When word gets round the school that Draco and Harry are lovers, Ron is convinced it is just a rumour... Hermione isn't so sure...

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DISCLAIMER: The characters and initial ideas, unfortunately, belong to J. K. Rowling :(

Electricity

Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy were lovers. That was the rumour going round Hogwarts, and so far neither boy was denying it.

Ron couldn't, no, didn't want to, believe it. Harry Potter, the best friend he had been in love with for the past four years, was not, in any way, shape or form, dating their sworn enemy. It was just not possible.

"I mean, come on, Hermione. The guy's a ferret. A ferret who spends his all his time finding ways to insult us. Why would Harry... no, he wouldn't... he can't be... can he? Oh, but... no... It's just not even..."

"Ron, for the last time, shut up!" Hermione snapped.

She had spent the past hour listening to Ron drone on and on about the current speculation circulating its way around the school. To be honest, she didn't care who was, or was not, dating. All she knew was that for the past few weeks, Harry had been the happiest she had ever seen him and if that was down to Draco Malfoy, then so be it. She just wished Ron would stop thinking about himself and more about his best friend. If he did, maybe then he might actually realise how radiant Harry looked lately.

She looked over at Ron, to find him sat, sulking, in the arm chair by the fire. She shook her head and sighed. That boy didn't half grate on her sometimes.

Ron shook his head in disgust. It was like she didn't even care her best friend had been brain-washed by some ferrety, good-for-nothing jerk! If the rumours were true, which they weren't, of course, then Harry had clearly been brain-washed. He'd had his mind taken over. It was the only possible explanation. Seriously. He couldn't willingly want to snog... Ugh!

Ron shook his head, trying to rid his mind of the thoughts.

"It's not true." He muttered, under his breath. "It's all just one big, giant misunderstanding."

Deep down though, Ron knew that wasn't the case. He'd never seen Harry as happy has he'd looked recently. He just wished it could have been him putting the smile on his best friends face. Instead of some slimy pratt from Slytherin, who they all supposedly hated.

Up in the astronomy tower, Harry Potter's body shook violently, as tears streamed silently down his face. He couldn't believe he'd been so stupid. He'd actually gone and fallen in love.

When their arrangement had started, both had agreed it was just a bit of fun. It had started completely accidentally. One minute, they were fighting. The next, they were on the ground, Draco on top of Harry and they were kissing passionately.

It had lasted a mere second, before they both came to their senses and pulled away, disgusted.

"That did not just happen, Potter." Draco had whispered menacingly, running off down the dark corridor. Harry had just nodded, too shocked to speak or think. What had just happened, he did not know. How it had happened, he definitely did not know. But one thing he was sure he knew, was that, beyond his better reasoning, he wanted it to happen again.

Fortunately, so it seemed, so did Draco. The next time they met, Draco had dragged Harry into the nearest alcove.

"I don't know what this means Pot... Har... Pot... Harry..."

Harry had, had to stifle a laugh at the sight of Draco Malfoy stumbling over what name to call him and fought back a surprising smile when he chose "Harry."

"I really don't know what this means, but I can't stop thinking. About you, about the... the..."

"Kiss?" Harry had offered. Without waiting for Draco's response, he'd leant forwards and placed another kiss on the other boy's lips, and this time there was no holding back.

When they'd finally come up for air, Harry had whispered,

"Our secret?" Draco had simply nodded, before moving away.

That was how it had began and now, almost two months later, here Harry was, alone. The whole school was gossiping about their relationship, which was clearly over. Draco had made a very clear point of warning Harry not to let "the thing" get too serious. Harry had agreed and, for a while, it wasn't. Then, everything changed.

Draco began to confide in him. He admitted that his dad was making get the dark mark. He admitted that the scars that ran along his back and down his sides were from years of being beaten by his father. He admitted that he was scared; he didn't want to be a death-eater.

Somewhere along the line, Harry had fallen in love. His body began to shake again with fresh tears. How the school had found out, he didn't know.

"We were so careful." He murmured, to himself. "So careful... So, so careful..."

"Not careful enough." A voice replied.

Harry looked up in shock and the tears that had been falling so heavily just moments before began to cease. A hand reached forward, gently wiping away the few remaining tears that had clung to his cheeks.

"Draco?" Harry whispered, scarcely daring to believe. "I thought..."

"You thought, what? That I'd run a mile when the whole school found out? That I'd deny it until I was blue in the face?

He watched Harry nod, slowly, a confused look making its way across his face, making him look more adorable than ever before.

"So did I..." He whispered. "Then I fell in love, and I realised I just couldn't do it."

Harry swallowed a sharp intake of breath.

"Yeah, it's true. Draco Malfoy fell in love with the boy who lived. The golden boy. And do you know what my dad did when he found me writing a letter, admitting the truth to you? He beat me, but I didn't care. It was like I was protected, like there was some magical force surrounding me, keeping me from harm. I knew it was you who saved me, Harry. I knew I was loved. I've never seen my dad so annoyed. He did the only thing he knew he could. He sent the letter to Pansy. She came to me. Begged me to tell her it wasn't true. I... I... Just couldn't do it."

By the time Draco had finished, he was choking back sobs. He felt Harry's arms close tightly around him.

"I love you, Draco Malfoy, for want of my better judgement, I must admit but it's true. We will get through this. We will go out into the school tomorrow, arm in arm, with our heads held high. I'm fed up of being clouded in secrecy, we've done nothing wrong. We're gonna go out there, and show that school we are not ashamed."

With that, Draco felt his head being lifted and Harry's lips meeting his. With the admission that they loved each other still running through their heads, electricity sparked through their veins as Harry lowered Draco silently to the floor...