Sorry for the wait! ::sobs:: I have failed you! It's gotten to the part of the story that I didn't have planned out before hand, so writing is a bit…slower. Be patient with me, lovelies!

And also, a little shout out for Redkitty-cat, who would like her story "The Heart of a Darslave" to be known to the world. It does seem an interesting story.

- - - - - - - - HP - - - - - - - -

Chapter 8: That Strange Feeling

- - - - - - - - DM - - - - - - - -

"You really think Draco is here?"

"That is what I just said, isn't it?"

"Yes, but, just because the Weaslette mentioned his name? I'm just saying I don't think it's enough to go off of."

Pansy Parkinson sighed, and tucked her hair behind her ear. She rolled her eyes to the ceiling as if in a silent prayer for patience before turning to face Blaise again. "Blaise, babe, have you lost your Slytherin instincts? Keep ears and eyes open always, and don't discount the little things. Why would she bother mentioning him if he wasn't even here? Her words were, and I quote, 'Stupid Malfoy, probably controlling Harry somehow.' Does that sound like a normal thing to say to you?"

Blaise stopped his pacing in front of the fireplace of the Slytherin common room, and sat down next to Pansy on one of the couches. "But if that's true, then that means Draco would've had to have close contact with Potter, and recently too, as this didn't seem to be an issue before."

Pansy smiled slightly, waiting for Blaise to get to the same train of thought she was on. She knew it wouldn't take long.

"You don't think….but why would he be…?"

"Have you tried the imperius on the fox yet?"

Blaise's brow furrowed. "No, not yet," he said with a frown, and rested his elbows on his knees. "You really think Draco is Potter's new fox?"

"Well it's the only thing that really makes sense, isn't it? Draco disappears over the summer, and now Potter suddenly comes back with this animal…"

"It could be coincidence."

"It could be. And that's why I think we should watch him…both of them. The Weasel girl might be on to something, and I'm just saying I don't want to rule out the possibility."

Blaise frowned, and his eyes narrowed. "On to something? If anything I think it might be the other way around. Draco would never willingly become Potter's dog! He's much too proud for that."

Pansy sighed, and turned her gaze onto one of the lanterns on the wall, watching the green flame flicker as she thought. "You know, I always have wondered if Draco is everything he says to be. We weren't together that much when we were kids, but I would see him occasionally, and I remember him being…different. He was a happier child. And sometimes I think I see that behind the emotionless mask he shows to the world. Blaise, what if he really is willingly with Potter?"

"Stop that Pansy," Blaise admonished, his own hands clenched into fists atop his knees. "Draco is a Malfoy through and through, and one of the things that entails is to never turn his back on his family. Or the Dark Lord. Maybe he's just getting Potter to trust him so that he can take him to the Dark Lord, to make up for the failure of his last task."

"I hope you're right Blaise. But we are going to keep watch on them, of course?"

"Of course," Blaise agreed, and both fell into silence as they planned ways to spy on Potter, and get their undisputed leader of Slytherin House back.

- - - HD - - -

When Harry and Hermione arrived back at the Gryffindor common room, it was to a rather…interesting sight, for sure. Since it was so late, no one was in the common room except for two people.

Hermione let out an involuntary giggle, and Harry felt a smile tugging at his own lips when they saw Ron. He was sitting in one of the poofy armchairs near the fire, and was slouching into the cushions with his arms crossed over his chest. His lower lip stuck out slightly as he glared at the fox lounging lazily on the couch across the way, watching him with narrowed eyes. Ron was quite obviously pouting.

Suddenly Draco growled, and barked at Ron. Ron, in turn threw a glare at the fox, and stood up to walk towards his two friends. His arms were still crossed, and his posture simply screamed 'shamed and defensive.' He wouldn't quite meet Harry's eyes as he stopped in front of him. There was a moment's pause before he muttered, "Sorry."

Harry's eyebrows rose in surprise. "What? I mean, you…you're not mad…still?"

Ron raised a hand to the back of his neck, and looked up with an embarrassed grin on his face. "I've…been convinced. Sorry for blowing up at you like that, Harry. But come on, you know you can't just spring things on me like that!" he cried in an attempt at a bit of redeeming humor.

Harry smirked a bit. "I didn't 'spring' anything on anyone…considering I was pretty far away from the school," Harry countered, still slightly annoyed at the interrupted kiss, but decided he didn't want to bring back up an argument that was somehow ending so quickly, so he continued on before Ron had a chance to respond. "Why the sudden change of heart?"

Ron blinked and glanced quickly at Draco, who cocked his head as if to say 'well?' Ron coughed and turned back to Harry. "Malfoy…can be convincing, when he wants to be."

- - - - - A little earlier - - - - - -

Draco was pacing the Gryffindor common room, hands clasped behind his back, and muttering angrily under his breath. The room was empty, as it was past midnight by this time, and everyone else was upstairs sleeping. He growled as he again changed directions. "If anybody has ever had worse timing!" he huffed, and his mind continued working a mile a minute. He had been about to kiss Harry. Harry hadn't pushed him away. True to his promise to himself, he had been noting Harry's behavior, and evaluating his feelings. He was almost a hundred percent positive that Harry returned the emotions that had been plaguing the blonde since the end of their first month into the summer – when he had still been a ferret. And there was little room to doubt when Harry had let Draco look into his memories.

Before this summer, he had always thought Harry to be a completely open person, but he had quickly found out this was not the case. In fact it seemed almost entirely opposite. Of course he had always been a terrible liar, and often wore his heart on his sleeve, but there were many things that Harry kept hidden behind the happiness he displayed to the world.

Draco smiled affectionately when he thought of that, and amusedly realized that the public personas each of them wore were completely opposite. Draco's own implied an intimidating aristocrat you would not want to mess with lest you face dire consequences. Harry, on the other hand, showed a sort of happiness he didn't always posses.

The annoyed Slytherin's musings were soon cut short as the portrait hole opened, and Draco found the perfect victim to take out his frustrations on. Not that the he doesn't deserve it, he thought as he paced towards Ron.

Ron, to his credit, looked a bit afraid as the blonde strode in his direction, grey eyes flashing in the moonlight. Draco fisted his hand in the front of Ron's robes, and sneered as he pushed him against the door he had just closed. "Don't tell me," he ground out, eyes narrowing as he took in Ron's angry and hurt expression, and the red tint to his cheeks, "you walked out on him."

Ron blinked in surprise, before throwing his own sour expression to Draco. "What are you talking about, ferret?"

Draco growled, and thumped Ron against the wall once for good measure. "You came back without the other three. I'm just venturing a guess that you've started a pointless argument with Harry because of me, and now you've gone and botched up your friendship."

"What do you care what I do with my friends Malfoy?" Ron asked, a little unnerved at Draco's deductive skills.

Draco's eyes narrowed further, and Ron was sure he had never seen a more menacing expression on the boy's face. "Idiot," Draco hissed, sounding very much like the snake he was. "Considering what Harry has become to me, I care very much what you do to him. Especially knowing that a fight with you is just going to continue to keep him distracted and he'll never learn what he needs to!" With a heavy sigh of obvious frustration, Draco released Ron's robes, and once again began to pace.

Ron stepped away from the wall, and smoothed his hands over his robes as if to wipe away Draco's touch. He took a moment to figure out which question that sentence had created that he wanted answered first. "What do you mean by, 'what Harry has become to you'?"

Draco stopped walking, and looked up into Ron's inquiring blue eyes. He took a moment before answering, delighting in making Weasley squirm just a bit. "I mean…that he is my friend now, Weasley. Surely you can understand that. Yet at the same time, I mean so much more. But that is not the issue at hand, nor is it for you to know. I'm amazed Harry even puts up with you, you know. I know about your fourth year, when you almost ruined your friendship with Harry completely. And now, have you not learned from past mistakes? Does your friendship with Harry mean so little to you that toss it out the window because you're angry over my presence?"

Ron's eyes widened more and more with Draco's speech. "Of course it doesn't mean so little!" he finally responded, indignant at the very thought.

Draco rounded on him then with fire in his eyes. "Well you're doing a damn good job not showing it then!" he snarled, immediately taking a deep breath to calm himself. "Harry has enough troubles in his life as it is. Merlin knows why, but he loves you and the mud- and Granger. He does not need to add to his list of woes that his best friend turned his back on him. If it's me you're worried about, then don't be." He paused for a moment, and caught Ron's eyes in a piercing stare. "In fact it seems at the moment that I care for him far more than you do. There is no spell, no curse, no voodoo, nothing. Ask me under veritaserum if you like, it won't change anything. And I really don't want any more Weasleys distracting from Harry's ability to learn the occlumency he's supposed to be learning, so when he walks back in here, you had better apologize or so help me I will make the rest of your year miserable."

Ron opened and closed his mouth several times, never quite getting a sound to come out. He couldn't decide what to say; he was angry at Malfoy's accusations, and presumptuous attitude, but then his words made him stop and think. Did he really care for Harry as he said he did? "Why should I believe you?" he finally asked, voice low with suspicion.

Thinking for a moment how he should answer, Draco let the question hang in the air for a few seconds, and then settled on the simple words, "Because Harry trusts me." He turned towards the window, staring out at the darkened sky. "Frankly, I couldn't care less whether you like me or not, Weasley. I'm just saying, don't get mad at Harry because of your hate for me." His head suddenly turned towards one of the staircases, and he changed almost instantly into the fox, leaving Ron to blink in surprise.

Ron looked towards the stairs as well, and saw a younger year, probably second, peeking around the wall at the edge of the stairs to the girl's dormitories. "Can I help you?" he asked.

The girl blushed and looked down at the floor. "I…I heard noises…and I wanted to make sure that…that…" She stopped her sentence as Draco walked up to her, and nudged her side back towards the dorms. She giggled and patted his head. "You're Harry Potter's fox," she stated unnecessarily. Draco barked once, and nudged her again. She turned obligingly, and started walking back up the stairs.

"Don't worry about it," Ron called after her. "Everything's fine down here." The girl nodded and smiled back at him, petting Draco once more before disappearing back into the darkness.

Ron smiled and shook his head at the girl. Such Gryffindor behavior to walk right towards the source of a disturbance. After the girl was gone, Draco hopped onto one of the couches, and curled up in the corner. Ron sighed, and plopped down on the armchair, staring at Draco calculatingly. All of the Slytherin's words rushed through his mind.

'Because Harry trusts me.'

He sighed heavily, sinking lower into the chair and crossing his arms over his chest. "Fine. I don't like you, and I don't quite trust you, but…Harry seems to, and, well, you're right…I don't want to lose that friendship." His voice was tight, as if admitting Draco was right was the hardest thing he'd ever had to do. "I'll be watching you though, and if you hurt Harry, then you'll have me to deal with."

Draco changed back for a moment at those words. "Don't be a hypocrite, Weasley. Don't threaten me until you stop hurting him yourself." And then he changed back, sprawling lazily across the couch, and Ron's expression turned to an angry pout. And that was the time that Harry and Hermione walked into the room.

- - - - - Back to the Present - - - - - - -

"Draco…?" Harry asked disbelievingly. Then he threw a suspicious glare at the rather smug-looking fox. "Okay what did you do to him?"

Ron chuckled at that, but sobered quickly. "Don't worry Harry, he didn't do anything…besides yell at me for a bit."

Hermione blinked, and then giggled. She walked over to Ron, and reached up to pat his head in mock sympathy. "Learns quickly, doesn't he?" she asked the room, and Harry laughed.

Ron rolled his eyes, and batted Hermione's hand away. "Yeah, yeah, laugh it up. Why don't we all just go to bed now?"

Harry yawned at the reminder of the time, and consented to the request. "Sounds good to me." He took a couple of steps towards the dorms, before turning back to his two best friends. "And remember, don't tell anyone." At their nods and quick promises, Harry smiled in satisfaction, and started walking up the stairs again. "Come on, Draco," he called out behind him, and took a few more steps before he realized the fox wasn't following. He turned back curiously. "Draco?"

Draco changed back to a human again, and his expression was unreadable as he stared right back at Harry's curious gaze. "Not tonight, Harry," he whispered. He sent him a small smile to assure him nothing was wrong and turned around, exiting the common room and entering the dark corridors of the school.

Harry looked to his friends in confusion, as if they might have the answers. Hermione looked just as confused as he was, and Ron shrugged. Harry sighed, and decided to let it be for now. He just dearly hoped that Draco wasn't regretting their 'moment' earlier. Maybe it had been a fluke? What if he hadn't really meant it? Suddenly Harry shook his head to dispel his worried thoughts. Draco didn't act on impulse; he always had a reason for his actions. For now he would just give him the space he was requesting. He was too tired to put too much thought into it anyway.

As Harry began to fall asleep, he mused over Draco's ability with words. Ron was a thickheaded person, and stubborn to the last, and Harry kept wondering what Draco had said to convince him so quickly to get over his anger. Well whatever it was, he couldn't say he wasn't glad for it. Maybe he would find out tomorrow, but for now he was content to slip into the blissful darkness as sleep claimed him.

- - - - HD - - - -

The next morning, Harry went through a moment of panic when he felt no warmth beside him, before laughing at himself when he remembered Draco had not gone to bed with him last night. After fighting off the blush from that thought, he wondered how he had gotten so used to a warm presence beside him so quickly, when he had slept alone all his life before this summer. He was a little disappointed to find that Draco wasn't in the common room either, but at least both Ron and Hermione were there. He smiled and bade them both good morning. They greeted him back, and the trio made their way to breakfast.

Harry finally found Draco when they arrived at the Great Hall. The fox was curled up in Harry's usual seat, and the raven-haired Gryffindor couldn't help but smile. He walked up and stroked the silver fur on his head, and Draco nudged his hand before scooting down on the bench a space to the left. Harry took his spot, and idly kept his left hand in Draco's fur as he ate. Ron and Hermione sat across from him, and the three eagerly dug into the delicious-as-always meal.

Though as good as the food may be, throughout the entirety of breakfast, Harry could not shake the feeling that something – though he had no idea what – was simply off. And this fact in itself made him extremely nervous, since he knew his gut feelings almost never lied, and right now it was telling him that something was wrong.

In the next couple of days, Harry recognized the uncomfortable feeling as being watched. By the second day he realized he was starting to act just a little paranoid, and Draco sent him concerned glances several times. Harry tried his new favorite trick of extending his magic when he was in more deserted corridors to find the culprit, but much to his frustration, he could never find anything or anyone.

After three days of this, Harry got fed up with it, and right during lunch in the middle of the great hall, stood and shouted suddenly, "Leave me alone!" And then he proceeded to storm from the room with the entire student body staring after his retreating form in confusion.

Hermione and Ron glanced at each other, and then at Draco. He stared back, daring them to accuse him for Harry's sudden strange behavior. When it became clear that none of them knew what was wrong with the world's savior, the three stood up at the same time, (Draco didn't so much stand, as leapt off the bench to the floor) and followed after Harry.

They didn't have to go far before they found him. Harry was just a little ways down the corridor, resting his back against the wall. He raised his head when he heard their footsteps, and smiled a bit sheepishly. "Sorry about that," he muttered, and then his face turned serious again. "But all of you…" he finished his sentence by motioning with his hand for them to follow him, and turning to walk away. The three shared another hesitant glance, before doing as Harry requested.

He led them up to the seventh floor corridor, and to the room of requirements, requesting a place to talk in secrecy. When he opened the door, he raised his eyebrows in slight surprise. The room held no windows, and was made completely of stone. On the far wall hung the Slytherin and Gryffindor flags, and sconces holding lit candles lined all four walls. There was a round table in the center with four places set around it, with one larger chair, as if made for a head of council.

The other three followed him in, and Ron closed the door behind him. As soon as they were sealed in, Draco transformed back, and asked with obvious amusement, "What did you ask for this time, Harry?"

Harry took one more look around the room, and answered, "Just a place to talk in secrecy."

Draco laughed aloud at that. "You realize a simple living room style would have done?"

Harry stuck out his lower lip in a pout. "I didn't ask for this! The room's got something against me, I swear!"

Draco snorted in amusement, and patted Harry's head. "Of course it does." Then he walked over to the table, and took the seat that looked as if it was fit for a king. He looked quite at home there, in fact, as he crossed his ankles on the table, and rested his elbow on the armrests, lacing his fingers in front of him.

"Hey, that was my seat!" Harry protested, crossing his arms over his chest. Hermione and Ron looked between the two in slight amusement; they hadn't really seen the interactions between the boys when Draco was human.

"I don't see your name on it," Draco retorted childishly.

Harry smirked. "Check again."

Draco blinked, and turned to look at the back of the chair, and saw in large cursive, scrawled into the surface, Harry J. Potter. He didn't know whether to laugh or slap Harry upside the head for sheer childish stupidity.

Ron laughed, and thumped Harry's back good-naturedly. Hermione shook her head, not quite able to stop her smile. "Okay you two," she said, trying to stop this odd non-argument. "I believe Harry called us here for a reason?"

Harry looked surprised for a moment, before he remembered that he had indeed called them all here purposely. "Yes. Yes I did." He walked over and took the seat to Draco's right, Ron sat next to him, and Hermione sat between Ron and Draco. "Okay, to get straight to the point…have any of you noticed anything…strange lately?"

"Strange?" Hermione echoed with furrowed brows. "How do you mean?"

"Well…has anyone been showing unusual behavior or anything? For the past three days – since the day you all found out about Draco actually – I haven't been able to shake the feeling of being watched, and it's making me nervous. Neither of you let anything slip, right?" Harry asked, though he was quite sure he knew the answer. Even if his friends didn't like Draco, he knew he could trust them to keep this secret.

And of course, as expected, they immediately said they had not. He turned to Draco, who was being oddly quiet in his opinion. "What about you Draco?"

Draco raised an eyebrow in response. "What, you think I told about my being in hiding?" he asked with a tone that hinted Harry might have gone off the deep end.

Harry rolled his eyes. "No, you prat. I meant have you noticed anything lately. Your senses are better as a fox, right? I haven't been able to feel anyone around with my magic, but I swear we've been followed. Have you sensed anything?"

Draco looked thoughtful for a moment. "As a matter of fact, I've been watching the Slytherins lately. About the time you started going all paranoid on us," he smirked at Harry's glare, "they started acting…a little suspicious I think."

Ron snorted at that, speaking up for the first time. "Slytherins acting suspicious? Say it isn't so!" The sarcasm in his voice was unmistakable.

Draco narrowed his eyes. "Careful about assumptions, Weasley."

"Oh like you're one to talk." Ron immediately retorted.

"Guys!" Harry cut in before the argument could escalate. "Please, there are more important issues at hand here."

They both continued to glare, but no more words were forthcoming. Harry sighed in relief, and turned to Draco. "Now then, what do you mean by 'suspicious'?"

Draco turned slightly thoughtful again, and his gaze locked on some random spot on the far wall. "Slytherins are secretive by nature, of course. But lately, Blaise and Pansy have been, well, frankly they look like they're plotting something. I've known them long enough to know how they act when they've got some big plan, and they're definitely acting it now." He paused for a moment, and then looked at Harry. "Come to think of it, I have been seeing more of them than I should have, considering I've been around you all this time."

"What do you think they're planning?" Hermione asked, sounding concerned.

Draco's gaze turned to her, and he looked as if he was trying to decide whether to speak to her or not. He seemed to make his decision, when he sighed and looked back down at the table. "I don't know. And that's what worries me."

"Draco…do you think they suspect…?" Harry asked, his voice dropping to a whisper.

"Again, I don't know. We're just going to have to be extra careful."

Harry sighed, and slumped down in his seat. "This wasn't supposed to turn so difficult," he muttered.

"You can't get overconfident, Harry. Neither of us can," Draco responded with a meaningful look at Harry's slouched form.

There was silence around the room before Hermione spoke up hesitantly, "What…what about Ginny?"

"Ginny?" Ron looked surprised at the sudden suggestion.

"She was pretty upset after Harry's rejection." Harry winced at her wording.

"So you think she went off and told the Slytherins?" Ron asked with raised eyebrows.

Hermione blinked. "Well no…oh, I don't know. I didn't mean that, I just mean…"

"Never mind that," Harry cut in, stopping Hermione's attempts to find the words she was looking for. "It doesn't matter how, anyway. All that matters is that they don't find anything out. Ron, Hermione, will you help us keep an eye out?"

"Of course, mate," Ron answered immediately.

Hermione nodded her agreement, but Harry wondered about the look she was giving him. "Harry…" she started slowly, as if working something out in her mind. "What…what are you hiding from us?"

"Hiding?" Harry asked, sounding genuinely bewildered.

"Well, I mean, we hardly see you anymore; you're always off with Malfoy. And you…you have that look like you've got something up your sleeve. And don't try to deny it," she said firmly as Harry opened his mouth to speak, "I know that look by now."

Harry's mouth closed, and his gaze turned to the table. "Sorry…" he muttered in a low voice. "I've been so caught up in-…everything…you're right of course, as always. I didn't mean to ignore you guys or anything, I've just been…busy. Yes, I do have 'something up my sleeve' so to speak, but, I guess…" He stopped and sighed, before looking up to meet Hermione's curious gaze. "It's my fight, it's always been, thanks to that stupid prophecy, and I don't want you guys more involved than you have to be."

"But, haven't we always been involved, mate?" Ron pointed out, not liking the fact that Malfoy was in on something he was not aware of.

Harry smiled slightly at that. "You have, but…this time the stakes are higher." Green eyes narrowed, and Harry's tone was suddenly darker. "This time, only one of us walks away."

A somewhat tense silence fell after Harry's words, as each contemplated the possible outcomes of this sudden conviction. Surprisingly, Draco was the one to lighten the mood. "And by 'one of us', you mean you, of course."

The corner of Harry's lips pulled upwards as he met Draco's eyes. "Of course."

"But why does Malfoy get to be involved?" Ron whined, sounding very much like a child denied a game while his siblings were allowed to play.

"Because he's right there in the middle of it all. He doesn't have a choice. You are only involved in this mess because of your association to me. I don't want to lose you guys, especially if I know I can prevent it."

"Well we don't want to lose you either!" Hermione immediately countered.

Draco groaned, and rolled his eyes toward the ceiling. "Can we keep the Gryffindor sap down to a minimum, please?"

"Shut up Malfoy," Ron snapped, almost on reflex.

Draco turned a glare towards him, but again Harry cut off the argument before it could begin. "Ron, if you want to help, then get McGonagall to take over the Order. Reorganize it, and have it track down all the Death Eaters that are running rampant and unchecked. That would be a great help, actually."

Hermione looked thoughtful at this. "But what makes you think we'll have any sway?"

Harry pondered the question for a moment before answering simply, "Just tell her I intend to kill Voldemort, and the job would be made easier if he had less followers to gang up on me."

"Kill, not fight?"

"It's got to be," Harry answered somewhat vaguely. Then, in a quick topic change, said "You can do that for me, right? Oh and Hermione, I know you can be loads of help by looking for any clues as to any current or future movements of the Death Eaters, or Voldemort himself."

Hermione sighed, not liking the fact that Harry wasn't being quite open with them, but decided to let it go for now. It looked like Voldemort's reign of terror might finally be coming to a close, and if Harry was confident about whatever way he had to bring that about, then she was just going to have to trust him, and help in whatever way she could. "Okay, I'll see what I can do." She stood up then, and began moving toward the door. "Lunch will be over soon…we should get going or we'll be late." She took a few more steps before stopping, and pivoted so that she was half turned towards the others. "Oh and Harry, whatever you've got planned…good luck." She smiled at him, and left the room for her class on another far side of the castle.

Ron sat for a moment longer, looking between Draco and Harry as if trying to figure something out. Finally, his eyes stopped on Draco and he pointed a threatening finger at him. "I'm watching you." Then he stood, bade a happier farewell to Harry, and jogged out the door; presumably to catch a quick bite to eat before his own next class started.

A much more tense atmosphere settled around the two boys left within the room. Harry felt a blush creeping across his cheeks as he thought about that moment at the lake before. Neither Draco nor himself had said anything about the almost-kiss. He didn't know Draco's reason, but Harry had been too distracted by his own unease of being watched. 'I hope he doesn't think I don't want it!' he thought suddenly, his eyes widening slightly. He turned his head quickly towards Draco, who was watching him with a guarded expression. "Draco I–"

He cut off mid-sentence as he noticed the room around them start to change. Browns and grays changed to greens and blues, and the walls melted away until they looked to be sitting in a forest. Or more specifically, a clump of trees near a certain lake; the exact same spot they had almost kissed three days ago. Harry swallowed and the slight blush now covered his entire face, burning his cheeks. His gaze turned to the ground below him, and he silently cursed this room's sense of humor. He looked up again though when he heard a soft chuckle.

"I don't think the room has anything against you at all, Harry," Draco started conversationally, admiring how realistic the forest around them appeared to be. "Maybe it just likes you," he said with a smile, and Harry pouted. "An interesting place to choose, though. What's on your mind, Harry?"

To Harry's surprise, Draco had sounded quite serious with that question. But it was a light curiosity, and Harry realized with a jolt that Draco was looking for confirmation. So Harry looked up, and met Draco's inquisitive gaze. They simply sat and stared for a moment, as if neither could figure out a move to make, or a word to speak. Then Harry decided enough was enough, and stood. Their chairs had been removed with the former room so that they both sat on the ground, and Harry walked over to Draco and placed himself in the taller boys lap. Draco sat with his legs crossed, and Harry straddled him, tucking his feet beneath Draco's knees.

Draco's breath caught for a moment, and the faintest of blushes dusted his nose, but otherwise he appeared to not even react. Harry brought his hands up to rest on each side of Draco's face, and he brushed his thumbs across the pale cheeks. He then brought his head forward until their foreheads rested together, and whispered softly, "I think you know very well what's on my mind, Draco."

Draco swallowed, and brought one of his own hands to tangle in Harry's dark, surprisingly soft hair. "Then by all means, share your thoughts," he whispered back, and closed the small distance between their lips.

Harry hummed happily into the innocent kiss as he closed his eyes, feeling nothing but an unexpected bliss wash over his senses, and take over his body. He hadn't expected such a simple action to create such feelings, but somehow it surpassed everything he thought a kiss should be. Draco's lips were soft against his own, and when the older boy's tongue ran across his lips, he eagerly parted them, moaning softly as he allowed the muscle to map every part of his mouth before returning the favor. He may not be experienced, but Harry takes pride in being a fast learner. He placed his hands on Draco's chest, and applied a slight pressure, so that Draco leaned backwards until he was lying on his back in the soft grass.

The kiss broke for a moment, and both stared at the other, mouths parted and catching their breaths. Draco smiled then, a purely happy smile that Harry had never seen on the normally stoic face before. "Beautiful…" he whispered, not quite aware he'd said it out loud until Draco's smile took on a slightly amused tilt. He blushed as he realized his slip, but he couldn't very well take it back. "You should smile more, Draco," he decided, touching his fingers to Draco's lips, and tracing them gently.

Draco gave the fingers a gentle kiss before stating, "I do smile."

Harry laughed and shook his head. "No, Draco…you smirk. There's a difference. Granted, you have smiled more around me, but…well, not like this." Harry could feel his cheeks burning from the blush adorning his features at his own words, and ducked his head beneath Draco's chin to hide it.

With a slight chuckle, Draco pulled Harry's face back up, and kissed the tip of his nose. "Maybe if you ask nicely." Then in a sudden motion, he flipped them over, and draped his body over Harry's, simply enjoying the warmth the other boy emitted. He grabbed Harry's hands, and entwined their fingers together, using his thumbs to lightly caress the back of the Gryffindor's hands. He didn't do anything else for a long moment, making Harry slightly nervous, before he tilted his head to the side. "So does this mean you like me too?"

Harry simply stared at him dumbly for a second, before he realized Draco was just being facetious. Draco grinned, and Harry rolled his eyes. "Prat," he muttered affectionately.

Draco reached down, and nuzzled Harry's neck just below his ear. "Yes, but that would make me your prat, wouldn't it?"

The warm puffs of air ghosting across his neck did nothing to benefit Harry's cognitive thought process, and his eyes slid shut as those words echoed around his head. For Draco to willingly claim that he, in a sense, belonged to someone was quite a big deal, he realized, before all thought was lost to the sensation of lips and tongue playing with his ear.

"Yes, it would," Harry finally replied breathily. Draco laid gentle kisses, licks and nips along his jaw until he once again found Harry's lips in a much more passionate kiss than the first. It was longer before they parted this time, clinging to one another until air became an absolute necessity. "Won't- won't we be late for class?" Harry managed after he had regained a somewhat normal pattern of breathing.

"We've got an off-period," Draco answered in a way that made Harry feel slightly stupid for not remembering. Then a devilish grin spread across Draco's face. "Are my kisses so mind-blowing that you forgot your own schedule?"

Harry rolled his eyes, and punched Draco's shoulder. "Shut up. I'm not going to stroke your ego…you don't need it."

Draco chuckled and pecked Harry on the lips once more. "Kidding, love." He quite loved the reaction that got out of Harry, as the boy's eyes widened, and he blushed once more. In fact he was starting to wonder if that blush was going to be permanent. "No one's ever called you that before, have they?" he asked, honestly curious.

Harry shook his head, and smiled sheepishly up at Draco. "No they haven't."

At that, Draco rolled over onto his side, and pulled Harry close to him, burying his nose in the raven hair and sighing deeply. "We're both rather deprived children when it comes to love, aren't we?" Draco asked rhetorically in a voice that sounded both amused and regretful.

"L-love? Yeah…" Harry answered, closing his eyes and resting his head against Draco's chest, listening to the steady rhythm of his heartbeat. "How…how long have you liked me?" Harry asked, suddenly curious how this had all come about.

The arms around his waist tightened a bit, and Draco murmured in a low voice, "I think I've always liked you, Harry. I did start off wanting to be your friend, if you recall. But for what you're talking about, I think it was a couple weeks before your birthday, when I started to realize that I had been hating you for all the wrong reasons. And when you took those reasons away, there was nothing left to hate." He smiled into Harry's hair, and laughed softly. "I've definitely been spending too much time with you Gryffindors…"

Harry smiled in response, and brought his hand up to rest over Draco's heart. "I don't think so. I think, deep down, you really are a hopeless romantic." He could feel Draco's affronted expression without even having to see it, and decided to spare him any more embarrassment. "It still feels so strange, but, I'm…happy. I never would have thought it would be you, but somehow, it is, and now that it's happened, I wouldn't change it for anything."

Draco didn't reply with words, but in the tightening of the hold he had on the world's savior, and by the smiling kiss he laid atop his head. Harry sighed in contentment, somewhat surprised at how easily such affections passed between them, and they laid there in the serene wooded setting until their next class started.

- - - - - - - - HD - - - - - - - -

Well, that last scene (starting after Ron left) was definitely inspired by "Our Kingdom." If you like to read yaoi manga, I might suggest you check it out, as long as you don't mind cousins being together. It's very cute. I just got volume 4 and read it, and it sort of leaked into my writing. Hehe.

And also, I'm sorry if this chapter seems crappy, or sub-standard in anyway. I've sort of had to force it out, as it wouldn't come to me like the previous chapters have. And, I wanted to finish this and have it out for the new year. So…Happy New Year everyone!