I Hate You, I Love You - Drarry

Part 17: Disturbance in the Snowfall

His shoes clomped on the muddy melted snow of the Hogwarts grounds. Harry was to meet Draco at half past 11 at a spot in the Forbidden Forest. He didn't even want to know how many rules that sentence alone was breaking. Harry was to the point where he wouldn't even mind getting caught and in trouble, as long as he could finally talk with Draco.

The winter was definitely on its older half. The air, still freezing cold from early slushy sleet, held a clammy feeling that reminded Harry of spring, despite it still being early in the year.

He stood facing the Forbidden Forest and took a deep breath. Was he more scared of the monsters that dwelled inside of it, or the unknown answers that Draco will likely have to his prodding questions?

He lifted his shoe off the ground and crossed the barrier. The subtle afterglow of twilight diminished and the silence grew. Every crunch of his footsteps seemed to get louder and louder. Come to think of it, he didn't so much as hear the single caw of a crow throughout his walk into the trees.

Melted droplets rolled off of spider webs and leaves, speckling Harry's glasses and hair. He wiped them away.

A weird feeling shivered up his spine, planting unease in Harry's head. The woods were so eerie tonight, for a moment Harry forgot why he was even here. Inhaling in the moist forest air, he checked his surroundings. This should be the spot.

He breathed out a cloud of steam in the frigid air. Where was Draco? Harry checked his watch. It was 5 minutes past.

Standing still, vulnerable, in the small clearing in the tall, dark trees, Harry had never felt more alone.

A dark movement flashed from his right. He whipped his head to the source. No one. The green moss of the trees stared back, mocking him. Harry's heart rate increased and his feet were glued to the floor.

"Who's there?!" he called frightened. "Draco?"

But there was no answer. Harry willed his feet to move and pushed off his heels, going deeper into the woods. But the second he entered the denser trees, his face collided into black fabric. 

He yelped and jumped back to see the figure.

"Draco!" he cried with relief.

"Harry," Draco said gently with a smile and approached him. Harry pounced on him with a hug, knocking him backward. 

"It's just me," Malfoy crooned, dragging his arm up and down his back.

"You scared me," Harry said, his face buried in his coat.

Draco pulled away, smiled in confusion, and sat down on a nearby log. The forest was dark, but Draco's skin seemed to glow white in the blue tint of the moon. Malfoy patted the place beside him, indicating for Harry to join him. Feeling overly formal, he hunched over on the log and turned his neck to face him.

"Well, I'm here," Malfoy said after Harry stared silently for a little too long.

"Oh, right," Harry gathered his courage. "I was wondering..."

"Yeah?"

"You obviously don't want people knowing about- us, and I understand that."

"Yeah..."

"Lately I've been losing my closest friends, and I don't have anyone to talk to-

"You have me," he said and wrapped his arm around Harry's waist. He blushed and looked down.

"I know, but I want someone that I can talk about you to," he said timidly.

"Harry," Draco said and dropped his arm. "You know that no one can know about us. I trust you to keep this a secret. My life will be ruined if this gets out."

"Of course," Harry whispered after hesitating.

But he turned away from Draco and lightly frowned at the waxing crescent.

❄❄❄❄

"Harry! Hermione!" Ron shouted, running up to the pair on their daily silent walk to class. 

"Hey Ron!" she greeted back and Harry waved quietly. "Want to eat lunch by the lake today? I know it's cold, and the water is still iced over, but the snow is fading!"

"Yeah, sounds great!" Ron exclaimed.

As they approached the Black Lake, Harry's eyes darted to the barren tree and its dead branches.

"We can eat by this tree!" Hermione called, ahead of them.

Harry's heart took an unexpected lurch as he watched his friends sit on the ground by the coast. Just weeks ago, Draco was laying there, in his lap. 

He approached his friends and looked around. He could still see the subtle cracks in the ice where Draco had chased him, in search of the fabric of his invisibility cloak. He wanted to share his memories. His eyes stung at the impossibility of the scenario.

"Harry?" Hermione questioned a still-standing Harry. "Is everything okay?"

Harry cleared his throat so his voice wouldn't crack.

"Yea," he crossed his legs as he sat down next to them. "Just fine."

Hermione's eyes tilted in concern, but Harry avoided them. He drowned out their conversation as he gazed around the area, his mind not being able to escape the memories.

And that's when he saw it. His eyes popped as he disbelievingly took in the sight on the side of the tree.

Carved into the bark were his initials H.P. in cursive handwriting. A shaky heart was scratched into the wood encasing the letters.

Harry's heart lept to his throat. Draco must have carved it as Harry dozed off when he was leaning on the tree.

A noise of shock escaped his mouth, immediately drawing Ron and Hermione's attention.

"Harry?!" Ron asked.

"Harry, what's wrong?!" Hermione called and put an arm on Harry's back.

Emotion flooded his insides and made him feel awash in affection. He couldn't hold it in any longer.

"I-," he choked. "I'm dating Draco Malfoy."