When the Snow Melts

What's With All These Butterflies

Draco stalked across the Great Hall, heading straight for the Gryffindor table with a scowl on his face. Harry had opted to stay in bed, not feeling brave enough to face his friends. He had asked Draco to let them know he was safe. Both had their backs to the door, neither were aware of his approach. He leaned in close to the back of Granger's head, ignoring Weasley completely.

"Harry's fine. He'll be staying with me," he whispered possessively. "Tell his professors that he's taking a mental health day."

To an outside observer, it must look like he was threatening the girl. She spun around in surprise, the bruising on her face catching him momentarily off guard. Weasley's face was scrunched up in an ugly glower as he caught sight of him. Fearful that he might get punched again, Draco side-stepped a bit so that Hermione was better positioned between the two of them.

"Here," he offered, handing the girl a jar of Professor Snape's healing salve. "Should help with the cuts and bruises. Harry's really sorry about that by the way."

"Don't take it," Weasley snarled in warning. "It's probably poisonous."

Draco rolled his eyes, wondering once again what Harry saw in the boy. There were certainly better options if he needed a best friend.

"Test it if you want," he replied, shrugging nonchalantly.

Granger accepted the jar with a gracious smile.

"Thank you," she stated, very obviously cutting off the remark that Weasley was about to make.

Draco nodded before crossing back to the Slytherin table where he loaded up his pockets with food to bring back to his room.

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"How were they?" Harry questioned tentatively as Draco handed him a biscuit.

Sighing, Draco sat on the edge of the bed next to Harry before speaking. "Good, I guess. Granger didn't seem too upset, but it's impossible to tell what that scowling ape is thinking."

Harry choked on a bit of biscuit, violently coughing to clear his windpipe. "Ape?" he gasped, his face taking on an angry flush.

"Sorry," Draco appeased, a small smile still on his face. "Force of habit."

Harry settled down, clearing his throat one last time before taking another bite.

"But I wouldn't be lying if I said that all he does is scowl at me," Draco explained. "It's hard to get the warm fuzzies for someone like that."

"Just give him time," Harry sighed. "He'll come around. It might take months...or years, but he'll eventually come around. The real question is – will you?"

"I won't make any promises," Draco replied, meeting Harry's earnest green eyes. "But for you, I will try to be civil in the very least."

It was the best Harry was getting out of him and Harry seemed to accept the terms as he went back to eating.

After Harry had finished, he took off his glasses and flopped back on the bed, covering his eyes with his wrist. Draco scowled at him, finding the idea of spending the whole day stuck inside with a mopey Gryffindor unappealing. But it wasn't like he could just leave the boy either. What if he had another attack?

He crossed the room, sitting on the couch with his sketchpad, resigning himself to the task at hand. It was winter break all over again.

The hours crawled by in agonizing silence. Unable to sleep, Harry had borrowed a quill and parchment and was making another stab at his potions essay. Draco kept glancing at him, distracted by the way he worried his lips with his teeth when he was concentrating hard. Draco was somewhat relieved when lunch time had finally arrived.

"Do you think you're ready to make an appearance?" Draco questioned, snapping the boy out of his thoughts.

Harry studied him with a thoughtful expression, worrying his lip in that same way that Draco was rapidly finding aggravating.

"No, not yet," he admitted, glancing away in shame.

"That's fine," Draco assured him. "I'll bring you up a sandwich."

Harry nodded, eyes following Draco as he crossed to the window and left the room.

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Draco leaned back against a tree, taking a bite of his sandwich as he watched Harry skip rocks across the frozen lake, the odd chirping sound that it made echoing around them. Not wanting to spend another second cooped up inside, he had suggested that they eat their lunch by the lake. He was relieved when Harry had agreed to venture out with him.

"That sound never gets old," Harry remarked with a boyish grin on his face as he approached, taking a seat on the ground next to him.

Draco handed him one of the sandwiches he had nabbed from the Great Hall.

"Thanks," he acknowledged, shadows dancing across his smiling face as the leaves rustled gently in the late winter breeze.

Draco's stomach twisted uncomfortably as he watched Harry. He wondered vaguely if something in the sandwich had gone bad. He thought to warn Harry, but it was already too late – the boy had just put the last bite into his mouth and was chewing it in silence, watching the clouds drift lazily overhead.

"Madam Pomfrey cleared me to go back to Quidditch practice," Harry remarked, eyes tracking a cloud that looked suspiciously like a prowling lion.

"That's nice," Draco grumbled bitterly, his mood turning sour at the thought of Quidditch.

Harry turned to look at him with a frown. "I was thinking that we could start practicing together," Harry suggested. "I know you aren't on the team anymore, but you've got me beat on experience. I could really use the help."

"I'd like that," Draco admitted, excited at the thought of flying with Harry again.

"Good," Harry replied, sighing contentedly as he leaned back against the tree, closing his eyes against the brightness of the sky.

It wasn't long before Harry had drifted off to sleep, slumping to his side, his body pressing against Draco's, his head resting on Draco's shoulder. Draco watched him, a smile tugging at his lips. Anyone could see them like this and he supposed that was the reason his heart kept fluttering in his chest at odd moments.

"Draco," Harry moaned in his sleep, setting off the butterflies in Draco's stomach once again.

Draco found his eyes drawn to Harry's full, red lips – the same lips that had just moaned his name in a way that made his whole body tingle. They were so close now, Harry's warm body pressed against his. He reached out a hand to brush his thumb gently over Harry's lips, confused by the fact that he wanted to do so much more. He appeased his longing by placing a gentle kiss on the side of Harry's head, his messy black hair tickling Draco's nose.

This was most definitely not the feelings that a friend should have for another friend. There was absolutely no way that this could end well. With a sick feeling settling into the pit of his stomach, he realized that he needed to shut this down before it went any further.