"Vin," Harry said, "For Christ's sake Vin stop pulling on my arm. I'm coming with you aren't I?"

"You're not coming fast enough." Crabbe said.

"What's the big hurry?"

"Ron's got plans for you." Crabbe laughed lightly.

Harry shifted nervously. "What kind of plans? I mean, I didn't do anything so terribly…"

Crabbe shot Harry a murderous look.

"Ok," Harry said, "so I did something pretty stupid, but that's no excuse for Ron to…I mean he wouldn't…he doesn't even like Mal—Damnit I'm his best friend!"

"Ron's a good guy, he cares that you hurt Draco."

"Of course he does," Harry said mournfully. "Do you think I'll get out of this without a black eye?"

Crabbe regarded Harry seriously. "You might," he allowed.

Harry sighed and ducked his head. "Vin," he said. "I'm sorry about hurting Draco. I didn't know that his spine was…"

"You never bothered to ask," Vin hissed. "Draco tried, he was in the war. He was going to—he did betray his family. No one ever bothered to ask what he did, what price he paid in the war."

"Everyone paid a price, Vin. It's not exactly a subject you bring up."

"Yeah, because you already knew what everyone you cared about had given up. You're a nice guy Harry, but you're bloody dense. Your circle of friends aren't the only people who were damaged."

Harry looked at Crabbe disgustedly. "You think I don't know that? I ruined plenty of lives Vin and I'm not proud. I just thought I had enough guilt, so I stopped asking what the fact that I lived did to ruin everyone's lives. I'm sorry I wasn't repentant enough for you." Harry grimaced disgustedly—when had he become so 'woe is me'?

Crabbe stopped walking and turned towards Harry. He pulled the resisting boy into his arms and hugged tightly. "I'm sorry, Harry. I didn't think. I've no room to call you thick," he said.

Harry sighed, he was having trouble breathing with his head shoved into Crabbe's shoulder. "Itf omk Vimf. Vimf?" he said, peeking over the shoulder. "Vimf wehyr whe…"

"What?" Crabbe said.

Harry pulled back and straightened his glasses. "I said, well I tried to say, it's ok. And then… why're we at the Room of Requirement?"

Crabbe smiled evilly. "That's for me to know and you to find out. You should close your eyes," he said, as he pulled out a blindfold. "Or this is going to irritate your cornea."

Harry jerked away from him. "What? Nonono—no blindfolds."

"Harry, play along. I don't wanna haveta rough you up."

"I'm very uncomfortable with this." Harry said, sulking, but submitting to Crabbe's placement of the blindfold.

"No more uncomfortable than I am having to blindfold you out in the hall where anyone could witness it."

Harry laughed. "What, are you afraid they'll think you've got a little hanky panky planned for us, honey?"

"Harryyy," Crabbe warned.

"What sweetums? I hope there's chocolate sauce and whipped cream in there," Harry sing-songed.

Crabbe hastily tied a knot in the blindfold and shoved him towards the door. He opened the door and put a hand on Harry's back to lead him into the room. Harry reached out and pinched Crabbe on the ass on the way in.

"Potter!" Crabbe bellowed.

Harry snickered as he walked carefully forward into the room.

Earlier in the Room of Requirement…

"Ron, I don't see how this is going to help anything."

"Draco, come on, you have to trust me. I told you I could make everything better and I will."

"I do trust you, and can I say the premise of this room is really cool—but there's nothing in here. What good is this room going to do me and Harry? I mean I get the bed, and that's a bit optimistic don't you think? But, what is the table for?"

Ron shuffled. "There was something sitting on the table, that's all. Maybe more things will appear there if you and Harry need them."

Draco's eyebrow rose of it's own volition. "What was on the table?" he asked suspiciously.

"Nothing." Ron's grin was over-wide.

"You're not fooling me, Weasley. You've got something dastardly planned."

"Of course not Draco. I wouldn't do anything horrible to Harry."

Draco raised an eyebrow.

"Or you," Ron added.

"Riiiight. Well what is the big plan? Are we just going to stand in here and wait? 'Cause he's just going to run away when he sees me in here. You didn't see his face…"

"Draco, we've been through this. He was not disgusted with you."

Draco nodded.

"But just in case," Ron said. "We're going to wait in the dark, and you're going to wear a blindfold."

"What! No! I'm not…" Draco looked thoughtful. "This, er, this wasn't just some scheme to get me alone in here—blindfolded on a bed—with you … was it Weasley?"

"Ewh Malfoy, no. Ugh."

Draco scoffed. "I am not an ewh or an ugh. Besides, with your new love connection with my godfather, I thought you'd decided all boys were a good thing. I mean a boy like me can't be too careful about leaving himself vulnerable to horny little attacks. I'll have you know they happen three or four times a week, and it's only by the grace of God that I've not been molested repeatedly since I was detached from Potter. I'm in high demand."

Ron laughed. "Are you done? Honestly Malfoy, if there's ever a shortage of ego in England…"

Draco huffed and carefully placed the blindfold so as to show his hair off to best advantage. He tied it, and then held out his hands. "Voila," he said. "Now what?"

Ron smirked evilly, but it was wasted because there was no one to see it. "Now," he said, "we turn off the lights and wait in the dark." He grabbed on to Draco's upper arm and whispered the words to turn off the light, just as they heard Crabbe and Harry arrive outside.

"Harryyy," they heard Crabbe say.

"What sweetums? I hope there's chocolate sauce and whipped cream in there," Harry sing-songed.

The door opened and Ron saw the outline of Harry as he entered the room. Walking Draco forward as silently as possible, he removed the secret item from his pocket.

"Potter!" Crabbe bellowed.

"Ok!" Ron shouted. "Now!"

Crabbe pushed Harry and Ron pushed Draco until they collided, stomach to stomach, knee cap to knee cap, nose to painful bonk in the nose. Then Ron used the secret item and there was a metallic rustling, followed by a series of clicks. Ron cackled gleefully, and Crabbe reinstated the lights.

"What the hell have you done Weasley!" Draco shouted, trying to yank his arm away from whoever was in front of him—presumably Potter.

Harry giggled uncontrollably; he seemed to be having trouble breathing.

Ron and Crabbe dodged Draco's grasping hands and exited the room, locking it behind them. In the hall they both burst into laughter and were required to hold on to each other to keep from falling on their faces.

"Harry?" Draco said. "Harry, please stop laughing and tell me what's going on. I'm sorry about earlier, but just please tell me what's going on." Draco's voice was quiet and panicky, it sobered Harry immediately.

"It's ok Malfoy," he said. "Ron's just hooked us back together again."

Gingerly Harry reached up with his free hand and pulled his blindfold and then Draco's off. Draco looked down at their now conjoined wrists in bemusement. "What did he do that for?" he asked. "What is this thing?"

"They're called handcuffs. I guess he thought that was the best way to make us talk to each other," Harry said. "And what do you mean you're sorry about earlier?"

"I uh, well I'm sorry about…forcing you into…"

"Draco, I kissed you"

"Yes, I know, but I seduced you and you were so …I mean…afterwards…"

"Draco stop," Harry said, raising his free hand. "I'm sorry I hurt you. I was just—I was horrified that—Why were you crying?"

"Because it hurt. You see, I have this injury…"

Harry waved him off. "I know, at least—I know now, Remus told me. Why didn't you just tell me earlier? That time that I hit you in the hall outside the kitchens…oh god—you said it was a problem from the war. I didn't even question…" Harry looked thoughtful. "We had just said we would try to be friends and I didn't even care what might be wrong. I was so worried, that you were going to be separated from me again and hate me again and I didn't even bother to act like the friend I was so worried you wouldn't want and…"

"Harry please—stop babbling," Draco said. "We've done the post-mortem on that misunderstanding. Can we move on?"

Harry faltered. "Uhm, yes—I guess so," Harry said. "What comes next?"

"Why did you look so …horrified?"

Harry gave him a 'duh' look. "You were crying. I thought I'd done something…I thought you were…can't we call this conversation over too? It was just another misunderstanding. I thought you were crying because of the kiss and … I dunno... in horror."

Draco nodded. "That one is dead too. Next."

"Right," Harry said. "Next…"

"You know it really is so much easier to talk to you when you can't run away," Draco said, grinning slyly.

Harry lifted their joined hands and grinned. "I kinda like that you can't get away from me too."

Draco raised an eyebrow. "Should I categorize that as a threat?"

Harry's grin became devious. "That depends on what you are afraid of."

"I'm not afraid of you, Potter." Draco scoffed.

"Oh really? Well, maybe we should have this conversation sitting down."

Draco's breath sped up marginally. "We should sit?" he asked.

"I think so," Harry said. "I'm quite tired."

"Tired?"

Harry smiled slowly. "I'm tired of standing," he said.

"Right," Draco nodded, and they moved over to the bed. "I could do with some sitting."

Harry laughed. "Well here we are. Are we going to sit?"

Draco snorted. "Of course we're going to sit. We walked over here to sit, so we're going to sit."

Harry nodded solemnly. "Of course we're going to sit," he said.

"So lets sit then," Draco rolled his eyes at himself.

Harry sighed. "Count of three then?"

"No! Three's very unlucky."

Harry raised his eyebrow. "Count of five?"

"That's better."

Harry's lips twitched upward but he quickly got them under control. "Okay then. 1, 2, 3…"

Draco flopped gracelessly onto the bed, and yanked on the handcuffs to pull Harry down with him.

"Oi, Blondie," Harry said. "We go through this big hoop-la about three being unlucky and then you just flop on three? Are you trying to tell me something?"

Draco giggled. "Like what?"

Harry's voice turned serious. "Like that maybe we're doomed?"

"Doomed in what way?"

Harry shifted nervously. "Like, our friendship—that we agreed to have. Do you think we can't be friends?"

"Of course we can be friends. We're not doomed from being friends." Draco frowned unhappily. Was this Potter's way of telling him that he didn't want to kiss again? That he didn't want anything but friendship from Draco?

"Are we er..." Harry mumbled. "Are we doomed to be friends?"

Raising up on his elbows, Draco glared down at Harry. "Doomed to be friends! If that's how you feel about me Potter then you shouldn't nancy around it. Just tell me that you don't like me and don't want to have to deal with me and we can have this done."

Harry covered his face with his hands, causing Draco's hand to flop against the side of his face; Draco yanked it away angrily and ended up smacking himself in the chest with Harry's floppy hand.

Harry took a deep breath and put on his most sincere face. "I meant—that's not what I meant. I meant was there any hope for that…other…the er, you know—from the bathroom?"

Draco snorked, then he giggled, then he guffawed. "Is there any hope for that stuff from the bathroom?" he cackled. "I think not! Though, I'm sure it goes to its own little waste heaven in the ground…so perhaps that's hopeful for it. Better than living in us I reckon…though it is at least able to travel around with us. Once it's out there's really no way for it to…"

Harry smacked Draco really really hard in the back of the head, Draco continued to giggle, but at least he stopped talking.

"You know what I meant," Harry hissed, surprised at how upset he was.

Draco glanced up at Harry's flushed, angry face. "Sorry Harry, it's ill-timed humor—nervous habit."

Harry inclined his head and stared at the lovely pink color beginning to take over Draco's face. "What are you nervous about?" he asked.

Draco gestured between them with their connected hands. "This of course. You, me, being connected together, being together."

Harry sneered. "We'll be able to get apart soon, then we can kill Ron. Hey! Let's handcuff him to Snape!"

"Oh my god, that's the best idea that you've ever gotten into that deformed head of yours."

Harry flopped their hands over onto Draco's stomach, playfully smacking it. "Deformed am I?" Their hands remained resting on Draco's belly. Draco glanced down at them.

"I'm nervous about this," Draco said. "I'm so afraid you'll be gone tomorrow. Why is that? A couple of days ago I was fine without you around. Now, when you're not with me and we're not happy with each other, I fidget , I always feel like there's something I should be doing. Like, that I should be working to make things ok between us, so that I can be happy again."

Harry smiled. "The whole time I was talking to Remus I kept wishing he'd just shut-up or order me to come back to you so that I could calm that same urge."

Draco put a hand over Harry's on his stomach. "Potter, I want us to be together—like boyfriends."

Harry snickered a little. "Boyfriends? Isn't that a bit…I dunno…gay?"

"Of course it's gay! We're gay! Boys on boys, it's gay—Harry."

"I meant gay as in stupid."

"You shouldn't say that. It's rude."

Harry sighed. "Fine. Doesn't calling us boyfriends sound stupid and poncy?"

Draco raised a warning eyebrow at the term poncy, but let it go—as it was all around derogatory. "Well what else would we call ourselves?"

"What's wrong with friends?"

Draco squeezed Harry's hand. "Wouldn't we be more than friends?"

Harry thought that his stomach could possibly drop through the bed if his clothes weren't holding him together. "I would uhm, like that," he said.

Draco rolled onto his side and leaned over Harry. "Me too," he said, grinning lustily.

"So what would that make us?"

"Lovers?" Draco suggested.

Harry turned the most delightful color. "Well, I mean we're not exactly."

"Not yet." Draco giggled at the horrified look on Harry's face. "Harry, you'd think by that look that you didn't want to be my lover," he teased.

"I-well-uhm, I mean—er, I do. I mean I do at, well at some point and…but not of course…not now." Harry glanced around the room. "Not here! This room uhm, it gives me the wiggins. Uhm…"

Draco giggled. "I don't think you're sure what you mean at all, but you should relax, I'm nowhere near ready either."

"Oh thank God," Harry breathed.

"However," Draco said, lowering himself so that he was half-on half-off of Harry, straddling one thigh. "I wouldn't be adverse to some uh—trial runs…" He blushed fiercely.

Harry turned his head away and laughed nervously. "That sounds…oh bugger. I uh." He turned his head back and looked into Draco's grey eyes that were moist and bright with amusement. He reached up tentatively and worked his fingers into Draco's hair, pulling his head down to his own.

Draco smiled, Harry was so embarrassed that he looked almost nauseous. He hadn't been like that in the bathroom—but then laying down was an entirely different thing. Finally, finally Harry was pulling them closer—taking some initiative. But just as abruptly he stopped, a horrified look on his face.

"What?" Draco asked. Damnit, he wanted that kiss! Once you start to move closer it's a promise and to break that promise should be punishable by death.

"What should I not do? I don't want to hurt you again…I—." Harry's hands left Draco and fell down to the bed.

Draco sighed. "Just don't crush my back into you quite so hard. I'm not fragile, Harry, just not as…bendy as I used to be." Draco winked.

Harry swallowed and nodded, trying to return his hands to Draco's hair, but he was being seriously impeded by the cuffs. Sheepishly he looked up at Draco as he closed one hand around the cuffs and whispered a word that made them disappear. Draco looked at him with shock across his face.

"Can we er, not talk about it right now?" Harry said. "I promise I'll tell you all about—all of that—later?"

Draco nodded furiously. Where was his kiss damnit?

Smiling broadly, Harry re-threaded his fingers into Draco's white hair and managed to pull him all the way into a kiss this time. Draco sighed contentedly and rubbed Harry's side in a languid petting motion. They kissed softly, sweetly, neither of them doing more than pressing into the other one, then Harry opened his mouth and Draco slid in his tongue to lick along the roof of Harry's mouth. Harry laughed a little at the tickling sensation and worked his hands underneath Draco's shirt—trailing them lightly up his sides. Draco squirmed and giggled slightly.

Pulling back from the kiss Draco searched Harry's eyes, watching them carefully as he deliberately ground down onto Harry's thigh. He saw the eyes widen and suffuse with pleasure and lust, and took it as tacit permission to grind his own thigh into Harry's groin. Harry inhaled and smiled a lazy, happy smile as Draco worked them in tandem. Harry's hands stayed busy beneath Draco's shirt as he slid them around and alternately rubbed and tickled and massaged whatever skin he could find—or think about long enough to consider. As it was, his mind was going blissfully blank as he approached his climax—save for one overriding thought that he must be kissing Draco, and he must do it now so that they could be as connected as possible when they came. He reached up and jerked Draco's head to his, belatedly hoping that it didn't hurt him, and slammed their mouths together in a fierce kiss—shoving his tongue into Draco's mouth and rubbing the tongue he found there in time with the grinding thrust of Draco's hips. Draco moaned deep in his chest and thrust erratically as they both reached their summits. Exhausted, Draco collapsed where he lay on top of Harry. Harry smiled a deeply contented smile as he wound his arms around Draco and pulled him into his body even closer. He knew then that he would never be able to get Draco close enough to him, but that it would be immensely fun to try.

They were startled out of their bliss by a hammering on the door.

"Bugger off!" Harry screamed, shocked to find his voice very low and a little hoarse.

Draco giggled.

"Harry you have to come out here!" Ron shouted. "Remus has gone!"

Harry sat up straight in the bed, Draco fell to one side. No, he thought, this can't be. This can't happen when everything was finally starting to feel solid…