Malfoy Flavor

-19-

"Why did I do this?" Harry asked miserably the next morning.

Severus arched an eyebrow. "Why did you do what, exactly? Get involved with Draco? Disguise your identity?"

Harry laid his head in his hands atop the small dining table in Severus' rooms. Severus was currently trying to at least get Harry to drink a cup of tea.

"Yeah," Harry answered to both questions. "I'm lying to everyone."

"You knew the risks," Severus said evenly as he sat across from Harry.

"I know that, and I still know the risks," Harry admitted. "Much as I hate lying to everyone about who I really am, there's still too much danger in actually telling them the truth."

Harry looked up and met Severus' calm gaze. "Was I wrong to tell Draco?" he asked plaintively.

Severus shook his head slightly. "No, I think you were probably correct in informing Draco. He, more than anyone, deserved to know your true identity, under the circumstances."

Harry exhaled the breath he was holding. He wasn't sure that was the answer he'd been hoping for or not. He felt so torn. He hadn't wanted to tell Draco because he'd known this would happen. But on the other hand, he'd been feeling more and more upset as time went on about the fact that Draco didn't know.

At this point, it didn't really matter anyway. Draco knew now and what had to be said was done.

"I didn't really think it would be this hard," Harry whispered, almost to himself.

"Do you perhaps think that you are too young to be falling in love anyway?" Severus asked.

Harry glared at him for a few moments, but then he sighed. "You would think so, wouldn't you? I'm only sixteen. I should be out playing the field or something," he said bitterly, with an expansive wave of his arm.

Severus arched a brow, but refrained from comment.

"But I don't want to. I don't want anyone else," Harry whinged. His moods were shifting quickly from one moment to the next, and none of his attitudes were positive in nature.

"Who cares if I'm only sixteen? I know what I want and I know who I want. It sounds completely mental, but I know he's the one for me," Harry said. "But why did it have to be him? Merlin, I love Draco Malfoy. I love the snarly bastard that I fought with for five years. But I wasn't supposed to fall in love with him!" Harry exclaimed angrily. "I'm supposed to hate him!"

His mood shifted once again. "So why don't I hate him?" he asked miserably. "He can still be a snarly bastard when he wants to be. Merlin help me, but I even find that appealing now, despite the fact that it can annoy the fuck out of me at times." He snorted. "As stupid as it sounds, it's part of his charm."

He rested an elbow on the table and propped his head up with his hand, as his other hand absently stirred his tea. Staring into the teacup, he suddenly let out a bark of laughter, although it didn't exactly sound amused. "I bet Trelawney saw this coming. "'The love between us will die a horrible death'," Harry sneered.

Severus snorted in amusement. "If Trelawney did predict it, then I must say that things will likely turn out for you and Draco after all."

Harry looked up at him and blinked. He blinked again, staring at his father, before turning his gaze back to his full cup of tea. All he could think of at that precise moment was that he wished it were true. He desperately wanted things to work out between the two of them.

"Do you really think we're too young?" he asked Severus quietly.

There was silence for several long moments. "No, Harry, I don't think you are too young," he finally admitted, but his tone sounded distant.