“wow, i’m kinda speehless,” he murmured. “i had no idea you were so…”
“so what?”
“passionate.”
“this has nothing to do otter,” dra his nose.
& i ahis means a lot to you.”
drao said nothing. it did mean a lot to him and it was suh a stra it with potter.
“thanks f me,” potter said. drao made a non-ommittal sound. “i, um, i have a oo make.”
“oh?”
“yeah, um…i sneaked inside when you showed luna aroueahers showed me something.”
drao’s heart jumped. oh no, otter seen?
& i might want to know that my moo good use.”
oh bugger.
“she showed me some paperwork and i saw how the shool is finaned.”
damn it. so muh for them keepihs shut under all irumstanes.
“you helped ahas, didn’t you?”
drao ouldter leased or he had only found out part of the truth.
“maybe,” he said, urtly.
“you oo ohat definitely soule reproahful.
“you doo eve,” drao poi.
&ill…”
drao oed his options, fihat hoy robably his best shot. “okay, look, the thing is…i io that ga to raise more money. i knew if people saw y—”
“so you basially used me,” potter io…help hildren.” potter pressed his lips together, but, drao realised, it wasn’t in irritation; it himself from ughing. “a’s the only reason you invited me?”
drao almost tripped over his ow—what else would there be?”
“drahed. “why an’t you just admit you like me?” drao froze, his mind goiely bnk. potter seemed to be in a simir state, looking like he was berating himself for what he’d just said. “um, you knoerson,” he added quikly.
drao willed his musles to rex, f his lips into a smirk. “you’re…not horrible.”
“i’ll take it,” potter said with a grin. “although…” his grin widened. “you seem to like me enough to tell the kids stories about me.”
o.
&hem stories about me. you just happe of that.”
“a big part?”
oh, that oky bastard.
“you just have to take the lead ihing, don’t you?”
“that’s not a no,” potter said, looking smug.
drao’s mouth twithed, in spite of himself. damn it! otter’s smile so iious?
“i’m gd i ame today,” potter said.
&ht, exhanging a long and meanih him. there oint in saying it out loud. he had a feeling potter already knew.
chapter 7: think about the sequene
friday, 31 january 2003
drao leaned his head agaihe armhair, his grip on the b ed around him slowly loosening.
“i hate everything,” he murmured.