To Dance

Chapter 14: To Quesiton


Harry stared down at Malfoy, the pale boy lying still beneath him, arms held firmly by the Gryffindor as the raven sat firmly atop him, preventing him from escaping. Malfoy stared back up into the green eyes, his own silver still swimming in warring emotions of panic, fear, and something Harry couldn't identify.

"What?" Harry breathed, hardly trusting his voice. He could hear his heart beating fast against his ribcage as he focused on Malfoy.

"Rejection," Malfoy repeated, staring back at Harry, somewhat determined, not breaking eye contact as he lay limp beneath the other. "I fear rejection."

Harry's mind was reeling. This was not the answer he had been expecting from Malfoy. Though, when he thought back to just minutes previously, he honestly couldn't explained what he had expected. It all just flared curiosity, confusion, and a clenching in his stomach he couldn't identify. "Why?" The words were out of his mouth before he could stop them.

Malfoy swallowed, taking in a sharp gasp of air, and Harry could have sworn the light tinge in his cheeks was a blush, though that might have just been a result of the sprinting down the corridors they had just done. He closed his eyes and turned his head to the side, bowing it slightly as if to hide himself from Harry. He began to shake again and Harry recognized the signs of him battling the curse as he had done before sprinting away previously. However, with Harry sitting firmly on top of him pinning him down, his escaping didn't seem quite as plausible this time around.

Harry leaned down slightly, trying to get a better look of Malfoy's face, and repeated softly, "Why?"

Malfoy shuddered, his trembling under Harry. It sent spikes up Harry's spine and he felt his face heating up at the realization. He leaned down further trying to see Malfoy's face. Malfoy had his eyes clamped shut, his cheeks flushed slightly, and short little pants were coming from his mouth. Harry's chest burned at the sight as he watched the Slytherin underneath him.

Finally Malfoy opened his eyes, silver orbs glistening as they looked up at Harry. "Because-" Malfoy seemed to be giving into the curse and Harry waited with bated breath for the truth, his chest tightening for reasons unknown. "Because I-" He swallowed again, before turning fully to face Harry, staring straight into his eyes. "I don't want to be hated by you."

Harry stared down at Malfoy, his mind warring as he looked into silver pools shining from a set face. Malfoy's cheeks were lightly tinged and Harry now wondered if it really was from all the running. Malfoy's mouth was slightly parted and Harry could lightly feel the pale boy's breath ghosting over his face. Suddenly something flashed in those eyes and Harry found his back being slammed into the floor as Malfoy swiftly switched their positions, now seated firmly atop Harry and pinning his hands on either side of his face.

Shocked, Harry stared up at the Slytherin, who was staring down at him, his eyes flickering between one emotion and another. "I don't want you to hate me!" Malfoy said again, gripping Harrys' wrists tightly. Suddenly Malfoy growled, swooping down until his face was mere inches from Harry's. Harry froze and watched with wide eyes as Malfoy glared down at him, their breath passing over each other. "Happy now, Harry Potter? Happy to have forced me to say something? Feel proud of yourself?"

Harry felt guilt spread through his stomach and his eyes widened in shock and regret, surprise washing over his face. "Malfoy, I-"

"Get off him!"

Suddenly Malfoy was ripped off of him, his nails scratching Harry's wrists lightly as he was wrenched away. Tearing himself away from his fogged state, Harry quickly sat up. Cedric was pinning Malfoy to the wall, eyes furious and mouth curled into a snarl as he held Malfoy by the throat, pressing him into the stone. Malfoy was glaring back at the older boy, his hands clawing at Cedric's as he fought for release. "You filthy snake!" Cedric spat.

Harry watched in shock as Malfoy scratched and fought to get free as his face slowly drained of color. "Cedric, stop!" Harry yelled, realizing Malfoy couldn't breath at all. After a moment more, Cedric gruffly released his hold and stepped back with a growl, Malfoy falling to the floor, coughing violently. "What are you doing?" Harry demanded, walking up to stand between Malfoy and Cedric.

"Stopping what shouldn't be," Cedric replied, still glaring down at Malfoy. Harry furrowed his brows in confusion, opening his mouth to speak. However, before he could get one word out, Cedric had turned, advanced on him and begun dragging him down the corridor away from Malfoy. Harry, shocked let himself be pulled along, glancing back to see Malfoy, staring after them, his eyes seeming dead... defeated. Harry felt a bolt shoot through him and he turned to Cedric, opening his mouth to tell him to stop but stopped.

Cedric's face was angry. For the first time Harry almost feared the older boy, submitting to walking swiftly with the other Champion as they swept down the corridor. Harry didn't protest as he was pulled into an empty classroom, the door slamming shut and remained where he was as Cedric strode past him to slam his hands down onto one of the desks. After a few deep breaths Cedric seemed to calm down slightly, his shoulders relaxing and his head dropping slightly. Slowly he turned around to Harry, who hadn't moved.

Seeing Harry rigid to the spot, Cedric chuckled softly, pushing himself from the desk and approaching Harry, a hand reaching out towards him. Harry remained frozen, not wanting to see Cedric angry again. Cedric's eyes widened and he suddenly stopped moved all together. "I'm sorry about that." His voice was gentle and soft, brushing over Harry's ears like a soft caress. "I didn't mean to lose my temper, I was just jealous I guess."

Harry blinked. Had Cedric just said he was jealous? Harry looked up at Cedric, astonished, and was met with his dark grey eyes gazing back down at him, a soft smile on his face. "Wha-" Harry wasn't even sure what he was going to say but never got to find out either as Cedric wrapped his arms around the smaller boy and brought him gently to his chest, burying his nose in Harry's hair. Harry tentatively wrapped his arms around the older boy, pressing his face into Cedric's chest and closing his eyes.

He remembered back to the day before, when he had agreed to dancing with Cedric, how warm and protected the other boy made him feel. And how when they had danced, Harry had been happy, led about by the other Champion. Though he knew he didn't love Cedric as Cedric said he loved Harry, he was beginning to feel a growing affection towards the older boy. Though the thought scared him a little, it also began a warm feeling in his stomach and chest. Maybe he could try this.

After a moment, Harry sighed and shifted. Turning his head to the side slightly, he said, "I've never had someone jealous over me before."

Cedric gave a soft laugh which Harry could hear and feel resonating though the others chest. "I dunno about that, Harry. It's probably happened before."

Harry looked up at him, pulling backwards to see Cedric's face. "Well, this is the first time I'm aware of it then."

Cedric smiled gently down at him and quickly bent down to press his lips tenderly against Harry's. Unlike the first time they had kissed when Harry had been shocked and frozen, now he didn't pull away or freeze, but let the older boy gently caress his lips. Letting his eyes flutter closed, Harry tentatively kissed back. He felt one of Cedric's hands gently skitter up his back to rest behind his neck while the other bandaged one stayed resting gently on his hip. Cedric drew back slightly and Harry opened his eyes, looking up at him. He shyly smiled.

Cedric's eyes widened slightly and the next thing Harry knew, Cedric was kissing him again, pressing his mouth to the his urgently, pulling Harry's body to his own and cupping the back of Harry's head with his hand. He was fiercely pushing their mouths together, his tongue running along Harry's lip. Harry gasped at the sudden intense contact and felt Cedric's tongue dive into his mouth, tasting him. The taller boy moaned, wrapping an arm around Harry and pulling him as close as possible. Harry felt his eyes begin to drop as Cedric stroked his tongue with his own and enticed it into play.

Letting his eyes fall closed, Harry fisted his hands into Cedric's shirt, pulling himself into the kiss, deepening it as much as he could, fueling the heat beginning to beat through his body. He moaned when he felt a hand slide up his back and pushed back against it, gripping the shirts fabric, relishing the sensations that began to shoot through his skin.

The need for air brought them apart, Harry panting slightly and looking up at Cedric with hooded eyes, Cedric's own eyes half mast as he breathed gently, face still just inches from Harry's own. "Don't look at me like that," he whispered, running a hand down Harry's side, making him shiver. Harry looked up at him, wondering what he meant. Cedric grinned. "You make me want to do things I shouldn't," he breathed, brushing his lips over Harry's briefly before kissing him again.

Harry responded immediately, his tongue meeting Cedric's and playing in an instinctual battle. However, before a winner could be decided, Cedric broke. Harry moaned at the loss only to gasp when Cedric began to trail kisses along his jaw and to the sensitive skin just below his ear. The hand behind his head trailed down and began to pull at his robes, gliding easily below the hem of his shirt to caress his bare side, the feel making Harry arch and gasp. The bandaged hand on Harry's hip squeezed gently, Cedric's thumb rubbing small circles through the cloth. Harry felt the heat in his body rise and flare through him everywhere he was touched.

"See?" Cedric breathed into his ear, making him shudder. "Look what you're making me do." Harry opened his eyes hazily, panting slightly as he stretched his hands to grasp around Cedric's shoulders. Cedric chuckled, lightly flicking his tongue over the shell of the younger boy's ear, making him jerk. Smiling, Cedric drew back to look down at Harry, who was trying to get himself under control. Harry looked up at him, eyes still slightly hazy and lowered his hands somewhat.

"Sorry," Cedric said, bowing his head a little and withdrawing his hand from Harry's heated skin. "I got carried away."

Blushing, Harry shook his head, dropping his gaze to try to hide his embarrassment, his hands clenching automatically in the fabric of Cedric's shirt. He felt Cedric place a gentle kiss to the top of his head and closed his eyes at the feeling, pulling Cedric close and resting his head on the firm chest. Breathing deeply, Harry's mind began to move again. "I should be getting back to the Common Room," he said, though not letting go of Cedric.

"Mmm, probably a good idea," Cedric agreed, rubbing his nose in Harry's hair, also not moving from his position. Breathing in again, Harry finally managed to pull himself away from the Hufflepuff, keeping his eyes slightly lowered, his face tinged with pink on reflection of what had just happened. Cedric smiled down at him and gently closed his uninjured hand over one of Harry's, which were still balled in the fabric of Cedric's shirt.

Seeing as neither of them seemed to be taking any sort of initiative, Harry took a breath and raised his eyes to Cedric, smiling. "I guess I'll see you later then." He unclenched his hands from Cedric's shirt and dropped them to his sides.

Cedric smiled and quickly slipped one of his hands into Harry's. "How about I walk you to your Common Room?" he asked softly, squeezing Harry's hand.

Though the idea tempted Harry greatly to walk back to his dormitory with Cedric, he didn't want to be seen parading through the school with a Champion who had just previously been seen fighting in front of half the school. Though he didn't mind having Ron and Hermione know that he was close to the Hufflepuff, he didn't quite want to flaunt it about. Smiling and shaking his head up at Cedric he said, "No, I'm alright. I'm fine."

Cedric looked somewhat surprised, though his features softened quickly. "Alright," he said, giving Harry's hand a quick squeeze before releasing it. "I'll see you later then." He grinned down at Harry. "Send me an owl if you want to see me."

Harry blushed lightly and nodded, beginning to move from the classroom. However, just as he reached the door, he felt a hand close over his wrist and he turned to look up at Cedric and felt soft lips closing over his. It was a chaste kiss, unlike the previous one, and ended quickly. Cedric said nothing as he left, simply giving Harry a soft smile before he turned from the classroom and disappeared down the corridor. Making his own way to Gryffindor tower, Harry let his thoughts wander, occasionally noticing a few snowflakes that fell outside the window.

The Yule Ball was still two weeks away and Harry was beginning to actually feel somewhat excited for the event. Though it wasn't the sort of excitement that seemed to be raging through every girl in the castle, he couldn't help but wonder what sort of night it was going to be. Since Cedric had asked him to the ball his life seemed to be getting more and more interesting. What with the sexuality, kissing, random fighting, Malfoy-

Malfoy.

Harry frowned. Again his mind flashed back to what Hermione had said, about him acting strange. It seemed more apparent now than ever Malfoy's shift since the beginning of this year. Though Harry had been too involved in his own problems due to the Tournament, he couldn't help but notice that the blond hadn't been quite as malicious. Sure, the 'Support Cedric Diggory: Potter Stinks' badges had been an exception, a rather pestilential exception, but aside from that, Malfoy's overall demeanor concerning his treatment of Harry seemed to have shifted.

Harry paused at a darkened window, gazing out onto the lightly snowy grounds, not really seeing them. This whole week seemed to have turned things upside down. He had always though he had understood Malfoy, known the boy to be an arrogant prat, determined to make Harry's life miserable. But this week, it didn't seem quite like that so much. Of course, he wasn't about to run off and ask Malfoy to join him in a jolly old tea party, but he couldn't help noticing his own feelings towards Malfoy begin to shift. He had seen a completely different side to the pale boy, a side that showed emotions other than arrogance and pride, concerned about others, and didn't want Harry's hatred.

Sighing heavily, Harry resumed his steps toward the tower. He was just turning down the corridor of the Fat Lady when he felt a hand on his shoulder. Turning in surprise, he came face to face with the same Slytherin that had been recently occupying his thoughts. Malfoy looked awkward, his face betraying his discomfort as he looked at Harry. This sort of thing was exactly what Harry had previously been thinking about. Malfoy had been acting strange, and this was just seeming to top the list, right next to his behavior earlier that day.

"What do you want, Malfoy?" Harry asked, surprising himself when the usual bite wasn't present.

Malfoy looked away swiftly and removed his hand from Harry's shoulder. "It's the effects of the curse," he muttered, shifting slightly on his feet. "I apparently have to be near you or something." Harry almost saw a slight flush cross his cheeks but he instead blamed it on the lighting. Malfoy looked back up at Harry, seeming embarrassed. "It's not like I want to be following you around!" he said, voice rising a little defensively. "It's just like I'm forcefully pushed after you."

Sighing, Harry looked at the other boy, running a hand through his hair and vaguely realizing he probably looked a bit ruffled, the after effects from his make out session with Cedric. "I thought this thing was supposed to wear off after a while," he said, glancing back at the portrait of the Fat Lady, who seemed to be dozing.

"Well, seeing I was just dragged here following you because my body felt like it was being embraced by one of Hagrid's Skrewts, I'd say it's still working," Malfoy snapped, folding his arms over his chest.

Harry raised his eyebrows. "So if I ask you any question you have to answer me?" he said, remembering the curse's properties.

"All previous cases would say so," Malfoy sighed.

Harry paused for a moment, wondering how legitimate Malfoy's claim was. Trying to think of a question Malfoy would typically never answer, Harry lighted on one. "Have you ever been kissed?"

"Of course not, Potter," Malfoy answer, almost immediately, before his eyes widened in shock and he looked at Harry sharply, embarrassment and anger shooting through his eyes. "What the Hell!"

"Guess you are telling the truth," Harry said, leaning against the wall, and looking Malfoy over.

"Glad to see you're convinced," Malfoy huffed, tossing his bangs from his eyes angrily and looking away from Harry. He glared at the wall, mouth set in a line. "It's not like I like having to be around you. If I could help it I would."

Harry rolled his eyes, pushing himself from the wall and walking down the hall in the opposite direction of the Gryffindor Common Room. Malfoy sputtered and paused a moment before following him, glaring at him as he caught up.

"Didn't you just hear what I said? I-"

"Have to be near me, yeah," Harry finished for him, continuing to walk away from the boy, feeling irritable. It had been a long day and, considering the lack of sleep he got last night, he really wanted to just go back to his bed and fall into it. However, though the idea of leaving Malfoy outside the portrait hole was tempting, he highly doubted the blond would be compliant with that, more than likely the other would try to clamber into the Common Room after Harry and then not only would he have a ton of awkward questions to answer, but he would be inadvertently telling all of Slytherin house where the Gryffindor Common Room was. Of course, Harry knew where the Slytherin Dormitories were, but that didn't make him feel any less about preserving the secrecy of where he slept. "That's why we're going to the library."

Malfoy's previously scowling face flitted surprise. "The library?"

"Yeah," Harry said, passing tapestries and paintings as he made his way through the school. "We are going to look up that stupid curse and find out how long it lasts." He turned to Malfoy. "I don't know about you but I'd like to get some sleep tonight. And according to this curse, you have to be there if it's still active." Harry noticed with some satisfaction that Malfoy's face had paled considerably and he looked shocked. The blond happily remained silent as they strode quickly to the library.

The few students that were still about the castle gave the two boys strange looks as they traveled, the absence of fighting obvious. Even Madam Pince eyed them suspiciously, though that might have been more to the fact that they were going to the library on a Friday evening instead of enjoying the start of the weekend. Minutes later found both Harry and Malfoy, sitting somewhat apart, stacks of books in front of each, pouring over the texts in the dimming light.

Half an hour later, Malfoy's voice startled Harry out of his scanning of his third book. "Find anything?"

Sighing, Harry shook his head. "Nothing." He paused halfway down 'Hideous Hexes and Crazy Curses' to look up at the Slytherin. "How did you know about it? You knew what it was when Cedric mentioned it."

Malfoy looked up over the cover of his book. "Flint told me about it," he answered, referring to the Slytherin Quiddich Captain of years past. "Said he'd love to try it out on Wood sometime."

Harry frowned. "Why's that?"

"Wanted the Quiddich tactics."

Harry snorted at the obvious answer, and turned back to his searching. He was pulled away again however when Malfoy spoke again. "Why Diggory?"

Harry looked back up at him in shock, first thinking he had heard wrong, though the words couldn't really be confused with many others. Seeing Malfoy looking at him plainly however flushed any thought that he was possibly hearing things. Sighing and turning back to the book, Harry turned the page. "He asked me to the Yule Ball."

"No shit Sherlock," Malfoy replied, rolling his eyes and propping his head on his hand, looking over at Harry. "I'm asking why you said yes and are doing... things with the Hugglepuffle."

"Hugglepuffle?" Harry said, looking at the Slytherin in surprise. Malfoy shrugged and Harry decided to ignore it. "He's not a bad person. I might as well give him a chance and see if things go well." Harry sighed and looked back at Malfoy and saw the other boy frowning at him. "What?"

"So you'll just go out with anyone who asks you?" Malfoy asked skeptically.

Harry frowned back at him. "Of course not," he replied shortly. "I know Cedric a bit and he's not a bad person. What's so wrong about giving someone a chance?"

"Nothing," Malfoy said in response, tilting his head slightly and smirking. "I know you too," he said.

"No, really?" Harry snorted.

"Would you date me too if I asked you?" Malfoy asked, smirking broadly as he looked down the table at Harry, who gaped at him.

Frowning, Harry turned back to his book. "Did I not emphasize 'not a bad person' enough?"

"Actually you didn't emphasize it at all," Malfoy replied, and Harry glared at the response to his rhetorical question. Malfoy was still smirking at him. "In fact you just kind of threw it in there, like a passing though. You know how people say something like 'I went shopping today, went home, turned on the television, fed the cat, etc. etc.' You said it like that, as if it was unimportant."

"You know, you're rather obnoxious," Harry told him flatly.

"You're rather fun to annoy," Malfoy stated, laying his head on the table and continuing to stare at Harry. "Besides, rhetorical questions are the same as normal questions, I have to answer them you know."

Harry glared at him. "Then shut up and get back to looking for some way out of this curse mess."

"It doesn't make me have to answer to commands," Malfoy pointed out, grinning as he observed Harry's anger rising. Harry did his best to ignore the eyes on him as he threw aside 'Hideous Hexes' and snatched another volume. He was just opening the front cover when Malfoy spoke again, finally saying something Harry was actually happy to hear.

"Found it!"

"Finally!" Harry said, jumping to his feet and moving over to Malfoy to look over his shoulder. Sure enough, there on the page was 'The Twist of the Heart' in faded ink. "So what does it say?"

"I never knew you couldn't read," Malfoy said, turning to look at Harry, who was leaning over the Slytherin's shoulder. Harry scowled at him. The blond sighed, and looked down at the page, eyes scanning it. "It says here that the curse lasts depending on the strength of the castor and the inflicted. It typically will wear off in four hours but in rare cases it can last up to four days."

"Four days!" Harry yelled, causing Malfoy to flinch away from him and Madam Pince to glare at him from her desk like a disgruntled vulture. Lowering his voice, Harry hissed, still glaring at the page in hatred. "So you're saying you might have this thing for four flaming days!"

"Hey, you're not the one who has to deal with it!" Malfoy snapped at him, glared over his shoulder at the Gryffindor. "You think I'm going to be skipping about happily when I have to keep answering every question you ask me and can't be more than 100 feet from you without feeling like an atomic bomb!"

Harry blinked at him. "You know about atomic bombs?"

"Yes," Malfoy answered. "Muggles, though stupid and ignorant, do possess a few dangerous things. Like atomic bombs, biological warfare, and microwaves." At Harry's look Malfoy answered before Harry could ask. "Know thine enemy."

Harry scowled and looked back at the book, scanning down to the bottom of the page. "Wait," he said, seeing something. Malfoy looked back at the book as well, trying to find where Harry was looking. "It says that the curse can be broken early if-" though he never finished reading. Both boys stared at the book before looking up at each other.

Malfoy swallowed as he looked at Harry. "I would love to run away right now if I could," he said horsely.


The Twist of the Heart can be broken early if the inflicted kisses either the person they saw first after the curse was administered or the person they love already.


Harry chuckled awkwardly, drawing back from Malfoy quickly and rubbing a hand feverishly through his hair. "Well, that's easy, we'll just go find who you like and have you snog them." His awkward laughter faded lamely as he looked down at Malfoy who was staring up at him in both embarrassment and terror. "So do you like anyone?"

Turning away from Harry, Malfoy nodded at a bookcase in front of him, eyes still wide and disbelieving. "So let's get to it. Is there a problem with this?"

"I'm not doing that."

Harry gaped at him, his hand dropping from his hair.

"What do you mean you're not doing it!"

"Are you deaf!" Malfoy hissed, swiftly glaring at him. "I'm not doing it! Screw it! I'd rather be stuck trailing you for four days!"

Harry was feeling angry again. "And you think I want you shadowing me around the school? Shove off! Just go do it already so I can go to bed!"

"No!"

"Why not?"

"Because I can't!"

Both boys were yelling now and Madam Pince had swooped up from her perch among her nest of books and was moving over to them, beady eyes shining dangerously.

"Sure you can! What would make it so difficult?"

"They're already dating someone!"

Harry was about to yell in plain anger when both he and Malfoy were grabbed by the scruff of their necks by Madam Pince and hauled out of the library with the woman screeching that library were a place of silence and not stupidity. The two were left to fume in the hallway, glaring at each other. Though they had returned to their familiar etiquette of interaction, Harry felt strangely annoyed that it had returned to this. Huffing to and crossing his arms over his chest in a show of displeasure, Harry snapped, "Trust you to like someone unavailable."

"You're dating Diggory."

Harry glanced up at him, frowning. "He asked me."

"Didn't mean he was available."

"What?"

Malfoy shrugged and began to walk down the hallway, stopping at the end of it and looking back at Harry, who was staring at Malfoy in shock in alarm. Malfoy sighed, his shoulders sagging and he seemed to deflate, suddenly looking very tired and fragile. "Come on," he said, his voice no longer angry and now sounding brittle and worn. "I can't be farther than 100 feet from you, but I'll be damned if I don't get some sleep tonight."

Harry looked at him for a moment, legitimately considering just leaving Malfoy in the corridor to deal with the curse but his conscience gave in eventually and he walked over to Malfoy, following him as he was lead through the castle. After a few moments, Harry realized where they were headed. "Why are we going to your Common Room?"

Malfoy looked at him in surprise. "I'm tired and want sleep. But besides that, how do you know where it is?"

Harry sighed, not wanting to tell the Slytherin of his, Ron's and Hermione's escapade in second year with the Polyjuice Potion to try to get the blond to admit to being Slytherin's heir. "Not important. Why are we here?"

"I want to sleep." Malfoy answered plainly.

Harry glared at him, realizing that Malfoy expected him to sleep here as well. He stopped walking and frowned at Malfoy, who likewise stopped and turned to look at Harry. "I'm not sharing a bed."

"I didn't plan on it."

Harry shifted before beginning to walk again, now side by side with Malfoy as they made their way to the Slytherin Dormitories. "Good." When they arrived outside the wall the Common Room lay behind, Malfoy looked at Harry pointedly. Rolling his eyes and mumbling irritably, Harry plugged his fingers in his ears and turned away as Malfoy say the password and the wall began to move away. Just before he entered enemy territory, Harry paused, remembering the book's words about the curse. Malfoy looked back at him, raising an eyebrow.

"I'm not kissing you," Harry said sternly.