Opposites - a Drarry Story

Opposites- Ch. 16

Draco's grip on Harry's hand was tight as he pulled him down another dark, torchlit flight of stairs and into a wide, round room.

The room was decked out in mostly green, with silver lanterns hanging from the ceiling and five beds, positioned to face each other around the circular room.

Windows that looked straight into the shallows of the lake produced a hazy greenish light through the dimly lit dormitory.

"So this is your dorm, then?" Harry asked Draco, who was perching himself on the edge of one of the ornate, cast-iron four-posters.

Draco nodded. "And this is my bed."

The beds in the Slytherin dormitory were considerably narrower than that of the Gryffindor beds, but at least a foot or two longer.

"Um... Why here, exactly?" Harry inquired.

Draco shrugged coyly. "First place I thought of, I guess."

"D'you wanna sit down?" Draco asked, gesturing to the spot next to him on the bed.

A silence ensued, and Harry had the feeling that things had become a little awkward between them after being walked in on.

"Erm... Draco..." Harry began, running a hand through his disheveled hair. "I'm not really sure I'd consider this to be more private than the common room... I mean, we could still get caught in here. What if one of your dorm mates walks in?"

Draco considered this.

"Well, I can at least say that I know for sure that everyone in this dorm is at Hogsmeade right now, for the day at least. Plus, we always have this." He gestured to the curtain that was drawn halfway around the bed.

"So, wanna continue?"

Harry decided he had nothing left to lose.

Climbing into the emerald bedspread, Harry was hit with something.

"Draco, you don't think... You don't think that girl is telling people? What she saw us doing?"

"I seriously doubt it." He said with a shrug. "She's probably too scared or embarrassed to go spreading the news around."

Harry nodded. "That's true... I just-"

"Harry," Draco began, brow furrowed slightly. "If you really want to make this work, if you really want me enough to risk this, then... You need to be prepared for people to find out. I can't live in fear that, if someone were to find out about us, that you would just leave me and pretend we never happened."

For a moment, Harry said nothing. In the back of his mind, he always knew this would be a problem eventually, he just never wanted to have to face it.

"It's just... I guess I just don't want people to think..."

"You don't want people to think what, Harry?" Draco expressed, pain and frustration clear in his voice. "That we're together? Because I hate to say it, Potter, but we kind of are."

"How is it so easy for you?" Harry responded quietly. " how do you just... Not worry about what people think? Because I wish I didn't, but I do. I can't stop worrying about what my friends would think about us if they find out, and sometimes I can't help but question whether it's even worth it."

There was a long and silent pause, broken only by the sound of lake water lapping against the dungeon windows.

"Because," Draco began, his typical drawl now softer and more sympathetic. "I don't have anything left to lose. There's not much I can do to make everyone hate me more than they already do, and... Well, when you have no more friends, you don't really have anyone left to impress."

"I wish I could be more like that." Harry mumbled.

"No, you don't." Draco said abruptly. "Be glad you still have people that care about you. If I can say one thing for sure, it bloody sucks when everyone who used to kiss your ass hates you. Everyone loves you, Harry. You're the school hero. Don't take it for granted."

"I guess... That's why I'm so scared to risk losing it. I've never been the type of person who necessarily thrives off positive attention, but I don't want things to go back to the way they used to be."

"I have a feeling that even if the whole school found out about us, they would still respect you. You killed the fucking Dark Lord. People aren't gonna just overlook that because you snog some has-been Slytherin."

Harry chuckled lightly, followed by Draco.

"Well," Harry said, "You still have one person who cares about you."

Draco smirked. "And who would that be?"

Lifting himself to Draco's height, Harry touched his forehead against the blond boy's, and planted a kiss on his pale lips.

"Me."