Inspired by this: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/1147855023767594881/
“I swear to Merlin Parkinson if you don’t release me this instant I will make you suffer I will make your whole family suffer I will mirror you in your sleep and I’ll make it look like an accident you nasty little excuse for a friend,” Draco growled as Pansy finished tightening the Christmas lights around him and Harry, holding the two close.
“Oh do shut up. ‘Potter this’ ‘Potter that,’ it has to stop. We’ll be back in two hours,” Pansy drawled, tying the knot and taking Draco’s wand from his hand.
“Hermione-“ Harry said, trying to make her see some reason in this. She couldn’t just leave him here, tied face-to-face with his worst enemy!
“I’m sorry Harry but this is the only thing she’s actually right about,” Hermione muttered sheepishly, tying the other knot and taking his wand from his hand as well.
“See you two soon,” Pansy called tauntingly as she and Hermione walked out of the large storage room, closing and locking the door behind them. They were trapped.
Now, it wouldn’t be too bad if it wasn’t for the position they were in. Pansy and Hermione had used Christmas lights to tie the two face-to-face tightly. Their chests were uncomfortably pressed against each other and their hands were tied together in such a way that if one were to flex their fingers, they would accidentally lace fingers with the other.
Malfoy was currently turned pointedly away, staring at the door like it would bring the two back, but if they were to both turn their heads at the same time, they would end up hitting each other's faces, or at least bumping noses.
Harry felt his glasses start to slide down his face, and with no hands available he couldn’t push them back up.
Malfoy was still glaring at the door but turned his head slightly towards Harry when he made a sound of frustration.
“So, Malfoy,” Harry started. He wasn’t going to be tied here for two hours without any conversation. “Care to explain why they trapped us here?”
“I don’t know Potter,” Malfoy growled. “I’m just as confused as you.”
For once he didn’t seem angry at Harry. His anger seemed to be more projected at the Slytherin that first tied them here. Funny how quickly he turned.
Harry let out a long exhale, seeing that conversation wouldn’t work at the moment. He soon realized that was a mistake.
Malfoy’s head snapped towards his, seemingly shocked. He hadn’t seemed to realize that they were close enough to feel each other’s breath. His nose slammed into Harry’s, knocking them both back.
“Watch it, Potter,” Malfoy snapped, but he didn’t seem angry. His cheeks were flushed a bit, and he kept shuffling his feet.
Harry ignored what Malfoy had said to him, and decided to try being more bold with his approach. “What did Pansy mean by ‘Potter this,’ ‘Potter that?’”
Malfoy’s cheeks went from a light red to a much darker shade. “Why don’t you ask her when she returns, Potter?”
“You know,” Harry accused. “Anybody that looks at your face would be able to tell.” It wasn’t just that. At such proximity, Harry could hear Malfoy’s heart rate, which had been fast the second they were solved against each other.
“Shut up. We need to get out of here,” he said, but his voice sounded… wrong. It was slightly higher than normal.
Great. It hadn’t even been five minutes and something was already happening to Malfoy. The next 117 minutes we’re going to very clearly go amazing.
“What’s wrong Malfoy?” Harry asked, trying to keep the taunting edge out of his voice.
Malfoy didn’t respond. They stood locked together for the next five minutes. Only 112 left to go.
Suddenly, Harry started to get an ache in his fingers, he tried to wiggle them without moving Malfoy’s too much, but there wasn’t any room. He lightly moved them towards Malfoy’s hand, trying to stretch enough to cure the ache.
However, one of the girls must have enchanted the lights, because the second Harry’s finger moved an inch, the wire shot in, forcing their fingers to intertwine. No matter how hard Harry pulled, he couldn’t get them to unlock. The wire had them trapped.
However, this did get Malfoy’s attention. “What the hell Potter!” He cried, trying to pull their fingers apart, having just as much luck as Harry did.
“It’s not my fault!” Harry exclaimed. “They must have enchanted the wire to leave no open space!”
Harry felt Malfoy’s heart rate speed up again. “Malfoy, please explain what the hell is going on!” He attempted to calm his voice, having no such luck. “Why your heart is going so fast, why your face is dark red, and why we’re even here!”
“My face isn’t dark red,” Malfoy retorted. “Nor is my heart rate fast!”
“Puh-lease,” Harry stated, drawing out the word. “I can feel it. It’s going quite fast actually.” Could it be a panic attack? Harry had had a couple of those in the past, and Malfoy was surely showing some of the signs, but his dark red face didn’t line up.
As if he could read thoughts, (or maybe he can just read faces well,) Malfoy said, “I know what you’re thinking Potter. It’s not a panic attack. It’s… something else that you have no right to go sticking your nose in.”
He tried to squirm away, but as expected, it didn’t work. However, they did move a couple of inches, at the cost of Harry’s balance. Not expecting the sudden movement, Harry flung his head forward, even though they barely moved, and came face on-face with Malfoy again, their foreheads collided, causing them both to draw back again.
“Potter! Stop!” Malfoy whined.
Harry’s forehead hurt, but he had no hands to reach up and rub it. It was at that moment that he remembered that their hands were intertwined, and he looked down anxiously to see.
The fingers were tightly locked together, and Malfoy seemed to almost be clenching Harry’s hand. Harry drew his gaze away, looking up to see Malfoy also looking down at their conjoined hands, an expression on his face that Harry couldn’t quite read.
Seeing that Harry was looking at him, Malfoy shut down whatever emotion he was showing and glared at him.
The storage closet they were in was quite empty, but still, something caused a broom to fall hitting Malfoy on the back of the head and pushing his head forward against Harry’s. Again.
Harry’s forehead still hurt, but he braved himself for the new impact, being unable to draw away. However, their foreheads never collided. Instead, since Malfoy’s head also had been tilted a bit, their lips collided, resulting in an embarrassing, accidental kiss.
The two were so shocked that they didn’t do anything but stand there with their lips together for about ten seconds, and then suddenly it all came crashing in. Malfoy and Harry tried to jump back at the same time which resulted in doing absolutely nothing but having their heads come apart.
Harry felt it now. Malfoy was squeezing his hand very tightly, seemingly unconsciously. His heart rate has somehow picked up again, tripling in just a few seconds.
“Potter what the hell!” Malfoy snapped.
“It wasn’t my fault,” Harry snapped back. “The broom hit your head. This wouldn’t have happened if it hadn’t fallen.”
“None of this would have happened if they hadn’t tied us up here!” Malfoy exclaimed.
“And care to explain why they did that in the first place?” Harry snapped again, still not ready to calm down. “Explain what Pansy said. How did she convince Hermione to do this?”
Suddenly, Malfoy’s shoulder sagged a bit. “I can’t.”
“Why not?”
“Potter you don’t understand. You don’t understand anything!” His voice was high-pitched again.
“Then tell me one thing,” Harry said, his voice low even though no one could hear them anyway.
“What?”
“Why are you squeezing my hand instead of slacking, or trying to pull away?”
Malfoy looked down at their conjoined hands, and what Harry said seemed to sink in. Harry had been holding his hand slack the entire time.
Malfoy flushed again. Harry would have normally taken pleasure in seeing Malfoy so embarrassed, but right now was just confused and tired.
Harry hung his head, his exhaustion suddenly hitting him like a wave. He forgot how close their heads were, and wasn’t expecting to hit Malfoy’s shoulder. Surprisingly, Malfoy didn’t immediately try to shove him off, instead, he lightly rested his chin on top of Harry’s head.
“How much time do we have left?” Harry muttered, still resting his forehead on Malfoy’s shoulder.
“Potter if you turn your head slightly you should be able to see my watch. We were forced in here at 5:20.”
Harry did turn his head, barely able to see the time. “I think it’s 5:45.”
Malfoy groaned. “It’s only been 25 minutes .”
“I think I could figure that out on my own, thank you very much,” Harry murmured. He didn’t want to fall asleep on his enemy's shoulder, but it was soft and he was so tired. He closed his eyes, expecting to hear Malfoy protest, but none came.
He felt Malfoy tilt his head so it was more comfortable on top of Harry’s head before Harry slipped into a light sleep.
“Potter wake up,” he heard Malfoy whisper in his ear. Wait, why was Malfoy there? Harry opened his eyes and it all came crashing back. Right. He had fallen asleep on Draco Malfoy’s shoulder.
“What time is it?” Malfoy yawned. “I think I fell asleep too.”
Somehow they had both fallen asleep standing up. Harry flicked his eyes down to Malfoy’s watch. “6:00.” They still had an hour and twenty left.
Harry, still not moving his head, looked down at their hands. In his sleep, Harry had lightly squeezed Malfoy’s, and Malfoy never stopped. However, Harry had no desire to let go. He was too tired to want anything, honestly.
However, he couldn’t stay resting on Malfoy’s shoulder forever. He raised his head, meeting Malfoy’s gaze. His silver eyes looked tired too.
Harry tilted his head back to see what was behind him. As he did, he hit a large box of sponges, which fell and knocked his head forward, straight into Malfoy’s again.
Their noses bumped, but that wasn’t what woke up Harry. Their lips brushed, just a little bit, but it was enough to send fire and ice down Harry’s spine. He had never felt anything like this before.
Suddenly wide awake, he decided to take another shot at the questions from earlier.
“Malfoy what did Pansy mean when she said ‘Potter this’ ‘Potter that?’” Might as well take it slowly. One at a time.
“You’re not going to leave me alone about this are you?” Malfoy said, but his smirk for once wasn’t malicious. “I thought it was rather obvious.”
Harry finally put some thought into it and finally realized. “It means you talk about me a lot?”
“More or less,” Malfoy responded. While Harry had been awakened, Malfoy still seemed tired. “But I don’t know why she thought this was the best option. Also, can you check the time again?”
Harry obliged, putting his head back on Malfoy’s shoulder to see. “6:15.”
“Well, what else are we supposed to do here?” Malfoy huffed. “We still have an hour and five left.”
“Surely they’re coming to check on us at some point,” Harry tried to reason, drawing up his head to face Malfoy.
“They think we can survive two hours,” Malfoy sighed. “I’ve known Pansy for a long time. If she said two hours, it’s gonna be two hours.”
“And Hermione seems to be mostly following Pansy on this,” Harry said, the realization hitting him.
“Exactly,” Malfoy replied. “Now, as much as I hate being here with you, I have to admit it’d be worse with someone who stinks.”
“You saying I smell good Malfoy?” Harry taunted, only half meaning it.
“Better than Weasley I’m sure,” Malfoy smirked back. “Does he even use cologne?”
“Well I’m sorry that Ron’s cologne isn’t to your taste Malfoy,” Harry said, cracking a smile. “I didn’t realize that you went around smelling people.”
“I don’t!” Malfoy protested. “It’s just very prominent!” However, he too cracked a smile, taking Harry aback.
It was the first real smile Malfoy had sent in his direction. There was no malice or taunting. It completely changed Malfoy’s face, making it softer and kinder looking.
“Wow, Malfoy. I didn’t realize you could smile,” Harry said, with just a slight teasing tone. “You should do it more often. Suits you.”
While Malfoy’s face didn’t change, his heartbeat did speed up a little more.
“Why is your heart so fast?”
“None of your business, Potter.”
“Well, it appears it is considering we are tied up together in a way that I can feel your heart.”
“And I can feel yours, Potter. That’s just proof that we’re human,” Malfoy snapped. But he somehow still wasn’t angry. More embarrassed than anything.
“It’s not embarrassing to have a higher heart rate Malfoy,” Harry retorted. “Unless you’re thinking about something… or dare I say someone?”
“It’s not anything. Nothing is wrong. I’m fine!”
“But you’re not! It’s not a panic attack but if something is wrong, we need to get someone here!”
“If you’re thinking about someone you like or whatever, you can just say it!” I’m not judging!” Harry cried. He would have raised his hands if they had been free.
“It’s you, okay! I like you!” Malfoy yelled, then turned away, cheeks coloring darker.
Harry had been stunned into silence. Finally, he managed to stutter out “You like… me? But we hate each other. I thought you hated me.”
“Well it’s not exactly like I had many other options after you denied my friendship first year,” Malfoy stumbled over his words. “Also you’re not a girl.”
“What’s wrong with me not being a girl?” Harry asked, still dumbstruck. “I thought that wasn’t a problem in wizarding culture.
“It is for pure blood,” Malfoy muttered. “Mother and Father are going to force me to wed a pure-blood woman one day, and if they know I’m… imperfect… I could be disowned.”
“Imperfect? You mean-“
“Don’t say it,” Malfoy cut Harry off. “I don’t even know if I am yet, considering I have a had a crush on you and you alone since I first saw you in Madam Malkins.”
“Then you could be Demisexual?” Harry suggested meekly. “That’s kind of when you only like one person, and one person only. I know I’m bi.”
“You’re bi?”
“Have been. Always felt feelings just never had words to put to them until recently.”
“Well Potter, you and all your accepting friends are allowed to be… be LGBTQ or whatever. I’m not. I have to be straight!
“You can’t always help it Malfoy! Sometimes you feel feelings and that’s okay! Does anyone even know?” Harry retorted. He could understand how hard it was to be forced to marry someone you held no feelings for.
“I told Pansy last year. She guessed it was you right away, and kept pressuring me to ask you to the Yule ball.”
“Is that why she convinced Hermione to tie us up here?” Harry asked, although he already knew the answer.
“Yes,” Malfoy admitted. “She needed Granger to lure you here, I’m guessing. I’d also assume that she was hoping you’d figure it out by my reactions, but turns out you’re… lacking a bit.”
“It’s not my fault!” Harry protested. “I’m the last person I expected you to like. You’re mean to me daily!”
“And I regret every day of it Potter. I hate doing it, but I had started it and couldn’t give myself away. I-“
Malfoy was cut off by Harry suddenly pressing his lips to Malfoy’s, purposely starting a kiss. Malfoy looked shocked but didn’t draw back.
It was only lips, soft and sweet, and when they drew away Harry whispered “I think I might like you too.”
Suddenly, footsteps sounded down the hall. “Potter, what time is it?” Malfoy whispered.
Harry quickly checked. “7:15. We have five minutes left.”
“Then that must be them. Pansy always comes five minutes early,” Malfoy whispered. “Act the same way we did at the beginning.”
The door creaked open, and Pansy, Hermione, and Ron walked in.
“Harry!” Ron exclaimed. “What is-?”
Before Harry could respond, Malfoy started hurling insults at Pansy.
“Parkinson you better get me out of here right now before I find you and h ur you down and make you suffer and make your friends suffer and-“
“Hermione, dear,” Pansy cut in, looking bored. “This isn’t working. You know what we have to do.”
“Do we have to?” Hermione murmured.
“Yes. Remember the deal.”
At that, Pansy stepped behind Malfoy and Hermione stepped behind Harry.
“Ready? 3… 2… 1… Go!”
At Pansy’s go, she and Hermione shoved Malfoy’s and Harry’s head together, forcing their lips to collide. This was nothing like the purposeful one that they had shared. This was violent and completely against their will.
Harry tried to draw back, but Hermione’s hand held his head steady.
“Ron,” Pansy ordered. “Get the last of the wire and come help me.”
Harry saw out of the corner of his eye Ron handed the wire over to Pansy, who then proceeded to tie Harry’s and Malfoy’s heads together.
“It’s only for five minutes, but I’m tired of Draco’s constant talking about Potter’s perfect hair, eyes, whatever,” Pansy sighed, stepping back to admire her work.
Harry had found just enough room to draw back his head a tiny bit, only brushing Malfoy’s lips now. “Parkinson please-“
Malfoy cursed under his breath, sending waves of mint over Harry.
Those five minutes felt like five hours, but finally, the three untied their heads.
The instant Draco’s mouth was free, he started threatening Pansy, threatening her family, her possessions, everything.
“Pansy,” Hermione whispered. “It’s been two hours.”
“Right right. Let’s get these oblivious gits untied.”
Pansy untied everything but their right hands, leaving them conjoined. She seemed gleeful that her plan had worked somewhat.
Harry’s legs gave out right as he was untied, and he collapsed to the floor, dragging Malfoy along with him. They lay there for a solid two minutes before Harry had a sudden question.
“How will we leave if our hands are stuck together?”
At that, Hermione bent down and untied their hands, allowing Harry to finally flex his fingers. Harry’s hand now felt cold, and he realized he had accidentally gotten used to having Malfoy’s hand in his.
Hermione helped Harry stand, and at that, She, Harry, and Ron walked out leaving Malfoy and Parkinson.
The three made their way back to the Gryffindor common room, and Ron promptly started asking questions.
“Harry, what was that all about? Why were you tied up with Malfoy? How long were you there for? What happened?”
Harry started answering Ron’s questions one by one, carefully leaving out the more delicate parts including the accidental and purposeful kisses and the sleeping.
Afterward, Harry went to bed. He woke up in the middle of the night and decided to go for a walk around the castle. He stumbled around for over an hour before colliding head-on with another solid body.
“Potter?” He heard a voice mutter as he fell to the floor. Looking up, Harry saw Malfoy peering down at him.
“Malfoy?”
