Harry entered the potions classroom and angrily slammed his books down onto the table.

"How are you feeling?" Ron asked, noticing his agitated state.

"Great, never better," Harry answered, sarcastically.

Ron and Hermione glanced at each other and shrugged, they had become use to Harry's strange mood swings this year.

"How does it feel to be rescued by a Slytherin, Potter?" Blaise Zabini whispered from across the aisle.

"Piss off, Zabini," Harry muttered, still fuming over Draco.

"Some hero you turned out to be," he taunted.

"Fuck you."

Ron and Hermione's eyes widened in shock, Harry rarely swore unless he was really upset.

"Better watch your language, Potter. I don't think mummy and daddy would be too happy to know that their son had such a filthy mouth."

Harry snapped and launched out of his seat, throwing himself into a surprised Blaise and knocking him to the floor. Harry reached back and punched him in the nose. Blood spattered onto Harry's fist as he made contact, breaking the bone with a sickening crunch. Blaise cried out in pain and tried to reach for the wand in his pocket.

At that moment, Professor Snape entered the classroom accompanied by Draco. Their conversation died as they looked over at the commotion in surprise. Draco dropped his books and ran over, pushing through the crowd of students who had gathered around to watch and cheer. He stopped dead, completely shocked at the sight of Harry sitting atop Blaise and beating the shit out of him. Harry's emerald eyes were practically throwing off sparks and his face was flushed with anger. Draco couldn't help but feel a little aroused at the sight, but he knew that he should help Blaise before Harry killed him.

Draco grabbed Harry's arm and hauled him to his feet.

"What are you doing?" Harry demanded, arms still swinging wildly.

"Get off of him, Potter," Draco commanded, pushing Harry away.

"Mind your own business, Malfoy!" Harry spat, glaring at Draco.

"It is my business when you attack a member of my house," he replied calmly.

"Fuck you!" Harry growled, and then lunged at Blaise again.

Draco grabbed Harry's sleeve and pulled him back again. Blaise sat up and scrambled backwards, one hand on his bloody nose.

"Let go of me!" Harry shouted in frustration, struggling to break free.

"Stop it, Harry!"

Harry froze and turned terrified eyes towards Draco. The blood drained from Draco's face as he realized what he had said. The circle of students gasped audibly and glanced between the two as they stood frozen in place, unable to speak.

"That's enough!" Snape commanded, startling everyone. "Everyone go back to your seats at once. Zabini, go see the nurse."

Everyone rushed to do what Snape had asked, Draco moving in slow motion as he picked up his books and sat down. Snape turned towards Harry and smiled maliciously.

"As for you, Mr Potter," he said slowly, clearly enjoying himself. "You will have detention every night for the next two weeks and that will be fifty points from Gryffindor for disrupting my class. Now sit down!"

Harry sat in his chair and buried his face in his hands. The rest of the class silently got out their books and quills. Ron looked at Harry worriedly, he had never seen his best friend lose control like that and attack some one for just teasing him.

Snape assigned them a complicated potion to have completed by the end of class. The students trudged up to the front of the room in pairs and picked up a tray with the required ingredients laid out on them and took them back to their tables.

Draco deftly stole the rutilus eruca from Ron's tray as he passed by. Ron set the tray down beside Harry and the two reluctantly got to work. Ron decided that he would talk to Harry about what was wrong later.

Draco finished his potion easily, he could do it in his sleep thanks to the private lessons he had over the summer with Professor Snape. He sat back in his chair and listened intently for Harry or Weasley's voice. It didn't take long.

"I don't understand," Ron whined. "We used all the ingredients."

Harry sniffed at the black sludge simmering in their cauldron and wrinkled his nose.

"It doesn't look right," he said slowly, glancing at Hermione's thick red potion beside them.

"It looks like you're missing the rutilus," Hermione said, looking over.

"I'll get it," Harry sighed. "I'm already in trouble anyway."

Harry stood up and walked to the storage cupboard.

"What are you doing, Potter?" Snape snapped, looking up from his desk.

Harry paused with one hand on the doorknob. "I need some rutilus eruca."

"What happened to the supply on your tray?"

"We never had any."

"I very much doubt that. Well, go and get it and that will be five more points for wasting ingredients."

Fuming, Harry wrenched open the door and walked inside the musty storage cupboard.

Draco waited until the door had closed behind Harry then got up to take his completed potion to Professor Snape. On the way back to his seat, Draco threw some ignis eruptum into Neville's cauldron while the boy was busy talking to Seamus. Neville turned around and his eyes widened in horror as his potion began to glow a brilliant shade of orange. He stood up and backed away slowly as it began to bubble and smoke.

"Um, Professor?" he squeaked.

Just as Snape looked up, the cauldron exploded - orange goo flew everywhere and burst into flame upon impact. Pandemonium broke out in the classroom as the students screamed and ran around in panic. Snape got up and rushed over to try and stop the fires that were springing up all over.

Draco took the opportunity to slip unnoticed into the storage cupboard. He almost walked right into Harry who was just reaching for the doorknob from the inside. Draco pushed him backwards and quickly shut the door behind his back.

"What's going on out there?" Harry asked in concern, listening to the panicked shouts of his classmates.

"Nothing, I just created a little diversion," Draco smirked.

"What do you want?" Harry frowned crossing his arms over his chest, the rutilus clutched in one hand.

Draco took a deep breath. "I wanted to apologize."

"You? Apologize?" Harry snorted.

"Yes, for being such an ass-hole in Dumbledore's office."

"You don't have to apologize," Harry sighed, leaning against the shelves that lined the walls. "Maybe you're right, Draco."

"About what?"

"Maybe this relationship isn't such a good idea."

"I never said that," Draco frowned.

Harry stayed silent and looked down at his shoes.

"I would never say that, Harry. What we have means a lot to me."

"Then let's tell people and stop keeping it a secret."

"We've been over this, we can't do that."

"Why? Would it embarrass you for people to know that you were sleeping with Harry Potter?"

"No, I-"

"Draco, this relationship has no future! We can't keep it a secret forever and I don't want to. Do you think my friends would be any more accepting of this than your friends? Stop caring so much about what other people think!"

"It's not that simple!" Draco countered defensively.

"Yes it is! Only you make it more complicated."

Draco sighed and ran is hands through his hair in frustration. "Look, all I know is that I don't want this to end," he said.

"I don't either," Harry admitted with a sigh.

Draco stepped over to Harry, who hesitated a split second before walking into Draco's open arms. He tilted Harry's chin up and looked into his eyes earnestly.

"Harry, I promise we'll always be together no matter what."

Harry nodded and buried his face in Draco's shoulder. Draco kissed the top of his head and squeezed him once before pulling away.

"Sounds like Snape has cleaned up my little diversion," Draco smiled. "You'd better go back and finish your potion."

"Okay." Harry turned and walked to the door.

"See you tonight?" Draco asked worriedly.

"Alright," Harry answered, his back to Draco. "After my detention I'll meet you in the garden."

Harry opened the door without waiting for a reply and walked out.

Draco sighed, he couldn't wait for their meeting tonight, he needed to talk to Harry and make sure he was okay. The Gryffindor was obviously still hurt. He thanked the gods that it was Saturday tomorrow and they would have all day to be alone together.

                        *          *          *          *          *          *          *          *          *

            Harry threw the dirty rag back into the bucket of soapy water and wiped his sweaty brow with the back of his hand. The potions classroom floor was now as clean as it could possibly be. He had been torn between amusement and annoyance every time he came across another burn mark from Draco's 'diversion.'

"Are you finished yet, Potter?" Professor Snape asked, peeking through the classroom door.

"Yes," Harry sighed. His knees were bruised, his back ached, and he was utterly exhausted - it had been a long day and it was now nearly midnight.

"You may leave then," Snape said coldly.

Harry put the bucket away and trudged past Snape, rubbing his sore neck as he went.

"Mind you go straight to your dormitory."

Harry turned around in surprise. Did Snape know that he was heading out to meet Draco?

"What do you mean?" he asked casually.

Snape fixed him with a level stare. "You have a nasty habit of running around the grounds after hours and getting other students into trouble."

"Yes, sir," Harry swallowed.

Snape turned and strode off down the hallway, his black cloak billowing out behind him. Harry watched him thoughtfully for a moment then continued on his way to the Entrance Hall. He groaned as he pushed against the heavy wooden doors, his aching arm muscles screaming in protest, then ran down the stairs and into the garden.

"Draco?" he called out quietly.

The garden appeared to be empty.

"Draco?" he tried again, looking around the shadow filled pathways and dark flowerbeds.

Harry sighed in disappointment, Draco must have gotten tired of waiting for him and gone back inside.

A loud snap suddenly sounded from somewhere behind him amidst the bushes. Harry whipped around and saw nothing - the path was empty.

"Draco?" Harry called nervously, cursing himself for letting the Slytherin scare him like this. "This isn't funny, Draco. I'm going back inside!"

Harry began to walk very quickly up the path, glancing form side to side.

"Got ya!" Draco yelled and jumped out, grabbing Harry from behind.

"Draco!" Harry exclaimed, his heart racing. "You scared me."

"I know," Draco smirked happily.

"Ow, could you let go please?"

"What's wrong?" Draco asked, releasing him.

"My neck and shoulders are killing me, no thanks to Snape," Harry grumbled.

"Aw, come here." Draco led Harry over to a nearby stone bench and sat him down on the ground in front of him. He went to work gently kneading Harry's tight neck and shoulder muscles with his hands. Harry closed his eyes and moaned in appreciation. Draco smiled and felt a rush of warmth towards the wonderful creature beneath his hands.

"Don't you want to know why I attacked Blaise?" Harry asked, opening his eyes.

"Zabini already filled me in," Draco replied.

"And?"

"And what?"

"Don't you think I over-reacted?"

"No, he was asking for it." Draco smiled. "Besides, you've never looked sexier than when you were beating him to a bloody pulp."

"Really?" Harry laughed.

"Yes, I hope in the future you pick more fights with students around me. I just wanted to ravish you right then and there in front of everyone."

"I wish you had," Harry smiled delightedly.

Draco leaned forward and wrapped his arms around Harry's chest, hugging him tightly. "There'll be plenty of time for that tomorrow," he purred, kissing the side of Harry's neck enticingly.

"Hmmm...I love Saturdays," Harry sighed in pleasure.

Draco kissed his way up Harry's throat and gently nipped his earlobe. Harry moaned and turned around to kneel up on his knees and kiss Draco's soft lips. Draco pulled Harry to his feet without breaking the kiss and the two wrapped their arms around each other, running their hands over backs and shoulders, tangling fingers in hair. The passion built to such a pitch that Harry thought he was going to be swallowed up whole, and it felt wonderful. He couldn't breathe properly but he didn't care, he didn't want it to end. His whole body was tingling with pleasure and excitement.

"Wow," Harry panted after awhile, finally breaking for air.

"Yeah..." Draco agreed, speechless.

Harry looked into Draco's soft grey eyes and for the first time in his life he wanted to say...it. The three most important words in the English language, he could feel it on the tip of his tongue.

Draco gazed at him almost expectantly.

Harry took a deep breath and said -

  "It's getting late."

Draco looked surprised for a second then nodded mutely. Harry broke eye-contact and stared at the ground.

"We'd better get back," he said, shuffling his feet.

"Alright. We have to be careful though, we don't have your cloak," Draco whispered.

"Oh, I forgot, and it's probably one o'clock by now too."

Draco smiled and clasped Harry's hand as they walked out of the garden together. They slowly climbed the stairs and paused just before the entrance doors.

"Goodnight, Harry." Draco smiled affectionately, cupping Harry's cheek and stroking his thumb across the soft skin.

"Goodnight, Draco."

Draco leaned down and touched his lips to Harry's very softly.

"Can't wait until tomorrow," Draco said. He turned and carefully pushed open the door with a creak.

"Draco?" Harry called. He needed to say it.

"Yes?"

"I...er...can't wait until tomorrow either," he finished lamely.

Draco smiled and entered the hall, letting the door swing shut behind him.

Harry rolled his eyes and smacked his forehead with the palm of his hand. "Way to go, Harry," he thought sarcastically. He shook his head and entered the now empty hall, sneaking off to his dormitory.

A dark figure emerged from behind the statue at the bottom of the stairway and watched Harry jog up the stairs. A plan began to take shape in Ethan's mind as he turned and exited through the door leading to the Slytherin dorms, a chilling look in his dark, narrowed eyes.