The next morning, Harry woke up with what felt like a lead weight in his stomach. He rolled onto his back and looked at the canopy over his bed. It was still dark outside, and he could tell it was very early. He felt like he was going to be sick, and he had a lump in his throat the size of Australia. So, Blaise says he likes Draco Malfoy, eh? Well, I don’t believe him for a second. To Harry it was obvious that Malfoy’s name had just been the first to pop into Blaise’s head when asked who it was he fancied. He rolled onto his side and looked at the floor beside his bed. A small, unopened, white envelope lay there. He stretched down to pick it up. Simpson it said on the envelope. He smiled slightly, and pulled a letter out of the envelope.
Simpson
I don’t really get many letters either. My mother died when I was young, and my dad’s too consumed by grief over losing mum and then my sister to really write. I like those bands as well, but I’m more into Hawthorne Heights, Fall Out Boy and Thursday. I used to love flying, I didn’t think there was anywhere better to be than on my broom, but my sister died after falling from hers and I haven’t been able to fly since. I would quite happily spend the rest of my life in the sea, swimming, surfing, sailing, bodyboarding or even just… floating. I guess when I’m in the water everything else just melts away and it doesn’t matter what marks I get in exams, or how popular I am, even who I am, all that matters is that I keep afloat and keep on going. I like feeling like that, as though I’m small and insignificant. I like feeling that I don’t matter, because the moment I matter I have to pretend to be OK, even when I’m not.
I hope that didn’t freak you out too much!
Yours,
Z
Harry was still absorbing everything Z had just told him when he heard Ron stirring in the next bed over.
“Harry, you up?” Ron asked.
“Yeah, what time is it?” Harry replied.
“7:30, get up lazy!” Ron pulled back the curtains in the room and Dean sat up, threw a pillow at him and buried himself under his duvet again. Harry laughed as he got out of bed and pulled on his uniform. He and Ron left to go and have an early breakfast.
The day’s lessons pasted in a blur of notes, revision and shouting. Before Harry knew it he had finished his dinner.
“I’m going up to the Owlery for a bit, I’ll probably see you tomorrow morning,” Harry said to Ron and Hermione as he set off for the Owlery.
“Evening Hegwig,” he said as he stroked her back. He was so absorbed in feeding and talking to his pet he didn’t notice anyone enter the room.
“Talking to animals again Potter?” Draco Malfoy sneered. Harry glared at him, but didn’t say anything. “Oh, going for the strong and silent tactic are you? Well, that won’t work we me Potter. I know inside you’re terrified of me.”
“I am not scared of you,” Harry retorted.
“Oh, but you are,” Malfoy said as he moved towards Harry. He grabbed Harry by his shirt collar and pushed him against the wall of the Owlery. He lifted him up slightly so his feet were above the ground. “Admit it Potter, you are scared of me!” Malfoy laughed.
Blaise Zabini walked into the Owlery, whistling. He saw Malfoy holding Harry up against the wall.
“You’d better put him down right now,” Blaise said slowly.
“And why the fuck should I Zabini?” Malfoy asked without even turning around.
“Because I said so!” Blaise snapped as he ran over and grabbed Malfoy’s hair. He pulled his head back, and Malfoy let go of Harry’s neck. Harry fell to the floor and started to massage his neck, feeling the blood rush back to his face. “Are you going to piss off now Draco?” Blaise asked icily. Malfoy nodded. Blaise let go off his hair and Malfoy ran off.
“What was that for?” Harry asked, shocked. Blaise stroked a magnificent tawny old that Harry had always thought belonged to the school.
“I don’t like seeing him push people around. He’s an asshole, you know that,” Blaise said as he fed the owl that was not gripping onto his arm. “Good boy Tuki,” he whispered to the owl.
“Is that your owl?” Harry asked, curious, but also desperate to change the subject.
“Well, not technically, but he doesn’t bite me, and I’m the only person to have named him, so I think of him as mine.” Blaise looked out of the window and recoiled slightly, as though he was terrified of the height.
Harry put his hand on Blaise’s shoulder. “What’s wrong?” he asked.
“Nothing, it’s just…” he trailed off. “Promise you won’t tell anyone.”
“I promise.”
“Well, my sister died, she fell from her broom,” Blaise said sadly.
“I didn’t know you had a sister.”
“I had two – Marie and Nicole. Nicole died, and Marie goes to Beauxbatons. My mum, she was French. And my dad’s Danish. It’s very confusing!” Blaise looked up to the sky outside the window, gazing at the clouds rolling across the sky.
Harry walked up behind him and put his hands on Blaise’s shoulders. He spun him around and kissed him softly. Blaise’s eyes widened as Harry kissed him. Harry pulled away abruptly when he saw the look on Blaise’s face.
“Oh fuck, I’m sorry,” he said quietly before he ran out of the Owlery.
A/N: I'm writing chapter 4 now, so it should be up soon!
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