Disclaimer: Everything belongs to JK and not me, except for the things that I, myself, came up with that is.;

Author's Note: Okay, remember that slash warning earlier in the story? Well it's mainly for this chapter, so… um? Enjoy or not, it's your choice.

Chapter Eight: Confessions

Ah confession, it's good for the mind and soul...

The next day Harry was walking through the castles corridors on his own and having a, unbeknownst to him, last pleasant chat with Squishy.

*So they figured out how to stay alive!* stated Squishy.

^I feel real sorry for them^ said Harry.

*I know, imagine not having any sex for thousands of years* agreed Squishy.

^I'll tell you what, Bane sure has a nasty sense of humour^ said Harry.

*True but that's not surprising, is it?* asked Squishy slyly.

^No, not really^ replied Harry.

*So why are we wondering the castle?* asked Squishy.

^Actually, I've got a destination^ answered Harry.

*Really? Then where, pray tell are you going?* questioned Squishy.

^The Prefect's bathroom^ replied Harry.

*Why?* asked Squishy exasperated with Harry's dead-panning.

^Because that's where Draco is and I think it's high time he and I have a serious talk^ explained Harry as he turned into the bathrooms corridor.

*How do you know where he is and what if there are other people in there with him?* questioned Squishy curiously.

^The reason I know he's in there and that he's alone is because I checked the Marauder's map^ replied Harry smugly.

*Well goody for you but it seems that our senses aren't picking up any signs of life so maybe he's already left* suggested Squishy.

^I don't think so he hasn't been in there that long but maybe he… wait! Oh no, please darkness, no^ said Harry as a paralysing fear began to sweep through his body.

Ignoring the effects of his fear Harry distorted time so that instead of having to walk to the door and wasting precious seconds, he ended up right in front of it instead. Immediately after saying the password (bubble blurp) Harry jerked open the door and rushed inside.

The fear inside built quickly when Harry realized that even though the bath was filled there was no sign of Draco or anyone else. Then as he was staring blankly at the water Harry saw some bubbles surface and without a second thought he jumped into the pool sized bath.

There with weights holding him down and out cold was Draco Malfoy, not bothering to even act like a normal person; Harry vanished both the water and the weights and lifted Draco out of the bath.

Trying to ignore the fact that Draco was naked, Harry laid him down beside the bath and placed his right hand over Draco's heart. With the slightest concentration and the tiniest amount of the power at his disposal, Harry forced the water from Draco's lungs and returned life to his body.

Because he used magic to return life to a dying body Harry's hold on his false look slipped for a second and perhaps as he was waking up Draco saw Harry's true features, though if he did he didn't mention it.

"What the fuck's going on?" asked Draco faintly, still dazed from his near death experience.

"I could ask you the same thing" replied Harry.

At the sound of Harry's voice Draco's head snapped up and his eyes narrowed as his sight zoomed in on who was in the bathroom with him. Without another word Draco stood up, got dressed and headed for the door.

"Draco! Wait" implored Harry standing up and following Draco towards the exit.

"What do you want Potter?" snarled Draco with so much venom you could almost taste it.

Inwardly recoiling at Draco's tone Harry's brain seemed to shut down, which is probably why he did what he did. He obviously wasn't thinking straight or else he wouldn't have done it. Or maybe he would have, who knows?

Without any indication of what he was going to do, Harry walked forward, grabbed Draco by the collar of his shirt and slammed him back against the door. Still without a sign of what was going on inside Harry pushed his whole body hard against Draco's and brought his lips to meet with Draco's with bruising force.

At first too stunned to do anything but stand there, Draco soon returned the kiss with nearly as much force as Harry was applying. Not content with just a kiss though, Draco slipped his hands under Harry's shirt and ran them up Harry's muscular chest.

Harry was contemplating breaking the kiss before something regrettable happened but then he felt Draco's hands against his skin and he couldn't help the growl of desire that escaped him. Now he was the one unsatisfied with just kissing, so he decided to return the favour and slipped his own hands under Draco's shirt where he ran them with tantalizing slowness up and down Draco's muscular body.

Shivering slightly from the skin on skin contact Draco wondered foggily what other responses he could get from Harry. So he parted his lips slightly and ran his tongue along Harry's lips, bringing another primal sounding growl from deep within Harry. Draco was delighted when Harry parted his lips and brought his tongue to meet with his own and he groaned with pleasure as the two moist muscles ran up and down each other, testing, tasting. Then Draco gasped, slightly shocked, when his tongue came in contact with Harry's tongue ring.

Harry smiled slightly when Draco gasped at the feel of his tongue ring and he moved from Draco's lips. Kissing and nibbling along the jaw line Harry used the ring to draw deep throated moans from Draco. As he reached the neck Harry made his way down it to that lovely little juncture where the neck meets the shoulder and here he bit down hard, bringing a gasp of pain filled desire from Draco. Then Harry started to suck and lick on the spot he'd just bitten, using the ring to great advantage as he felt Draco press his body harder against his own.

Knowing they had to stop or they'd go too far too soon, Harry had to literally throw himself backwards away from Draco. Then they just stood there staring at each other, both breathing heavily as they tried to regain their breath enough to talk.

Harry had to clench his fists hard enough to draw blood to stop himself from reaching out to Draco and starting all over again what he'd just stopped. It was extremely difficult, for Draco looked absolutely delectable standing there with slightly glazed eyes, chest heaving as he tried to regain he's breath and one hell of a hickey at the base of his neck.

"What...I…you…why?" said Draco breathlessly, still recovering.

"Well that was interesting" said Harry, full control of his body restored to him.

"Yes it was but why did you…?" asked Draco.

"Because" said Harry walking close to Draco again, though this time he refrained from reaching out and instead put his mouth next to Draco's ear and said "I finally figured out what I want, need to have".

Shivering at the hot air hitting his ear Draco blanked out for a second before remembering to ask "What do you want, need to have?"

"You" purred Harry before he stepped back to examine the effect he'd had on Draco.

Draco's eyes were once again glazed over and it looked like he was having trouble forming coherent thoughts.

"Now it's my turn to ask you a question, how in hell did you end up weighed down in the bath?" asked Harry delighted with the effect he'd had on Draco.

"I did that to myself actually, I took a strong dose of sleeping drought, attached the weights and well… tried to kill myself" replied Draco running his hand through his hair in embarrassment.

"So you wanted to die" said Harry his face, eyes and voice going dead.

"True and now I think about it, it was really stupid but I was depressed and suicide seemed like the only answer" explained Draco carefully.

"It's my fault you were depressed" said Harry, it wasn't a question and his whole being was still devoid of all emotions.

"Um… I suppose, I guess I was upset because you didn't return my feelings and then I got to thinking you never would, especially when you kept running off while we were talking" said Draco.

"I'm sorry, please forgive me?" said Harry a true note of regret entering his tone.

"Of course I forgive you, I mean come on, after a kiss like that how could I not?" replied Draco a beautiful smile gracing his features.

Not satisfied with the small smile he received from Harry, Draco walked forward and embraced him in a tight hug.

"I want you to promise me that you'll never, ever regret anything in your life" said Draco resting his head on Harry's shoulder.

"I promise and as long as you're with me it doesn't matter what anyone else thinks" replied Harry fiercely returning Draco's hug.

"That's something I can agree with, who cares what anyone else thinks when you are the one that matters" said Draco lifting his head and giving Harry another beatific smile.

Draco was left speechless when Harry returned the smile with one of his own, so filled with warmth this breathtaking smile was going to become a rarity in the future fast approaching.

"You're taller than me" said Draco sulkily; pouting at the fact that Harry was an inch taller.

Chuckling slightly at Draco's absurd reaction to being slightly shorter, Harry pulled him into a tighter hug and said "So I am now what say you we get everyone together in the Library for a little chat?"

"Why?' asked Draco.

"Because I said I'd tell everyone when I knew which way I swung" explained Harry.

"You did, didn't you? Okay then, meet you there in half and hour?" said Draco.

"Sure" agreed Harry and he leant in and gave Draco a tender kiss before he turned and left.

Draco just stood there for a second or two with a slow, mysterious smile forming before he gave himself a shake and left to find Blaise and the other three.

A half hour later Harry was once again sitting at a back table in the Library and once again Neville and Seamus were sitting on his left and Ron and Hermione were on his right.

All five students seemed to be hard at work on homework but every now and then Neville, Seamus, Ron and Hermione would stare darkly at Harry who was studiously ignoring them as he finished an assignment.

"Doing some work are we?" asked Draco cheerfully as he sat down opposite of Harry with Blaise and Pansy on his right and Crabbe and Goyle on his left.

"Malfoy? Wait is this why you wanted us to come here with you" exclaimed Hermione turning to Harry.

"Now that you mention it, yes I do believe it is" replied Harry calmly.

"You could've explained you know, instead of threatening us" said Hermione.

"You threatened them?" asked Draco amused looking at Harry.

"I don't recall doing any such thing" answered Harry.

"So saying that you'll spread embarrassing rumours about me if I don't come isn't a threat?" asked Neville incredulously.

"Did I say that?" asked Harry innocently.

"Yes!" replied Neville, Seamus, Ron and Hermione firmly.

"Are you sure you weren't hearing things?" questioned Harry curiously.

Before the four angry Gryffindor's could start to tirade Harry, there was a snort of amusement from the Slytherin's and when the five Gryffindor's looked over they found the five across from them trying hard not to laugh.

"Damn you guys are funny" said Blaise wiping away the tears and giving all the Gryffindor's a friendly smile.

Perhaps a little too observant for the good of others, Harry noticed that Neville blushed slightly when Blaise smiled at them and a wicked idea formed.

"Perhaps I was a little threatening, I'm sorry and thanks for coming everyone" said Harry, abruptly changing the subject.

"Don't worry about it" said Harry's friends as one.

"Why are we here?" asked Pansy curiously.

"Well, I did promise that when I found out what makes me hot and horney I'd tell you, so here we are" replied Harry with a shrug.

"So, what makes you hot and horney?" asked Blaise and he and everyone else looked at Harry, curious as to what the answer would be.

"Draco" replied Harry simply and deep within he felt something click as he became whole.

"What?" asked eight shocked voices at once.

"Kill me" moaned Draco burying his head in his hands.

"That explains a lot" said Pansy, quickly getting over her shock and looking thoughtful.

"Like what?" asked Seamus curiously.

"Like why Draco is extremely cheerful all of a sudden and why he has a hickey the size of a baseball" explained Blaise calmly.

"What?" asked Draco in a strangled tone.

"So that's what that thing is" said Ron, amused by Draco's mortified expression.

"Oh come now, it's not that big" said Harry.

"I have a hickey? No wonder I was getting strange looks, why didn't anyone tell me? You're meant to be my friends" said Draco looking at Blaise, Pansy, Crabbe and Goyle.

"We are your friends and anyway we thought you knew" replied Pansy innocently.

"Yeah right! And you" said Draco turning with a fierce look to Harry "Why didn't you tell me? You're supposed to be my….my…".

"Boyfriend?" supplied Harry helpfully.

"Merlin, don't you know what embarrassment is?" asked Draco as a very faint blush touched his cheeks.

"Of course I know what it is, that doesn't mean I feel it though" replied Harry with a shrug, totally non-plussed by the amused smiles everyone else were wearing.

"Okay I think that's enough" said Hermione giving Draco a sympathetic smile and receiving a grateful one in return.

"As you wish, so while we're sharing things is there anyone else who'd like to confess anything" asked Harry raising one eyebrow suggestively.

At first no-one seemed willing to talk as they all considered the consequences their confessions could have, except for Draco that is, who had pulled a mirror from some where and was examining his hickey with a horrified expression.

"I do" said Seamus breaking the silence.

"Ooh, do share" said Harry as a knowing smile graced his features.

"Okay here goes, Pansy I have a crush on you" said Seamus looking at no-one but Pansy.

"That's interesting because I have one on you" replied Pansy giving a relieved looking Seamus a shy smile.

"Isn't that cute? I think I'm going to cry" said Harry pretending to wipe away a tear.

Everyone just shook their heads at Harry's absurdity and each privately decided that it would probably be best to ignore him for the moment.

"I'm so happy for you two, it's always upsetting when someone likes someone who doesn't return their feelings" said Hermione happily.

"Thanks" said Pansy giving Hermione a smile.

"So Pansy, do you want to go out with me?" asked Seamus doing the whole dating thing properly.

"Of course" replied Pansy her gaze returning to Seamus.

"I have a confession" said Blaise breaking the lovey, dovey atmosphere.

"So who do you have a crush on?" asked Harry shrewdly.

"You're really embarrassing, did you know that?" asked Blaise annoyed as everyone looked at him because of Harry's question.

"Now I do, so are you going to tell us or not?" replied Harry with a mischievous smile.

"I don't think you really need to know but he does so, uh Neville, I really like you" said Blaise looking at Neville and ignoring everyone else, especially Harry who was continuously saying 'ooh la la' under his breath.

"I like you too, in fact the reason I asked Harry if I could come along on these talks was so I could tell you but I've never had the courage" replied Neville blushing.

"So that's why you asked everyone their sexual preferences, Neville told you about his crush" said Hermione looking at Harry.

"Maybe" replied Harry with a non-committal shrug.

"You may be a bit weird at times but you're not a bad person, are you Harry?" said Blaise with a friendly smile.

"He may go about it in a round-about way but there does seem to be a reason for everything Harry does, don't you agree?" asked Seamus of the group in general.

"Yep" agreed everyone as one.

"Thanks for the vote of confidence" said Harry with a charming smile.

"You're welcome mate" said Ron giving Harry a clap on the shoulder.

"It looks like we've all put our differences aside" said Draco.

At this everyone (except Harry of course) looked at each other shocked for a second before a thoughtful look appeared on all their faces.

"Now that we're all friends I say we get together a lot more often to chat and do other stuff" said Harry brightly.

"What do you mean by 'other stuff?'" asked Neville suspiciously.

"Nothing like that, you naughty, naughty boy" replied Harry apparently appalled.

"Hey, if he didn't ask I would've because when it comes to you nothing's predictable" said Blaise.

"Would you look at that? Blaise is defending you Neville, I think he deserves a kiss" said Harry with a wicked grin.

"Go to hell" said Neville mortified.

"If you wish but first you'll have to tell me how to get there" replied Harry.

"That's enough, now how about we head to bed seeing as it is that time of day" suggested Draco calmly, then he turned to Harry and said in a firmer tone "Separate beds".

Harry who was about to say something until Draco added that last bit, gave a resigned shrug and said instead "Hey can't blame me for trying but as you wish, night all".

There was silence as Harry got up from the table and left the Library but the silence was broken nearly straight away as everyone else said their good nights and left for their different quarters.

The castle was eerily quite later that night as Harry walked its halls to the dungeons. Harry was without his invisibility cloak but he was unfazed because unless he wanted to be no-one could hear, see or feel him.

It wasn't long before Harry reached his destination deep within the dungeons where he stopped at a door, knocked and then waited patiently. Harry didn't have long to wait before the door was opened by none other then Severus Snape in fluffy bunny pyjamas. Surprises pop up every day and sometimes they make you fervently wish they hadn't.

"Potter! What are you doing here?" asked Snape.

"Sorry for disturbing you Severus but I really need to talk with you" apologized Harry.

"Don't worry about it, come on in" replied Snape ushering Harry inside and onto the same couch he had sat on all those weeks ago.

"So what do you need to talk about?" asked Snape handing Harry a cup of tea then sitting down in the armchair opposite with his own cup.

"What I want to talk to you about is extremely important and will decide one way or another how things will go" explained Harry warningly.

"Sounds important, don't worry I understand and please go on with what you came here to talk about" said Snape.

"Thank you, what I need to discuss with you is, well… it's about Bane" said Harry grimly.