Chapter 13
CHAPTER 13
February 14
“I have nothing to wear.”Pansy said for the fifth time that night and Merlin help him, Draco was getting tired of this. He had a date to get to but Pansy’s fashion problems just seemed endless.
“My darling, all of these are your clothes so I suggest you begin by pairing them up.”he said gesturing to the pile on the bed. “What look are you going for?”
“Um, Semi-formal?”He rolled his eyes in exasperation. It had gone from sexy to casual to formal and now semi-formal he could really use a break. He grabs a dark red dress and gives it to her. It is going to be topped off with the Black robes. She takes it leaves to get ready and he keeps ready an emerald green dress with dark blue robes and violet dress with another set of black robes. He knows they will need it.
“Next time just ask Astoria what she will rather have you wear instead of torturing me.”
“Shut up Malfoy.”comes the reply.
As expected she is not happy with it and when he hands her the two others, she is satisfied with the violet dress. Finally. He glances at his watch after spelling all the clothes into her trunk and notes that there is only five minutes left before he has to meet Potter. Ten if Potter is late.
“Okay, Pansy I have to go, give Astoria my best.” He kisses her on the left cheek and leaves her room.
He doubts he can make it in time because it takes 15 minutes to get to the entrance hall from the dungeons and 10 more minutes to climb seven floors if he runs. And he did not expect Theo to come looking for him. The party. How could he forget?
Theo asks Draco to join him, stating that it has already started they need to get there quickly. Draco muttered some excuses and tried to escape, but in vain.
“What is it?” He asked.
“What are you talking about?” Draco asks in turn.
“You are not telling something and I know it? What is it, are you seeing someone?”
“And what makes you think that?”
“You had hickeys on your neck three days ago. Again. And you have been sneaking around a lot so, we figured. Please tell me you are not with some Hufflepuff.” Only Theo or Blaise have figured, he guesses. Pansy wouldn’t have kept her trap shut if she had the slightest doubt.
“Not dating a Puff, don't worry. I'll see you later.”
He says and strodes off without hearing the reply. All of this is fucking Potter’s fault. He had tried telling him that meeting for dinner on Valentine’s day would only end in them getting caught. But the stubborn git had to insist. Draco could only hope that they don't get caught.
Every Valentine’s day it is as though the walls of the castle are painted pink and purple. This is going to be a long walk.
Thankfully,it was almost dinner which means he can get through without much difficulty. Harry had better planned something amazing or Draco will eat his boyfriend for dinner.If he wasn’t so endearing with his stupid hair and olive skin and cheek that can rival Pansy’s. Harry has no idea how much Draco appreciates the fact that he will call him out on his shit. It is ironic how at some point that was the worst thing about Potter.
He has also come to know that Potter has a lot of trouble understanding basic stuff because he wasn’t paying attention in their earlier years. But the way Harry listens to Draco when he does explain something, it really makes up for anything. Draco really tries not to read into it too much. That definitely won’t end well.
As expected he was late and Harry was already inside. If he hadn’t tried catching Potter last year, he would have no idea how to enter the room with someone else in there but now he knows just how to get in.
____________
Harry is looking at the mirror trying one last time to tame his hair when Ron comes to stand beside him. He is wearing maroon robes and it looks far better than the one he wore in fourth year and it does not have lace. He tried three other robes before this and Harry hopes that he is satisfied with this one so that they can finally go down to the common room where Hermione is waiting for them. As for Harry, he is wearing jeans and a green jumper which Hermione says brings out his eyes. He had considered wearing ripped jeans again even though he doesn’t like them just because it would annoy Draco to no end.Sometime later.
Harry lets Ron get ready and makes his way down, Hermione is already there. She is wearing a red skirt that reaches her knee and has frills and her hair is done in some complicated style. She really looks beautiful. As soon as they come down, she is all over them about being late and then gives a small lecture about how Harry should not feel left out and yes, hermione he will do homework instead of wasting time. He reassures them a dozen times that they should take their time and that there is no need to come back earlier than within curfew for his sake. Thankfully, Ron pulled her away before she could spend the entire night telling him off and delaying both their dates.
After sending themoff, Harry waits in the common room for 10 more minutes just for good measure and then leaves for the Room of Requirement where he has to meet Draco.
It's really funny how the thought of Draco stirred rage in him and now, an year later, thinking of him made him jittery with excitement. Another thing that surprised him was how fast this was going. They manage to see each other away from prying eyes at least a couple times a week and he has come to know a lot about Draco, like how funny he can be and his laugh was an addicting sound, his jabs and fluid movements and of course sex. But Harry’s absolute favorite was his childlike curiosity, sometimes Harry thinks Draco should move his trunk and bed from Slytherin dorm to the fucking library, and he is also good at explaining things. Hermione just expects everyone to know as much as she does and when that doesn’t turn out to be the case, she gets irritated. But Draco just analyzes how much he knows and builds up from there. When Harry had asked him about this he had simply said if he didn’t have patience then Crabbe and Goyle would still be in Second year.
After almost two run-ins with Filch, he finally makes it to the Room of Requirement. He really hopes that Draco will like what he has planned. He was already worried about getting caught and it took a lot of Harry's reassuring to finally get him to agree. He can really see now why Slytherins don't get caught as much as others do even though they sneak out more often than other houses. One would think that the skills of subtlety and caution were inherited and not acquired. He really wishes McGonagall would cover for Gryffindor as much as Snape covers for all Slytherins.
The room , when he enters, is decorated in gold and silver. He thinks that it is a good middle ground for them and their houses. There is a minimalist looking table for two at the center of the room and that's pretty much it. He thinks it really suits Draco's style.
He sits down, surprised Draco hasn't arrived yet. Looks like for the first he will be the early one. He is never going to let Draco live it down. He is wondering how Draco will enter the room and if he should have waited outside when the door clicks open.
“Hey, you're late.” He says as a greeting.
“Oh, yeah, I had no idea.” What!
“You had forgotten about our date! It is the first time we were going to sit together for a meal and you forgot.”
“What? No I didn't forget. Pansy had me caught up with something.”
“Oh yeah and what did Parkinson want ?”
“To torture me by asking me to pick out her clothes for her.”
“Okay.” he huffs.
“Alright, so …. Wait a minute, you are jealous. Of Pansy.”
“What! No, I am not jealous.”
“No?” He asks, voice dripping with amusement. Harry will not give up.
“No, I am not.”
“Try that again. With more conviction.”
“No, I am not, Fuck you.”
“You did, and you preferred it the other way around”
Smell of nettle assaulted his nose and, when did he come so close, he was standing near the door just a minute ago. He stood next to the armrest of the chair Harry was sitting on and leaned in. Out of nowhere. And kissed Harry like his life depended on it and Harry was knocked off his centre. His eyes were still closed when Draco sat across from him smirking a smirk full of innuendo. God, it should be illegal for him to sit in front of Harry after kissing him like that. He felt like his head was hit with three confoundos.
“ Still jealous of Pansy?”
“No, but you kiss her like all the time in the hall and--”
“Been watching me have you?”
“You are enjoying this too much.”
“Okay, so let's just clear something up alright. When a pureblood has to greet a heiress, we kiss their hand. If you want to greet a Female Head of House or Lady, which is Pansy, you kiss their cheek. If you have to greet a Mistress, like all our mothers, you bow. Okay, and if you haven't noticed I do the same with Daphne and Millicent too.”
Oh. It's just Draco being posh.
“Yeah, but you dated her. You said the other day.”
“ I also remember telling that she doesn't count. If it helps, she is also gay and she has a girlfriend.”
“Oh, okay.” God he feels so stupid now.
“Salazar, if I knew how easy it was to make you jealous, I would have done it sooner.”
“Shut up, Malfoy.”
“So, if you are done with it, can we start eating, I am starving.”
As though those were the magic words, plates of delicious looking dishes appeared in front of them. Harry did not realize how hungry he was before he saw the food.he quickly filled his plate with food causing Draco to scrunch his nose at Harry’s manners. Not that Harry cared, especially when the room had provided them with 4 types of potato dishes. He also noticed Draco wandlessly Accio salt.
“Since when have you been able to do that?”
“What?”
“The wandless magic. It really can't be that effortless.”
“I started learning around last year actually. It took me months before I could even cast a leviosa.”
“And you learnt by yourself ? ”
“ No , mother taught me. She has a masters in Defense and is always giving me tips even when I am not asking for them.”
“Oh that's nice of her.”
“Trust me, the novelty wears off pretty quick. It's good that I am a quick learner though. Because she has little to no patience and has very high expectations.”
“You don't enjoy it?”
“I do but it can be grueling at times.”
The Room of Requirement had provided them with a three course meal and he just busied himself with eating all the delicious food. He briefly wondered if his friends were having as good a time as him. He hoped they were. The rest of the time was spent in easy banter with Draco criticizing Harry’s table manners, Harry’s cheeky response and Draco chiming in when Harry had no idea what cutlery to use for which dish.
“Please remind me to never take you out for dinner once we are out.” Harry’s heart warmed with the implication that this might last after Hogwarts end but he couldn't just let the remark slide now, could he?
“Please remind me to take you for dinner with ‘trolls’ so that His Highness will know how the common people live. And you said please.” he replied, mimicking Draco’s drawl.
“Looks like you finally realized how to talk to the likes of me, Potter.” He said decidedly ignoring the second part of the sentence.
If Harry thought dinner was extensively posh then well, he was only glad that he had some place for dessert.If he knew there would be Treacle tarts, pastries, ice cream and mango mousse he would have eaten less earlier. He didn’t get any apple tart slices though but he doesn’t mind because he knows how much Draco likes anything with apples, not that he isn’t already way too full.
The Room of Requirement vanishes the table and gives them two very comfortable armchairs and a fireplace, and Harry couldn’t be more grateful.Just when he was about to sit he was interrupted by a sound.
“Christ sake Draco, you almost startled me. What is that?”
“Alarm. It is 45 minutes to curfew.”
“Why does it sound so … weird?”
“It is a Slytherin thing. I am surprised you haven’t heard similar sounds in the corridors, all of us have them. And we need to go.”
“Now? But I don’t want to walk all the way.”he groaned. “Let’s just sit for 5 minutes.”
“Fine, lazy arse.”
“Now , why don’t you tell me about the alarm thing.”
“Professor Snape charmed the clock in the common room that way to remind lazy arses to get to class and the ambitious ones that they are humans who need food and rest” Harry gives him a look. “His words, not mine.”
“And you all use the same charm on your watches.”
“Yes, we do. It does help.”
“Sleep I understand, but who studies so much that they forget to eat?” he asked. He had always thought of Slytherins as people who would just manipulate others to get things done. But this does not seem to reflect his original opinions.
“They don’t just do school work Potter, there are various levels of entrance exams and-- oh, I keep forgetting that you were raised by Muggles. So, there are these tests you have to clear after your NEWTs and based on these scores, you will choose your major and the institution for said major if you want to further your studies.”
“Please tell me there is no such thing for Aurors.”
“There is actually, although it is mostly the same difficulty as NEWTs. There will also be a section about some basic laws and regulations . But it is just one level for 5 subjects. Unspeakables have 2 levels per subject so 16 tests.”
“But what is the point of Auror training if they already expect us to know everything!”
“Nobody expects you to know everything. Only some basic laws and NEWT subjects. Let me tell you something interesting, remember those Potter stinks badges.”
“Yeah, what about them?” he asks, slightly offended.
“Well, those were stupid but the combination of charms and equations I used to make those will actually help clear one section in charms level1 and 3 parts of one of the sections in Arthimancy level 1.”
“Wow, so you literally get a chance to earn a degree by embarrassing me.” He says in disbelief. Draco just laughs.
“Stop pouting and let's go. You might want to go to the library tomorrow to check on those Auror exams.”
“Do we have to go? It's so cozy.”
“You're incorrigible. Off your arse and on your feet.” Draco rolls his eyes.
Harry huffs but gets up anyway. Merlin knows, if he is late then Hermione will not spare him the interrogation. She should be an Auror. But he can always use the exam Draco told him about as an excuse.
“Come on now, I know for a fact that you haven't done your charms and transfiguration homework. Flitwick might leave you be but McGonagall will not spare anyone just because it's Valentine's day.”
“Oh shit, I still have work on the conclusion.” He groaned and Draco had the smirkiest of smirks on his face and Harry had an urge to wipe it off. He makes his way to the door next to Draco checks for Filch on the map.
“Wait, is that map of Hogwarts! I see how you have followed me all this time. And of course that blasted cloak.”
“You are not the only one with a tricks up his sleeve Malfoy.”
“Yeah, whatever. Anyways, Filch is near Hufflepuff. You can make it. I'll use the detour route.”
“Wait, but he can easily come to the dungeons.”
“No, he never comes to the dungeons. It's only Professor Snape there.”
“And of course he'll do nothing.”
“He may not give us detention Potter but if a Slytherin gets on his nerves he will have no second thoughts before burying us under a mountain of homework. He had once made me memorize 100 pages of theory when I was younger.”
“Younger when, like first year, because that is cruel.” He asks, surprised. “Even for him.”
“Yeah, around that.”he mumbles. That is weird, Draco doesn’t mumble. “According to the map, you have to go right and then another right to get to Gryffindor.”
“I know where my common room is.”
“Then get going.” Harry turns to leave and Draco turns him around and presses their lips together. “ And Happy Valentine’s day.”
“You’re such a sap.”
“Whose fault is that?”
He thinks he will gladly take all the blame if he gets to see Draco like this. “Happy Valentine’s day.”