Today was a day not unlike another other for Harry Potter; at seven A.M he woke, got dressed and headed to the Great Hall for breakfast. Next was Transfigurations with Professor McGonagall followed by a rousing hour and fifteen minutes of History of Magic with Professor Binns. After a free period (which he always spend in the library), he went back to the Great Hall for lunch where he met up with his best friends, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger.
"Any good books in the library today?" Hermione asked taking a sip of pumpkin juice.
"Same was always," Harry said putting a bit of lunch in front of him; peanut butter and strawberry jam sandwich as usual.
"You know what your problem is, mate?" Ron said piling food onto his plate. "You're boring."
"What do you mean I'm boring?" Harry asked incredulously.
"I think what Ronald is trying to say is that you're...in a rut," Hermione said glaring at Ron who simply shrugged.
"Am I really boring?" Harry asked.
"Well-" Ron began, but Hermione hit him and turned to give Harry a reassuring smile.
"Maybe I am in a rut," he sighed resting his head in his hands. "But what am I supposed to do about it?"
"You could pick up a hobby, join a club-"
"He's captain of the Quidditch team, 'Mione. He doesn't need to join any stupid clubs."
"Well what are your brilliant solutions, then?" Hermione asked folding her arms over her chest.
"I think he should get himself a girlfriend," Ron winked. Harry internally gagged. There were very few things he kept secret from his friends, his sexuality being number one on the list.
"That's-actually not a terrible idea," Hermione said. "It would keep you occupied, give you something to look forward to everyday, lord knows each day is never the same. Don't think I haven't see how you've been looking at Ginny lately, either." Ron choked on his lunch.
"Oh no. Leave my little sister out of this." He put his arm around Harry's shoulder, a sandwich in hand. "There are tons of girls in this school. I bet any one of them would give anything for a chance with The Chosen One-"
"Ronald, that's sick!" Hermione said angrily. "Harry shouldn't be using his fame to earn him dates!"
"Come on, 'Mione. It's all in good fun. Besides, after a summer like he's had don't you think Harry deserves a good time?" Hermione bit her bottom lip, obviously taking into consideration what Ron had said. When she didn't say anything Ron smiled.
"I still don't think it's right."
"Of course, of course. We're terrible people," he said getting up with Harry and walking down the long aisle of the Great Hall to look for girls. "Let's see, there's Natalie Fairbourne," he pointed to a fair skinned girl near the end of the table who was talking to a few of her friends. "She's got a pretty good reputation, if you know what I mean." Harry rolled his eyes. "Next, Vicky Frobisher." Black hair, black eyes, black-everything.
"Uh, Ron? Don't you think that she's a bit-dark?"
"Not if you're into that sort of thing, mate. But if you're looking for a really good time, I'd suggest Mary McDonald." Ron pointed across the table to a girl with dark brown hair and bright blue eyes. She sat with her elbows poised on the table so that her ample cleavage was accentuated while she giggled open-mouth with her perfect smile. Harry made a small noise of disgust.
"Yeah, I know. She's perfect, isn't she?"
"Uh, yeah," Harry replied out of obligation.
"And the good news is, she's available! Just broke it off with Andrew Kirke last night."
"Don't you think that's a bit-soon for her to be going into a new relationship?"
"Harry, this is Mary McDonald. If you don't act quickly, someone will get to her before you!" The way Ron spoke of her made her seem as if she were a popular Christmas gift. "Come on, what d'you say?" Before Harry could come up with a proper excuse as to why he couldn't ask Mary McDonald on a date, Ron's smile twisted into a sneer.
"Oh great. Here comes the prince of the Death Eaters." From across the room Harry saw a tall slim boy with slicked platinum blond hair. A girl with short black hair took his arm happily, stroking his arm and kissing him lightly on the cheek.
"Stupid blond prat. Better not ruin another year for us. We'd have to pay a visit to Fred and George's shop, wouldn't we?" Ron nudged Harry.
"Huh? Oh. Uh, yeah." Harry hadn't actually heard him. The moment Draco Malfoy walked into the room his mind went blank. He wasn't sure what it was about him, exactly; perhaps his grey eyes, his gorgeous white smile, that sleek platinum hair. Whatever it was, it drove him positively mad.
"Harry!" Harry quickly wiped the drool from his chin and tried to smooth out the silly awkward grin that must have been plastered to his face for Ron to be looking at him like that. "You alright there?" He nodded.
"Yeah I just think we uh, we should get back to Hermione and finish our lunch." Ron sighed.
"You're right. We have potions next, and you know how I get if Snape bugs me when I'm hungry."
Fifteen minutes later, Harry, Ron and Hermione made their way down the spiraling stairs to the dungeons.
"I hope we didn't have any homework for Snape," Ron said clomping his way down the steps.
"We had a one-and-a-half foot essay on belladonna root as opposed to dragon blood," Hermione scolded.
"Great," Ron huffed. "Something else for Snape to yell at me for. I bet Harry didn't do it either, did you, mate?" Once again, Harry's attention was focused on something, or rather someone else.
"Actually, Harry and I did our essays together last week," Hermione corrected him happily.
"Ugh. Snape is going to have my arse on a platter," he said throwing his bad onto the desk beside Hermione's.
"You just can't give that poor thing a rest, can you?" Laughing behind him was a cluster of Slytherins.
"Excuse me, Zabini?" Ron yelled across the room.
"I don't believe I stuttered, Weasley." The girl with short black hair threw her head back cackling.
"You and your friends better watch it. I'm sure you've read what they've been saying about Harry in the Prophet."
"You're not the only one with friends in high places, Weasley." Hermione took Ron's arm, holding him back from strangling Blaise or any of the other Slytherins who were now mocking the lot of them. Draco, however, sat at his desk quietly watching the chaos around him, quill and ink ready for class. Ron's ears were getting increasingly red with anger. Just as it seemed that he was going to go completely off the handle, the oak door swung open with a loud bang.
"Weasley, detention," Snape said swiftly crossing the room to his desk. Seeing as their teacher was already angry, the students retracted their claws and settled into their seats. "I want to see essays. Now." He simply flicked his wrist and the scrolls of parchment zoomed to his desk. The number of essays however was quite deplorable; only five scrolls lay on Snape's desk. He looked appalled.
"Five," he began softly. "Only five of you thought this essay important enough to take time out of your terribly busy lives to write?" Some students sighed, others didn't care, a few looked as if they were going to wet themselves. "Let's see who we have here." He picked up the first scroll and began reading off names. "Hermione Granger, usual suspect." Hermione blushed violently. "Harry Potter. Not surprisingly, it's two inches too short." Harry sighed. "Blaise Zabini, excellent work." Blaise smiled coolly. "Pansy Parkinson. That's a new one." The girl with black hair narrowed her eyes at Professor Snape. "And lastly, Draco Malfoy. I look forward to reading your essay, Draco." The blond boy smiled brightly looking over at Harry. "Those of you who didn't bother with this assignment will be receiving one night's detention, I believe that's two for you, Weasley." Ron snarled. "And seeing as none of you overachievers knows anything about belladonna versus dragon blood, I guess I'm going to just have to show you." Snape walked over to the cabinet in which he kept most of his potions ingredients and promptly turned around.
"It appears that we are curiously out of belladonna and dragon blood at the moment." A few of the students quietly cheered. "However," he continued strongly, "I do have some elsewhere." The childrens' momentary joy was over. "Draco, you know where my personal store are?"
"Yes Professor," he replied happily.
"Could you please go and get me the ingredients I require?"
"Of course, Professor. I was wondering, though, if I could take someone with me in case of accident, of course." Pansy smirked.
"I see no problem with that." Draco got up and walked across the room, bypassing Pansy.
"Potter, help me, won't you?" Harry looked at Draco, then pointed back at himself questioningly. Draco nodded.
"Uh, y-yeah. I'll go with you, Malfoy." Draco smiled. Before Harry left, Ron whispered to him just loud enough so that Draco could hear him.
"If he tries anything funny, we already know what he looks like as a ferret."
"I'll be fine, Ron. I've got my wand if he pulls anything on me." And God did Harry want Draco to pull something on him. They walked down the corridor together for a moment, the silence awkwardly broken only by the clacking of their feet on the marble floor. After a few minutes, Draco finally spoke.
"So Potter, how has your year been?" Harry quirked an eyebrow. Never had Draco asked him a question without implied sarcasm.
"It's uh, been okay so far, I guess. Thanks for asking." Draco smiled. They continued down the corridor when Harry noticed that Draco seemed to be making very Umbridge-like coughing noises. "Is there something wrong, Malfoy?"
"You never asked how I've been, which really isn't proper etiquette." Harry rolled his eyes.
"How have you been, Malfoy?" he asked contemptuously.
"Oh well, alright I suppose. The usual school charades; classes, teachers, girls throwing themselves at me left and right." They had reached the closet and Draco was now on the ladder that lead all the way up the wall so he could reach the ingredients.
"Bet you love that," Harry said dismissively. Draco chuckled to himself, running his fingers across the rows of bottles.
"Hardly." He climbed down with two bottles, one filled with a dark purple liquid, the other deep scarlet; the latter was handed to Harry.
"What do you mean?" he asked as they made their way back to the classroom.
"Nothing really," he said examining his bottle. "I just don't particularly care for Pansy Parkinson draping herself all over me."
"Really? You always struck me as a ladies-man." Draco couldn't contain his laughter.
"I actually see myself as more of a man's-man." Harry's jaw dropped.
"So you-you mean to say that you're-"
"A flaming homo? You don't know the half of it."
"But then why have you had so many girlfriends? Why not boyfriends?"
"The girlfriends are for my parents: suitors, actually. And as for the boyfriend issue, I guess I just haven't found the right guy yet." The two had arrived at the classroom again.
"I'm sorry," Harry said halfheartedly.
"Don't worry about it," Draco said waving his hand. "I think this might be my lucky year." He winked, quickly snatching the bottle of dragons blood from Harry's hands.
"There you two are," Snape said. "I was beginning to worry that you had gotten lost."
"I'm sorry, Professor," Draco started. "It's just that Potter had no idea what he was doing and almost knocked over half of your stock. After I made sure that everything was secured I had to get both bottles by myself and carry them back to class for safety's sake." Harry gaped at Draco. Snape, however glared back at Harry.
"Potter, ten points from Gryffindor."
"What? Why?"
"Your perpetual clumsiness and general lack of coordination." Harry sighed, joining Ron and Hermione back at his desk.
"Just say the word, mate, and Malfoys wearing a white ferret suit," Ron whispered to him. Harry didn't respond. All he could do was look over at Draco, who gave him a wink and a smirk before going back to the Potions assignment.
"Belladonna, for those of you who don't know, which is most of you, is taken from the leaf of a plant that also goes by the name of Deadly Nightshade." Snape opened the bottle pouring a bit of its purple contents into a vile. "It is used, primarily, for medicinal purposes when mixed properly with other herbs. However, on its own, the juice of Deadly Nightshade is highly poisonous." Harry watched Draco still. The smile remained on his pointed face, ever ceaseless as he watched Professor Snape continue with his lesson.
"Now, as everyone well knows, dragon blood had proved to have twelve uses, most of which discovered by our own Headmaster Dumbledore." The inclination in Professor Snape's voice dropped drastically. "For this reason, when mixed with Belladonna-" The red liquid with the purple and as soon as the two had touched, the vile smashed, shards flying in every which direction. "-it is one of the most dangerous potions created."
For the next several weeks, Harry went along with his usual schedule. The only difference was the many questions that plagued him about Draco Malfoy. How long had he known he was gay? Did he have any interest in any of the guys they went to school with? What did he mean when he said that this was his "lucky year"? And what did any of this have to do with him? He spent most of his free time pondering this now instead of sitting along in the library with a book that he had read a dozen times. He looked forward to potions class a little more each day as Draco gave him a brilliant smile and wink before each lesson began.
"Where have you been lately, mate?" Ron asked Harry one morning as they sat Transfigurations.
"What are you talking about?" he asked scribbling something on a piece of parchment that had the appearance of being wedged a pocket for weeks.
"You've been writing notes like a madman for weeks. It's like you're not even here."
"He's right, Harry," Hermione chimed in. "You've barely been paying attention in any of your classes. You got a Troll on your last Potions exam."
"Yeah well, I guess I didn't study hard enough," Harry said. He jotted a few more words down on his paper.
"What are you writing on that thing anyway?" Ron asked. He reached across the table to grab the paper but Harry stuffed it into his bag before he could get to it.
"Nothing important. Don't worry about it." Professor McGonagall dismissed them and Harry immediately gathered his belongings and made his way down the hallway. He then felt Hermione's hand over his wrist holding him back.
"I know that after what happened at the Ministry last summer you've been pretty upset. Just remember, Ron and I are always here for you. If you want to talk, you know where to find me, okay?" Harry nodded. Hermione put her arms around him in a tight hug. It was obvious that she was worried about him, but she had no real reason to be worried.
When Harry reached Gryffindor Tower, he recited the password to the Fat Lady (Shrivelfig) and ran up to his dorm which was thankfully empty. After dropping his books into his bed he sat down beside them and carefully took out the small piece of parchment that he had be writing on before. It seemed to be a list of some sort with the simple title of "Important Things to Know." He unfolded the paper and began to read the list aloud:
"Body: Grey eyes (gorgeous), platinum blond hair, milky white skin, long fingers with very clean fingernails, beautiful smile.
Personality: Cheeky – I'd love to see both sides of his cheekiness, loves to laugh, cunning, can be very funny when he's not with his stupid prats of Slytherin friends." Spread out all over the parchment were small side-notes that said things like "Favourite flower – daffodil," and "Prefers milk chocolate with caramel." Harry did feel like a bit of a stalker writing down all of these things about him, but it was important for him to know this information. That was the only way he could truly figure out Draco Malfoy.
"Alright," he began to no one in particular. "Lunch today, you need to talk to Draco. He sits at the front of the table and has been arriving precisely seven minutes before Pansy and Blaise for three weeks. That should give you exactly enough time to express to him how you feel, or at least get some of the answers you've been looking for." He took a quick look in the mirror, made sure his hair was the least untidy that it could be, took a deep breath and left for the Great Hall to seal his fate.
As Harry approached the bottom stair of the grand staircase him stomach churned. He walked toward the Great Hall slowly trying to calm his nerves. Draco sat at the very end of the very farthest table. The walk over was nerve wracking. Harry tried to remember the speech he had written on the way down from his dorm but it seemed to be nothing more than a jumble of words and letters now. Just a few steps away from Draco he thought he would be sick, but he held back his sickness and walked right up to Draco Malfoy.
"Um, h-hi Malfoy." Draco looked up from his book. His lunch was already on his plate but he hadn't touched it.
"Hello, Potter. How have you been?"
"I'm – uh- great. How are you?" Draco smiled at his gesture.
"Busy as usual. You know me. Always something to do." Harry gave him a fake sort of nervous laugh.
"Yeah, I know what you mean."
"Is there something you'd like to say to me or have you just come to ask me how I've been?" Draco asked quite frankly. Harry's pulse grew faster.
"Well, I've noticed -" he tripped over his words "-I've noticed that you've been sort of lately sending me a few little...signals." Draco smiled.
"Signals? Like what?" Harry was sweating at this point.
"Like smiling at me from across the room or-or winking at me, or what you said to me that day in Potions-"
"I have no idea what you're talking about, Potter," he said smirking.
"But, you did," Harry said confused. "You've been sending me a lot of signals and I thought that you might even actually sort of-" Draco began to chuckle. "Please don't laugh at me. Haven't I suffered enough humiliation today?"
"I'm not laughing at you," he said. "I'm laughing at how cute you are when you're nervous." Harry's jaw dropped practically to the floor. Before Draco's words could wrap around his mind, he heard footsteps from behind him.
"What are you doing here, Potter?" Blaise asked.
"Never you mind, Zabini." Harry tried to walk away but the look on Draco's face kept him from leaving; he seemed to be enjoying it.
"Draco, has Potter been given you any trouble?" Harry looked anxiously to Draco.
"Oh no, we were just having a little-chat. But I think we're through here."
"You heard him, get out of here," Pansy hissed. Harry walked away, looking back as soon as he was out of immediate eye range. Blaise and Pansy took their seats beside Draco. Pansy had intertwined herself with Draco and Blaise began to tell a story of something that happened earlier that day. And then Draco turned his head, smiled at Harry, and went back to Blaise' story.
It all made sense now; the looks, the smiles, the winking, the awkward conversation they had the month before. Harry finally had all of the pieces to put this puzzle together. Draco liked him. In fact, he thought that Harry was 'cute'. Now it was up to him to make the next move. The only problem was...he had absolutely no idea how to go about doing whatever it was he was about to do.
In two days time he had devised a plan that he hoped would get him some alone time with Draco. Step one: create a diversion. Step two: while Ron and Hermione are distracted with Snape yelling, nonchalantly take Draco aside. Step three: clearly and concisely display your emotions in a way that may not make him hate you. Step four: when all is said and done, vomit into the nearest waste basket.
Class began and Harry sat anxiously in his seat, rocking slowly back and forth. Thankfully his two friends seemed to be more focused on fighting than paying him any mind.
"Today," Professor Snape began, "we will be working on a rather simple potions that even more of you, I pray, will be able to comprehend." He extracted a few viles full of blue and green liquid along with a combination of herbs and roots. "Can anyone tell me what I might use these ingredients for?" Everyone looked around at their companions hoping that one of them would know the answer, but no one spoke. Not even Hermione raised her hand; she was far too angry at Ron to care at the moment. Finally a single delicate hand appeared in the air.
"I believe, if I'm not mistaken, that those ingredients are to be used in a calming draught." Snape smiled.
"Very good, Mr. Malfoy. Twenty points." Draco gave a sly Slytherin smile and Snape continued. "You will be working together in pairs and when you are finished, testing the potion on either partner. I suggest that you read the directions carefully. One flaw in this potion could prove fatal. Good luck." Ron and Hermione both looked to Harry and then crossly at each other. Ron left to sit with Lavender Brown and Hermione gathered her ingredients and set them none-too-gently on to Padma Patil's desk. It seemed that Harry was now alone and while he began to set up his cauldron he felt a hand touch his waist.
"Alone, Potter?" Harry jumped at Draco's touch.
"Malfoy. You scared me." Draco smiled.
"I didn't mean to. Let me make it up to you." Harry's eyes bulged out of his head. Draco chuckled. "Want to be partners?"
"Oh. Yeah, that'd be really-nice." Harry carried his belongings to a table in the darkest corner of the room where Draco's cauldron was already bubbling.
"I like working away from everyone else," he said. "It's much more-private." A light flashed through his eyes that made Harry's heart leap; this was going to be a dreadful lesson.
Harry was barely able to concentrate as Draco worked diligently at their potion, maneuvering around his so that their bodies merely brushed against each other momentarily by what Draco had repeatedly called an "accident." He had Harry measuring and crushing ingredients for him left and right, but Harry didn't mind being treated like an assistant. Being able to speak with Draco in a civilized manner was good enough for him.
"Get me two peppermint leaves, won't you Potter?" Harry did as he was told, earning one of the smiles that he so loved. "So, what's new?" Draco asked.
"Nothing really," he replied measuring some of the blue liquid. "Ron and Hermione are fighting." He wasn't exactly sure why he had told him this. It wasn't as if he would really care.
"I thought there was something wrong in paradise," he said. "What did Weasley do this time?" Harry was take aback by Draco's concern.
"Uh-it's really nothing. Ron's just discovered the art of snogging."
"Poor girl. I didn't think he'd be any good."
"It's not Hermione that he's practicing with." Draco clucked his tongue.
"When is Weasley going to learn to start thinking with his heart and not with his pants?" Harry chuckled.
"Soon, I hope. They've been at if for years."
"What about you?" Harry's heart began to beat faster.
"H-how do you mean?" he asked.
"Weren't you with that Chang girl last year?"
"Yes, we were together, but it was very brief," he said. "After Cedric and all, I didn't want to upset her." Draco smirked, handing him the vile of green liquid.
"Such a gentleman. Now tell me, how long have you been gay?" Harry slipped, the vile falling into the cauldron. There was an explosion and both he and Draco were splattered in the boiling potion. Everyone turned their attention to the two boys, including Professor Snape who looked outraged.
"Potter!" he yelled taking to Draco's side disregarding the burns on Harry's arm and chest that had already begun to bubble. "What in God's name have you done?" You could have killed Mr. Malfoy!"
"It was an accident Professor-"
"You knew to be extremely careful with this potions. This is your fault."
"Professor, it really was an accident," Draco said. Snape scowled.
"Very well. But Potter will still be receiving a week's detention for his carelessness starting tonight. Understood?"
"Yes sir," Harry said bitterly.
"Good. Now everyone, what are you looking at? Back to work, the show is over!"
That night Harry reported to the dungeons at seven o'clock for his first round of detention.
"Potter, you're five minutes late," Professor Snape said looking at his watch.
"I'm sorry, Professor. I was just finishing dinner."
"Have meals on your own time, Potter. You are now on my time."
"Will I be doing lines tonight, Sir?" he asked.
"Lines? What will that teach you? For the next week you will be cleaning cauldrons, bottles, and all other accessories to potions making. You need to learn to keep your station safe and clean." Harry sneered; if Draco hadn't been so nosy there wouldn't have been a mess in the first place. "I suggest that you begin now. You have a lot of work to do." Harry glared at Snape, but did was he was told regardless. At each cauldron he found a hardened sponge, a scouring pad, and a rather filthy ancient looking rag.
"Better get started," he mumbled angrily to himself. He had only just begun to scape the remnants of their potion from the bottom of the cauldron when the door opened and heels clicked against the floor.
"You wished to see me, Uncle Severus?" In his casual dinner clothing, Draco looked rather like his father except much more fit with a fantastic arse.
"Yes I did. Thank for you taking time out of your schedule to see me."
"It was nothing, Uncle Severus, really," he said. "I simply had to cut my dinner a little short."
"If you're hungry I can send for a house elf to fetch you something."
"No, I'm quite alright."
"How are your injuries?" Snape asked him.
"Healing well thanks to you. There isn't much pain now."
"There is going to be a scar, I regret to tell you. If Potter had handled himself a bit better you wouldn't be in this predicament."
"What's one more scar?" Draco asked. His tone was not the sweet dreamy one Harry was used to hearing, but almost a whisper.
"I've asked you here Draco," Snape changed the subject, "to have Potter properly apologize to you. As you know, he is serving detention tonight. He's in the back. I'll take you."
"That's not necessary, Uncle Severus," he said. "Why don't you go work on some of your papers and I'll take care of Potter. I know how busy you are."
"You're too kind to me," Snape smiled. "Be careful with Potter and make sure you get an apology."
"Don't worry, Uncle Sev. I'll be fine." Severus left the room humming quietly to himself. Draco walked silently to the back of the room where Harry had his head in the bottom of a second cauldron.
"How are you, Potter?" he asked. The distinct sound of bone hitting metal echoed.
"I was fine before you got here," Harry said rubbing the back of his head. "What can I do for you, Malfoy?"
"Nothing really," he said playing with one of the ladles. "Uncle Sev-I mean, Professor Snape- had just told me to get an apology from you for today."
"An apology?" Harry asked. "You flirt and play your cute little games and ask me very personal questions to the point that I spontaneously combust and I owe you an apology?"
"You think I'm cute?" Draco smiled.
"That's not the point!" For the first time that night Harry looked up at Draco. The smirk remained on his face, but covering his left cheek was a clean pink blemish. It was considerably small, but its curved shape stood out significantly against his pallid skin. When Draco noticed Harry staring he chuckled.
"Nice, huh?" Harry put down his rag and walked up to Draco. He touched two fingers to the blond's scarred flesh and quickly turned away.
"This is my fault." Draco cupped Harry's chin.
"All of this is my fault. You were right. I was flirting and playing games with you, but I didn't mean to be so nosy. I thought that maybe if I asked you while we were alone, then you may feel inclined to answer." Harry smiled putting his hand on Draco's arm.
"You really thought this through, didn't you?"
"I may have put a bit of thought into it."
"Well I've put a lot of thought into this." Harry wrapped his arms around Draco, pulling their bodies close together. Their lips met once gently, then crashed against each other. Over and over their faces met until Harry pulled away. Draco's eyes will still closed and he wore a silly sideways smile.
"I like the way you think," he whispered.
Harry and Draco spent the next few weeks attached at the hip. They ate meals together, spent their free time together, and made all of their class potions together, even after the fiasco they had with the calming draught.
Today was a beautiful warm November day, the last of the year Draco expected, so he decided to take Harry on a picnic just beyond school grounds; being the Potions Master's favorite student had its advantages.
"What do we have for lunch today, honey?" Harry asked laying a blanket over the ground.
"Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches of course," Draco smiled. He opened the wicker basket and took out two neat diagonally-cut sandwiches with the crusts cut off.
"What kind of jelly?" Harry asked suspiciously.
"Grape for me," Harry blanched, sticking out his tongue in disgust, "and strawberry jam for you." Harry kissed Draco's unmarked cheek.
"You're so considerate, Dray."
"Yes well, you know me. I'm selfless in that respect." Harry couldn't keep himself from laughing and soon had Draco laughing with him. As they began to eat their sandwiches it seemed that their picnic could not have been any more perfect. It was then that something from behind cast a shadow over them.
"Do you mind? We're trying to enjoy the sun," Draco said before turning around. He was shocked to see the two most unlikely people behind him.
"Sorry, Malfoy," Blaise sneered. "We figured that your pride rainbow would keep things bright and sunny over here for you and Potter."
"Blaise, there's really no need to be like this," Draco said calmly.
"And there's no need for you to be with Potter, either," he said. "What did he do to you, huh? Spike your pumpkin juice with love potion? Confund you? Threaten your life if you didn't promise to date him?"
"No Blaise, that's not it-"
"Then why did you choose him?" The second person finally spoke. Pansy's face was red and blotchy; she had obviously been crying.
"Pansy what are you talking-?"
"How could you choose Potter over me?" she hiccuped over her words. "Six years I wasted on you! And how do you repay me? By turning into a queer!" Pansy buried her face into Blaise' chest. He stroked her hair trying to calm her down. Draco stood up putting his hand to Pansy's head but Blaise slapped it away.
"Don't you dare touch her, faggot." Draco retracted his hand. He seemed to be a bit frightened. He felt a hand grasp his shoulder; Harry stood behind him with rage in his eyes.
"What did you just say to my boyfriend?" Blaise rounded on Harry, smirking.
"I believe I told you faggot of a boyfriend not to touch Pansy with his filthy hands ever again." Harry was beginning to lose control. His fists clenched, his eyes bulged with hatred. Draco was doing his best to hold him back but it seemed to be a losing battle. Just as Harry was about to lunge for Blaise, who at this point was being detained by Pansy, a voice stopped them.
"What's going on here?" Hermione Granger looked flustered, carrying several books with her.
"Nothing, 'Mione," Harry said in a calm tone. "I just-lost my temper is all." Hermione looked from Harry to Blaise.
"Why don't we go take a walk? You, Draco and I?' Hermione suggested to Harry.
"Yeah," Harry said backing down. "Let's go." They gathered the picnic supplies in the basket and went on their way.
"We're not done with this, faeries!" Blaise called after them. Harry practically growled as they walked away.
"What was that all about?" Hermione asked once they were out of earshot.
"Just Blaise instigating where he ought to leave things be," Draco said. "Thank you, Granger. Hermione, I mean." Hermione offered a small smile; it was awkward to hear Draco call her by anything other than "Granger".
"No problem guys. You know that I'm always there for you, no matter what." Draco smiled, taking Harry's unoccupied hand.
"That means a lot, 'Mione," Harry said. "We don't have many friends these days, considering-" Hermione put her arms around both boys.
"Remember that you always have me. No matter what, I'm behind you one hundred percent."
After their picnic incident, Harry, Draco and Hermione had formed a new trio that they rarely differed from. When they weren't off on a walk around the grounds or playing with some of the animals Hagrid kept around his hut, they were helping each other study; Draco had a knack for Potions, Harry was a master of the Dark Arts and Hermione was there to help with anything else they might have questions on.
It was finally spring again. The sky was a gorgeous shade of blue with not a cloud to be seen. Everyone was outside today taking advantage of the beautiful weather. The case was no different for the new trio who was walking along the edge of the Black Lake, testing the waters.
"You sure this is safe?" Draco asked Harry, taking his hand.
"What's so dangerous about walking?" Harry asked. Hermione laughed.
"We could fall in," Draco said nervously looking into the depths of the water. "Then the Giant Squid would grab you and never let you go and you'd drown while you screamed for your life!" The other two couldn't help but laugh at Draco's frantic scenario. He scowled at them, folding his arms. "You won't be laughing when you have suction cups stuck to your face and tentacles strangling you." Another few minutes of Draco's babbling had left them in silence. The smile had left Hermione's face as she looked up at the two boys.
"Hey guys, can I talk to you about something?"
"Sure, 'Mione," Harry said. "What's up?"
"Why don't we sit down for this?" Harry and Draco looked at each other and shrugged; it couldn't hurt. They sat beside each other on the grassy edge of the lake preparing themselves for whatever Hermione had to throw at them.
"So, what've you got to tell us, Hermione?" Draco asked. Hermione nervously bit her lip. It was rare that she was speechless but to see her now you'd think that she had never spoken before in her life.
"Hermione, if there's something wrong-" Harry began but Hermione shook her head.
"No, nothing's wrong. I just- promise me you won't be angry?"
"We can't promise you anything until you tell us," Draco said. Hermione sighed.
"Alright. So, you know all that stuff that happened between Ron and I earlier this year-"
"He hasn't been bothering you, has he?" Draco asked. "Because I know a lot of people who would just love the chance to punch his face in-"
"No no, it's okay. It's lately, we've been getting along pretty well, and we've been seeing a lot more of each other."
"Don't let him hurt you again, Hermione. I couldn't bare to see what it did to you last time."
"It's okay, Harry. He won't hurt me this time. He broke up with Lavender last night." Harry and Draco gaped in unison.
"He broke up with that slut?" Draco asked appalled. A small smile appeared on Hermione's face.
"Yes he has. And now he's asked me if I would like to-"
"Date him?" Harry yelled outraged. "No way, 'Mione. I'm not letting him hurt you again."
"I am capable of taking care of myself, you know," she said folding her arms over her chest.
"Yes but I know Ron. He's told me all of his 'girl getting secrets' over the last six years and trust me, he's said things that you'd never even-" Draco clapped his hand over Harry's mouth.
"Harry dear, you're making it worse" He put his free hand over Hermione's and smiled at her. "Honey it's like this. Weasley is a guy, which means that he's full of testosterone. With that being said, we can deduce that all he really wants is someone he knows he can get with that can probably do his homework afterward. Lavender was his little slut, and now he's using you to get everything else that he wants now that he's found out how to use the new toy in his pants."
"Ron is different, though," she argued. "Once you get past the swearing and shoveling food into his mouth like it was a dumpster, he's really a sweet, gentle-muscular, redheaded piece of meat." Both boys grimaced at the phrase "redheaded piece of man meat."
"Hermione, if this is really what you want, Draco and I can't stop you," Harry sighed. Hermione threw her arms over Harry's neck.
"Thanks, Harry. I feel a lot better knowing that you're okay with it."
"Well I'm happy that my opinion matters so much," Draco said under his breath.
"It does matter, Dray," Hermione chuckled. "I just wanted you to both know about it before Ron meetsupwithuslater..." The last few words were a jumble of syllables.
"Before Ron what?" Harry asked, his eyebrows raised. Hermione sighed.
"Before he meets up with us," she said. "I told him that he could have dinner with us tonight and I didn't think that you'd mind." She looked at them with a lopsided smile, waiting for them to react.
"Do we really have to dine with Weasley?" Draco asked incredulously. "I may lose my appetite." Harry gave him a stern look.
"When will he be meeting us?" A coughing noise came from behind them. The only thing visible through the bushes was a patch of bright red hair pacing back and forth.
"Let's get this over with," Draco said pushing himself up from off of the grass. He held out his hand for Harry's and helped him up. On the other side of the bush, Ron nervously twisted his hands, pacing and mumbling under his breath "Don't mess this up, Weasley. You can't mess this up." When he saw Hermione he stopped in his tracks.
"Hey, Ron," she said hugging him; she was glad to have another person with her.
"Ron," Harry nodded in his direction. Ron smiled at him uncomfortably, frequently looking at Draco beside him.
"Weasley," Draco said uninterested. "How have you been?"
"I-things have been-alright I guess," he said stumbling over his words. "You heard about Lavender, obviously."
"Yes, we did. Never thought you'd break up with her. You two seemed to be having so much-fun." Hermione eyed Harry who nudged Draco in the ribs.
"It was sort of one of those mutual things, you know? At any rate I heard that she was with Roderick Seaton as of this morning."
"Well they do say that one man's trash is another's treasure." Harry didn't need Hermione to tell him to nudge Draco this time.
"Why don't we go get dinner now?" Hermione suggested hastily taking Ron's arm. "It's getting pretty late."
"It's only just six o'clock-"
"It's getting late, Dray," Harry said, his eyes baring into him.
"Oh, yeah," Draco said. "I think the sun is starting to set. We should get going. Come on, guys."
They sat at the Gryffindor table for dinner that night; majority rules, Ron had said. Most of the time was spent in dead silence, except for the sounds of Ron's stuffing his mouth with food. Harry and Hermione had become accustom over the years to this, but Draco looked on in disgust. He was positive that he had never seen anyone eat that much at once. Even Crabbe and Goyle couldn't handle that much food. While the three Gryffindors ate their meal, Draco pushed his plate away.
"What's wrong, sweetie?" Harry asked. Ron looked up at the word "sweetie". "Do you not like the food?"
"Nothing, Harry. I've just suddenly lost my appetite."
"Me too," Ron said dropping a spoonful of mashed potatoes back onto his plate.
"You feeling sick?" Hermione asked him, taking his arm. Ron looked from Draco to Harry.
"You could say that." It was clear now what exactly was making Ron so uncomfortable. Harry set down his fork and pushed his plate aside.
"Ron," he began, "you don't have a problem with gay people, do you?" Ron looked around nervously, his hand on the back of his head. "I doubt that you're going to find the answer on the walls." He gave Harry a dry laugh and looked at the stretch of table in front of him.
"I-I don't have a problem with-"
"Homosexuals," Draco finished.
"Yeah. Them."
"Well then if you don't have a problem with "them"," Harry said, "you don't mind my being with Draco?"
"Y-eah," Ron said uncertain. "Sure."
"I don't believe you." Draco looked him over, his chin resting on his hand.
"What do you mean, you don't believe me?"
"I mean it the way it was said, Weasley. I don't believe you."
"Ron, what reasons do you-"
"You seem very tense when you're around us. You shuffled your feet and moved your hands a lot while we were walked here, and you haven't looked Harry or myself in the eye when we've spoken the entire night." Ron slowly looked up to to meet Draco's waiting gaze.
"You want to know why I've been so uncomfortable around you, Malfoy?" Draco smirked.
"I'd love that." The redhead glared at him intensely.
"Since First Year you and your little cronies have been torturing the three of us. First year you nearly got us expelled, the year after that you had me belching slugs after you used your crude Pure-blood humor on Hermione. Third Year you nearly got Hagrid fired, Fourth Year got yourself turned into a ferret for being such a twat. And last year you used your stupid Slytherin Prefect authority to take away as many points from Harry as possible."
"What does that have to do with the current situation?" Draco asked calmly.
"EVERYTHING!" Ron raged; he had begun to attract attention.
"Sit down, Ronald!" Hermione whispered loudly, tugging on his arm. He pulled back, almost taking her out of her seat.
"No! Don't tell me to sit down, Hermione. You should be just as angry as I am!"
"Ron, things between Draco and I are good now." Draco smiled at her from across the table.
"After everything he's done to you! You've got to be kidding me!"
"You don't understand, though," Hermione argued. "Draco apologized to me a thousand times over for all of those things. Plus he's a great bargain shopper." Draco chuckled softly.
"What can I say I'm gifted."
"How can you be joking with him like this? Like he's your friend-"
"He is my friend, Ron," Hermione said. Tears formed in Draco's eyes: Ron looked disgusted.
"Well now's the time to choose, Hermione. Your "friend" Draco, or me, who has stood by you for the last six years." Harry and Draco both looked at her imploringly, though they already knew her answer.
"Them."
"WHAT!" Ron and Draco exclaimed in unison.
"Fine. Whatever you want. Have a great life, Hermione Granger." Ron got up with much slamming of plates of utensils. Hermione sighed, looking across to Harry and Draco.
"So, what do you guys want to do tonight?" The two gaped at her.
"Hermione, that was-"
"That was very brave of you," Harry finished for him. She smiled.
"You would have done that same for me." Draco got up and hugged her over the table.
"That was the greatest thing anyone has ever done for me." The tears in his eyes had begun to slide down his cheeks.
"That's what friends are for, right?"
"Absolutely. Friends."
"Well come on then, pals," Harry said. He looked a bit misty-eyed himself. "Let's go out and have some fun."
"Yes I agree," Draco said wiping the tears from his eyes. "How about we take the night to play games in my common room?" Hermione grinned.
"I have a much better idea." Draco raised a curious eyebrow. "You think you can get us into that nightclub in Hogsmeade?" He smirked.
"In a heartbeat." Before Harry could say anything, Draco and Hermione took him by the elbows and began running down to the dungeons to change into something more appropriate for the night, or rather the opposite.
"Some partying last night," Draco said lazily to Hermione as they walked through the courtyard.
"It was pretty great seeing you and Harry have so much fun together," she said. "And I must admit, I had a good time last night myself."
"Good time?" Draco asked. "You came out of the place half smashed with four guys' names. I had to rip two of them off of you before we left." Hermione blushed violently.
"It's too bad Harry got so sick, though. You had to carry him back to the castle."
"That's his fault for taking so many shots," Draco said with little sympathy. "I told him only to drink from the glasses with the little umbrellas in them."
"It's a shame he's missing such a beautiful day. We could have gone for a swim."
"Who says we can't? Just because Harry's not here doesn't mean we have to sit and mope."
"I've never seen Draco Malfoy turn down an opportunity to take his shirt off, either." He slapped her on the arm, though neither could suppress their laughter. While they continued walking and laughing together, discussing their afternoon swim, a dry, sarcastic laugh came from behind them.
"Ha ha ha. What's so funny?" Blaise stood smirking, a smug looking Pansy clinging to his arm.
"Nothing of your concern," Draco sneered. "So why don't you just take your little tart and be on your way." He and Hermione turned to walk away when he felt something hit hard against the base of his skull.
"How dare you speak about her like that!" Blaise said rounding on Draco. Pansy attempted to hold him back, though she looked like she was enjoying it.
"Look, we were just minding our own business when you decided to intrude, so now we're going to continue with our walk and you are going to leave us alone, understood?"
"I don't think so," Blaise spat. "I told you last time I wasn't finished with you yet."
"That's rich," Draco smirked. "You think that I'm frightened of you? Because I can assure you, it is quite the contrary." Hermione tugged on Draco's arm urging him in the opposite direction.
"Remember that feeling," Blaise said. "It's one of the last good feelings you'll be having for a while. Now Pansy, if you would please let go of me so I can beat the hell out of this faggot." Hermione pulled Draco away, but he held his ground; he wasn't going to give Blaise the satisfaction. Blaise swung his fist and Draco ducked.
"Good try, Blaise, but not quite good enough," Draco teased. Blaise swung again, but this time he caught Draco's chin. The blond was knocked onto his back before he had time to react. Hermione gasped, kneeling beside him to make sure he was alright.
"What's wrong, Malfoy? Knock you off your high heels and mess up your lipstick?" Pansy cackled with delight at Blaise' snide comment.
"Just leave us alone, Zabini," Hermione said quickly dabbing at Draco's now bloodied mouth.
"No, Hermione. Let him hit me. I can handle it." Draco got to his feet unsteadily, his face smeared with blood.
"Yeah, he can handle it, Granger. Let him take it like a man."
"Why do I have the odd feeling that you've said that before, Blaise?" Draco smirked. The other boy growled, swinging his fist full force, but this time met a palm that tightly grasped it.
"What's going on here?"
"Unfinished business, Potter. Don't worry, you're next." Hermione put her hand on his shoulder and spoke into his ear.
"Harry, I thought you were sick?"
"I was feeling better so I decided to find you two. When I saw all the people over here, I knew I was in the right place." Looking around they saw that they had indeed begun to attract attention; a small group of onlookers had appeared to encircle them looking on in excitement.
"Harry go back to the castle, this is between Blaise and I," Draco said looking over at Harry for the first time. When he saw blood trickling from the blond boy's mouth, he narrowed his eyes. Still grasping Blaise' fist, he twisted the boy's arm behind him quickly grabbing the other.
"How sweet, Potter. You're going to defend your little fudge-packer. Maybe you'll get lucky and you can get a double bed in the infirmary." Before he could turn his spiteful mouth to a grin, knuckles forced themselves into his smug face, drawing back once, twice, and three times. Everyone was silent in awe.
"That really hurt," Hermione said rubbing the back of her hand.
"You don't know who you're messing with, Mud-blood. I'll – I -"
"You won't do a damn thing, Blaise. You know as well as I that there's never any real merit behind your words." Blaise looked for a moment as if he was going to say something, but then backed down. "Take this strumpet," he said gesturing to Pansy, "and get the hell out of here." A shocked Pansy held on to Blaise and began to walk away, fussing over his nose that was already beginning to swell.
"Blaise," Harry called after them. The boy reluctantly turned around. "Be careful on the way to the infirmary. I think I saw a group of First Year girls playing Gobstones on the stairs." The crowd cleared, leaving the three of them to look at each other in astonishment.
"Did we really just do that?" Hermione asked
"I think so," Harry replied.
"Which is quite remarkable when one takes into account that we're all hung over," Draco added. It was then that they all laughed, despite Draco's bleeding lower lip and Hermione's bruised knuckles. After a quick trip to the infirmary (Blaise was conspicuously quiet upon their arrival), they went back to the Gryffindor common room to study for the next day's Potion's exam.
~ Eight Years Later ~
Harry yawned, turning down the sheets on the bed that he shared with his husband before burying himself beneath them.
"Dray, can we go to sleep now?" he yelled in the direction of the bathroom.
"In a minute!" a voice replied. "I'm almost done combing my hair." Harry rolled his eyes.
"Why do you need to comb your hair before going to bed?" Draco finally emerged from the bathroom immaculately prepared for sleep.
"I like to look good in bed." He winked at Harry who pulled him down on top of him.
"Trust me, you do." Draco smiled, kissing his lover quickly before crawling under the sheets with him.
"And you can thank my excessive primping for that."
"It was one of the things that first attracted me to you," he said stroking the blond's hair.
"Yes well, Mother did always say that the Malfoys had the power to charm a man like no other."
"She was right. You've certainly charmed me."
"And to think it took you only six years to act upon it," he smirked, earning a playful slap on the arm.
"Need I remind you that you were of very little help in any of this."
"You know me. Subtly is my game."
"Oh yes, I understand now. That explains why you scared the hell out of me for weeks by winking at me – subtly – until you finally decided to subtly find me in the Potions room that night I had detention."
"I had to," he reasoned. "After Fifth Year – Sirius – you weren't the same. I knew it was time for me to do something or you'd be stuck in that rut forever." Harry smiled, kissing his forehead delicately.
"Do you have any idea just how amazing you truly are?"
"Of course, darling. You can't keep something like that hidden." Harry rolled his eyes; he really couldn't disagree. "Now let's go to sleep. I always get sleepy after that story." Harry turned of the lights with a quick nox and pulled the sheets closer to his bare torso.
Draco laid his head onto Harry's chest, snuggling up as he did every night. As he did, a faded shape on his cheek pressed against the other man, matching perfectly with an identical mark in reverse. They were content, enveloped in each other in every possible way. It was a long road to get to where they were today. But they made, taking with them a reminder of their undying love.
A/N: Alright, I'm sorry that this was so poorly formatted before. I completely forgot to look at anything before I published. I guess I was kind of excited to be publishing anything after the many many months since my last (public) story. Reviews would be greatly appreciated. "]