"He doesn't joke around with me like that!" Draco exclaimed, pouting as he watched the Gryffindor Quidditch players make their way into the Great Hall for lunch. They'd been out practicing techniques all day, and upon entering, Draco took quick notice of Harry's smile, and more importantly: the arm wrapped around Ginny Weasley's waist.

"That's cause you're not friends with him, Malfoy." Pansy stated, rolling her eyes. It was every day that they had this conversation, and every day that Draco refused to do anything about his discomfort.

"I should be." He muttered, more so to himself before taking a spoonful of applesauce into his mouth. Upon glancing upwards once more, he found Harry pulling the She Weasel into a kiss, and found himself standing up rather abruptly.

"Malfoy!" Pansy exclaimed, startled by his abruptness.

"I'm gonna go. I think I've just lost my appetite." And with that, he made his way towards the exit. He didn't want to look back, but his instincts made him do it, and he found his eyes locking with Harry's dangerously.

He scowled and slammed the doors behind him, startling students as he went. Where could he go? The Room of Requirement was out of the question, as he knew he'd just desire Harry and Harry would be there. No, instead, he decided to make his way to the Slytherin Common Room: where he'd been spending less and less of his time as of recent.

Upon speaking the password, he entered the dungeon and took a seat on one of the plush couches by the empty fireplace. The room was abandoned and cold, but Draco was too numb to feel it. He brought his knees to his chest, feeling his lungs lack the ability to breathe, and began to weep.

"I hate you, Harry Potter." He mumbled to himself as tears continued to stream down his face at a constant rate. "And I hate your stupid friends too."

He spent hours like that, and when students eventually returned to the Common Room after supper, Draco made his way to the dorms as if he were a ghost. He felt like a ghost. It wasn't until the door to the dorm room opened that he realized there was no escape from the inevitable, and soon Blaise Zabini was taking a seat beside Draco: rubbing his back affectionately.

"Malfoy, why so blue?" Zabini asked, curious as to just why his friend had left so suddenly at lunch.

"It's nothing, Zabini. Get off me." Draco snapped, brushing off Blaise's hand. The boy only pulled him into an embrace then, and Draco found he didn't have the strength to pull away again.

"Malfoy, you're hurt and I wanna help. Let me help. I'm good at helping." Blaise claimed, squeezing the blond boy tightly; reassuringly.

"I said it was nothing, Blaise. Accept that as an answer and leave me at once." The blond was angry, and his voice came steadily, though his heart felt weak.

"Malfoy..."

"Zabini..."

"I'll leave in a moment. Right now, you need a hug." With that, Zabini continued to hug him, and Draco secretly felt grateful. Blaise didn't want to do it, but he did eventually stand up and make his move towards the door.

"Blaise, wait!" Draco called just before the door could shut. The boy turned around, and Draco patted his bed, gesturing for him to sit once more.

"What's up?" He asked.

"Zabini, Blaise, whatever... You were right, okay? I'm just- I've been so scared to admit it, but you were right. I hate when I'm not right, dammit." Draco started, and Blaise looked to him in confusion.

"What was I right about?" He asked.

"The fact that I, Draco Malfoy, am so hopelessly in love with Harry Potter."

»»»

Snow fell daintily to the ground as Christmas quickly approached Hogwarts. Professors went around figuring out just who would be remaining in the castle over break, and endless chatter filled the halls as friends talked about their holiday plans.

Harry Potter sat glumly on a bench near the entrance to the courtyard. A charm had been cast over the entryway, preventing any snow from falling into the school, and Harry listened to the animated conversations of all the students younger than him. Ginny and Ron had asked him if he wanted to go home with the Weasleys over break, and he'd been quick to decline.

As students hustled around the school over the last few days before it began, preparing themselves for the holiday, Harry figured he could make himself comfortable in the dorm. He'd be alone in there over the hiatus, after all. Most of the Gryffindors, aside from himself and maybe two others were all heading out. Even Hermione was leaving.

"Hiya, Harry! Why so glum?" The dark-haired boy turned just in time to find Hagrid, the school Groundskeeper plunk next to him on the bench. The wood make a squeak of protest, and Harry found himself perching slightly in case the material decided to break.

"Just not feelin' festive, I guess." He stated, scratching his head awkwardly as Hagrid pouted.

"That ain't good. It's Christmas! Everyone should be happy. Everyone, including yerself." The brute bumped Harry's shoulder in what he guessed was meant to be gentle, but because of Hagrid's mass, Harry found himself sprawled in the entryway with a few Hufflepuffs staring down at him in surprise.

"Move along." He muttered, and dusted the snow from himself before taking a seat beside Hagrid once more. "Have you got any holiday plans, Hagrid?"

"I'm lookin' after winter vegetables in the garden. I also gotta keep the ice naiads by the lake at bay." Hagrid stated proudly, a goofy grin covering his lips.

"Ice naiads?" Harry asked. He couldn't quite recall ever learning about those.

"They're new this year to the Black Lake. Some unexplainable stuff's been brewin' down there. Maybe sometime after break, you, Ron, and Hermione can check it out like old times sake. Whaddayasay?" Hagrid asked, bumping him on the shoulder once more.

"Thanks, Hagrid, but I think my days of seeking trouble are over. I've got to go, but it was nice talk to you. I'll see you around. Happy Christmas!" Harry rushed, and then headed off down the corridor.

In all truth, he had nowhere that he needed to be, but for some reason, he just wasn't comfortable around Hagrid at the time. He turned another corner and hid against the wall.

Heavy doors creaked open, and Harry realized he was standing by the Great Hall. After a moment's struggle, Draco Malfoy appeared from the door carrying a mug of what Harry guessed was cocoa, as well as a fruitcake.

"Uh, hey Draco." Harry mumbled, trying not to frighten the blond from where he stood. He failed, and the mug of cocoa fell from Draco's grasp. The blond's eyes met Harry's and his gaze turned cold.

"Trying to scare the midday snackers, Potter? You owe me a new mug!" He stated, voice louder than probably necessary as he bent down to collect the porcelain shards.

"I didn't mean to- I'm sorry, Malfoy." Harry spoke solemnly, bowing his head.

"I- Why aren't you with the Weasel and Granger? Aren't you spending time in their slum over holiday?" Malfoy asked, causing Harry's gaze to lift upwards once more.

"No. I decided to stay here. Why aren't you with your mum?" Harry queried.

"'Cause I felt like staying here. Mum's still a little on edge about my father being in Azkaban, and I'd rather not listen to her fretting for two weeks." Malfoy admitted, disposing of the now cleaned shards into a nearby rubbish bin.

"Oh." Harry muttered, and kicked his toe through the spilled cocoa that Draco hadn't yet evaporated or dried up.

"So you're all alone up in your Gryffindor Tower?" The blond queried, and Harry nodded.

"Pretty much. There's a second and fourth year in there as well, but yeah, I'm pretty much alone." Harry admitted, and Malfoy let out a smirk.

"You should lend me the password so I could keep you company." His expression was dead serious, but it still made Harry's cheeks flare up and stomach flutter.

"I doubt that's a good idea." He mumbled.

"Potter, my ideas are always good, you'll come to find. You don't have to give me it now, just- just give me it when you need somebody sane to talk to." Draco stated, voice growing softer upon seeing Harry's solemn face.

"You're far from sane, Malfoy."

"Maybe, Potter. I'm going to go now, but hey, try smiling every now and then. A smile suits you." And with that, the blond sauntered down the hall, and Harry stared after him, and then back towards the spilled cocoa, and then back towards Draco's vestige.