Harry didn't think he had ever been so nervous on September 1st as he was this year. Hermione had insisted that they get to the station early, and she was going to make him check out every single boy in fifth year and up, she said. Hermione and he were growing closer, Harry reflected. He wasn't sure if it was the gay thing or the fact that they were both prefects or even that he had urged Hermione to finally act on her feelings for Ron, and the two had been a blissfully happy couple since a couple of days after Harry had arrived at the Burrow. Consequently, Ron didn't mind a bit that Harry and Hermione spent time alone; Hermione said that since Ron was her boyfriend, Harry was, by default, her girlfriend', and the two left it at that.

It was barely six a.m. when Harry woke up. He quickly got dressed – tight blue jeans, tight black t-shirt, and the same black Converse All-Stars – and made sure everything was packed in his trunk. He carried the trunk downstairs, and set Hedwig in her cage on top of the trunk before going into the kitchen.

Morning, Mrs. Weasley. Anyone else up?

Oh, good morning, Harry dear. Yes, yes, Hermione and Ginny are both up. They're just loading their trunks in the car now. Would you mind terribly taking yours out and helping them? I'll be getting Ron and the twins up and then we'll all have a quick bite.

Mrs. Weasley was as good as her word, and Harry re-entered the house with Hermione and Ginny a mere 10 minutes later to find the table set with porridge, toast, and sausages. Charlie was halfway through his meal, and the twins and Ron joined them a few moments later.

Excited about the new school year? Charlie queried.

Oh, yes, definitely, Hermione replied. Fifth years get to take a new course, and of course being a prefect will be so rewarding. Harry barely kept a straight face. Hermione had agreed not to tell the others that he was a prefect for the time being; he didn't want to deal with the twins' teasing and Mrs. Weasley's proud smotherings.

Fred snorted. Rewarding? That's rich, Herm, that really is. Going to let us all off though, right?

Hermione's glare was stony. I can't play favorites, Fred Weasley, and you know that! She paused and took a deep breath, then smiled. I will be pleased to take points from Slytherin and Draco Malfoy, though.

What new class are you taking? Charlie quickly steered the conversation in a new direction.

I'm taking Magical Medicine, Ron said dully. Don't know why, but it can't be worse that Divination. Harry, what about you?

Actually, I'm taking that too. And I also added one other course.

What course? Why? Ron was dumbfounded.

Muggle Studies. Because when I was out in Muggle London I realised there's a lot I don't know, and I rather like being able to pass as Muggle, get away from being Harry Potter, you know? Besides, it might come in handy.

We'll start talking about human transfiguration this year, too, Hermione added importantly. Fred and George, what about you too?

George snorted. We're going to make as many Wheezes as possible. So whatever courses help with that, we'll pay attention.

The entire table laughed at that, and they finished their breakfast quickly. Harry helped Ron finish loading his trunk and the pair shoved it downstairs and into the waiting car.

It was awfully nice of the Ministry to let your dad keep the car overnight as well, Harry remarked. Sure makes the morning easier.

Ron nodded his agreement, and they started to walk back to the house. Harry, wait. Is there something bothering you? I mean – I feel like there's something you aren't telling me, and – you know you're my best friend, right? You can tell me anything.

Harry smiled. Thanks, Ron, I appreciate it, I really do. But I think it's best if I don't tell you for now. I will, though, don't worry.

Ron frowned. Alright. As long as it's nothing to do with You-Know-Who.

Harry laughed. No, nothing like that. I'm fine. Ron visibly relaxed and the two walked companionably into the house.

It was barely nine a.m. when the Weasleys plus Harry and Hermione made their way to King's Cross Station. The barrier will have just opened, Hermione said excitedly. We can reserve a compartment and then watch everyone come through!

You mean you aren't going to sit in the prefects' car? Ron asked, startled.

Hermione smiled. Course not. I wouldn't abandon you, she said sweetly, and leaned over and kissed him lightly on the lips. Ron flushed to a bright red, and Harry silently snickered, then sobered quickly. Ron was going to kill him when he found out both of his best friends were prefects.

The six Hogwarts students quickly unloaded the car, Charlie and Mrs. Weasley following with lunches and animal cages. The six decided to all sit together, and the luggage was quickly stowed away, and Harry, Hermione, and Ron returned to the platform.

Now, look, really look, Harry, ordered Hermione in a whisper.

Harry mock-glared at her, but allowed his vision to range over the students entering the platform. Many were too young, several were known to be in relationships, so Harry was fairly certain that they weren't gay, and of the rest, none of them made much of an impression on him. He tuned back into to his friends' conversation.

So who's the other Gryffindor prefect, then, Hermione?

I don't know, Ron, all I know is that it's one of you boys.

Help us all if it's Neville. Can you imagine? Although I just can't see Seamus or Dean as a prefect.

Harry coughed uncomfortably. Umm... I should've told you two earlier, but... I'm the other prefect.

Ron stared. So THAT'S what's been bothering you! He laughed. You really had me worried, you know that? Well, hmph. I guess having my two best friends as prefects won't be too bad. I guess I'll have to take all the detentions, then?

That's great, Harry! Hermione faked her reaction. We'll have so much fun!

Harry smiled weakly as Hermione continued. I wonder who the prefects in the other Houses are.

Ron jibed Harry a few times about being a prefect, but then let it drop as Hermione drew him slightly away to talk privately. Harry resumed looking around the platform, hopeful that he just might find someone worth looking at, at least.

Harry breathed. The guy had his back to him, but he looked gorgeous. Pale blonde hair reached down below the guy's shoulders and was gathered in a ponytail. He was tall, probably about 6'1, and looked muscular. Harry dropped his gaze, desperate not to be seen staring. Why haven't I seen this guy before, Harry wondered. He was dressed in dragonhide pants and boots, and a tight black t-shirt. Harry was about to go weak in the knees when the mystery figure turned around.

Harry let his eyes travel up the figure. Well equipped, he noted clinically, great abs, let's see his face – oh cripes! Malfoy was the hot, sexy guy that he was checking out. Harry groaned, burying his head in his hands, and beat a hasty path towards the compartment that they had earlier reserved. He would just have to tell Hermione that it had been a bad idea and leave it at that. He cast one glance back at Dra– Malfoy! Not Draco, Malfoy! and noticed that the other boy had a gleaming prefect's badge on his chest. Great, sighed Harry to himself, just great. My bitter enemy is a hot Slytherin sex god and I'm going to have to sit in the same room with him and work with him at prefect's meetings every week. Just great.



Harry re-entered the compartment where the twins and Ginny were sitting, and sighed heavily as he sat down across from George, as far away from Ginny as he could possibly get. The twins had not let up, despite his complete lack of interest and (according to Hermione) Ginny's protests.

Why the long face, Harry? Fred asked. And where did my little brother and his girlfriend get off to?

Harry shrugged. Dunno. I think they wanted to snog a bit or something.

George spoke up then. What you need, Harry, is a distraction, and I have the perfect plan. He set about explaining to Harry the grand prank they were going to pull on the Slytherins at the feast that evening, down to how their hair would all fall out. Harry was struck by the image of Dra – MALFOY! He screamed at himself – losing that beautiful ponytail.

Ah, George, I hate the Slytherins as much as anybody, but – their hair? That's going a bit too far.

Hermione had entered while they were speaking. I agree. George, Fred, turn their hair red and gold or something, but let them keep it in their head.

Damn prefect, ruining all the fun. You'd almost think you were one too, Harry, Fred said bitterly, at which point Harry reddened, Hermione smiled, and Ron, who had only heard the last part of the conversation, began to laugh. Harry glared at Ron as the twins put two and two together.

Thanks, buddy, I owe you.

Oh, oh, that's rich, Harry, it is! Harry Potter, Prefect! This is going to be a great year! chortled George. Ginny joined in the laughter as they all found seats and prepared for the train to leave the station.

Halfway to Hogwarts, Hermione came over to sit by Harry. she whispered, glancing first to notice that the Weasleys were engaged in a marathon game of Exploding Snap, did you see anyone?

Harry swallowed. He could never tell Hermione that he found Draco Malfoy attractive. Never! So he put on a sad face – well, he was sad, sad that the one boy he had been drawn to had turned out to be Dra- MALFOY! – and said, No, Hermione, I didn't. He sighed. I guess I'll just have to wait and be patient.

Hermione smiled sympathetically. That's a great attitude to have, Harry, but I know that it can be hard to be alone. Don't let it get you down. Now, I think you and I should at least put in an appearance in the prefects' car.

Harry nodded his agreement and the two slipped out into the corridor and made their way up to the front of the train.

Ah, good, you're all here now, the Head Boy spoke up. This year's Head Boy was a Ravenclaw seventh year that Harry had seen occasionally around school, and the Head Girl was one of the Slytherins. Harry sat down quietly and glanced around the compartment. Ravenclaw's fifth years seemed to have three prefects, but Harry knew only Terry Boot and Parvati Patil's twin, Padma, by name. Ravenclaw, he remembered, had had a particularly large group the year that they entered. Susan Bones and Ernie MacMillian were present from Hufflepuff, and the Slytherins seemed to have only a sole representative, Draco Malfoy. Harry sighed as he glanced surreptitiously at Draco. Fine, he sighed, giving in to himself, I'll think of him as Draco. His face had matured over the summer, and his grey eyes were guarded by haunting. A pale Adonis, Harry mused. I wish he were mine. His eyes widened as he realised what he had just thought, and he turned back towards the Head Boy and Girl, resolving not to so much as glance at Draco Malfoy during the rest of the meeting.

Soon, the main meeting was over, and he and Hermione met with the other Gryffindor prefects – one sixth year girl and two seventh years, one of them being Katie Bell, the Gryffindor Chaser.

Hey, Harry. Hey, Hermione. Have a good summer?

Aside from dealing with the twins for the last few weeks, yes, laughed Hermione.

Well, we usually let the fifth year prefects make up the first passwords, just kind of as an initiation thing. You two will make up the first six. Any ideas?

said Harry quickly, causing Hermione to dissolve in laughter.

Katie quirked her eyebrow, and the others looked at him oddly, but quickly agreed.

Any others?

Hermione spoke up them. Padfoot, Moony, Prongs, Marauder... Harry, we need one more.

Hmm. You've covered most of my ideas.

Hermione cried.

Harry laughed. Ah, fond memories.

The two laughed heartily and Katie smiled. Alright, you two, I take it you will be enjoying these passwords a little too well. Will anyone else know what they mean? Besides Ron, that is?

Harry grinned at her. I think that Fred and George will recognize the middle four, but they don't have a clue as to what they really mean.

The meeting over, Harry and Hermione returned to their compartment.

Harry grinned when the Weasleys looked up. First password's Snuffles, he shared, causing Ron to choke with laughter.

I take it you two had a hand in choosing the password? Ron spluttered.

Harry grinned. We picked the first six, so you'll just have to wait and see what they all are.

The rest of the train ride was spent playing games and snacking on Every Flavour Beans, pasties, and pumpkin juice. They disembarked at Hogsmeade and Harry and Hermione found themselves herded to the front of the line of horseless carriages.

Prefects ride up front, Hermione explained as they climbed into one, joining Padma Patil. The fourth seat remained empty until Draco Malfoy entered, taking a long look around.

Damn, he's hot, thought Harry, then quashed the thought down. The year would be hellish if he didn't learn to control his thoughts.

Mind if I sit here? Malfoy asked, his voice lower and missing its usual scorn.

Harry started in surprise. Draco, being somewhat polite? This was new. He merely shrugged, and inclined his head.

Potter. Granger. Patil. Draco inclined his head towards each of them in turn, then settled back into the seat and closed his eyes, leaving the other occupants stunned.

Is that really Malfoy? Hermione's eyes asked Harry, and he could only shrug in response. Not the Malfoy he knew, certainly. Something drastic must've changed Draco over the summer, in more ways than one.

They reached the castle in short order and all the prefects were escorted to seats near the front of the room at their respective tables. What was up with Malfoy, do you think, Harry?

Harry shrugged. Dunno. Why we're supposed to sit up here?

So we'll be the ones closest to the first-years. Honestly, Harry, if you'd just read Hogwarts: A History, then you would know all of this.

I reckon I don't have to, since you already have, Harry shot back, grinning impudently, pleased with Hermione's outraged expression. Further conversation was cut short when the rest of the school arrived and Ron quickly joined them.

Honestly, that was a nightmare. Stuck in a carriage with Neville, Dean, and Seamus. Neville seems clumsier than ever and he kept turning bright red for no reason. Not that he couldn't have had a reason; Dean and Seamus were all over each other.

All over each other? Harry raised an eyebrow.

Yeah, as in, they're gay, I guess. I don't know. I just hope they aren't – you know – looking at me.

Well, if they're together, I doubt it, Hermione interjected. Do you have something against gays, then, Ron? Harry was shooting Hermione an anguished look even as she spoke.

Er, well... Ron seemed to notice the slight warning look in Hermione's eyes that warned of an impending argument. He swallowed, seeming to change what he was going to say. No, no, it's just not my, ah, cup of tea, he added quickly, and it was patently obvious what he was thinking as he looked at Hermione.

Harry cleared his throat. Some of us still want to eat, you two.

Ron flushed and Hermione glared, and then the new crop of students was led in by McGonagall. They look so young, Hermione whispered. Hard to believe that we were that small.

And that we went after the Philosopher's Stone when we were that small, Ron added.

Silent now, the three friends watched as the new students were Sorted. Gryffindor and Slytherin each gained only ten students, while Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw each had groups of nearly 40. I suppose it's because of the times, Harry thought morosely. Few people willing to stick their neck out either way. He chanced a glance over at the Slytherin table. Draco looked frustrated, bored, and just a tiny bit... scared? Surely not, Harry thought. Must be the light playing tricks on me. So, Hermione, did you tell Ron about Malfoy?

What about him?

He rode up to the castle with us. Asked if he could sit with us, acknowledged us, and then just sat back. No insults, nothing.

Huh. Must be up to something. I don't trust him at all, even if he is trying to pick up more chicks than that Parkinson.

What are you on about, Ron?

C'mon, Hermione, don't be daft. That new look he's concocted. Ginny says some of her friends were all talking about how much hotter he looked. I figure he had enough brains to be sick of Parkinson and is hoping to find someone who'll forget who he is and what he's like.

I would gladly forget, thought Harry, before he suppressed the thought.

Hermione was laughing. Ron, you are so blind. I don't think it's girls he's trying to attract.

Harry just stared, trying to be casual. Did Hermione just say...

What are you saying, Hermione, that he's GAY? I'm sure that Malfoys are NOT gay. Good lord, what is this place this year? First Dean and Seamus, now Malfoy.

Hermione laughed again, but Harry heard the tiny nervous tickle in her voice. That would explain why he's nice all of the sudden, hmm? His father probably wouldn't be too happy about it. I'm pretty sure, now that I think about it. My uncle's gay, you know, and so is... another friend of mine, and, well, it makes sense, Ron, it really does.

What do you think, Harry? Ron asked demandingly.

Uh, I, uh, I don't know, Ron. I suppose he could be. Gay, that is. But I wouldn't know. Completely flustered by Ron's reaction to all the gayness' around him and Ron's question, Harry tried to beat a hasty retreat. He definitely wasn't ready to tell Ron. Definitely not.

Harry swallowed some pumpkin juice then, we have far more important things to consider than Malfoy's sexual orientation, don't you think? Ron agreed, and the conversation shifted to other topics. The problem was, Harry reflected, was that Malfoy's sexual orientation suddenly DID seem rather important to him.

That night, Harry went to bed relatively early, and lay awake for several hours. He was still having a hard enough time accepting that he was gay without trying to accept that he could possibly find Draco Malfoy even somewhat attractive. So, first things first, he decided. Take things rationally. Be fully comfortable with being gay, come out to Ron at least, before even considering Draco Malfoy. Feeling somewhat better, Harry fell asleep at last.