To Dare You

Chapter Twelve

The stares when they walked into the dining hall, was, well, quite expected, but also not. Harry had never really thought about it. What they were staring as was easy to tell, as it was definitely not Draco's extremely beautiful, amazing, fluffy platinum blonde hair, so that left their hands. Professor McGonagall had of course explained the situation to Dumbledore, their new dorm explained it, and Dumbledore had obviously not told the school.

"Where should we sit?" Harry asked, trying to ignore the stares.

"Slytherins." Draco told him immediately, dragging him to the side of the hall.

"Draco!" Pansy hugged the blonde as they sat across for her and Blaise. "Potter." She greeted, actually not in a rude way. "Here, let me help you," She began loading Harry's plate.

"Why?" Harry asked. "Why are you being nice to me?"

"We heard what happened." She told them, more to Draco. "McGonagall explained. Since you are connected to our beloved Dray," She tuned to Harry, smiling. "You're a Slytherin."

Blaise nodded in agreement, filling 'Dray's' plate.

"Uh, I hope this is a joke?" Harry questioned as Pansy began to feed him.

"Nope!" Blaise answered before Pansy, and winked at her before continuing. "Like pansy said, you don't really have a choice so we are treating you like you are on our house, because, well, you are for now." He laughed at Harry's face, a mix of what the fuck, cool, and what the fuck again. "And, you get higher priority then if this happened to any other git, since you are now dating our loving Draco here!" Blaise smirked and ruffled Draco's hair as he glared knifes at the two.

"You can thank me later," Pansy whispered to Draco, but yet loud enough for the whole hall to hear.

"You bitch," Draco whisper-shouted, yet a look of amusement on his beautiful face.

Harry just laughed as the Snakes bickered, taking the time Pansy wasn't feeding him to feed himself, as he knew there wouldn't be many opportunities to do so. By the time the 'Un-golden Trio' as they called them, were done, Harry stood. "Come on Dray, love, lets get out of here," Harry told him, batting his eyelashes innocently right after winking at Pansy and Blaise, earring him a thumbs up.

"Fuck you, Potter," Draco laughed as he walked down the hall with him, triggering anther round of stares. As they left the hall and entered an empty hallway, he looked puzzled at Harry's question.

"Why did they make that joke? That we are dating? Out of every insult and joke they could have done?" He asked. It's not like I don't like it, I really like it, but not more than you, Draco. He wanted to say, but held it back.

"How the fuck would I know?" He asked, waving his one free hand around like Harry was crazy. "I've been stuck with you for the past week!"

Harry's eyes teared slightly, but anger overtook him. "Look, you arse, you've been stuck with me because you wanted to, I've been doing you a favor! And should I be doing you a favor after the way you've been treating me and my friends? No, I should not! Fuck you, Malfoy! I'm helping you, and after your stupid game, look where we are!" He waved their conjoined hands around. "So do us all a favor and shut the fuck up!" He screamed, a tear slipping from his eye.

Draco looked quite taken a back, and a twinge of guilt was displayed on his face. "C'mon, we have class," He mumbled ever so quietly, taking the lead to defense against the dark arts class, hiding the tears streaming from his eyes, wiping them quickly away. I've been such a git, he's right. Oh, if he could just forgive me and I could comfort him and he could sleep in my arms- Draco closed his eyes, regretting every decision he's made. Now I have no chance at all and I'm holding hands with my Harry who is crying because I'm a dick! He screamed in his mind. Oh how he wished he could just cuddle the brunette to sleep or hold him in his arms...

"Harry, what's wrong?" Hermione worriedly asked as Harry sat next to her, Draco at the desk next to him.

"You did this to me." That's all Harry could say.

"Harry- I'm so sorry- I didn't know it would be permanent, I-"

"It's okay, 'mione, really, you were drunk." Harry tried to smile, but it obviously didn't pass the test. "And it was Pansy, but I don't give a fuck I really don't Pansy's cool, I enjoyed this at first but now he-" Harry whispered in his ear so Malfoy couldn't hear.

"What did he do?" She asked, reaching for her wand.

"Nothing much, 'mione, really! You know how I like him and he just, well, was being a git." Harry shrugged. Yep, Hermione knew, from her smarts.

"Oh, Harry, I'm sorry again- she told me it wasn't permanent!"

"It's okay!" Harry whispered, turning back to Moony, who was hired for the job again at the start of term.

* * *

"Po- Harry," Draco started as they sat on their bed after a long day of school.

Harry just ignored him, looking at his book which was, well, lets say, tearful. Another tear fell. Why he was crying? He didn't know. Well, maybe the fact that his crush was being an arse to him? Probably. Why the blonde was sad, he most certainly didn't know. "Please, leave me alone?" He sniffled. As much as he wanted to walk away, he couldn't, which made the words he had said every weirder.

"Harry, please just listen," Draco begged, his hand tearing through his hair in worry.

"First name basis?" Harry snapped at his ex crush. "After, well, you happened? Fuck no Malfoy, shove off." He couldn't help but stare at the blonde hair. Okay, maybe not ex crush. "Please?" He added, trying to sound less annoyed. But it just came out as a whimper, and he looked back ay his book, turning to the page he was actually supposed to be reading.

"I know you don't want to talk to me, but I just need you to listen, please, for once." Draco begged again.

"All ears," Harry rolled his eyes.

"I know I've been a dick, I'm not asking for you to forgive me, just know that i know I'm an arse, please. I should have never been this way, Harry, I don't know why." He looked at his sketch pad that was filled with pictures of Harry smiling, laughing, even their hands held.

"It's okay." Harry was way too quick to forgive. Pansy, didn't even think about it. Hermione, well, just didn't care. And now Draco?

Draco blinked. "What?"

"It's okay, Draco." Harry told him, letting the book fall in his lap. "I think we've both been really dick-y." He extended his hand. "Let's restart. Harry. Harry Potter."

Draco, bewildered, took his hand awkwardly. "Draco. Draco Malfoy." Not weird at all, they both sat, facing each other, both hands in the other's.

Harry smiled his beautiful smile and let go of Draco's hand.

"Friends?" Draco asked hopefully.

"Friends," Harry agreed, smiling even more, melting the poor blonde's heart.

One step closer... Draco thought.

To being more than friends. Harry finished, both thinking the same things.

They both smiled simultaneously.

* * *

Draco had not put gel in his hair for, now to come, weeks, and it looked so fluffy, especially in the sunset as orange and purple light streamed in, making his pale skin glow, making him look more hot than ever, and obviously, his hair looked, well, just plain attractive. Harry would do anything to run his fingers through the hair, to pull lightly on the strands. Maybe one day. With their newly found friendship, Draco just looked even more inviting. His cheekbones had a more prominent look, and his plain white shirt he wore underneath his suit looked so Draco-like, he loved it.

A/N: Sorry for the long chapter! I always try to keep it from around 1000 to 1100 words, so this isn't that bad. If anyone is reading this - please tell me what you want! Fluff? Mild smut-like stuff? Sorry, I'm not writing full on smut.