Just Some... Help

Chapter 12

The next few weeks for Harry were a confused mix of stress due to the looming task, annoyance at Hermione’s nagging and the attention from the rest of the school, and little bursts of sunshine at the little smiles Draco gave him in the corridors when no-one else was around. He found himself seeking the refuge of the Room of Requirement, finding peace in the quiet he couldn’t find in his dorm or the common room. Trying to sort out his thoughts around Draco was difficult, as he seemed to pop up whenever Harry wasn’t paying attention. Images of Draco came unbidden to his mind as much as he tried to force them away. He would annoy Harry during class, in the corridors, during meals and when he was asleep. Harry couldn’t figure out what was wrong with him to be thinking of Draco so much, especially in the way he was. It was just wrong. Except he couldn’t help it.

Draco was coming to a realization. The first part of this was that he was gay, which he had known for a while, but was able to suppress it due to no particular boys catching his fancy. He just constantly found his eyes lingering on the photos of the male quidditch players in the Seeker Weekly magazines he got delivered every week.
But now, Draco realised he had a type. Quidditch players, fit but not bulky, messy hair, glasses... and, Merlin help him, Gryffindors. One certain Gryffindor in particular.
The night that he came to this realization, he jumped up from his chair in the common room, knocking his quidditch magazine to the floor and effectively closing the pages on the messy black-haired player that looked a bit too much like Harry, and rushed to the bottom of the girls dormitories.
“Pansy” he yelled up the stairs, knowing the desperation in his voice would be more than enough motivation for her to come down. As she descended the stairs he grabbed her arm and pulled her into his own dorm, snapping “out” at Theo and Vincent.
“Pansy I have a problem.” He started, sitting down against the headboard of his bed, drawing his legs up to make room for her. “A Potter problem.”
“Tell me everything hon.” She said, sitting down cross-legged opposite him.
“I’m gay... For Potter.” He moaned, closing his eyes and letting his forehead fall onto his knees.
“Oh... Hon, that’s not good.” Pansy replied, her tone worried. Draco shuffled around, placing his head in Pansy’s lap. As she stroked his hair he told her all about his beautiful emerald eyes, his messy hair that stuck up in all directions, his soft red lips that he chewed on in class...
When he had worn himself out, she stood, ready to make a hasty exit.
“Hon, you’re just going to have to get over it.” She spoke, patting his hand before dodging the pillow thrown at her back and leaving. Draco rolled over, burying his face in the blankets and moaning. What was he going to do? He wasn’t even allowed to be gay, let alone in love with Potter. He got up, deciding that moaning was not going to help anything and set of for the Room of Requirement, ignoring his confused dorm mates.
Eyes finding a certain messy-haired boy, Draco came to an abrupt halt in the doorway of the room, watching in amusement as Harry tripped and sent the books he was holding tumbling to the floor.
“Merlin Harry, if you are not the biggest hazard in this school,” he said, breaking off as Harry grinned at him sheepishly from the ground.
“What are you doing here?” He asked, gathering the books back into a messy pile in his arms.
“Just looking for some peace and quiet to do my homework. You?” Draco said in reply.
“Same here. It’s really useful for productivity when no-one will leave you alone for more than 10 minutes.” Harry said, rolling his eyes.
“I can leave if you want.” Draco said, his hesitance evident in his tone.
“Nono it’s fine, it’s alright.” Harry assured him, the words stumbling over each other. His laugh filled the space as Draco promised not to distract him.
“I mean, I’ll try my hardest. You know, it’s rather hard when all I want is the attention of ‘the Chosen One’ and he’s sitting right there.” Harry laughed at Draco’s teasing tone.
“Actually, do you reckon you could help me with the potions homework? I’m a bit – well, a lot confused. And in return, you get to talk to me, ‘the Chosen One.’” He replied, laugher lacing his words.
Drack smiled. “Of course. It would be an honour to do Harry Potter’s homework for him.”
Making his way over to the table, he eyes the potions books Harry had brought, quietly separating them into useful and not useful piles.

The pair continued to meet in the Room of Requirement almost every night, struggling through homework alongside each other or talking next to the warmth of the fire provided by the room. Without the labels and judgement of others surrounding them, they found themselves enjoying the other’s company, the quick banter and sarcastic remarks that matched their own.
Draco looked forward to the evenings, looking forward to seeing Harry, knowing that he was falling, unable to help it.
Harry realised that meeting with Draco was the favourite part of his day, every single day. When the Slytherin failed to show up, Harry was unable to stop worrying until he saw him the next day, a small smile of reassurance directed at him. These small smiles caused something to stir deep in Harry’s gut, an unknown feeling that made him smile and appeared whenever he thought about Draco.