Harry glared at the nothing around him. Hermione had asked him to escort her to Hannah's birthday party. He'd figured what the hell. Hufflepuffs knew how to party, and he wouldn't have to share. He should have known she was up to something. She'd made it all too easy. She'd sent the portkey, so why was he standing in a lightless room with no discernible exits and wards so strong he couldn't imagine tearing them down in a month of Sundays?
Because his best friend was a conniving creature. Most days she seemed sweet, but there was that secret twisted core. He'd screwed up last month and she was making him pay. Unpure and simple.
His Hermione, his best friend and loyal companion, would wind up spending the party with her beloved Draco Malfoy. Gods, it was enough to make him sick. The Malfoy menace would be the one to get her tipsy. There would be snogging and silliness. They would be all over each other. Hermione would be squeezing the ferret's arse, kissing the ferret's lips, and stroking the ferret's cock.
It was unfair. It was wrong. It was bloody stupid.
The sudden shift in the wards had him spinning with his wand up. The lights suddenly came up. He blinked and stared at the ferret. How in hell did he wind up here?
"What has that conniving bit of baggage done now?" Draco Malfoy spun around. "Where in the whole of the bloody world am I?"
"We." Harry smiled at the blond. "Where in the whole of the bloody world are we? The answer appears to be a nicely appointed bedroom."
"Fine, then." Draco's eyes narrowed as he glanced around the room. "Who did the warding?"
"Hermione did." Harry shrugged. "It's the only logical answer."
"No weak spots. No mistakes. She doesn't make them." Draco nodded and paced along one wall. His fingers trailed along the wainscoting as he tried to find a weak spot in the warding scheme. He'd done the same. There wasn't one, but Harry didn't feel like sharing that tidbit of information.
"I think she's punishing us. I thought it was just me, but it's both of us." Harry sighed and sat on the oversized bed. "Who needs a bed this big?"
"It's no oversized." Draco shook his head. "Why is Granger punishing us?"
"We ruined her twenty-first birthday." Harry crossed his arms over his chest. "I seem to recall her sitting on the stairs of that poncey place you dragged her to in a ripped dress while she did the whole snotty, tear stained thing."
"She's not a pretty crier." Draco sat beside him.
"So, you've agreed on something." Hermione's voice seemed to float into the room. "Probably how to kill me for this, but you will get over it. I can't take being the piece of meat you're fighting over. Especially as it isn't me either of you wants. At least, not all the time. Take this time to work out your differences. I'll free you soon enough."
"She's mental." Harry flopped back on the bed. "Ron was right."
"She's not mental. She's assertive and conniving." Draco shrugged. "We've been circling around her and trying to force her to choose between us."
"She won't." Harry dragged his hand over his face. "She doesn't work like that. The problem isn't really Hermione. It's me. I'm jealous of her, of you. I've spent my whole life on the outside. I hate watching the pair of you go off together without me."
"You hate watching me go?" Draco raised a single brow.
Harry felt his cheeks heat. He wished he could hide his stupid, ruddy face. Anyone with half a mind could read him, and Malfoy was an expert. He felt his ears go hot. Damn. Bloody hell. There was no mercy. Hermione knew. Malfoy knew. The whole world would bloody well know that it wasn't just Hermione he fancied.
"You want me, too." Draco grinned and flopped back on the bed next to Harry. "So, we want each other and we want her. Seems like no one has to be left out."
Harry closed his eyes and dragged in a deep breath. Draco's words rattled around in his head. Could it be that easy?
Draco shifted causing the mattress to dip. Harry forced his eyes open and looked up into familiar grey eyes. Gods, Draco was beautiful.
"So, what are you doing?" Harry licked his lips.
"I'm going to kiss you." Draco nodded his head. "We are going to enjoy this Hufflepuff's birthday, and then torture Hermione for all the rest of our days."
"Torture?" Harry squeaked the word out.
"Lovingly." Draco shrugged his shoulder. His hair flopped into his eyes and it was enough. Harry whipped his hand up and dragged Draco down to him. Their lips pressed together hard and sharp and biting before they gentled against each other.
Draco pulled back and stared down at him with his lips red and swollen.
"So, the new world order?" Draco smirked. "You belong to me."
"And you belong to me." Harry cupped his shoulder and ran his hand down cashmere covered muscles. "And we will both belong to Hermione."
"You'll have to listen to her lectures." Draco smirked. "I always wind up in more trouble when I try."
"You need to learn to let her words flow over you and nod at random intervals." Harry smirked. "She'll go over it again without the angry edge. She can't help herself."
"She knows you're not listening." Draco leaned forward and pressed his chest to Harry's. "That's why she goes over it again. Do you want to spend the night talking about Hermione's idiosyncrasies or do you want to really enjoy our time?"
Harry didn't mind when Draco didn't wait for an answer.