Midnight Meetings

Chapter 3- Skills and a Bet

By the time Harry got back up to his common room Ron and Hermione were both sitting near the fireplace, staring at him as he entered. They both reacted very differently to his appearance: Hermione smiled and held out her hand expectantly; Ron grimaced and reached into his pocket, pulling out a shiny Galleon and placing it in Hermione's hand.

"You guys bet on me?" Harry was amused, but not surprised. This was the kind of thing they would do.

"Yeah," grumbled Ron as Hermione pocketed the coin. He looked back up at Harry. "Where have you been, you arse?"

Well...," says Harry, searching for something acceptable to say. He imagined their reactions to the truth. Hey guys, i've been out snogging Draco Malfoy my sworn enemy we're sorta dating now is that cool? Hermione would probably say something like, "OH MY LORD HarrY THAT ISN't riGHT." Ron would most likely explode on the spot: "youR ARCH BLOODY NEMESIS HARRY AND YOU'RE Out iN THE COLD SnoGGING HIM AT TweLVE aM?!?!" "Well...um...you see..." Harry still had a hard time to think of something, he was never good at these things.

"AaaAAaaahhHHhh!!" Neville came running down the stairs at top speed. He blubbered something about a bat boogey hex.

Hermione and Ron rushed over to Neville to help him with the hex. Harry saw this as a perfect opportunity to slip out of the common room and up towards his dorm. Once he got up there he fell face-first onto the bed. Exhausted, he sighed and started drifting off when Ron came marching up the stairs and slammed the door open. The sound of the door hitting the walls startled Harry so much that he sprung up out of his four poster.

"Harry! You just missed Divination for a nap?! Professor Trelawney was going on and on about you "future death" and how you being gone with saturn's current position meant that you would be dead by next week! We have potions next and I'm not sure that Professor Snape would appreciate you napping the whole time! And you know that I'm not letting you off for escaping during our talk earlier!" Ron seemed as though he was blowing steam out of his ears at this point, so Harry thought it better to just go along with it instead of replying. Only when Harry had grabbed his bag and he and Ron headed off to the dungeons did he remember that Malfoy would be in that class. He didn't know how he would ever focus in potions again as long as he had double potions with the Slytherins.

Sure enough, Malfoy was waiting patiently for Harry to walk through the door. When he does, Malfoy walks up to him, winks, and shoves him. "Out of the way Potter."

Harry moved forward, confused. As he sat down, he heard something crinkle in the front pocket of his robes. Harry discreetly removed the paper and opened it in his lap. Meet me at the Quidditch Pitch again tonight. Bring your broom. Harry smiled and almost laughed. Malfoy re-entered the room and caught his eye. A knowing look passed between them and a secret smile was shared. Then Professor Snape entered the room, and they turned their attention to the lesson. Harry didn't remember anything from the lesson. It could have been anything from antidotes to harming potions. He didn't know and, quite frankly, didn't care. His mind kept wandering to what could happen with Malfoy down on the Quidditch pitch.

Harry raced through dinner and when Hermione asked "Why the rush?" he had too much food in his mouth to respond. He actually was really hungry after missing breakfast and lunch. That and he couldn't wait to see Draco on the Quidditch field again.

As everyone filled out of the Great Hall and into the towers, Harry ran into his room, changed into some comfortable clothing, and put pajamas over them. Climbing into bed, he said a happy goodnight to the rest of his roommates and pretended to fall asleep.

DM-HP-DM-HP-DM-HP

Draco made his way down to the Quidditch field, as promised, making sure to bring Harry's jacket with him. The days were getting colder and he wasn't chancing going outside without it. He made it down there first, like usual, and waited for Potter to show up. He couldn't wait to see Harry with his dorky smile and crooked glasses. Draco felt a small grin creep across his face as he stood in the snow waiting for his love.