Recap: Draco reached out a hand and, before Harry could stop him, touched the door with his outstretched fingertips.

Posted: 1-31-05

Mad About You
Chapter Six – None of Your Business
Grimmauld Place

Harry watched as Draco's pale fingers moved down the contrasting black grain of the door. Energy rippled across it like a barrier of some sort, moving from the center outward toward the marked frame.

Draco seemed entranced with the door, standing still next to the brunette, not removing his hand. Instead he pressed his palm flat against the wood and barrier, sending ripples continuously to the frames.

"Hey – "

Harry reached his own hand out, clamping it around Draco's wrist, about to pull it away from the door. The ripples took on a red sheen. A cranking sound startled Harry as the door slid back into the wall on the left side of its frame, revealing a dark room to the boys.

Harry stared into the room, the negative-like picture appearing in his head, flashes of the door in his dream. Movement snapped him back to reality: Draco had taken a step towards the doorway. Harry's hand moved up and stayed fastened around Draco's forearm.

"What are you doing?" The words sounded strangled to his ears, which were filled by a dull roar. Was Draco actually going into the room that had appeared out of nowhere?

"Finding out what's in the room. Don't tell me you're scared – you've entered a room before." Draco said, smirking at Harry. Harry's hand was warm on his arm.

"It wasn't there before. What if you go in and it disappears for ten years? Where will we be then?" Harry argued. All he could see was the door from his dream.

"Don't be such a girl, Harry. Do you want me to hold your hand?" 'Please say YES!'

"You're the princess, Draco." He growled, letting go of Draco's arm stiffly.

"So shall you lead, or shall I?" Draco taunted. Why was he pushing Harry's buttons right now? The fire had lit up in Harry's green eyes, burning into Draco. Merlin, he loved Harry's fire.

Harry opened his mouth to reply but someone stomping up the stairs, so close to them, interrupted him. Several someones. Harry closed his eyes. 'Why me?' He pushed the blond Slytherin into the dark room without another word.

As Harry followed Draco into the dark room, the magical door slid shut behind them. Harry strained to hear anything from the hallway, pressing his ear to the door. Draco moved closer in front of him, placing a hand next to his head on the door.

"Where do you get off shoving me in here?" He whispered. They were enshrouded in darkness, and the only way Harry could tell Draco was so close was by feeling his breath on his cheek.

"Be quiet." He shushed him. They were going to get caught if Draco kept talking.

"What do you-" Harry clamped his hand around Draco's mouth, silencing him. Draco, feeling his hand, pressed into Harry and held his breath. It could be one of the few times they'd ever be this close so Draco took what he could get.

Harry found it hard to concentrate on what was happening with Draco against him. He initially inhaled sharply at the contact and was getting lightheaded with the blond's intoxicating vanilla and spice scent. He could feel his heart beating quickly in rhythm with his own.

A loud sound came from right outside the door they were leaning against, breaking into Harry's thoughts. He held his breath until the sound faded, his heartbeat loud in his ears. 'That was close.' He thought, letting go of Draco. The Slytherin stayed where he was, still stuck on the thought 'I could kiss him right now, quickly.'

When Draco didn't move away, Harry whispered to him, "D-Draco? Lumos." His wand lit at their sides, casting their faces in shadows as it brightened the room.

Draco gave Harry a fake glare. "I was three seconds from biting your hand, I'll have you know."

Harry was about to respond when the door behind him slid back into the wall, causing him to fall backwards. Draco, who had been leaning against him, fell on top of Harry out in the hall, their limbs all tangled.

"Oomph!" The air rushed out of him at the hard impact and it took a second to realize exactly what had happened.

"Why in Morrigan's bleeding name is FERRET on top of Harry!" A voice screeched from above, turning Harry's stomach to lead. "What are you doing?"

Draco stiffened above him, gripping Harry's forearms. He brought his head up, taking a moment to look into Harry's green eyes to see the fear. He was ripped away violently by Ron who proceeded to grip the front of his shirt, shoving him against the wall. Harry sat up, rubbing the back of his head with his hand. He looked around at Tonks, Moody, and Hermione standing around him, none moving to help him up.

"How'd you get into the room, Harry?" Tonks asked, leaning against the opposite wall. Harry didn't answer her, instead getting up and moving over to where Ron and Draco were glaring at each other, a murderous glint in Ron's eyes.

"Ron, stop. Stop!" He tugged Ron's arm, "Stop it! We were just hiding from whoever was coming!"

"What is he doing here? With you!" Ron yelled, face flushed with his explosive anger.

"It's none of your business why I'm here or why I'm with him, Weasley." Draco said icily. He straightened and brushed his front off when Ron let him go with Harry's pulling.

"You-"

"Boys! Ron be quiet, there are more important things going on. I can tell you for a fact Malfoy is here on Dumbledore's order, so calm down. Harry answer Tonks' question." Moody grumbled.

Draco and Harry looked at the gnarled man. "We were just exploring. What's in that room?" He answered.

Moody thought on that for a minute, as if deciding whether or not they should have that information. "It's a safe room. Did you open it, Harry?"

The brunette glanced at Draco, wondering why it was important. "No…" Draco stepped closer to Harry away from where Ron was still seething, thinking 'If it's safe in there, let us back in!' Harry looked to Hermione, who had not said a word, seeming a little shocked.

Tonks saw the look pass between them, quickly putting two and two together. "Right, well! Mad-eye, I think these four need to talk, and we need to see Dumbledore."

Harry spoke, "Is Dumbledore here?"

"Ah, sorry, no Harry. C'mon Mad-eye." Tonks and Moody left, Draco eyeing Moody's back distastefully. 'Probably still angry about the ferret transfiguration with the imposter.' Harry thought, trying to stall from the imminent talk with his best friends.

"Shall we go into the drawing room perhaps? Walls have ears." Hermione suggested. Harry looked back at her gratefully. Ron angrily, but mutely, showed his agreement by stomping down the stairs with Hermione in tow. Harry glanced at Draco, very conscious of how they were found, and how they'd been in the room.

Draco didn't really want the third degree from Weasel but he didn't want Harry to go into that alone. He finally had a taste of Harry's friendship and he wouldn't let him be easily dissuaded from him. 'He's mine, Weasel.' He went with Harry to the drawing room behind the sidekicks.

Harry felt like he was walking to his doom, each step closer to the drawing room getting heavier and harder to take. He'd gladly face Voldemort visions or Voldemort himself if he didn't have to explain the truce and hanging out with Malfoy to his two best friends. Especially when he found himself enjoying his company.

Inside the room, Harry threw himself down on a two-seater couch in front of where Hermione and Ron sat in another couch. Draco looked around the room tensely, not wanting to be near the angry sidekicks. He spotted a large tapestry and went over to it, studying it with interest behind Harry.

"Alright, what's going on?" Hermione asked, hands clasped in her lap. Harry glanced to Draco, unsure of how much he wanted revealed. He didn't want them to know he was there in the first place, and oddly enough, Harry respected that.

Draco spoke, still looking away from them, but feeling the brunette's eyes. "I called a truce with Potter. He knows my reasons so it's none of your business."

Ron's eyes widened and he spluttered angrily. "None of our… none of our business? Harry's our best friend, of course it is!" He turned to Harry. "What possible reason could he have that you'd accept, Harry? He's tormented us for five years!" Ron stood furiously and paced during his rant. "Just last year he was with Umbridge's Inquisitorial Squad! He's tried getting Hagrid sacked almost yearly! And called us horrid names like the filthy little ferret he is! You two fight every time you're in the same room together! You can forgive all that in just a few days? I can't believe it!"

"Ron…" Hermione tried, stopping his pacing.

"No, Hermione, I want to know why. The stupid snake's probably got some scheme going anyway."

Harry grew almost as angry as Ron during his tirade. Didn't they trust his decisions? Weren't they his to make, anyway? They only want to control your life, the voice in the back of his mind hissed. Ron doesn't want you to have any other friends.

"Ron, this is not spontaneous; I've been thinking about it for some time." He said heatedly, staring at his two friends. "And, his reasons are mine to know."

Draco leaned against the wall, observing Harry with his arms crossed and a smirk on his face. Harry was standing up for him, sending a warm feeling through his heart. He wanted to bust the Weasel's face in for saying all of that but the content feeling in his heart that Weasel wouldn't steal Harry away like he did in their first year took over.

"Hermione?" Ron looked helplessly at the girl beside him.

"Harry," Hermione started carefully. "You know I support you. I always will, but… I don't know exactly how – I don't know if I can accept Malfoy." She gazed at him sorrowfully.

Hearing that she supported him calmed him a little but her honesty nonetheless was still a hard blow to take. He hadn't really expected Ron to accept Malfoy anytime soon, but Hermione, who had always spoken of inter-House relations, wasn't accepting either. Harry couldn't really blame her though; he knew being called a Mudblood for five years had taken its toll.

"I understand. We're going to go, if that's all?" He made to stand up.

Hermione shook her head and looked to Draco. "If you don't mind my asking, Malfoy, what are you doing here in HQ?"

Draco sat himself down on the couch arm next to Harry, debating whether he should say anything or tell her it's none of her business. "Harry's not the only one the Dark Lord is after." He stood, looking to Harry for him to stand also.

"Harry, hm? You're all of a sudden on a first name basis?" Ron bit out, irritated still.

"Leave it, Ron, let them go." Hermione put a hand on his arm.

Inside Harry's mind as he walked out with Draco, the voice spoke again, if they really cared, they wouldn't have let you leave. They would have wanted you to stay… they're still hiding something from you.

He shook his head slightly, gaining Draco's attention.

"What?"

"Nothing. I didn't like that situation." Harry admitted. He changed the subject. "That room… why do you suppose we could open it?"

"I don't know. They're probably not going to tell us either." Draco said as they made their way back to Harry's room. It was better than having the chance of running into Ron and Hermione anywhere. With their exploring cut short, Harry sat down on his bed. Draco uncomfortably stood near his dresser, hands in his pockets.

"Listen… I'm sorry about that. If I hadn't been in such a rush to look around, you wouldn't have been seen by them," Harry said in a rush, staring at the bed covers. "You-"

"Don't apologize, it's not your fault." Draco interrupted. The last thing the boy needed was more guilt. "Do you know what that tapestry was in the drawing room?"

Harry glanced towards him. "The..? Oh. The family tree of the Blacks. What's wrong with it?"

"I'm just curious. I've only seen those kinds of trees in my father's library."

The Gryffindor lay back on the bed. "Well, that makes sense doesn't it? You're related to the Blacks through your mother. Purebloods and all that, right?"

Draco was quiet, causing Harry to roll his head over to look at him with question.

Draco merely shook his head. "It's nothing. I must think about this some more. I'll-"

A knock on the door interrupted him. Harry looked from the blond to the door. "Yeah?"

"It's me, Ginny." Her welcome voice came in through the door muffled. Draco visibly relaxed, leaning against the dresser.

"Come on in, Gin."

The young redhead opened the door and slid inside his room, looking at both boys.

"That bubblehead found you out, huh?" She asked Draco.

"You really do have good hearing, don't you?" Harry exclaimed, surprised she'd know when she'd been in the kitchen, though Draco had told him about her hearing everything.

"Yes, but Ron's also storming around. He sounded really angry, so I take it didn't go well? He looked over at Harry, sitting on the bed with him.

"It really didn't. They opened a door behind us and we fell through, then Ron ripped him off me." Harry explained. Ginny's eyebrows shot up at his description.

"Malfoy was on you, huh?"

"Well yeah, we fell… you haven't been talking to Fred and George have you..?" Harry said slowly, suspicious about what she meant.

Ginny smiled innocently. "What would I have to talk about with Fred and George?"

Harry sighed with relief. "Nothing."

"Right.. nothing, like your princess." She burst out laughing.

Harry groaned, reaching up for his pillow which he smacked her with. He looked at Draco, who was watching the two of them with hooded eyes. He was really watching Harry because when he reached up, his shirt rode up on his stomach a few inches. His pale white skin was screaming out to Draco to be touched and caressed, kissed and worshipped. His heated gaze moved up Harry's chest to his bright eyes.

The moment Harry took his eyes away from the problem at hand to see Draco gave Ginny window enough to sneak a pillow over from the head of bed. WHACK! Harry's glasses fell off as she swung the pillow to hit the back of his head. The gaze between the two boys broke as she then continued to beat him with it mercilessly. He tried blocking the pillow but she seemed to have several handy. 'Where did all these pillows come from?' he had the chance to wonder briefly, before enduring another whack to the face.

"Draco!" Harry called from his curled position of protection under the bombardment of Ginny's furious pillow beating. "Don't just stand there, help me!"

Draco laughed at how pitiful Harry sounded, being beaten on by a fluffy pillow by a young girl. Nevertheless, he picked up Harry's forgotten glasses and a stray pillow, put the glasses on the dresser, and joined in on beating Harry.

"No, you traitor!" Harry gasped. In retaliation, he uncurled and swung his pillow at the two of them.

"I joined the winning side, what can I say?" Draco smirked as he blocked Harry's blow to his legs and swiped at his own. Ginny went in for a back attack, forcing Harry to fall over. He took Draco down with him with a tackle.

"Hermione, I just don't get it! He must've put a spell on him, hoodwinked him somehow. There's no bloody way possible Harry would even talk to Malfoy." Ron slammed his fist on the couch arm as if to emphasize his point.

"Ron, all I'm saying is to trust Harry. "Hermione said as she watched him pace around the drawing room again. "If Malfoy's here… it makes sense what he said."

Ron stopped and looked at the girl, baffled.

She rolled her eyes. "Malfoy's almost sixteen. He said Harry wasn't the only one Voldemort – " Ron winced at the name earning a frown from her. "is after, so he must want Malfoy to join him because like his father, Malfoy would be a good asset, if not for his intelligence, then because of his influence on the rest of the Slytherins. He'd probably be starting Death Eater training."

Ron threw her an exasperated look. "Herm, what makes you think he wouldn't join? Wait!" He pointed at the door. "What if he is a Death Eater and it's all a ploy to get Harry to You-Know-Who?"

Looking to the Black Family Tree tapestry, Hermione frowned. "It's possible, but not probably. Dumbledore wouldn't be fooled by something like that." Ron sat down next to her, facing towards her.

"He was fooled by Quirrel and the imposter Moody." He pointed out.

'Yes, he had been, but knowing he had been would he allow himself to be fooled again?' Hermione thought. She bit her lip in concentration.

"All I can say is we should keep an eye on them then." She crossed her arms over her chest and looked at him. He slung a freckled arm around her shoulders scooting closer on the couch.

A knock on the door announced Mrs. Weasley as she hustled into the room. Her weary face was gripped with excitement, as if Dumbledore had just announced Voldemort's demise.

"Hey you two, I've just received letters from the school. Come downstairs and open them up – I believe they're the O.W.L results."

She trooped them out of the room, into the hallway. As they passed by Harry's room, she knocked and relayed the same message. Harry and an extremely reluctant Malfoy joined them in the hallway, along with Ginny. All three were red-faced and breathing hard, with light grins on their faces.

Ron didn't like seeing Malfoy in Harry's room at all, especially breathless. It was just.. wrong. A scowl like no other marred his face and he stomped down the stairs.

Harry really couldn't do anything about Ron. Since when did he care whom Harry hung out with? Since he realized it wasn't him recently? Tough. That morning's comment was scratching at his mind, irritating him every time he saw the redhead.

He snuck a sad glance to Hermione who was walking with Ron, eager to see her results. What would they do after school? Hermione would perhaps carry on with S.P.E.W. or work some high up job for the Ministry. She's the most intelligent witch in their year, if not all of Hogwarts. It would be surprising if she didn't g on to do something great. Ron might go for auror or some other Ministry job. They'd work for the Ministry that ahd been so against him, because what other job was out there if you didn't work for either the Ministry, a school, or a shop?

Harry could barely see himself as an auror anymore. He couldn't see himself as anything. He could see himself up to the point where he finally faced off with Voldemort, then after that, nothing. His stomach curled at the unsettling thought. Things did not bode well for him if he couldn't even imagine surviving the final battle…

Down in the kitchen, Mrs. Weasley handed out the four letters. Hermione took a deep breath and grinned nervously at Mrs. Weasley, Harry, and Ron before carefully opening the seal. Ron ripped his open, and Harry and Draco just held theirs, simply watching. Draco motioned to Ginny and Harry before going back upstairs, leaving them all to probably open his in privacy. Harry stood on the edge, waiting to hear how many O.W.L.s they received.

"Oh!" Hermione gasped at the paper. She flung her arms around Ron's neck, hugging him fiercely. He held her waist, a dopey confused look on his face.

"I got them all! All eleven classes, I got Outstandings! There's even a letter from Professor Dumbledore about a merit of achievement!" She shouted, waving the results around now, the hug momentarily forgotten, even though Ron was still a little red.

"How did you do?" She looked to him.

"Erm... well… I won't have to take Divination anymore… or Potions… eh.." Off his mother's look, Ron mended his explanation. "I got Charms, Herbology, Care of Magical Creatures, Transfiguration, and Defense."

"Only five?" His mother asked, an edge to her nagging tone. He shrugged weakly.

Harry dully began opening his letter, away from everyone's bickering over Ron's results. If Ron received five, he couldn't have done that badly, could he?

He opened the letter, skipping down to where the results were listed:

Astronomy: Theory: Exceeds Practical: PoorOverall: Acceptable

Care of Magical Creatures: Theory: Outstanding Practical: Outstanding Overall: Outstanding

Charms:Theory: Exceeds Practical: Exceeds Overall: Exceeds

Defense Against Dark Arts:Theory: Outstanding Practical: Outstanding Overall: Outstanding

Divination:Theory: Poor Practical: PoorOverall: Poor

Herbology:Theory: Exceeds Practical: Exceeds Overall: Exceeds

History of Magic:Theory: Dreadful Practical-Overall: Dreadful

Potions:Theory: Exceeds Practical: Outstanding Overall: Outstanding

Transfiguration:Theory: Acceptable Practical: Exceeds Overall: Exceeds

He stared at the results for a while. Seven O.W.L.s. He wasn't really all that concerned with Divination, but how in Merlin's name had he pulled off an Outstanding in Potions! Checking the name on the envelope, he saw it was indeed addressed to him so it wasn't a mix-up.

Seven O.W.L.s. He could go ahead with being an auror if he wanted. If he wanted…

"Harry? How'd you do?" Hermione asked. They seemed to remember his presence.

Harry looked at Hermione with a lump in his throat. Not trusting his voice, he wordlessly handed her the letter. What did he want to do with his life? Will you have a life? The voice questioned.

"Oh! Harry! You can be an auror! This is wonderful!" She exclaimed.

"Yeah… wonderful." He plastered on a fake smile. Mrs. Weasley hugged him and started bustling around for a celebration. Ron patted his shoulder. Harry looked at Ginny, who grinned at him before motioning above with her head. The two of them slipped away back upstairs. Ginny pretended to gag at her mum's antics on the way.

"It's good you got the O.W.L.s you needed, Harry. Mum's gonna flip tonight in celebration. How do you think Malfoy did?" She stopped outside his door, looking curious.

"I don't know. It's not really any of my business-" He tried to protest as she dragged him in. At first, he didn't see Draco anywhere. The room – modeled like his, he noticed – was neat and appeared empty.

Ginny pulled him in farther and directed a question towards the bed. It was then he noticed the back of Malfoy's blond head peeking over the edge on the other side. 'Why is he on the floor?' he thought.

"How'd you do, Malfoy?" She went over to the window and looked down, while Harry stood at the door uncomfortably all of a sudden.

Draco looked up to Ginny and Harry silently listened. "Good… not as good as Granger probably." He sounded sad almost. "Good enough for a high Ministry position like my father wanted."

Ginny's face darkened at the mention of Lucius, but didn't voice her opinion.

"Harry?" The question startled him. Draco hadn't appeared to take notice to his presence but he apparently knew he'd been there without looking. The question in his voice wasn't directed at his presence but more towards the topic.

"Enough for auror." He answered simply. He didn't really want to clarify any more, it felt awkward sharing results with Draco for some reason. Sensing Draco's unwillingness to continue conversation, Harry backed out of the room silently with a nod from Ginny.

Ginny sat down on the floor across from the seemingly distraught boy. His letter was held loosely in his pale hand as he looked at her. It felt like he'd lost his father all over again, not being able to share his O.W.L.s with him. He pushed his head back against the mattress to look at the ceiling. Ginny seemed to understand he didn't feel like talking, but he was grateful for her just being there. She wasn't bad at all. Weasel on the other hand… 'Stupid Weasley... thought he could talk Harry out of being with me. He's going to have another thing coming to him if he thinks that now. He's mine, mine mine mine.' He had a feeling Harry was across the hallway brooding about how his friends reacted, but he didn't want to go over there just yet. So much had happened that day, in Harry's room, then the safe room or whatever it was… then the drawing room. A frown creased his brow as he thought about the family tree he'd seen, with holes blasted into it. Would his name have been blasted off?

Sighing deeply, Draco nodded to Ginny to say he was okay, before enjoying the silence with her.

A/N: Haaaaa.. chapter six! Took bloody forever, I'm sorry! Surprised about the room beyond the door? I don't really like this chapter, so it might be rewritten later. Thank you for the reviews… it's amazing when I ask for just ten, and get around 14 in the first few days it's out. Hurray! Again, not much prewritten (practically nothing really) so.. you know the drill. Reviews brighten my sad days.