To Dance

Chapter 6: To Cry

“You should tell Hermione,” Ron whispered into Harry’s ear causing him to choke on his orange juice. Sputtering, the raven haired boy stared at his friend, who was frowning at him slightly. The red head gave him a pointed look and jerked his head toward their bushy haired friend.

Hermione had been shooting concerned looks at Harry all morning and was now sitting sadly at the Gryffindor table poking unhappily at a plate of eggs and toast. Seeing her, Harry felt horrible for not talking to her, seeing as she was one of his best friends, but he felt extremely uncomfortable around his new self discovery.

"Are you kidding?" Harry whispered to Ron. "It was hard enough telling you. I have no idea how she's gonna take this."

"No time like the present!" said Ron cheerfully as he shoved Harry. Caught off balance, the raven haired boy pitched into the marmalade and began to sputter. Hermione giggled and Ron started to laugh, pointing at Harry as the obvious culprit for his amusement.

"Ron, you git," Harry muttered, wiping marmalade off his face and cleaning his hands on a napkin.

"Hey," said Ron. "I thought it was funny. Not my fault you felt like smelling the marmalade this morning."

"Ha ha," said Harry derisively, taking a glob of marmalade from his nose and smearing it on Ron's face. Hermione burst out laughing at this. Neville, who was sitting next to her, was rather red in the face, smiling broadly, and watching Harry and Ron's little episode with an extreme look of amusement. Ron laughed and wiped the marmalade from his face.

Picking up his wand, Ron pointed it at his best friends face and said "Scourgify." Instantly Harry felt the sticky goo on his face vanish and he was left feeling extremely bare and clean. He wrinkled his face a few times, trying to get the feeling back of it being normal. Ron grinned at him. Hermione seemed to have gotten ahold of herself and was now simply smiling at her toast.

Glancing at his watch, Ron turned to Harry, smiling slightly. "Right," he said, getting up and looking down at his friend. "Best be off. I forgot my potions book in the dormitory. See you in Hell!" Finishing his statement, he promptly bounded off out of the Great Hall.

"Well, he's cheery for Snape's class," Hermione commented as she watched their ginger friend disappear through the doors. "And I think that's the first time I've ever heard him refer to it as 'Hell.'"

"He only calls it Hell when he feels happy," Harry said, taking a bite out of his toast and looking over at her. He smiled at her.

Looking relieved, Hermione smiled back and scooted closer to where he was sitting so that she was practically sitting opposite him on the bench. Neville gave a small squeak of protest before sliding down the bench into Dean and Seamus. Hermione continued to look at him, now expectantly.

Harry sighed and dropped his toast to his plate. "I expect you want to know the story," he asked, tilting his head and giving her his 'I know what you're thinking' look. Hermione nodded. Harry sighed again and stood up. Looking down at his bushy haired friend he said, "I'll tell you on the way to potions, okay?"

"Fine, Harry," Hermione said, standing up and grinning brightly at him. The two walked out of the Great Hall together and, glancing over his shoulder as they left, Harry made sure no one they knew was following, or anyone at all, for that matter. Seeing the coast was clear, he sped up and, taking hold of her arm, pulled her along until they were a ways from any other students or portraits which could betray him.

Looking down at his feet and sighing, Harry said, "Okay, so, you know when Cedric asked me for a word yesterday?"

"Yes," said Hermione.

Harry glanced up at her before returning his gaze to the floor and his shoes. "Well, he, er, umm... he."

"He what?" Hermione asked, somewhat impatiently.

"He asked me to the Yule Ball," Harry said, rather quickly, and clenched his eyes shut for the response.

Hermione was silent for a moment. Harry looked up at her and met her shocked brown eyes.

"Cedric asked you to the ball," Hermione said, as if confirming it for herself.

"Yes," Harry said, deciding that she needed to hear the absolute confirmation. She was silent again for a moment, and he could almost see the machinery whirling in her head to try to put two and two together. He was shocked however, when she just shrugged.

"So, what'd you say?" asked Hermione, her eyes now glistening with interest. "I mean, so, he's gay. That's fine. Did you say yes? Are you going with him? That would be so cute."

"Hermione," Harry said, interrupting her flow of speech. She closed her mouth obediently. "I said no." Her face fell. "But not before he snogged me," Harry added in a mumble. Hermione positively squealed.

"Cedric snogged you! Oh my God this is too much!" She was practically dancing now, her hair bouncing around almost joyfully. "Oh Harry, why didn't you ever tell me you were gay?"

"Because I didn't know until Diggory cornered me and decided to profess his love for me by attacking my mouth," Harry said, exasperated.

Hermione stopped in mid dance. "Oh."

"Yeah," said Harry. "Oh."

"But why did you turn him down?"

Harry sighed (he seemed to be doing that a lot recently). "Look, I just didn't feel the same way about him that he felt about me. He seemed to be looking for more than a date to the dance and I, I mean, I like Cedric, he's a nice guy, handsome too, but I just don't feel that way towards him."

"So that's why," said a deep voice quietly. Harry spun around to see Cedric standing a few feet away, cast in shadows slightly. "That's why you said no." Harry felt his stomach clench horribly seeing the Hufflepuff's form and felt an irresistible urge to do anything to bring Cedric back to his normally happy self.

Hermione, feeling awkward, backed away a few feet and left Harry to talk with the other boy at a distance. Harry wanted to reach out and grab her to keep her from leaving him alone but at the same time wanting her to disappear and not have to watch what was happening.

"I'm really sorry, Cedric," said Harry quietly, looking the other boy deep in the eyes and trying to convey his remorse to the Hufflepuff. "It's just, I don't love you. You're a wonderful person and I like you and all, but, I don't feel the same."

By now, Hermione had disappeared down a hidden passageway and left both boys alone. Cedric looked at Harry sadly for a moment before suddenly sweeping over to him and wrapping the Gryffindor in his arms.

"You idiot," Cedric breathed into Harry's hair. "It's not like I was asking you to marry me, I just wanted to be accepted by you. I'm sorry for scaring you."

Harry sighed and closed his eyes, melting into the comforting embrace and wrapping his arms around Cedric. The older boy held him close and Harry felt so peaceful, so loved, so protected, for once in his life, he simply let go of everything and enjoyed Cedric's loving embrace.

"I'm so sorry for hurting you," Harry murmured into Cedric's chest.

Cedric smiled and drew back slightly to look at Harry. Harry's heart leapt when he saw a glint of happiness in the other boys eyes and a faint smile. As he had the day before, the seventh year rested his forehead against Harry's and breathed contentedly. "I'm sorry if I was moving too fast," he whispered, nose slightly rubbing against Harry's. "I was just so happy you weren't rejecting me, especially because of how I feel about you."

Harry smiled and closed his eyes, relaxing with Cedric and feeling completely natural.

"Would you reconsider your answer?" Cedric whispered, cracking his eyes and gazing warmly down at Harry. Harry opened his eyes and stared into Cedric's comforting gray pools. "You don't have to answer right now, you can tell me later when you have time to think it over. I just really would like to go with you."

"Okay," murmured Harry, smiling up at Cedric, who grinned and pulled him to his chest again, sighing happily as he rested his head against Harry's hair.

"That makes me so happy, you have no idea," Cedric purred, nuzzling Harry's black mess and smiling.

After a few moments of embracing happily, Harry pulled away from Cedric and smiled. Grinning at him, Cedric asked, "Would you dance with me at lessons tonight? We are supposed to start learning this evening in the Great Hall."

Harry grinned back. "Sounds good," he said, before turning and heading in the direction of potions. Turning around to look behind him, he saw Cedric walking away, a slight lit in his step.

Laughing quietly to himself, Harry turned back to walk to Snape's room.

Passing an old suit of armor, Harry received a horrible shock when he saw Draco Malfoy standing there, half concealed, with a look of complete shock planted on his features.

The two boys then proceeded to stare at each other in complete shock and disbelief for a whole five minutes, mouths hanging open, and minds trying to climb back into reason and the real world, which they believed to have left some time ago. In the end it was Malfoy who broke the seemingly endless staring in disbelief contest. He blinked and closed his mouth only to open it again, supposedly to talk, but only managing a sort of odd gurgling sound before blurting out "egh...ah... you....and, and, and.... ball... with shoes... and... and, and.....butterbeer. "

It was the first time in his life that Draco Malfoy had failed to speak fluently and without at least three jabs at the subject included. As his mouth was randomly spewing nonsense, his brain was screaming at him 'What are you doing!? Get it together man! Insult him! Insult him!' However, this thought process did not seem to reach his motor skills and his mouth continued to make no sense and his body frozen in dumb shock.

The incoherent noise spewing from Malfoy's mouth seemed to have shaken Harry from his frozen state of absolute shock and mouth gaping. With a little shiver, he closed his mouth and blinked, trying to relieve his stinging eyes before he opened them again, hoping to not see what he thought he had seen. Opening his eyes again though he was met with what he least wanted to see. Malfoy, semi-concealed behind a suit or armor, mouth hanging open, and usual mask of cool gone to be replaced by a look of supreme shock and loss.

Harry seemed to be so thrown by the sudden appearance of Malfoy that he actually lost his balance and stumbled back a few steps, shaking his head slightly. Malfoy however, was still stuck in his own personal body bind curse now classified by him mind as 'dumb shock' and maintained his previous composure. Regaining his balance, Harry glared at Malfoy, expecting a full glare back and some sharp insult from the pale faced Slytherin. Mafoy remained stuck however, which greatly displeased Harry.

To try to encourage some method of normalcy, Harry walked up to Malfoy and slapped him across the face screaming, "What makes you think you can just spy on two people involved in a private conversation, you filthy snake!?"

The sudden sting across Malfoy's jaw seemed to have finally broken his trace-like shock. That and the force which Harry slapped him unbalanced him and he fell into the suit of armor causing it to crash to the ground and create more noise than the Irish supporters at the Quidditch World Cup. It seemed that the combined noise and pain, were finally enough to bring Malfoy back to his senses. Blinking confusedly from the floor among the suit of armor, he looked up at Harry.

Harry was finally beginning to get his mind back, and discovered himself to be extremely embarrassed and irritated by the blond sprawled on the floor. He glared viciously down at the Slytherin. Malfoy, upon finally registering in his vision an extremely irate Gryffindor, scrambled to his feet and glared back as ferociously as he could.

"What's up with you, Potter?" he sneered. "Or do you just glare at anyone who suits your fancy and I have just been the once who has fallen victim today?"

"What are you doing here?" Harry spat at him, face burning in anger.

"I-" Malfoy started and then paused, trying to remember why he had been in the corridor and hiding behind a suit of armor in the first place. Then he remembered and his eyes widened as he looked at Harry. "You!" he exclaimed, pointing at Harry. "You!" He seemed to be searching for words for a moment, but soon found them. "I just was heading to Potions when you just happened to ruin my pleasant stroll by going all mushy in front of me with Diggory! And you make is all my fault for trying to hide from such a thing and try to preserve my innocent mind!"

At this Harry actually found himself laughing. "Preserve your innocent mind?" he gasped, hand on his side, trying to breathe. "I don't think anything can preserve your mind at this point. You have never had an innocent mind!"

Malfoy reddened in anger and he glared at Harry. "You're one to talk," he sneered. "Going cuddly with a Hufflepuff. Then again, I suppose that is what you have to do. Deprived of love as a child, you search in others, regardless of who they are."

The next thing he knew, Malfoy was back on the ground next to the suit of armor with his jaw smarting and Harry towering over him, breathing heavily and radiating fury.

"Don't," Harry ground out, teeth clenched along with fists. "Ever insult my parents like that."

Scowling, Malfoy swiftly wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, confirming a bleeding lip, and looked steadily at Harry. "I didn't insult your parents, Potter," he mummered. "I insulted you and your constant need of attention."

Harry took in a sharp breath and stilled. Malfoy continued. "For example, this tournament. Every year you go about all perfect Potty and everyone loves you. Look at this now. You've become Hogwarts Champion. Oh glorious day, I can't wait to see you become Minister of Mag-"

"SHUT-UP!" bellowed Harry, burning with anger as he glared down at the Slytherin on the floor. "Shut- up! Shut-up! Shut-up! Why can't you just shut your filthy mouth for once, you prat, and keep your nose in your own bloody business!"

The next thing he knew, Harry was throwing punches at Malfoy, who was slightly delayed in his retaliation of punches, but was soon fighting back with as much vigor as he could manage. All of the drowning emotions from everything Harry had felt began to pound through him. The Tournament, Ron hating him earlier in the year, Sirius not being with him, the Ball, his random dreams, his scar, Voldemort, they all flashed through his mind rapidly, fueling his rage as he lashed out blindly at Malfoy.

"What the F*ck!" Malfoy yelled at him, trying to defend himself against Harry. "Fine! Just go ahead and snap! It's not like you're the only one with problems! Oh no! We all have it easy compared to you! Screw you!"

Harry began to cry, whether in pain or in fury he didn't know. Teeth bared, face tear-streaked, body burning, Harry began to lose his accuracy and, before he knew it, he arms fell limp and he simply sat there, stradling Malfoy, who had also stopped fighting and was now watching Harry in complete disbelief.

"Oi!" Malfoy yelled at him, face both annoyed and scared. Apparently having a crying Potter on his lap was not Malfoy's top choices of how to spend the afternoon. Frantically, he threw out both of his arms and tried to push Harry off of him, growling in frustration when Harry simply leaned forward onto his hands, using his own force to support his weight. Clenching his teeth, Malfoy grunted in defeat, removing his arms and simply lying there with arms propping him up, staring at Harry as the other boy sat, hunched in his lap, crying.

Finally getting ahold of himself, Harry sniffed slightly, quickly swiping the last of his tears furiously from his face before looking up to glare at Malfoy. Glaring failed however when he saw Malfoy, lying placidly beneath him with his head dropped back, staring at the ceiling. His smooth pale neck almost glowed in the dark corridor and Harry could help but stare. It was short lived however, as Malfoy seemed to realize that Harry was no longer a sobbing ball of wizard on his lap and he jerked his head up, an eyebrow raising when he saw Harry staring at him.

"Oh grand," Malfoy said, raising his head and looking at Harry. "You've come back to the real world. Welcome home. Would you like a fruit basket?" Harry sniffed in answer. "I'll take that as a yes." Harry just stared. "Look, if you don't mind, I'd like to get up some time today." Harry stared. "So get off."

Harry finally realized that the fact that he was sitting on Malfoy was actually not normal and scrambled to get off. In his haste he managed to completely tangle himself in his own limbs and fall over in a completely disorganized fashion so that he was half sprawled on top of Malfoy, flattening the other boy to the floor with a soft "unf."

"Your genius never ceased to amaze me, Potter," Malfoy drawled. Groaning, he pushed Harry off of himself and sat up, straightening his robes.

Harry scrambled to his feet and eyed Malfoy suspiciously. The feeling of Harry's gaze seemed to have alerted Malfoy and he looked up at the Gryffindor.

Harry narrowed his eyes. "What's wrong with you? I detect no scathing comment."

Malfoy blinked, then smirked. "Nothing, Potty. I am just the plain old stinking Slytherin you always knew me as."

Harry scowled. "Then why was I not cursed into a thousand pieces while sitting on you? Or has this become normal conduct between us suddenly." He took a step back and searched for his wand.

Malfoy sighed. "Relax, Green-eyes, I'm too tired to do anything that elaborate. So far, I find that simply calling you 'Golden Boy' or 'Potty' elicits the same amusing reaction that a simple wand gesture would." He smirked. "Besides, the whole wand business is so troublesome, and mind games are much more entertaining."

Harry growled. "Who are you and what have you done to Malfoy?"

Malfoy actually laughed. He brought himself to his feet and fell into a graceful nonchalant lean against the wall opposite Harry. "I'm Draco Malfoy. Same bastard you have known for four years." He smirked. "Same 'stinking Slytherin,' same blond boy, same purebood, same stinking reality."

Harry stared. "What?"

Malfoy snorted and turned to walk away, glancing at Harry sidelong. "And I see you haven't changed either, still slow on the uptake. Though I suppose that sob session was something new."

Harry glared at Malfoy as he walked off, wincing slightly every few steps, before he remembered what Malfoy had seen. "Hey!" he yelled, running up to the retreating Slytherin. "What about you spying on me?!"

Malfoy stopped walking and turned to face Harry. "So Diggory is another fan who wants a piece of the famous Potter. Congratulations. I am so happy for you."

The sarcasm obviously not appreciated, Harry settled for glaring. Malfoy smirked, his broken lip breaking again and bleeding slightly.

"Your lip is bleeding," Harry pointed out, unnecessarily, but silence seemed uncomfortable at the moment.

Malfoy wiped his mouth and glanced at the blood. "Wonderful. I can make some daring story up about being attacked by a mountain troll or something and coming out victorious with only a bleeding lip."

Harry stared. That was another thing that he seemed to be doing a lot of recently. Staring.

"We have potions, Potter," Malfoy commented, turning away and walking down the corridor to the dungeons again. He paused and turned back to Harry, smiling slyly. "Want to walk together, Potty?" He put on a simpering voice. "I don't like walking alone. I need someone big and strong and heroic to protect me."

Harry glared at him. "Shove off, Malfoy."

Malfoy shrugged. "Suit yourself. This way is the fastest isf you don't mind walking with a snake."

"Fat chance," Harry snarled.

Malfoy smirked and turned and walked away again, briefly raising his hand in farewell and left Harry standing in the stone corridor, still trying to understand what had just happened.