It was an ordinary winter morning. It was freezing and the snow kept falling as if it wanted to cover the entire castle. Despite the weather outside, inside Hogwarts was warm and cozy. Well, everywhere, except for the dungeons.

And if the dungeons were already mentioned, let me tell you that our story takes place right there.
Everything seemed usual - the Gryffindors and Slytherins gathered around the entrance of the Potions' class. In the middle stood to guys, screaming and cursing each other.

"I hate you, Potter!"

"I hate you too, Malfoy."

"What exactly is going on?!" They heard Professor Snape's monotonic voice when he appeared behind the two like a dark shadow.

"It's Potter, professor," answered the blonde one, with an innocent angel-like smile. "He said again that potions are an unnecessary class!"

"What?! Professor, I never said such a thing!" Protested the Gryffindor, putting his glasses to their place. "It's Malfoy, he said you had a crooked nose!"

"Professor, can you believe him?! Do you hear how he speaks?! You should..." Draco didn't have the chance to finish the phrase. He was interrupted by o e angry professor.

" Quiet. Don't ever tell me what I should or shouldn't do. Not only that you're saying all this nonsense, you're wasting the precious time of my - very - important points lesson. Ten points from Gryffindor and Slytherin!" He turned around and went to the door, followed by a line of tired students.

When everybody was inside, Snape closed the door, turning around to face the class. "Mr. Potter, Mr. Malfoy, come here!" he said firmly. "From this day forward, you'll be sitting here – in the front row. TOGETHER."

They both opened their mouth simultaneously, in order to resist, but one look at their professor was enough to make both of them change their minds. Unwillingly, they did as he said – sitting down at the front table of the right row, the closest one to the door.

"Now I will be able to watch over you two," Snape added. "And you'll be at a great angle to look at my crooked nose, which you show such interest in."

Some confused whispers were heard, but none of the students dared to laugh. Nobody dares to laugh at Snape.

The potions master looked satisfied with himself. He went to the board and wrote this: 'Triantáfyllo: A Rose of Love'. "Can either of you tell me what potion is it, where does it come from, and what it can do?" he searched the class with his gaze, noticing, unwillingly, that the only hand that was up, was Hermione's. "Yes, Granger?" he sighed.

The girl cleared her throat. "Triantáfyllo is a love potion. The strongest one, to be exact. It was invented in ancient Greece and was named 'Rose' because roses are one of the main ingredients. At first, it was used only as a perfume, because its scent makes one feel more happy and optimistic. It makes fears go away. Then, it was discovered that if drops of the potion touch one's eyes, they make him fall in love with the first person they see. Or, something that feels like love. Every drop of it can stay active for twenty-four hours."

"Indeed." Snape agreed, without enthusiasm. "That is how it looks when ready –" The professor opened the closet, the one that right next to the door. He took a small bottle, filled with a smooth pink liquid. "Now, I'm going to open it, and we should all feel its positive effect." He continued, opening the bottle.

At the exact same moment, as he did so, the door was shut open, reveals one worried headmaster. "Professor!" he shouted, "I need your help with…" he suddenly stopped, noticing that he was getting zero attention from Snape, whose eyes were fixed on something. When Dumbledore followed his terrified look, he noticed few things: first of all, he saw a broken bottle of potion, laying on one of the desks. Then, he noticed the two students sitting behind that table. They were both screaming with pain and rubbing their eyes.

Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy.

Dumbledore looked confused. "Was that dangerous?" he asked, worried.

Snape didn't answer. He just shook his head slightly, looking as if he saw death itself.

The class was unusually quiet.

"What was that?" the headmaster tried one more time.

Snape didn't answer again. Luckily – or not – he got the answer from a different source.

"Potter…" a quiet whisper was heard, "you're so charming today!"

The wise old man didn't need more to understand, that the only thing that could make this specific Slytherin say something of that sort – was a love potion.

Harry didn't reply. He continued to scratch his closed eyes.

"Look at me! Why can't you look at me?!" cried the blonde guy, "Am I not handsome enough for you?"

Harry sighed desperately.

"But, Haaaaarryy" he started to pet the other one's back, making him shiver. "I LOVE you!"

Harry tried to move his chair in the opposite direction, as far as possible from the blonde. "Malfoy, stop it. If you – the normal you – could hear yourself now – you would be disgusted!" Harry tried to reason with him, hoping that the normal Malfoy was still there, somewhere. "You don't love me. You hate me! It's the potion that makes you think irrationally!"

"Don't talk nonsense, sunshine," Draco wasn't going to give up. He came closer to Harry, hugging him from behind. The classroom was still quiet as a rock. None of the students were able to fully grasp what was happening. "Look at me!" Draco shouted, and before Harry had the chance to resist, pulled the Gryffindor's hands away from his face. They're eyes met.

Momentarily, Harry's gaze softened up. He smiled.

Draco smiled back.

And the class remained silent.

"Oh, Potter, kiss me!" Draco called, putting one of his hands on Harry's cheek while taking his glasses off with the other one.

"I love you so much!" shouted the other boy in response, moving closer immediately.

However, before anything happened, everybody heard Snape's loud snort. "Please, do us all a favor and do it after my lesson! Preferably in a privet place, where you wouldn't cause anyone a life-lasting trauma!"

"But, professor, I cannot live without Harry's warm lips on mine!"

"Yeah, Professor, and besides, you were the one who spilled the potion on us. You made us understand that we can't live without one another!"

"You know what? You're quite right –" a half-smile suddenly appeared on the face that never smiles. "I did make you realize that, but what I spilled on you was a regular rose perfume. It wasn't the potion."

The students' faces became even more confused, while Harry and Draco's expressions became serious for a moment and then red of embarrassment.

"Exactly! – that wasn't the potion!" called Dumbledore, excitingly. "You see, your dear professor and I got tired of your so obvious denial. And we figured out that you'll never do anything unless we push you towards one another!"

'He's even crazier than I thought!' the thought crossed Draco's mind. However, he had much more important things to think about at the moment. 'What, in the name of Salazar, just happened?!'

With every second, the boys became more and redder.

"And it works!" the headmaster sounded thrilled. "You finally shared your true feelings!"

"Feelings?!" called Draco, "I don't have feelings for Potter!" he made a childish face.

After a minute of silence, a question was asked. With a quiet voice, the Boy-Who-Lived said, "So… why… why did you want to… kiss… me?"

"I didn't!" screamed the blonde. His face became practically purple. "I…" he was silent for a moment. He tried to avoid Harry's gaze. When he continued talking you could hear the anger in his voice changing to confusion. "I…" he couldn't find an alternative explanation.

"Draco…" whispered Harry.

"My name is Malfoy," answered Draco quietly, but firmly.

"Your name is Draco, Draco…" Harry laughed.

The other boy finally looked up, studying the Gryffindor with his eyes, trying to interpret his smile, that was only becoming bigger and bigger.

"I meant what I said!" Snape's voice destroyed the fragile moment, returning both of them to reality. "Find another time for it!"

"I think we can make an exception this time and let them figure some things out, don't we, Severus? I don't think they are in a mood for studying" Smiled Dumbledore.

Snape looked unpleased. He muttered some things under his nose but then nodded.

The headmaster smiled again. "You're free to go, Mr. Potter, Mr. Malfoy!" He called and left the classroom.

A moment later, the confused boys walked out the door as well.

"But don't be mistaken –" called Snape after them, "it is a one-time thing… and I test you on the new material you're missing!"

As he stepped into the corridor, Draco leaned desperately against the wall, hiding his flushed face.

"Draco?" asked Harry, standing next to him.

"Malfoy."

"Draco."

"Malfoy!" shouted the Slytherin, lowering his hands and looking at the Gryffindor with rage. However, The rage turned into embarrassment, after seeing the stupid smile on the black-haired boy's face. He turned aside, crossing his arms.

"Draco…" tried Harry one more time.

"No! You're not going to call me that!" Draco sounded furious. "I cannot believe it happened! What will everybody think of me now?!"

"It's not that bad…" tried Harry to calm him down, but it appeared as if it only made things worse.

"Not bad? NOT BAD?! Did you hear the things I said there?!"

"Err, yes, Draco, I did," Harry grinned slightly, a bit embarrassed.

"M-A-L-F-O-Y!" Draco screamed again. "And you're not supposed to act like that! You should… I don't know… be grossed out, be mad… I don't know! And you're not supposed to call me by my first name!"

"But your name is so lovely!"

Draco wanted to scream with despair, but he could make any noise. Instead, he felt his throat dries up and realize he was losing the power to resist. He felt like all of the scary thoughts that he tried to subdue are gathering power, as if planning another attack on his brain.

'Lovely?! Potter – Harry Potter – said I have a lovely name?!'

'And why does he keeps smiling like an idiot?! Well, he is dumb – but he is not supposed to smile at me like that. Even though I do like this sm… NO!'

'So, the potion, I mean, the not-potion… did it have any effect on us… or… what is the meaning of it all?!'

'Was is all really planned? What?!'

'Why would my godfather do that to me?!'

'Why would he make me say such embarrassing things… in front of everyone?'

'And how did he make me say all that?! If the potion wasn't real…'

'It doesn't make any sense!'

"Draco?" a quiet voice stopped his thoughts.

This time, he had no power to resist. He only sighed tiredly.

'What is the meaning of it all?' he – truly – wanted to know the answer.

The confused boy looked at Potter, who was so close to him, also lost in his thoughts. Draco examined his facial expression, his messy black hair, his sparkling emerald eyes, his funny-looking glasses.

Before he noticed, a little smile appeared at the side of his mouth. He shivered.

'What did Potter mean, when he said he loved me? Was he serious?'

'And why is that idiot became so quiet suddenly?! He still owns me some answers!'

'I should ask him.'

'How do you ask such a thing?'

'I'll just ask.'

"Harry –" started Draco, stopping immediately. He wasn't planning on calling him that.

"How did you just call me?" mumbled the other one.

"I… Potter! I called you… Potter."

Harry laughed. "I do love you' you know…"

Well, he got his answer.

"So...? Aren't you supposed to say something back?" Harry sounded a bit nervous. "Say something!" he paused for a second, waiting. "You're still quiet. Is it a good sign? A bad sign? Am I supposed to worry?! Say something, please."

"I…" Draco didn't know how to react, everything happened too fast.

'Potter. Loves. Me. ME! What is the meaning of it?!'

'Is this means he…'

"Are you gay?" asked Draco tactlessly.

Harry looked surprised. It was definitely not the reaction he was expecting for. "Err, yes… Draco, I am gay. I just told you I had feelings for you!"

"Oh."

Harry looked at him for a brief moment with confusion in his eyes, then started laughing. "Wow! You reactions are something special…

"What is your problem with my reactions?!" Draco sounded both upset and embarrassed.

'I was supposed to get used to his reactions by now, didn't I?' thought Harry, smiling. "Do you really want me to answer?"

"Yes!"

The Gryffindor didn't reply. Instead, he stepped forward and kissed Draco on his forehead so gently it was barely felt.

However, the reaction it caused was huge. It made Draco's pale face become redder than red. He was shocked.

Harry stared back at him for few more seconds, seeing the blush slowly became softer.

Draco took a deep breath. "Me… too," he mumbled in a whisper that was barely heard.

"What?" Harry asked.

"Me too," answered the Blond, a bit louder.

"You too, what?" Harry smiled.

Draco gazed at the green eyes that were full of joy. "I love you too, Harry Potter."

"Too?!" called Harry, laughing, "Who else is in love with me?"

Draco blinked. It took him a minute to understand the joke, but when he did – a wide smile spread on his face, a sort of smile that was never seen before on a Malfoy's face. A smile of true happiness. He shook his head, pushing Harry slightly. "I hate you, Potter!"

"I hate you too, Malfoy," laughed Harry.

"My name is Draco."