//I want your love, let's break the walls between us//

Harry found a tree to sit under until it was time for class. He felt awful for yelling at Hermione and more than a little childish. She was only trying to help him. But he just couldn't tell her. What would he say? "By the way, Herm, the reason I've been so distracted is because I fancy the one person we've hated for the past seven years. I hope you don't mind." Sure, and Dobby preferred residing with the Malfoys.

He sat staring into space when Hermione and Ron came running up to him. "Geez, Harry, you sure are hard to find," Ron said between gasps.

"I just wanted to be alone for a little while," Harry replied.

"Listen, Harry, we know what's bothering you. Why didn't you just tell us?" Hermione asked.

"What are you talking about?" Harry blinked.

"About Malfoy, mate," Ron said. "It's bloody written all over your face."

"I don't know what you're talking about," Harry replied. "I have no feelings for him whatsoever-- shit!"

Ron grinned. "I knew it!"

Harry turned such a shade of red it would make any Weasley proud. He stood and started to walk away.

Hermione grabbed his arm. "Oh, no you don't, Harry James Potter! Stop running away from us. We're your friends, remember?"

Harry blinked again.

"Harry! Why didn't you tell us?" Ron repeated Hermione's question.

Harry started fidgeting with his robe. "I thought you'd flip. We're supposed to hate Malfoy, remember? I didn't know what you'd think of me."

"Well, I can't exactly say we're thrilled about it," Ron told him. "I mean, this *is* Malfoy we're talking about. But we're behind you all the way, no matter what."

Harry and Hermione looked at Ron like he'd just sprouted an extra tongue. "Ron, are you feeling okay?" Hermione asked, putting a hand to his forehead. "This doesn't sound like you at all."

Ron shook her hand off of his head. "Hey, Harry means more to me than some stupid grudge. I'm not a beast, you know. Malfoy isn't going to take my best friend away from me. Now let's go, Loverboy." Ron looked at Harry and winked. Harry and Hermione shook their heads and followed him to Care of Magical Creatures.

~~~~~~

Draco skipped lunch so he didn't have to look at Harry and his friends. No doubt they were talking and laughing at him about the whole Potions fiasco. He lay on his bed, relieved not to have to deal with them. Then it hit him. Care of Magical Creatures. Draco sat straight up. "Bloody hell!" he yelled. He had forgotten all about it. All three of the Gryffindors had the class with him. 'Well, maybe it'll go quickly,' he thought. It would be his last class of the day, and then he could come back to his room and hide the rest of the day until detention. He slid off the bed and picked up his bag. He headed to Hagrid's class, hoping there wouldn't be another disaster.

~~~~~~

The three Gryffindors reached the grounds near Hagrid's cottage, and Harry couldn't believe his eyes. How appropriate. A dragon was chained to a post, sound asleep. Ron and Hermione snickered. "Come on, mate, you have to admit it's kind of funny," Ron said.

"Sure, that's easy for you to say. You don't have dragons on the brain." Harry felt a lot more at ease now that his secret was out. Ron and Hermione both told him on the way to class their belief that Draco returned Harry's feelings, but Harry was skeptical. 'Come on, now what're the chances?' he'd asked. They both just looked at him and shook their heads.

Most of the class was assembled when Draco sauntered towards the group. It was a small class this year, with only the three Gryffindors, Draco being the only Slytherin, and a few Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws. Draco did everything he could to avoid looking at the Gryffindors.

Hagrid came from his cottage and made his way to the dragon. "'Ello, everyone," he said, "this is Joseph, he's a Peruvian Vipertooth. He's only abou' eight months old, that's why he's not very big." Joseph probably could've swallowed Hagrid whole. "He's sleeping now, but if woken they can be very irritable. . . ."

Harry didn't hear much of the lesson. He concentrated on the blond at the far side of the group. Draco looked very interested in what Hagrid had to say. Harry found this unusual, considering by this time Draco usually started heckling Hagrid. Harry couldn't keep his eyes off of him. Now that he had Ron and Hermione on his side, things might not be so bad. Maybe he would have a chance. . . .

Harry started imagining the reaction he and Draco would get as a couple. First the students. The Gryffindors would be scandalized. The Hufflepuffs would run their mouths about it for months. The Ravenclaws would study and try to find the logic in it. Then there were the professors. Dumbledore would be ecstatic. Merlin, Dumbledore probably already knew. McGonagall would disapprove at first, then soften. Snape, well. . . . Harry grinned. Snape would keel over and die from the shock. He could see it now, Snape being levitated on a stretcher, off to the infirmary, students pointing and laughing. . . .

Horrified screams snapped Harry out of his daze. What? Then Harry heard a loud *snap* and opened his eyes. When had he closed his eyes? He heard Hermione shout, "Harry, get out of the way!" Harry looked up just in time to discover Joseph running straight toward him. Why wouldn't his feet move?

The next thing Harry knew, someone collided with his midsection, throwing him to the ground. He rolled several feet, in a tangle of arms and legs with his savior. Harry looked up to see who had tackled him. He looked straight into the eyes of a panting, disheveled Draco Malfoy. Malfoy's cheeks flushed, but he couldn't seem to remove himself from his position.

Harry's felt as if he were on fire. His heart beat so quickly he thought it would burst. "Malfoy. . . ."

Malfoy quickly rose to his feet, smoothing his robes. He tried to control his breathing. "Not a word, Potter. From now on, perhaps you shouldn't daydream quite so much."

Harry turned a deep shade of crimson and raised himself on his elbows. "Uhh . . . ." he started eloquently. He could hear Hermione gasp and Ron snicker.

"I said, not a word. Be assured, there will be no repeat performance. Don't make me regret my decision to save your sorry arse. Just be thankful that someone was paying attention, otherwise you would be part of the soil by now." He looked meaningfully at Ron and Hermione. "I expect that your friends should keep a better eye on you, considering you can't quite keep yourself out of peril long enough to blink." Draco snorted. "Boy Who Lived, indeed." He turned and stalked away.

Harry stood and tried to steady his breathing. He looked around. Hagrid had disappeared, no doubt trying to round up Joseph. Ron and Hermione gaped like two fish, not knowing what to say. The Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws all whispered madly to each other and stared at Draco. Draco seemed oblivious to everything, leaning on the fence and concentrating on the post where Joseph used to be.

Hermione and Ron ran to Harry. "Harry, are you all right?" Hermione asked.

Harry dusted his robes off. His breathing returned to normal, but he was still flushed and shaking. "Yeah, I'm fine," he said.

"I can't believe it!" Ron exclaimed. "Malfoy could have just completely ruined his reputation right there. Right in public! This will be all over the school in no time!" Hagrid could be heard running around behind them, calling to Joseph.

Hermione just stood with her eyes wide open. "Harry, if you wanted proof. . . ."

"That didn't mean anything, Hermione," Harry replied, pulling a leaf from his hair. Then a smile spread across his face. "Wow, that was really. . . ." Harry stared off, relishing the thought of himself and Draco rolling around on the ground.

"Stop!" Ron cringed. "Anyway, Harry, do you honestly think he would have gone out of his way to keep you from getting hurt if he didn't at least *like* you? This will get back to his housemates in no time. He's going to catch hell!" Ron tried to keep his voice low.

At that moment, Draco left the fence and walked fiercely towards the school, glaring at the Gryffindors as he strode by them. "I'm telling you," Harry whispered, "he hates me."

Ron and Hermione both sighed and shook their heads. "You're hopeless, Harry," Hermione told him.

Hagrid finally made his way back to them, walking Joseph as if he were a dog on a leash. "Alrigh' then, I think class can be dismissed fer today." He breathed heavily. "Are you alrigh', Harry?"

"Yeah, I'm fine, Hagrid," Harry said. "How did you manage to get them to let you use a dragon anyway?"

"Joseph is actually a righ' tame one. One of the Hufflepuffs got a little too close and stumbled righ' into him. I suppose I should go and contact Charlie." Hagrid sighed and patted Joseph on the nose. Joseph snorted in reply. "I'm sure ol' Malfoy will run righ' to Dumbledore with this one."

"Actually, Hagrid, I don't think Malfoy will be saying a whole lot about this. He's going to have enough problems as it is." Ron snickered. Harry glared at him.

"Well, we'll get going then, Hagrid," Hermione said. "We'll see you later."

The trio made their way across the grounds. "So, Harry, what're you going to do about this?" Ron asked.

"Not a bloody thing. I just want to forget it happened." Harry sighed and ran a hand through his hair.

"Don't you think you should at least talk to him?"

"Sure, Ron, I'll just waltz right up to him and say, 'So, Malfoy, since you just saved me from a pissed off dragon, why don't we go find ourselves a nice corner and snog for a while?' I don't think so."

"Oh, come on, Harry, I really think we're right about this."

"I agree with Ron, Harry," Hermione spoke up. "You should talk to him. At least thank him for it."

"This is Malfoy, Hermione. He won't give a rat's arse about a thank you. Besides, you two are being way too calm about all this. Why aren't you giving me hell about it?"

Hermione stopped and grabbed Harry's arm. "Harry, I wouldn't care if you shoved Greg Goyle up against the wall and stuck your tongue down his throat." Ron gagged. She ignored him. "Ok, so you fancy Malfoy. You can't control your feelings, and neither can we. We're your friends, and we're here for you, no matter what you do. If things end badly, we'll be here to pick up the pieces. We're not the Slytherins, do you understand that?"

"You're hurting me," Harry said. Hermione released his arm. "Yeah, I get it. It's just that all this time, we've been so awful to each other. Can we really get past everything?"

"I don't know, Harry. You'll just have to see."

Ron had to add his two cents. "Besides, you know if he does anything to hurt you, he's a dead man, right?"

Harry grinned at Ron. "I'd expect nothing less, mate." The trio headed to Gryffindor Tower to get ready for their next class.