The Chariot DRARRY

The Chariot - Chapter 5

Chapter Five - In My Minds Eye

The next morning Harry's eyes flew open. It was Sunday morning and still early by the sounds of it. The sun had come up, and cast a chilly light through the windows. He sat up, rubbing his eyes and reached for his glasses. The world came into sharp focus and he lay back down on his soft pillows.

All of a sudden, he remembered the scene from last night. Oh my god - had he actually said that he thought Draco Malfoy was beautiful? To his face? Not directly, but nevertheless, I know – was quite an obvious choice of words that fell into agreement with Malfoy's previous sentence.

' Veela are exceptionally beautiful people.'

' I know.'

He let out a soft groan.

I know?!

What the hell had possessed him to come out with that? As if his life were not complicated enough! He'd never live this down. Of course Malfoy was going to tell everyone. He would probably say 'Potter made a move on me'.

Harry winced at such horrendous possibilities. Why couldn't he have kept his mouth shut? Just like Malfoy had said the other day in the corridor. What had come over him?

He had wanted to get some fresh air and gone out into the grounds. As he had rounded the corner, he saw Malfoy. Malfoy had then walked a few steps closer and they had stood there, looking at one another. Harry couldn't even begin to understand the root of why he had continued to stand there. But for the briefest moment in so many months, Harry didn't feel so alone.

Malfoy had been looking at Harry with an enigmatic expression. Harry had expected to see the open hostility oozing from Malfoy's silvery eyes, but last night, there didn't seem to be so much of that, as it was replaced by something else that Harry could not describe.

It was strange just even saying a few words to Malfoy without anger and irritation flaring up. Harry could have talked to him for longer last night, wanted to talk to him for longer, had Zabini not returned at that moment.

He couldn't understand it and dared not speak his thoughts to anyone. He was horrified enough for all their reactions. It was Malfoy, his father was Lucius! and Harry had finally cracked. That had to be it, he reasoned. Plus, it was only recently that Harry had noticed the beauty that Malfoy possessed. Aesthetically he was very pleasing to look at. Malfoy no longer looked like a young boy. He had matured into a young man. But so what if he had discovered that Malfoy was good looking? That didn't explain his strange attraction to the boy… I am not shallow, Harry thought indignantly. But why am I being weird? Because Malfoy is good looking? Am I that pathetic? Apparently he was.

Harry felt a quiver of dread at the prospect of seeing the silver-eyed Slytherin today. He knew he would have to face him sooner or later. He wondered if there was a slim chance that Malfoy could have been really drunk (somehow) last night and wouldn't remember the conversation. Yeah right, like that would happen, and life is that good.

Harry got out of bed; a fresh resolve settling in. He was going to act completely normal. Like it didn't matter and that he went around all the time telling boys he thought they were good looking. Boys? Good looking? Harry shook his head. He liked girls, I mean ok there had only been the one, but he thought he liked girls. Of course he had never felt so physically drawn to anyone like he had to Malfoy last night. And he guessed that is what was called attraction, and of all the people in the world – it had to be Malfoy.

I'm sick. This is some perverse effect of my hatred towards Malfoy.

He showered and dressed and ran downstairs to gulp breakfast. He sped out of the Great Hall before he saw any sign of Malfoy. Ron was just coming down the staircase when he saw Harry, and looked at him in surprise.