Okay, this is a post and run, or sleep, or at least toss and turn, whatever you want to call it. It's late, and I hate not to say anything, but I need my sleep. Longer authors note when I post three tomorrow, I promise! And shout outs to those who've reviewed so far.

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Only a few days had passed when Harry was again awakened in the middle of the night by knocking. Pushing a groggy Draco out of his way, he stumbled over to the window and opened it to find Hedwig carrying two envelopes.

"Thanks Hedwig," whispered Harry, feeding her a few treats. She nipped him affectionately on the earlobe, then settled into her cage and fell asleep.

"What was that all about?" Draco mumbled, resting on his elbows. "More death threats?"

"Hogwarts letters," replied Harry, tossing Draco's letter to him. "Hedwig was smart enough to go and get them while Uncle Vernon was asleep."

Draco just grunted and rolled over. Harry opened his letter, scanning the list for anything new. He did have to get new robes, since he had shot up over the summer. There wasn't a new Defense Against the Dark Arts book, Harry noted with a frown. All the other teachers had specified books.

Oh well, less stuff to carry, he thought, putting the letters on the desk. Climbing back into bed, he lay flat on his back, the ceiling a blur above him.

He hadn't told Draco that the Order was watching him, and that someone had most likely seen Draco fly in but never leave, and that same someone had probably also seen the anonymous figure. It felt wrong to deceive Draco, but it seemed better than having Draco run off and be taken to Voldemort.

It seemed that Voldemort's reach was growing day by day. Harry knew that if Lucius Malfoy had tried to force his son to become a Death Eater, other Death Eaters would soon be doing the same with their children. Who knew how many had joined since the brief glimpse Harry had seen in his fourth year? Setting foot into Hogwarts could be walking into a trap, especially if the Death Eater's children were being trained by their parents like Draco had been.

And what was Voldemort trying to do while he sent distractions in the middle of the night? Harry had the urge to write to Dumbledore, but he knew that the letter could be intercepted anywhere. Ron and Hermione were out of the question, since both of them were at the Order's headquarters until the beginning of Fall term.

If only Sirius were here, he'd know what to do. Harry felt the lump rise in his throat, but he choked back the tears. Sighing, he rubbed his scar, which had been tingling on and off all summer. Things were beginning to get a little too complicated for his liking.

"Are you ever going to go back to sleep?" Draco turned back over, brushing the hair out of his face. "We've been over just about everything we could cover quite a few times in the past few days, and you of all people need the sleep. Loosen up a bit, just relax," he said softly, a mischievous glint in his eyes, running his fingers lightly along the inside of Harry's thigh. A low moan escaped Harry's mouth as he squirmed with pleasure.

"Draco," he warned, "not now."

"I know, but you are relaxed, aren't you?" Draco smiled as Harry reddened, realizing that he hadn't been concentrating on anything but the other boy for the past minute. "Maybe you can get some sleep now."

"After what you just did? Yea right."

"So you want me to do it again?"

"Yes, no, I mean, not right now," spluttered Harry, turning so his back was facing Draco. "You twist things around too much."

"I know. Definitely gives life a bit of an edge, though." Draco slid over to Harry, pressing his chest into Harry's back. "Think you can sleep now?"

"Yea." Harry snuggled into Draco just as Draco wrapped his arm around Harry's waist.

"Just think, if Dudley ever saw this."

"He'd probably try to make it a threesome," laughed Draco dryly. "But let's not find out, ok?"

"Fine with me. G'night, Draco."

"Night, Harry."

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"We better get down to Diagon Alley soon. Is there any way to get out of this house without letting the Dursleys know?"

Harry paused in the middle of taking off Draco's bandages. He hadn't even thought about buying his supplies, and without any word from the Order, he had no idea what he was going to do.

"I'll write to Ron and Hermione as soon as I put the bandage on. They're staying with the Order, and somehow we'll work things out."

"Ron and Hermione? Are you sure that's the best idea?" Draco turned to face Harry, an odd look crossing his face.

Harry sighed. "You're going to have to get used to them-"

"No, I mean, do you really think that Ron's going to be all that keen on hearing that you and I are... together?"

"What are we going to say, that you apparated here because you ran out of kicks at the manor?"

"We can tell them what happened, just leave out the parts about you and me." Draco pulled his shirt on, avoiding Harry's gaze. "It's already going to be hard enough trying to convince him that I'm trustworthy. Not like I've done too much these past few years to help, though."

"Here's your second chance. Ron's stubborn, but he has a good heart, kind of like you."

Draco looked up, his eyes locking with Harry's. "And Hermione, she'll be a lot easier to convince, still a challenge, but she believes that most everyone has some good in them."

"You're such an optimist," Draco sighed. "How is the rest of the school going to react when the two biggest rivals come back from the vacation acting like great friends? Won't that seem a bit strange?"

"Enough strange things have happened this past year that it'll just shock them for few weeks, then they'll get over it. Maybe it'll help with what the Sorting Hat told us to do, to make alliances with other houses. If that happens, it'll be easier for us to find time alone."

"And you say I have a one-track mind."

"Gives life a little edge, doesn't it?" Harry, let his hand trace the curve of Draco's face.

"That's my line. You better write that letter before you get too entranced by my beauty," Draco advised airily, sending Harry a suggestive smile. "Don't want to get too distracted."

"Stop putting on airs, Malfoy," Harry tore himself away from Draco's stare, rummaging in his desk for a quill and parchment. Dashing off a quick note to Hermione, Harry let her know that he had a "guest" who was also going to be coming with them, but specifically left out names; he would deal with that later. After double checking to make sure that Uncle Vernon was snoring loudly, he sent Hedwig off, hoping no one would intercept her before she reached the Order.

Draco was reading over his Hogwarts letter when Harry finished with Hedwig.

"I wonder who's going to be teaching Defense Against the Dark Arts this year," he thought aloud, not looking for an answer. "You think Dumbledore would be a little more careful this year, the way things are going."

"It's not like he hasn't been careful the past few years," Harry retorted defensively. "It wasn't his fault that the Ministry butted in last year, and that someone impersonated Moody the year before, or that Lockheart was a complete nutcase, or Quirrell had a Dark Lord growing out of the back of his head.".

"Real convincing. And what about the werewolf?"

"Lupin was safe. He's the best Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher we've ever had. At least he taught us something." Harry ran his hands through his hair, making it worse than it had been a moment ago. "Hopefully this year we'll get someone who knows something. We need some real training, otherwise we're toast."

They sat in silence for a while, each lost in their own worries.

"Will Hogwarts still be safe?" Draco looked up sharply at Harry's words, caught unawares.

"Of course it'll be safe. Why wouldn't it be?"

Harry sat silently for a long time before answering. "Because I'm there."

"As long as Dumbledore and the other teachers are there, you'll be fine. Voldemort's afraid of them, remember?" Draco squeezed Harry's hand, giving him an assuring smile. "It'll be alright."

Harry was skeptical, but he nodded. "This is definitely going to be one interesting year."

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"A guest? Who would be visiting Harry at his Aunt and Uncle's house?" Hermione muttered as she passed the letter to Ron.

"Maybe Malfoy decided to fly in for a cup of tea." said Ron sarcastically as he tossed the letter onto the table. "Whoever it is, we need to get Harry out of there. Sounds like he's going out of his mind."

"We're going to Diagon Alley this weekend. If Harry's going to come along, we better get him soon."

"Let's go tell mum. She'll figure out what to do."

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Lightning zig zagged across the night sky, lighting up Harry's room with jagged streaks of silver. The boys sat on the bed, facing one another, chatting animatedly about which Quidditch team was going to make it to the World Cup next year when a tremendous clap of thunder shook the house, making Harry jump.

"A tad skittish, aren't we?" mused Draco. Harry smiled innocently, looking chagrined.

"You think Hedwig made it to Ron and Hermione without getting caught by the storm?" Harry glanced out the window, his voice tinged with concern.

"She's a snowy owl. Whatever happens, she'll make it." Draco stretched out longways on the bed, smiling contentedly.

"Why are you so happy?"

"I love the rain, especially pounding thunderstorms. It's relaxing."

"Someone's a romantic," teased Harry as he straddled Draco's waist. "Bring a few candles in here and we could make a cheesy romance novel."

"And what would they say? 'It was a dark stormy night, and as Harry wrestled Draco onto the creaking bed, they kicked over the candles and set the entire neighborhood on fire.'"

"So I'd have to force you, eh?" Harry leaned forward, pinning Draco's arms above his head. "I thought this was one of those mutual relationships."

"It is. Just adds some interest when there's a bit more action." Draco smiled slyly, twisting his leg around Harry's. Harry leaned so close that Draco felt Harry's lips move against his more than he heard spoken words.

"What kind of action do you want? This?" He let go of Draco's wrists and began lightly tracing circles over Draco's chest, feeling the other boy inhale sharply. "Or this?" Harry snaked a trail of feverish kisses down Draco's neck, licking the hollow above his collarbone. Draco moaned softly, arcing up to meet Harry's warm body, his hands tangled in Harry's unruly hair. Harry tenderly caressed Draco's cheek with his lips, his tongue occasionally brushing against his skin.

Harry paused directly above Draco's face, his eyelashes tickling Draco's eyelids. He searched Draco's eyes, guilty confusion flickering across his features. Draco's eyes flew open as he felt Harry hesitate, reading the expression on his face. Draco grasped Harry firmly around the shoulders, and for a moment Harry thought he was going to be thrown across the room.

"Please, don't stop."

Draco drew Harry to him so quickly that Harry barely had time to savor the velvet sensation of Draco's tongue inside his mouth before he felt his hands fumble with the buttons on his pajamas. The minute Harry's top was off, Draco turned over, switching their positions. Harry inwardly groaned with pleasure as Draco ground against him, his mouth smothering any audible sounds. Draco shivered as Harry's silky touch ran over his sides, causing goose bumps.

"Harry..."

"I love it when you say my name like that," murmured Harry, tugging off Draco's shirt.

"It's so sexy." His breath caught in his throat as Draco's kisses ran from his mouth to his stomach.

Traveling back up his torso, Draco planted one last long, lingering kiss on Harry's flushed lips before slowly pulling away. Harry's eyes fluttered open, his breathing heavy. The heat that had emanated from between them still lingered in the room, darkening Draco's hair and causing it to cling to his face, defining his slim cheekbones. They gazed affectionately at each other for a moment, at a loss for words.

"Oh. My. God. Where in the world did you learn to kiss like that?" panted Harry, a bead of sweat sliding down his face and nestling in the crevice that Draco's forearm made as it rested against Harry's cheek. Draco laid his head down on Harry's chest, and Harry could feel him breathing quickly. Wrapping his arms around Draco's waist, he heaved a contented sigh.

"Harry?" Harry shuddered as Draco's lips tickled his chest.

"Yea?"

"That was an amazing snog." Harry nodded, his last coherent thought being of Draco as he passed into the realm of sleep, his lips still burning with their kiss.

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"Do people ever use the front door around here?" Grumbled Draco as Harry slid out from under him. Harry checked the clock; it was three A.M. and someone was knocking at the window again. Buttoning up his shirt, he threw up the sash to find Ron, Hermione, and a few other members of the Order looking expectantly at him. Harry was stunned.

"Uh, Ron, Hermione, hi," he stammered, unsure of how to react.

"Hello Harry," said Ron cheerfully. "You going to let us in?"

Harry glanced over at Draco, who was still sprawled lifelessly over the bed. "In a minute, let me clean up first." He slammed the window shut, then shook Draco until he came out of his stupor.

"What the-"

"Ron and Hermione are here, along with others. Get a shirt on, quick," Harry hissed, trying to shove some of the dirty clothes under the bed and in the closet. Draco leaped from the bed and shrugged into the old sweatshirt Harry had lent him the first night he was there, which was still lying on the floor next to the trunk.

"Just stay out of the way for a sec, let me explain what's going on." Harry reopened the window where a very bewildered group was waiting, a quizzical expression on every face.

"Come on in... remember how I told you I had a guest?"

"Yea. Other than us, who would visit you on vacation?" asked Hermione, who still hadn't noticed the very uncomfortable looking Draco standing next to the closet.

Harry took a deep breath, preparing himself for their reactions. "It's a long story, and we can't retell it now; it'll take too long. We need to get somewhere a bit safer before we discuss anything. Anyways, it's Draco." Harry motioned for Draco to step forward, who was carefully averting the gaze of everyone in the room. Harry watched the expression on Hermione's face morph from shock, to confusion, to anger, back to confusion, and then to disbelief. Ron however, skipped the shock and went immediately to livid anger.

"What the bloody hell are you doing here?" he exploded, a look of pure disgust contorting his features.

"Ron, please, don't." Hermione seized Ron's arms, her forceful grip preventing him from attacking Malfoy. "Harry said there was a reason, he'll explain later." She threw Harry a questioning look, but he just shook his head. The members of the Order had exchanged a few glances amongst themselves, but had said nothing up til now.

"Harry, we better get going," said Tonks, emerging from the group. "We came to take you back to the Burrow, where you are supposed to stay until the start of the term. I don't know what we'll do about him-" she appraised Draco warily, "But we'll figure it out when we get there. Are you ready?"

"Not really, plus my Aunt and Uncle don't know. I know they wouldn't mind me disappearing, but Dumbledore might not be very happy if I just snuck off."

"I'll go let them know," volunteered Mad-Eye Moody, adjusting his cap so it covered his magical eye. He unlocked the door, muttering the spell quietly, then headed off toward Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia's room.

Harry began gathering his things and tossing them into his trunk, not paying any attention to how jumbled it all was. The silence in the room was so oppressive that Harry was finding it hard to breathe. He was almost finished when Moody returned, an amused smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.

"Definitely gave your Uncle a good scare just then," he said with a laugh. "He wasn't expecting a visit this late at night. Although you seem to been getting a few of those lately." He said this last part directly to Harry in a voice so low Harry almost missed it. Harry just nodded slightly, then shut his trunk with a loud clang. Rummaging through the closet, he tossed Draco his broom, then uncovered his own Firebolt.

Moody was attaching the trunk to a sling on his broom when Dudley came waddling in, his eyes beady and accusing.

"Father is going to go mad when he finds out you've gone," he smirked, not realizing that he was surrounded by wizards. He caught Draco out of the corner of his eye. "It's the vampire! See, I knew you had one! It's so pretty..." Dudley was advancing on Draco, who was rooted to the spot, eyes wide with fear, when Tonks hit Dudley with a spell that sent him flying across the room.

"Th-thank you," Draco managed to stammer. He instinctively moved towards Harry, who was glaring at Ron, who was trying to muffle his laughter. Dudley was sitting up before he realized that the entire room was staring at him, the adult members of said group pointing their wands directly at him. His mouth opened and closed, no words coming out.

"Trying to do an impression of an ugly toad?" sneered Draco, regaining a bit of confidence. He glided over to Dudley, knelt down on one knee, and let his gaze run up and down Dudley's excessive mass. "Because it really is working, I must say. By the way," he added, standing up again, "I'm a wizard, not a vampire. But no matter what I am, there is no way I would ever have any interest in you." He turned back to Harry and the others, who had followed the entire encounter without blinking. Harry was suppressing a smile, as was Ron, but the others were as unreadable as ever.

"We'd better get going," Moody grunted. "It'll be daylight soon, and we don't to be caught in mid-air at sunrise. Tonks, you first, then Hermione, Ron, Draco, Harry, and I'll bring up the rear."

They all kicked off lightly in he middle of Harry's room, hovering a few inches above the floor until it was their turn to maneuver through the window and into the cool night breeze. Harry gave Draco a reassuring smile as the other boy took off, following closely with Moody on his tail.

Finally, freedom, thought Harry as the cool wind whipped through his hair. Looking out over Surrey, a strange calm pervaded him, and he flew the rest of the way to the Burrow without a worry in mind.