Rivaling Affections

Chapter 8

Not only students felt the sinking feeling in their stomachs that was the first day of school. Draco was feeling the butterfly wings ghosting in his belly when he woke that morning. He looked around his now familiar room and sighed. This was the first day of the rest of his life.

He swept himself grudgingly out of bed and went quietly into the shower, letting the hot spray ease the muscles that had tensed overnight during his fitful dreams. It made him think of another things that would help ease tense muscles but he banished the thought from his head.

Harry wanted more from him than he was willing to give, and now even the idea of it was over. He would be far too busy in the upcoming months to even dream of entertaining thoughts about Harry in any other way than 'co-worker'.

It was as it should be. He should have never even let the idea trickle into his mind, where it worked its unnatural hold over him. But no more, he was Professor Malfoy now, Potions Master and Slytherin head of house. His life wasn't big enough for any other title, least of all Harry Potter's boyfriend.

He dressed in a smart black on black suit, reminiscent of what he could recall his old potions professor wearing at Hogwarts, over which he draped clean black robes with the Hogwarts insignia blazing on the left collar.

Draco was disappointed not to smell the fragrances of a lavish breakfast wafting down the hall. He knew that Harry didn't cook very much while school was in session, but the fact still made him sadder than he had anticipated.

There would be no thick hot blueberry pancakes awaiting him this morning, or any moist and delicious coffee cake, or even banana muffins.

Instead, when he ventured into the kitchen he found Teddy eating a bowl of cereal and Harry washing dishes. "Aren't you going to eat?" Draco asked before thinking of how nagging the question might sound.

"I already did," Harry answered with a smile, completely unfazed.

"Cereal?" he asked.

"Toast," Harry corrected.

Draco turned up his nose and poured a bowl of cereal, taking a seat next to Teddy. He needed more in his stomach than toast in order to deal with the mass of students who were about to scream for his attention.

"So are you excited?" Draco asked Teddy.

"Nervous," he replied. "I've never really met many wizards or witches my age, except Victorie, but she's a girl," he added with a grimace.

Draco chuckled. "So you don't like girls yet?"

The only response he managed to get out of the boy was, "ew."

"Don't worry, it will happen for you, probably all at once and when you least expect it," he said, mimicking his father's words when Draco expressed the same dislike for girls his first year.

Teddy looked over at him confused. "But it didn't happen for you, or for Harry."

"Er, well no. I mean it did, just not with girls," he added with a laugh.

He could tell that Harry was paying avid attention, though to the untrained eye he appeared to be immersed in his task. But Draco knew that no on, not even the great and powerful Harry Potter, could concentrate that hard on washing dishes.

"Have you ever been in love?" Teddy asked.

Draco shook is head. "Not in the traditional sense, no." He looked up at Harry as he spoke, not even sure why he wanted the boy to know that.

"So, when did you know that you didn't like girls?" the boy asked.

"I always knew I think, but I knew for sure after the war," he answered.