Chapter 6

The Promises

Draco looked at Crabbe and Goyle. His two closest friends were a bit on edge around him now that they knew his secret. They did promise not to tell he was gay. But they didn't seem too happy to know it in the first place. Draco had asked them to think of him as the same guy. But it didn't seem that they were going to feel that way any time soon. They had spent the day in Hogsmeade, and Crabbe and Goyle always kept a little bit apart from Draco, as if scared he was contagious. Draco sighed. You knew something like this would happen. You knew they wouldn't accept it right away. Just give them time. You only told the guys this afternoon. Did you expect them to welcome it with open arms? Don't kid yourself! Draco shook his head. Then he stood up.

"Guys, I'm going to take a walk. I need some air or something. But remember, what I told you stays between us." Draco said. "I'll see you at dinner." He turned and walked out the door of the Slytherin common room.

Draco wandered around the school for a while, not paying any attention to where he was going. When he looked up, he found himself outside the trophy room. He smiled to himself. Where it all started. He walked in.

Torches around the room sprang on as he walked in. The trophies were all winking at him in the firelight. This is where my whole life changed, he thought. I found out that Harry Potter did care. It's kind of amazing. All this time, I've run from the idea of him. And here we are. We're in love. It's crazy. Draco shook his head. He still couldn't believe that he was involved with Harry. Then Draco heard a sound behind him.

He turned to see an snowy owl coming to land on a trophy case next to Draco. The owl stuck out a leg. There was a note tied there. Draco pulled off the note and opened it, stroking the owl's stomach with his finger.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

D-

I need to see you as soon as possible. Are you busy? I have some news. Send an answer back with Hedwig. She'll find me.

-H

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Draco glanced back at the owl looking at him. He was glad he kept a Leak-Proof Pre-Loaded Quill with him at all times. He pulled out the quill and scribbled a note to Harry on the back of Harry's note.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

H-

I'm free. I'll meet you at the Astronomy Tower like last time. Say ten minutes?

-D

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Draco rolled up the note and tied it to Hedwig's leg. "It was nice to meet you Hedwig." He gave her another stroke on the stomach, and sent her off. Draco had a very bad feeling about the news Harry was about to give him. Draco stepped out of the trophy room and headed toward the Astronomy Tower.

Five minutes later, he was climbing the stairs to the tower, not quite as out-of-breath as he was the last time he did this. He emerged at the top, and went to the far side of the tower to watch the sun go down as he waited.

He didn't have to wait long. Two minutes after he had arrived, he heard Harry rushing up the stairs. He turned to watch for Harry.

"Hi." said Draco, once Harry had caught his breath.

"Hermione knows." said Harry, still slightly breathless.

"Well, yeah. You were supposed to tell her and Weasley about you." said Draco, confused.

"No. She knows about us." said Harry urgently. He looked at Draco for a reaction.

"She what?" said Draco. He was trying to control his voice, but he was so surprised and angry that his voice shook a little. Draco sat down on the floor of the Tower, trying to understand what happened.

"She gave me some of that Truth Draught that we learned how to make in Potions. Remember? Right before our detention?" Draco nodded and Harry went on. "I had just told her and Ron that I'm gay, and then Ron was upset, I guess, so he went to get another drink. I guess Hermione slipped the potion into my butterbeer before I got to the Three Broomsticks. And once she said 'Don't lie to me,' I couldn't stop myself." Harry finished, plopping down next to Draco. "Dray, I'm so sorry."

"No," said Draco, looking into Harry's eyes. "Don't be sorry, Har. It's not your fault. She gave you that potion. Damn her." Draco was livid. He looked away so Harry wouldn't see the fury building in him. Damn that Mudblood. I'm going to get her.

"I told her not to tell anyone. I told her that if she did, she would be sorry." Harry grinned slightly. "I told her to remember that I had you on my side. I think that scared the crap out of her."

Draco looked at Harry again. He relaxed somewhat at the sight of Harry's lopsided grin. "Are you sure she won't tell? Not even Weasley?"

Harry nodded. "As I was leaving, he asked her why I was so pissed off, but she didn't tell. I think we can trust her. But I'm going to talk to her tonight and make sure."

"I think I should be there." said Draco after a pause. "I mean, it does involve me too."

"You're right." said Harry. "We'll meet up after dinner. Charms classroom?"

Draco nodded. "As soon as everyone starts leaving the Great Hall, we'll go. But we can't go together. Hermione is the only other person that knows that we're together. Let's not make it obvious to the rest of the school."

"Sounds good." said Harry. As Draco watched, a new emotion glided into Harry's eyes, replacing the fear and worry that had been there.

"What's that look, Potter?" said Draco playfully.

"Oh, nothing," said Harry, trying to become the picture of innocence. It wasn't working very well.

"Come on, Harry. What's up?" asked Draco.

Harry raised an eyebrow. "One guess, Malfoy." He winked.

"Hmm... Let me think..." Draco said, scratching his chin, as though lost in thought. "What's up? What's up-"

At that, Harry pounced on Draco. The boys wrapped their arms around each other and lost themselves in each others' kisses. I could stay here forever. Draco thought. I love this boy- Then Harry's tongue slipped into his mouth, as it was prone to doing, and any thoughts that were waiting to be thought were erased from his mind.

~*~*~*~

Harry fixed his robes again as he walked down to the Great Hall. Draco and Harry had completely lost track of time on the Astronomy Tower, and it was now dinner time. They decided to take two different paths to the Great Hall so it didn't look like they had been together. Harry entered the Great Hall and scanned the Gryffindor table. Ron and Hermione were sitting at the end nearest the door. They looked up as he walked in and walked over to them.

"Hey you two." Harry said cheerfully as he sat down next to Hermione. He was hoping they wouldn't treat him too differently since they now knew his secret. He looked at Hermione. She looked away quickly. "Did you have fun this afternoon in town?"

"Oh sure," said Ron. "I picked up a bunch of Wizard Wheezes at Zonko's. Can't wait to feed one of those Canary Creams to Neville... Remember in fourth year when everyone was scared of bursting into feather?" Ron laughed and started in on a load of cheerful memories of their previous years with Seamus Finnigan who was sitting on Ron's other side.

Harry took this time to talk to Hermione. " 'Mione. We need to talk."

She looked at him. There was fear mixed with sadness and a twinge of hopefulness in her eyes. "About this afternoon?" she squeaked.

"Yes," Harry said slowly. "And Draco wants to talk to you, too."

Hermione's face was pale again. "He-he does?"

Harry put his hand on Hermione's own hand, which was sitting on the table. "I'll be there. I won't let him hurt you." said Harry. "Not too much, anyway." he said with a wink.

Hermione relaxed a little as they ate. Harry looked across the room to Draco, who obviously felt Harry's eyes on him and looked up. Harry nodded meaningfully and Draco nodded back. Dinner wore on and finally, after some tasty treacle pudding, people started to get up and leave. Harry stood and motioned for Hermione to follow him. Ron got up with them.

"Where are you two off to?" asked Ron, starting to walk with them.

Harry and Hermione stopped and looked at him. "Erm," Hermione didn't know what to say. She had gone slightly pale again. She looked at Harry.

"We need to smooth things out from this afternoon. I'm sure you noticed how ticked I was as I left." said Harry quickly.

"Yeah, what was up with that?" asked Ron. He looked between his girlfriend and his best friend curiously.

"It's kind of between us," said Harry. "We'll fill you in soon. Everything is ok though. I'm not trying to move in on Hermione." said Harry with a wink. "You know now I don't swing that way."

"Er, yeah. Right. Well I guess I'll see you two in the common room later then?" said Ron finally. As he turned to walk away, he gave the pair a last, curious glance, and started up the stairs to the Gryffindor tower.

Once Ron was out of sight, Harry took Hermione's arm and steered her toward the Charms classroom. "Are we meeting Malfoy here?" she asked as they reached the door.

"Yes you are," said a voice from the dark room.

~*~*~*~

Draco waved his wand and the torches around the room blazed to life. He looked at the Gryffindors standing in the doorway. "Well, come in. I don't bite." Draco said winking at Harry. "At least you know that Harry."

Harry walked over to Draco and wrapped his arms around Draco in a quick hug. Then the boys stepped apart.

Draco motioned for Granger to sit down. He perched himself on the top of one of the desks. Granger took a seat nearby and Harry sat next to Draco.

"So. You drugged up my boyfriend to make him spill the beans about us, huh, Granger?" said Draco gruffly. Remember, Draco. You can't get too mad at Granger. She's one of Harry's best friends.

Granger looked up at him and nodded slowly. She looked quite scared.

"Listen, I'm not going to hurt you. You mean too much to Harry." Draco's eyes didn't move from Granger's face. He saw her relax slightly. "However. If I hear anything coming from anyone about Harry and myself, I will be forced to take action. Understand?"

Granger blanched. Then she nodded again.

"Good girl." Draco smiled at her. "Now, since you know, I guess I'll have to be a bit nicer to you." Draco pulled a face as a joke. Granger softened again. "Do you ever speak, Granger?"

Granger swallowed noticeably. "Yes. You know I do." she said quietly.

"Oh. I get it. You're scared of me, aren't you?" asked Draco, softening his tone. "Listen. I have always thought that you were a nice girl... Despite the fact that you're not a pure blood." It probably wouldn't get on her good side to call her a Mudblood. I really need to get over that, don't I? Draco smiled faintly. "Do you think that we might ever be able to be friends?" Draco offered Granger his hand, like a kind of peace offering. She took it gingerly. "Good." Draco smiled more broadly now.

"I just have one question," said Draco, releasing Granger's hand.

"What's that?" asked Granger.

"Why did you make Harry tell you who he was with?" inquired Draco. "What did it matter right then?"

"Well," she started. "I figured that it couldn't be too bad. And Ron had left the table, so it wasn't like Ron would flip at finding out. But then he said your name and-" she stopped. She blushed slightly. Draco figured that it was because she had been so upset about Harry being with him.

Harry smiled reassuringly. "It's ok, 'Mione. You can tell him. He won't kill you." Harry winked at Draco.

Draco winked back. "You probably thought I would hand Harry straight to Voldemort himself, didn't you?" Granger looked at him, surprised. Draco wasn't sure if it was surprise at the fact that he had said the name or that he came right out and said what she had been thinking.

"Yes. That's the basic reason. I mean, you're Malfoy." she said. She said Draco's surname with a hint of disgust.

"Please. Call me Draco." said Draco. Granger looked at him with eyes like saucers.

"What?" said Granger. "Me? Call you-? Really?"

"Well, if we're going to be friends... You don't call Harry 'Potter,' do you?" said Draco, teasing.

"Erm. No, I-I guess not. Then I-I guess y-you should call me Hermione." she stammered. She looked like she could barely believe the words that were coming out of her mouth.

Draco smiled. "Hermione it is, then. Now. I have one thing I need you to do for me."

Gr-ahem-Hermione looked at Draco with surprise. "Wh-What?" she spluttered.

"I need you to promise me that this stays between us. You can not tell anyone about Harry and me." Draco looked directly into Hermione's eyes. "Harry and I had wanted to keep us a secret. Now you know our secret. You've got dirt on us, so to speak. I need you to not tell. Please?" Draco finished his statement with a pleading look on his face. I really liked it just being Harry and me. But now that Gran-Hermione knows about us, it's not going to be quite as easy. But she looks like she wouldn't tell. For Harry's sake, at least. She's safe. We're safe.

Harry nodded. "Please, 'Mione. For me. Keep this between the three of us? I'm not going to tell Ron for a bit. I think he's too upset about my coming out. I know you two don't keep secrets, but just this once. And I promise it won't be for too long." Harry looked to Draco for agreement.

Draco nodded. "Once we get used to the fact that someone knows about our liking guys, then we'll let everyone know about us being together."

Hermione nodded, too. "I'll keep this to myself. I promise." She looked at the two boys. Draco saw something that looked like amusement bounce into her eyes. "Who would have thought?" she said smiling. "Gryffindor's Golden Boy and Slytherin's Silver Prince." She sniggered. "What a match you guys are." Hermione shook her head, smiling.

Hermione looked at them again. "I guess you two are pretty cute together, though. You look like you fit."

"Well thank you, my lady," said Draco. He stood and bowed deeply, grinning.

"Whoa. That is a strange sight, though." said Hermione suddenly.

"What?" asked Draco. He looked at Harry, then down at his own body. Then he looked up at Hermione.

"You. Draco Malfoy. Grinning." Hermione grinned back at him. "It's really sweet. And I must say, I've never seen Harry so happy as he has been lately. You have to promise me something now, Mal-Draco. Sorry. Still not used to saying 'Draco,' " she said quickly. "Anyway. You have to promise me something."

"What's that, Hermione?" asked Draco, confused.

"You have to promise me that you always treat Harry right." said Hermione firmly. "You mess with him, your secret goes to the Daily Prophet. Got it?" She grinned at Draco again.

"Oh, that's easy," said Draco, wrapping an arm around Harry's waist and pulling Harry to stand with him. "I would never hurt Harry." Draco glanced at Hermione and then back to Harry.

"I love him."

~*~TBC~*~