Hey peeps,

This chapter is kinda short. I've been distracted all week reading mangas (yeah! Yaoi rules!!), so could not get more out. Gomen nasai! This chapter is meant to be combined with the next chapter (the shower scene some of you have been asking for!), and I am trying to get my muse to co-operate, but to no avail. So I shall just post this first and hope I get feedback/reviews that will galvanize my imagination. *Hint hint*

Kinna

(Spoilers ahead!)

P.S. Oh, and I had to invent my own creature in this chapter. No mythical creature I know of has primarily rodent characteristics. I love the manticore, but I don't want Draco to get mauled to death.

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Harry woke to the sensation of a damp patch at his crotch the next morning. Reaching down to adjust himself, he found not the soft thin cotton of his pajamas, but the thick wool of his robes. 'Huh? Why didn't I undress myself last night?' Just then, his eyes fell on the blonde curled up next to him. Draco. His mind helpfully supplied the name, together with the complete set of information about his origins, down to every sordid detail. Including what happened the night before.

'OH GOD. How could I do that? I got off on a boy, a ferret no less!'

~Yeah, and what a way to get off! That was awesome!~

'Yes, but…NO! It was just a physical reaction to external stimulus. Anyone would have reacted to THAT!'

~Really? I would have thought most would have been disgusted instead.~

'Yeah, I AM! I mean, it's a ferret!'

~Oh, so the boy part is ok then?~

'No, but the ferret part is more important in this case! Not only that, he didn't even know what was going on! It's like, it's like, I violated him or something! Oh, god, I did, didn't I?'

~Don't be stupid. It didn't do him any harm. What he don't know won't kill him right?~

'But—but—it's WRONG!'

~Wrong? It's all in your mind. Well. It's not wrong if he wants it. Think he would enjoy a few human sex-ed lessons?~

'NO! STOP IT! Stop putting these vile ideas in my mind!'

~Vile? You didn't seem to think it vile when you were moaning in ecstasy yesterday.~

'Moaning? I was not…never mind. Last night was an accident. It would never happen again! Never ever!!'

Relieved when the 'Evil Voice' remained silent this time round, Harry took stock of his current situation. Soiled robes, bed hair, and bad breath. Yes, time to take a shower. Speaking of which, Draco would probably need one too, but Harry didn't feel up to THAT at the moment with last night's activities still fresh in his mind, so he decided to forego that at the moment. Just a tooth-brushing and face wipe would have to do for now.

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Harry and Draco were already midway through breakfast when Ron and Hermione came in.

"Hey, Harry, looking good this morning. Must have been a good night last night."

The raven-haired boy choked on his mouthful of food, as he recalled his midnight corridor activities, and quickly grabbed some water to wash it down. He hoped that the rising blush wasn't noticeable. Oblivious, Ron went on," You must have been really tired yesterday. Your curtains were closed when I checked on you before dinner, and since you weren't responding to my calls, I decided not to disturb you and just let you sleep. Not that I think anyone would need that much sleep, but Hermione said it was better to let you rest after the Draco incident—" Ron jerked and stopped his blabbering, looking over at Hermione who was glaring at him. She turned to the embarrassed Harry, and changed the topic.

"Hey, Draco, you're a fast learner, I see you've learned to use the utensils." Draco grinned and gave his knife a little spin, before going back to attack his scrambled eggs. Harry, grateful for the respite, was thinking how lucky he was that no one saw the way he and Draco had slept yesterday, and resolved to take measures to keep it that way. His mind was running through the options – curtain-locking spells, silencing spells, privacy bubbles, invisibility cloaks……-- somehow it didn't occur to him to make Draco sleep somewhere else other than on his bed.

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"…and remember what I told you about Hagrid's care of Magical Creatures, or rather, care of Magical Monsters, lessons. Don't approach ANY of them unless I tell you to, got it?" Harry reminded Draco as they headed towards what had the record of being the most injury-prone subject, next to any Potions classes with Neville Longbottom in it.

Surprisingly, what awaited them today was not some ferocious monster. At least not at first glance.

"Raccoonelas", was what Hagrid called the raccoon-like, furry creatures. Except that these were ten times the size of normal ones, had nine tails, and what looked like a horn on top of its head. "Don't let their appearances fool ya'. These chaps have nice strong jaws and a delightful mouthful of teeth." One chose to yawn at this moment, illustrating his point with a mouthful of fangs. Three quarters of the class shrunk back. "You'll divide yourselves into groups of threes, take one Raccoonela per group and feed them with these." Hagrid pointed to pails of what looked like fresh meat behind him. The class groaned. "Off you go! And Harry, you and the new boy count as one." The half giant added, and with that, the class dispersed.

"The books say that we are supposed to get to know it first before trying to feed it! If we just throw the meat at it, it would be offended!"

"It already looks offended to me! I'm not going to get near it to 'get to know it', as you put it! I'll just get to know its teeth!"

"Don't you think Hagrid would have warned us if these are liable to attack us without provocation?"

"Hell, no!"

Harry watched in amusement at the argument between his two best friends, and the most-unlikely-couple he have ever seen. The two of them were forever squabbling, even though they were together. 'It's like foreplay for them,' Harry thought, chuckling. Caught up in watching the little drama, he almost forgot about Draco, until Hermione gave a little gasp and pointed in the direction of their raccoonela. Harry turned and his heart plummeted as he saw that Draco was less than a foot from it.

"DRACO, GET AWA--!" Hermione clapped a hand over Harry's mouth, staring intently at the raccoonela who was sniffing at Draco curiously. Then something happened to make all three of them gasp.

The raccoonela turned and jumped on Draco.