What If..?

Chapter 17

"Stay away from Harry, he doesn't want you anyway!" Cedric threatened.

Draco had been walking outside the courtyard looking for Harry, when Cedric grabbed him and pinned him to a tree. The November air was chilling, and dark clouds covered the sky.

"You can't tell me what to do! I've known Harry since his first year! You've only known him for a couple of months!" Draco snarled.

"But he obviously likes me a lot better already."

"And how can you be so sure?"

"Haven't you noticed? He's spent a lot less time with you since he met me. It's like he'd rather talk to me than you. He obviously loves me, and this might be my once chance to get with him. But I know you're going to ruin it!"

"Why do you even want Harry?"

"Money, of course. Just like everyone else. Harry is too daft to notice, and too soft to say no."

"Harry is a lot smarter then you think. He's actually quite tough. And if by 'everyone else' you mean 'everyone but Draco Malfoy,' that would make much more sense."

"Tch, whatever. What do you see in him, anyway?"

"He's cute, loving, smart, kind, adorable, all those things you never will be!"

Little did they know, while they were arguing, Harry was hiding behind them with his invisibility cloak, watching the whole thing unfold. He was in shock. Draco thinks those things about him? He had seen the entire thing, now knowing how much of a monster Cedric really was. He didn't know what to do.

Turns out he didn't have to do anything.

Except wait.

Professor Moody came by just in time to watch Draco pull out his wand and hex Cedric to get him off.

Not knowing the full story, the professor cast his own spell on Draco, which turned him into a tiny, white, ferret.

Harry immediately took off his cloak, and ran toward the ferret, kneeling down and scooping him off the ground, holding him close to his chest.

A crowed had already formed by now, and McGonagall came rushing out.

"WHAT HAPPENED, ALASTER??!" She screeched.

"This poor Hufflepuff right here got hexed by a Slytherin boy, so I turned him into a ferret." Professor Moody said proudly.

"You can't just turn a student into an animal! There are better ways of dealing with this!"

"Well it's MY way, and I dealt with it!"

"Step aside, Alaster." Professor McGonagall pushed past Professor Moody, pulling out her wand. "Set him down please, Harry." She smiled warmly.

Harry gently set the ferret down in front of him, where he soon became the tall, platinum blond, boy that Harry was basically obsessed with.

"Draco!" Harry hugged him around the waist. "What happened?" He had decided it was best to just play dumb.

"I'll explain later, in private." Draco wrapped his arms around Harry's neck, then looked back at Cedric with a death glare.

...

"I'm so sorry, Draco. I should have never befriended him! This is all my fault." Harry started to sob.

Harry and Draco had gone back to the common room. Draco had just explained everything in full detail, not exaggerating anything. He did leave out what he said about Harry, though. Harry had already seen and heard what happened, so he knew this.

"No it isn't, Harry. He hasn't actually done anything, yet. But if he thinks you don't know, he's not going to leave you alone."

"Yeah, but if he knows I know, he's going to plan something else. So I'm thinking it's just better to play dumb."

"And keep your distance."

"And keep my distance." Harry curled up in Draco's lap, smiling.

Draco rubbed the small of Harry's back, and kissed the top of his head once the boy fell asleep.

...

"He- he what?!" Draco's face quickly went from pale to crimson.

"He saw and heard the whole thing. That's what he told us, at least." Ron explained.

"He also told us he decided to play dumb, figuring you'd be embarrassed to find out he heard what you think about him." Hermione mentioned.

Ron, Hermione, and Draco were all in the library after eating lunch a few days later. The two Gryffindors had told Draco to meet up with them there, without Harry, telling him it was urgent.

"But why are you telling me this? Didn't you say he told you not to tell me?"

"That's what I thought, too. But 'Mione thinks it's only right for you to know."

"Did he say anything about what he thinks of what I said?"

"Why do you want to know?" Ron smirked knowingly.

"I-I'm just curious!" Draco became flustered again.

"He thinks you're very sweet," Hermione smiled, looking thoughtful for a moment. "And though he hates to admit it, he agrees with you."

"Well, if he said those things about me, I'd agree with him, too." Draco chuckled quietly.

"Did you really mean it though?" Ron paused for a second. "What you said?"

"Of course I do," Draco hesitantly admitted. He didn't want Harry to know. "Please don't tell him."

"I thought you two don't do secrets."

"You JUST told me one of Harry's."

"Oh yeah, right."

...

"So I told her- uh- are you okay, Draco? You seem.. Uneasy."

"Fine, Pans'."

"Are you absolutely sure?"

"Absolutely sure."

It was the end of the day, Harry and Draco were cuddling on a couch in the Common room, Harry was asleep, and Pansy had just been telling Draco the daily gossip.

Draco had Ron's words of Harry's small secret playing in his head on repeat.

He couldn't stop thinking about it.

He felt embarrassed, but at the same time, kind of..

Glad.

But he wasn't quite sure why.

He smiled down at Harry, snuggled safely in his arms, head on his chest. He looked so peaceful.

Draco sighed with content at the sight. Pansy decided everything was normal and kept telling her story.