Disclaimer: I'm not J.K.R...Thanks for noticing.

Warning: SLASH...yummy

Love, By Accident: The Aftermath

Draco was lying on his bed, in his Prefect bedroom, dazed and utterly confused. "This is all just too weird." he said to himself. "Potter, Dumbledore's 'Golden boy' is gay, and of all people for him to like, he chooses me."

He sighed and got up, realizing it was almost time for dinner. "This should be interesting," he said as he left.

"Harry, are you coming?" Ginny's sweet voice asked the boy face down on the couch.

He mumbled something incoherent to the pillow.

Ginny sighed. "If you won't tell me what's wrong, will you at least talk so I can hear you?"

Harry sat up. Ginny looked at him sheepishly, wanting to know what was wrong, but at the same time knowing he wouldn't tell her. "I'm not hungry," he said. Ginny frowned and turned to walk away. "I'll be in my dorm when you get back, come see me?"

She smiled and nodded, then continued on her way to dinner.

Sitting in his usual seat between Crabbe and Goyle in the Great Hall, Draco found his attention drawn to the door. He knew whom he was waiting for, even though he didn't want to believe it.

Draco hadn't been able to put Harry's words out of his head all afternoon. I'm afraid that you won't love me...it was just too weird.

Ginny Weasley walked in alone, and that's when Draco realized Harry wasn't coming. He sighed, though he hated the Gryffindor, he feared for the other boy's sanity...or so he told himself.

Draco watched Ginny as she took a seat with Dean Thomas, Seamus Finnaggin, and Neville Longbottom, all of Harry's dorm mates. The more he thought about it, Draco realized that since the beginning of their 6th year, Harry and Ginny had been spending a lot more time together, along with Dean Neville and Seamus. 'That's when Ron and Hermione stopped talking to me'...it all made sense.

Draco's eyes wandered over to where Hermione and Ron sat. They were with some other 6th years, but mostly talking to each other. They didn't look any different, they even looked happy.

Harry deserves better, he thought, and then suddenly registered what he had told himself. He got up from the table, without touching any food, and headed out the door, receiving confused looks from most of the Slytherins.

Harry was leaning against a tree by the lake, he remembered the tree as the one his father Sirius and Lupin sat under after their O.W.L.S. He often came to this spot to think, and almost always was alone.

Now, Harry closed his eyes and furrowed his brow. Why did Snape have to pair me with D-Malfoy? He asked himself, why did Malfoy have to give me the potion, what did he ask me those questions?

Harry sighed in defeat and buried his head in his arms.

He'd never wanted to fall in love with Draco, but then again there was a lot in his life he didn't want, and couldn't understand. When Sirius died the year before, Harry sulked for months, he wouldn't eat, he couldn't sleep, dreams and nightmares kept him up all the time. He himself had wanted to die.

But for some reason he pushed on. He made it through everyday. There were people who cared about him, who loved, him, and Harry wanted to believe it was those people that kept him from self-destruction. But what he realized was, that everyday he got up and went through the motions, every time he went to the Great Hall and didn't eat, went to class and didn't pay attention, everything he did, Draco was somehow involved. He started thriving on their meetings, as uncivil as they were, as insulting and crude Malfoy was, Harry found himself drawn to the boy.

Now he found himself loving the blonde. At the cost of two friends no less. Harry wondered what Sirius would think of him, what his father would think, he wondered what Draco thought.

But he didn't have to wonder long...

"I suppose we should talk about this then?"

Harry lifted his head; Draco stood a few feet in front of him, looking rather uncomfortable, the Gryffindor noted. "About what?" Harry asked, hoping Draco would go away without tormenting him further.

"About you confessing your love for me in Potions today you prat." Draco replied, an amused expression on his face.

A stab of pain coursed through Harry's body, does he have to turn this into a joke? He closed his eyes for a brief second, Draco recognizing the pain.

The blonde sat next to Harry on the ground. "I just don't understand it." he said, "I mean, we're enemies, we have been since the day we met, it's just a bit...odd for you to up and tell me you love me."

Harry looked over at him, "I was under the influence, remember?"

Draco rolled his eyes, "So I'm guessing you blame me for this?"

"Not exactly, I mean, if you hadn't given me the potion I never would have said anything...why did you anyway?"

Malfoy drew his eyes away from Harry's, "I'm ashamed to say I was worried about you," he finally managed. "You had just let me set you aside in class, and you've seemed a lot more...depressed lately-I mean, I wasn't like, watching you or-"

"Just an observation, I know Malfoy." Harry said defeated. "Well, now you know my deepest secret, hor-rah. Use it against me, torment me, do what you wish. Can you just leave me to sulk now?"

Draco opened his mouth to speak, then closed it, then opened it again, "I don't love you," he said. The words hit Harry like a thousands knives. "But...I'm willing to give you a chance."

Harry looked over at the blonde, "W-what?" he asked shocked.

"Oh for Merlin's sake Potter, don't look so happy. I said I'd give you a chance, we go on a date, and see what happens. Not making any promises."

"Right, of course," Harry smiled, "When?"

"I'd be cruel and make you wait, but I don't honestly feel like it, so, tomorrow night. I'm all yours." Draco got up and walked back to the castle, Harry still under the tree, smiling like a loon.