I know I say this almost every time I post for this story but sorry for the long wait. I started writing this story almost 5 years ago and I am determined to actually finish it. I just keep coming across parts that need to be restructured. The next few chapters are already written except for one scene, so I should be to post them a lot faster.

Happy New Year. Hopefully this year I'll actually start posting things a lot more often.

Essence of Self

Ingredients

o0o

As soon as Draco was able to, he quickly slipped upstairs to change into something a lot more male.

He was leaning over his trunk to pick out something to wear when Draco felt a hand slip up his skirt. He whipped around to see Potter there with an amused smirk on his face.

"Sorry I just couldn't resist." Harry held up his hands in surrender.

"After living as a girl for an hour, I understand what they mean about always being harassed by the male gender," Draco claimed with crossed arms.

"It's hard to take you seriously when you are still standing there in a skirt," Harry said with an amused smile.

Looking down at his naked legs, Draco quickly turned and continued grabbing some clothes to change into. When he found a pair of dress pants he pulled them out. Reaching around he undid the zipper on the side of the skirt, just like Granger had told him. The skirt became lose on his hips and with a shake, he let the clothing item fall to the floor.

"What are you doing?" Harry asked.

"I'm putting pants on," Draco answered like it was obvious. He stepped into the legs and pulled them up. It felt great to feel fabric against his legs again.

"I know that, but why?" Harry whined. "I was hoping we could…you know." He wiggled his eyebrow.

"I don't know what it is about you, and me in a skirt," Draco turned to glare. " If you like them so much why don't you just date a girl." He said with a huff and stormed out of the bedroom.

Harry stood there confused with what he had said that offended the Slytherin so much. He had just been teasing. Maybe he was just really bad at flirting.

.0.

Hermione and Ron had been sitting at the table, just starting to eat dinner; when the kitchen door slammed open making them both jump. Malfoy stormed in and threw the skirt she had lent him on the table.

"Here, you can have this back." Malfoy then grabbed the plate of food that had been set out for him and headed in the direction of the drawing-room.

"Someone's in a mood," Ron stated between bites of food.

Not long after Harry slipped through the open door looking around for something unsurely.

"Harry, did you say something to Malfoy?" Hermione crossed her arms.

"Maybe," Harry shrugged and she glared at him. "I was just having a little fun."

"I don't blame you," Ron smirked with amusement. When you thought about the situation, it sounded really funny.

"You know that saying don't poke the bear?" Hermione asked. "In this case, don't poke the snake."

"Hermione, what were you expecting to happen when you decided to give Malfoy the female potion?" Harry pointed out that it was just as much her fault as his.

"I was hoping you would act like an adult, not a child," Hermione reprimanded. "Now go."

"I should go apologize," Harry stood up from the table. "Which way did Draco go?" They both pointed towards the drawing-room. He nodded and left with a determined look on his face.

With a pursed expression Hermione held the skirt up in front of her. "I think I'm going to burn this."

"Why?" Ron wrinkled his nose with confusion. "It's still good."

"I'll always be wondering if this skirt looked better on Draco Malfoy," Hermione explained her reasoning.

"Good plan." Ron agreed.

.0.

When Harry peaked into the open door to the drawing-room he could see Malfoy sitting in front of the fireplace frowning down at his plate of food. He knocked on the door frame. "Can I come in?"

"I guess," Malfoy replied with a shrug. Leaning over to place his plate on a side table.

Harry stepped into the room and closed the door behind him. Casting a silencing spell so that his friends couldn't listen in. He was sure there would be topics brought up he didn't want them to hear just yet. He walked over and stood in front of Malfoy who had his arms crossed. His body language spoke of how Harry should just get his grovelling over with so that he could go back to brooding in peace.

"I'm sorry for making fun of you for wearing a skirt. I didn't think you would be so offended by me saying you looked good in it."

"Just when you say things like that it makes me think that you would much rather be dating a girl. You would rather be with… You know." Draco said unsurely.

"If I wanted to be with Ginny, I would be," Harry reassured as he caged the Slytherin in with his arms on the chair. "But I'm here with you."

"But it's like as you said. You've never been attracted to another guy," Draco said self-consciously. "What if this is just a fluke because we've been forced into close proximity."

"If it is, we'll deal with that when we come to it," Harry said with a shrug. "How do you know it's not you who only likes me because I'm convenient."

"Potter, you are anything but convenient," Draco snapped with exasperation. "My life would have much fewer problems without you being who you are."

"Same," Harry leaned down and kissed the Slytherin's pursed lips.

"What are you doing?" Came Snape's horrified voice out of nowhere.

They both jumped away from each other in surprise. Harry ended up falling over a footstool behind him. Leaving him sprawled undignified on the floor.

Draco leaned forward on his chair to see Snape's head floating in the green flames. They fire blared larger and suddenly Snape was standing in the drawing-room.

"That better not be what I thought it was," Snape snapped, horrified from what he just witnessed. "I taught you better than that didn't I?"

"Severus you need to calm down." Draco tried to placate his godfather. He stood to put his body between the two.

"Calm down! I just saw you kissing…" Snape said with narrowed eyes. "I should have known this was coming. All the stalking and the obsessing over each other."

"Then why are you freaking out?" Draco asked with exasperation.

"My worse dreams have come true," Snape rubbed at his temples with dismay. "You really, want to throw your hat in with him?" Snape pointed at Potter who was just sitting up from his spot on the floor.

"He has his charms." Draco looked fondly at Potter, whose hair was crazier than usual.

"I don't see it," Snape said flatly.

Harry managed to climb to his feet. Rubbing his head where he had hit it. "I take offence to that."

"Why are you smiling?" Draco asked, creeped out by the uncharacteristic expression on the potion master's face.

"Just imagine your father's reaction. Lucius is going to be even more horrified than me." Snape said with delight. He could see his god son's eyes widen.

"You cannot tell my father. Especially at this point in time." Draco said horrified at the notion.

"Of course not, you're supposed to be Potter's captive," Snape assured. "I'm thinking about later."

"So why are you here?" Draco asked with crossed arms. "You must have dropped in for a reason."

"Well, after doing thorough research I came across a potion that could destroy a horcrux…"

"So, we could do the same thing with a goblin made weapon or the killing curse," Harry claimed with boredom.

"Don't interrupt me," Snape snapped. "It could destroy Horcruxes without letting the Dark Lord know."

"I should get Hermione and Ron for this conversation," Harry claimed as he dashed from the room.

That left Malfoy and Snape alone together.

"Do you know what you're doing? Getting involved with Potter." Snape asked apprehensively.

"Don't have a clue," Draco replied truthfully.

"That isn't making me feel any better about this," Snape claimed with exasperation.

"This is actually my first relationship so I'm supposed to feel that way," Draco replied with a shrug.

"I don't understand what you see in him," Snape claimed with a shake of his head. He had felt the same way when Lily started dating James back at Hogwarts.

They could hear the others returning before they could see them.

…

When Harry left the room he didn't have to go far to find his friends. They both jumped away from the door when he swung it open. Ron was trying to hide an extendable ear.

"Were you trying to eavesdrop on my conversation?" Harry asked with amusement.

"No," Ron said but looked away guiltily.

"Yes, I'm sorry." Hermione blurted out.

"Whatever, I was expecting you might so I cast a charm," Harry said with a sigh. "I need you two to get in here. Snape has something he wants to talk to us about." He turned and re-entered the drawing-room.

"Snape?" Hermione said with intrigue as she followed him into the room.

.o.

"You want us to collect your potion ingredients. Wouldn't it be better if you do it?" Ron asked apprehensively.

"Correction. I want you to collect just one ingredient," Snape held up one finger to get his point home. "I'll be collecting the other twenty-five."

"That many?" Draco said with amazement.

"The problem is that there are two rare ingredients that must be collected on the night of the full moon. When it is at its highest. They are located in completely different parts of the country," Snape sneered. "I can't be at two places at once."

"You could collect them at different times," Ron mumbled under his breath.

"We do not have the time to wait for the whole two moon cycles." Snape made the urgency known.

"Here's the information." Snape handed the parchment to Hermione. "I'm counting on you and Draco to carry this through."

"You can count on me," Hermione said as she looked through the information.

"Hey, what about us?" complained Harry as he stood beside Ron, who was also feeling left out.

"Don't get them killed is all I'm asking of you," Snape said apprehensively.

She noticed how there was no tension between the two boys. "So, Did you two make up?" Hermione asked as she looked between them.

"You two were quarrelling, it did not look that way to me," Snape looked at the two in question. "What about?"

"Well, it all started with Malfoy in a skirt…" Ron gleefully started to explain.

"I change my mind, I don't want to know," Snape shook his head and stood to head towards the fireplace. "We'll meet back here at 10 pm, the day after the next full moon." Without a proper goodbye, the potion master disappeared into the green flames.

o0o

"Why are we here so early. You heard Severus, the night of the full moon." Draco complained as they walked through a forest.

"I'm not leaving anything to chance," Hermione claimed as she looked at a map. "First we have to find where the Datura flower is located. When we find the bud, we can relax and wait for the full moon. Once the flower has bloomed, we can harvest it and go home."

"Yeh, in like five days," Malfoy complained as they trudged through the forest.

September had already ended and they were well into October. The days and nights were growing much colder now.

"According to Snape's map, it should be located North East from here," Hermione said then marched further into the forest.

Ron shrugged and followed her since she hadn't led him wrong yet.

"Come on. The faster we get there the quicker we can set up camp and just relax." Harry encouraged.

-Malfoy had to continuously swat at mosquitoes as they trudged through the forest.

-"I think you got a sunburn. Your face is a little red across your nose." Harry pointed out.

"What?" Draco said with worry.

.0.

"Are you even sure we're going in the right direction?" Draco questioned skeptically. They had been walking for hours now and it seemed like they weren't getting any closer.

"Point me," Hermione asked the direction spell and flushed when she realized what it said.

"I don't like that look Granger," Draco claimed with worry.

"We must have changed direction at some point." She admitted sheepishly.

"That's just great!" Draco said with frustration.

"Ok, I think we should make camp and start fresh in the morning," Harry suggested, trying to keep the peace.

"Good, I'm hungry," Ron exclaimed as he collapsed on the ground.

"Nobody will be eating until we set up camp," Hermione stated and everyone groaned.

.o.

"It's nice to get some fresh air instead of being stuck in that stuffy old house," Hermione stated as they sat around the campfire she started to make them dinner.

"At least it's warm there," Draco replied petulantly. Hunkering down in his thick layers.

"It's good my father lent us the wizard space tent," Ron exclaimed as he fiddled with one of the poles. All the pieces were still spread out across the ground.

"Yeh, that you can't seem to set up," Draco exclaimed snarkily as he sat on a rock.

"I'll get it eventually. Do you want to try your hand at putting this thing together?" Ron snapped and glared at Malfoy who shook his head. "I thought not. So shut up or help. pick one."

He could see Potter returning from casting protective wards.

"Potter, you better help him," Draco suggested with exasperation. It was just sad watching Weasley struggle.

"I'll probably hinder him more than help," Harry shrugged as he sat down on the rock to join him watching. "The only time I ever went camping, was that time at the World Cup, and the tent was already set up."

"You just seem like the camping type."

"I better go help him," Granger mumbled under her breath. She gave the pot a final stir and then took it off the heat. Standing up she wiped her hands on a cloth. She gave a big sigh when she saw what Weasley was doing. "That is the wrong pole! It doesn't go there."

Once Hermione decided to help the tent was finally up. With a lot of arguing and nagging but it was finally constructed. They all entered the tent and it was exactly like when they used it at the Quidditch World Cup. There were a lot of bunk beds and a small kitchenette with a small sitting area.

Draco looked around their new accommodations with a pursed expression. "I guess it isn't the worst thing."

They ate the food at the small table that Granger had made on the fire. It was by far not the best meal any of them had ever had but it wasn't the worst either. When Draco was offered seconds, he declined.

They all claimed a bunk and got ready for bed.

Draco was just about to fall into a deep sleep when the snoring started. "You have got to be kidding me." He quickly sat up in bed and glared at the culprit. Weasley snored on obliviously that he was close to being smothered with a pillow.

Looking around Draco realized everyone else was sleeping just fine. He climbed out of bed and whacked Potter with a pillow.

"Owe! what the hell was that for?" Harry complained, not fully awake yet.

"If I can't sleep neither can you," Draco claimed petulantly.

"Wha-oh. Ron's snoring keeping you up?" Harry asked tiredly.

"Yes, it sounds like a chainsaw going off. How the hell can you sleep through that?" Draco complained as he sat on the edge of his bed.

"I've had six years to get used to it," Harry replied with a shrug. He laid back down.

"Don't fall back asleep." Draco hit him with his pillow again.

"I'm up."

"Not even Crab and Goyle sounded like that." Draco continued to whine.

Harry dug around in his bag and managed to find some earmuffs from Herbology class. He didn't know why he thought to bring them but he did. With his wand, he cast a silencing spell on them. "Here."

Draco took them and placed them over his ears. All he could hear was silence. "I look ridiculous don't I."

"You look cute," Harry smirked with amusement. The blond furrowed his brows because he couldn't hear what he said. Harry pulled one of the muffs from Malfoy's ear so he could hear him."Now go to sleep. We have a long day tomorrow."

o0o

Now that they were all well rested they were able to think more logically. They spread the map out on the table and cast a locator charm. Luckily their dot appeared not far from the marker on the map. It appeared they set up camp not far from where the flowers were located.

"I told you we were going in the right direction for a majority of the time yesterday," Hermione stated defensively.

"You still started to lead us in the wrong direction..."

"Enough you two," Harry cut off the snipping before it could become a full out argument. "We still have a couple of days till the full moon, so it doesn't matter that it took one more day to get there."

"I guess you are right," Draco mumbled. "The flower is actually nearby."

"Great. That means we don't have to dismantle this monstrosity." Ron exclaimed with relief.

"It's still an hour or two walk from here," Hermione pointed out. "It would make no sense to go and scout it out and then have to walk all the way back here."

"We could apparate back here," Ron suggested hopefully.

"It is best not to use such big magic that can easily be tracked," Hermione stated logically.

"So we have to travel the muggle way," Malfoy whined as Potter patted his shoulder in solidarity.

.0.

It took them an hour to dismantle the camp. Then three and a half hours walking through the dense forest to finally reach the coordinates that Snape had given them. The clearing only featured a large tree with some flower buds around its roots. It didn't look like anything special.

Granger double checked that this was the location. "This is definitely it."

"Well we found the flower buds and it is only day two. Can we go home now?" Draco asked hopefully.

"No, we can't miss missing the flowers blooming." Hermione instantly snapped.

"Come on, we know exactly where they are. We can just apparate back here when the time comes," Draco stomped his foot petulantly. "I can remember that boulder."

"It is way too far for us to apparate back and forth willy-nilly," Hermione stated stubbornly.

"We'll find some clearing nearby to set up the tent." Harry patted Malfoy's shoulder in comfort.

"But I want to go home," Draco whined with disappointment.

"Did you just call Grimmauld Place, home?" Harry teased.

"Shut up, you know what I meant," Draco frowned. "I just want indoor plumbing."

.0.

It had been a couple of days out in the woods. Harry had a nice beard-growing since he hadn't been able to shave properly. Ron had a patchy red beard developing while Malfoy had nothing.

"How the hell is that possible," Ron exclaimed, gesturing to the Slytherin.

"You hardly even have peach fuzz." Harry ran a finger along the blond's jaw.

Draco slapped the probing hand away. "I have fair hair, so I very seldom have to shave, if ever," He sneered as the two other males laughed at him. "At least I don't look like a caveman."

Harry stroked his beard and shrugged. "Just living up to my name."

"I don't understand why you have so much facial hair though," Draco contemplated. "The rest of your body isn't that bad."

"How do you know how much body hair he has?" Ron asked catching the slip.

Harry shot a glare towards the Slytherin. "We had to share my room for a week remember." He said to throw off the suspicion.

"Forgot about the roommate thing. Always know too much information about them whether you like it or not." Ron started to laugh remembering certain things that happened in Hogwarts.

"What are you laughing at patchy?" Draco asked sarcastically, Weasley stopped laughing at the insult.

o0o

Finally, it was the night of the full moon. They packed up the tent and then watched the sunset. The moon was big and round in the sky when they started to made their way through the trees to the clearing where the flowers would be.

Draco heard a stick snap. "What was that?" He asked worriedly as he scanned the trees.

"Maybe it's a werewolf," Ron suggested teasingly.

"Don't joke about something like that." Draco reprimanded as he thought about Greyback.

A rabbit jumped out a bush onto the path they were walking on and then Weasley burst into laughter.

"Fear, Lord Fluffy." He claimed and the bunny wiggled its cheeks in response then hopped off.

Draco pursed his lips and stomped off towards the clearing.

Suddenly Weasley jumped out from behind a tree and growled. Making Draco jump in fright and clutch onto Potter.

"I'll protect you," Harry claimed as he patted his shoulder.

"My hero," Draco mumbled.

When they reached the clearing they all stopped and looked on in wonder. The flowers were quite beautiful as they glowed. Of course, Potter just had to ruin the moment.

"Lord Voldemort isn't going to know what hit him," Harry said with glee as he looked at the blooming Datura. As he always did Potter referred to the Dark Lord by his name. As soon as the name "Lord Voldemort" passed his lips their location was revealed.

Suddenly the clearing was full of other wizards. They didn't even have time to react before their wands were snatched and they were put into a full body bind.

"What do we have here?" The head snatcher observed the group. "Harry Potter and his minions. As a bonus, we have the missing Malfoy kid too."

He'd known that snatchers had been capturing people. Draco had just never known how they had managed to catch so many people who had been trying their best to hide. There was a taboo placed on the Dark Lord's name so that if anyone dares speak it they will be revealed as traitors.

Realizing he had been reported as missing Draco tried to run with it. "Help. I've been held captive by these blood traitors," He said dramatically. "They've been trying to get me to tell our lords secrets."

"We only have three wands. The boy must be telling the truth."

They patted down his person and found nothing. It was almost too easy to fool them because it looked even more believable that he was a prisoner since he didn't have a wand.

"Don't worry young Malfoy we'll get you back home safe and sound." One of the goons said as they released the spell on him.

The snatchers started to levitate Potter and Weasley to transport them.

While they weren't paying attention to Draco, he quickly plucked one of the flowers and stuffed it in the jar Snape had given him to preserve the specimen. Snatching Granger's purse off her shoulder while she was still immobilized, he quickly stuffed it in there.

.o.

It was the middle of the night so the snatchers decided to make camp until morning. They started a fire and were taking turns watching the prisoners.

"You must be glad to see your parents again." The taller snatcher asked.

"You have no idea," Draco exclaimed with no lie in his voice at all because it wasn't. He truly missed them.

Weasley glared at him as he pretended to laugh with the snatchers. Draco knew this must look bad to the others but he had a plan.

The snatchers let him walk around without supervision. While they weren't paying attention he'd slip into one of the tents to grab their wands.

Once all the snatchers were asleep Draco tiptoed over to his companions and released their bonds.

"Let's get out of here," Harry said and they apparated back to Grimmauld Place.

"From now on we refer to Volde- The Dark Lord as Tom Riddle." Harry caught himself before he repeated his own mistake.

…o0o…

"They escaped your clutches." Voldemort sneered at the snatchers who were kneeled before him. "Crucio!" The group fell to their knees in agony. excruciating pain

"I think I know where the Order of the Phoenix's headquarters are," Bellatrix claimed as she walked towards her master.

She hadn't thought about the house of Black for many years. When Regulus died at the Dark Lord's hand and Serius was put away in Azkaban; the house stood in limbo. Once her cousin had escaped she was sure he had claimed his inheritance.

When she had killed Serius and the inheritance did not immediately come to her or Narcissa, she'd bribed someone at Gringotts that informed her who had received it instead. The goblin informed her it was given to one Harry Potter.

It had slipped her mind till now.

"I am pretty sure they are using the Black ancestral home," Bellatrix claimed.

"It's most likely under the Fidelius Charm though." Voldemort pointed out.

"I think I have a way to break it since I know the exact location already," Bellatrix claimed with confidence.

…TBC