I Think I Like Him

19. A Late-night Pondering

Warning- there's some mild swearing in this chapter

Word count: 1524

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The night had ended quickly, with both boys entering their common rooms not long after dinner ended. Harry stood in the bathroom, both hands clinging to the sides of the sink, staring at the mirror intently. He pleaded with his reflection to tell him what to do -to help him understand what on earth was going on between him and Draco, but his reflection seemed just as lost, staring at him with the same expression.

He sighed, grabbing his toothbrush and smothering on toothpaste clumsily. He couldn't pinpoint exactly when it started; he thought back over the last few months. They first kissed not long before he left the hospital ward. But Draco had been acting weird for months previous to this.

Why did he save him during that quidditch match? The question seemed to have been ever present since its introduction, but Harry had originally chalked it up to Draco wanting to have something to hang over the Gryffindor, but his actions since had undoubtedly taken that off of the table.

Maybe he had liked him all along? Secretly. I mean, he wanted to be his friend in first year, right? He watched his reflection roll its eyes. Yea. No. Definitely not- why would Draco pretend to hate him? Even if he had done, why stop now? What changed? He exhaled sharply, spitting his toothpaste into the sink and wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. This level of thinking was more Hermione's speed.

Harry sighed again. Hermione would be a very useful person to be in-the-know right about now. The only issue with this is that the second they were letting other people outside the two of them know, it became real. And if this was just some stupid, adolescent experimenting that would stop within the term, then it was not worth the backlash a decision like that would surely bring. And if it wasn't, and this- whatever it was- was serious.. well, he wasn't ready to entertain that idea just yet.

As Harry sat in his bed, curtains drawn, listening to the low hum of night-time chatter between his dorm mates, he thought back to earlier in the evening. It had gone in a.. different? Direction than he had expected. Granted, it hadn't gone badly. If anything, he quite enjoyed it. Well, as much as anyone would enjoy being pushed up to the wall and snogged for the better part of half an hour.

He wondered how this would go- the road they seemed to be heading down.
The road was long, winding and probably equipped with a few fallen trees some ways down- but it was where it ended that both perplexed and intrigued the 3rd year. He couldn't decide if he anticipated or dreaded finding out. Perhaps both.

...

Draco, however, was not worrying and obsessing about his and Harry's new friendship (that could definitely not be referred to as just a friendship anymore), because he had things to do. He was slightly giddier than he had been at the beginning of the day, and so decided this the right time to try and make amends with Pansy once more. What would he say? He didn't know, but planning an apology would make it seem less truthful, he knew.

"Pansy?"

She turned, closing her book on her thumb.

"Can we talk"

"I'm not in the mood for another screaming match, Draco" She rubbed her forehead as if to punctuate the statement. He sat down on the lounge chair across from her, ", I don't have an excuse"

"That's right"

"But I want you to know that you're my best friend and I hate fighting with you" Pansy frowned. "You were trying to help me and I was cruel to you for no good reason. I'm sorry"