Let Me Be Your Voice

Part 10

**notes** Featuring art by Chibitoaster. Do not alter or redistrubute without the artist's permission. The art was created for this fic. 

~*~

The next day, Harry sat in the library, diligently transcribing Malfoy’s assignments through his pounding headache.

Malfoy was seated on the opposite side of the table, marking Harry’s recent essays with corrections and notes in the margin, as they had come to an unspoken agreement that Malfoy wouldn’t be in Harry’s debt if he did his part and helped Harry with his assignments. Malfoy seemed to be pretending that nothing had changed between them.

Harry’s stomach gave a lurch, and he shut his eyes tight against the wave of nausea, making Malfoy look up at him, an eyebrow arched.

He opened his eyes, shuddering shakily and met the cool grey stare.

His mouth was dry.

He hesitated, wondering if Malfoy was thinking about the kiss they had shared at the party. It was playing back through Harry’s thoughts, taking his mind miles away from the task at hand. “Umm, are you hungry?” he asked, though the idea of eating made his stomach churn even worse. He hated feeling so awkward.

Malfoy shook his head and went back to his marking.

“I think I need a break,” Harry said, when he realised he was being ignored.

Malfoy gestured with his hand that Harry was perfectly welcome to take off, though he kept his eyes on his scroll.

Harry sighed and stood up, stretching. He lifted his arms high over his head, feeling his T-shirt rise a few inches above his waistband, but having been in the same position for two hours straight, it felt fantastic to move.

He relaxed, rolling his shoulders, noticing Malfoy looking hastily back at his paper, as if he didn’t want Harry to know he’d been looking.

The idea that Malfoy had been watching him made Harry’s heart race. He had never in his life felt more connected with another person as he had when they had kissed, and he was certain it wasn’t the alcohol that had made him imagine it. It made him hopeful that his crush may not be as one-sided as he had previously thought.

“I’m going to take a walk,” Harry said at last. “You want to join me?”

Malfoy shook his head, deliberately not looking up.

“Right then,” Harry said, unsurprised. He’d have to work on tearing down Malfoy’s defences more slowly. “You’ll be all right?”

Malfoy looked at him finally, his expression haughty and offended. It made Harry smile as if he’d just told him off for being a mother hen.

“I’ll catch you later then,” Harry said, and left Malfoy at the table.

~x~

He walked out over the grounds and spotted Ron, Hermione and Ginny down by the lake. He changed direction to join them, feeling better as the crisp air hit his face.

Ginny walked up to meet him under the beech tree, while Ron showed Hermione how to skip stones across the lake’s surface.

“I see you’re making progress,” Ginny said as he approached, her voice teasing.

He stopped, confused. “What?”

Ginny gave him a look that told him he was being dense, and he realised she was talking about the kiss with Malfoy. He felt his ears grow hot.

“Well, I saw you were making progress too,” he retorted. “When are you planning to hook up with Zabini?”

Ginny’s face flushed, though she grinned. “I thought you were too drunk to notice, or at least too distracted by a certain …”