sassy_cissa (sassy_cissa) wrote in slythindor100, @ 2007-06-29 15:34:00 |
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Current mood: | Weird |
Entry tags: | challenge #57 |
Challenge #57 - On the Train
Original poster: gurliemoviegeek
Title: On the Train
Rating: PG-13
Word Count: 2,130
Challenge: #57 (Photographs) I chose this photograph of train tracks upon which to base my story.
Warnings: None really.
A/N: AU and Fluffy! Unbeta'd, so please point out mistakes. Comments or critiques are always welcome!
Summary: Draco and Harry come to an agreement while on the Hogwarts Express.
Harry felt the wooden flooring on which he was standing rattle beneath his feet. His forearms were draped over the cast iron railing and his hands hung limply as he stared at the train tracks steadily slipping away before him. He squinted as he took in the sight of the sun setting low, its last golden rays peeking through the canopy of trees as the Hogwarts Express chugged along. He shook his head at the thought that this would be his last train ride toward Hogwarts.
The war was over. Voldemort was gone. His destiny was fulfilled and he was being lauded as a hero. So why did he feel so distant from the world and everyone in it?
Lulled by the soft rocking of the train and the gentle breeze, Harry closed his eyes and released a sigh into the cooling late afternoon air.
“Asleep on your feet, Potter?”
Harry suddenly straightened himself at the familiar voice and turned slightly to find Draco Malfoy staring at him, a tight, controlled smile on his face.
Harry blinked and cleared his throat. “I just needed to get away from Ron and Hermione for a bit. I couldn’t really sit there and watch them snogging any longer.”
Draco’s face fell in mock sympathy and he gave a fake, exaggerated shiver as he gasped, “Oh, you poor thing! You escaped that torture in the nick of time, I’m sure!”
Unbidden, a deep, rich laughter flowed from Harry’s lips as he shook with amusement. “Well, I trust you’re out here for some less harrowing reason,” Harry ventured.
“Just need a smoke, Potter.” Draco lifted the pack of cigarettes from his pocket. “Do you mind?”
“Not at all, Malfoy.” Harry turned back to the setting sun as Draco lit his cigarette with a faint popping sound. “In all the time we spent together during the war, I never saw you smoke. When did you start?”
“Right after the war, actually.” He inhaled deeply and flicked his silver gaze to Harry’s profile. “It helps me with the pent up stress, I guess.” He shrugged and exhaled a ghostly white stream of smoke into the increasingly darkening sky. “You fancy one?”
“Why not?” Now it was Harry’s turn to shrug. Their hands brushed briefly as Harry slipped a cigarette out of the pack. He slid it into his mouth and moved to take out his wand to light it, but Draco stilled his hand.
“Allow me, Potter.”
Draco stepped in front of Harry and carefully brought the tip of his own smoldering cigarette to the tip of Harry’s and inhaled deeply. Harry, disturbed by this strangely intimate act, could only close his eyes and venture a shaky inhale of his own.
Mistake.
A heat like he’d never known filled Harry’s lungs and then was expelled amid, loud, obnoxious coughs.
“Potter, what - ? Is this your first smoke?” Draco laughed heartily as he thumped Harry on the back, trying to help the other wizard.
“That is awful, awful stuff,” the Gryffindor sputtered, holding the cigarette as far away from his body as possible. “Why on earth would anyone do that to themselves?” Harry’s tongue poked out between his lips as he made disgusted sounds, trying to rid his mouth of the taste of tobacco. He threw the cigarette down, off the side of the platform as Draco continued to giggle.
Harry once again gazed at Draco as the sound of laughter died down. Harry was struck by the softness he saw in the Slytherin’s face. Harry was shocked to realize that Draco’s smile was genuine, warm, and completely devoid of malice.
“You know, Malfoy,” Harry whispered, “I think this is the first time I’ve ever really seen you smile.”
The grin fell from Draco’s face as he turned away from the other wizard. “Come off it, Potter. You’ve seen me smile loads of times.” He dragged deeply on the cigarette, and then absently flicked the ashes off the side.
“No,” Harry corrected. “I’ve seen you sneer. I’ve witnessed a countless number of your cold, evil grins.” He tipped his head thoughtfully. “No, this is definitely the first time I’ve ever seen a legitimate smile on your face.”
Draco stiffened at the words, and Harry winced internally, thinking he’d said something wrong. He started to speak, to apologize, but the sound of Draco forcefully clearing his throat stopped him.
“Well, Potter, if you insist on making a fool of yourself in front of me, you can hardly blame me for being amused.”
Harry’s shoulders fell as he realized the steely Slytherin persona that Malfoy typically wore was now firmly back in place. “You know, I really like seeing the real you,” he replied softly. “You are truly a great person, Malfoy, when you let your guard down and refrain from acting like you’re above everyone around you.”
The trademark Malfoy sneer came upon the blonde’s lips as he spit out, “Don’t think for a second you know anything about me, Potter.”
Harry’s head hung down as he nodded slightly. “I know enough, Malfoy.” He nervously kicked at the wooden platform.
An exasperated sigh came from Draco as he moved closer to Harry. “What are you on about? Why are you trying to get inside my head?” His words were full of venom.
“I’m not!” Harry defended himself. “I was just – I mean, I was out here alone, minding my own business, and you arrived and began bothering me, remember?”
Draco’s jaw clenched tightly. “I didn’t realize my company was so unwelcome.” He threw the remains of his cigarette and moved toward the doorway that led back into the train. “I’ll leave you to your thoughts, then.”
A strong, warm hand wrapped around his bicep, preventing him from leaving. “Please don’t go. I didn’t mean . . .”
Draco slipped away from Harry. He pointedly moved silently away from the door and propped himself against the railing, gazing out at the night sky, obviously waiting for Harry to speak.
“Do you remember our first train ride to Hogwarts,” the brunette finally whispered. “Do you remember you offering your hand to me? Do you remember my refusal to accept?”
“Of course, I do.” Draco tersely answered.
“What would you do if I offered you my hand, right now?”
Harry’s proposal was greeted by silence and the soft rumbling of the train around them.
“Okay then.” Harry muttered as he nervously backed himself toward the door. “I understand really. I’ll see you at school, then.”
“Damn it, you silly Gryffindor, wait!” Draco ran an elegant hand through his flaxen hair and spun around to face Harry. “Are you saying that you want to be my friend?”
Harry took off his glasses and pinched the bridge of his nose, taking his time in putting together a reply. “To answer your question with a question,” he began, “What would you do if I said I felt we were already friends, and that I wanted – something – something more?”
Draco crinkled his nose in confusion. “You mean like, best friends?” Draco gave a sharp, disgusted laugh. “Now what would the Weasel think of that?”
“Stop it! Just stop it!” Harry absently folded his glasses and hung them from the neck of his t-shirt, stepping angrily toward Draco. “You haven’t called Ron by that name since you two began working together during the war. Why do you insist on slipping back into this – this – childish character? Things have changed, and you know it! The war is over. We were, and still are, on the same side.” Harry lightly touched Draco’s shoulder, attempting to take the sting out of his words. “I mean, aren’t we?”
“Of course we are,” Draco whispered, still looking stonily ahead, refusing to meet Harry’s gaze. “I guess – I guess it’s just easier to build up a wall than to let people in.”
“Sorry to disappoint you, Malfoy, but I’m already in. When you fought on the side of the light, you earned my respect and my trust. I already care about you. And I’m a Gryffindor, as I’m sure you’re aware. That means I’m always going to care about and support you. Okay? Do you understand what I’m saying?”
Finally turning toward Harry, Draco softly replied, “Yes, I think I do.”
“Good, then. Great. Brilliant.” Harry absently threw his arm around the Slytherin’s shoulders with a wide grin. “So no more pettiness, then? No more infantile name calling?”
The blonde whispered, “No. Promise.”
Harry’s breath was stolen as the flinty mask once again fell from Draco’s face and an open smile graced his soft, pale pink lips and his usually cold eyes turned into molten pools of silver. He instinctively, unknowingly tightened his grip around Draco’s shoulders.
“God, you’re beautiful.” The words escaped unbidden from Harry’s lips. Stunned by his own admission, Harry could only stand very still and wait for Draco to rage against him. “Merlin, I don’t know why I said that . . .”
“You said it, because it’s true.” Draco’s grin widened as he moved so that he was facing Harry completely. “But, do you want to know what’s funny? I was just thinking the same thing about you. Honestly, I was just saying to myself that your eyes are amazingly green when you’re not wearing those ridiculous glasses.”
Harry could only stare at Draco while the words sunk in. “You think I’m - You aren’t mad about . . .?”
“If I were angry at every bloke that thought I was stunningly attractive, well, I’d just be mad at the entire world, Potter. I mean, really, just look at me.”
Harry chuckled softly as placed his hand on Draco’s cheek. “So, you wouldn’t be angry if said I want to kiss you, Malfoy? I used to stare at you, even at Hogwarts, and want to kiss you.”
Shocked, Draco’s mouth fell open. But once he realized how much it took for Harry to speak those words, Draco merely raised his eyebrows in challenge and waited.
“Alright then, here goes. I mean, do you want me to? That is to say -”
“Damn it, Potter! Stop talking!”
With his heart pounding against his ribcage and his hands shaking, Harry grasped Draco by the waist and pulled the blonde toward him. Tentatively, he brushed his lips against Draco’s waiting mouth. He found the Slytherin’s lips to be warm and pliant, delightfully responsive. And when Draco’s tongue slid into his mouth, Harry had to wrap his arms around Draco’s shoulders to keep from falling. His lungs were filled with Draco’s spicy scent and his hands were full of Draco’s silky hair. He could feel the warmth of the blonde’s lithe body pressed tight against him. Harry’s head swam and nervousness fluttered in his stomach as his heart threatened to burst inside his chest.
Harry felt Draco’s hands sliding up and down his back and Draco’s tongue flicking playfully against his neck. It felt as if tiny flames were licking at every nerve ending in Harry’s body. He was on fire, and he wanted to burn forever. He was faintly aware that he was pleading for something, but wasn’t sure what he was pleading for.
Suddenly, he felt Draco stiffen and slip slightly away.
“What? What’s wrong,” Harry asked as the lust-filled haze lifted from his mind.
“Nothing, really.” Draco wrapped Harry tighter in his arms and whispered, “We just have to stop now, that’s all.” Harry could feel Draco shaking slightly.
“Are you alright, Draco?” Harry pulled back to look into the blonde’s eyes and found big, shiny tears streaming down his face. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing, Harry. Honestly. You wanted the real me, and here it is. This is me feeling happy and satisfied and nervous and scared all at the same time.” He laughed slightly as Harry wiped his tears away. “Don’t think I’m always this girly, Potter. I’m not.”
“Of course not. You’ve always been quite full of yourself, but never girly.” Harry shared and delighted in Draco’s laughter as they held each other, looking again toward the setting sun and the disappearing train tracks.
Swallowing hard, Harry said, “Draco, what do we do now?”
“Well,” Draco flashed a bright and wicked smile, “why don’t we go and give Ron and Hermione a run for their money?” He raised an elegant brow in challenge. “Maybe get a little revenge, eh?”
Harry slipped his glasses back on his face as he took Draco’s hand. “I’ll wager they leave before I’m even breathing hard,” he replied.
Pushing the door open Draco looked at Harry over his shoulder. “Let’s hope so.” Harry felt his knees go watery as Draco once again flashed that smile, that sincere smile, the one that Harry hoped to keep on Draco’s face for a very long time.
~Fin~