"Meet me behind Honeyduke's?" Draco whispered in his ear as Harry brushed by.

Harry was already far ahead, but Draco still caught the barely perceptible nod.

A group of students walked into the Great Hall for breakfast, chattering amongst themselves about the Hogsmeade visit today. These were bright young third years, eager for the surprises the village would surely have in store for them. Oddly enough, it wasn't in Hogsmeade that they would find their surprises today, but in Hogwarts itself…

Draco sat down in the middle of the Slytherin Table – the seat of honor, which had been his since fifth year. Pouring himself a goblet of pumpkin juice, he proceeded to ignore Crabbe and Goyle's inane debate over the benefits of butter versus margarine, and instead focus on Harry.

He, too, sat in the middle of his table, surrounded not only by the two Weasels and Granger, but scores of other friends and various admirers.

He chuckled as various suitors came and went, asking Harry for a date to Hogsmeade. Silly creatures, he thought, can't they see he's taken? But then he realized – no, they couldn't. Harry had insisted that their relationship remain under wraps until at least Christmas holidays.

Personally, Draco didn't understand this whole secret affair business; if you're going to shag the hottest bachelor in the Wizarding World (which they both arguably were), shag with pride.

However, it was what Harry wanted, and Harry had an uncanny knack for getting Draco to do precisely what he wanted. Eerie, really, how skilled he was at that particular talent. Of course, his manners of persuasion usually included chocolate, whipped cream, and perhaps even a few whips and chains if he was feeling feisty that day. Draco really couldn't be blamed for giving in.

Sighing at the tragedy of it all, Draco resumed his Potter-Watch.

Luckily, at an attempt to improve inter-House relations, the Slytherin and Gryffindor tables had been placed with only one table in between them, as opposed to on opposite sides of the room. Of course it was quite the shock when relations between Gryffindor and Slytherin didn't improve at all. They actually got a bit worse, if the faculty were going to be at all honest with themselves.

In any case, if he strained a tad, and whacked both Goyle and Crabbe over the head with a baguette to shut them up, he could just make out the Gryffindors' conversations.

Unsurprisingly, Granger was giving them all a lecture on how they needed to begin studying for their N.E.W.T.s right away; it was already November after all!

Laughing to himself yet again, he leaned forward when he heard the topic of the conversation change.

"So…Harry." The youngest Weasel started, "Hogsmeade visit today, yeah?"

"Err, yes. I believe so."

"Going with anyone?"

Honestly, could the Weasel be any more blatant?

"Um… nope. I err, don't think so…"

"I could go with you, if you want. I could use some company, and you could, too."

Merlin, now the She-Weasel was draping herself all over Harry's arm. That marvelous, muscular, manly, Harry-gasmic arm! Defiled by a Weasley!

Draco huffed; he would have to wait for Harry to sanitize his arm before Draco could ever even think of touching it again!

"Sorry, Ginny, but I've got um… a potions assignment due and uhh…I need to go to the library! Sorry!"

Is that really the best you can come up with, Harry? After spending so much time with a Slytherin? Draco was ashamed.

The conversation meandered much along that same path for the better part of ten minutes and Draco was content to sit back and listen to Harry's struggle.

At first, Draco had found it amusing. Not once had Harry glanced at him for help or anything and so Draco decided to let him squirm until he had the sense to look at Draco for support.

But the longer it went on, the more jealous he became until he simply couldn't just sit around and watch.

With annoyance, he stood up from the table and swaggered over to the Gryffindor table.

The conversation stopped when he approached, and Ron sneered, "What do you want, Malfoy?"

"Oh, nothing…" he said, lightly. Draco could see Harry motioning to him to leave, but he was having too much fun already. "I just noticed your predicament and thought I might lend a helpful hand of advice."
"Really, Malfoy, I sincerely doubt it." Hermione didn't even bother to look up at him, but was eyeing the apprehensive Harry.

"Um, thanks, but no thanks, Malfoy." Harry gulped.

Again, Draco grinned. "You see, the thing is, She-Weasel, Potter's not lying when he says he can't go to Hogsmeade with you."

"And how exactly would you know that? And for that matter, how is this any of your business?" she asked acerbically.

"Ahh, so glad you asked, Weaselette," He sighed, "This is in fact, very much my business."

"I fail to see how," Hermione interrupted, "So will you please leave?"

"Not just yet, Granger. The reason Potter can't go to Hogsmeade with She-Weasel over there is that, well… he's going with me."

The entire Hall was silent, probably thinking that they were hallucinating, for why else would Draco Malfoy have just announced that he was taking Harry Potter to Hogsmeade?

"Oh, yes," Draco continued, to four completely shocked faces – Harry's included – "He didn't mention me to you? Well, Harry, I think it's about time we tell everyone our deep, dark secrets."

He pulled a stiff with surprise Harry out of his seat and turned to face the rest of the dumbstruck Hogwarts students, "Yes!" he said, with a loud and clear voice, "I am in a relationship with none other than Harry Potter! I know it's scarcely believable, but it's true. In fact, I invite you to have a look at your dear old Savior's various love bites, courtesy of none other than me."

And with that, Draco not only lifted Harry's shirt to reveal two or three hickeys on his chest and stomach, but pulled down Harry's collar as well, to reveal a spectacular one on the side of his neck.

"And if you're interested, I got one or two myself." He then pulled his own shirt up.

By now, the Hall was in pandemonium, with teachers numb with shock, students buzzing with gossip, and Ron shouting "What the fuck?!" repeatedly. Ginny reiterated Ron's sentiments, and practically flew out the doors.

Harry by now was not only surprised by what Draco had down, but beginning to get a little angry.

"I thought you had agreed we would tell my friends at Christmas!" he said tightly.

"Well I couldn't just stand there and watch Weasley eat you up, now could I?"

"I was doing perfectly fine on my own, thank you very much."

"Oh yes, perfectly. 'Sorry, Ginny, but I've got um… a potions assignment due and uhh…I need to go to the library! Sorry!" he mimicked, "yes. Perfectly okay, weren't you?"

Harry was still silently fuming, so Draco took Harry's hand in his own and lightly rested his other on Harry's cheek.

"And," he whispered, "If I hadn't then I wouldn't have been able to do this."

With that, Draco caught Harry's lips with his own, and Harry felt his anger slowly fade away.