Blood is Thicker Than Fear

Harry walked down the labyrinth that was the halls of Hogwarts. After much begging, Dumbledore finally let him come back to school early…alone. That’s what he had really wanted; to be alone for a while. He hadn’t been alone since Voldemort came back.
He had just been relishing in his solitude, when he ran into what was unmistakably a fellow human being…or close, anyways.
“Watch it, Potter!”
Malfoy. What in the bloody hell was Malfoy doing there? As though he had read his mind (which he wouldn’t put past the whiney little ferret) he said, “I’m Snape’s potions assistant, remember?”
“…”
Malfoy sighed. Some people really were hopeless. “He needs my help with a POTION, and since I’m his POTIONS ASSISTANT, I’m ASSISTING him” he made overly exaggerated hand motions as he said this, as though Harry was a tad slow.
“Yeah, Malfoy, I get it. I was just…startled is all.”
“Okay then…you can leave now.”
“Why should I have to leave, huh?”
Malfoy sighed his Malfoy sigh, rolled his eyes, and walked away. While retreating, he yelled back to Harry, “Just try to stay out of my way for the next two weeks, will you?”
Harry snorted, and said to himself, “really not a problem.”
Seeing as how Hogwarts is a very large castle, you would think that it wouldn’t be difficult for Harry and Draco to avoid each other. Though by some odd phenomena, they always managed to find each other. Harry would run into Draco when he was going to the greenhouses for some herb, Draco would run into Harry outside the quidditch pitch after he practiced by himself, and they always seemed to fortuitously coordinate their mealtimes, despite severe effort on both their parts to do otherwise. After, yet again, running into each other, sparks flew.
“Stop STALKING me, Potter!”
“WHAT? You are the one stalking ME!”
“Oh please, don’t be so full of yourself.”
“What? You’re the self-centered one!”
“Well, yeah, with good reason…”
“Urgh!”
Harry stamped away, defeated, only to run into Draco yet again. “What—how’d you do that!”
Draco smiled coyly, “magic.” Then, he walked away, this only infuriated Harry more. HE was the one turning his back on HIM—not the other way around. With a snarl, he launched himself at Malfoy. They both hit the floor with a thud, and rolled over on the stone floor.
“Get OFF me, Potter!”
“No!”
Then, Draco kneed Harry in the stomach, causing him to double up and roll off of him. Draco raised him self slightly only to be shoved to the ground again by Harry’s well-placed kick. Harry launched himself on top of him again and punched him squarely in the jaw. Draco scowled at him—Harry had hit a nerve—no one ruined his perfect complexion—no one. He threw him off of his body so he was on top. He leaned his face over Harry’s so their noses were nearly touching. He whispered to him through gritted teeth, “Don’t you dare hit me, Potter.”
Their eyes were locked on each other’s for what seemed like ages, though it was only a moment. Neither of them knew who made the first move, but without warning, their lips locked in a passionate kiss. Draco loosened his grip on Harry’s shoulders (which was probably about to leave a bruise) and wrapped them gently around his neck. Harry leaned into the kiss and began to stroke Draco’s toned back apprehensively. (What was he doing…) after a reassuring bite from Draco on his sensitive neck, he began to move his hands more insistently over his torso.
A clang was sounded from down the hall (most likely Peeves) which snapped them out of their reverie. Draco lifted himself from Harry, gave him a look of horror and confusion, and ran as fast as he could to the dungeons. Harry propped himself onto his elbows and stared after him. He bit his lip (which had just been bit by Draco) and sighed.
Damn.
He got up, and walked toward the great oak doors that led to the grounds of Hogwarts. What the hell was that? Had he just kissed Draco?—because if he had…Draco most definitely kissed him back. It wasn’t that he kissed a guy—he had kissed Seamus (do not ask) but…Malfoy? Draco Malfoy—the amazing bouncing ferret? Okay, even if he didn’t like to admit it, Draco was very, very attractive. Physically, that is. His soul couldn’t be any uglier….or was it? He was too quick to judge all the people he loved most. He had believed Snape to be his murderous stalker…as well as Sirius…and Remus. Come to think of it, he was not the best judge of character in the world. And why was Malfoy staying with Snape? It had become known after Sirius’ return that Snape was a member of the Order and a spy…was Draco helping Snape?
He needed answers. He was not one to fraternize with the enemy.
Okay…maybe he was….

Harry stopped outside the potions lab, doubled up, supporting himself on a near-by statue while trying to catch his breath. He really needed to get back into shape. After straightening his robes, he pushed the door open, and found professor Snape standing before a large cauldron reciting instructions to a very…well…composed Malfoy. They both looked up at the interruption. Harry could have sworn he saw Malfoy’s eyes flash before returning to his work.
“Well, what is it, Potter?” Snape asked uninterestedly. Harry opened his mouth to respond…but suddenly did not know what to say; what with Draco being right there, and all.
“Sorry, sir…I was wondering if I could speak to you alone? It’s very important.”
Snape rolled his eyes. “Yes, alright. Draco.” Draco quickly quirked his attention to Snape like an obedient dog. “Yes, Professor?”
“You can finish this on your own, I trust?”
“Yes, sir.”
Draco gave Harry a suspicious look as he left with the potions master.
They walked together for quite a ways until they at his office door. Snape opened it, and jerked his head brusquely, motioning for him to enter. He sat down at his desk and folded his arms expectantly.
“Yes, Potter? What is it?”
Harry cleared his throat and began, “Sir…is Draco a death-eater?”
Snape sighed and paused a moment before answering. “no, thank heavens. I don’t know what we would do if he was.”
“What d’you mean?” Harry asked as he took a seat in the rickety chair before his desk.
“You know about the prophecy concerning you and the Dark Lord, correct?”
Harry nodded.
“Well, there was a prophecy extremely similar to that one concerning young Master Malfoy, and Headmaster Dumbledore—almost the exact same thing, in fact. It went something like, ‘all who kneel before the phoenix king, will tremble before the dragon lord. Those who fear the light will seek safety in his nemesis’ shadow. Both great power hold…blah…blah…something about being equal…blah…blah…I only remember the first part, because it was rather beguiling.”
Harry’s face was now completely blank of color.
“Well, now you know. Remember that duel you had together in second year? When I volunteered Draco? That was because he was beginning to be suspected by Dumbledore. I told him to lose, but make it convincing—same with quidditch. His reflexes and skills are beyond anything you could ever hope to achieve in one thousand years. The prophecy was told by Narcissa, his mother, right after his birth. She is an exceptional seer. I was there at his birth, as his godfather. I was already spying for Dumbledore at that point…but I knew that if I told Dumbledore…it would most likely lead to his death…and I couldn’t let that happen. You see, he knows this all now, of course. The Dark Lord told him, actually—telepathically at the duel they had not two months ago; to take away whatever hope he had of winning, I suppose. Draco knew that he was as powerful as Dumbledore…but not that he was destined to be evil.”
“Wow.”
“Hmmm…quite.”
Snape looked up suddenly to see Draco framed in the doorway. Both Hary and Snape froze. Draco walked to Snape’s desk with perfect nonchalance and placed a vial upon his desk.
“I finished the potion.” With nothing more than that, he left.
Snape almost knocked over all of the contents of his desk in his rush to the door. He ran outside and caught up to Draco. Harry followed. He saw fire blazing in his eyes when he was stopped by his master’s firm hand. “Draco, please!”
“What? I’m evil! You said it yourself! What’s the point in my helpoing the order if I;m just going to destroy them?”
“Draco—I told you—YOU are the master of your fate—not a prophecy.”
For the first time in his life, Harry saw what looked like tears welling in his teacher’s eyes.
“Just let me go…” Draco turned as a huge wall of black fire arose before him. He entered, his head hanging low, and disappeared along with the flames. Before Harry could say anything, Snape was already running toward Dumbledore’s office.