Coercion and Confusion

*


Draco was true to his suggestion. The days following their agreement, Draco did not speak to Harry directly. He only sneeered as per his usual attitude. Hermione was perplexed with the whole situation. She just couldn't seem to wrap her head around the fact that someone wouldn't want a relationship.

"But Harry, what are you going to do?" Hermione asked imploringly the following Wednesday at dinner. Harry sighed, tired of reliving the same conversation day after day.

"Nothing, Hermione. He doesn't want anything more, and I'm not going to push." Hermione frowned at him and glanced over to the Slytherin table, where Draco sat conversing with Blaise.

"So you and Potter, eh?" Blaise said and elbowed Draco while raising his eyebrows suggestively. Draco smirked in a satisfied way.

"For now," Draco conceded. He pushed his chicken around on his plate, not really interested in eating it. He'd been contemplating his decision for many days and had yet to completely figure out what he was doing.

He liked Harry, he really did, but he had a horrid feeling this arrangement was going to break him. It's not that he was incapable of having a relationship or caring about anyone, he just had never felt the inclination to start something so... permanent.

Draco looked up at that moment and caught Harry's eye. He gave a tiny nod of acknowledgement but then returned to his dinner. Harry frowned.

"Hey, Harry," Ron said, intruding on Harry's thoughts. He turned to look at Ron. "Are you going to finish that pie?" he asked hopefully. Harry sighed and pushed his plate towards Ron.

"No, go ahead."

"Thanks, mate!" Ron pulled the plate over enthusiastically. Harry rolled his eyes and smiled as Ron gulped down the remaining pie. Hermione tutted and said something about 'making yourself sick', but Harry didn't hear it. He was too busy watching the other side of the Hall where Draco had just gotten up and vacated his seat.

Harry watched him leave the Hall and silently wished he could go after him. He glanced over at Ron and Hermione, who were now arguing about overeating, and decided to go after Draco. He mumbled an excuse to his friends and retreated quickly out of the Hall. When he came out into the Entrance Hall, Draco was nowhere to be seen. Harry sighed dejectedly and turned to go back to Gryffindor Tower when a hand caught his arm.

Harry couldn't see who it was, but he was soon being dragged into a closet off the hall. He was slammed on his back into the wall and felt a hand resting on his hip. It was very dark in the closet, but Harry could see the faint outline of a person, a male.

"Took you long enough," drawled a familiar voice, "Did you have problems getting away from Granger and Weasely?" Draco's hand started rubbing slightly under Harry's shirt. Harry's eyes drifted shut at his touch.

"No, they're kind of okay with this," Harry murmered. He felt Draco move closer and nearly shuddered when he felt his hot breath on his ear. Draco's mouth was inches from it.

"Really?" Draco breathed softly, his breath ghosting Harry's ear. Harry tried not to gasp but couldn't help it when Draco leaned in a nibbled his earlobe. Draco's hands wandered up his torso, pushing his shirt up as they went. Harry groaned slightly when Draco's mouth moved to his neck. He whimpered when Draco pulled back, though.

He was about to protest when his lips were covered by Draco's skillful mouth and tongue. Harry couldn't help but moan as Draco's tongue massaged his own and licked his lower lip. He felt Draco push closer and felt his erection against his own. Harry groaned and pushed back forcefully. He smirked when he heard Draco gasp, but it was his turn when Draco returned the action with equal force.

"Oh, God..." Harry gasped, breathless from the kiss. Draco smirked and kissed him again. Their tongues clashed and intertwined. Harry let out a small moan of pleasure. His hands found their way into Draco's silky, soft hair. Harry groaned into the kiss, spurring it to a higher level.

Just then the door was thrown open and a blinding light filled the tiny closet. Harry jerked away from Draco and blinked at the entrance. A figure stood framed in the light. Once Harry's eyes had become adjusted to the light, he recognized Snape's pallid profile. He blushed at being caught in such a compromising position. Draco was nonplussed and waited for Snape to speak.

Snape appeared to be disgusted at finding his favorite student and least favorite student in a closet together.

"Draco, return to your dormitory," Snape directed Draco. Draco gave him a questioning look but recieved no further hints. He shrugged at Harry and left without so much as a goodbye. Harry was left alone with Snape.

"Did you want something, Proffessor?" Harry asked curiously. Snape had not shown much animosity towards him since the war, so Harry was not particularly worried. Snape led Harry over to a lone corridor.

"Potter, I'm going to tell you this once," Snape started, and Harry's confusion increased. "Draco is a lone person. He does not do well in the company of others and frequently uses them for his own pleasure and profit."

"I know," Harry said slowly. Why was Snape telling him this?

Snape regained his old sneer. "Listen, Potter, I don't know what you want from this, but don't count on getting it any time soon." Snape then billowed away down to the dungeons. Harry scowled. Why was everyone so bent on the idea that he wanted Draco in that way?

Harry rolled his eyes, still scowling darkly, and left for his common room. He was lucky and no one hailed him on his way through. He flopped down on his bed and drew his hangings.

'Was it so impossible that I might just want to fool around with Draco and not have a relationship?'

No one seemed to believe him when he said that. Just because he was Harry Potter didn't mean he wouldn't want to be normal. Normal people fool around, right? They don't all become involved in serious relationships right away. Granted, his only real example was Ron and Hermione who'd taken 6 years to figure it out, and they were attached at the hip now.

Harry sighed and turned over onto his stomach, burying his face in a pillow. It suddenly occured to him how ludicrous his previous thought was. Of course he wanted something more with Draco! Had he really been that stupid? Wasn't that what all of this had been about? Harry was so thoroughly confused by this point he couldn't take it anymore.

He got up and crossed the room to his trunk. He dug around inside and grabbed out a potion Snape had made for him months ago after Voldemort's death. It was a potion for a dreamless sleep. Harry popped the cork and took a swig. He barely layed down on his bed before he was out.

****

The next morning, Harry woke up late. Ron was standing at the foot of his bed, standing with his hands on his hips, looking remarkably like Mrs. Weasely.

"Ron?" Harry asked groggily, getting up and rubbing his head, causing his hair to become more messy than it already was. Ron rolled his eyes and grabbed Harry's arm and dragged him out of bed.

"Come on," he said impatiently.

"Why?" Harry asked confused.

Ron scoffed. "You're late!"

"Why didn't you wake me up?!"

Ron shook his head in annoyance and dispair. "I tried. You didn't hear me yelling your name for the last ten minutes? Wait a minute, did you take a potion?" he asked, suddenly suspicious.

Harry sighed and rubbed his forehead. He wasn't supposed to be taking the potions anymore. Since he didn't have anymore dreams, the potions weren't supposed to be used. They all knew, but sometimes Harry took them when he was really tired and couldn't sleep.

Dumbledore had pulled Ron and Hermione aside at the beginning of the year and instructed them that they were to watch Harry closely and that he was not to take the potions anymore. Ever since then, they always admonished him fiercely when they found him using them.

"No," Harry lied, rubbing his head and ruffling up his already messy hair.

Ron pulled Harry close to him and looked into his eyes as though searching to see if they were dialated, like Harry was on some kind of drug. Harry sighed and wriggled out of Ron's grip.

"You did! Hermione's gonna freak! You know you're not supposed to anymore, Harry! They're not good for you!"

"I'm fine, Ron. You're just making us more late." Harry turned away from Ron and began to get ready. Ron didn't leave. He stayed until Harry was dressed and then led him out of the room and through the portrait hole.

Ron stayed by his side all the way down to the potions lab as though he was a flight risk or something. Harry hadn't had much time to get ready that morning. His hair was disheveled, even more so than normal. He had pulled on the closest pieces of clothing available, not really thinking. He was wearing a pair of dark blue jeans and wife-beater t-shirt.

Ron pushed Harry in the room and everyone turned to look at him. Snape sighed in annoyance.

"20 points, Weasley. Take your seat."

Ron grumbled something incorrigible under his breath and took a seat by Hermione. Harry looked around. All the rest of the seats were taken except the one by Draco. Harry slid quietly into his seat and tried to make himself as inconspicuous as possible. Draco was giving him a curious look, but Harry avoided his eyes.

Snape set them to making a Confusing Concoction. Draco got the ingredients, and Harry tried to help, but Draco wouldn't allow it.

"Oh no," he said as Harry tried to add an asphodel root. "I've seen your work. You just sit over here." Harry pouted for a while but agreed that it was probably best. After Snape had rounded their table and left to torture Ron some more, Draco turned to Harry.

"Why were you late?" he asked quietly, eyeing Harry's messy hair. Harry nervously, out of habit, flattened his hair. Draco's eyes narrowed dangerously.

"I just overslept," Harry said.

"So that's what they call it," Draco drawled maliciously. Harry wrinkled his nose in confusion, and Draco bit his lip to control himself jumping the raven-haired boy.

"What?" Harry asked in his naivety.

"What were you doing with the Weasel?" Draco said quietly, enunciating each word, so as to make sure Harry understood his meaning, like he was a five year old. Harry's confusion turned to shock.

"Eww, why would you think that?" he asked, disgusted. Draco gave Harry a condescending look. Harry saw his eyes linger on his lack of clothes and messy hair. "I... We didn't do anything! I really just overslept!"

"Sure," Draco said in a clearly disbelieving voice.

"Really! That is disgusting. Ron is my best mate and Hermione's boyfriend, ugh," Harry said, disgusted.

Draco's eyes flashed with anger as he surveyed Harry.

"Whatever, Potter," he said in a deadly calm voice. "But next time you 'oversleep' you may want to work on your cover story."

"I swear that is not what happened!" Harry tried to defend himself against the unprovoked attack. Draco scoffed but didn't talk to Harry for the rest of the lesson.

Harry was slightly angry at Draco by the end of the lesson. He stalked out huffily ahead of everyone else. Ron gave Draco a dirty look and followed Harry. He found him in a deserted corridor behind a tapestry off the Entrance Hall. He approached cautiously. Obviously Harry was having a bad day.

"Uh... Harry?" Ron said. Harry looked up at him from his place on the floor. He was sitting with his back against a wall and his legs curled up to his chin.

"What, Ron?" he asked in a morose tone.

"Are you okay?" Ron asked, knowing it sounded incredibly stupid. Harry gave him a withering look.

"What do you think?" he asked sarcastically. Ron paused. He didn't like seeing Harry like this. It was as though he had reverted to what he'd been after he'd killed Voldemort. Ron had thought they were past that stage and moving on.

"Harry," Ron started then shook his head. "I'm not cut out for this," he muttered. Harry watched him closely, waiting for more admonishments. "Harry, I just want to help," he said simply. Harry turned his gaze away from Ron and stared at the stone floor.

"I don't think you can help with this, Ron," Harry sighed. Ron sat down beside Harry too. He sighed. He was no good at this. They needed someone else, someone smarter.

"When will you two learn that if you need help, I'll do it!" Hermione came through the tapestry and stood with her hands on her hips glaring down at the two boys. "For heavens sake! It's been seven years!" She walked over to them and pulled them upright by the arms. Harry was staring, astounded, at Hermione.

"But Hermione, there's nothing to do. I lied earlier. This is all my fault. Why did I agee to this arrangement?" Harry diverged and talked to himself. Hermione rolled her eyes.

"Because you wanted something and this was the only way to get it, in your opinion."

Ron and Harry both stared at her in amazement.

"You know everything!"

Hermione blushed slightly but scoffed all the same.

"Don't be silly. I think in order to fix this we might have to do some reconnaissance work." Hermione's eyes lit up at the prospect.

"We're not spies in an old James Bond movie, Hermione," Harry pointed out. Hermione shrugged, and Ron looked between the two.

"James who?" Ron asked, confused.

"Never mind, Ronald." Hermione waved away his question. "The question now is how to do this..."


~*~

A/N: Well, you guys were so generous with Mind Games, I'm posting a new chap of this one too! As soon as I finish one of these, I'll add a few more of my longer fics that I've written while AFF was on hiatus :)

Please review for me! *grin*