WARNING: I am hyper. And singing Monty Python at the top of my voice. This may affect the writing style of the chapter...

I am very sorry if any Irish people reading this get offended by a certain line, it's a quote from Blackadder, and it's just the way Malfoy is.

"That was really stupid, do you know that?"

"It worked, didn't it?"

"That's not the point! You could have killed yourself!"

"I'll get over it."

"But what if someone realised it was you!"

"They all thought it was Dumbledore. So that's beside the point."

"You're impossible."

"But you love me anyway."

"Yes, I do." Draco said softly. Harry stopped walking. "That's why I was worried."

With a sigh, Harry pulled Draco into a tight hug.

"I'm sorry. But I think I was more worried about you at the time."

Draco chuckled into his neck.

"Did I look like I needed help?"

"Yes, you certainly did."

"I was doing just fine."

"Yeah, wonderfully. But you still won, so that doesn't matter."

"I think that shocked people."

"I'm surprised the Snitch went into the Forest."

"Me too. Do you realise that the game went on for five minutes after it was meant to end?"

"Don't tell anyone else that, or they'll not count the last few goals."

"I feel sorry for Chang."

"I hope you're kidding."

"She didn't stand a chance. It was only my magic that saved her."

"Congratulations, you get to be a hero for once."

"Yeah, but so are you, so it still doesn't count."

Harry pulled away from Draco, resting his hands on the Slytherin's hips.

"Of course it counts." He said softly, and kissed him softly. "I think it counts."

Draco laid his head on Harry's shoulder and the Gryffindor leaned back against the corridor wall. They stayed like that for a while, just listening to each other breathe, ignoring the world around them and the people who stared as they walked past. After a while, Draco sighed heavily and unfolded himself from Harry's arms.

"What do you want to do tonight?"

"I don't know. Do you have Muggle Studies tomorrow?"

"Yes, second thing. Why?"

"Just wondering. Am I welcome to stay the night in your room?"

"Well considering you've slept there unnoticed since we got back, I think I might allow it. What time are you going to come down?"

Harry shrugged.

"About eleven. Is that all right?"

"Just make sure they don't notice."

Harry nodded and kissed him passionately before they parted ways and Harry retired to the Gryffindor Tower.

"Good afternoon class." Lupin said jovially as he strode into the room. The students stopped messing around and sat down, getting out their wands in anticipation. "Today we're going to look at a Dark Creature." He flicked his wand and the cage he had dragged into the classroom was revealed. Inside was something that looked like a cross between a cat and a bird. It had a pair of skeletal, leathery wings sprouting from its shoulder blades and a beak instead of a mouth. Its fur was sleek and black.

"This is a Saccharin. Does it look familiar to any of you?"

Harry stuck up his hand.

"Yes, James?"

"It's like a Thestral."

"Exactly. Just out of interest, those of you who can see Thestrals, raise your hands." A few people raised their hands. Lupin made a note and continued. "A Saccharin does look similar to Thestrals, but they're not actually that alike in terms of what they do. Thestrals can only be seen by people who have seen death. Anybody can see a Saccharin. Excluding Muggles, of course. Now, does anyone know exactly what a Saccharin does? Hermione?"

"If they can get close enough to you, they send out a sort of Dark radar that pulls you closer to them, sort of subconciously, like you're in a trance. Then when you're close enough, they bite you and suck out all of your blood."

A few people in the room paled.

"Exactly. So they're nasty things. Five points to Gryffindor. Now the key to stopping Saccharins is to actually get rid of their wings. I know it sounds odd," he admitted as the class gave him confused looks, "but a Saccharin's magic is contained in its wings. Get rid of them and it's about as dangerous as a cat."

"How do we get rid of the wings though?" Ron interrupted. "It's hardly going to let us close enough to chop them off, is it?"

"I'm sure if you waited, he would tell us." Draco snapped. "He's hardly unlikely to tell us how vicious they are then not say how to defend ourselves, is he? Don't be so impatient."

"Thank you Mr. Malfoy, but kindly detain from bashing other students." Lupin admonished, a glint in his eye. "But yes, onto the incantation. Repeat after me. Abscidus."

"Abscidus." The class chorused.

"Good. Now, unfortunately I can't really let you all have a go on this one, but I will let you all practise on a shape-shifter. If you'd like to gather your belongings and move to the front of the room, please."

Relatively curious, Harry packed his stuff up and slung his bag over his shoulder, standing next to Draco at the front of the class. Once everybody had moved, Lupin waved his wand and the desks and chairs rearranged themselves to be lined up against the walls, creating a clear space in the middle of the floor. Lupin strode over to a chest of drawers and pulled out a jar with swirling black smoke inside. He took the lid off and it poured out like a liquid, hanging suspended in the air. Lupin poked it with his wand and said "Saccharin!"

It fell to the floor with a growl and spat at the class.

"Form a line, and go up in turn to chop its wings off. Remember the incantation, Abscidus. Off you go, first one."

Nott stumbled forward. The Saccharin hissed and moved forwards. It was about to pounce when Nott raised his wand.

"Abscidus!" he stuttered. The Saccharin screamed as its wings were severed at the bases and fell off, blood seeping out onto the floor.

"Excellent!" Lupin exclaimed. He pointed his wand at the yowling Saccharin. "Referre!"

The wings zipped back onto the Saccharin, joining seamlessly. The creature snarled at Draco. He raised his wand almost lazily.

"Abscidus."

"Referre!"

Unnoticed by anyone, Harry slipped off his glove as he waited for Zabini to dismember the creature. As soon as the wings were gone, Lupin reattached them, and Harry stepped forwards, wand in hand, scar tingling. He built up the magic, and when his kidneys went warm spoke.

"Abscidus!"

Harry wasn't sure exactly what he was expecting, but it wasn't for the wings to be shredded by a hundred invisible knives then fall to the floor in tatters. He blinked at the whimpering Saccharin, then looked at Lupin.

"Sorry," he said meekly. Lupin glared at him, then at his hand, then back at his face.

"I think that's enough practical work for one day." He said sternly, and with a wave of his wand the Saccharin disappeared and the smoke returned to the jar. He put the desks back as they were originally and ordered the students to sit back down.

"Quills out."

"I'm bored." Harry complained and sat down irritably on a snow-covered rock.

"You sound like a petulant child."

"Hello? I still am a child."

"Whereas I, on the other hand, am an adult," Draco said pompously, puffing his chest out in a way reminiscent of Percy Weasley with his Head Boy badge.

"Shut up." Harry scowled. Suddenly he was struck with an idea. "I know! Let's make snow angels!"

Draco watched disdainfully as he leapt up from the rock and threw himself onto the floor, arms and legs going madly in order to produce an angel. He stood up and admired his work.

"How immature." Draco sniffed, and was caught in the face by a particularly wet snowball. Sighed in a resigned way, he wiped the snow from his cheeks with a delicate sleeve and raised an eyebrow at Harry, who already had the next one prepared and was ready to take flight.

"You know you want to." The Gryffindor goaded. With ridiculous melodramatics and an impeccable flourish, Draco whipped his glove off. Harry glanced around. Nobody was watching. He pulled his own glove off.

"You know we'll get bollocked if someone catches us with our gloves off." Draco remarked as he motioned for a snowball to form, the wetness doing his bidding without him touching it.

"Of course. The risk just makes it more fun."

All of a sudden snowballs were flying in every direction as they both began their attacks, each being hit every time by the magic-enhanced snowballs. Harry dodged every which way as they came fast and thick, snow dripping off his clothes as he returned fire on the Slytherin. Leaping behind a tree on the edge of the Forest, he focused his magic to build a battalion of snowballs then leaped out form behind the tee to fire at least twenty at once. Draco emitted a rather feminine squeak as he was hit, and was about to retaliate when they heard footsteps and laughter. Draco hurried over to Harry and they both hid behind the tree, out of breath and bright red in the face. Harry pulled his glove back on as Ron and Seamus rounded the corner. They sat down on the rocks and began chatting.

Harry leaned on Draco and whispered in his ear.

"Let's get them."

Draco nodded. Both of them began making snowballs, as many as they possibly could, placing them in mounds around them whilst working as silently as possible. After a good five minutes of snowball-making, Draco decided that they had enough, and pulled out his wand, delving in Harry's own pockets for his.

"On the count of three. One. Two."

Harry raised his wand, the spell on the tip of his tongue.

"Three."

With two simultaneous swish and flicks, the ammunition flew up through the air and hurtled towards the Gryffindors. Harry scrambled away as the screams and yells echoed behind them.

"Antares!"

Harry stopped and turned.

"How did you guess?" he asked wickedly. Draco was still hiding in the Forest.

"You'll pay for that!" Seamus snarled. He quickly formed a snowball and was about to throw it when another horde of them came storming out of the Forest. Laughing at the astonished looks on their faces, Draco emerged from the Forest.

"You!" Ron fumed, trying, and failing, to keep his dignity intact whilst spitting snow out of his mouth.

"Yes, me. Congratulations on that stunning observation, Weasel. But what have we here? A Weasel, and… an Irish Bastard?"

Harry tackled Draco to the ground as a nasty hex flew overhead.

"Damn you Malfoy, get up and fight!" Seamus roared.

"I would if James would get off me," Draco said pointedly. Harry climbed off him and deflected a hex as it cracked through the air. Draco drew his wand and sent a fast Jelly-Legs at Seamus. It hit and Ron shot back Tarantellegra. Harry blocked it and returned it with Rictumsempra. The pattern continued for a while before Seamus and Ron were just too tired to carry on. Ron squinted up from where he was sat on the floor in confusion.

"I don't get it." He panted. "You two aren't tired at all, are you?"

Harry shook his head.

"But perhaps now you'll think twice before duelling with someone without thinking first." He replied simply, and motioned for Draco. The Slytherin jogged over to him and slipped his hand inside Harry's. Together they walked up across the grounds to the castle.

"I'm still bored."

"You're also soaking wet. You need to have a bath."

"That doesn't sound boring."

"Mr Malfoy!"

Harry and Draco turned as Snape swept out of the Entrance Hall and onto the snowy ground. He looked rather annoyed, and Harry had a nasty feeling that it was his fault.

"Sir?"

"Five points from Gryffindor for unnecessary show of affection," the Potions Master said absently. Harry tugged his hand from Draco's hold. "Professor Dumbledore and I were talking when the school wards alarm went off. It detected enormous amounts of power in use over the grounds. Naturally, we scanned the area and couldn't find anything. Just a few bunches of small students indulging in petty fights using balls of snow. Completely bewildered, we retired to the Headmaster's study to ponder over this interesting matter. Soon we were interrupted by Lupin. He told us that Weasley and Finnigan had decided it would be amusing to challenge you both to a duel. It was then that realisation hit me with all the elegance of brick.

"Which other students would be able to use massive amounts of power without knowing it? Merlin, which other students even had that type of magic at their call? None. None, save you two. We are going to the Headmaster with this. Do keep up."

Harry started as Snape suddenly stopped talking and whirled around, disappearing back up to the castle in a swirl of black robes. Draco grabbed Harry's hand and yanked him forward, rubbing the feeling back into his hands at the same time. As they ascended the large staircase in the Entrance Hall, Snape made Harry jump again.

"Another five points. Do it again and it will be twenty."

With a sharp glare at Draco, Harry once again jerked his hand away and this time stuffed both deep inside his pockets. Draco offered him an apologetic smile and quickened his pace to keep up with the teacher.

"Do you know what those crows that attacked me during Quidditch were yet sir?" he asked as he drew level with the sneering man, who did just that.

"I do believe that the Headmaster is going to inform you of all matters you need to know. To ask me is fruitless, as you will receive no answers. Now be quiet."

He bent down beside the gargoyle and, with a suspicious look at Harry, whispered the password in such a faint voice that Harry suspected the gargoyle would have had trouble hearing it. Nevertheless, the stone guardian leaped aside and Snape stepped onto the revolving staircase, followed by Harry and Draco.

"Ah, Harry, Mr. Malfoy. Glad you could join me. Severus, that will be all."

"But Headmaster, if you –"

"Thank you Severus." Dumbledore repeated in a slightly louder voice. Grumbling irritably, Snape glared at the two boys once more before billowing from the room. Harry bit his lip and turned to Dumbledore, who was smiling in an amused fashion.

"Professor Snape does so like to be kept adrift of the current affairs. Now boys, please, both of you, take a seat." He waved his hand and two squashy armchairs materialised before him. They sat down nervously, well aware that they were dripping snow al over the floor.

"Sorry about the mess." Harry apologised lamely. Dumbledore chuckled.

"Not at all, my boy. Boring people have neat homes. Sherbet lemon?"

Harry took one of the proffered sweets but noticed with a smile that Draco turned his nose up at the thought of such common snacks.

"I have a few rather important matters to discuss the two of you, if it wouldn't be too much bother. The first is linked to what has happened over the past week or so regarding your substantial increase of magic. For example, you, Harry seem to have unleashed your inhuman powers more often than Mr. Malfoy. Just before Christmas, you nearly blasted one of Professor Snape's more heavily warded doors from its hinges. That alone is an impressive feat. Then during Defence Against the Dark Arts, you attempted a spell using both wand and god powers. I doubt you foresaw the effects. All aside, I think it is apparent that an alarm ought to be placed over both of you."

"I don't understand." Harry said with a confused glance at Draco, who just looked bored.

"It's actually quite simple. I will simply have the alarm in effect for when you are not in lessons or any extra-curricular activities. It will let us know when you use magic. Don't worry," he sai at Draco's silently protesting frown. "most things can be done without magic. You'd be surprised. And for those that need magic, I'm sure that a friend would do it for you, or perhaps a teacher, if it is necessary.

"This means, you understand, that you may only use magic out of lessons in dire circumstances or if I give permission. Should you use magic, the alarms will go off and a teacher will get to you straight away. I should think that the teacher would be rather annoyed were he or she to arrive only to find that one of you had simply applied a freshening charm to his robes, don't you agree? Especially if that teacher were Professor Snape."

"Of course, sir," Draco said politely. Harry grimaced.

"This is going to be hard, you know. We'll forget within a day."

"I thought that might be the case." Dumbledore said, eyes sparkling. "So I took the liberty of having these two necklaces imbued with a special charm that Professor Flitwick and I added to the pendants. I think you'll find that they prevent you using magic, unless you purposefully push past the barriers. That way, if you need to, your magic is perfectly accessible." He fished two silver chains from his robes.

"Does it matter which one we have?" Harry asked, taking one from the old man's hands. Draco took the other and inspected it rather more closely than necessary.

"Not at all, but if you wish, I can easily make it more obvious to whom either chain belongs," he took out his wand and tapped each necklace. In the centre of Draco's, a minuscule silver serpent formed out of molten metal. With Harry's, the chain turned gold and a tiny lion grew out of excess metal. Harry bit his lip at the irony and slung it over his head.

Immediately he felt as though something within his body was being squeezed. Something had been cut off, repressed against its will and it left an empty, dark void in him that felt disturbingly familiar.

"This is what it felt like when I gave Draco my magic." He said bluntly. Dumbledore regarded him slowly.

"Yes, it probably is. But now you are wearing the necklaces, Only I can remove them. The alarms are in place, so no more magic can be used until lessons start tomorrow. Not even a simple Summoning charm. Unless you want Professor Snape to invade your privacy, of course. Go now, and get some rest. As with everything else, I think it wise for you to keep this a secret also. Goodnight, Harry. Goodnight, Draco."

Draco blinked in surprise as Dumbledore addressed him by his given name, but was quickly snapped out of his shock by Harry's insistent hand in his, pulling him towards the door. He stood and followed contemplatively through the oak door.

"Oh and Draco?" Dumbledore called. Draco stuck his head back around the door and glanced at the Headmaster, the twinkle back with full force.

"I suggest you put everything you will need for the night within easy reach."

Flushing wonderfully and choking back his surprise, Draco nodded and closed the door behind him. Harry gave him a questioning look as the staircase moved downwards towards the corridor.

"What did he say?" Harry asked, entwining Draco's long fingers with his own. Draco gazed out down the corridor, still shocked.

"That he doesn't care."

Ignoring Harry's befuddled whine, he dragged his boyfriend down to the dungeons to make sure he was completely and utterly debauched before lessons the next morning. Well, that was his excuse. In truth it was to get a certain image out of his head.

The image of Albus Dumbledore looking at him with the twinkle he reserved for Harry.

Sob I notice that someone has taken this fic off their alert list... how depressing... oh well.

Squee! Look out, Running the Gauntlet is almost ready to be updated...

Comments very welcome and much appreciated.

smokey

is high on caffeine and shaking like hell.