A/n:

Well.. these few chapters seem to be going on FOREVER! I have like 3 more chapters drafted and they still don't move on from this day! Even I can admit that it's starting to get ridiculous!! Oh well! And I agree with a reviewer that says that in most slashes, Harry is like the 'female' in the relationship and he's all naïve and stuff and I hate that too! So my Harry is gonna be just as tough as my Draco. But he's still gonna be weak in relation to Alex coz he's all manipulative and evil!

Okay, on with the show! And soon I will be writing my long awaited chapter of Strawberry Window SHADE (if any of you follow that story that's co-written my Sarah-the-beta-come-author!) [I'll give you all my...bass tabs if you do it this week! Pleeeeeeease?- Sarah]

Chapter 18- Silverfuck! [we couldn't leave it unnamed, could we dear? –Sarah]

As Draco stepped through the library doors he spotted Hermione, sitting in a corner with a book in her lap. He walked over and sat down beside her.

"Thanks for coming Malfoy," she began, as soon as he sat down.

"No problem. I presume we're here because of Harry and the ever-so-charming Alex?" Draco answered.

"Yes, there's something troublesome about him, don't you think?" said Hermione, searching Draco's face for clues to prove where she was headed.

"I don't trust him." Said Draco simply, "But he and I did get off to a bad start," he added.

"Because he didn't know you and Harry were living together?" asked Hermione.

"Yes, that and he caught Harry and I in the shower together," he mumbled in reply.

"WHAT?!" whispered Hermione fiercely.

"I was in a daze this morning and got into the shower while Harry was in there. it's not what you or Alex think!" explained Draco, a defensive tone building up in his voice.

"Mmhmm..." said Hermione thoughtfully, as she went through the clues in her mind. "Do you trust me, Malfoy?" she asked after some thought.

Draco turned to her and began to study her. She'd grown up a lot in the last year or so and was now very beautiful in a natural, down-to-earth kind of way. Some might call her sexy, but Draco didn't feel at all attracted to her; nor had he felt attracted to any other girl he'd seen lately.

"Well, Harry seems to trust you. You were the only person he told about his sexuality, and Harry has good judgement. So I guess I do trust you to some extent, although I don't know you all that well." Answered Draco, wondering where she was in headed in her line of questioning. If there was one thing he knew about Hermione, it was that she never asked a question for no reason.

"Well, Harry and I have little chats all the time and it seems to me that you two have developed quite a good friendship." Said Hermione.

"Yeah, you could say that..." said Draco sadly.

"Do you think that's all going to change now that Alex is here?" she asked tenderly.

"Maybe..." said Draco, "but I'll always feel the same way about him..." he said, before he realised how that could be taken.

"Well I'm sure that in time Harry will see that. I know that he cherishes the friendship you have." Said Hermione, not addressing the fact that Draco had just practically admitted to having feeling for Harry.

Feeling relieved that Hermione had ignored his slip-up, Draco continued with more care. "I really hope so...I really don't want this punishment to end, I love living with him like this. Hopefully Alex won't hang around long enough to ruin what we have. I'm worried because Harry doesn't look as Happy with him as he did in the photos and he worries about Alex's opinion too much and stuff. That isn't love."he said.

"I know...but why would Alex be saying he loves Harry? He seems to have changed from the perfect guy Harry fell in love with this summer." Said Hermione, "I was so shocked when I found out he was gay! I mean...it was such a surprise. It's amazing the way a person can touch you so deeply that you realise that you're attracted to your own sex. It wasn't like Harry saw some boys and thought 'whoa, I could do one of them' he fell in love with what he thought was a wonderful person and that person happened to be male! It's kind of beautiful really..." said Hermione, trying to think two steps ahead of Draco.

"Yeah, I never thought it would happen. But you're right, it was love for the person not for their gender. And I guess that kind of is beautiful." Said Draco, blushing slightly.

"You know, Draco, when Harry introduces Alex to people he calls him his friend? That's it, just friends and I can see how that infuriates Alex; I can see it in his eyes. Harry is too embarrassed to admit that Alex is his boyfriend. But he wasn't too embarrassed to hold your hand in fright when our exploding potion started to explode in potions class, or to share your cloak when we walk back from another freezing cold Care of Magical Creatures class." Said Hermione pointedly, then stood up and stretched. "It's getting late. Think about what I've said and we'll talk again soon. Can you please tell Harry I need to speak with him tomorrow?" she asked as she walked away from Draco. "Sure. See you around!" Draco replied as Hermione reached the door. She gave him a pointed smile before she left Draco to think about what she'd said.

xxx

Draco slowly walked back to the room, pondering over his and Hermione's conversation. He had a big question in his mind that he had to answer before he decided what to do.

Did he really love Harry? And even as importantly, was he gay?

He would never had thought about being gay, but he couldn't deny that he felt something for Harry...he just wasn't sure what that feeling meant!

As he neared the door to their room, he knew he had to work it out soon before it was too late.

"I'll just walk in and look at him and see what I feel...I know I get jealous when he's with Alex and I feel really comfortable with him, so I'll go by whatever gut reaction I get by seeing him when I get in there." he said decisively.

"I dunno if you wanna decide that righ' now..." said Lord Romulus through a yawn.

"No-one asked your opinion, painting!" spat Draco, trying not to think about why the paining was saying this. "Jellybelly" he said, causing the portrait to shrug and say "suit y'self," as it opened.

A/n:

Dun dun dun... what will Draco see and feel when he walks through that door? Stay tuned to find out! I'm home from school today! coz I had to get a tooth removed and now I'm in agonizing pain (not really) but my mouth is bleeding and still kinda numb from the dentist and mummy said I could have the day off! Please review and I love you all!

Love Jade xoxoxox