! Happy (almost) New Year everyone!

Special thanks to Harlie Rayne, ladyludra, Fanny Horn, Cissa the Bookworm, and 'Too Lazy to Log In' for the reviews on the last chapter! Over 40 reviews! WooT. Really appreciate all of the new people who are following the story! .

I had to do quite a bit of contorting to make JKR's and my plots play nice together. Also, I caught a major plot-hole that is too late to fix: Dumbledore borrowed Harry's Invisibility cloak in OtP. So he hasn't had it all year. I'm not going to go back and try and fix that, so for all intents and purposes, Harry now has two cloaks living in parallel universes.

Grimmauld Place

Harry could feel Sirius' eyes following him as they all welcomed Mr. Weasley back from the St. Mungo's. Snape, who had just confronted Harry and Sirius about the Occlumency lessons, had already stalked out of the room. Sirius had reluctantly put his wand away as the Potions master had left. The entire Weasley family was glowing with happiness and Harry felt uncomfortable intruding on their family homecoming. Harry slipped out of the room and went up to the bedroom he was sharing with Ron. He lay on the bed staring up at the ceiling and idly felt the galleon coin in his pocket. Draco had only been able to contact him twice in the week since Christmas.

Sound of the door opening startled him and he turned to see Sirius framed in the doorway. Harry quickly scrambled to sit up. Sirius came into the room and closed the door.

"I know by the way you haven't been able to look me in the eye that you are still seeing the Malfoy boy." Sirius said as he sat down on Ron's bed facing him. Harry lifted his chin defiantly but did not confirm or deny it. Why Sirius thought it was any of his business was beyond him.

"You are more like your father every day. Once he had decided on something, nothing could change his mind." Sirius hung his head down and looking at his knees. "But I can't remember any time he got himself in such a dangerous situation."

"It isn't dangerous. It isn't even a situation! I told you that last summer. It is just Draco and me." Harry protested.

"Just you and Draco, eh?" Sirius looked over at Harry. "Well, in a few days you are going to start Occlumency lessons with Severus Snape. Do you know what that means?"

Harry looked at him confused, "That I have to spend more lessons with Snape yelling at me?"

"It means, lover boy," Sirius growled, "That Severus Snape is going to be using leglimens to go through every thought in your head. How long do you think it is going to take him to find out about Malfoy?"

Every drop of blood drained out of his head, Harry felt light-headed and nauseous all at the same time. "Oh, Merlin."

"There. That is what you needed. A slap of reality in the face." Sirius growled, "What do you think Snivellius is going to do when he finds out you have been shagging his godson?"

Harry looked over at Sirius. "You have to get me out of those lessons."

"And just how do you suppose I can do that? Stuck like I am in this hell hole?"

"You don't understand. If Snape finds out Draco tricked him he is going to be furious at him."

"What do you mean tricked him?"

In for a knut, in for a galleon, Harry sighed. "Snape knows about us. He figured it out last year. We faked a fight and a break up a few months ago so that he would leave Draco alone about it."

Sirius stared over at him, "Snape knows and you are still alive?"

Harry shrugged, "I don't know how he guessed. It isn't like he caught us together-"

"Like I did?" Sirius snapped out. Harry nodded miserably.

"Anyway, he guessed and was making my life hell so Draco told him that he was going to break up with me and we had a fist fight and made sure that it would look like we hated each other again. I still think he is going to fail me in Potions. He uses any excuse he can to take points away from me."

"And it didn't sink into either of your thick heads that maybe Snape and I know what we are talking about? This thing with you seeing Arthur being attacked by the snake. Your connection with Voldemort. If you think Snape is a problem, what do you suppose is going to happen when he figures out that he can see inside your head? He will take the knowledge and use you and Malfoy. He will use it to destroy you, Harry."

"Well, then I better figure out how to do this Occlumens thing right quick." Harry said, with more confidence than he felt. "Can you help? How can I prevent Snape...and Voldemort from finding out."

"Help you? The only thing that will help you will you two to come to your senses and find someone else to get your jollies off on the better." Sirius snapped back.

Harry knew he had to find a way to convince Sirius to help him. Somehow he had to show that Draco was more than just someone, as Sirius had said, that he was shagging. He glanced at his trunk. He went over and dug to the bottom of it and pulled out the blank piece of drawing paper that was hidden at the bottom. He went and sat next to Sirius and handed him the paper "What's this then?" Sirius asked turning the paper over to see the other side. Harry touched his wand to it and the image appeared. He smiled involuntarily as he saw Draco's face come to life next to his in the drawing.

Sirius looked from Harry's face to the drawing and back again. Harry said softly, "This isn't just a lark. We really love each other. He drew this for me for my birthday. There is a lot more to him than just being a Malfoy. And I'm not giving him up."

Sirius handed the drawing back to Harry and stalked out of the room. Holding the drawing in his hand for a minute Harry stared at it until the sounds of many feet charging up the stairs shook him out of his trance. Moving quickly across to the trunk he thrust the paper under his clothes and quickly closed the trunk lid just as Ron, Fred and George came in.

"What are you doing up here?" Ron asked, "Come on and join us?"

"Yeah! We are have to start planning for New Year's Eve!" George piped in, "Fred has some wicked ideas for party favors."

Sirius didn't try to talk to Harry again until the night before they were due to go back to Hogwarts. His godfather motioned to Harry to follow him out of the kitchen as soon as supper was finished. Together they went up to Sirius' bedroom again. Sirius stood against the closed door and said reluctantly, "You win. I've been trying to think of someway to convince you and I know that it is no good. I won't stand in your way about this. And heaven help us when it all goes to hell."

"You won't?" Harry sat up excited, "Why?"

"I figure you are going to do it no matter what I say. And I don't want Snape getting any more weapons against you."

"So how do I get out of the lessons?"

"Don't think you can, besides you need to learn how to block Voldemort out of your mind. I wish there was someone other than Snape at Hogwarts that could do it. But the slimy devil is the only one other than Dumbledore who can teach it."

"How about Dumbledore? Can't he teach me?"

"Wish he could, Harry. Sent him a message to try and and he sent his reply this morning. He was adamant that it has to be Snape."

Harry slumped into the chair, "So, what am I going to do?"

"I've never mastered it. But I remember the lessons we got when Voldemort first came to power. You can resist it just like you do the Imperius curse. But you have to focus and block. And Snape should allow you to have your wand, if he doesn't you let me know right away. Protego will help keep him out, but it is better if you can block him internally rather than a regular shield."

Harry looked over at him and shook his head, "I don't understand half of what you just said. I know how to cast a Protego but not one inside my head."

"Best thing is to practice your non-verbal Protego. In the time it takes you to say Protego he can half way through your head. Have you done any non-verbal spells?"

"No, not on purpose at least."

"Well, start practicing tonight. Start with an easy summoning spell. If you can get that down non-verbally then try a non-verbal Protego."

Harry shook his head. "I only have two days..."

"Well, you best get started. The safest thing is for you to stop seeing Malfoy. But if you aren't going to be smart about that then you'll have to learn how to master Occlumency right quick."

"But how?"

"Don't think offense, think defense. You are blocking off part of your mind. You are going to have to use a shield to protect your thoughts that you don't want Snape to access."

"And if I can't?" Harry said. "If Snape finds out that Draco-"

"Then you and Draco are going to have to do some fast explaining. And you better hope that Voldemort doesn't get curious. Can you imagine what he will do when he finds out the son of someone in his inner circle is bending over for you?"

Harry felt his temper start to rise, "Don't say it like that!"

"Just saying what everyone is going to think if they find out. How do you think all the Weasleys would react if I were to go down and announce that you have a boyfriend and who he is?"

"Don't. Just please don't." Harry said wearily. He knew that Sirius could do whatever he wanted, would do whatever he wanted. The fact that Draco and his relationship had not been discovered so far was sheer luck. Sometimes he wished it would, if it was forced out in the open they wouldn't have to sneak around anymore. But deep down he knew that if it became public knowledge that it would be the death knell to their seeing each other. The pressure would be overwhelming from both of sides and he doubted they would be able to keep things normal between them.

"Doesn't it tell you something that you can't tell the family that you are closest to about the person you have been in a relationship with for over a year? And the only two people who know about it are both trying to convince you what a bad idea it is?"

Harry shrugged, "You know what? I really don't care. In the last four years I've fought mountain trolls, battled Voldemort how many times, killed a basilisk, and been attacked by Dementors. Being with Draco is the only thing that truly makes me happy. Being with him makes me feel normal, and I am sticking with him as long as he will have me." Harry didn't dare mention his mounting fear of what Draco's reaction might be when he finds out that Dumbledore thought that Voldemort could see inside his head and that he was seeing the dark wizard's thoughts.

Sirius sighed heavily, "Just be careful, Harry. Don't promise him anything. If you have start have a bad feeling about something he asks you to do, don't do it. You have good instincts, usually, I'm going to have to trust you. And know that I am here for you. Don't be afraid to come to me if you need help."

Harry leaned over and gave his godfather a hug, the older man gruffly returned it. "One thing for certain about you, Harry. There is never a dull moment with you around. Sure livens up this place having you here for the holidays."

The hope that he would see Draco on the Hogwarts Express was soon dashed when Lupin announced that Dumbledore decided it would be safer for them to return at the end of the break on the Night Bus. Hermione sat next to him on the swaying bus as it raced across England. Harry gave her an absentminded smile, lost in thought about Draco and what his reaction would be to to the newest twist in Harry's life.

"So, Harry, are you excited to get back?"

Harry gave her a puzzled look, "Well, considering I am going to have to take Occlumency lessons with Snape, I would gladly stay at Grimmauld place."

"Aren't you excited to see your friend again?" Hermione raised an eyebrow. "You didn't tell me how he liked the Christmas present."

"Oh, erm." Harry looked hastily around but Ron was busy holding tight to the seat in front of him, trying not to land on the floor again as the bus swayed wildly back and forth. "Yeah, it worked great. We were able to send messages back and forth a couple of times."

"Really? I wasn't sure how far the range of the coins would allow messages to travel. Where did you say he was spending the holidays?"

Harry looked at her and laughed, "Nice try. I didn't say where he was for the holidays. It worked fine over a pretty good distance. I was just wondering how he is going to react to the news that Voldemort is taking up space in my head."

"Oh, Harry. Do you have to tell him? I mean, can you trust him to keep it a secret?"

Harry looked out at the traffic that they were zooming past, wincing as they just squeaked past two lorries. "I can trust him. And, yeah, I have to tell him. It kind of affects him, too, doesn't it? If Voldemort can get in my head he might find out about … him. It could put him in danger, so I have to tell him.

"You really think that He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named would go after your boyfriend?" Hermione's eyes went wide.

"How am I supposed what he will do? But I'm not willing to take a chance and not tell D-my friend about it." Harry flushed as he almost said Draco's name. Fortunately Hermione hadn't seemed to notice.

"Is that all that is bothering you?"

Harry shifted and wondered why he had sat next to Hermione. "Occlumency with Snape. How am I supposed to take lessons from Snape? He hates me, Hermione. He really hates me."

"He is a teacher, Harry!" Hermione shook her head at him, "He can't hate you. It will probably be better with him one-on-one."

Harry shuddered at the thought of meeting with Snape alone. He had to find a way to meet with Draco before the first Occlumency lesson the next night. Fortunately with the coin it would be a lot easier to set up meets.

OOOoOoOOOo

As soon as they were back in the castle Harry sent Draco a message on the coin

Skip lunch tomorrow. I have to talk to you.

What's wrong? Downstairs?

Tell you tomorrow. Downstairs. Love you

OoooOOOoO

"Hey" Harry said as he walked into the locker room the next day. Draco was sitting at the desk, his books spread out in front of him.

Draco looked up and said with a smile, "Straw is cheaper."

"Listen to you, using silly Muggle sayings. The world has truly turned upside down." Harry smiled nervously and came over to him.

"I know why you had to see me." Draco drawled, pulling Harry towards him.

"You do?" Harry couldn't help blanching at the thought. Had Draco heard something while he was home about the connection he had with Voldemort, "Erm, what do you know?"

"I know it is two weeks past Christmas and you haven't gotten your present from me." Draco turned away from Harry and reached under the desk and pulled out a large box. He set it heavily on the desk.

Harry laughed and looked at it. "It's huge."

"Yeah, couldn't have owled it to you even if I'd known where you were. Mind that after you took off in the middle of the night after kissing Cho Chang I was more tempted to set it on fire than to send it to you."

"Hell, I've forgotten about that."

Draco laughed reluctantly. "Well, I guess that makes me feel a little better, if she was so forgettable."

The whole Cho thing seemed so unimportant compared to the newest developments.

Harry hesitated and then gave a sigh, "That was just one big awkward nargle-nest. Somehow we ended up being the last ones to leave the DA meeting. She is still upset about Cedric and wanted to talk about it, she was one of his best friends." Harry shrugged, he still couldn't figure out how he had ended up kissing her, "And she was crying and there was mistletoe. And well, I think she likes me not that I like her" He added hastily. "I didn't know what to do and it just seemed the easiest way to get her out of the room was to kiss her so that she would leave."

"You just kissed her so she would leave?" Draco drawled. "Seems like telling her you weren't interested might have gotten the message across a little more directly."

"It was a peck! Not like I kiss you." Harry exclaimed, and then he shrugged, "I hate girls crying. It makes me stupid."

"I would have to agree to that." Draco said, "Forget about it. After all I've put you through I figured you earned a free pass this time. Not, mind you, that you have my permission to kiss every crying girl or bloke that you come across."

"I promise. No more." Harry sighed with relief. "But honestly, that isn't why I had to see you. There is another problem."

"It can wait until you open your present." Draco said with a smile. "Don't you want to see what it is?"

Harry gave a half-smile and resisted the temptation to check to see how much time they had until class. He kissed Draco, "Thank you for being so understanding."

"You are lucky I am." Draco pulled the present towards Harry. "Go on, open it."

Harry smiled and tore the paper off the box. Pulling the flaps open he stared down into the box. "Clothes? You bought me clothes?"

Draco reached in and pulled out the first item a forest green button down shirt and held it up to Harry. "Yes. I bought you new clothes. Clothes that have not ever been worn by your whale of a cousin."

Harry laughed and reached down and pulled out a pair of jeans. "How did you know my size?"

"I guessed, figured anything close would be better than what you are wearing right now." he shuddered, "Ever since you told me that you are wearing someone else's clothes I haven't been able to wait to get them off of you."

"And hear I thought you couldn't wait to get my clothes off for an entirely different reason." Harry said with a laugh. He set down the pair of jeans, "Thank you. I can't believe you bought me clothes. I can't wait to try them on."

Draco went to pull off Harry's robes. "How about now?" he asked with a twinkle in his eye. This time Harry did check the time and groaned.

"No, we can't. It is almost time for class. The reason I needed to see you was something a lot more serious. There is hardly time to explain but just listen." Harry, as quickly as he could, explained the events of the attack on Mr. Weasley and all the developments since then. Draco paled when he heard about the connection between Harry and Voldemort. When Harry told him about Occlumency lessons with Snape, Draco exploded out of his chair.

"Fucking Hell, Harry." Draco was pacing back and forth in the room. "I don't like it," he shook his head at Harry. "You can't do it. Snape is going to know in a minute and then the whole gig will be up."

Harry nodded miserably; he was slumped against the desk. He had been up half the night worrying about the Occlumency lesson with Snape and Draco's reaction. "How am I supposed to get out of it? And I can't let Voldemort stay in my head. It is bad enough if Snape finds out about us, but what if Voldemort does?"

Harry walked over to Draco and put his arms around the other boy's waist. "Listen. I've been thinking about this ever since I found about what all my dreams mean. I understand if this is too much. You can't take a chance with Voldemort finding out-"

"Just shut the fuck up. I'm not giving you up just because the Dark Lord might find out." Draco spat out. "I admit that I'm a little freaked out right now-"

"Yeah, nothing like finding out your boyfriend has a split personality with the evilest wizard since Grindelwald."

Draco scowled, "Don't joke about this."

"What am I supposed to do...really? Not to sound like I'm having a pity party for myself but how the fuck can my life get worse?"

"Easy. Tomorrow night you are going to have Severus Snape flipping through every memory in your head..." Draco gave a laugh and pointed at the green leather sofa, "Snape is going to see that too. Isn't he? Every minute of our last time down here."

"We are so fucked." Harry went and sat in one of the chairs, his head in his hands. "You are going to have to obliviate me. He can't see what isn't there."

"Not that I would ever do it but would you really want that? Just erase everything?" Draco asked slowly.

"No, I don't. But I also don't want Severus Snape watching me and you together." Harry gave a bitter laugh. "I just realized, we are getting all worried for nothing. As soon as he sees into my head and sees us together, he is going to kill me. Then the whole problem is over."

Draco laughed and sat down on his knees in front of Harry he reached out and grabbed Harry's hands. "Sure. You get an easy out but I'm stuck with him haunting me for the rest of my mortal life."

"Maybe I can become a Hogwarts ghost and haunt the Potions room to torment Snape for the rest of hismortal life. I'll be worse than Peeves."

"So, you don't think that you'll be able to do to block him?" Draco asked him seriously, staring down at their hands. "You can block the Imperius. It has to be the same kind of thing."

Harry shrugged miserably, "I don't know, do I? Until I'm actually in there with Snape. And you know how Snape makes me stupid. I can hardly say the right answer in class, even when I know it. How am I going to keep him out of my head, especially on the first try."

Draco nodded, "He does make you extremely stupid. I can never understand why you get everything wrong in class when I know we've gone over it down here."

"So, if you won't obliviate me, what else?" Harry said, "Hey, what about taking the memories out. Like when you do for a Pensieve? Do you know how you do that?"

Draco snorted, "We could try, but I have no idea how to do it and we only have five hours until you are meeting Snape."

"Should I just refuse to go and meet him? Dumbledore and Snape can't force me to do it, can they?" Harry said.

"That would put you seriously in trouble with Snape, and he is going to wonder why you are refusing. Besides which it doesn't solve the problem of the Dark Lord being in your head. When it comes down to it, Snape doesn't matter. I mean I don't want him to find out, but he didn't do anything when he knew before so chances are he is just going to be angry but not stop us. But if he finds out..."

"Does he know who you are? Would he recognize you if he sees you in my head? Have you met him?" Harry hated asking but he couldn't avoid the question anymore.

"He hardly knows I exist. Mother makes sure that I stay in my rooms whenever he is in the Manor. He hasn't even seen me, yet." Draco laughed dryly and walked over to the wall and pointed at the image of his grandfather glaring out from a Quidditch team photograph. "But that won't make a difference. If he sees me in your thoughts he is going to know I am a Malfoy."

They looked at each other, Harry sighed. "Okay, so I have to do this with Snape. I have to learn to keep Voldemort out. I'm not going to risk him finding out about you. We'll just have to deal with Snape if it comes to that."

Draco nodded soberly, but all the sudden looked up with a smile, "I'm thinking that we are thinking about this the wrong way. If Snape sees me in your head he won't know whenthe memories are from. You can just say they are from last year. Other than the creepiness of having him see us together, that is. And, what if you make other memories that he'll know are more recent?"

"What do you mean? I'm not going to go around snogging people to confuse him."

"You already have, you idiot. Cho."

"Cho?... No, I can't do that! That wouldn't be right. I can't use her like that."

"I'm not telling you to shag her or even kiss her. Just chat her up. Maybe even take her to Hogsmeade on the next weekend out. Create memories with someone other than me, it will distract Snape off of us. Snape will know that they are from this year."

Harry shook his head, "I don't like it but I'll think about it. We have to go. I can't be late for Umbridge. Last thing I needs is more detentions with her and evenings with Snape." he looked at the box of clothes. "I won't have time to take those up to the room. Okay if I leave them here for now?"

"Of course," Draco smiled, "Can't wait to see you in them though, and out of them for that matter."

"Thank you for the present, and being so understanding about everything." Harry leaned over and kissed him.

"I suppose being understanding is the least I can do for the Boy Who Lived" Draco gave a small smile.

"You don't have to be, and I love you." Harry looked at the time and swore. "We are going to have to run for it. I'll go through the kitchens to save time. You can take the Slytherin tunnel, that will get you closer."

Harry slid into his chair just as Umbridge was calling the class to order. He ignored Ron and Hermione's curious looks and bent down to get his quill and parchment out of his bookbag.

OoOoOoO

"Meet me at the tree"

Draco was already standing by the tree when Harry walked up. Harry cast a spell to erase their footsteps from the snow as Draco looked at him. He was shivering with cold

"What's wrong, why here? It is damn cold out."

"Just needed to get outside. I feel like I'm about to explode."

"How did it go last night?"

"Snape? Or me rolling on the floor unconscious and cackling with laughter as the Death Eaters escaped from Azkaban?"

Draco turned from where he was peering around the tree, making sure no one was coming. "What? When?"

"In the dorm fortunately, after Snape's lesson. Ron found me. Had to hit me to wake me up." Harry muttered, kicking at the snow. "Guess your family will be setting a few more places at the table."

"Fuck. Harry. Don't take it there. What happened?"

"Voldemort happened. The whole Occlumency thing with Snape was a disaster and when I got back I fell asleep and didn't wake up until Ron hit me. I was laughing out loud, hysterical. Ron was really freaked. Hell, I was freaked out."

"Things are going to get bad." Draco muttered. "I can't believe you knew about it last night."

Harry stared at him, "I didn't know about it, I just felt Voldemort laughing. I was laughing. I went into the bathroom and vomited."

"Are you okay now?"

"Headache. Scar hurts." Harry waved off Draco's concern, "but it almost always does now. What do you think is going to happen. Bellatrix is your aunt..."

Draco grimaced, "I'm waiting for the owl to tell me about it. My aunt is crazy. She was before she got sent to Azkaban according to my mother. I can't imagine what ten years in that place has done to her. No use worrying about it until she shows up. What about Snape?"

"It could have been worse. I blocked him a little, don't know how but I was able to cast a shield and force him out. But it is exhausting I was so wiped out by the time we were done, I can't imagine doing this again with him."

"You are going to be fine. And I'm more worried about the connection with the Dark Lord."

"Do you have to call him that?" Harry grumbled tiredly, "It just reminds me..."

Draco looked at him sourly, "It doesn't really matter what we call him, does it? We both know who we are talking about. And my stomach twists a little less calling him the Dark Lord than Voldemort, thank you very much."

Harry nodded, it wasn't an argument worth having he knew. "Okay. I have to see Snape again tomorrow night. And we have a DA meeting set for Thursday night. Let me know if you suspect anything from Umbridge, okay."

"Do you think it is wise? Having another meeting on top of everything else?"

"We have to, don't you realize with all the Death Eaters escaping everyone is really frightened. Maybe not at Slytherin, but those who parents fought before. They know what this can mean, they know that they have to prepare."

Draco nodded, "I'll see if I can switch with someone else to be on patrol for Thursday, keep things clear for you."

OoOoOoO

"Do you have it?" Draco asked eagerly as soon as he came through into the locker room office. Harry nodded and held out the much read copy of the Quibbler article. He pulled back his hand at the last moment as Draco reached for it.

"I don't know, Draco. Seeing as you are a member of the High Inquisitor's spy squad. Giving you this is in direct violation of Education Decree Number 27. I may have to turn you in."

"Bollocks, to that, the day you voluntarily give anything to Umbridge is the day I walk into the Great Hall starkers. Give it over" Draco said as he grabbed the newspaper out of Harry's sat down in his chair. "Put on some music while I read about the Boy Wonder."

Harry smiled and went over to the record player and put on the Stones' Sticky Fingers album. It was funny, Draco always used magic to put on the records but Harry still did it the way he had done it so many years ago hidden away in the cupboard under the stairs. He tried not to think too much about it but he supposed it was one more way to remember his Muggleborn mother.

As the record dropped on to the spinning turntable and the needle descended on to the spinning vinyl he looked up at the wall behind the desk. Harry had surprised Draco for Valentine's Day by taking down all of the old Quidditch photographs and put up Draco's drawings in the frames instead. The wall was now covered with the intricate drawings and sketches that Draco had created. He smiled in memory of Draco's expression when he had walked in and seen the wall. The Slytherin wizard had blushed and protested, but had conceded that he would much rather have the drawings on the walls than his grandfather's photographic image glaring down at him and Harry.

He looked over at Draco who was reading through the article, his lips pursed in concentration. As happy as Harry was about how the article turned out, it still had been incredibly hard to talk about Cedric. To talk about that night in the cemetery. He walked over and stood behind Draco's chair and loosely put his arms around Draco's shoulders. Draco reached up and gripped Harry's clasped hands and they both finished reading the article together.

"Skeeter did a good job." Draco said with surprise, "How did you ever get her to write such a…"

"Real article and not an inflammatory propaganda piece for the Ministry?" Harry said with a laugh, "Hermione gets the credit for that, she found out Skeeter's little secret and blackmailed her."

"That is positively Slytherin, I think I have been underestimating Granger." Draco said with a slow smile.

"You most definitely have underestimated her." Harry said as he took the article from Draco and put it back in his Charms book, tapping the newspaper so that it was disguised to look like a page from the textbook. "You know, she is the one that made our coins."

Draco pulled out the galleon from his pocket and looked down at the dragon etching that covered the surface. "Granger did this? I assume you bought them."

Harry smiled and shook his head. "She knows I'm seeing someone, so I asked her to make the coins for a Christmas present for my mystery boyfriend. I added the dragon after she had charmed it."

"Brilliant. I don't know of any fifth years or even seventh years who can do a Protrean charm." Draco shook his head in disbelief.

"Yeah, well remember that the next time you put her down for being Muggleborn," Harry grumbled.

Draco came over and nuzzled Harry on his neck. "I think she would miss it. She likes beating me in almost every class. If I stopped calling her names she might not try so hard." Harry laughed at the thought of Hermione not trying her absolute best in every class.

OoOoOoOO

Harry looked around in satisfaction at the members of the D.A. as they tried to produce Patronuses. Half the group had already been able to at least produce a silver mist and three had actually produced a corporeal one, Cho, Hermione and Ron.

Two things happened simultaneously that Harry didn't know which occurred first. The door to the Room opened and he saw Dobby standing there, wringing his hands in terror.

"Harry Potter, Harry Potter, sir. Dobby has come to warn you..." Harry's attention was drawn away from the trembling house elf by the excited gasps from one side of the Room of Requirement. Turning he saw a panther Patronus bounding past the students towards him. It leaped at him and he heard Draco's voice call out "She's coming!"

Harry gaze shifted from Draco's panther Patronus to Dobby. He looked up at the stunned group of students who were standing motionless. "WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR? RUN!" he bellowed. There was a split second delay as they looked at him blankly and then there was a mad rush for the door.

Harry stood in the middle of classroom watching to make sure everyone was getting out of the room. He shouted at them to make for the library or the owlery so they weren't all traveling down the stairs towards their dormitories at the same time. There was a thumping noise and Harry turned around to see Dobby slamming his head against the floor. He ran back and picked up the small elf and shook him gently. "Stop it. Stop it! Dobby, I forbid you to hurt yourself. Go back to the kitchens, hurry!"

Running out the door of the Room of Requirement he could see the last of the D.A. members disappearing down the far staircase. Quickly he turned and ran the other way. He started down the far staircase but swore as he got a glimpse of Goyle heading up the stairs. The lumbering Slytherin was still a couple of flights down though and moving slowly. Harry turned and ran back down the corridor. Draco was standing in the middle of the corridor, Harry skidded to a stop. Draco ran up to him, "What are you doing! Get out of here, she'll be here any minute."

Shaking his head, Harry looked at him. "It's no good. Goyle is coming from up the other stairs." They both eyed each knowing that there was no way out for Harry. Harry shrugged and reached down and pulled up Draco's wand hand. The hawthorn wand was trembling in his grip.

Harry was breathing hard, but he looked at Draco, his green eyes boring into Draco's, "Do it."

Draco's eyes went wide, "I can't!"

"Between you turning me in or Goyle, I would rather it be you. Do it now, we are out of time." Harry forced his voice to be firm, even though he was shaking. They both could hear the thud of footsteps running towards them from both ends of the hallway.

"Damn you, Harry. You always have to be the hero." Draco went back a few steps and held up his wand. Harry nodded at him and gave a half-smile as Draco chose to hit him with the jelly legs jinx. His legs collapsed from under him and he hit the ground hard. Draco paled but he tightened his jaw with resolve, not breaking eye contact with Harry he called out loudly "Hey Professor! I've got one..."

OooOOO

Harry wearily climbed into his bed. After he had finally made it back to the common room he had been assaulted by Ron and Hermione and all of the Gryffindor DA members. Relaying what had happened over and over again had been exhausting and he finally had begged to be able to go up to his room.

He climbed into his bed and pulled the curtains shut. Shakily he pulled the galleon out of his pocket and tapped a message to Draco.

"In my room."

"Expelled?"

"No, but Dumbledore is gone."

"What?"

"Dumbledore took blame. Disappeared."

"What?"

"Tell you tomorrow. Tired."

"Sorry couldn't give more warning. Didn't know until last minute"

"Don't worry. Love you."

"Love you."

OooOooO

Harry stopped by the kitchens and made sure that Dobby was okay. The trembling house elf assured him that he had done as Harry asked and not punished himself. Harry hesitantly asked for a couple of sandwiches. Dobby plied him with an entire tray of food and then turned with a wink so that Harry could use the secret entrance to the locker room. As he headed down the stairwell Harry wondered if Dobby had explored on his own to see where the staircase went or if he even wondered where Harry went with the trays of food.

Draco was already there, pacing the length of the room when Harry walked in, carefully balancing the tray of food and drinks. "Thank, Merlin. Are you okay?"

Harry set the food on the nearest bench and grabbed Draco and pulled him into a hug. "I'm fine. Got really lucky, but I'm fine."

"What happened? Umbridge is furious." Harry pulled back and pointed to the food.

"Let's eat, and I'll tell you what happened." Draco nodded and walked into the office ahead of Harry. With a single swipe of his wand he conjured up the green leather sofa and they sat down on it with the food between them. Harry, as succinctly as he could, described what had happened in Dumbledore's office.

"So, he just vanished?" Draco asked in disbelief. Harry nodded.

"Him and Fawkes, just gone."

"No wonder Umbridge is so upset. And you got off scot free?" Harry shrugged and nodded.

"There wasn't anything she could do. But, it is just a matter of time until she tries to catch me on something."

"Don't tell me you are going to have more meetings. You can't."

Harry shook his head sadly, "No. The D.A. is officially dead. No way we are going to risk it again. I forgot, thank you for the Patronus, between you and Dobby we got the message." Harry tilted his head and asked curiously, "How did you get it to talk?"

"What do you mean?" Draco asked absentmindedly as he took another bite of his roast beef sandwich.

"Your Patronus, it gave me your message." Harry said.

"It what? It spoke?" Draco asked, his eyes wide in disbelief.

Harry laughed, "You didn't do anything different?"

"No, I just sent it on its way, but I was thinking that I had to warn you that she was coming."

"Well, it worked. Your panther said out loud "She's coming. It was your voice, but there was so much confusion in the room that I don't think anyone recognized it."

Draco moved the tray onto the ground and reached for Harry. "I think we need to have a little celebration for your narrow escape," with a smile Draco reached for Harry's robes and slowly started to unbutton them.

OoOOoo

Harry took a deep breath and pushed open the door to Snape's office. Each session with Snape had gone worse than the one before. It was becoming harder and harder to block him out. The last few sessions Snape had found memories of Draco and had sneered at Potter's attempt to block him. "Ashamed, Potter? You should be. It is a disgrace to think of you are an equal to Draco. The only thing that astonishes me is that it took him so long to come to his senses."

After the first session with Snape Harry had reluctantly given into Draco's suggestion of spending time with Cho as a way of fending off Snape's attacks into his mind. It had helped, he supposed but the date to Hogsmeade had ended so disastrously that Harry had regretted it ever since, even without Hermione's condmening dressing down of him for leading Cho on. The mixed memories of Cho with Draco had seemed to push off Snape and for that alone Harry was grateful.

The worse thing about the Occlumency lessons was that rather than making his nightmares end he seemed to be getting worse rather than better. The dreams of the hallway, the doorway, and worse even Voldemort's conversations were becoming a nightly experience.

Snape was standing by his desk waiting for Harry as he entered the room. He scarcely had time to set down his books before the Potions master has lifted his wand and with a look of loathing spat out "Ready, Potter? Leglimens!"

Harry felt the thoughts flying forward, He was so exhausted by the events of the day before that he knew he would have a hard time to shield his thoughts of Draco. He fought desperately to suppress them, to push other memories forward but he could feel Snape's relentless search.

Unwillingly, the image of Draco and his last time together entered the whirlpool of thoughts and he tried to pull it back to send the Protego shield to stop Snape. But there was a flood of images racing through his thoughts, They were stretched out on the leather sofa, legs intertwined. Draco sitting up and pulling off his own shirt. Draco reaching and slowly unbuttoning Harry's green shirt. Harry hastily pulling it off and throwing it on the floor. Harry standing up to unfasten his trousers. Harry shouted to try and stop the memories and it was with a gasp of relief that Harry suddenly realized that Snape had ended the Leglimens spell before the memory had gone any farther. The relief ended as soon as he opened his eyes and saw the fury on Snape's face.

A blow hit him across the face and he fell to the ground. Stunned he looked up at Snape looming above him. "How dare you." Snape shouted down at him, Harry scuttled backwards afraid that Snape would kick him.

"What?" Harry shakily touched his hand to his cheek that was burning from Snape's blow.

"Tell me Potter, when was that last memory from?" Snape was shaking with anger, he had stepped away from Harry as the young wizard had scrambled up.

Harry shakily said, "I don't know...last spring I guess."

"Do. Not. Lie. To. Me." Snape spat out.

"What makes you think I am lying?" Harry shouted back, his fear turning to fury at Snape's attack.

"Your clothes, Potter." Snape looked at him from head to toe. "In the five years I have the great misfortune to know you, you have worn nothing but oversized Muggle shirts and jeans under your robes. That shirt in your memory was a wizard shirt, a new wizard shirt. Where did you get it?"

"It was a gift." Harry muttered, not looking at Snape.

"A gift that you got this year." Snape did not give him a chance to deny. "When were you with Draco? You have been seeing them this whole time, have you not? Do NOT try to deny it."

Harry backed away. "I do not have to answer your questions."

"You will stay right here, Potter. I am going to return with Draco. Do not even attempt to leave. The door will be locked until my return." Snape swept out of his office. Harry picked up his book bag and flung it at the door as he heard it the lock click shut.

"GOD DAMN GODRICK ON A STICK" he shouted at the walls. Draco. He realized with a jolt that he had to warn Draco that Snape was coming for him. He hastily pulled the galleon out of his pocket and tapped in, "Snape knows".

Draco would not have time to reply, the Slytherin common room wasn't that far away but at least he would have a minute to prepare before Snape came crashing through his dormitory. Harry slid the coin back into his pocket and looked around the office. He felt like smashing all of the potions bottles sitting on the shelves. Picking up a potions book that was sitting on the desk he threw it across the room. It made him feel marginally better. Looking at the desk to see what else he could throw, his eyes fell on the Pensieve. Harry gave a small laugh and looked towards the door. It would serve Snape right if he looked into the memories that Snape had been so carefully removing before each of their Occlumency sessions. How dare Snape invade Harry's mind and see everything and then have the nerve to protect his own memories.

Without hesitating, Harry went over to the Pensieve and leaned over the basin, submerging his face. What he saw made him regret the impulse to intrude into Snape's most secret memories. As he watches his father torment Snape he became so lost in the memory that he forgot about Snape's imminent return until he felt something grab him and he looked over to see the furious visage of an adult Snape standing next to him. "Having fun?" Snape snarled as he gripped Harry's arm harder. Harry felt his entire body being shaken as he was flung back into the present. Landing on the floor he looked up to see Snape's enraged face and Draco's confused one staring down at him.

"How dare you?" Snape yelled at him, "Did you like what you saw? Did you see the truth of what kind of man your father truly was?" Snape turned his glittering black eyes to Draco, "And you, that you would lie to me. That you would continue to carry on, with this..." Snape jabbed at Harry with his toe. Harry scrambled to his feet and away from Snape, he stood next to Draco. Neither of them dared to look at each other or Snape.

His voice was like ice raining down on them. "You fools. You have absolutely no idea of the dangers you are playing with. Men have died. Women have died. Children have died. Yet you continue to act as if this will not affect you. You two were never meant to be together. Get out of here, I have no time for fools."

Harry and Draco hastily made for the door, just as Harry put his hand on the door he heard Snape's voice call out. "Potter. You will speak to no one about what you saw here tonight. Not even him. You will never come here again. I am through with attempting to help you." Harry looked back briefly to see Snape standing by his desk, with a quick nod he slipped through the door behind Draco. As the door closed he could hear the sound of a jar breaking against it.

Draco looked at him, they both instinctively reached out to hold hands even though they were standing in the middle of the corridor. Draco reached out and ran his hair through Harry's hair. "Let's go downstairs." Harry nodded and they turned to head down the corridor.

"We can go through the kitchens" Harry said quietly, "It will be faster."

"Together?" Draco asked, "Pretty big risk, don't you think."

"Don't care. Just walk behind me like you are in Malfoy stalker mode." Harry shrugged, he was so incredibly tired. He quickly wove through the dungeon corridors, Draco following a few dozen yards behind him. When he came to the painting of the bowl of fruit, he reached up to tickle the pear and the doorway opened up just as Draco came up behind him.

"I've heard about this but never have been down here."

Harry smiled, "We come down here a lot for late night snacks and to get food for parties." He skipped down the last few steps into the kitchen and looked around, supper was long over and the kitchens were almost deserted. The crash of crockery told him that they weren't completely deserted. Harry turned towards the sound and saw Dobby standing next to the pile of broken plates. The little house elf was trembling. Harry hurried over to him, "Dobby, what's wrong?"

"Master Draco, sir, Master Draco is right there." Dobby held up a shaking hand to point at Draco who was still standing on the stairs. His face was the image of the haughty pure blood git that Harry saw every day in the corridors. Draco gave Dobby a cold stare and then turned to look at Harry.

Harry swore under his breath, "It is okay, Dobby. Master Draco and I are just going somewhere to talk. Do you have anything that we could have as a snack?" He smiled as Dobby forced himself to look away from Draco and turned and snapped his fingers at the nearest counter, a plate full of sandwiches appeared.

"Thank you, Dobby. Remember, this is our secret. Don't tell anyone about Draco and I being down here. Or my secret exit."

"Yes, Harry Potter, sir. Dobby will not tell." Dobby gave another suspicious look at Draco, and turned from them. His gnarled hands reached up and pulled one of his eight hats that he had balanced on his head. Wringing it in his hands as he walked away, only turning once to look worriedly at Draco.

"Come on, this way." Harry said and he showed Draco where the entrance to the locker room was.

"That's it? You aren't going to threaten him?" Draco said in disbelief. "How do you know he won't tell anyone."

"I know because he is Dobby." Harry said simply, "He has saved me, or tried to save me, loads of times. I trust him. Come on." Harry tapped with his wand and opened the entranceway and illuminated his wand to make his way down the stairs. After a moment's hesitation Draco followed him.

It was with relief that they opened the door on the other end and entered the locker room. Harry set the plate of food down on the desk and smiled as Draco enveloped him in his arms. They stood there for a long time, just enjoying the quiet and lost in their own thoughts. The coolness of the room and the steady feel of Draco's chest rising and falling against his own worked to calm Harry's racing thoughts and ease the tension in his muscles.

Finally, Draco stepped away and looked at Harry, "All in all, I think he took it pretty well."

Harry gave a shaky laugh, and shook his head. "If by took it well you mean than he didn't Avada Kedavra us on the spot, then I guess you are right."

"What gave it away?" Draco asked.

Harry laughed and plucked at the shirt he was wearing. "He found a memory of me wearing one of my new shirts and knew it had to be from you."

Draco groaned, "You mean…"

"Yeah, from yesterday. Why Snape is paying attention to what I wear is beyond me. But he knew and wasn't pleased…" Harry reached up and put his hand on his cheek where Snape had hit him. "Definitely not pleased."

"What was in the Pensieve?" Draco asked idly, as he laid his own hand over Harry's. "His own thoughts, I take it."

Harry hesitated. He still hadn't had a thought to think about the memories he had seen of Snape and his own father interacting when they were in school. Of his own father bullying Snape. "I can't say, I mean. There is a reason why he put them in the Pensieve. I don't think I should—"

Draco leaned forward and kissed Harry, "It is okay. Don't tell me. I don't want to know." Harry turned around and pointed his wand at the bench and transformed it into the sofa. "I should be getting back but I just want to take a nap right now. I am so bloody tired. I can't think anymore, join me?"

Draco nodded, "Pretty traumatic couple of days, can't wait to see what tomorrow brings." Harry nodded wearily and laid down on the sofa, Draco stretched out next to him and put his arms around Harry. The black-haired wizard's eyelids fluttered shut and he was asleep before Draco pulled the blanket over them. Draco silently stroked Harry's dark hair and stared up at the ceiling.