Time Management

*


Draco paused, almost to the corner.

Harry moved towards him quickly and surprised him by kissing him. Draco was taken aback and opened his mouth in surprise. He stumbled backward, but Harry caught him and pulled him closer. Harry slipped his tongue into Draco's open mouth.

Draco gasped as Harry bit down lightly on his lower lip. He found himself reciprocating Harry's actions with his tongue. The kiss became rushed and Draco soon pulled back, gasping for air.

"You can't just do that!" he exclaimed, pushing himself away from Harry.

"Baby, I don't see the problem," Harry said.

"It's so obvious!" Draco exclaimed. "My god, with a brain like that, I can't believe you ever became a Slytherin! Potter, the problem, obvious as it is, is that you don't know what the hell you're doing! You're controlling, insulting, evil, how do you expect to get anything like that?!"

"Where do you think I learned it all?" Harry asked sarcastically, his eyes flashing dangerously.

Draco opened his mouth to respond then shut it. What was he supposed to say to that? So this was all his fault. If he'd just left well enough alone, none of this would have happened! He cursed his mind. Why hadn't he listened to Blaise?! Not that Draco would ever admit that Blaise was right... No, never.

"Maybe it doesn't fit you," Draco said calmly.

"Fit me?" Harry repeated incredulously. "What you have me be? Naive, stupid, trusting?"

"Yes!" Draco exclaimed. "Even if you hated me, that would be better."

"Draco, I don't hate you," Harry said softly. A change had come over the raven-haired boy.

Draco eyed him cautiously. "Well, you sure have a good way of showing it," he said, annoyed.

"Maybe I need some help."

"That's obvious."

"Draco! I'm trying to be nice here, and you are not helping."

Draco rolled his eyes and sighed. "Fine, what was your point?"

Harry moved forward once more and Draco watched him carefully. Harry set his hands on Draco's hips and pulled him forward. Draco came somewhat reluctantly until he was standing comfortably in between Harry's legs. Draco looked at Harry expectantly, waiting.

"Draco," Harry said slowly, "I love you."

"You love me?!" Draco retorted sarcastically. "Do you think saying that will reverse everything?"

Harry scowled at Draco's defensive tone. "No, but don't you believe me?"

"No," Draco said flatly, although he knew the truth full well. He just refused to give Harry the benefit of the doubt.

"You don't believe me?" Harry repeated and Draco shook his head firmly. Harry's eyes narrowed angrily as he surveyed Draco. "Fine, don't believe me. Just so you know, your little stunt in there was not amusing."

Then Harry turned on his heel and strode down the corridor. Draco rolled his eyes as he watched him walk away.

Draco turned and walked in the other direction toward his dorm room. When he got there, he found Blaise lying on the bed once again doing nothing.

When the door opened and slammed shut behind Draco, Blaise looked over at him. "I see you're not dead. That's an accomplishment," he drawled. Draco just rolled his eyes and moved over to his desk to begin on his Transfiguration homework.

They sat in silence for awhile and the only sound heard was Draco's quill scratching on the parchment. Blaise picked at a thread on the bedspread. Finally, he rolled over onto his side and looked at Draco.

"What is your next step in the plan?" Blaise asked him.

Draco sighed and set down his pen. He turned around in his chair, a thoughtful expression on his face. "No more plan," he said finally and Blaise sat up quickly.

"What do you mean, 'no more plan'?!"

Draco shrugged at him. "No more plan. I think we're just going to see how it goes from here. We've done a pretty good job of upsetting him so far. The rest is up to fate."

"Fate?!" Blaise repeated incredulously. "Because you did such a good job of not messing with fate in the first place."

Draco sneered at him and turned back to his homework. When he next spoke, he spoke to the wall. "Blaise, I think we've done enough for now. It's time to just let things go the way they will."

Blaise looked uneasy behind Draco but opted to say nothing in response. Instead, he laid back down in his bed, once again staring at the canopy of his bed.

***

Harry paced around his room in the dungeons, occasionally picking up an object and throwing it at the opposite wall. He felt slightly better when it hit the wall and shattered into a million pieces.

How could he do that?! For once he had actually told someone his feelings and it had backfired miserably! Why had Draco reacted so coldly? Didn't he care at all? Harry just didn't understand. He wanted to know what was going on with him. Dumbledore had been no help, but maybe a second try was in order.

Harry kicked his trunk angrily. It sprung open in combination of his kick and his overflowing magic. The top popped open and some articles flew out.

Harry growled in frustration and bent down to pick up what had come out. He threw a few robes and pairs of jeans back in then he came to a crumpled piece of parchment.

He held it up carefully, looking at it thoughtfully. He unfolded it and tapped it with his finger. Immediately, lines began to grow over the parchment, showing the whole of the castle.

'Ever since I stole this from those stupid Weasley's, this thing has been a godsend,' Harry thought. He held up the Maruaders map to the light and began to search for Draco's dot.

He never did find it, though. Instead, he was distracted by the sight of Dumbledore pacing in his study. He watched as the dot would stop momentarily then start moving once more.

As Harry watched the dot, he made a sudden desicion. He was going to find out what was going on once and for all, and this time he wouldn't take no for an answer.

He kicked open the door to his private room in the Slytherin dungeons. He stormed through the common room. No one said a word as he walked straight through. Several first years watched in fright as he pushed open the hidden doorway forcefully.

He strode out into the corridor and up the stairs to the Gargoyle that guarded Dumbledore's study.

"Let me in," he growled menacingly at the statue. He could have sworn the Gargoyle frowned but, moments later, it jumped aside from a command from Dumbledore.

Harry stepped onto the moving staircase, jumping up the steps in his impatience. He arrived at the door to the study and pushed it open.

Dumbledore was standing on the other side of the room looking out his small window that faced west. Behind him Harry could see the setting sun, illuminating the sky red, pink, and orange.

Dumbledore sighed quietly and turned from the window to face Harry. Harry raised a bored eyebrow as Dumbledore walked over to his chair and sat down without a word.

He said nothing for awhile, clasping his long fingers together and setting his chin on them, surveying Harry. Harry frowned, not sure what was going on. He didn't say anything, though, just took the seat opposite Dumbledore.

He leaned back casually as if he wasn't in the presence of the Headmaster. Behind Dumbledore on the walls, the previous Headmasters and Headmistresses muttered about his disrespect.

He simply gave them all a scathing look in response. Dumbledore reached under his desk and came up with a bowl of lemon drops. He popped one into his mouth and set the bowl down in the middle of the desk.

Harry was growing impatient of just sitting there and was about to say something when Dumbledore started.

"Why are you here, Harry?" he asked quietly.

"I want an answer," Harry said harshly. He wasn't going to leave until he found out what the hell was going on with everyone.

"About what?"

"You know damn well what," he snarled.

Behind Dumbledore, the portraits let out a shocked noise when Harry used profanity. "Well, I never!" an old witch exclaimed.

Dumbledore, however, simply ignore Harry's outburst. He looked at him for a moment, a glimmer of his old twinkle coming back momentarily. "You want an answer, do you?" he asked rhetorically.

Harry nodded as if it was obvious. "Yeah," he said exasperatedly. He just wanted a straight answer from someone, even if it was Dumbledore.

Dumbledore was silent for a moment again. He appeared to be contemplating his answer to Harry. "You know, with that temper of yours you should have been in Gryffindor," he commented offhandly.

"Why does everyone keep saying that?!" Harry exclaimed.

Dumbledore hid a small smile. He knew it would just enrage Harry more. "Alright, Mr. Potter," hesaid. "I suppose it's no use keeping it from you."

"Keeping what?!" Harry exclaimed, growing angrier by the second. He ignored the whisperings of the portraits on the walls.

"You want to know about Mr. Malfoy and Mr. Zabini, do you not?"

"Yes!"

"I must ask you to be calm. An old man cannot take so much yelling," Dumbledore said with a smile.

Harry only frowned. He just wanted to know what was going on! "Fine, whatever," he said impatiently. "Just tell me!"

"Alright," Dumbledore said, finally seeming to be ready to tell him. "Well, it seems that Mr. Malfoy performed a spell that didn't go quite as he had planned. Now I think it's because of the spell he used was not meant for good magic. Although he can't be blamed for that. He didn't know. Then again, there is always the chance that it didn't matter what the spell was meant for and that it was simply the act that he performed while using it..." Dumbledore rambled on while Harry sat in the chair, clearly confused. "... Not always a good thing to change that. There are always all sorts of things that can go wrong which is usually why even the wisest of wizards don't mess with that kind of spell--"

"What did he do?!" Harry interrupted him, tired of listening to his ramblings.

"Well, Mr. Potter, it's quite simple. He changed the past."

Harry was lost for words. He sat quite still as the information filtered into his brain. It sure explained a few things, but it was just so ridiculous.

"He what?" Harry repeated, unable to understand fully. The words just weren't sinking in. The Draco he knew would never be so foolish to think he could change the past, or so bold.

"Changed the past," Dumbledore repeated, nodding, a twinkle back in his eye. "I'm surprised you hadn't figured this out already."

Harry scowled at the Headmaster. He should have known but he was too wrapped up in what Draco was doing to think much further on the subject.

"Why didn't you tell me the first time?!" Harry exploded, his emotions getting the better of him.

Dumbledore gave a small shrug. "I would have thought you would like to learn it on your own as is your custom."

Harry just scoffed at him. "What exactly did he do?" he asked, wanting to know the depth of his screw-up.

"I am not quite sure. Perhaps it would be best to ask him these questions."

Harry glared at the floor, the anger building inside him. He hadn't known Draco had done all that! No wonder he was so different.

"Well, damnit, where is he?!" Harry asked angrily. He wanted to find him now.

"I'm afraid I can't tell you that," Dumbledore said.

"Why not?!" Harry asked forcefully.

"It's the same with all the other dormitories. I am just not able to," Dumbledore said calmly, reaching for another lemon drop.

Harry scowled. He looked at Dumbledore, who seemed completely unconcerned with his problem.

"Fine, I'll find him myself," he growled. Dumbledore said nothing as Harry stormed out of the room.

He walked down the revolving staircase quickly. Once he was out in the corridor beyond, he pulled out the Maruaders map once more. He searched it carefully for Draco's dot and found it inside one of the rooms on the fourth floor.

He made his way to the room and found himself outside a very odd-looking portrait. He paid no notice and banged against the door.

"Draco!" he yelled. "Let me the fuck in, NOW!"

Inside, Draco turned to the door. Hearing Harry's voice accompanying his beating of the portrait, he sighed. On his bed, Blaise raised his head slightly then put it back down.

"Are you going to get it?" he asked calmly.

"Draco! Open the fucking door!"

"I guess I have to," Draco said reluctantly. He walked over to the door and opened it slowly to reveal a very angry-looking Harry Potter.


~~**~~


A/N: Only two chapters left! Yay! It's almost over :D Sorry, but I'm excited 'cause then I'll be completely caught up with foreverfandom :) Please review!