Of Ows and Gits

A/N; It`s one of my first attempts at writing, so, please, help me by R/R. Also forgive the grammar mistakes, I did my best but english isn`t my mother language so…

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–Damn, that Malfoy!

Harry stormed the scarcely populated common room of the Gryffindor tower with his two loyal friends in tow following awkwardly behind him. After a good complaining, how was due, he sat ruffly at the empty chair near the fireplace, followed by Ron and Hermione on the couch across from him.

–I know mate, he`s worst than ever. – Ron tried to offer.

–You must not get so flustered, Harry. You’ve got better things to worry about than that prat. – Hermione said calmly – we`ve got to think about you-now-who, now.

Always the voice of reason, Herm called Harry down to reality and out of his flustered rage. Although he, sometimes, even resented her just a little bit for this – this little respites of competition and hate, although infuriating, seemed to be the normalest parts of his life at Hogwarts now, sadly. Sighing he slumped down on the cushions of the chair.

But really, that guy, Malfoy. What was the git thinking? Ron had been right, – Harry thought as he looked at his red headed friend, whose scarlet strands seemed to glow more than ever in the light of the fire, while he`d turned to talk with Hermione – the snotty brat was being worst than ever. Or, perhaps, weirder.

It all began inconspicuously enough. One morning, simply, instead of coming to deliver him letters – or just visit him empty handed after tagging along with the other owls – , Hedwig had flown over to the Slytherin table. While Harry stared dumbfounded, she just went over to Malfoy and perched there, alongside his eagle owl, happily nipping away at his food. And Malfoy didn’t even seem to be surprised at all, the bastard!

Anyone at Gryffindor table, besides himself, seemed to notice either. Harry had to nearly stab Ron with his elbow to make the boy rise his eyes from the food enough to shrug at the sight – where were the conspiracy theories?! – It just… and just remembering the natural look on Malfoy`s face, the way he acted as if nothing out of the ordinary was happening – not even deigning to acknowledge the daggers flying out of Harry`s eyes straight at him – , it made his blood boil! The bastard! Oh, and Hedwig, that traitor! She just wait, not more owl treats were ever coming her way.

But that was just the beginning. The day after the breakfast incident, Harry was happily walking down a corridor – or as happily as someone can when going to potions class – , when he tripped, out of no where, falling on his face amidst the crowd of students heading to the dungeons. Still down, he looked back to see what had caused his fall, and spotting absolutely nothing, he immediately concluded that the lamest, more unoriginal – but strangely effective in the infuriating department – prank of all times could only mean one person.

–Malfoy!

–How are things down there, Potty?

–You stupid bastard! Don’t you ever grow out of this?

–And don’t you ever grow to more inventive insults – as if he was one to talk – , Potter? Anyway, what comes from below doesn`t affect me, you know. Bye, Potty. – and Malfoy, then, walked off.

Growling silently and red faced, Harry gathered his things to stand, avoiding the eyes of the people who actually had the nerve to stop to watch. Argh, how could that prick be so good at infuriating him?! Even with such a small, overused prank he manages to make Harry want to burst, or strangle him. Or both!

But that encounter had been nothing. – if Harry though he couldn’t get more of enemy induced rage, then he was sorrily mistaken – This little jokes to humiliate Harry were scraps next to what Malfoy could do, he`d already done much worse in their earlier years, anyway. No, he was into mind games now, after everything else had failed its goal. If you can`t defeat them, must have though Malfoy – the git – , confuse the hell out of them.

And that`s what he did. A couple of days after the hallway fiasco, when Harry hadn`t yet caught the pattern of Malfoy`s plan – he still attributed the recent events to the normal meanness of his arch nemesis – ,the next step came to action.

Harry was, again, happily eating with his friends on the Great Hall, and – accidentally – caught Malfoys gaze. He`d developed the habit of checking the Slithering`s table after many years of dealing with their maquiavelical ways. He`d noticed that Hedwig hadn`t gone to their table again, – after she`d been devidedly put in her place and had cooed chagrinedly enough – she seemed to have got the point of not mingling with the enemy. So, at having Malfoy`s attention, he smiled smugly at him, clearly enjoying the fact of having spoiled Malfoy`s owl-corruptive plans.

That’s when Malfoy went past just infuriating to oddly…weird. Malfoy smiled at him too, but it wasn’t the same kind as Harry`s – of course not, what would he have to be smug about? He hadn`t defeated anyone`s plans – , it was kinda mischiveous, no, not right, it was as if he knew someone`s secret, more specifically Harry`s. Just plain weird on his pointy face, Harry`d say.

But that’s when the really confusing thing – the next step on Malfoy`s obviously evil plan – actually happened. He looked, momentarily, down and scooped something from his plate, chocolate pudding, and then, fixing Harry`s gaze as if to keep him from looking away, he slowly put an exaggerated amount of chantilly on the dessert on his fork – how come the slyterings have that at their table? – and opened his mouth wide, stuffing the whole thing in it, licking, after he`d chewed and gulped, at the chantilly smearing his lips.

Admitingly, not usually such a big deal, eating dessert, but he`d done all that staring at Harry, with that look on his face! He was clearly provoking him…somehow, wanting to pull Harry into his schemes. But Harry knew better, and when Malfoy had finally ended his show, laughed at Harry`s red face – he didn’t know why he got flustered, damn it! – and turned away, Harry silently vowed to defeat whatever plan the stupid prat had come up with. For sure!

For a few days things seemed to quiet down, Malfoy wasn’t more of a sneering prick then he usually was. But this morning – Harry hadn`t even had time enough to lower his hakles – , the spoiled brad striked again.

Harry was descending from the owlery, not happily anymore, after having wanted to send a correspondence but Hedwig not having been there – if she was turning into a rebel…– so he walked to Gryfindor Tower alone. He was passing through an empty corridor when someone suddenly grabbed him from behind and – even after having heard tons of histories about said corridors and its abandoned classrooms – he hadn`t been prepared.

His attacker got hold of his arms and spun him around, slamming him against the hard wall. Stunned, Harry could only react after already being tightly pinned there, and then started struggling against the stranger. Everything had happened too fast and Harry was in disadvantage, with his chest pressed against the wall by the other`s, his legs positioned awkwardly and forearms held strongly at his sides. Glasses digging uncomfortably on his cheeks, Harry could only growl and curse at whoever – and their mothers – was doing that to him.

That’s when Harry felt a chuckle at the side of his face, followed by the person`s hips pushing roughly against his ass, and, suddenly, if Harry had any doubt that his attacker was a male, he was assured now. Gasping, Harry could feel the blush-of-shame on his face rising, reluctantly, with other parts of is body. Never had another male – or anyone else for that matter – , touched Harry that way, and he swore to maul whoever it was for his humiliation.

Then, the hands holding him let go of their grip to slide up his arms and come to rest on his shoulders, while Harry – too baffled to react immediately – felt another small thrust against his rear.

–Enjoying yourself, Potty?

Harry suddenly gathered power from deep within and threw Malfoy off him. Spinning so quickly around that he almost lost his balance, he held himself against the wall he`d been earlier, forcibly, introduced to.

–Malfoy! – never had the name been spoken with suck fury – What did you think you were doing?! – Harry promptly managed to show just how much he wasn’t enjoying himself by shoving Malfoy across the corridor hard, and moving away from him.

–What, Potter – Malfoy got, then, at full sneering power – , I thought it was clear enough. But maybe the feel I got about you was mistaken? Certainly didn`t seem so.

–What are you talking about? – Harry also had no idea why he felt his face begin to heat again.

Then – oh no, it was back again! That look – Harry felt like he wasn’t reacting properly to the situation – maybe he should`ve mauled Malfoy already – , doing something wrong that would define his doom. But Harry was, for some reason, feeling nervous and couldn’t do much when Malfoy seemed to read something on his face that made his sneer turn into a definitely evil and plotting smile.

–I just wanted to test a suspicion of mine, nothing much. – Ack, evil smile! – What, Potty, did you think I was doing?

Harry didn’t know what to say to that, but he was saved from the worry by the sound of footsteps and talking coming from one of the closest set of stairs. The very public place they were in made him, suddenly, feel he`d figured out Malfoys latest plan for his demisal.

–Malfoy, you git, did you really think you could screw me over?! – Harry couldn’t, for the best of him, help but make a pose, pointing at the outsmarted boy – You`ll never get me!

–Ha, yeah. – going for it too, Malfoy posed smug, hands on hips and all – maybe not today. I wouldn’t want to screw you over in front of people anyway. Never been that exhibitionist myself.

With that, Malfoy turned and excused himself from the scene with a – gasp – lewd smile! Leaving an open mouthed, weirded out Harry on his wake.

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Since then, how Harry`s friends didn’t seem to be all that concerned and neither wanted to solidarize to his cause of figuring out Malfoy. Harry started the investigation on his own. Starting at the first suspect and possible accomplice; Hedwig.

She`d been acting odd too. Since that day at breakfast she never bothered to come again unless to deliver something and then, the rest of the time, never seemed to be anywhere when he looked for her anymore. Maybe she`d already been making herself scarce for a while, but now, Harry decided, it was definitely more noticeable.

With that in mind, Harry took a whole Sunday to wander around the castle grounds to find his missing owl – even if it meant risking bumping into Malfoy after he`d been trying to avoid him.

Around mid-afternoon, when Harry was wandering around the lake, finally tiring of the fruitless search – owls really did know how to vanish, didn’t they? – , he saw a distinct white spot flying towards the castle from the Forbidden Forest.

Cursing and running at the same time – if that wasn’t Hedwig…– Harry managed to follow the bird, that went into a hidden alcove on the outer south wall of the castle. Just, it was a little high, about three meters up the solid rock wall. Gruning and mumbling under his breath, Harry climbed the steep stones and reached the far too cozy if not a little dirty – ugh, owl poo – hole that was quite spacious for two olws. Wait. Two?

–Hedwig!

The scandalized cry managed to get the attention of his not-so-pure-white owl, who blinked startled and a bit worriedly at him, although it only seemed to make Malfoy`s eagle owl annoyed – you know how expressive owls can be.

–Hedwid, how could you! – Harry had trouble getting a good hold on the wall now – What were you doing? Behind my back?!

–Oh my, Potty. I think someone here watches too much soap opera, hmm.

–Ack, Malfoy!!

–You really like to say people`s names like that, don’t you?

Now Harry was definitely loosing balance – oh, all this stress. How was he going to defeat Voldemort that way? – , but before falling to his ultimate concussion, Harry used his super-seeker skills to be able to hold himself more firmly while at the same time looking behind himself to see Malfoy floating there on his broom.

–You bastard! What did you do to my owl?!

–Or, more precisely, `what my owl did to your owl`. Could you quiet down, please? And lets get out of here – Malfoy added upon catching his owls glare – we`re interrupting.

–What?! You..!

He was prevented from speaking just what exactly he thought of the private affairs of their owls by a surprisingly strong arm that, grabbing him around the middle and trowing him across the broom, managed to take advantage of his weak balance to make him cooperate.

Furious, now that his enemy not only seemed to find it all fair and alright with Hedwig and his owls escapades, but the git also seemed to entitle himself with the right to bodily maneuver him like this! Hanging awkwardly from Malfoy`s expensive broom while they sped through the air, Harry decided that he didn’t care what Malfoy`s ultimate plan was anymore, now he just wanted to be able to stand on his two feet again and kill him!

They went through a window, – where had Malfoy gotten the ability to fly through a small, narrow dungeon window with a person practically on his lap he didn’t know – and ended up in a would-be-nicely-decorated-bedroom-if-it-weren`t-for-the-more-than-generous-amounts-of-green-and-silver. As soon as the floor was safely within reach, Harry jumped from the broom and decided that it was all or nothing, if he was going to get some answers he was going to get it now – that’s the spirit Harry!

But unfortunately for Harry, Malfoy didn’t seem to be in a hurry at all, and, recognizing that he was in enemy territory – nobody could possibly mistake It – Harry had to decide to be cautious and wait. He got what he paid for when Malfoy spent all of five scrutiating minutes fixing his broom and stocking it in his armoire.

–Just what is going on, Malfoy? – Harry lost his patience as a good Gryfindor and forcefully dragged Malfoy`s attention to himself – Now you own me an explanation!

–What? There’s nothing going on, yet. – Malfoy began, inocently, but looking at Harry`s expression he must have realized that he was trying it too much – Oh, you mean about the owls. Hedwig just seems to be capable of recognizing a good specimen of her kind, and isn`t into denying herself what she wants. Unlike some people. – that last bit came with a sneer and crossing of arms so obviously meaningful even Harry couldn’t, for the best of his density, ignore.

–Do you, somehow, want to imply that I`m denying myself something?

–I`m not implying anything. I`m outright – Malfoy reached quickly in the recesses of his trunk to grab something and, then, flung it at harry – trowing it on your face.

–What.. – the something was a folded sheet of paper, so even seeker!harry had to scramble to get it – the heck?

Harry unfolded it and what he saw could have done the job of his demise for the Dark Lord. It was a picture, a drawing, of him and…Malfoy…together. And they weren`t just talking either. But before Harry could actually black out from his heart attack he caught the assignature on the paper and knew…

–Damn you, fangirls! – it was said with a lot of vehemence and fists shaking to the skies – Nooo.

–Hey there, you drama queen – had the gall to drawl, the bastard! –, calm down.

–You! You’ve been going trough my mail?!

–No. Of course not. I mean, well, maybe, – Malfoy finally seemed to come out of his cool, for an instant, running a hand through his platinum hair – it wasn’t my fault your owl kept coming to visit Alastor when she was with correspondence. What could I do? We were enemies you know.

–We are enemies, you indiscrete bastard! And I`ll kill you now!

–You can`t harm me, you’ve been fantasizing about me…you want me. – but now Malfoy wasn’t sounding so sure of himself anymore, maybe all of that yelling had had an effect after all. With a scow and arms crossed before himself, he continued – That time in the corridor, you sure felt something.

Why had Malfoy had to remind him of that incident? Now Harry`s face was getting hot again! He couldn’t help it, every time he thought about that, his body reacted.

–I, I was just corresponding with some fans. – Harry tried to recompose himself – I can`t predict it when they are sick of the head and want to pair me up with my nemesis! How could you deduct that I – blush of doom! – wanted you?!

–You don’t? – Malfoy looked genuinely confused – …How can you not? All the tension, all the hatred. It`s clearly there to mask some deep hidden feelings inside you.

–It`s not! And you wanted me to like you to try to defeat and humiliate me somehow, didn’t you? Maybe even a little Death Eater initiation for you, hmm? Not going to work, pal! I know all your plottings, all you evil, sniveling schemes! I can predict and defeat them all before you do anything!…And I certainly don’t like you, either!

For a minute, after his little speech, panting slightly, Harry realised with triunf that Malfoy looked a bit uncool there, as if realizing his total incapability to win. – Ha , that’s right! – But then, his happiness was short lived for, a moment after that, Malfoy seemed to gather all his strength back.

The blond boy, slightly taller than him – No! –, straightened his back and looked down his nose at Harry. The git had glanced at a mirror, that stood somewhere behind Harry, and the look of his handsome, pointy, fair face alone seemed to be all it took to reassure Malfoy back of his earlier position.

–You`re in denial. But don’t worry, I won`t give up. – he smiled evil-sweetly at Harry – You`ll definitely learn better.

Before Harry could do anything – all that green and silver in the room were slowing him down – the blond menace was approaching him.

Panicking – Harry felt that Malfoy wasn’t exactly trying to kill him, and he just didn’t know how to deal with that –, he began to back down from his weird nemesis, until something solid against the back of his knees stopped his strategic retreat.

Looking behind himself, Harry saw that the foul object was, in fact, the side of Malfoy`s bed.

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-WIP-

PS. Has Malfoy`s owl ever been named in the books?