[hp] was, will, is



[was]

Nine days, Harry decided, was enough.

Still September, still sunny and snoozy and the stone walls were warm to the touch in the afternoon. Everyone sat outside in
between classes and sneaked their dinner out of the hall to watch the sunset. And watch each other, because they were all fifteen
and had grown up and out and pretty and sharp during the holidays. No-one was familiar but they were all the same.

A week and two days. Seven school days and a weekend. New classes and they had all been mixed together, Ravenclaws and
Slytherins and Hufflepuffs in all Harry's classes because they were specialising, Dumbledore had said, choosing their
own particular magic. Nothing was the same but it was all familiar. Except.

Except Malfoy had ignored him for nine days.

The first three days Harry had not really noticed, because he'd been too distracted with all the brilliant newness of
Ethnomagic and the new Quidditch teams and Hermione who was ever so indescribably different. Then the next two days it
had seeped in that Malfoy wasn't mocking him tripping him glaring laughing whispering even looking at him. Harry had
counted up the number of classes he'd had so far (twenty-eight) and the number that Malfoy was in (ten) and concluded that it
wasn't right.

On days five and eight Harry had pointedly sat near Malfoy, had sat in his line of sight, and had even sat next to him
once in Charms and tapped his wand on the very edge of the desk. Sniffed. Kicked Malfoy's chair a bit. Glared. None of it had
produced any response apart from a banal stare at the kicking, and a handkerchief proffered at the sniffs. At the end of the
class Malfoy didn't glance at him or anything, just got up and left with Zabini.

Harry had thought to return Malfoy's handkerchief on day seven, and had casually hung around after meals, but Malfoy wasn't
ever there. On day nine - nine! - Harry had History with Malfoy and blocked his way out of the aisle of seats at the end of the class.

"Here," Harry had said, "is your handkerchief". And he had tucked it in Malfoy's pocket, behind the crest on his robe, and
poked him in the chest. "Why are you ignoring me?"

Malfoy had pressed his lips together in a tight line and poked Harry in exactly the same place, but gently.

"Do you." Another poke. "Want some attention?"

Harry had not really known what to say.

"Um."

"Well?". There had been another poke, and a little grin.

"Oh."

[will]

Draco will snap his fingers together repeatedly, impatiently, willing the Express to arrive. He will write his list on the
train, and he will get a seat by the window.

Things I will accomplish this year, he will write.

1. I will catch the snitch, preferably just out of Potter's grasp.
2. I will give Vincent and Greg one last chance to display some brains.
3. I will say no to Pansy.
4. I will take Father's advice, and ignore Potter.

At number four, Draco will forget the rest of his list and stare out the window for nearly an hour, at which point Greg will jump up at the arrival of the food trolley. Draco will buy four custard tarts and a large bar of chocolate, and lick his fingers clean when the train
pulls into the station. He will not remember most of the Sorting, because he will be too busy ignoring Potter.

He will ask for extra reading in Arithmancy, because it gives him a funny buzz.

[is]

There is a long, grinning, looking silence and then Harry says yes, and Draco pokes his chest again but this time he slides
his fingers sliding up! underneath Harry's chin and tilts Harry's head back then left then right until the angle is
perfect and leans forward and then:

Harry says yes and then Draco:

Harry says yes and then Draco is kissing. Kissing a spot that Harry didn't know existed, a little patch of skin on his jaw
that has nerve endings connected to his fingertips and the back of his neck and the pit of his stomach and the muscles in his
throat, because they're all fizzing and prickling.

Draco's fingers underneath his chin have become Draco's hand curling around his neck and Draco's mouth and yes. Harry says.

Harry says yes.