Claustrophobia

What do you want, Potter?

'Not friends' was better than 'enemies'.

Right?

'"Right?"

"Pansy? Are you even listening to me?"

Pansy looked at him confused.

"You... A-and Potter..."

"Yes. We're... Well, not friends. Apparently."

Draco's been off lately, Pansy and Blaise had noticed it even before he did. So after lots of complaining and pushing, he told them everything about what happened a week ago.

"Draco. You know I love you. But why in Merlin's name would you want to be anything more than enemies with Potter. I'm not saying kill him but at least hold up the Slytherin pride."

This startled him a little. "Well, ehm...
Because. You know-"

"Because you like him."

Two heads turned towards Blaise. A tiny grin appeared on his face.

"You haven't stopped talking about him for the last 6 years, then you hug him a-"

"I had to hug him. Panic attack, remember."

"Yeah yeah. Tomato to-may-to. Anyway, you hug him and all of the sudden you do everything you can to avoid him and you don't even tell us, your best friends, about it. If you really, truly hated him, you would've used all this shit against him."

"Dray... Is that true?" Pansy looked back at Draco. He stared at her and looked down.

"Yes. I-I think I like him."

Then it was quiet.

Draco stared down at his bed, on which they were all sitting. He hated this. Bloody feelings. He should've just ignored all of it. Pushed it away.

Then the silence was broken by Blaise.

"Do you want to be with him. I mean, do you really think all the hassle will be worth it?

"...I don't know" he answered.
And then, little more annoyed: "What a stupid question is that. It's not like it's even possible. He doesn't like me. And even if, in some crazy world, he does, we would never be able to have an actual relationship. He's the fucking Chosen One and I'm... me. It just can't."

"Yeah, no, that's total bullshit" Pansy said while rolling her eyes, "He totally likes you back."

"How would you know."

"Because he's always obsessing over you, he's always staring at you during dinner and let's not forget the fact that your hug calmed him down in that, ironically enough, closet. Do you really think, I don't know, Crabbe's hug would've helped? No. It wouldn't have. Because he thinks he's annoying, which, let's be honest, he kind of is.

Your hug, your presence, helped him calm down. You can't ignore that Draco."

It was quiet for a while.

"You really think so? You really think that if I go up to him and say 'Hey Harry, I like you. Wanna be boyfriends and hold hands and pick flowers?' he'd say 'Yeah sure'"

"Well not if you say it like that."

"Then how? Then what? What am I supposed to do!"

"Oh my gosh you bloody moron." Blaise said. "Just become his friend, take him into some empty classroom and say 'Hi. I like you. Do you like me back?' It's that simple."

"Worst case scenario you'll get a blow job out of it and never talk to each other again."

"Pansy!"