A/N: I know this has been a long time coming, so I am sorry. I have just been having a rough time balancing things with my job, my workout schedule, and school now just getting out, we had finals and projects etc. Anyway I know that is a crap excuse, so without further delay, chapter 9.

Chapter 9

"Ben there, done that"

Harry

I was very suprised that Ben was here, and I was also curious as to why. Oh, but I am so happy that he did come, lately I need something like this to happen to me. It's been so wierd what with Draco and my unheard voice. Anyway, as I said before, I wanted to know why Ben was here so I decided to strike up some casual conversation.

"So Ben, my goodness, it is so great to see you!" I laughed

"Yeah, It's great to see you too Harry." Ben said as he pushed back some hair that had fallen into my eyes. I blushed a little after that. It felt good...but also very betraying somehow.

"Anything exciting going on in your life?" I asked casually.

"Well, besides the fact that some crazy bitch, named Darla Umbridge came and took over our school. So we had no choice but to refuse her ultimatum and leave. We've staged a strike Harry. That is why we're here." Ben spilled out. I had to sit and think a moment.

"Wait a minute, this Darla wouldn't happen to be related to Dolores Umbridge would she?"

"Now that you mention it, she has a huge family tree portrait in her office much like sirius' house, and her name was on there. I was in there quite a lot, you know me right, I'm a bloody trouble maker." Ben replied, with a half-smile. Ben and I told eachother everything.

You see, we happened to be childhood friends. I was out with the dursley's one day, at an ice cream shop with all of Dudley's friends...well I was at the furthest corner away from their table, having to sit patiently and watch, with my free water they dispensed at the counter. Anyway, it was my sixth cup and I really had to go to the lavatory, and as soon as I stepped in there, I saw Ben. He was on his way out of the door, and we just stood there looking at eachother. We introduced ourselves, and then exchanged our address so we could write eachother. He became my best friend in the entire universe. We found out we were gay at the same time, that we were wizards at the same time, that we shared a birthday even. It was amazing. (A/N: Sorry I changed the story a little bit, but...it's my story...hehe) Then we kind of lost touch after my first year at Hogwarts, and then he came here in the fourth year for the competition. One thing led to another, and long story short, that affair is done and over with.

"Hold on a second, Does the ministry know about this?" I asked suspiciously.

"Well, I don't know, but I do assume so. You have more experience with them then I do, so you would know better than me naturally." he replied.

"What do you think will happen when they do find out?" I was worried.

"Well, it can't be anything that serious...they might just see her unfit to be the headmaster, and then let us all go back to school unharmed and things will be back to normal."

"Don't get too smug," I said "The ministry doesn't take things like this lightly, Ben, you and your school will most likely get punished!"

Draco

I just sat there, hungry and tired, but too numb to do anything. I hadn't even had Harry and I already lost him to some guy I don't even know. This was sickening. I'm a Malfoy, I never lose at anything! It's not my family pride that was making me angry though, that was only just my front going up as a defense mechanism in my mind. It was that Harry meant something to me. On the outside, losing something meant a lot to a Malfoy, especially in a competition, but inwardly I didn't give a shit. This time though, I did give a shit. There had to be something I could do, anything.

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK! My door seemed to scream at me.

"Oh just come in already." I yelled back at it.

"Draco, are you ok?" Pansy jumped in at him.

"I'm bloody fantastic." I replied as I smothered myself in my pillow.

"I am just as pissed as you are, I mean, who the fuck did he think he was, coming in the great hall like that and just touching your Harry?" Then she began to rub my back, trying to sooth me.

(A/N: sorry if "pans" throws you off, it's his nickname for here) "Pans, he never was my Harry. He was just someone I liked. Someone I actually lpved, I mean, head over heels, can't eat can't sleep, ball out of the park, his and his towels, let's grow old together, love." I sat up and smoothed out my hair. "But just like everything else that is hell in my life, I will grin and bear it."

"Don't be like that Drake (A/N: nickname) he could have been yours. You were going to--" Pansy was cut off.

"That's the problem. I was going to, but I was just a little chicken shit. I was going to but I just always conveniently found an excuse, and that is the problem. Going to, doesn't mean did, and now it's a little late for going to."

Harry

Dumbledore decided it was best not to intermix the houses with Durmstrang anymore, so he moved all the Durmstrang students to the great hall. It was just like in third year when they thought My Godfather had entered Hogwarts, and had the intention of murder. I was just about to drift to sleep, when for no apparent reason, my mind flashed to Draco. To my unheard voice. So much was going on lately that I had forgotten to think about these things. That day, when the voice, through my dreams, took me into that world where me and draco were in love...it made me think. Is that what I wanted? To be with Draco? It was all so confusing. Damn the voice, Damn Draco...Damn it all. Oh and Ben. See, this is what got him to have that fling with Ben. Stress was the reason for that fling. It caused me pain afterwards. I mean, it takes alot to have sex with 'no strings attached'. I haven't gotten there yet obviously. I still remember that embarrasing moment when I came into the tent before the last challenge, and he was there. I said that I...loved him. It was the first time I said that to anyone, because I don't throw something serious like that around. He just looked at me, then acted all nervous, then finally he told me flat out. This was just a fling for me, I thought that was what it was for you too. I was weeks after that, I started thinking about it again. Cedrics death weighed on my mind heavily. So it was like a double death for me. A funeral for Cedric, and a funeral for my heart.

I finally drifted off to sleep.

It was a windy night on a bridge. I don't know what bridge it was, it wasn't one that was in England. Then all of the sudden, Ben appeared on one side, and Draco on the other. Then a voice erupted from the clouds, it was like a whisper but I could hear it loud and clear what it said. 'Choose' then they both started to fall and I only knew one spell that would work, but it would only work on one of them. I couldn't do it. I couldn't decide. It felt like betrayal either way. where my heart belonged I didn't know. I closed my eyes and willed myself awake, and finally, I did wake.

Morning, Drama

Madam Yeldenburg was sort of out of the weather today. So she instructed us to run through our parts. Draco would have ignored me if I hadn't said anything. I wasn't in the mood to get in a fight, but we needed to work. It was a scene where the villagers just realized the couple was gay. They were in a marketplace.

(Italics monologue)

Draco: People, listen, why is it such a big deal that we are gay? Would it really be so hard to accept us? Or are we not perfect enough for your little town, as long as we're not of opposite gender? I'll tell you what the real outrage is! Going from town to town, having to worry about what people will think, and say about you behind your back, or even to your face. Mostly never finding peace anywhere. Have some respect, have some dignity. This is not a scorn so much as a plea. And what I plea, what we plea, is to leave us be. To let us live here, in a place, quietly, and happily, and for once, be accepted.

Draco was beautiful. I just couldn't explain it. His acting, the way he put the emotion into his words, the furrow of his brow as he thought. But thoughts of him, only led back to the dream I had last night. Were I put in that position, who exactly would I choose? I still didn't know, and it was something I dare not ponder.

Lunch

"Harry!" Hermione scorned for the third time that day. I was just in a daze again, and my orange juice almost tipped over onto Hermione's skirt. "Harry, are you sure you're ok? You've been out of it all day!"

"Yeah" Ben agreed "You seem like you're having trouble with something.

"Nope" I smiled as I lied through my teeth. "Everything's ok guys, I promise" I said with a chuckle.

"Well, you're lucky I don't have any classes with you, otherwise I would keep a very close eye on you." Ben replied, still not convinced his friend was ok.

"Don't worry, you have Hermione for that." I muttered. "Listen guys, I think I'll head up to the dorm for a nap, I just feel like catching some sleep, I had a rough night last night"

They all looked at me like I was up to something, but I didn't give them a chance to do or say anything, because after that I just left the table. When I arrived at the dorm, I kicked off my shoes with the laces still tied, which was a common practice with me now. I flopped on the bed after pulling off my robes. I was just about to drift off, when all the sudden, my senses snapped together, and I knew someone else was in the room, and who it was.

"How did you get in here, and what do you want?" I asked lazily into nowhere, still laying down with my eyes closed, I hadn't moved.

"How did you know I was there?" None other than Draco Malfoy asked as he pulled the invisibility cloak off his head.

"You'll never know." I replied. "What do you want?" I know I should have been more suprised, and even kicked that git's bum out of the dorm to let the rest of the common room know what he had done, but I didn't, I just layed there.

"I wanted to talk..." he said, beating around the bush.

"About?" I asked, irritation climbing into my voice.

"About, this new Ben kid.."

I arched my eyebrow in amusement as I sat up on my elbows. "Oh? Why would you want to know about something like that?" He looked absolutely adorable, as he turned a slight shade of pink. I got him. He was stuck, didn't know what to say about that.

"I was just curious you know" he spat.

"What so you just come all the way into Gryffindor territory, and infiltrate the dorm, just because you were curious for some information about someone you could have asked your housemates about?"

"Fuck you." he said.

"Won't you at least buy me dinner first?" I joked.

"Potter, I don't think dinner could make you any easier than you already are." He replied, and as soon as he saw my indignation, he smirked. "Oh don't look so stricken, I was only engaging in playful banter, like you just were."

I sighed, almost...ALMOST, in defeat. "He's an old friend of mine. Nothing more, nothing less." I said, letting the thought escape my mind. "Oh shit" I muttered.

"Oh, so he could be a boyfriend? Is potty-wotty having boy troubles?"

"Oh come off it Malfoy, your certainly in no position to talk, look at you: Slicked back hair, expensive french-boutique sweater, manicured nails, stylish shoes...you're practically the poster child for gay." I retorted.

At that he lunged forward, jumped ontop of me so that he sat just atop my waist. His knees were painfully holding down my arms, and my legs weren't long enough to come from behind and pull him off with.

"So, you think you're funny?" he asked. Then he leaned forward alot, so that our faces were only mere inches away from eachother...I could smell the fresh mint he had just eaten. "I don't." he replied for me. Then, I got really embarrased, and grew a very vibrant shade of red, as I saw his face...feeling my growing erection under him. You know what he did? He just sat there and smirked. Like he was god's gift to men. And then...he...kissed me. "I may not think you're funny, but I do think you're adorable." he said as if in reply to my expression, and then, he got off me and left.

This complicated everything, and I'm sure it could occupy my mind for years.

Draco

Last night, pansy had finally calmed me down. Then...she just got all glazed in the eye, and said she had to leave. Anyway, I sat up thinking the rest of the night. I am tired of all this deciet, and depression. If there's anything I won't do, is regret the rest of my life, the time I didn't ask potter what his feelings were. How does one approach such a thing though? Romantic dinner? I doubt it. In public? Why not just shoot me.

This morning in drama wasn't any better. I knew why I was tired, but when Harry showed up for class, he looked like he just got hit by a bludger. I didn't want to do shit, since Yeldenberg wasn't here, and there was felt no need for a substitute, by the staff. I was prepared to take a nice long nap. But Harry being the perfect Gryffindor, just wouldn't let me. He said we had to work on our dialogues, and we needed the practice. I would have had some sort of witty retort on the end of my lips, had I not been thinking of a way to get to his heart just the night before.

The day might as well not have existed, cause without Harry, it was meaningless. yes that's right, Malfoy's can be big ol romantics if they want to be. So, at lunch, when I saw Harry leave, I couldn't help it. I walked...ran out as well, and went to my dorm, got out my invisibility cloak, and got into the Gryffindor's dormitory. He was laying there, and my first intent was just to watch for a bit, maybe spook him before lunch was over, but all my hopes of that plan were dashed as he called out for me...well for the intruder to just come out already. Uh, come out of hiding that is.

The funny thing is, somehow I ended up on top of him. I was just about to torture him to no end, when, I felt something around my anal area. It was an erection. I couldn't help the smirk that spread across my face...and I guess I couldn't help the kiss that followed. Anyway, after the kiss, I left...that's right, I just left him there. I scurried out of the common room, and into my own. I flopped down on my bed as soon as I got there, and wouldn't you know it, Pansy was there.

"What happened Draco?" she asked, almost too innocently. "You look a bit rough"

"A Malfoy does not look rough" I replied smoothing my hair, then I sighed, and gave it up, just like she knew I would. "I kissed him...I kissed Harry."

"OH MY GOD!" Pansy shrieked. I winced and covered my face with my pillow.

"Draco, this is...HUGE!" My mind went back to the erection as I thought to myself 'among other things'

"I know pansy, but the thing is...I didn't stay long enough after to get his reaction. I just left."

Her face blanked for a second then she frowned. "Draco! You silly git, those are the most important moments after a kiss!" she looked for a second as though she were going to smack me for my incompetence, but thought the better of it. "Well, now that it's out in the open, we can formulate a plan."

"Formulate?...I'm beginning to not like that word." I said.

Harry

Ben came up after Draco left...Immediately after draco left...Dangerously close to after Draco left. I turned over on my stomach as soon as I heard footsteps outside the door on the steps...my 'excitement' could still be visible to the eyes of passerby.

"Harry!" Ben said, as if he'd been looking everywhere for me. "I've been looking everywhere for you!"

"I told you where I was going to be" I said with a monotone.

"Oh...Right. Well, I just was worried that you might miss your next class." He replied.

"I don''t kneed you to take care of me." 'Nor do I want you too' I thought to myself.

"I know" Ben said, a trace of hurt in his voice, but like I gave a shit, the bastard hurt me 100x over. "I was just looking out for you Harry..." He began to rub my back "I care about you."

"Yeah, Ben...I know" I said, tears welling up in my eyes, I suddenly felt guilty. "Please" I whispered "just go"

The Next Day (Saturday)

I spent the rest of the other day just sulking in the room. I didn't even pretend to go to the rest of my classes, and I put up silencing, and blocking charms all around my bed so neither Hermione or Ron could bother me about it. It was saturday morning now. I didn't feel like getting up, but finally convinced myself that solitary confinement couldn't solve much. So I got up, put on my invisibility cloak and snuck out of the dorms, down to the kitchens. I grabbed a muffin, some tea and a blanket and headed outside for a picnic. It was a lovely day out, the sun was shining, and I picked the perfect spot under a big oak tree. Hogwarts kitchens made the best blueberry muffins on the planet, and possibly the biggest, so I never wasted an opportunity to grab one.

Suddenly, after I finished a quarter of the muffin, Draco Malfoy emerged from behind the tree, as if he'd been watching me. "Draco?" I said in the same 'I-don't-care' tone as yesterday.

"Yes, Potter. I've come to ask you something." he replied. He looked like a man on a mission. He stood just beyond the corner of my white-red checkered blanket, wearing a green turtleneck, black pants, and a silver streaked cloak. He took my breath away...that or his cologne.

"What is it then?" I asked, trying my best not to sound dreamy.

"We have some things to discuss...would you like to accompany me to dinner in hogsmeade next weekend?" He asked, as if this was all casual.

"You mean..." I was not...NOT going to say it.

"Yes Potter..I do."

Draco

This was definitly going to be interesting. Despite Pansy's lack of intelligence, I think with my help, our little...formulating...session worked. Potter agreed, suprisingly. So now, this time next Saturday, I will get to spend all my time staring into his beautiful green eyes, and talk of only us. If only Ben could know, that right at this very moment I was beginning to steal Harry back from him, under his very nose. Tonight, I knew, would be a full nights rest.

What did you guys think? Good, Bad? I wanna know so READ AND REVIEW!

IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT!

From now on, I will be updating BOTH stories on Sunday, every sunday...er...on the Sunday..