Chapter Fourteen

The Others

Draco sighed. Harry and We-Ron were back on speaking terms again. Which made Draco very happy. He hated seeing Harry upset. And the fight with Ron was something that was eating Harry apart. Draco was happy that things had been dealt with.

The three boys walked out of the room and down the stairs to the Gryffindor common room. As they emerged, they were greeted with three loud gasps. The boys looked up quickly. Harry and Ron quickly moved in front of Draco to shield him from any curses that might be sent at him. Draco was amazed that Ron was involved in the shielding.

"What in bloody hell is that slimy git doing in Gryffindor Tower?" screamed Colin, jumping up from his seat on the couch and reaching for his wand.

"It's alright, Colin-" started Harry, holding up a hand.

"And what the fuck are you doing defending him?" cried Ginny, rising with her boyfriend. Draco saw Ron's eyebrows disappear into his hair as he looked back at Ginny. Guess Ginny doesn't have a filthy mouth on normal occasions, thought Draco, amused. Then he remembered what trouble he could be in if the pair didn't calm down.

"Ginny. Relax. Please, guys. Put away the wands so we can explain." said Ron, looking at his sister.

"Really. It's alright," said Hermione who had jumped up next to Ginny to try and stop the impending fight. Ginny stared at her. Then she sighed and pocketed her wand again. She flopped down on the couch again in a huff. Colin stood stiffly in front of the couch.

"Colin, sit. This had better be really good, you three," Ginny said angrily, turning to Harry, Draco, and Ron. Colin stayed where he was.

"Alright, alright." said Harry, looking at Draco. Draco shrugged back. We might as well tell them. Harry read the look in Draco's eyes and continued, "Just promise you won't flip too much. And this has to stay between the six of us."

There were only two chairs facing the couch, so Ron and Harry each sat in one, and Hermione sat on Ron's lap. Harry looked up at Draco, who had remained standing, and looked fairly uncomfortable. Harry took Draco's hand and pulled him onto his lap. Ginny and Colin looked at the boys and gaped. Draco was slightly amused at the reaction, as was Harry. They smiled at each other. There a soft thump. Harry and Draco looked toward the sound, surprised. Their smiles threatened to return at the sight.

Colin had passed out.

~*~*~*~

"Colin? Colin? Wake up, Sweetheart." Ginny was slapping him lightly on the cheek.

"I-I'm alright. What happened?" asked Colin, blinking and sitting up. He looked at Harry and Draco. Draco was still sitting on Harry's lap, looking half-amused, half-worried. "Oh." Colin's mouth dropped open again.

Ginny whipped her head back to look at Draco and Harry. Colin's mouth was still stuck open. "What the hell is going on?" she asked shrilly.

"Draco and I are together, Ginny," said Harry calmly.

"You're kidding," said Ginny. Her eyes were still huge.

"No," said Draco. "We've been together a little over two months."

"No way. You two?" said Ginny.

"Yes. Us two." Harry smiled reassuringly.

"You're gay?" cried Colin, finally recovering from the shock.

"Glad you decided to join the conversation, Colin." said Draco. "To answer that, yes. We are."

Harry looked at Ginny. Her face was white with shock. His heart went out to her. He remembered what a huge crush she once had on him. He sent her a lopsided grin. She returned a very weak smile.

"What I don't know is why you three were up in Harry and Ron's room," said Hermione, looking at her boyfriend under her, and then at the couple in the chair next to her. Harry could see that 'Mione was going into prefect-mode.

Ron answered her question. "I wanted to talk to Harry, and I figured that was where he would be. I wasn't expecting M-er-Draco to be there." Ron sent Harry and Draco the questioning look now. "Why were you there?"

Draco looked at Harry. Harry hoped that he didn't start to tell about the portkeys. Draco must have read the look right, because he said, "I brought Harry here to lay down. He was really upset when you stormed off, Ron, and he was about to collapse."

"How did you get in?" asked Colin.

"Erm-" Draco looked like he didn't want to reveal that he stayed there last night. Harry didn't want to either. But he knew they couldn't get around it.

"I- erm. I stayed here overnight last night." said Draco finally. Ron, Ginny and Colin wore matching looks of surprise.

"We didn't do anything but sleep. Promise." said Harry. He knew that Ron would probably try to kill Draco if he thought Harry and Draco were sleeping together in the not-really-sleeping sense. He also knew Ron wouldn't want to know that they had stripped each other down to their boxer shorts.

The rest of the Gryffindors, save Hermione, gaped some more at Harry and Draco. "Anyway," said Draco, bringing them back to the discussion they'd been having. "I remembered the password from last night, and I got him to his room. We stayed there through dinner. I tried to calm him down because of the whole fight with you, Ron. Ron came in about half an hour ago. And here we are."

Ginny and Colin didn't know what to think. Ron was amazed that Draco had stayed the night last night. Hermione was surprised that Draco found out the password and got Harry here without raising suspicion from anyone. Harry and Draco just sat together, amused at the stunned looks on everyone's faces.

"Well, if we're done here, I need to get to the Slytherin common room. I probably have two worried henchmen waiting for me." Draco smiled at everyone. That surprised everyone too. Harry could hear the thought going through each of his friends' minds. Draco Malfoy smiles? Draco stood and started toward the portrait hole. Harry rose and followed him. He grabbed Draco's hand just before Draco could step out into the hallway. Harry took Draco's face lightly in his hands and kissed him softly. "Thank you for being you," he said.

Draco looked back at Harry, a smile spreading across his face again. "Thank you for loving me." Draco said quietly. He raised his voice a bit and called back to the stunned Gryffindors, "Goodbye!" Then Draco stepped out into the hall and disappeared out of sight.

~*~*~*~

Draco muttered "Serpente Vizioso" and walked into the Slytherin common room. He breathed a sigh of relief. It may not be as plushy as the Gryffindor common area, but it was home to him. He crossed the room and went toward his room.

What he was met with was a pair of very grumpy Slytherins.

"Where have you been all day?" asked Goyle gruffly.

"Around." said Draco simply.

"With Potter?" asked Crabbe fiercely.

"What?" asked Draco, feeling fear and apprehension rising within himself.

"We found this. On your bed." Goyle waved a piece of parchment with green writing on it in Draco's face. Draco grabbed the parchment and looked closer. Harry's letter. Oh shit. "You didn't come back last night. Crabbe went to wake you up this morning, but you weren't there. Your bed wasn't even slept in. What the fuck is going on?!?"

"Listen. Please." Draco looked back and forth between his two classmates. Their arms were folded and they were glaring at him. Now I see why I kept them as friends. They're really intimidating when they do that.

"Harry fucking Potter? That's who you're with?" yelled Crabbe.

"Are you fucking mental? We thought you hated the stupid prat, and here you are sleeping with him? What the fuck?!?" screamed Goyle.

"I-I'm not sleeping with him. At least not the way you think. Nothing happened last night. We slept in the same bed. Nothing more."

"But Potter?!?" they both thundered.

"Please, at least let me explain." pleaded Draco.

"Explain." said Crabbe through clenched teeth.

"Could we at least sit down?" asked Draco. "It might take a bit."

"Fine." said Goyle. The two bigger boys climbed onto their own beds, and refolded their arms. "Talk."

Draco sat down on his bed. He took a deep breath. Draco tried to explain as best he could everything that had happened between Harry and himself. He left out the details of feelings and where exactly their hands went and all that, but Goyle and Crabbe got the idea. He explained that he really liked Harry, and he had no real idea when he stopped hating Harry and started liking him. The whole time Draco's housemates sat with their arms crossed. But as Draco kept talking, their glares softened to stares. After a quarter of an hour of Draco talking, he finished with, "I really care about him, guys. I-I'm sorry."

"Why didn't you tell us?" asked Crabbe after a moment of thought.

"I-. We promised each other we wouldn't tell anyone." said Draco quietly. "We didn't want to get people upset. But we did."

"Yeah, you really pissed us off. I can't believe you wouldn't tell us!" cried Goyle.

"Well you're not the only ones. Harry didn't tell Hermione or Ron at first either." said Draco defensively.

"He didn't?"

"No. But Hermione gave Harry the Truth Draught and got it out of him. And then today, Ron caught us snogging in the Entrance Hall. That's where I've been all day," said Draco. "I've been trying to tell Harry everything's going to be alright. He was falling apart. I've only just left. Now all the Gryffindors that are still here know. And you guys know. So that's the important people." Crabbe and Goyle brightened up a little at hearing they were 'important people' to Draco.

Goyle frowned again. "Well, I'm still mad at you. You should have told us. We shouldn't have had to find out like this."

"I was going to tell you guys today. I realized it wasn't worth hurting friends." said Draco apologetically. But you know you're risking your life now. These two may go straight to your father, or their fathers and tell all. Then you're going to be in deep shit.

"Well-. I think we need to go for a while. Leave you to your Potter daydreams. C'mon Goyle." With that statement, Crabbe and Goyle got up and left the room. Draco laid back on his bed and started to cry.

~*~*~*~

The Gryffindors were sitting before the fire. They were all playing a big game of Exploding Snap. Suddenly, Harry had got a bad feeling whirring round in his stomach. He knew something was going on with Draco. He didn't know what, but he knew something was up. "I'll be back later." Harry stood and walked up to his room. He picked up the little red velvet box from its permanent spot on his nightstand. Then he went back downstairs and passed his friends, who were all sending him questioning looks.

Harry climbed out the portrait hole and walked out into the hallway. As soon as the portrait swung closed, he opened the small box and tipped the thimble into his palm. As he tightened his palm round the thimble, he felt the familiar tug behind his navel and prayed that he had the right coordinates for Draco's bed.

A few seconds later, he felt his backside hit something soft. He looked up, and there he was, sitting in the Slytherin dormitories, right next to Draco. Draco looked up, surprised.

"Hey," said Harry.

"Hey," said Draco unsteadily. Harry saw tearstains on the Slytherin's cheeks, as though he had been crying.

"Dray? Are you alright?" asked Harry, moving closer to the other boy. Draco put his arms around Harry and pulled him closer still.

"I wasn't, but I'm getting better." Draco pulled Harry back into the pillows, so they were on their sides, looking at each other. There was a tear threatening to run down Draco's cheek, and Harry reached up to brush it away. Draco leaned into the touch.

"What's wrong?" asked Harry.

"Crabbe and Goyle know. They found your letter. I must have left it lying on my bed when I was in such a hurry to leave last night. I forgot to put it away and they found it. And they are so worked up about it being you! They just left a few minutes ago. Oh Merlin. What am I going to do?" said Draco, tears streaming down his face once more.

Harry leaned in and kissed Draco's cheeks where the tears fell. Then he pulled Draco in, and let him cry. Draco's shoulders shook violently. Harry ran his fingers through Draco's hair, which was now quite mussed. Draco just kept sobbing. "Is there anything I can do?" asked Harry quietly.

Draco pulled back from Harry's chest and looked into his eyes. Harry saw so much pain. It was ripping him apart. Tears had stopped flowing from Draco's eyes, but the blue was now surrounded in every direction by red. "Stay here with me?"

"Always." Harry kissed Draco softly on the lips. Draco looked at Harry sadly, obviously trying to muster up a smile for him. It was not working so well. Harry kissed Draco again.

That night, as they had done in another room the night before, they rid the other of excessive clothing and Harry and Draco stayed in the same bed. Harry was happy to be in Draco's arms for the second night in a row. In fact, what he really wanted was to stay with Draco for the rest of his life. Harry stayed awake until Draco fell asleep. Draco was still very upset about his conversation with Crabbe and Goyle. Harry watched as Draco slept fitfully. Harry hoped that everything would be alright between the Slytherins. After more watching Draco, Harry decided he needed to snuggle in and get some sleep.

In the morning, they woke up in each others' arms again. Harry got dressed and got ready to leave after a little early-morning-snuggling, and telling Draco that everything would be alright. Thankfully, Crabbe and Goyle never noticed the extra body in Draco's bed, and were late-risers in the mornings.

"I hope so," said Draco sadly as he walked Harry out of the Slytherin common room.

"Things will be fine. Just give them some time." Harry kissed Draco on the nose and gave him an extra squeeze before he left. "And if it makes you feel any better, I know they'll come round."

"Yeah," said Draco in the air of someone not believing someone else in the slightest.

"Oh, and one more thing, Dray."

"Hmm?"

"I love you."

~*~TBC~*~