𝐖𝐀𝐍𝐃𝐋𝐄𝐒𝐒

Chapter 8

Harry waited nervously with Myrtle in the now tidy bathroom. 'Those house elves do a bang up job,' he thought as he looked around. 'You'd never know that this place was a disaster earlier.'

Pacing back and forth with the girl ghost flying by his side, Harry was becoming agitated. 'Where is he?' He knew that Draco had detention with Snape, but he thought for sure he'd be done with that by now. He wondered if the blonde was alright, surprising himself by how quickly he had come to have feelings for the teen.

Harry had been spacing out from time to time the rest of the day after getting to Care of Magical Creatures. He could barely concentrate because all he could think of was Draco and that kiss and he had put off Hermione and Ron's questioning stares, saying that he would tell them later.

Harry was confused beyond belief. He had never thought of guys in that way at all, but now he could think of nothing else.

'Does this mean I'm gay?' Harry thought as he distanced himself from his other classmates by retreating to the back of the group. He knew he liked girls. He had had a huge crush on Cho Chang and eventually even dated her for a time, enjoying the kissing and petting they had done.

He let his gaze roam over the other boys that were around him and could honestly say that he had no urge to kiss any of them. 'So, why him? Why Malfoy? How could the hate I've always had for him become something different? Did I really ever truly hate him?' These questions and more swirled though Harry's mind, but he still could come up with no decent answers for himself.

In truth, apart from that bit of dating with Cho, Harry had no real experience. He had been love deprived living with the Dursley's, which had just made him very awkward and shy around others. He was sure he wouldn't have even ended up being with Cho if she hadn't been the instigator, giving him the push start to get the ball rolling. The reason that they hadn't remained together was that Harry had not been emotionally ready to be the lead in their relationship. With Voldemort and death stalking his every move he had needed someone to be strong for him, to love him and to hold him, but Cho hadn't been able to be that person for him and so they had parted after an argument and drifted apart.

Harry's more practical side told him to just turn the blonde over to Dumbledore and forget about it. Malfoy was always trying to cause trouble of some kind or another for him and all this could just be another scheme of the boy's to get at him.

Harry ran his fingers though his hair, only making his dark locks messier, as he tried to sort out his confusing thoughts. In his guts he knew that Draco had been telling him the truth. He really didn't want to follow in his father's footsteps and he seemed terrified of the older Malfoy. Harry wondered if Lucius had ever hurt Draco before this.

'Could that be why Malfoy is the way he is? It would make sense,' he thought. Harry was under the impression that he and Draco shared a similar loneliness and uncaring past so maybe this was the reason for his fascination for the blonde. He subconsciously recognized a kindred spirit, someone that might truly understand him, the real him underneath the guise of the hero.

"Harry," Hermione hissed at him, jabbing him in the side to get him to pay attention. Hagrid had just asked him a question and he had absolutely no idea what had been said. He had been so deep in thought that he hadn't even noticed his friend approach him until her sharp elbow had connected with his ribs.

"Sorry," Harry apologised sheepishly to his rather large friend and now teacher. "I wasn't paying attention."

"That's all right, Harry," Hagrid replied in his rough brogue, giving the teen a bit of a smile. "We all know you have things on your mind."