The first thought Harry had in mind was food, if he was going to try to survive today, he couldn't do it on an empty stomach. Even though he knew he was going to puke out everything he consumed. Harry's tummy rumbled, agreeing that he needed food, so he put his glasses on, got dressed and headed down to the Great Hall.

He ignored all the stares and whispers coming from the students, he couldn't care less. Harry just walked on over to an empty seat on the Gryffindor table, completely ignoring the two girls who got up and moved away as he sat down. He restlessly ignored Dumbledore's words as to how the task will begin soon and just stared at the table where the food normally was until it was summoned.

Harry tipped some pumpkin juice into a goblet and took small sips. Maybe just solid foods made him vomit? He doesn't know but he will try everything he can. He heard someone whispering about him, he couldn't quite hear if it were good or bad gossip but either way, he felt depressed. Harry tried to ignore the whispers and kept drinking his pumpkin juice.

Draco looked up at the Gryffindor table and saw Granger bending over and speaking into Harry's ear. Harry just didn't seem to notice her. Harry just stared down at his plate and did not eat. Draco also wished he knew what was going on with Harry and the Weasel. First, they were speaking, then they weren't and now they were.

Draco was slowly sipping his Rose tea and taking small bites from his toast with strawberry jam. He wondered what was going through Harry's head at the time. Merlin knows how stressed and anxious Harry would be. He knew if he was put in the Tri-wizard Tournament he'd try everything he could to get out of it, even if it meant injuring himself.

Ivy and Pansy walked through the Great Hall entrance, arm in arm, and sat next to Draco. "Hi, Dray," they chorused together. They stared at his red chapped face and giggled.

Draco jumped a little in his seat as the girls startled him. He glared at his so-called friends for nearly making him spill his tea. "Hey, don't do that!" he hissed at them under his breath as he didn't want to draw attention to himself. "You guys will be the death of me someday."

Both girls giggled again. They loved annoying the hell out of Draco, it's something they were born to do and it's what they cherish doing. "We love you too," they chorused just like identical twins would.

Draco just glared at them. Why did he even come down to breakfast in the first place? That's right, he came down only for Harry. He wanted to wish him luck in the task, but it seems he missed out on the opportunity just like how he's been trying to ask Harry out for the entire year and ask him to the Yule Ball. "I love you guys too."

"What was that?" Ivy asked with a smile, leaning a little closer to him with a hand cupping her ear. She was just being an idiot like she always tries to put a smile on her cousin's face. Draco calmly took a sip from his Rose tea while telling her that there was nothing to talk about. It's not their business to know that Harry has kissed his cheek. Well, not yet.

Ivy remembered the talk they had last night and chuckled. Then she remembered his face and how red it was. "By the way, your face is very red," she told him earnestly. "You should read chapter 342 of your charms book, Dray." She reached into her robe pocket and took out her round makeup mirror, opening it up so the mirror faced Draco.

Draco glared at the giggling girls and stared at his reflection in shock. His face indeed looked red, so he reached inside his bag for his charms book. He found the page and sighed at it, "Skin-softening charms?"

Ivy nodded at him. She wondered how long his face had been that red. She doesn't remember the redness on his face last night when he came into the common room late from a flying date. "Want me to cast it for you?" she didn't need approval from Draco anyway as she grabbed her wand out, pointed it at her cousin's face and mumbled an unintelligible spell. Draco felt his cheeks start to soften up and cool down.

"Do you think Potter will make it out of the Tournament alive?" Pansy suddenly asked, grabbing a waffle, and squeezing maple syrup on it. She didn't sound worried at all for Harry's life and how it could be at sake, but deep down she was because she knew how much Draco loved him. Any friend of Draco's will immediately be her friend, if they treat Draco right, that is, and Harry does.

Ivy put her wand back away and frowned, she didn't want anybody to die in the Tournament. Hearing that just made her worried to her core. What if something were to happen to Harry? How would that affect everyone, including Draco?

Draco shrugged, not knowing if or How Harry could complete the task alive. But he believed in Harry and whatever brave but obnoxiously dumb plan he would come up with. He took another bite from his toast, eating away his concern for Harry. "I'm not quite sure, but I hope he makes it out alive."

"Yeah," Ivy said with a short nod in agreement. She hoped to Merlin, God, Zeus, Poseidon, Montezuma, and whatever other gods out there that the muggles believed in that Harry would be brave and would make it through the tasks.

Pansy cleared her throat, feeling a little sick at the thought of losing Harry for good. No more 'Golden Boy' or 'Chosen One'. " Let us not talk about death right now please?" she asked of them. "So, Dray? Have you asked him out yet?"

Ivy looked up at her cousin, wondering if he had managed to ask Harry out or not. He's had so many chances that she has heard of and just hoped Draco used up one of those chances. You can't just wait around to ask out your crush. You need to ask them as soon as possible.

Draco shook his head, finishing off his toast and downing the last of his tea. "No, sorry," he said with just a pinch of regret and bit his tongue as he looked Harry's way. The Gryffindor was sitting with his two friends Granger and Weasley and talking about who knows what. "I've been trying but every time I go near him, I get these nervous butterflies in my stomach. It makes it harder to do."

Ivy and Pansy sighed dreamily at what Draco admitted to them. They've heard him say it thousands of times, but it just gets stronger every time he mentions it. Pansy turned to look at Ivy with a knowing smile. "Aww. Did you hear that twin?"

"Hear what?" Ivy asked her but had the direct answer in her head. She loved hearing about the butterflies inside her cousin that make him go wild for Harry, and how nervous he gets. "That my beloved cousin gets butterflies every time he's near Harry?"

Pansy nodded and poked Draco's arm repeatedly, grinning as she saw the annoyance in his eyes. Her work is nearly done. "Exactly!" she then beamed. "Someone is in love with a Gryffindor!"

Draco rolled his eyes at them, now wanting to get away from them. That's just the thing. How can he get rid of these girls without them following him or somehow finding out where he is? "Yeah, you know because I told you like... I'm not sure, a year or two ago that I was in love with him?"

Ivy smirked and started counting her fingers as she told them how many times Draco had said this and that about Harry Potter. "You also told us how amazing Harry is, how you want to snog him every morning, how you want to run your fingers through his beautiful black messy hair, how you want to claim his as yours. Oh, I could just go on and on!"

Pansy smirked also, she loved teasing her best friend about his crush. "Yes, I remember Dray saying exactly that in their second year. He said he nearly came out to Crabbe and Goyle when they were talking about who the heir of Slytherin was too!"

"I- I did not say any of that!" Draco spat with a single stutter, not liking how right they were. He remembers saying something close to what they were saying. He hated how others could be right when talking to him. Why can't he be right for once? "And keep your sodding voice down!"

"Oh yes, you di-id!" Pansy said sassily and clasped her hands together in front of her on the table. She can see it in Draco's eyes at how he hates being corrected. Ha-Ha! She loves being right, especially with Ivy. It's girl Power.

"Did not!" Draco snapped quietly at his friend from across the table. God, he hated her at times. Can't she shut up?

"Did so!" Pansy said coolly while checking out her nails. This was just too easy for her. Of course, she had to have Ivy on her side to win a few arguments. Draco and Pansy glared at each other, but in a minute's time, they broke out laughing.

Draco remembered back in the second year when he, Crabbe and Goyle were talking about the heir of Slytherin and somehow Harry was mentioned in the conversation. "Yeah, you're right," he finally admits with a sigh, rubbing at his face. "I did nearly come out to them. It was hard lying to them as well as faking pure hatred when they mentioned Harry. It was something I'd hated myself doing. I really only got pissed off by Harry."

"Who do you think will win the first tournament?" Pansy then asked to change the topic to something a little more intriguing. But it was still based on the Twi-Wizard tournament.

Ivy shrugged her shoulders, not exactly knowing who would win this big event or not. But she always chooses the girl contestants over the boy ones. "My money is on Fleur."

Pansy gave Ivy a knowing smile, knowing a little as to why Ivy would choose Fleur over the other contestants. The first reason is because she's a girl and has really good looks. "Is it because you find her...hot?"

Ivy smiled dreamily. She definitely thought Fleur was hot, who doesn't? She's a real beauty that is one of a kind and she's not like all the other girls. Fleur's her favourite though even if she hasn't had the fortune of getting the girl in bed with her. She knows Fleur's straight though. Sometimes life isn't fair. "Yeah, that's true. But you both know who I have my eyes on."

Pansy and Draco nodded, knowing who Ivy meant with the tip of their tongues. They could even shout it out to the entire Great Hall but didn't want to do such a terrible thing and humiliate her. "Lavender Brown," they said. Ivy nodded with a faint blush to her pale cheeks.

"Anyway, back to the subject of who'll win," Pansy said, clasping her hands together with a challenging smile on her face like she was about to place a bet. Knowing her, that's definitely most likely to happen. "I think Diggory will win."

"I believe Krum will win; he's definitely got the guts of a champion," Draco said, smiling at the pile of extra toast beside him. Green eyes suddenly popped into his head. Those magnificent and bright green eyes he fell in love with as well as those long black eyelashes, and handsome face. "Or Harry, I have my faith in him."

Ivy half-smiled at the loving look Draco had on his face. She knew he was thinking about a special Gryffindor. In fact, he is always thinking about Harry Potter. The boy never leaves his mind. "Alright, five galleons for the contestant who'll win."

Draco and Pansy nodded. "Deal!" they chorused and held out their hands for a handshake. The three accepted the handshake quickly and got back to eating their breakfast.

Draco couldn't help but think how long he would last if he were the one to face a dragon in place of Harry. He had been livid when he heard Harry's name announced from the goblet. When Draco was younger, he wanted the opportunity to be a Triwizard Champion in order to prove to his father that he was deserving of the Malfoy name. Yet he knew the truth was that last year he was frightened by the hippogriffs and he could not imagine walking with a dragon in a cage.

McGonagall had come over to the Gryffindor table and was chatting with Harry. He stood up and walked away with her as if each day there were dragons battling. Draco felt a surge of anger at McGonagall. Did she really think Harry's best way to brace himself was to sit through all of his morning classes and then spend lunch in the Great Hall packed with cat-calling students? Draco acknowledged much of the disdain coming from the Slytherin table.

Cedric was excused from classes. Draco had seen the Hufflepuff walking around the lake with Professor Sprout earlier last week. Cedric looked like the art of a champion Triwizard. And now Draco realized he had more than enough looks for him. Until this year he had never met the Hufflepuff other than playing Quidditch against him.

Draco eyed Harry's straight back leaving the room. Draco stood up from the table and walked away ignoring the gap-jawed expressions of the Slytherins at the table. He had been watching Harry for three years; he knew that the idiot didn't stop until he couldn't go on anymore. Hopefully, the dragon handlers knew what they were doing.

Harry left the Great Hall after breakfast with McGonagall, Cedric stood up from the Hufflepuff table and left the Hall with them, "Professor, can I talk to Harry, please?" Harry looked up at his professor with a smile, hopefully getting a little bit of freedom to talk with Cedric before the task.

Professor McGonagall sternly looked at Harry, then the Hufflepuff and back at Harry. "Alright, you have a couple of hours," she said with a quick nod. "Mr Potter, you are required to meet me at the tents by 9:20," she said, eyeing Harry's red face curiously as she strolled off.

"What's up?" Harry asked curiously as he watched McGonagall walk towards the entrance Hall. He suddenly felt free, but he sadly wasn't free from competing in the damn Tournament. He wasn't at all excited about the tournament.

"Uhm, just thought that you should... Well, some people might find it suspicious if they noticed two students coming into breakfast, both with bad cases of windburn," Cedric said who looked quite embarrassed and a flush rose up from his neck to his cheeks. "Prefects or teachers might suspect that they were out flying at night, which would get both students in trouble and raise some interesting questions."

Harry groaned, he had noticed that Draco's face was chapped and red at breakfast which was highly amusing to see. He just hadn't thought about his own face. "Oh, erm, we just wanted to relax a little..."

"Page 342 of your Charms book, Harry," Cedric said with a smile and he slapped Harry on his shoulder as he walked away. Harry pulled out his Charms book. He found the page and laughed. Skin softening charms. He made his way back up to the Gryffindor common room. There, he found Hermione.

"Hello, Harry!" Hermione said, putting down a book about jinxes and placing it on the coffee table to her side. She noticed Harry's red chapped skin and smiled. It must have been because of last night. She hoped there was some kissing involved between Harry and Malfoy. "I was right. You were out with Malfoy last night."

"Hey, 'Mione," Harry said with a small smile and his face felt a little warm at the mention of Draco's name. He wished he could see Draco again and talk to him. It wouldn't be fair if only Hermione and Ron knew of the Dragons and he didn't. "Yes, we went flying."

"What!" Hermione snapped at him. She couldn't believe this, and him. Doesn't he know that flying is off-limits since the Tournament has been put in place? "Harry, you know it's n-"

"I know," Harry said with a slight roll of his eyes and looked to the floor so she couldn't see it. "I know it's not allowed but it was dark out and nobody would have been able to see us."

Hermione sighed and shook her head, not knowing how Harry had so much luck even in the most difficult of times. She half-smiled at her best friend, got out her wand, pointed it at his face and cast the skin-softening spell. "So, know what you're going to do in the task today?"

"Nope," Harry said truthfully and shook his head, smiling sadly at her. He just knows he's going to die out there today, everyone knows it actually. He's going to have to say goodbye to Ron and Hermione now before he gets eaten or burnt alive. About Draco, that's just going to be hard. Maybe he'll give him a goodbye kiss in front of everyone?

Hermione groaned and rubbed her face with her hands in complete disbelief and concern. "Harry!" she whispered in a bitter voice. "The task is in a couple of hours; do you know how you're going to distract the dragon?"

"No," said Harry and he rubbed at his neck. He doesn't know how he will make it out alive from this task. What he really needed was luck if he were to survive the dragons today.

Hermione leaned back in her chair and sighed. How was her best friend going to make it through today without badly injuring himself or...dying? How was she going to survive the worry that was etched onto her face from the knowledge that her best friend might not make it through today? However, just like her brain had a full kick on coffee, she had an idea. "Well, we could use a summoning spell," she suggested. "You could summon the sword of Gryffindor or something that can be useful."

"Actually, that is a smart idea!" Harry said and thought of a light bulb appearing over her best friend's head. It seemed real, the light bulb. She always comes up with the best and brightest ideas whenever it's needed.

"Anyway, practice on that book," Hermione said at once and a little strictly, pointing to the book she put down a short while ago. She knew where she was up to, so even if the book fell open onto the floor it would be fine.

"Okay, but how exactly do I summon it?" Harry raised his eyebrows as he asked her. He really didn't have a clue how to summon something. He needed the extra help and was glad he had Hermione as a friend.

"Honestly, Harry! "Hermione said with utter disbelief that her friend doesn't remember a simple spell and bewilderment as Harry doesn't listen to their Charms classes. "Do you not pay attention in class?"

"I pay attention," Harry said but he even sounded unsure of himself. He's usually too depressed to even listen to the professors during class or have daydreams about Draco and dream dates he could go on with him. It's usually the daydreaming and the depressing thoughts muddled together.

Hermione stared at Harry for a moment, really stared at him and wondered how he knew of most spells the teachers ask but not of this simple spell. She just couldn't believe this at all. "Just say 'Accio', then whatever you are thinking of that you need."

Harry cleared his throat and pointed his wand at the book on the table in front of him. Here goes nothing. "Accio book!" The book didn't even move from its position on the table. It just lay there, unmoving.

"It's okay, nobody gets it on their first try," Hermione assured her friend with an encouraging smile. Although, whenever she tries something for the first time, she always gets it right. It's because she always reads about it first in a book and makes sure she knows the hand gestures of the spell and how to say it correctly. "Try again."

"Accio book!" Harry said with a little force and narrowed his eyes at the sight of the book. Still, the book didn't teleport to his hands. It did move a little towards the end of the table but that's it.

"Try to clear your mind when you say the spell, Harry," Hermione said slowly and she sounded quite calm and not firm. She was calm. How was Harry supposed to get this right before the task? It was even impossible to think that Harry would make it out alive. "Oh, and try thinking of something you like, Harry."

Harry closed his eyes and tried to clear his mind, but all the depressing thoughts were clogging his mind. He thought about everything he liked. Quidditch, Treacle Tarts and Draco. Then he opened his eyes, pointed his wand at the book and said, "Accio Book!" The book flew right into his hands, and he gripped it with ease.

"Good job, Harry!" Hermione beamed and cheered for her friend. She just hoped Harry would remember this spell and not forget it when the time came to use it. "Make sure to practice that until the task, won't you?"

"Will do, Hermione," Harry said and nodded firmly as a promise. "Thank you for helping me." He always wondered what he would do without Hermione by his side. Knowing himself, he'd probably have failed all of his subjects if it weren't for meeting her.

"It's no problem, Harry," Hermione said with a smile and she pointed to her book then at herself. She just wanted her book back so she could get back into reading 'The Maze Runner'. "May I please have my book back?"

Harry looked down at the book in his hands which was titled 'The Maze Runner' and nodded. "Sure," he said as he handed Hermione her book. "Anyway... I'm going to head down to the task now. Don't want to be late." He then waved goodbye but gave her a tight hug as if it was her last, then made his way down to the lake for some peace and quiet before the awful event that was sure to leave him dead.

Harry just sat there in silence, listening to the birds chirp, watching the lake for any signs of the giant squid, and watching the ripples run up the shore a little. He sat there, even when the task was being set up, waiting until he could start and get the task over and done with, hopefully, without getting killed.

"If I do die, I won't have to deal with Moldy Voldy anymore," Harry told himself, sighing at the realization that he was talking to himself. "Someone with much more knowledge than me can deal with him. Plus, I won't have to deal with my depressing life and the punishments I get from the Dursleys."

Harry saw a pebble a few meters away from him. Why not give it a go? Hermione had told him to keep practising. "Accio Pebble!" he said, but it didn't move. He frowned but tried again. "Accio Pebble!" he said again, the Pebble flew right into his hand. Harry kept practising with rocks, pebbles, butterflies, and many other Earthly items until he heard his name being called.

"Mr Potter?" called Professor McGonagall, standing a few meters away from him. She had no idea how her student would survive this. "The task is about to begin." Harry looked up at Professor McGonagall and nodded. He then got up off the ground and started walking off in the direction of the big tents with his professor by his side.

*****

The First Task

As Draco got down to the stands with Ivy, Crabbe, Goyle and Pansy, he couldn't help but worry for Harry. By the sounds coming from the stands, he heard roaring dragons. He shook the worry off his face and put on his Malfoy Mask, hiding his real emotions from plain sight. He climbed the stands and sat in the middle of Victor and Harry's side. Draco could clearly see a sea of black and yellow from the Hufflepuff and Ravenclaws where he sat, even some of the Slytherins were wearing yellow but most of them wore black robes.

Draco watched the tents where the contestants all were, probably talking about how to complete the task. That's where he saw the dragons in their cages. He spotted the Hungarian Horntail first. It was the angriest beast of them all. It was smacking its tail against the cage, trying to break down the walls.

"What's taking so long!" Pansy whined as she looked down into the ring with a bored expression. She wanted to see some actual dragon bashing and hair on fire. She just doesn't want her hair to be on fire otherwise she'll sue these dragon keepers.

Blaise rolled his eyes at his friend, hating how she could act like a baby at times. "Quit your whining, Pansy," he drawled at her. "By the look on Dumbledore's face, the tournament is about to start."

Bagman held his wand to his throat and mumbled something, and then he spoke in a loud voice. "Welcome all to the first task, our contestants will be trying to grab the golden egg from the dragon's nest," he told them all. "It's a tricky job to do, having to distract a dragon for a short period of time. Let's see how lucky our contestants are with these dragons. Let the tournament begin!"

Draco watched as the Hufflepuff contestant, Cedric Diggory, walked out of the tent and into the arena. The Hufflepuff was tall but compared to the arena, he looked like he could easily be squashed by a fly. As soon as the bell rang, Cedric looked around his surroundings, seeing a big rock and transforming it into a puppy.

That was quite impressive, Draco had to admit as he watched the Dragon fire its flames at the dog. Cedric kept to the sides, slowly making his way over to the egg. Before he had the chance to grab the egg, the Dragon glanced over at Cedric and shot its fire breath at him.

Draco held his breath, scared to see what could happen. Cedric ducked in time, and when the Dragon wasn't looking, he quickly grabbed the egg and jumped back down under the rock to dodge more flames. Draco sighed in relief, glad to see Cedric wasn't burnt to a crisp.

Draco watched as Cedric ran for the tents, the dragon keepers putting up a shield, so Cedric got out uninjured. Draco saw that Cedric had smoke coming off him, only a little so it wasn't too damaging.

"Oh, my goodness!" Pansy said with a wide excited grin, pointing to the doorway of the tent. Fleur was finally out to play with the Dragons, but she was confused at the doll in the French girls' arms. Was it to throw at the dragon and give it a hug? Not likely.

Draco looked over to where Pansy was staring and saw Fleur come out of the tent. He didn't really pay any attention to her and what she was doing. The last thing he saw was that the dragon was sleeping, with what looked like a doll and Fleur walked away with the egg. He chuckled at the sleeping dragon.

"The Dragon fell asleep with a dolly," said Goyle, snickering at how weak the Dragon appeared to be. "Such a weakling! What else does it need? It's mommy?" Crabbe also snickered at the insult to the dragon.

Draco looked up at his cousin and noticed that she was frowning. She obviously heard the rude remarks from Goyle about the Dragon. Draco always wanted to know what was going through Ivy's brain every once in a while, so he could figure out what was making her so depressed. All because of her darn abusive mother, who hates her so much. He blinked away those thoughts  inhis head to pay attention to the ring below him.

Draco watched as Victor Krum was the third to come out of the tent and he applauded Viktor with his fellow Slytherins. Victor ran around the ring, firing spells at the Dragon. Draco got quite bored, just watching Krum firing spells at the Dragon. It took him a couple of minutes to actually distract the dragon by firing a blinding curse at the dragon's eye. Viktor ran for the egg, grabbed it, and ran back into the tent without a sweat.

Draco started to get sweaty hands knowing Harry was next. He just couldn't bear knowing Harry wasn't going to make it, but he had faith and hope. He had a lot of it too. "Harry's next," he mumbled.

"Yes, Dray," Pansy said, giving him a knowing smile. It was so obvious he was concerned for Harry's life even when surrounded by people who think Draco still 'hates' Harry. "We know he's next. Scared you might lose the bet, now do you?"

Draco glared at Pansy, not understanding why he should be teased because of his crush on Harry. "You know exactly what I'm feeling," he snapped at her, hoping she got the jest. "Don't make me feel any worse, Pansy."

Pansy rolled her eyes at him and pouted as she said, "Scared you may lose your little Potter boyfriend?"

Draco kept the angry glare on his 'Supposed to be' best friend. How dare she even say that in front of everyone though the sound of being Harry's boyfriend warmed him within. "Oh, come off it!"

Then the door to the tent opened and out came Harry. Harry looked up at the stands and then looked at the angry Hungarian Horntail. He watched the dragon, the dragon watched him. The dragon roared and fired its flames at Harry as it was guarding its nest. Harry ducked below a rock just in time so the dragon couldn't fire its flames at him. He got up and crawled around the sides, coming closer and closer to the dragon.

Draco watched as Harry peeked his head up above a rock, but the dragon saw and slammed its tail at Harry. Harry ducked in time, but a ton of small rocks fell on him. Harry quickly pushed the rocks off him and got up, running zigzag towards the dragon but the dragon fired its flaming breath at Harry. Harry ducked again, running from one side of the ring to the other side.

Pansy and Blaise's facial expressions gave a painful look and they mumbled, "Ouch!" while rubbing at their arms. They were glad they weren't in the ring with that Dragon, but they were worried for Harry's life.

Draco watched as Harry kept to the sides, ducking behind rocks as the dragon tried hitting him with its tail. Harry whipped out his wand and shouted something. Draco tried to listen to what Harry shouted, but the yells of all the other Hogwarts students made it hard. "What in Salazar Slytherin is he doing?" he asked at once looking down at Harry worriedly, but he had his Malfoy Mask in place.

Crabbe snickered at the thought of Potter dying in the ring, coming out all grilled like a burnt toast. Everyone would be laughing at it. But that's what he thinks. "Not sure and I do not care about him," he said boldly smirking at his friends, waiting for them to give him big hopeful grins or something to show gratitude but nobody did.

Draco elbowed Crabbe hard in the ribs for his rudeness. How dare the git not like Harry because Harry's just a wonderful human being who deserves all the love and attention in the world. "Oww!" Crabbe whined and rubbed at his ribs.

"It's my role to be rude to Potter, not yours!" Draco said angrily as his nostrils flared, but he was feeling himself smile. He just wanted Harry to make it out of the task alive. It's all he ever wants right now. If he had to choose from a holiday to Greece or somewhere, new presents and new clothes over Harry, he would choose Harry right away. Pansy gave Draco a funny knowing look and rolled her eyes, muttering something unintelligible.

Draco studied Harry's face and saw a tiny smile come into view. He turned to see what Harry had spotted and saw something tiny fly towards him. He then knew that it was Harry's firebolt. "Genius!" He beamed and watched as the firebolt flew over the heads of those in the top row of the stands and straight into Harry's arms.

Harry quickly mounted his firebolt and flew towards the dragon, doing a barrel roll over the fire-breathing dragon to escape its flames. Everyone in the stands had leapt to their feet, cheering and applauding Harry as he just escaped the dragon. Harry kept teasing the irritated dragon, soaring over its head, and under its legs until the Dragon swung its tail at Harry.

Draco couldn't see whether the tail had done any damage to the Gryffindor's shirt since it was fully red. It appeared that Harry was fine and that he wasn't damaged by the tail as he soared over the Dragon, grabbed the golden egg and flew over Draco and his friends. Draco watched as Harry zoomed out of view on his Firebolt, the Dragon chasing after him.

Ivy suddenly jumped down from the seat she was on and sighed defeatedly as she searched through her black purse for a few galleons. "Well, Dray," she said, handing Draco five Galleons. "You won the bet."

Draco smirked and turned to look at an annoyed-looking Pansy. "You lost, remember?" Pansy rolled her eyes and gave Draco 5 galleons. "Thank you to both of you."

As Harry was out flying the Dragon from who knows where Draco began to remember back when he first got to meet Harry. When he first met him in Madam Malkin's Robe shop, he remembered that his heartbeat was beating faster than ever. That day, he actually thought that he was having a panic attack, but now he knows what that feeling is. Draco smiled to himself, feeling that familiar beat of his heart quicken as he was thinking about Harry Potter. But he always used his Malfoy Mask to hide his true emotions, because according to his father 'Malfoys don't show their emotions'. Draco blames it on his father and how he wants the Malfoys to be these perfect pureblooded wizards.

Draco recalls trying to flirt with Harry loads of times, but people only thought he was being his 'normal' rude self. Like last year in Hagrid's class with the Hippogriff, Draco kept checking Harry out a lot to show him his true feelings, but he never truly saw how he really felt.

Draco just loved Harry's eyes. Just look at them. Those beautiful Emerald Green eyes. I could get so lost in them if I could, he thought to himself. His skin looks so kissable. His face, that handsome face looks so kissable as well. His hair, even though it's ridiculously messy, looks so soft and fluffy, I'd love to run my hands through his hair but, a guy can dream. Draco blushed as he noticed he was staring and was trapped in his own thoughts until Crabbe elbowed him in the ribs for payback and Draco glanced at him angrily.

Draco felt relieved when Harry flew back to the ring. All of Hogwarts, Beauxbaton, and Durmstrang applauded and congratulated Harry. Draco saw Harry looking over towards Weasley and Granger, and they both gave Harry a thumbs up. He watched as Harry glanced up at him, he saw an actual smile planted on Harry's lips and it made him forget he was staring and made eye contact with him. He felt himself flush but quickly looked away.

He really wanted to go and ask if Harry was okay, the cut the Hungarian Horntail's tail did to Harry looked quite painful. He sighed and walked down the stairs of the stands with Ivy and Pansy, heading back up to the castle. As soon as they left the stands, Draco felt the need to see if Harry was okay. "Be right back, guys."

Ivy and Pansy exchanged knowing looks and smiles and continued walking back to the castle. They knew he was going to check up on Harry. But the problem was if Draco was allowed in to see Harry. They didn't know if friends were allowed into the hospital tents or not.

Draco hurriedly walked back towards the tents, passing students going in the opposite direction to him. He fastened his pace and began jogging, as soon as he knew it, he was outside the hospital tent. Draco hid behind one of the flaps and glanced inside the tent, seeing no teachers in sight. He walked into the tent, looking from bed to bed until he crashed into someone. "Sorry."

Cedric Diggory looked down at Draco in pure confusion. He knows students and not even friends are allowed into the tents to see the contestants. "Malfoy, what on earth are you doing here?"

"I... I wanted to see you," Draco said simply and scratched the side of his neck. Clearly, his lie was not good enough because Cedric shook his head. As a Slytherin, it should be easy to lie. It's easy to lie to everyone except Harry, of course. It must be because Cedric's a few years older than him that he can see what a lie is and what's not.

"You wanted to see Harry, didn't you?" Cedric asked him lightly with a smile. Knowing the secret friendship Draco and Harry have, he just knows these two obviously care deeply for one another. It's honestly quite beautiful. Too bad they can't see their love for one another.

Draco sighed as the Hufflepuff knew exactly why he snuck in here and he nodded. He just hoped to Merlin Harry was okay, both mentally and physically. "Is he okay?" he asked with a serious look on his face. He just needed to know how Harry was.

Cedric gave him an assuring nod. Harry was so lucky today and he would give Harry the bloody cup just because he made it this far. "He has a scar from here," He ran his finger from his left shoulder horizontally down to the right side of his upper stomach. "To here."

Draco bit his lip as he wondered how Harry would be right now. A scar? He hoped it wouldn't be too noticeable, not that it didn't matter or anything. "Did Pomfrey say your face and hair will be..." He trailed off, looking at the orange paste on Cedric's face worriedly.

"She said my hair will grow back and that it won't leave a mark," Cedric said with a laugh and gave Draco a knowing smile before walking towards another tent with Draco by his side. "So, what's with you caring for Harry now? I mean, I know you two are friends now and all..."

"I care for people, not like my father ever does," Draco said with a smile towards the tent Harry could be in. He couldn't wait to see Harry. "I'm more of my mother than my father, even though my father thinks I'm like him. When I was younger, I sort of wanted to be like my father. That was until I realized how obnoxious and rude my father can be to others."

Cedric opened the flap of another hospital tent and spotted Harry sitting on his bed, staring at the floor. "I'm good to talk to, Draco," he tells him. He knows the Slytherins have a disliking to Hufflepuffs which doesn't bother him at all. "If you want to talk to me about anything, just ask."

Draco nodded his head, looking over at Harry. "I know," he says and suddenly feels a heating sensation rise to his cheeks and a sudden hatred at the Dragon who did this to Harry. "Thank you, Cedric."

Harry looked up at the two boys who entered into the tent. One was older and the other his own age. "Draco? What are you doing back here? Only contestants are allowed to visit me." He knows only Cedric's allowed back here to talk with him, but not Draco. He wouldn't mind Draco breaking a rule or two just to see him. But the thought of Draco getting in trouble all because of him crossed his mind.

Cedric smiled and looked at Draco, then at Harry. "I think this is my cue to leave," he said as he wanted these two to have a secret talk with each other. He has a feeling something interesting will surely happen. "Farewell, boys." He wasn't going to leave. Instead, he wanted to watch them.

"Oh, okay," Harry said with a small smile and watched as Cedric turned around after smiling at them and went to the exit of the tent. "Goodbye, Cedric."

Draco watched as Cedric left the tent. When the Hufflepuff was completely out of his sight he turned his head back to the raven-haired Gryffindor sitting on the hospital bed. His face softened and he furrowed his eyes worriedly, "So, how are you feeling? I saw what the Dragon did to you, is it bad?"

Harry gave Draco a questioning look but shook his head. "I'm fine," he told him. Yet again another lie but he was fine with the Dragon scar. It will heal eventually It's just the mental pain he feels inside. "The scar has been disinfected and patched up. Madam Pomfrey gave me pain-relief potions, I can tell they work because I feel really fuzzy."

Draco nodded, agreeing with Harry on the hateful fuzzy feeling from those potions. He remembered last year, breaking his elbow from the Hippogriff, and having to take the potion. "I understand how you feel," he told him in a soothing voice and placed a hand on his shoulder. "I hope you feel better, Harry."

"Thank you, Draco," Harry said and tried not to frown, but having Draco's hand on his shoulder somehow helped him. Everything he had just done in the task had drained him both emotionally and physically. He knew what he needed to do but it was too dangerous and hadn't a clue how long he would have to wait until he could go back up to the castle.

Draco smiled at him, but he saw the familiar dull look in the Gryffindor's eyes and looked at him sympathetically. "It's no problem at all, Harry." He hopes that one day Harry will tell him what goes on in that mind of his and how he can help him.

Harry blinked; he still had to ask Draco about what happened in class the other day and What Draco wanted to ask him. "So, the other day in class..." he said and trailed off a little. He blinked again and thought about how to say this. "I forgot which class it was to be exact and you were going to ask me something. Do you by any chance remember what it was?"

Draco remembered clearly what he wanted to ask; he just didn't have the guts to actually ask the question right now. He decided to lie, even though he hated lying to this amazing guy. His good friend. "No, sorry," he said and regretted lying already. "I've forgotten what I wanted to ask you."

Harry looked down to the ground and sighed. He was hoping Draco remembered because it sounded very important. "Oh, it's okay."

Draco studied Harry's demeanour, seeing as he looked sad like always. Every time he asks if Harry's okay, he gets the 'I'm fine' lie. He wanted to know what was up with him but didn't know if he should ask. "Are you alright?"

Harry nodded slowly, still looking at the ground with a blank expression. "Yeah, I'm fine." Another lie it was, and he's not too happy about it. He wishes he could tell Draco but if he does, he just knows Draco will throw him to the side of the footpath and walk away after calling him a freak.

Draco recognized those familiar words; Ivy had always used those words to mask how she really was feeling. He also recognized those eyes that looked so lost to the world, so emotionless. He noted to himself that he should keep a close eye on Harry for a while.

He walked over to Harry's bed and sat down, smiling gently at him. He reached up and ran his fingers slowly through the Gryffindor's hair, feeling the softness of his raven locks through his fingers. It made the Gryffindor's cheeks tinge red. "Well, I must head off now," he told his favourite Gryffindor friend. His only Gryffindor friend actually. "Don't want my fellow Slytherins searching the whole castle for me in packs."

Harry started to chuckle at the image of Slytherins transforming into wolves and swarming the corridors of Hogwarts in a pack looking for their alpha. Would Draco actually be the alpha of the Slytherin house, or would that position be for Snape? It didn't really matter anyway. "Okay then."

Draco smiled at himself for making Harry laugh. Seeing the boy laugh and smile always made his day brighten up a lot, especially if he's having a hard time caring for Ivy because of how she runs off and hides who knows where. Harry's smiles were like the sun, they could lighten up the darkest room and they brightened up Draco's day.

"Draco?" Harry looked at him, staring into silver orbs. He could get so lost in them. No, he's already getting so lost in those silver eyes that belong to his crush. 'The eyes are the pathways to the soul', he remembers hearing something similar from the muggle world, but he just didn't know where.

Draco really didn't want to leave, but he knew Ivy and Pansy would be starting to worry about his whereabouts. "Yes, Harry?" he asked in a dreamy-like voice.

"Thank you," Harry said, smiling sweetly at the Slytherin. All that mattered was that he tried. He was smiling a little, but it didn't reach his eyes.

Draco raised one of his blonde eyebrows, not knowing why he was being thanked by Harry. What did he do? He doesn't remember doing anything other than coming here. "What for?"

"For checking on me," said Harry a little sadly. He wished Hermione and Ron had come to check up on him, but they didn't. He knew they couldn't, but best friends were supposed to be there for each other, right? "Only Cedric and Professor McGonagall have come to visit me."

Draco nodded sadly. What did he mean 'only the professor came to see him?' Surely Harry's friends were allowed in, weren't they? "It's no problem at all, Harry," he said in a comforting tone. He moved closer and gave Harry a big hug as he needed it so badly. He could have lost Harry today then what? He didn't even want to think that.

Harry could smell something utterly familiar coming from Draco. Citrus and Vanilla. But Harry didn't know where he had recently smelt it from, other than Draco, of course. Draco could feel Harry wincing in the hug which he pulled out and studied him. "I'm so sorry!"

Harry shook his head with a little smile. He didn't want Draco to apologize for anything if he didn't even do anything. "Don't be sorry Draco and thank you!" he told him gently. "I'm still a bit sore from the Dragon."

Draco gave Harry a reassuring smile and placed a hand over Harry's chin. He doesn't actually know why he did that. His actions and body works in mysterious ways when with Harry. "I hope you get better, Harry."

Harry blushed slightly at the gesture, actually wishing that hand was intertwined with his. "Thanks, Draco. I'll see you soon I hope."

Draco nodded but hesitated, staring right into green emeralds. He leaned forward, his hand on Harry's cheek slightly pushing Harry towards him and he kissed the Gryffindor's cheek. Harry's cheeks felt so warm and soft to the touch. He leaned away after disconnecting his lips from Harry's cheek and smiled at the rosiness moving across Harry's cheeks. The Gryffindor was blushing. "Promise me you won't try to do anything stupid like this again?" he asked with an affectionate smile and felt the blood run down to his cheeks, giving him a blush.

Harry's cheeks reddened even more from the kiss; he could not believe Draco had kissed him. The same warm lips he had kissed back in the library's secret room had kissed his cheek. They were so warm and sent pleasurable shivers down his spine. "I-I promise, Draco," he stuttered and smiled sweetly at the blonde snake. "T-Thank you."

Draco nodded and still could not believe he just kissed Harry. He sighed deeply and stood up from the bed, not losing eye contact from the gorgeous Gryffindor on the bed. "I must go, Pansy and Ivy will be worried."

"Oh, okay," was all Harry could say as he was still stunned from the kiss the Slytherin gave his cheek. He could still feel Draco's kiss lingering on his cheek. He recalled what Fred had said to him back at the dancing practice, 'I am never washing my cheek again'. Harry laughed eternally on the inside and thought the same thing. "Goodbye, Draco". He gave a little wave to the Slytherin.

"Farewell, Harry," Draco said with a wave goodbye. He turned to leave for the exit with a bright smile planted on his face. He heard Bagman's voice echoing throughout the arena, announcing Harry's scores. There was a moment of silence as the crowd did the math and a roar of excitement as they realized that Harry had tied Krum for first place. Unbelievable, Draco thought with a groan. How does he do that?

*****

Harry was just resting on the bed in the tent, he had just been patched up from where the Hungarian Horntail scratched him. Harry was going over the conversation he had with Draco not long ago, as well as when Draco kissed his cheek. The kiss. It was the most memorable thing he could remember. It was so soft, so warm and made his insides tingle all over. He felt truly amazing and wondered what it would feel like to have those lips kiss his own. It also made him realise that yes, Draco liked him back. Friends don't kiss each other.

In a matter of minutes, Professor McGonagall came in from another tent and interrupted Harry's train of thoughts. "Mr Potter? Please come and join the others, it's about the egg and about the next task."

Harry nodded and followed the Professor into the bigger tent. He realized that he wasn't the only one who got a little hurt. Cedric was missing some patches of his hair, he also had yellow paste on his face which Harry didn't see before. He smiled at Cedric, non-verbally asking if he was okay.

Cedric nodded and smiled back at Harry. "So, how'd the talk with Draco go?" he asked in a curious tone, nudging the younger bloke on his arm. "What did he ask?" He unfortunately didn't get to hear much when he tried listening in to them. He got caught by Krum and had to make up a quick excuse.

Harry shrugged. He didn't know if he should tell Cedric about the kiss or not even if it was the most exciting thing that has ever happened to him. "Nothing much," he told him, careful about saying anything that could relate to his health. "He just asked me how I was doing and how classes have been."

Cedric nodded. But then he looked a little curious for Harry's sakes. "You know, he seemed pretty eager to find you when I found him."

Harry blushed and looked down at the floor, smiling and rubbing at his neck. "Heh. Really?" he said, a little intrigued about what Cedric and Draco talked about. "Did he say anything about me?" Yet again it wasn't a question.

Cedric shook his head, a sad smile appeared on his face. "No, sorry to burst your love bubble," he said a little regrettably, knowing Harry really likes Draco. "Although, he really seemed worried about you."

Harry smiled and looked back up at Cedric. He quite enjoys knowing Draco and other people do care about him. But that's just what he thinks. "It's alright," he had said. "It's been new for me to hear he cares for me even since the start of the year. Oh, and-he-sort-of-kissed-me-on-the-cheek-after-you-left."

Cedric laughed joyfully, but also with a little surprise. That was definitely something new to hear and he was glad he heard about it. "You have no idea, don't you?" he asked him with a knowing smile. He just wants to tell Harry what he believes but he'll leave that for Harry to figure out.

Harry furrowed his eyebrows, a little confused with what Cedric was telling him. "Excuse me? No idea about what?"

Cedric kept his knowing smile on his lips and asked himself how Harry could be so oblivious. "Never mind that," he said and patted Harry on the shoulder, congratulating him with the kiss Draco gave Harry. "Let's head to the others, I'm sure they're ready to tell us about this... golden egg."

Harry nodded and followed Cedric to another tent. As he entered, he looked around the room and saw Fleur and Krum. Fleur looked alright, although, she did seem a little burnt. Krum looked better than the rest of the contestants, it was like he'd fought a dragon before.

In stunned shock, Harry listened to Bagman talk about the eggs and the clue for the next task. He had survived the dragon and was tied for first place in fact. He uncomfortably moved the egg to his other arm, his shoulder still stung where he had been cut by the Horntail spike. At last, they were sent on their way by Bagman and Harry turned to walk out of the tent. Harry definitely needed a rest; he was so exhausted from how much running and flying he needed to do to escape the dragon. In fact, this whole task distracted him from his depression.

Before Harry could make it up to the castle, Viktor walked up to him with a smile on his face. " 'ello," he said, making Harry stop and turn around. He had something to ask but it was a little hard to ask in English.

"Uh... Hello," Harry said with a fake smile. Viktor had never talked to him since he got to the United Kingdom, so this was a little awkward for him. He seems like a nice guy but was he really or is it all an act?

"Vant to take a valk?" Viktor then asked.

Harry shrugged his shoulders; he didn't know if this was a trick or not. He did know Viktor learnt stuff about the Dark Arts at his school so he could easily knock Harry to the ground and curse him. "Sure, why not."

Viktor smiled down at Harry and led him out into the Grounds of Hogwarts, not seeing the emptiness in the boy's eyes. They were heading towards the Forbidden Forest, Harry still felt as if this were a trick but didn't really care at all. He knows it's practically suicide risking going towards the Forbidden Forrest with Viktor but... He was suicidal.

" 'ow little are you?" Viktor asked him, raising an eyebrow at the younger boy beside him. The sudden question brought Harry out of his dark thoughts.

Harry looked up at Viktor with confusion, he didn't know if that was an insult or not. He doesn't care if it's an insult though. He can take whatever comes his way. "Little?" said Harry as he fumbled with the hems of his sleeves. "What do you mean, little?"

"Az in yearz," Viktor said and placed his hand on the small of Harry's back which he could easily reach because of his long arms. He was leading Harry further down towards the Forbidden Forest, away from everyone else.

"Oh," said Harry, then feeling a little uncomfortable with what Viktor was doing. He swears that hand is moving down south to where it shouldn't be going. He quickly stepped away from the older bloke's grasp and said, "I'm 14."

Viktor nodded, feeling a little dejected that he didn't have Harry in his grasp anymore. Sometimes life is unfair, but having an unfair life isn't that rare when you're a Quidditch World Star. "You ride very vell on a broom. Firebolt, iz it not?"

Harry kept staring blankly down at the grass, not knowing where this conversation was going to go. "Thanks, and yeah," he said with a short woeful nod. "I have a Firebolt." Why was he even here? He could be up at the castle in front of a nice warm fireplace, warming his fingers and toes with the golden egg somewhere away from him where he doesn't have to worry about it.

"Ve should play Quidditch together sometime," Viktor then said as he looked down at Harry. That was easy. It would have been easier to say it in his native Language, but the young Gryffindor just doesn't know about the language.

Harry didn't understand what he was hearing. Did Viktor Krum, a world-famous Quidditch player ask if he wanted to play with him? It sounds like a dream come true to huge Quidditch fans. "Sure, it sounds fun," he said flatly as he didn't want the Bulgarian to be disappointed in him. After all, the bloke invited him to play Quidditch with him. "I'll think about it when I don't have mounds of homework to do."

"And, I think you have very good friends too," Viktor said with a smile at Harry. He crossed his arms over his chest, but it wasn't to block out the cold.

"Yes, I have very good friends," Harry said and smiled a little; he knew that without hesitation. His friends, including Draco, were really incredible even though they had no idea what he was going through.

Krum slapped him on the back, but it wasn't too hard. "Maybe someday vhen this is all over, vhe vill meet in a game of Quidditch?" With a brief smile, the Bulgarian walked away from Harry and rejoined Karkaroff who had been glaring at Harry from outside the tents.

Harry, Cedric, and Fleur all headed back up to the castle and to their dormitories for the rest of the day, until it was lunch or dinner. As Harry opened the Pink Lady's portrait to the Gryffindor's common room, he was greeted by every Gryffindor he knew and didn't know. He gave them all a fake smile while they congratulated and applauded him, much like after he got the egg. Harry honestly needed some rest, so he walked past everyone and made his way up to the dormitory.

Surely enough, he was greeted by Dean, Neville, and Ron. "Congrats, Harry," all three boys said to Harry, smiling, knowing he made it out alive with only a scar.

"Thanks, guys," Harry said with a little smile and greeted them all with high fives. He never really expected everyone to be cheering for him when he was tied for first place with Viktor.

"It's no problem, Harry," Dean said with a slight dismissed wave. "We're all just glad you made it. It would have been completely sad to see you get terribly hurt or killed in that ring."

"Ye have no idea how much ye mean to us all even though we're dormmates," Seamus finished for him. "Ye're like brothers to us all, Harry. Brothers we never had, except Ron of course. How many brothers does he have? Five, not including him?"

"Yeah, that sounds about right," said Harry, agreeing with them all. But when hearing Dean and Seamus say how much they care for him really got to him. Do they care for him or are they just saying it to make him feel better from the event he participated in? "Can I please go and rest?" he added as he knows he needs to rest right now. He honestly just wants to think back to the time when Draco kissed his cheek. "Merlin knows I need it." He yawned, taking off his dirty clothes whilst replacing them with his school robes and flopping onto his bed.

"Sure thing, Harry," Neville said softly as Ron and Dean nodded at him to let Harry rest silently on his bed until he awoke.

*****

His footsteps filled the corridor with sound as Harry rushed to Herbology, he was almost 20 minutes late. Bagman had scheduled a morning press conference for all of the champions. The same insane questions were asked again and again. Finally, Cedric and Harry had been excused to leave. The burns had healed on Cedric's face, but his hair was still missing on the left side of his head. Cedric had laughed good-naturedly when the photographer suggested that he stand with his right side facing the camera.

Harry walked into Sprout's classroom and froze. Everyone in the classroom was standing up and shouting. In the center of the chaos were Draco and Ron covered in soil. Hermione was shouting at Draco and Seamus was holding her back. Harry pulled out his wand and rushed forward. "What the hell-"

"Harry Potter. Put your wand away!" Professor Sprout moved forward, pushing students out of the way to get to the pair. "You are late. I'm sorry but I have to give you a Detention. You may serve it tonight with Mr Malfoy, who-" Professor Sprout turned and stared down at Draco, "somehow is incapable of growing up and stopping a dirt fight before it gets out of hand. And Mr Weasley, ten points from Gryffindor for actually throwing dirt around the room." Draco nonchalantly hid his hand under the table, dropped the dirt on the floor and walked away.

The Gryffindors shouted with outrage at the injustice. "Please, quieten down and get back to moving the Wiggentree saplings into a larger pot," Professor Sprout said and went back to the front of the room. Harry, bewildered at what had happened before he entered the room, wiped some dirt from Ron's shoulders. Ron grunted and rubbed the dirt from his hands. "You okay?"

"Yeah." Ron was looking around Harry, trying to see where Draco was. "I don't know what happened," he told Harry innocently. "We were just getting the soil and he shoved past me and then I shoved him back and threw dirt at him..."

Hermione looked over her shoulder at the Slytherins, glaring at them. "We better get to work before Professor Sprout decides to take more points," she said, and her two friends agreed with her with a nod. Ron walked back to the table and up-righted the pot of soil that had spilt.

Harry looked over at Draco who was standing with Zabini at their table, he appeared to be focusing on repotting the Wiggentree as well as scourgifying himself. Only the two red streaks of colour in his cheeks and the tense set of his shoulders gave anything away. Glancing at Sprout who had her back to the room, Harry stalked over to Draco and hissed, "What the hell was that for?"

Draco didn't look up from his plant he was repotting, "None of your business." As much as he would love to tell Harry, he just knew it would be hard to believe. The Weasel started it anyway.

"Draco, you pick a fight with my friends, it is my business," said Harry in a clear voice. Does he still not get it? He told Draco when the truce happened that he shouldn't mess with his friends. It's a simple rule so what happened?

The Slytherin snarled back, "Friend, don't make me laugh."

"What do you mean by that?" Harry asked him quickly. What does the Slytherin mean? "Don't tell me-"

"Mr Potter, you seem eager to spend more time with Mr Malfoy," said Professor Sprout in a loud voice and it echoed through the Greenhouse. "Mr Zabini, you will be Mr Weasley's partner. Mr Potter, stay where you are." Draco's hand slipped as he was holding the Wiggentree sapling. Harry cursed and looked over at Ron who was shaking his head in disbelief.

"Draco. Listen," Harry said and looked around, to make sure no one could hear. "When I told you to give me your worst, I meant me. Not my friends. They are off-limits."

"Harry, please get to work," Draco said and shoved Harry in the chest with his shoulder. He just wanted to get this done so he didn't have to deal with knowing Weasel was in the same room as him again. Harry involuntarily sucked in the air as a flash of pain travelled through his chest.

Draco froze. He looked from Harry's face to his chest and back again. "I thought that Pomfrey fixed you up," he said, and his eyebrows drew in together with concern. He was sure Madam Pomphrey had stitched and healed every scar and sore on Harry besides the one on his forehead. "Cedric said that you were okay."

"Keep your voice down, someone will hear," Harry snapped, looking down at the open Herbology book on the table. He didn't know what he was supposed to be doing. All he heard was repotting some tree. "Anyway, I'm fine. Forget about it." He looked down at the open page of Draco's book that read 'Wiggentrees' "What are we supposed to be doing?"

"We're re-potting these Wiggentree saplings," Draco said and pointed at the blackboard in the front of the classroom which read out the instructions of what the class will be doing today and what needs to be finished by the end of the lesson. "We need more soil."

Harry glared at Draco and walked into the storeroom; he didn't realize that Draco was right behind him until the door closed behind him. "What's wrong with you?" He exclaimed, moving to shove Draco aside.

"What's wrong with me? What is wrong with you!" Draco snapped; his arms folded on his chest as he leaned against the door. He frowned a little, hoping Harry was okay and that the scars would heal. "I thought you weren't hurt that bad."

"I want to know why you chose to pick a fight with Ron," Harry said in a demanding tone and glared at him, but he couldn't persuade a Slytherin like Draco to admit first and answer last. He wasn't that good at persuading.

Draco moved towards him, "Tell me why you are still hurting, and I'll tell you why I dirt fought with the git." Slytherin persuasion and interrogation always win. It's how many Slytherins get what they want.

Harry stared at him in disbelief; he raked both his hands through his hair in frustration. "Fine," he said with a silent sigh. "It's nothing. It just turns out that some people react badly to Hungarian Horntail scales. Just my dumb luck that I'm one of them. The wound is all healed, but it is going to take time to stop hurting. Your turn."

Draco looked up at him, mesmerized by the mop on Harry's head that he calls hair and how it bounces back in place. It's still messy as always, but to him it's perfect. He needs to stop getting distracted by Harry's hair. "How long is it going to hurt like that?" he asked in a more soft tone.

"I don't know," said Harry quickly with a shrug. Then he gave him a serious look, wanting to know why Ron was suddenly involved. "Your turn, talk."

"Fine," Draco snarled out of annoyance at having to talk about the Weasel. It's like hearing an annoying buzz from a bee or a fly that hangs around your ear. "I fought with him because he treated you like rubbish-"

The door swung open and the short figure of Sprout filled the doorway. She looked sharply between Harry and Draco. "You have forty minutes left of class to re-pot the saplings, may I suggest you get started?" Professor Sprout then stalked away, leaving the door open.

Harry looked out the doorway and saw everyone in the class staring at them. He looked back at Draco with a worried look, they had been in the closet for a while. "Erm, we need to..." Draco gave a quick nod and motioned for Harry to walk past him. Harry almost laughed as Draco's foot tripped him as he went past. He caught himself and stalked back to the table.

The two of them worked in silence for the rest of the time. Draco's face was completely blank, focused on the task in front of him, telling Harry to add more soil, dig a hole in the small pot and plant the tree. Harry automatically did whatever Draco told him to do. In his head, he was replaying the conversation in the storeroom. What had he been about to say about Ron?

"Time." Sprout stood up from her desk and began checking everyone's plants. Draco swore, they still had to add more saplings to each pot before they were finished. Sprout stopped and looked at their unfinished work. "It appears that if you two want to receive a grade you will need to spend your lunch hour finishing your potting-up. Class dismissed."

Ron and Hermione rushed over to Harry, worried for their best friend who was being kept in detention with Draco. "We'll stay and help you finish Harry," Hermione said, not acknowledging Draco at all and he was fine with that.

"Afraid that Harry can't take care of himself?" Draco sneered. Merlin, do Harry's friends always treat him like some child? He knows Weasley and Granger are just being nice and helpful to Harry, but do they actually know what goes on in Harry's life that makes him so depressed? Do they? Aren't good friends supposed to know and ask Harry questions like he does to Ivy?

"Listen, Malfoy, -" Ron snapped in a harsh tone. He just wanted to get Harry and Hermione out of here and away from Malfoy.

Harry interrupted them before any other fight broke loose, "Ron, just go to lunch. I'll be there in a few minutes. We are almost done with these saplings. He," Harry pointed a finger at Draco, "isn't going to do anything that I can't handle."

"Don't be so sure of that," Draco muttered under his breath with a slight smile, enjoying this little three-on-one argument. Can't Weasel and Granger just go away now so that he can be alone with Harry? It's what he wants right now.

Hermione looked worriedly between the two of them, even if she knew Harry and Malfoy were friends. It's what she knows anyway. "Harry, you aren't better yet-"

"I'm fine, don't worry about me," Harry cut her off, turned back and stared at the unfinished pots filled with soil, pretending to know what he was supposed to be doing next. Secretly, he too wants Hermione and Ron to head to lunch so he and Draco can talk alone together.

"Miss Granger, Mr Weasley, unless you wish to start cleaning up the dirt mess may I suggest you leave," Sprout's calm voice carried across the classroom even though the professor hadn't looked up from the papers she was grading.

"It's okay," Harry told them earnestly with a little smile. "I'm being honest to god here. Go to lunch guys." The two Gryffindors reluctantly headed out the door and as soon as it closed, Draco and Harry both gave a sigh of relief. "Okay, why did you fight Ron?"

Draco glanced up to the front of the classroom where Sprout was still sitting at her desk. He then looked beside him at Harry, "I fought him because he treated you like a pariah for three weeks. You won the task yesterday and now he wants to be your mate again?" Harry stared at him in disbelief.

Harry took a deep breath and rubbed his eyes. Doesn't he know that Ron actually apologized a while ago? "Draco, you can't do that," he said with a shake of his head. "This thing with Ron, it was complicated, but it's over and we both want to forget about it. He and I are okay now. We've been okay for about a while now because he apologized."

"Fine," said Draco with a sigh. He's just so confused right now. "Let people treat you like Skrewt excrement and walk all over you." He pointed at the saplings in front of them, "Add those to the pots filled with soil."

They worked silently next to each other and finished the re-potting. Harry was going over the entire conversation in his head. What did Draco care that Ron was talking to him again? He planted the final sapling and gave it to Draco, and when Draco reached his hand towards the pot their hands touched, and they looked each other in the eye. "Do what you want to me, Draco," he told him and gave a quick pat to the Slytherin's hand. "But don't fight my friends."

Draco hesitated like he was going to object and then shrugged, a slight blush on his cheeks from the gesture. He turned and walked to Sprout's desk and set the pot down.

Sprout looked up, her eyes glancing between the two of them. She knew about them and she enjoyed watching their relationship blossom into something new even if it took some time. "Mr Potter, you may go," she said, and Harry nodded with a glance over at Draco. She smiled as she caught him in the act. "Detention at 7 o'clock. I have some muggle plants that need to be planted for upcoming classes. Shouldn't take the two of you more than an hour or two. Draco, Professor Snape wants to talk to you."

Both boys walked out of the greenhouses together until they were in a clearing, and they turned to one another. "Well, Harry, I guess I'll see you soon," said Draco and reached his hands low to grasp at Harry's hands. He didn't know why he did that but thought it was necessary. "Seven o'clock to be precise."

Harry looked down at their intertwined hands and felt a little surprised, but also quite incredible. Draco's hands were so neat and clean with perfectly rounded nails as if he hadn't been touching soil not too long ago and... He's going off-topic. "Yeah," he said as he looked up into the eyes of Draco Malfoy. "I'll see you soon."

Draco smiled and let go of Harry's hands, and they dropped to his sides. "I... um, I need to go meet with the professor. See you, Harry." With a wink, he turned right and left, leaving Harry blushing a little and staring at the blonde's arse.

"I need to stop doing that," Harry mutters to himself and shakes his head, trying to rid his mind of Draco's bottom. He sighs and starts heading towards the Great Hall.

*****

Cedric caught up with him just outside of the Great Hall. "What happened with Draco?" The Hufflepuff asked him and looked rather worried. "Everyone is talking about how he and Ron Weasley had a dirt fight in class today."

Harry shrugged and smiled, remembering the feel of Draco's warm hands around his own. "I asked him, and he said he fought Ron because he was mad that Ron was talking to me again," he told the Hufflepuff. "I don't get it."

Cedric gave a little smile and shrugged, "Draco probably sees things differently than most people. He grew up differently than all of us and was made to think that certain blood types should be looked down upon."

Harry gave a laugh, knowing that was true. "That's for sure." But that woman he saw in Twilfit and Tattings who he now knew was Draco's mother, didn't look like the type of person who would say negative things about blood status.

"No, I mean he probably sees things in black and white," said Cedric and he hoped Harry was getting what he was saying. "You don't desert your friends. You defend them. Friends. Enemies. No middle ground. You moved from one side to the other, now he is going to protect you."

Harry stared at Cedric, not sure about all that he was saying. "So, he is mad because Ron was mad at me and now, we're friends again? That doesn't make any sense."

Cedric paused and took a moment to think about this. "Maybe not to you or me, but to Draco," he said and shrugged. "You remember how Draco snuck into the tents after the first task? He pretended it was to see me, but he wanted to know how badly you were hurt. Something to think about."

"That doesn't sound like Draco Malfoy," said Harry with a little shake of his head. But he knew it sounded exactly like the Draco he knew. The kind, caring, and incredible Draco he got to know through the first three months of this year.

"I know but remember what I told you at the Quidditch World Cup?" asked Cedric, and Harry nodded. "Everybody has good and evil in them, Harry. It's just how they act that makes them who they are."

"Oh, yeah," said Harry, rubbing at his arm from under his sleeve. "Um..." He pointed behind him to the Great Hall, wanting to get away because he felt a little awkward talking about Draco like this. He loves talking about Draco or talking with Draco but talking behind the Slytherin's back is a no-go zone for him. "I'm going to go that way..."

Cedric nodded and watched as Harry entered the Great Hall. He sighed and decided to get some dinner too. A nice pork sounded like a good dinner on this tiring eventful day.

*****

Harry walked into Sprout's classroom. Draco was already there sitting at a table with many pots with lots of different muggle flowers in smaller pots. He could see roses, Azaleas, Jasmine's, and a few Rhododendron's. Sprout stood at the blackboard the next day's lesson up on the blackboard, her wand directing the chalk across the board.

"Take care when re-potting these muggle flowers, there are plants with spikes called cactuses," the professor warned them. "Just re-pot all the flowers into the larger pot. Also, add three worms to each larger pot as they will help the plant. You may begin."

Harry sat down next to Draco. He looked into the bucket of worms; the bucket was filled with dirt, but no worms were encountered. "Have you done this before?" He looked over at Draco who was staring into the bucket with distaste.

"No," Draco drawled and hoped there weren't gigantic finger-eating worms inside. "You?"

"No, we had to wash pots last time, can't be much worse than that," Harry said with little hesitation and then looked around. He doesn't want his fingers getting dirty even if he's played with Earthworms before in Aunt Petunia's garden. "Is there a ladle or something we can use? I'm not sticking my hand in there."

Draco looked in the bucket again, and he curled his lip. "Ugh," he groaned, and that groan went right down to Harry's groin which he moved on his seat a little uncomfortably. "Look in the drawers over there."

Harry chose to ignore the odd feeling in his pants. He almost told Draco to go look but he stood up and started opening drawers until he found two large spoons. He brought them over to the table and handed one to Draco. "You, first." Draco scowled but plunged his spoon in and fished out a couple of worms, they were just normal earthworms.

"Oh..." said Harry and he jabbed at a worm. It wriggled around and He decided to pick it up and place it in its hand. "They're just worms. See?" He moved his hand holding the wriggly worm towards Draco, who leaned back and away from the worm, his face both a mixture of disgust and surprise.

"I thought you said you've never done this before," Draco said as he grabbed a pot and started filling it up with soil, forgetting about the worm in Harry's hand. "I don't like liars, Harry. You should know this."

"I'm not lying," said Harry, feeling a little guilty and sad that Draco called him a liar. He truly wasn't lying though. "I just haven't worked with worms before." He placed the little worm back in the bucket and sighed. "I've seen them before, yes. I've had to plant a few flowers in my Aunt's garden, and I've seen the worms wriggling around in the soil."

"Oh," said Draco, giving a pained look towards the bucket filled with soil and worms. "Wait... why doesn't your Aunt plant the flowers in her garden herself? Why are you doing them? That's a little unfair, isn't it?"

"I guess so," said Harry with a shrug. He knew he shouldn't have said anything because it would just lead to more questions. "What did Snape want to talk to you about after class?" He added more questions just so he could get answers about things.

"About controlling my loathing of Gryffindors, and my friendship with you," Draco said with a sideways glance towards Harry, and he gave a small smile at Harry. He wondered how Harry would look with a rose placed on his ear.

"What did you tell him?" Harry asked as he filled up two pots with soil and placed three worms in the soil of both. He grabbed a small rose bush, dug a hole with his fingers and planted it.

"That I would try my very best, but it was very trying considering what a pathetic lot of losers you lot are," Draco told him which made Harry chuckle and he smiled with satisfaction. "And that he should back off when I start making friends with people other than Slytherins." He has successfully finished repotting and adding worms to an Azalea and a Rose plant.

Harry fished out nine worms from the bucket and added them to three other soil-filled pots. Draco sighed and re-potted a Lily and a Jasmine flower. "five down, dozens to go." He stared at a hibiscus, looking at the beauty of it. He glanced at Harry and admired his handsome complexion. He smiled, knowing what he liked best and pressed his leg up against Harry's for a reaction.

Harry's breath hiked, feeling someone else's leg against his own. It was Draco's, of course. He noticed Draco was staring at him, he smiled back at the Slytherin. "What?"

"Oh, nothing," Draco said with a smirk. He pondered what Harry felt when he pressed his leg up at Harry's. 

Harry reached into the bucket, grabbed a worm with his fingers, and showed it to Draco. He smiled at the disgusted look on the blonde's face. "Imagine being a worm, all you do is eat dirt for the rest of your life."

"Hm, kind of reminds me of someone," said Draco and he wriggled his eyebrows at Harry playfully. He hoped that insult to the Weasel wasn't too bad. But the way Harry was glaring at him told him that he drew the line. "Sorry, I'm used to making fun of Weasley."

Harry eventually sighed, accepting the apology from the Slytherin. He just hopes in the future all the Gryffindors and Slytherins can somewhat be friends. "Please, no more making fun of my friends, Draco. And no wealth shaming them."

Draco sighed and rubbed at his brows. "Fine..." He muttered and quickly started re-potting a Sunflower and another rose. "Come on let's finish this. The sooner we are done the sooner we are out of here."

Harry reached over the table to grab some other flowers; pain shot through his chest as he did so. "Ahhh!" he dropped his arm hastily, rubbing his chest where the Horntail scar burned. God, he hoped this pain wouldn't last for months.

Draco looked at him sadly and shook his head. "What did Pomfrey say about your pain?" he asked him, furrowing his brows with complete worry. It hurt so much to see Harry in pain. "Can't she give you something for it?"

"Pain potions, yes," said Harry, nodding as he forced himself to start re-potting another plant and adding three worms to the soil. He wished he could take more pain potion, so he doesn't have to deal with this bloody pain every hour. "I already had one dosage of it, don't know if I can have another until tomorrow."

He kept thinking back to Saturday night when they had sat together next to the fire after coming in from flying. It had felt so...comfortable. He really hadn't had time to think about that night since then. He looked at Draco who was working on another worm and sighed. Twelve weeks ago, he never would have thought that he would be spending time alone with Draco Malfoy and wishing for more.

"Come on, I'm not doing these by myself," said Draco, and his voice forced Harry to focus on the task at hand. Harry just wanted some excitement.

"Doesn't my status as first place in the Triwizard tournament count to get me out of a couple of worms and flowers?" Harry asked boldly with a smirk, and Draco clearly saw what Harry was trying to do. Good luck with that.

"Tied for first place with Krum," Draco quickly corrected. "Although I'm sure you can find some first years that would be willing to do all of your detentions for an autograph."

"Yeah," Harry said and placed a worm on the table and watched as it went 'splat' on the table. He wouldn't actually get firsties to do his work for him, no matter how desperate he is. He'll just have a few study...dates with Draco. "Splat."

"Don't say splat," said Draco as he looked down at the worm in front of Harry. Now he was worried for the worm's life and he cannot believe he would even think that of a worm. It has a worthless life anyway. What is its purpose? Is it to eat dirt all its life?

At last, they were done. Harry placed the worm from the table into a pot under a pink azalea. "When do you want to meet again?" he asked the blonde Slytherin who pushed his last pots in front of him. "We could hang out back in the Library again, or perhaps that room that somehow changes every time we visit it. Or perhaps we could get a Butterbeer together at The Three Broomsticks?" Draco slowly looked at him into his eyes, his face colouring that brilliant shade of pink Harry adores, and Harry thought as his heart skipped a beat as he watched those silver orbs sparkle, well, for fucks sake. The pain-relieving potions are really doing something, numbing him. What's next? He'll ask Draco to the Yule Ball? Now that he thought about that it didn't sound that bad. He wouldn't be a nervous wreck.

Professor Sprout looked up at them from her desk as she heard their amusing conversation. So, those two had been meeting in secret? Naw. Point 1 to Harry Potter for the date suggestion. He's so much like his father.

"Why don't we wait until your shoulder is better," Draco suggested and he chuckled softly as he ran a hand through his hair like always. Did Harry Potter just ask him out for Butterbeer? Oh, Merlin's Beard! Harry just watched Draco's hair bounce back into place like it was the most fascinating thing to see. It was to him anyway. "W-w-w-we," he paused and collected himself, biting his lip as he dismissed his excitement and tried to forget about his stutter. Sodding stutter. "We could do, get Butterbeer together but let's just... Go flying afterwards?"

"Sounds good," said Harry with a smile, excited about their next get-together. Especially the one that involved Butterbeer, whenever that will be. "I'll see you around." They both headed out of the classroom together.

"Hey, Harry," Draco called out, just as he was turning right to go towards Slytherin dungeons. He just wanted to give Harry a little something... He just had to quickly figure out how he'd say and do it.

"Yeah?" Harry turned around to face Draco. He didn't really have anything to do right now besides head to the common room and get some rest. Rest wasn't on his agenda right now and he'd rather spend the rest of the evening with Draco.

Draco glanced around the corridors seeing nobody and pulled Harry by the arm into a surprise hug. "I might have said this already but I was scared and worried for you today," he told him in a soft voice, and his breath ghosted on Harry's neck, making the tiny hairs stand up. "You haven't an idea what I would do without you in my life. If the Dragon had injured you badly, I probably would have jumped into that ring and fought it myself." He leaned away from the hug a little and moved his hands down to grab onto Harry's elbows. "You have no idea how you make me feel, Harry." He cleared his throat and smiled as he felt himself get so lost in the green eyes of Harry. "Oh, good job on the task and remember what I said."

Harry flashed a smile and hugged back, a light blush crept up his face at the way Draco was looking at him and holding him in his arms. It was in a loving way, and Harry felt millions of butterflies flap around inside his stomach, and his heart hammer against his chest. "Thanks, Draco," he said a little shyly. "See you soon." He let go of the hug and stared into Draco's silver eyes, not losing eye contact. He looked away with a blush, went the other way and headed to the Gryffindor tower.

"Wait!" Draco called and jogged after him with a smile on his face. Hasn't Harry gotten the message yet? Damn, Harry and his obliviousness. "You forgot your kiss!"

Harry froze and turned around, a little confused and overwhelmed. "M-My what?" What the bloody hell did the Slytherin mean? To his surprise Draco cupped his face and kissed his cheek for the second time today, leaving Harry surprised and a little speechless. He wanted to say how he makes him feel but he just couldn't find the words to say it.

Draco breathed in the scent of Harry, the pine, as he leaned away from Harry's face. Now he hopes Harry gets the message he's been trying to get across. He gives Harry's other cheek a little caress and turns around, making his way down to the Slytherin dungeons feeling proud of what he did.

Harry just stood there, and he cupped his cheek that Draco kissed and chuckled a little. It was sweet what Draco did, but he didn't know why he did such a thing. When thinking back in time a little to the day when he saw a heart doodled with his name in the middle of Draco's work during Herbology, he pondered if it was true. That Draco liked him. Yet, when he kissed the Slytherin a few days ago Draco didn't seem to mind it. But who would even like him? A freak who's enslaved by his own family. A freak who cuts himself.

Shaking away those dark thoughts in his mind, he decided to head to the Gryffindor common room. He finds Hermione in that very spot he always finds her, and he walks up to her with a smile. "Hello, Hermione!"

"Well, look who's come back," said Hermione with her own smile, glad she could see a smile on Harry's face again. It's quite a rare thing to see honestly. "I'm afraid to ask how detention was if it gave you a smile. Or you are just happy because you're out of detention."

Harry sits down on the other armchair and sighs happily, leaning his back against the back of the armchair. "Draco kissed me, Hermione, and twice," He decides to admit since she already knows of his liking towards the blonde, and the secret friendship. He practically tells her everything that he can about his day with Draco without telling her too much information.

Hermione just blinked at him. She was excited for her best friend and she actually began to cry. "It's about damn time, Harry," she tells him earnestly and wiping away her crocodile tears. "I honestly love hearing this, Harry. So, how was it?"

"It was incredible!" Harry says in a dreamy-like voice, making Hermione giggle because of how lovestruck he seems. "He made me feel so many things at once. I felt so warm inside, those butterflies were filling up my stomach and my heart... it was beating like a mini drum."

"Oh, Harry, that's beautiful to hear," Hermione says sweetly and cups her mouth, hiding her smile as her face begins to hurt from smiling too much. "Wait... was this a cheek or lip kiss?"

"He kissed my cheek," said Harry and looked up at the ceiling of the common room, remembering the feel of Draco's warm lips on his cheek. It felt so natural and he misses the feel. He sighs again and closes his eyes, remembering the last hour he spent with Draco.

And while he did just that, Draco entered the Slytherin common room and found Ivy and Pansy at the back of the common room chatting. He walked over to them feeling proud of himself and tapped them on the shoulder. As the two girls turned around, he said, "I kissed Harry, guys."

Both girls stood up immediately out of excitement and started jumping up and down, squealing. Then they looked at each other and embraced each other in a hug. "Oh my god!"

"Most importantly was it on the cheek or on the lips?" asked Ivy who stopped her girlish squirming easily and replaced it with a single smile. She feels so glad, like a mother who watched her child progress in a school subject and get the highest grade.

"It was on the cheek," Draco said, and to his disappointment, both girls groaned and sank back into their seats with long sighs. "What? It's what I could only do! I couldn't just go up to him, kiss him, then walk off."

"At least it's something other than nothing," said Pansy, her head resting on her arm, and she looked to her side at Ivy, who nodded in agreement. "Did you at least say anything to him like... about your feelings for him?"

Draco sighs and tells them as much as he remembers telling Harry in the last half an hour and so. It didn't take long and by the end of it, both girls were in tears. He doesn't understand girls at all. With another sigh, he decides to go up to the boy's dormitory and tell Blaise about his evening too.

**************************************************************