say, "Hiding from the world again, Potter? Or just from me?"
Startled, Harry looks to his left. Draco’s sitting there, smiling at him warmly.
Harry shrugs and not knowing what else to say, he replies, “No. I just came out here to read."
"Ah," Draco says.
"Unless there's something you want to talk about?"
Draco hesitates a beat before he replies, "Actually, there's a Hogsmeade weekend coming up and I was wondering…. Well, the two of us don't seem to talk much anymore these days and at the risk of sounding sappy... I think that's rather a pity."
"Me too," Harry blurts out. "I really miss you. Um, I mean…"
For a second Draco looks like he's about to break into a wide grin or throw his arms around the other boy to give him a hug, but he quickly regains his composure and says confidently, "That's a date, then.”
He gets up again and adds, “Meet you here tomorrow morning at ten?"
Harry nods. “Yeah. Okay.”
“Right, then. See you later, Potter.”
“Later, Malfoy,” Harry says and pretends to go back to his book. He’s suddenly grinning like a loon and he’s sure he’s blushing as well, and he doesn’t think Draco really needs to see that.
Draco saw it anyway and as he makes his way back to the castle, the Slytherin allows himself a small grin.
All things considered, he should have taken Pansy’s advice much sooner. Clearly his feelings for Harry Potter aren’t as one sided as he previously assumed.
Harry puts his book down, closes his eyes, leans back against the tree and smiles.
Something tells him it’s going to be a fabulous summer.