~A/N~ Sorry about the wait for this chapter, my inspiration decided to take a holiday and left me totally bereft of any imaginative thought. But, all better now. 'Thoughts and ideas are flowing like a mountain stream,' as JKR has just said about book 6. Anyway, I totally forgot about leaving a note about the strange chapter shuffling that I've been doing lately. I decided to condense a few of the pathetically short earlier chapters together to make them longer, and shorten the overall chapter count. So that explains that. I'd also just like to say, thanks for all the reviews, they truly make my day. I've never had so much swearing in my reviews, all thanks to the lovely comments about Ethan. JRainSW6 – Thank you, thank you, thank you! The hardest part about writing this story has been getting Harry to a place emotionally where he would simply accept the abuse, so your comments about the fact that it feels believable relieved my anxiety ridden brain quite a lot. Thank you!
apersonsreasoning – Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha..... I must say, very creative. Ethan does deserve a good peeing on.
Alym – You're not the only cruel and evil person, so of course Harry is going to suffer more...lots more....hee hee.
plaintosee – Mmm....Draco as a knight in shining armour. Isn't that a pretty picture?
HogwartsSaiyajin – Hope there's enough Draco in this one for ya.
* Oh yeah, I forgot, I was going to ask if anyone here is an artist. Drawing, that is. There's a scene in this chapter that I would dearly love to see in picture form, but alas, I'm not that talented. I'll leave a note at the end to which scene I'm referring to and if anyone wants to, feel free to draw it and send it on over.
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Harry refused to open his eyes the next morning, choosing instead to burrow a little deeper into the comforting warmth surrounding him. Unfortunately, his body refused to obey him and fall back asleep, the tiny sounds of an old castle dorm room suddenly intensifying and invading his peaceful cocoon. Along with the usual creaking and scratching came the sound of Ethan's even breathing from beside him.
Harry cracked his eyes open and looked over at the sleeping boy. Ethan's chestnut hair was sprawled on the pillow under his head and his mouth was open slightly; quiet puffs of air escaping his parted lips.
Harry raised himself up on one elbow and watched him as he slept, oblivious to the quiet scrutiny. True to his word, Ethan had made no more attempts to force Harry into anything the night before. Harry had borrowed another pair of pyjamas and they had fallen asleep on separate sides of the bed.
Harry sighed, realising that he suddenly needed to use the bathroom. He reluctantly climbed out of the extremely comfortable bed, the cold flagstones under his feet making him shiver as he ran across the room to the sanctuary of the plush bathroom mat.
As he was washing up, he glanced at his reflection in the mirror and started at the sight. A red welt streaked across his left cheekbone, and the surrounding skin was pink and slightly puffy.
He winced and drew in a sudden hiss of air as he tentatively felt the irritated mark with his fingers. He reached for a nearby wash cloth and turned on the faucet, watching as the rush of water slowly turned icy cold. He immersed the white cloth under the stream and then raised his eyes back up to the mirror – Ethan was standing directly behind him.
"Ah!" Harry screamed, dropping the cloth into the sink.
Ethan laughed and wrapped his arms around Harry's waist from behind.
"I'm sorry," he grinned in amusement. "I couldn't resist."
"Don't ever do that again!" Harry gasped, holding a hand over his rapidly beating heart and glaring at Ethan through the mirror.
"I won't," Ethan promised, barely concealing a smile. "I woke up and wondered where you'd gone off to, I was worried that you'd left. How are you feeling this morning?"
"Fine," Harry answered automatically.
Ethan smiled and tightened his hold. "Don't we make a handsome couple?" he asked, looking at their reflection.
Harry glanced up at the image. "You always look great, I don't know why you would want to be with me. How do you manage to wake up looking like you've spent hours on your hair?"
"It's not easy," Ethan laughed, delighted.
"You'll have to teach me," Harry grumbled, inspecting his own wild hair with disgust.
"Aw, I like your messy coiffure," Ethan smiled, rubbing the top of Harry's head.
Ethan dropped his hand from Harry's hair and lightly ran his finger over the red mark on his left cheek.
Harry winced, but didn't pull away.
"Sorry about this, love," Ethan said quietly, turning serious.
"It's okay," Harry shrugged, dropping his eyes to the sink basin and watching the water swirl around the forgotten wash cloth.
"Here, let me help you." Ethan reached down and picked up the soggy cloth, wringing it out and turning off the tap afterwards. He then lifted the cool compress to Harry's sore cheek and lightly patted the bruised skin.
"Thanks," Harry mumbled, still staring into the sink.
"It's okay about last night, Harry," Ethan said as he worked. "But I wouldn't have figured you for a tease."
"I'm not...usually, I mean..." Harry flushed with embarrassment. "I didn't mean to stop, I did want to...at first..."
"I understand, but people don't like to be led on," Ethan explained calmly.
"I'm sorry," Harry apologized.
"Hey, I said that it was okay," Ethan smiled, setting the cloth aside. "I know you didn't do it on purpose. I can wait."
Harry nodded in understanding, a warped sense of love dictating his feelings as gratitude filled his heart. "Thanks. Not just for this, but for everything you've done for me and for being so understanding."
"No problem," Ethan winked, ruffling Harry's tousled hair again. "What do you say we go get ourselves some breakfast?"
"Sounds good," Harry smiled, brightening, as he slid his glasses back up on his nose.
"Good. How about after your last class of the day, I come and meet you and we can go to the library to do some homework together?"
"Sure," Harry agreed with a nod.
"Great."
* * * * * * * * *
Draco stared at his reflection with a thoughtful expression. Surely his life hadn't been this mundane before Harry had been a part of it?
He was standing in the boy's sixth year bathroom, leaning on the edge of the sink and trying to find the answers to questions that had been plaguing him night and day. Going round and round his exhausted brain. They all centred around one Harry Potter and they all started with 'what if?'
What if he had denied his father and kept his relationship with Harry? What if he hadn't broken Harry's heart? The only person who truly knew him. What if he had broken Pansy's neck for trying to blackmail him? What if she hadn't found out? What if nobody had found out?
Too many what if's.
Draco shook his blond head and blinked, trying to snap himself out of the cul-de-sac of questions he seemed to be stuck in.
He splashed some cold water on his face and ran his wet hands through his hair to smooth it out, the other boys in his year finally stumbling in and beginning to get ready for the day.
Draco hurriedly finished and slipped out without talking to anyone. He really wasn't in the mood.
The Great Hall was almost full by the time Draco finally wandered in and sat down with the rest of the Slytherins for breakfast.
As he reached for a raisin scone, he casually let his eyes look over to the Gryffindor table, trying to convince himself that he was just looking, no hidden meanings. He didn't want to see Harry. He didn't need to see Harry.
Who was he kidding?
Harry certainly was easy to spot, sitting all alone at one end of the table, not one Gryffindor even glancing his way. He was the picture of morose, sitting with his cheek in his hand and absently pushing his food around his plate with his fork.
Draco carefully buttered his scone, repeating in his head over and over, 'I will not feel sorry for him...I will not feel sorry for him...'
Who was he kidding?
"I saw Potter leaving your room again this morning."
Draco tilted his head and listened closely to what Vincent Balkwill was saying.
"Yeah, so?" came Ethan's easy reply.
"Well, that's twice I've seen him leave your room wearing different clothes than he came in with."
A pause. Draco glanced up and saw Ethan smiling as he dipped into his porridge.
"What can I say?" Ethan shrugged. "He just can't get enough."
Vincent laughed. "The Golden Boy sure likes his fair share of bad boys. Who knew he had such a twisted streak in him? Oi, Malfoy!"
Draco turned and tried to look as if he hadn't been listening all along. "What?"
"Was Potter that way with you, too?"
"What way?" Draco feigned confusion.
"You know, gagging for it?" Vincent replied crudely.
Draco rolled his eyes and turned away, ignoring the sound of Vincent's perverse laughter. He flicked his eyes over to Harry's hunched over figure and relaxed somewhat. He knew Harry wasn't that easy, he would never sleep with Ethan, whom he hardly knew, so soon. Harry just wasn't like that.
"So how was he, Ethan?" Vincent asked loudly. "On a scale of one to ten?"
"I am not answering that," Ethan sniffed. "That is none of your business."
"He can't answer that because he doesn't know," Draco thought to himself with satisfaction.
"Oh, come on," Vincent whined.
"No, we really don't need to know that," Blaise Zabini put in firmly.
There was a chorus of agreement from around them.
"You don't want to know?" Vincent asked incredulously.
"No," Blaise said in disgust. "But I'm beginning to wonder about why you do, though."
Vincent sent him a withering look.
Draco laughed along with everyone else. He glanced over at Ethan and found the older boy looking straight back at him. It was somewhat disconcerting.
Ethan smirked and turned to Vincent. "I will say that Harry Potter has the cutest little freckle on his right hip."
Draco froze.
"Ew!" Pansy exclaimed. "That is way more than I need to know about Potter's body."
Blaise wrinkled his nose and pushed his plate away.
Everyone laughed.
Draco suddenly found it hard to swallow. How could Harry have slept with someone else already?
The rest of the morning seemed to race by in a haze, the unpleasant image of Harry and Ethan having sex firmly imprinted in his mind, until suddenly it was the last class of the day. Potions. With Harry.
Draco burned with anger, at Harry and himself. Why was Harry's behaviour suddenly so radically different? How could he sleep with Ethan? And why was he having such a hard time detaching himself from Harry?
Those questions would just have to be added to the ever growing pile.
Snape assigned them a new, somewhat complicated, potion to do in pairs.
Draco started to make his way over to Blaise, when he was pulled aside by Snape.
"Sorry, Mr Malfoy," he spoke quietly. "But I need you to partner, Potter. It seems no one in his house wishes to work with him."
"Either do I," Draco protested.
Snape gave him a stern look
"Alright, alright," Draco grumbled.
Snape squeezed his shoulder and looked over at Harry, who was sitting alone at the front of the Gryffindor side of the room.
"Mr Potter, come and partner, Draco."
There were a few oo's and ah's from the Slytherins, and the Gryffindors looked on interestedly, despite themselves.
Harry took a deep breath, gathered his books and bag, then trooped over to Draco's table and sat down, careful not to look directly at him.
"Get to work," Snape snapped to the class. "You have one hour."
Draco retrieved their supplies and sat back down. Harry set up the equipment. They worked in silence for the first half hour, not even making eye-contact.
The rest of the class was disappointed, and eventually stopped watching the pair for any fireworks.
Draco just wanted to leave. He hated feeling uncomfortable. He glanced up at the clock, and in doing so, saw the bruise on Harry's left cheek.
"What happened to your face?" he asked automatically, unaware of the concern in his voice.
Harry jumped and looked over in surprise. "What do you care?"
"I don't," Draco replied indifferently.
"Then don't ask."
Draco could feel the anger rising again. "I was just curious."
"Since when did you care about my well-being?" Harry asked icily, keeping his eyes glued to the potion he was mixing.
"Since when did you become such a slut?"
"What is that supposed to mean?" Harry demanded, abandoning his work to look over.
"It means, it seems anyone can get into your pants these days."
Harry's eyes blazed in anger. "What the fuck would you know?"
"I have eyes, Harry," Draco retorted, not even noticing the name slip.
"Yeah? Well, Ethan is ten times the person you are and better in bed than you'll ever be!"
Draco pushed back his chair roughly and stood up, Harry doing the same.
They stood face to face, fists clenched at their sides and glaring each other down.
"Potter! Malfoy!"
Professor Snape strode over and pushed them apart.
The class watched with baited breath.
"Out in the hallway now," he ordered. "I'll deal with you after class."
Harry promptly turned on his heel and stormed out.
"But-" Draco started.
"I said, I'll deal with you after class," Snape repeated angrily.
Draco sighed and slowly walked out of the classroom, closing the door behind him. He found Harry leaning against the wall, fuming, his arms firmly crossed over his chest. Draco walked over to the opposite wall and glared at him.
"You've ruined my fucking life," Draco grumbled.
"Me? Me?" Harry exclaimed, somewhat hysterically. "Who dumped who?"
"Who slept with the first person they found afterwards?"
"What does that matter to you?" Harry demanded, pushing himself off the wall. "You don't own me anymore."
"I never owned you," Draco sneered, stepping forward. "You were a burden."
"You seemed to enjoy it at the time," Harry snapped.
"Slut."
"Coward."
Suddenly there was no more room between them, they were face to face again, the tension heavy in the air between them.
"I don't know what I ever saw in you," Draco whispered vehemently.
"I hate you."
"I hate you more."
Draco grabbed Harry by the front of his robes and glared at him.
"What are you going to do?" Harry challenged. "Hit me?"
"No." Draco pulled him forward and crushed his mouth against Harry's.
Harry spluttered with shock and tried to break free.
Draco closed his eyes and placed a hand on Harry's cheek to keep him still. Harry could feel his defences weakening as the taste and feel of Draco's all too familiar lips kissed him once again.
Draco released his hold on Harry's robes and stepped back half a step, breathing heavily and watching Harry's face intently.
Harry licked his lips in wonderment and stared at him, then stepped forwards and pressed his lips to Draco's once more. He wrapped his arms around Draco and held him tightly. It all felt so wonderful, like a dream.
Then Draco pushed him away.
"No, Harry," he panted. "We can't."
Harry almost sobbed at the sudden loss. He couldn't believe Draco was doing this to him again.
A sudden gasp made the two boys turn their heads and look up the hallway.
Ethan was staring at them with a hurt look on his face.
"Ethan, I..." Harry stammered.
Ethan turned and ran up the hallway.
Harry glanced at Draco, then took off after him.
Draco slumped against the wall and slid down to the floor. A whole new pile of questions spinning round his head.
Harry caught up to Ethan at the end of the corridor and put a hand on his shoulder.
"Ethan?" he started gently.
Ethan whipped around and punched Harry directly in the face, breaking his glasses and sending him flying onto the floor.
Harry clutched his bloodied nose and looked up at Ethan apprehensively.
"How could you, Harry?" Ethan demanded.
"I...I'm sorry," Harry said sadly. "I don't know why..."
"I don't want to see you anymore."
"No, no please." Harry scrambled to his feet. "I'm so sorry. It didn't mean anything. Please don't leave me, too."
Ethan turned his back on Harry and sighed.
"Please?"
"Alright," Ethan finally accepted. "But you must promise me never to speak with Malfoy again, or even look at him. You know how I get."
"I promise," Harry agreed instantly, blood still flowing freely from his nose and a cut on his cheek. "Just don't leave me."
"You know you don't deserve it..."
"I know," Harry lowered his eyes guiltily.
"Alright, go to the library and I'll meet you there in a few minutes."
Harry nodded, picked up his broken glasses, and wiped his face on his sleeve as he obediently made his way directly to the library.
Class was over now and students were filing into the corridors around him. He hid his face in his sleeve and ducked through the library door.
He was worried about Snape's reaction when he saw that he had left, but there was nothing he could do about it now, this was more important.
He roamed between the rows of books and looked through the section on charms. Squinting his eyes to see without the aid of his glasses.
He couldn't believe that Ethan had forgiven him so easily. He really didn't deserve him. He cursed himself for letting Draco, no, Malfoy now, make a fool of him again.
No more, he vowed.
Harry found the book he was looking for and pulled it from the shelf, then settled at a table near the back and flipped it open. He ran his finger down the table of contents and stopped at the chapter he was interested in, chapter thirteen – 'Concealment Charms.'
He absently rubbed at the blood drying on his face as he memorized the simple spell.
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~ Whew! Longest chapter yet, go me! Anyhoo, the scene I was hoping to have a drawing done of was the scene near the beginning where Harry and Ethan are in the bathroom together. A pic of Ethan standing behind Harry with his arms wrapped around his waist from behind and looking into the mirror at their reflection, and Harry looking despondently down into the sink. I would absolutely love it and be eternally grateful. Anyone? Pretty please? I'll give you a chocolate covered Draco...