In this world, Harry and Draco's relationship is much more mellow than it is canonically. More tension than sworn childhood enemies. Set in 6th year, Voldemort did not assign Draco his task. This was something I wrote when I was sad and wanted to create something cute. I hope it makes you smile.

Enjoy!

Slughorn wouldn't let him hear the end of this. Did it matter that Dumbledore had requested a meeting with him? Did it matter that he missed all of lunch for it? Did it matter that he was looking at memories involving Voldemort's childhood?

No. Of course it wouldn't. Because Slughorn wasn't allowed to know these things. No one was. Harry hoped the potion they were starting wouldn't be difficult to catch up on. Maybe Slughorn would let him off easy?

I should have asked Dumbledore for a pass.

Harry halted at the potions door. It smelled like it was absolutely drenched in Malfoy's silly cologne he'd been wearing for two years. Bracing himself for some kind of explosion, he opened the door.

No Malfoy splatter, no shattered glass, no liquid on the floor. Just bubbling cauldrons and sweaty students. Malfoy wasn't even by the door. Harry frowned to himself, almost not noticing Slughorn walking up to him.

"Harry M'boy! It's not like you to be so late," Slughorn admonished. Harry cringed.

"I'm sorry Professor, Headmaster-"

Slughorn held up a hand. "If the Headmaster is involved, I don't need to know anything else. Go find somewhere to sit, alrighty? I won't dock points for your absence so far, but I expect you to pick up your fair share of work with your partner for the rest of class!"

"Yes sir," Harry said, nodding and shouldering his bag. He saw Hermione waving from the back. Thanking Merlin, he plopped down next to her. "Why're you alone?" Harry asked quietly, taking out his textbook and helping her as she directed him.

"Slughorn assigned partners; since you were missing, we had an odd amount. I volunteered to work alone," Hermione said briskly, not looking at him as she stirred.

"Of course you would," Harry laughed. A pain flared in his side, but when he looked at Hermione she hadn't moved. A small smile curved the corners of her lips. Harry shook his head and snorted at her. "Say, how can you work like this?"

Hermione didn't pause. "What do you mean this time, the robes or the hair?" She asked. Harry shook his head.

"I mean the smell." Hermione snorted a little.

"Three bloomshed leaves. Minced."

"I'm serious 'Mione!" Harry exclaimed. Then quieter, so no one would hear him. "It smells like Malfoy drenched the room in that stupid cologne he wears all the time."

Hermione froze, but only for a second since she was mid-stir. This time she looked at him, an incredulous look on her face. "What?"

Harry flinched back. "What do you mean what?"

Hermione stared at him, and for a long moment the only thing that moved was her arm on the stirring stick, perfectly rhythmic. Hermione is Hermione no matter what, Harry thought to himself. Then in a moment, she slapped a hand to her forehead. Harry almost dropped the knife he had been loosely holding. Hermione's hand never stuttered.

"It makes so much sense now!" She exclaimed. Harry looked around them, panicking.

"Quiet down!" He shushed her. "What makes sense?"

But Hermione was shaking her head. "I can't believe I didn't figure that out - Cho is the prettiest girl in her year!"

Harry wondered if the potion fumes had gotten to her. "What are you talking about?"

Hermione looked at him with pity. "Harry, do you know what we're brewing?"

Harry threw his hands up in the air. "What does that have to do with anything?"

"Keep mincing the leaves, I need them soon," she waited for him to do as told before she continued, "we're brewing amortentia. Ring any bells?" Harry gave her a blank look. Hermione sighed and looked up to the ceiling.

"It's a love potion, Harry. The smell is different for everyone, according to what attracts them." She looked at him expectantly. Harry stared at her some more. When she didn't say anything, he sighed.

"So?"

"So?" Hermione asked him. "You just said the room smelled like Malfoy's cologne! I don't even think he wears cologne! How thic-"

The knife made a clanging sound on the cutting board as Harry dropped it. Hermione cut herself off. "Harry?"

Harry was shaking his head erratically. "That's impossible, Hermione. There is no way! He's stupid and arrogant and vicious and-ow!" Harry rubbed the back of his head where Hermione had smacked him.

"Can you hold yourself together for the next twenty minutes of class and have your crisis where it doesn't affect my grade?"

Glaring, Harry minced the bloomshed leaves. He wasn't having a crisis.

"I heard you had a crisis in potions, Potter."

If I run I don't have to have this conversation.

"Potter?"

Cringing, Harry turned. He gripped his bag strap with both hands like a lifeline.

Malfoy stood a few feet away from him, a calm look on his face, though his knuckles were white on his textbook. Malfoy had calmed this year, he thought. He didn't wear his hair slicked back, and he was less pointy than he had been. Harry also thought he'd grown quite a bit over the summer. Not that he noticed, of course. Malfoy was staring had him. Harry was able to see his eyes quite well from here, they hadn't been that blue before, had they?

Harry realized he hadn't said anything. He averted his eyes. "What, Malfoy? How did you even hear about that?"

"Theo was sitting behind you. He overheard and told me after class."

Harry groaned, smacking his own forehead. "And what about it? It doesn't matter."

When Malfoy didn't say anything, he looked up. Malfoy was looking at the ground and seemed... fidgety. Harry had already embarrassed himself enough today, and he didn't need Hermione to tell him what Malfoy was going to say.

"Look, I need to write an essay-"

"You smell like broompolish," Malfoy blurted, "the maple one the school uses. I don't know why, I don't think you polish your firebolt very often."

Harry stopped in his tracks. "Where are you going with this? Going to call me a heathen because I smell like I don't shower after Quidditch matches?" Harry swallowed. He had a catch in his throat. No way he was about to get emotional over this. He had bigger issues to cry about.

"I couldn't place it until you walked in. I had been trying to figure out what the smell was for at least ten minutes. But I should have realized sooner, I think. The realization didn't come as a shock, as it did for you."

Malfoy was looking at him now, and took the tiniest step forward. Harry almost backed away, but something kept him rooted in place. He didn't want to say it was the look in Malfoy's eyes, but... it may have been the look in Malfoy's eyes.

Maybe that was why he didn't like Cho. He did really like Malfoy's blue eyes. Just the eyes though. Not the hair or the face or the penis or the muscles, no.

"Do I need to spell it out for you?" Malfoy snapped. Spell broken, Harry shook his head and walked away.

"Have a good day Malfoy!" Harry had barely taken three steps before a hand grabbed his arm. Malfoy was next to him, blond hair falling in his face and wow he got tall-

"I'm sorry. I got insecure and lashed out just then," Malfoy said, though Harry could see his visible struggle with it. Harry let him struggle. The grip on his arm was tight enough for his hand to start going tingly, but he didn't want to remove it.

"I would like to take you to Hogsmead... Harry." Malfoy said quietly. Harry's denial got lost in his throat. God damn those eyes.

"I..."

"Please? Also, I have this for you." Malfoy twisted around, letting go of Harry's arm to dig in his bag. Harry flexed his fingers to encourage circulation, both glad he could feel his hand and a little remorseful he lost the touch.

Malfoy handed him a small black felt box. Weary, Harry took it, not allowing himself to shudder when their hands touched. Flicking it open revealed a silver ring with a wide band and the Gryffindor mascot on a flat oval on the top. The lion was decorated in dull versions of red and gold, making the tiny onyx stone in his eye stand out as it reflected the light.

Taking the ring out of it's case, Harry brought it closer to his face. His name was engraved in green on the inside, and his graduation year in gold on the underside of the mascot.

"This..."

"It's a class ring. You didn't order one earlier in the year. I had this one custom made for you. Much better than the school ones, besides just the protection charms and warranty and sizing charms and-"

"Why did you buy this?" Harry asked. Harry thought it was gorgeous. He severely wanted to wear it, but that felt like...admitting something.

Malfoy's knuckles were white on his book again. "I was going to give it to you over Christmas..."

"And you chickened out." Harry finished. Malfoy glared at him.

"If you want to be crass about it, fine. Yes, I...chickened out." Malfoy swallowed loudly. "It was meant to be...a courting gift. By accepting it, you are saying that... you will allow me to court you," he said slowly.

Harry stared at him. "Court?"

Malfoy sighed. "Yes. I... you gifts and the like and you... you accept them. Allow me to try and romance you." Malfoy's voice had grown quieter than Harry had ever heard it, but maybe that was because they were so close and didn't need to speak loudly.

"You want to date me?"

Malfoy threw his hands up in the air. "What did I not make clear?" He asked the ceiling. Harry laughed, bringing Malfoy's attention back to him. His eyes zeroed in on Harry's right hand, where the ring now rested on his index finger.

"I just wanted to piss you off a little, see if you were serious," Harry said, giving the blond a small smile. "I accept... Draco."

Draco gave him a lovely smile that Harry could admit he really liked.

"Oh my gosh!" Hermione declared. A large brown owl was flapping near her hair, only a quick reaction of pulling her plate off the table saved her pancakes from it's feet. "Why, didn't your owner train you?" She scolded the owl, who paid her no mind. Harry laughed at her, though he watched the owl a little wearily. It was staring at him.

"You know owls don't like you, 'Mione," Harry said as he slowly reached towards the owl. When he decided the owl wasn't going to bite his fingers, he carefully unwrapped the parcel. The owl flew off as soon as it could.

"Crookshanks would never..."

"What's that?" Ron asked from across the table. Harry raised his eyebrows at him. "Oh! the Mal-OUCH!" Ron winced, rubbing his shin. Harry was glad he aimed his kick correctly, Neville wouldn't have deserved it.

"Sorry, Harry. What is it, then?"

Shaking his head, Harry examined the box. It was rectangular, not much bigger than his palm. "There's writing on the top..." he trailed off, squinting. Hermione's hair attacked his face as she leaned in to look.

"It says engorgio. It's shrunk," she said, resuming her breakfast.

"Odd," Harry said, furrowing his eyebrows. Once the enchantment was undone, the box was a little large than his forearm and palm, and a little wider. He'd gained an audience from his table mates -most were at least pretending not to stare- by the time he opened it. A small bouquet of delicate dragon lilies was inside, enshrouded with enough protective charms Harry could feel the magic buzz around his hands when he picked them up.

"Harry, those are beautiful!" Lavender Brown said a few seats down.

"Who'd you get to send you those, Mate?"

"What kind of flowers are they?"

Harry ignored them. He gently caressed a petal, laughing at the irony in the name. He knew exactly why Draco chose them. He looked to the Slytherin table, hoping to catch his eye. Draco was staring right at him, looking nervous. Harry smiled widely, and buried his nose in the flowers. When he glanced back up, he could see that Draco looked pleased, if not a little flushed.

Harry had gotten the ring two days ago. This had been his second gift, and it hadn't disappointed.

"I'm going to put these in the dorm," Harry called out, walking out of the Great Hall with a smile on his face. He was excited for the next one.

Dinner three days later brought the next gift. A house-elf popped up next to him near the end and handed him a covered plate, only saying 'For Mr Harry Sirs!' before popping away. Harry was immensely curious, completely forgetting how full he had been from the meal.

He hadn't even opened it by the time most of his dorm was crowding him.

"Back off!" Ron bellowed. "He's the one getting courted, not you!"

Harry laughed at him, and Ron smiled proudly when they returned to their seats. He nudged Harry. "Open it, Mate."

Harry recognized the dish vaguely as treacle tart, but it was different than any one he'd seen before. A note rested next to it.

I know this is your favorite, but I also know you've never had anything but the Hogwarts version. This is infinitely better. I would say you'll never be able to have the kind Hogwarts offered again - but I would give it to you whenever you wanted.

Harry absolutely melted when it hit his tongue. Draco was right, this was amazing. He could never have anything else. "I have no idea why, but this is literally the most wonderful thing ever," he said through a mouthful. Hermione snapped the cover back on the lid when she saw creeping hands go for it.

"Like Ron said, not your courting gift, Seamus."

Harry laughed, catching Draco's eye from across the hall. Draco's chin rested on his hand, watching Harry peacefully. For some reason, that made Harry flustered. He looked back to his desert and ignored his table mates.

It had been a little over a week since Harry had been given the ring when he saw Draco alone. Or, rather, Draco found him alone. Harry immediately flustered, though he wasn't sure why. He became very aware of his ring, which he hadn't taken off during the day.

"Hi," Harry said. Draco gave him a soft smile.

"I'm glad you've liked your gifts so far."

"So far? There's more?" Harry asked, eyes bulging a little. Draco laughed at him.

"I suppose that depends on you. Ten days after the first gift is when the courter formally asks the courtee if they would like to continue," Draco said, eyes fixed on the ring.

"Do I just say yes or no or is there like a ritual I don't know about?" Harry teased. Draco's eyes went back to his face, smiling.

"A yes or no will do," he said softly.

Harry stepped a little closer, so that Draco was within arms reach. "Can I respond in a different way?" He asked. Draco frowned.

"I suppose as long as it...shows intent. I don't see why not." He said slowly. Harry smiled.

"Okay, then. Close your eyes," Harry demanded. Draco furrowed his eyebrows at him, but Harry only rolled his eyes and waved at him. "Close!"

Snorting a little. Draco covered his eyes with his hands. "I feel stup-"

Harry gently kissed him, going on his tiptoes -how do you grow that much in one summer- and holding onto the collar of Draco's uniform for balance. Draco's hands fell away in astonishment, resting by his sides. Harry kissed him a little harder, and Draco realized he hadn't responded.

Draco pushed Harry against the wall of the corridor and held him in place by his hips, kissing him almost feverishly. Harry was taken off guard, gasping for air when Draco pulled away. Draco was breathing as heavily as he was, pupils blown wide.

"Did I tell you that I really like seeing you wear my ring?" Draco whispered. Harry smiled at him.

"No, but you didn't have to."

"You'll keep wearing it?"

Harry kissed Draco's cheek, whispering in his ear. "You aren't going to get me to take it off."