When Harry woke up in the Hospital Wing, he was more than a little annoyed that his bed was nowhere near Ron's. What was the point of being bedridden if he couldn't even start shenanigans with his best friend?

On the other hand, Draco was sat by his bed, and that was certainly a plus. He was sat with one hand pinching his nose, looking more annoyed than concerned about Harry. That was fair - he ended up in here so often that it was probably more of a nuisance. Draco was probably thinking about the pile of homework he had to do tonight, instead of his boyfriend getting hit in the back of the head with a bludger.

But he still glanced over at Harry and the smile on his face was more relieved than his usual smirk.

"Good morning, trouble," he said, shifting his chair closer to Harry's bed. "Slept in long enough."

"Mm, I could have done with a few more hours," Harry shrugged. "What happened with the match? How badly did we lose?"

"Really?" Draco sighed, his face returning to his hand as he rubbed the bridge of his nose. "You crack your skull open and all your worried about is a Quidditch match?"

"Yeah," Harry couldn't see the problem, but maybe that's because he wasn't wearing his glasses. He put them back on with a clumsy hand. "What happened?"

"Why is my boyfriend so useless?" Draco sighed into his hand.

And that did make Harry feel bad. Just a little.

"Wait!" he frowned at Draco, feigning surprise. "You're taken?"

Draco only glanced at him for a moment, before he snorted. "I know you don't have memory loss, you dork."

"So, you love your useless boyfriend?"

"Mm."

"Say it." Harry wasn't sure why he was grinning when it felt like his head had split in two.

"I love my useless boyfriend," Draco said it mockingly, but then he reached over and took hold of Harry's hand. His face grew serious. "Who lost the Quidditch match (!) to (!)."

"Well damn."

"That's not what's important," Draco said.

"What could be more important than Quidditch?" Harry wanted to sit up. He wanted to sit and hold both of Draco's hands and pull him to him. Maybe it was just the concussion, but he looked like he was glowing in the bright sunlight coming from the window. Like he was an angel. But he couldn't move. His body felt like lead and his head still hurt.

"Do you remember what happened? How you hit your head?" Draco asked. Harry nodded and regretted it immediately. It made the whole room spin. "Well, everyone's saying that McLaggen hit you because you're gay." Bi, Harry wanted to say. He was pretty sure he was bi, but maybe that's because no one seemed to listen when he said it. It wasn't like there was anyone around now to get the wrong impression. "There seems to be a school-wide debate on whether he was right to do it or not."

"Oh yeah?" Harry wasn't sure he really cared. "He was just pissing me off honestly – I told him to stop messing around with the beaters."

"He's stayed awkwardly silent about the whole thing. I think he can't decide whether to agree with them or not. Oh, and Weasley's out of the hospital wing. He's talking about breaking up with Brown."

"You know all the gossip, don't you?" Harry smirked.

"What else am I supposed to do when you're out of action?"

Harry laughed, and hated how that hurt too. "Where is Ron?"

Draco shrugged. He shifted again, so that he was sat on the bed, looking at Harry with that serious face. "How are you feeling?"

"I've been through worse." It was Harry's turn to shrug.

"You think you're so tough, don't you?"

"Someone's got to protect you." He said it earnestly enough, but Draco still laughed. He leant over and kissed Harry's forehead, tucking the blankets up to his chin like he was a child.

"That's right," he said. "My knight in shining armour."

Harry grinned at him. He was being patronising and he knew it, but it also sent a flurry of warmth through his chest. "And you wouldn't leave your knight in shining armour alone and injured, would you?"

"I thought you'd been through worse?" and Draco just laughed again at the disappointment that swept across his face. "Fine. I'll stay – but I'm just going to do homework and ignore you, you know."

He went to stand, to get his school bag, but Harry's fingers tightened on his, calling his attention back.

"Silent is how I like you, darling."

Which made Draco scoff and roll his eyes. But, Harry was pleased to note, made pink spread across his cheeks too. That made him feel proud of himself.

He loved afternoons like this. It sounded cheesy, even to himself, so he didn't say it allowed. These quiet afternoons where they didn't have to talk to each other and were just close to each other. Harry could just watch Draco reading – watch his eyebrows draw together whenever he was concentrating hard or his eyelids droop when he was finding it hard to concentrate. Once or twice he bit his lip and Harry found himself mirroring the action. He wanted to sit up and take Draco's mouth in his own. Maybe knock the textbook to the floor and sit himself in Draco's lap instead.

But the world was still spinning and he saw stars whenever he tried to move. So, he made his piece by peppering Draco's hand in kisses instead. Draco ran a hand through his hair in response, like he was petting a dog.

This was as close to home away from Grimmauld Place as he was going to get. The thought made him feel strange – being close to Draco felt like home. When had that happened? When had he been okay with that?

That attachment made him feel guilt curl in his stomach. He couldn't afford to care about anyone that much. It made people targets. Now it would only be a matter of time before Voldemort would use Draco against him. Or would just hurt Draco to get at him.

Well, he had done that once. Harry glanced at Draco's forearm – covered by his shirt sleeve. The scar was there. Draco could claim it was his own fault all he liked but it didn't change that it could happen again – it could happen again and it would be Harry's fault the next time. What would be the next time?

He couldn't think about that.

And yet, he had to think about that – because just the next week he passed Theodore Nott in the corridor and, as they passed each other, said "you have to get Malfoy out of the castle."

The words had run in Harry's ears for the rest of the day. They seemed simple enough and yet he didn't seem able to comprehend them. All he knew was that they filled him with unease.

He managed to grab Nott's sleeve as he was walking out of potions the next day. Nott glanced back and tried, half-heartedly, to pull away. Harry gripped his wrist instead.

"We need to talk," he said.

Nott glanced around him, at the other Slytherins. They were already walking down the corridor without a second glance. Hermione had started up an argument with Draco about the correct way to make Pepperup potion and Ron was backing her up. As much as Harry hated to admit it, he would probably side with her too. He loved Draco, but Hermione knew everything.

Everything that the Prince didn't, that is.

But soon it was just the two of them outside the classroom, and Harry could see Nott flailing for an excuse. Eventually he gave a terse nod.

"Okay."

He pushed past Harry, running a hand through his dark hair. He looked nervous – uncharacteristically nervous. Normally Nott seemed unfazed by everything around him, but when he stopped in a dead end and leant against the wall, he looked tired. His skin was pale, almost green in the ghostly light of the dungeons, and there were dark rings under his eyes.

"Katie Bell got back to Hogwarts the other day," Harry said, because there was something inside him that told him that it was important. "She said she was given the cursed necklace in The Three Broomsticks. You know something about it. Don't you?"

Nott didn't reply for a moment. He took a rattling breath. "I don't know much, Potter."

"But you know that Draco needs to get out the castle-" the penny dropped. "Is that it? That's it, isn't it? That's the job you've all been given to do-"

"What job?" Nott was frowning, like he was confused. He looked dazed, like he had just woken up. "

"Voldemort's got all of the Death Eater's kids to do something at Hogwarts-"

"It's not that," Nott said. "That's not-"

"Then what is it?" Harry pressed.

"That doesn't matter – it doesn't matter who they're after, Harry."

"Of course it does."

"What's important is that you get Draco out."

It was like talking to a sphinx. Harry sighed and leant against the wall.

Nott's mouth twitched upwards. He leant against the opposite wall. "Well, if you'd give me half a chance to explain-"

"Why are you telling me this now?" Harry demanded. He knew he should shut up – that he should hear Nott out, but as always, he couldn't control the anger crawling up his stomach. He hated it, but he couldn't stop it. It was like there was another person inside him and he couldn't stop them. "You could have told us this ages ago, if you knew! What, is it too late to stop things now?"

"I don't know," Nott said, quietly. "I don't know if it is."

Harry crossed his arms, feeling the heat in his glower. Nott wasn't looking at him. He was oddly still, as though he had been frozen in place.

"I've only just connected all the pieces myself," he said. Still in that careful, low tone of voice. "I don't spend a lot of time with the others – I don't know if you've noticed that. Draco and I sleep in the Room of Requirement and because of that none of the others want to talk to me very much. They're sure Draco's got his grubby gay paws all over me."

"And has he?" Harry's voice was more of a growl.

"Nothing has happened between me and Draco." Nott said. It was as close to a snap as he had ever given him. "If you're asking whether I'm bent? I'd rather keep it to myself whether I am or not. It keeps me nice and safe. Creates a nice air of mystery around me too – Weasley still can't figure out whether I'm flirting with him or not."

Harry wanted to laugh, then. Maybe he would if he wasn't still clenching his jaw.

"Look-" Nott ran his hand through his curls again. The light made him look even more sculpted than usual. "I talked to Bell too – and Weasley told me about what happened with that wine. Neither of them were the intended target."

"Are you going to tell me who was, or are you going to make me guess?"

"Well, you haven't so far, have you?" Nott's mouth twitched. "It's-" he glanced around. "Look – you can't – I'm not involved. Not anymore – I haven't spoken to my father in months and I don't know what I'm going to do this Summer. He probably has my mother or she won't want me – I'd just bring trouble, I can't go back there-"

Harry held up a hand. "I'll figure something out for you, Nott."

They were still friends after all, and Nott looked relieved at that. He smiled – one of those very white, very even smiles.

"Thanks, Potter – really," he said and pulled Harry into a tight hug. He froze, standing ramrod straight. But then Nott whispered in his ear, "They're after Dumbledore."

"What?" Harry stayed completely still as Nott pulled away and nodded.

"I've been going through everyone it could be and it's the only one that makes sense – it wouldn't be you – my dad says that he-who-must-not-be-named wants to kill you himself, if that makes you sleep easier. And he doesn't want to kill Draco – he's already been punished and I'm sure they're hoping that he'll come to their side soon enough. There's no one else at Hogwarts he has a personal grudge against. Bell said she was bringing that to the teachers, right? And Slughorn would have planned to give that wine to a teacher, right? Who else?"

"McGonagall?" Harry suggested. She was also a member of the order, after all. "Katie's a Gryffindor-"

"And she'd drink wine from Slughorn? No way. Ask him who he was going to give it to – I'm sure I'm right."

Harry opened his mouth to say that he and Slughorn weren't on good terms at the moment. Since he'd asked about Horcruxes, the man had barely glanced at him.

But a small part of him suspected that Nott was right – or at least onto something. It made sense – vague sense. And he didn't know how he felt about it. He hadn't been on good terms with Dumbledore either, certainly not of late, but he didn't want to see him die. He still remembered when Dumbledore's voice was calming and his smile made Harry grin. When just a letter from him had saved Harry from the Dursley's. When he had been calm and wise and had all the answers. He still wanted to see that Dumbledore – he didn't want to see that Dumbledore die.

And had he changed, really? Or had Harry changed? It felt like in the last two years Harry had just gotten angry and frustrated. Maybe he was the one taking everything the wrong way. Dumbledore still cared about him.

He was sure.

So he left that – for a moment, because it was making his chest feel tight and he didn't want to deal with all of those feelings.

"What has this got to do with Draco?" Harry asked instead.

"I spend a lot of time in the Room of Requirement." Nott started walking back down the corridor and Harry matched his step. "I keep coming across the same room – the room that's full of a jumble of stuff and once – Zabini was there. With Crabbe and Goyle – well, not Goyle at first." He ran a hand through his hair again and it stayed there. "But he stepped out of this cabinet."

"Maybe they were playing hide and seek?" It was an awful attempt at a joke. But he wasn't sure what else to do. He was losing his breathe – he had felt like this before and he didn't like it.

"No, I've seen it before. In Borgin and Burkes. An identical one."

"So what? They brought this cabinet-"

"No. No – they said this was the last resort. That they were going to bring the force through the cabinet. I think Goyle was just a guinea pig to see if they could get people through it."

Harry stopped. He really couldn't breathe for a moment.

"People meaning Death Eaters," he whispered.

"And Draco can't be at the castle when they come." Nott said. He took hold of Harry's elbow. "He has to be away from the castle. Away from here. Can you do that for me?"

Harry wanted to nod. He wanted to nod so badly.

And yet he had a feeling that he was going to have to make a decision. One that he didn't want to make.

Aragog's funeral went about as awkwardly as Harry could expect it. But at least he got the memory from Slughorn.

And at least Draco had been drinking. He had insisted on going with Harry, snaking an arm through his and leaning against him as they walked down in the dusk. Maybe it was because he was scared of stray bludger bats flying through the air. Harry wasn't about to argue. When he had told Draco what Nott had said, Draco had bit his lip and looked at Harry seriously.

"I'm the safest by your side," he had said and kissed Harry with an open mouth. "It all went wrong last year because we split up."

So he was probably going to have to trick him into getting back to Grimmauld Place. He would be safe there.

As long as they used a portkey instead of floo powder. Floo powder had been where it had gone wrong last year.

That was the plan. But he would have to do it soon. He had no idea when the Slytherins were going to use the cabinet. Draco would have to go and soon – exams be damned.

Harry knew he wasn't going to like it, so whilst Draco was still sweet on him, he was going to make the most of it.

Draco hadn't even waited until they had stepped out of Hagrid's hut before Harry was pressed against the wall, the breath knocked out of him. Draco's tongue was practically down his throat and he stunk of butterbeer, but he was warm against the cold night air. He was warm and his hands were running up and down Harry's waist, unable to found a place to settle.

Harry's own hands found a place – he pulled Draco's hips closer to him using his grip on his rear. Draco stumbled closer, his crotch pressing against Harry's hip. He lifted his leg just enough to feel Draco gasp against him.

He took the opportunity to pull away. Draco's cheeks were red and he was breathing heavily. It made Harry's stomach leap.

"Where's this come from?" he whispered. Draco shifted his hips and the movement made Harry's breath catch.

Draco shrugged. "Because I know what you're thinking – you want to send me away to keep me safe like I'm some Princess."

"No," Harry said. He slowly turned, so that Draco was the one pressed against the brick. He could still hear Slughorn and Hagrid singing inside. "Because I have no idea what Death Eaters would do if they found you-" Draco kissed him again – so hard that he was sure his mouth would hurt the next morning. Harry pulled away again, taking hold of Draco's chin to keep him in place. "I've already lost one person. I don't want to lose another."

"And this is me changing your mind," Draco murmured. His tongue flickered out like a snake's against Harry's wrist. He turned his mouth into Harry's palm, taking hold of it and running his lips down Harry's forearm.

"Hagrid is on the other side of that wall mourning his dead giant spider," Harry whispered. He was trying not to giggle at Draco's feather-light touch. "And I don't think we'll be making out with the Death Eaters."

"Maybe my judgements a little obscured," Draco mumbled, peppering Harry's jaw in kisses. He tilted his head upwards to accommodate.

"You're drunk."

"And you're sober." Draco kissed him. "Too sober."

Harry laughed, then clapped a hand over his mouth. "Hagrid's right there. Slughorn's right there."

"Then you'd better be quiet," Draco whispered. His hips moved against Harry's thighs again – harder this time – and he had to bite his lip.

This was not how he had planned to introduce Draco to Hagrid – not as his boyfriend, anyway. But Hagrid had seemed overjoyed at the turn-out of Aragog's funeral. As always, Draco had been perfectly civilised. He had even started a conversation with Slughorn about the classification of Mythical Beasts. He had gotten an invitation to the Slug Club within the half hour.

"Of course – of course you should come!" Slughorn had cried. "Any friend of Harry's is a friend of mine. That stunt you pulled at the disco – incredible."

He still had no idea that Draco and Harry weren't just friends. Harry wondered if he'd still clung to that idea now, when Draco was kissing him mercilessly and he was half-hard and honestly Draco had a point. He was exhausted after chasing after that memory – and the whole evening had been so absurd that maybe this was a good idea. Maybe it was just the liquid luck making him feel that way.

So he kept kissing Draco. And Draco kept kissing him, his hands snaking under Harry's top. His fingers cooled the sweat on his back, and he sighed into him.

There was a sudden thud next to them and Harry acted on instinct – flinging them both onto the ground. He felt a tiny pumpkin smash under him and sincerely hoped that they were hidden from sight. Dark leaves obscured the night sky.

He could hear Slughorn – maybe Hagrid was with him – stumbling from the hut. He held his breath, trying to gauge when he had disappeared completely.

Draco didn't give him the chance. He had landed on Harry's arm, and now he rolled over so that he was sat on Harry's chest. He grinned down at him, pressing his forehead against Harry's. He kissed him – more softly this time. He took Harry's bottom lip in his own, playing with it tenderly, his legs settling either side of Harry's hips.

And Harry suddenly realised why Draco liked having him sat in his lap. Draco looked good there, he decided, his fingers tracing up Draco's thighs. That made him pull away, panting against Harry's cheek. He caught Harry's hands in his, repeating the action.

This was completely inappropriate, Harry was thinking – but it was getting harder to think straight. He had drunk Liquid Luck – they weren't going to get caught. He was feeling delirious – Draco filled all of his senses.

So he rolled his hips against Draco and was starting to think-

"Ginny Weasley, wait!"

The cry sounded distant, but close enough that the boys in the pumpkin patch paused. Draco's chest was still rising and falling heavily, his hair falling in front of his face. For once, he looked dishevelled – Harry had fallen in love with that look already.

Draco shifted off of him and he pulled himself into a crouch. It was uncomfortable, sat here so close to Draco and yet – and yet he couldn't just let that figure storm away from the castle and into the night by herself.

It must have sobered Draco, because he was wiping his mouth with the back of his hand and standing up. He offered a hand to Harry and he used it to pull himself to his feet.

Draco was watching the castle. There was another figure silhouetted in that light. It was hard to make out, but he had recognised that voice. He had never heard that voice so urgent and panicked. He hadn't though Luna ever worried about anything.

"Think we're going to have to continue that at a later date, mon ange," Draco said, and he only stumbled over the words a little bit.

"And here I thought I had drunk felix felicis tonight."

"Your luck just ran out," Draco hooked an arm around his waist, pressing one final kiss against his forehead. "I'll take Lovegood if you take Weasley?"

Harry nodded. He lifted his head for another kiss, but Draco was right. His luck had run out for the night. He pulled away and tumbled across the grass to the retreating figure of Ginny Weasley. He heard Luna's voice behind him – a panicked "I just want to see if she's alright – I just-" that was cut off by Draco talking softly. Quickly and softly, no doubt leading her back up to the castle. How he went from drunken lovesick puppy to kind big brother in less than a minute, Harry couldn't guess.

And he had to do the same. He broke into a light jog, quickly regretted it, and opted for a brisk walk instead.

"Out for a walk?" he called when he thought he was close enough.

Ginny whipped around, her hair catching the wind and flying like a flag behind her. She had her wand out, her realised, and raised his hands in surrender. At least it was dark enough that she wouldn't see his still tented trousers.

"I thought you were-" Ginny trailed off. Her voice was thick and she scrubbed at her cheeks with the back of her hand. "Never mind."

"You and Luna had a fight." Harry said. It was more of a statement than a question.

"You heard."

"No – not really," Harry said. He just stood there, awkwardly. Like an idiot.

"I just-" Ginny took a breath. She stepped closer to Harry, but her head was bent down so that her hair covered her face like a curtain. He could barely make out the words. "I'm so sick of her being so – uncaring. She doesn't give a damn when people – well, you know – you know more than anyone what Hogwarts is like when you're the subject of gossip. She just sits there and takes it – no, not takes it. She sits there with a smile on her face and just accepts the slurs and the hate talk and the hexes like she's a bloody matyr. She doesn't care about any of it! She just tells me to ignore it – how? How can I? When people already called her loony – and –" Ginny had to take several gulps of air. "And – and maybe they were right because I don't understand how anyone in the right frame of mind can just not care. I always fight for her – I always have and – and they call me a dyke and she just sits there! Like it doesn't matter! Tell me – how can it not matter? How can it-"

Harry had his arms around Ginny and was hugging her tightly before he even realised it himself. It had just been on instinct – a reflex because he had no bloody idea what to do. He had no idea how to calm her down or make things right. He wasn't Draco – he wasn't Luna, or Ron, or Hermione. He had no sage advice to offer. He only had a hug.

Ginny sobbed against his chest, sitting limply in his arms like a ragdoll.

"I really like her," she managed to get out. "I really, really like her, Harry, but I can't live like this. You and Draco stick up for each other and I didn't think that was so much to ask."

"I think," Harry took a breath. "I think she was trying to protect you. In her own way."

"Lying to me is not protecting me. Ignoring the problem is not protecting me," Ginny just seemed to burst into fresh sets of tears. Harry realised he should have just kept his stupid mouth shut. "If it had – if she had told me from the beginning about the confundus charm, maybe I would have – I wouldn't have – I don't know."

"I don't know, either, Ginny." Harry said and he hoped he sounded soft and comforting. "I really don't know what to do."

"Just stay."

She fell against him then, her whole weight, and Harry's knees buckled. He managed to keep his grip on her, holding her tightly whenever her body wracked with sobs. Like if he held her tight enough it would make things better. It would make everything better.

It seemed to go on forever, those sobs that cut Harry to the core of his being. There was nothing more heart breaking than that sound. The sound of a heart not broken, but confused and scared and desperate.

He wasn't sure how long it was before they began to subside. It was still pitch black out. This night seemed to be going on forever, he thought, as he felt Ginny's body start to relax against him. He rubbed her back as if she was little – as if that would help her.

Eventually, he realised, she had fallen asleep. At least, her eyes were closed and she was breathing evenly, even if her cheeks were tearstained and red. She might not have been fully asleep, but she had no energy left.

So he did the only thing he could do – he carried her back to the castle and settled her on the sofa in the Common Room. He slept in small bursts – setting his watch for every hour, so that when it was morning, he could watch over her and make sure no one messed with her.

Just like he had done for her.

(A/N): Completely unedited and written mostly today whilst watching Death in Paradise, but you know - you know, it works? We got plot progression, we got b pair progression and we got a few cute Drarry scenes. That's the chapter checklist.

Looking at the rest of Half Blood Prince, there's really not a lot of that book left. I might try and drag it out with some fluff, but I might not. I've got a vague idea of where the actions headed and I'd like to keep the tension. I think.

Then again, it took me like 5 chapters to wind down Hand in Glove, so - we'll just have to see.

Thanks for the support and the comments and the kudos and all that jazz. Love you and see you next week x