When the Snow Melts

A Proper Education

Draco's stomach grumbled noisily; he'd skipped breakfast in order to do...other things. Harry had left a few hours earlier for some obligatory friend time. The only reason Draco had allowed him to leave their bed in the first place was because Harry promised they would eat lunch together. Unfortunately, they hadn't worked out if Harry would be coming back here first or if Draco should meet him there. As the minutes ticked by, it became apparent that he was meant to meet them. He'd told Harry not to bother levitating the broom back, thinking that was a pretty obvious invitation for him to return, but maybe not. Maybe Harry just assumed that Draco wouldn't mind going through the Common Room now that it was supposedly safe.

Draco left his room and traveled down the stairs, cautiously approaching the Slytherin Common Room. A tremor of trepidation ran through his body. He halted just inside the entrance, working up his courage to continue. It was stupid to be afraid; he saw these people every day in the Great Hall during meals. He took in a huge lungful of air to prepare himself and froze in mid-step at the sound of Pansy's simpering voice.

"Everything's in place?" she questioned darkly.

"Yeah," Nott replied. "We've got it all figured out - cost us a bit though."

She purred in a pleased sort of way. Nott let out a throaty moan in response to whatever she was doing to him. Draco felt his skin crawling at the thought of them together in that way, bile rising to burn the back of his throat. In response to Nott's continued moaning, his heart started fluttering wildly in his chest, unpleasant memories bubbling to the surface of his mind.

He closed his eyes and leaned back against the wall, taking a deep steadying breath. Harry would be waiting for him in the Great Hall; he couldn't stay hidden there in the stairs forever.

With a determined shake of his head, he stepped through the threshold, his eyes immediately drawn to Pansy straddling Nott on a nearby couch. He didn't let his true feelings show as he sneered at them. "Ugh, get a room you two," he snarled in disgust.

They jumped at the sound of his voice, surprise and fear written plainly on their faces. Whatever they had just been discussing, they had not intended for him to overhear. Pansy studied him like a cat eyeing an unfamiliar beast.

Draco arrogantly rolled his eyes, continuing to the Great Hall, ignoring the intensity of her eyes on his back. Judging by their reaction, it was obvious that their mysterious plans didn't bode well for him - or Harry. That worrisome thought quickened his steps.

He was met with Ron's predictable glare as he crossed over to the Golden Trio's table. It seemed that neither Harry nor Hermione had managed to talk him around. Honestly, it was better this way as he didn't have to pretend to be nice to the prat.

"Pansy and Nott are up to something again," Draco grumbled, holding Harry's emerald gaze as he sat across from him.

His sitting at the Gryffindor table was such a surprise to some people that it triggered a mad rush of whispers and pointing. He had to struggle against the smile that was pulling at his lips - a vision of their shocked faces as he pulled the boy in for a passionate kiss playing out in his mind.

They had both decided that since Voldemort and some of the teachers already knew, there was no point in keeping things secret, but they weren't quite prepared to let people know just how close they were to one another. The rumor mill would be running full-tilt either way, but Harry was being shy. Draco thought it was sort of adorable in a way.

"What happened?" Hermione questioned, her natural curiosity piqued at the vagueness of his statement.

"I overheard them talking about getting something ready - something that had cost a lot of money. If Nott even thought to bring up the price tag, then it must have been quite costly," Draco replied.