DISCLAIMER: I do not own any of it, JK Rowling and associates own all rights, no infringement intended, no money is being made, unfortunately.

WARNING; Pre-slash if you do not like do not read remember you have freedom of choice. Reviews appreciated but no flames those will be ignored.

STORY; as we get older and some of us actually mature you find that what you firmly believed was the truth can suddenly shift into something completely opposite and how you handle that shows what kind of adult you can become. Harry must deal with what he considers to be the weirdest summer of his life. Enemies become allies, friends become enemies, and sometimes there is a very thin line between love and hate, attraction and fighting. Poor Harry, poor Draco

PAIRINGS: HP/DM, SS/RL, GW/OC, RW/HrG, NL/LL

Chapter 8 Draco is Sexy?

Harry wondered if his day could possibly get any worse. Considering everything that had happened today, it did not seem like it.

"Did you get lost all alone in the city? Poor little golden boy, the whole Order mobilised just to rescue you from the terrors of Muggle London." Draco drawled from the couch.

Harry clenched his jaw but refrained from answering. He would have left the room but that would have been admitting defeat. Besides, where else could he go in the house without running into someone? He knew that several members of the order were living there, Mrs Weasley was probably still in the kitchen, who knew what room Remus and Snape were in or what they were doing. Oh great, he groaned that was a visual he just did not need right now.

"So Potter I never took you for one of "THOSE" people"

"What are you babbling about now Malfoy?" grumbled Harry refusing to open his eyes.

"You know straighter then straight, the rigid thinker that sees other peoples sexual differences as perversions. But then again you are a Hero; you must be perfect for your fans. You think any other way but what you consider normal is wrong. You and your friends have the nerve to call me narrow-minded. Mustn't let that halo slip Potter or it might choke you." Draco drawled wondering why he was bothering to try to talk to Potter. He had heard all about his reaction to Lupin especially about him telling his pseudo godfather that he hated him. He had even had the balls to call Sev a bastard, which he thought with a smirk, was true. Severus wanted Lupin, though he could not see the attraction, and he intended to see that he got him. He owed them both so much especially Lupin that he was going to make sure that nothing got in the way of their relationship even if he had to pound acceptance into the Boy Who Lived To Annoy Him.

"Malfoy what the hell does it matter to you what I think anyway. It is none of your business if I have a problem with Remus's love life so just please keep your nose out of my business. Okay?" Harry spoke in a flat voice forcing the words through gritted teeth all the while refusing to look in Malfoy's direction. In his head kept repeating, "Voldemort's the enemy not this prick, er..., I mean Malfoy. Save your energy he's not worth the trouble." Much like he had done with Snape earlier. He was determined to regain the ground he had lost earlier with his tantrum. If he could keep from fighting with the snobbish git, it would make Remus proud of him again and he needed that. Besides he knew that if Dumbledore allowed Draco here then he was no longer a threat and could be safely ignored.

"I could care less what you think but I owe a debt of honour to Lupin and one way to at least partially pay it back is to get you off your moral high horse. I know you were raised by Muggles but you are a wizard. While there are some bigoted assholes, overall it is an accepted lifestyle. A true wizard does not care what the sex of their partner is the only ones that make that distinction are muggleborns." Draco was up on his elbows facing Harry who was still not looking at him. 'Hmm, with the fire behind him he is not bad looking, well except for that hair. You would think that he would learn some style by now.' Draco continued to eye Harry speculatively 'You can tell he's a seeker, sleek muscles not bulky like the Weasel, and he's even starting to dress better. Those black jeans show off his long legs and who knew Potter has such a tight ar….' Suddenly it hit Draco what he was doing. 'What the hell am I doing? This is Harry Fucking Potter, okay it is certifiable I am insane' Draco groaned and lowed his body back onto the sofa burying his face into the cushions. 'It must be the pain', he thought desperately, 'I was not checking out Potter's body. Augh, this is my so-called father's entire fault. Damn, Damn, Damn!'

Harry heard the groan and whipped his head around in time to Draco's head hit the cushion. 'Damn, I forgot the skinny albino bastard was injured. How I still don't know but if he hurt himself arguing with me Remus will be even more disappointed in me. Rising quickly he approached the sofa asking quietly, "Do you need more pain medicine?" Squatting on his heels next to Draco's head, he looked over at the red stained dressings exposed on his back.

The blanket was pushed down below his waist. The partially healed cuts were a deep red against his pale skin. Harry realised that he was staring down at the way the blanket was just exposing the small curve at the end of the spine. In the firelight, Draco's skin glowed like a pearl against black velvet. 'It's a shame about the scars,' Harry thought, 'that skin should never have anything mar its surface.' Mentally he winced, 'Bad Harry! Bad Harry, this is not some good-looking Hufflepuff or Ravenclaw this is Malfoy. Get a grip. "No harm, no foul", isn't that what they say.' Harry took a deep breath all the while trying to keep a blank look on his face while his thoughts raced on like a runaway broom. 'It's okay to admire beautiful things like cobras, panthers, Malfoy, sharks, it doesn't mean a thing, just never let him know. That's the ticket never let him know, treat him like he is not important. I can do that.'

Draco turned his head to see Harry squatting right next to him. For a moment, he was startled even though it did not show. 'Keep control you are a Slytherin nothing wrong with noticing does not mean a thing just keep it casual.'

"No I just turned the wrong way, I am fine," Draco said not looking directly at Harry. "You know someone hearing you would almost think you cared", he added with a smirk.

Harry moved around until he was seated comfortably on the floor with his back to the table. Eying Malfoy for a few minutes, he gathered his thoughts then began to speak. "Look Malfoy I don't know why you are here but as far as I am concerned you are no longer a threat" Harry kept his gaze on Malfoy the entire time he was speaking, seeing the annoyed looked on the blonde's face he held up a hand to stop him from interrupting. "I am not trying to insult you but if Dumbledore allows you here then you are no longer a factor in this conflict. I cannot afford to waste time with petty childish fighting. I do not like you, I do not like your attitude or ideals and I will never agree with you philosophy of purebloods. However, I will walk away from any arguments with you and your gang of Slytherins. If you leave them alone, I will guarantee that Ron and Mione will leave you alone too. I figure knowing you that your thinking I am a coward but I made a pledge to kill that maniac and I don't intend to let anything sidetrack me. I figure if I can be polite to Snape, most of the time anyway, then I can keep from arguing with you." Harry decided he enjoyed seeing that stunned look on Malfoy's face.

While the two boys were locked in a staring contest, neither noticed that the blue eyes of the small portrait in the corner were twinkling. The first part of the plan; getting them to notice each other had gone quite well he decided. Better to wait a little before the next step don't want to raise any suspicions, there was a faint sound of laughter before the eyes of the portrait faded back to a dull grey.

tbc