I Think I Like Him

6. Questions & Answers

A/N- short chapter todayy

Word count: 781

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Days went by, soon turning to weeks. It was early November, and Draco had managed to avoid Potter up to now, with many excuses to his housemates and the occasional glare over at the Gryffindor table when he knew someone was watching. Aside from that, things went somewhat smoothly.

But the staring. It was something he couldn't control. Every moment, of every day, if his eyes could reach him? They would. Latching onto him like some form of stubborn leech, with a craving for Potter and only Potter.

And he hated it. But he couldn't help it. He was so infatuated with the boy, that it was enough to not walk up to him, pull him in by the shoulders for a tight embrace. One that said 'I'm sorry'. One that would ruin his reputation. As much as the diary had made him feel guilty, at the end of the day, he was still a Malfoy.

So, he would settle for the staring.

..

"Mate, he's doing it again!" Said Ron, half the feast hanging from his open mouth. Harry rolled his eyes. Of course he was.

Ron nudged him and he reluctantly looked up, only to see Malfoy quickly look back at his plate.

..

Draco growled at his dinner. Stupid Weasel.. all he wanted to do was simply look at him. It was doing no harm, yet that idiotic blood traitor just had to go and snitch.

He moved his food around his plate for a while, until he looked up again. He saw that both Potter and Weasley had gone back to eating, but Granger locked eyes with him, eyebrows slightly raised. He sighed, getting up and leaving his food.

Pansy stood up, "Drake? Where are you going? Dinner just started for Merlin's sake!"

He shrugged her off but she pushed, following him out of the great hall. "I'm not blind, Draco. You've been acting different"

He avoided eye contact, walking slightly faster.

She eventually sighed and stepped in front of him. "Draco! Will you please just tell me what's going on? I'm supposed to be your best friend!" He looked at her for a moment before returning his eyes to the ground, guiltily.

"It's nothing,"

"It's not,"

"Yes, it is! Now leave me alone before I hex you, already!"

She gave him a glare, before storming off, presumably to go complain about his seemingly unreasonable antics to her little gossip friends.

He momentarily considered telling her everything, but didn't want to run the risk of it getting out, as he trusted Pansy, but there was always risk in telling people your secrets, it was simply not Malfoy behaviour.

She finally disappeared around a corner, leaving him with nothing to do but continue to walk down the silent hall.

...

Harry watched the Slytherin walk out, that Parkinson girl in tow.

"Drake? Where are you going? Dinner just started for Merlin's sake!" She said, a look of concern on her face, yet Malfoy's remained blank. He watched him, keeping his head down and peering through his eyebrows.

She tried again, and just before the door closed he strained to hear her quiet voice among the chatter, "I'm not blind, Draco. You've been acting different."

He looked up.

She saw it too? He was starting to think he was going crazy. But if Parkinson was his friend, (or more than that, as rumours had it) then surely he would tell her why?

He got up quickly, ignoring Hermione's questioning.

He opened the great hall doors as silently as he could, and pressed his back against the wall, getting half a view of Parkinson, but none of Malfoy.

"It's nothing," he heard him say, almost defeatedly.

"It's not," she said earnestly, and Harry fought the urge to peer around the pillar separating them.

"Yes, it is! Now leave me alone before I hex you, already!" He suddenly exploded, and Parkinson flinched slightly, taking a few steps back before her face became annoyed once again, and she stormed off in Harry's direction, too angry to notice him.

He listened as he heard Malfoy finally walk away, just after Parkinson rounded the corner.

Harry stood, unsure of what to do, he wanted to follow. Badly.

He eventually gave in to the urge and followed quietly, around five yards behind him.

Harry knew he wouldn't gain anything out of this, so he instead -Gryffindor rashness taking charge- opted to grab Malfoy by the wrist and drag him into an abandoned classroom.

"What the- ..Potter?" He said, as he stumbled in, eyes latched to him. Harry wanted answers, and Malfoy was not leaving this room until he got them.