The L Word

⁂✒♞𝕯𝖗𝖆𝖈𝖔⁂✒♞

A ridiculous way to spend an evening: watching Harry in his sleep and the way the filtered sun gleamed against Harry's face. The brunette did not have his glasses on, making his features easier to see; Draco liked this a lot.

Even with his busted lip and pink cheek and nose, Harry still appeared to look as though he belonged in heaven rather than walking on Earth. A shame such a pretty little thing had to be broken like this. It would heal in good time, but Malfoy admired his twisted work closely.

The Slytherin male had his fingers running through the Gryfindoor's eagle's nest he calls hair. Draco was slightly surprised by how soft the mad hair really was, and it seemed brushed out well enough. Draco still took on the responsibility of working through any knots in Potter's hair.

The blonde's thumb rubbed against Harry's bruised jaw like he wanted to give a small apology for the pain it would cause. Draco could still feel the satisfaction of punching Harry square in the face, and all the marks left over. The purple and pink contrasted against Harry's skin, and Draco found it absolutely beautiful. A mark of him to remind Harry that his enemy was still alive and well. The thought made Draco want to start fights like this more often, whether he could get suspended from them or not.

Draco turned as he heard the sound of heavy footsteps coming his way. His hand moved from Harry's face to his lip, a fake, angry, and annoyed face replaced an untroubled one. Mrs. McGonagall stood with her hands holding each other in front of her; as always.

"Mr. Malfoy." She began. "You do understand that there will be a punishment for your actions, do you not?" Draco turned to face the professor fully. "Yes, Mrs." He answered in the most unirritated tone he could manage. "And what would that punishment be?" He asked. "Sitting in Snape's office? Helping to clean Dumbledore's office I suppose?" Draco rolled his eyes in disinterest.

"No." Mrs. McGonagall said in a booming voice filled with authority. "It does not matter to me who started this fight. Frankly, I would not be surprised if it was Mr. Potter." The professor glanced at Harry's slumbering body from over Draco's shoulder.

"Your punishment will be studying with him. It looks like you both are struggling in Potions due to a poor grade. Even before that, you two were not the brightest in the subject." Malfoy coughed at this.

"I have to what?" He asked in a loud, demanding temper of voice. "I have to study with him? Ha, Professor, I think you have made the punishment a little. ." Draco searched for a word that wouldn't get him in more trouble, but could not find one.

"Do you think I am mistaken, Mr. Malfoy?" McGonagall asked, chest puffed in slight irritation. "Do not be mistaken. This penalty was chosen by both be and Professor Snape. Do you doubt the words of two teachers?" She asked. Draco shook his head in reply. "Good. Then you shall start to study tonight. Mr. Potter did not take too much damage from your fight, he will recover by the afternoon."

Professor McGonagall strutted out of the hospital wing, leaving Draco in dismay and excitement. The blonde didn't want to see Harry for fear that he would try to punch him too. Draco couldn't imagine what his handsome face would look like with bruises like Harry's. At the same time, he couldn't wait to see the angry look on Potter's face when he heard the punishment. It would be absolutely delicious.

-

Draco had finally left Harry's side after another hour of admiring his work. He was seated at the Slytherin table for dinner, talking with his 'friends' about the fight that had happened previously that day.

"I saw the whole thing, Draco." Blase sounded all too drawn into the conversation. "I looked like it was Harry who started it. Why is that?" He asked with a hand on his chin.

Draco chuckled and crossed his arms. "It was indeed Potter who began the whole ordeal. He came running up to me with such an angry boar face. He was upset that he had gotten a bad grade on the Amortentia potion. I think he deserved it. The pigeon fell in love with the Bloke! What a simple mistake to make." Draco laughed at the stupidity of the situation.

Blase smiled and returned to his meal, satisfied with the information.

Malfoy looked up from the table to see Harry.

Harry.

Walking perfectly fine. Angry looking and exhausted yes, but it was Harry.

Draco's lips curled into a sneer. Oh, this was so excellent! Draco felt hungry for more. More of Harry. The boy captivated Draco in a toxic way. Draco wanted it all right then. He would receive his daily dose of Harry Bloody Potter soon though.

Harry looked around for his friends, Weesle, and Smart Ass. Draco watched him take a seat in between the two, who immediately leaned in close to him and started blabbering. Malfoy wondered if Harry knew of this study session punishment, but he guessed he did because of the grimace on the brunette's purple-painted face.

-

Draco sat at a table at the far right end of the library, only a candle lighting the area around him. His Potions book was placed next to him and his quill was quickly swaying with the movement of his hand. The blonde was at work writing down notes and answering questions on an important quiz he was given by Snape earlier that day.

As Draco studied, one thing was on his mind. It tugged and begged to be given attention until Draco obliged. Harry was walking towards him. Quick, elegant, and loud.

"Malfoy." The Chosen One said when he stopped in front of Draco's sitting figure.

"Harry," Draco responded, holding back a massive smirk.

Malfoy looked up to meet the gaze of Potter. Those attractive emerald eyes held comely grey ones in an intense staring contest. "Take a seat, Potter. The sooner we get all this studying done the sooner I can get out of here." Draco sighed and moved his things to one side.

"It isn't like I want to be here," Harry said in a flat tone.

"Well, you did start this whole thing, now didn't you? This is all on you." Draco shrugged, his voice sounding matter-of-factly. Merlin, the face Harry made was blazing. Draco wanted to take it all for himself, hoarding all those delicious reactions of his.

❅✐♘𝐻𝒶𝓇𝓇𝓎❅✐♘

Draco was really starting to get on his nerves. Nevertheless, Harry went about opening his book and reading through the information as if nothing had happened.

Throughout the session, Harry could feel Draco's eyes trained on him. He finally looked up to see the blonde staring intently at him with a dreamily look glazing his grey eyes. "What is it, Malfoy? Got something on my face?" Harry said with a taunt in his tone.

"No," Draco responded, looking back at his book. "it's nothing. I'm just bored. How is anyone supposed to study this late, and with a Blook like you?" He retorted.

Harry felt a painfully hot tingle in his fingers. "Not that you would know anything about studying." He responded, already finished with the brief conversation.

-

"Potter. Let's get out of here. Let's go outside." Draco said, making Harry's drooping head instantly look upwards.

"Excuse me? No way, Malfoy. Now shut up and go back to studying." Harry refused to do anything like that. He had already gotten in deep shit for starting a fight, no way was he sneaking out of the school at 11:00 at night.

"Come on, Potter! I know you're just as bored as I am. You snuck into Hogsmaid in 3rd year, I'm sure you can just have a breather in the front yards." Draco was already up and walking away.

Harry supposed Malfoy was right. .he used his Cloak of Invisibility to sneak out too. Fine, going outside for fresh air wasn't too bad. Everyone was asleep anyway, no one would notice they were out there if they were quiet enough.

Harry stood and stood over to Draco, walking beside him, but just a little ahead. "Good," Draco smirked like he was satisfied with Harry's obedience.

⁂✒♞𝕯𝖗𝖆𝖈𝖔⁂✒♞

Draco was more than a little surprised when Harry accepted his invitation to go outside. There was no need to dwell on it though. This was perfect. All too perfect. It made the blonde feel like something was going to go wrong, but he would make it go right no matter what. He has a plan, you see.

Pale hands met the coldness of metal and wood as Draco and Harry pushed open the front doors of Hogwarts.

The moon was high in the sky, glowing with a majestic white that caught your eyes even if you weren't staring at it directly. The stars were little speckles decorating the empty darkness around the light of the moon. There was a slight breeze that ruffled Draco's hair as he entered the school grounds.

He took the lead and began walking into the yard, Harry the following suit close behind.

"Where are we going?" Harry spoke up once the two boys were in the middle of the grass field.

"Into the Forbidden Forest," Draco answered simply. He heard the brunette scoff behind him.

"Did you not learn your lesson from our third year? You were screeching like a little girl when the Centaurs were speaking to us." Harry mocked the Slytherin boy. Draco would not turn his head towards Harry to say anything else and instead rolled his eyes and clicked his tongue.

At that point, the two were beginning to step into the forest. Leaves crunched under their feet as Draco and Harry made their way around bushes and fallen trees.

"How far are you going to take me? You do remember that there are deadly beasts living here, right? And it's night." Harry pointed out as he crossed his arms.

"Shut up already. Here we are." Draco stopped in front of a wide stream. The clear water rippled and looked silver under the moon.

"How did you find this?" Harry asked as he too stopped in front of the water, sitting down on the grass with a tired huff.

"I never said I hadn't been here since third year, did I?" Draco smirked. He took a seat next to the Gryfindoor with his hands propping him up.

Draco and Harry both sat in silence for some time, enjoying the sound of the trees ruffling in the wind and searching for constellations. Draco eventually looked over to stare at Harry. The breeze made Harry's dark brown hair blow in all directions, and the night light made his long lashes look so damn pretty. The slight curve of his soft-looking lips made a small smile.

"Potter," Draco asked.

"What is it, Malfoy?" Harry answered back, eyes never peeling away from the sky.

"I want to kiss you."

Silence fell over the two boys once again.

"I don't want you to," Harry said.

"Why?" Draco asked again.

"Because you can't," Harry told the other, shifting to sit crisscrossed.

"That's not a good answer. I wanted to know why not get another excuse." Draco moved closer to Harry.

"I told you why. You just can't, and I don't want you to." Harry repeated, an irritated tone building in his voice.

"There's something wrong with me then?"

"No, no that's not it."

"Then why can't I kiss you? I've liked you for long enough. I want to kiss you. Can't you let me just once?" Draco went on. He didn't get a reply. To this, he grabbed the sides of Harry's face and brought him close.

"Malfoy," Harry began to pull away.

"Won't you kiss me?"

Neither boys spoke again. This was absolute torture to Draco. He wanted to kiss Harry, touch him, and have Harry return that. He wanted, wanted, wanted. But he got what he wanted.

Harry's lips brushed against Draco's ever so lightly, both holding their breath. "There," Harry said as he pushed Draco away.

Oh no, that wasn't going to be enough.

Draco pushed Harry down, pinning him there as his legs rested on either side of the Gryffindor. "Malfoy, what the hell are you doing?" Harry gasped, anger apparent on his usually soft features.

"You look gorgeous, Harry." There was no Potter this time, only Draco calling his love what he really was. Harry. His name was Harry and Draco loved that name, he loved who it belonged to. "Every bit of you. Your eyes are beautiful, Harry." Malfoy caressed the boy under his cheek gingerly.

"Malfoy, please.." Harry murmured, sadness overtaking those pretty green eyes of his.

"Please what?" Draco asked. He could feel Harry's heavy breath on his face. He took this silence as a chance to press his lips against Harry's. A real kiss.

It took a moment, but Harry lifted his head to push into the kiss more, pulling away and kissing again and again just like Draco was. It almost made Draco believe Harry was in as much love as he was.

Draco was right, Harry's lips were soft. So, so very soft.

After what felt like years, the two finally pulled away for good. Panting and catching his breath, Harry stared up at Draco with an undetectable emotion, but it certainly looked strong.

"Yours too," Harry said.

Draco was confused and raised a brow. "What?"

"Your eyes. They look gorgeous too." The brunette explained, a smile forming on those kiss-swollen lips.

Draco chuckled and pressed a kiss into Harry's scar.

"Loser."