Draco tries to convey what the fuck have you done with his eyes, but either Harry doesn't get it, Harry is ignoring him, or Harry is pretending everything is fine. Massi snaps his fingers and a house elf appears next to the hot tub.

"Fetch my wand and some veritaserum," Massi tells the elf, who nods and disapparates with a loud crack.

"Veritaserum?" Harry asks. "Are you saying alcohol alone won't do?" Massi gives him a withering look.

"You really haven't played Wizard's Truth or Dare, have you?"

"No," Harry says.

"I'm which case, let me explain it to you. Truth involves a drop veritaserum, or when we were younger, the strongest truth potion we could get. And if you don't fulfill your dare, we get to jinx you."

"I see," Harry says. Draco catches his eye and gives him a look of now do you see what you've done but Harry just lifts one shoulder slightly in a shrug.

Presently the elf comes back, clutching a tray that holds a small bottle and also Massi's wand. Massi nods his thanks and the elf departs.

"Who wants to go first?" he asks. Draco takes a deep breath.

"I will," he says.

"Truth or Dare?" Massi asks. Is it Harry's imagination, or does Massi look a tad upset that Draco volunteered to go first? He tries not to read too much into it.

"Dare," Draco says. He sounds confident in his choice and Harry suddenly sees Draco, Pansy and Greg in his mind's eye, playing Truth or Dare in the Slytherin Common room. It seems like a thing they probably did. The Draco in his imagination is younger, cockier and a hell of a lot more prickly.

Massi slides over next to Harry and asks, "What should we make him do?"

"Let's start him off easy," Harry suggests. He hadn't actually played Truth or Dare growing up - he had only seen it done in films. "How about a strip tease?" Massi nods.

"Do it," he says to Draco. "Strip for us. Make it sexy." He jerks his chin towards the side of the hot tub. Draco nods once and clambers out. Massi picks up his wand and flicks it towards the ceiling. Music that Harry doesn't recognize starts to play through the room. It sounds like something one might hear in a club.

While Harry and Massi watch, Draco begins to swing his hips in time with the music. He is about to shimmy out of his swimming trunks when a house elf appears beside him with a loud crack. Draco jumps in alarm and slips on the slick pool tiles. He lands hard on his back, his head slamming into the tiles.

Harry is out of the hot tub in a moment. He grabs Massi's wand where he has left it next to the veritaserum and kneels next to Draco. He waves Massi's wand over Draco and then frowns at the readout. Draco has a concussion, and his lower back is bruised but it is nothing that magic can't fix. Though Harry is not going to attempt anything using someone else's wand.

The elf, meanwhile, has been speaking to Massi in Italian, which Harry cannot understand. He glances over at the other man and sees that his brow is furrowed.

"What is it?" Harry asks before pointing Massi's wand at Draco and saying "Rennervate." Draco's eyes blink slowly open.

"What?" he asked blearily.

"You hit your head," Harry explains gently. "I'm going to heal you up properly once I get my wand." He turns to Massi. "I need to take him back to your room. He needs to lie down." Massi nods, distractedly and waves them away. Harry clambers to his feet and then helps Draco up. He drapes Draco's arm over his shoulder and says a quick drying spell. Then he leaves Massi to the house elf. It is only when they reach Massi's room that Harry realizes he still has the other man's wand.

He leads Draco over to the bed and lays him down against a pile of cushions, then he summons his own wand. He feels instantly much more at ease with it in his hand and quickly sets about healing all of Draco's injuries. He starts with the brain contusion, as that is likely to be the most uncomfortable. He smiles when Draco gives a small sigh.

"Thank you, Harry," he says.

"Anytime," Harry replies.

"I can't believe I fell over," Draco says with a small laugh. "How embarrassing."

"At least you still had your kit on." Draco makes a horrified face at the thought of falling over naked in front of the house elf. "How are you feeling?"

"Fine," Draco says. "You fixed me right up. Thank you." Harry leans down and presses a kiss to Draco's forehead. "Where's Massi by the way?" Harry shrugs

"Dunno," he says, sitting down next to Draco on the bed. "I left him with that house elf. I couldn't understand what they were saying, but Massi looked worried."

"So we're alone?"

"For now."

"I have to tell you something." Draco's words come out in a rush. "Massi took me to the family's collection of magical artifacts this morning."

"I figured as much," Harry says, nodding.

"But then something happened." Draco stops talking and gnaws on his lower lip. Harry reaches out and takes his hand.

"You can tell me," Harry says. His stomach turns over as he stares at Draco's nervous face.

"I fucked him," Draco says and Harry feels like the bottom has fallen out of his stomach. He fights to keep his face impassive even as his heart feels like it is being clenched in a vise. "I'm so sorry," Draco continues. "It was the only thing I could think to do." And so Draco relates the story of how Massi had confessed that Draco was an enemy of the family and how Draco had come up with a plan to say that the Malfoys wanted their families to work together. Then one thing had led to another and-

"-And I fucked him. I'm so sorry." Draco's voice is full of sorrow. Harry is still in a state of shock, but at least he can understand Draco's thought process. After all, Draco is a Ministry employee - the same way that Harry is - and he has to keep that secret at any cost - the same way that Harry has to.

Harry has seduced his fair share of people who had been suspicious of his Ministry status, just to convince them that he was the elusive celebrity bachelor that he claimed to be and not someone trying to wheedle information out of them. The same had gone for Oliver, even though that too had hurt at the time.

"It's ok," Harry says slowly. "Wait. He let you fuck him?"

"It's a long story," Draco says shaking his head. "I think he might be in love with me." Harry can hardly blame Massi for that.

"Interesting."

"I swear, I was just trying to keep our cover intact and not die. Massi said I was an enemy of the family and I panicked."

"I understand," Harry says. "Does this mean I am also an enemy of the family?"

"Uh, yes," Draco says. "And they know you're Ministry." Harry lifts his eyebrows briefly in surprise. He wonders who had leaked that information.

"You know what this means, right?" Harry says. Draco shakes his head. "We have to either kill or arrest all of them." Draco's mouth falls open, but he snaps it shut and nods.

"About that. The Hand of Glory," Draco says, urgency in his voice. "It can cover ten fucking people."

"It what?" Harry has never heard of a Hand of Glory that powerful before.

"Ten people. And they don't need to be touching it."

"Shit. How?"

"Uh, it was supposedly made out of He-who-must-not-be-named's hand," Draco says quickly. Harry leans back into the pillows in shock.

"Are you fucking kidding me?" he says.

"No. I wish I were."

"How did you get Massi to tell you that? Was this after you fucked him?" Draco shakes his head.

"Massi seemed almost eager to tell someone about all the artifacts in their ridiculous room. He actually told me that before anything happened."

"Well, I'll be," Harry says. He reaches up a hand and scratches his head. "It seems he really is smitten with you. Maybe we can use that to our advantage." Now that the shock has worn off, Harry is thinking like an Unspeakable again. Massi is an asset, and they need to work him as such. And if that means that his boyfriend has to fuck him? So be it. It's the best in that they have. "If you're comfortable with that," Harry adds. He would never want to make Draco do something he didn't want to do. Draco takes a deep breath.

"Sure," he says. "But only if you're ok with it."

"Yes," Harry says. "But only if you are."

"Now we're going in circles."

"I know," Harry says. "I was making a joke." Draco narrows his eyes and glares at Harry before taking his hand back and instead wrapping an arm around Harry's waist and snuggling into him.

Massi joins them in the bedroom half an hour later, looking flustered. He is still in his bathing suit and when he sits down on the bed, a damp spot begins to spread.

"Sorry," Harry says. "I accidentally took your wand." He tosses it back to Massi, who fumbles to catch it.

"Thanks," Massi mumbles. He waves it over himself, drying his swimming trunks and the wet spot that had spread from beneath him. "Draco, how are you feeling?"

"Fine," Draco says. "Harry fixed me up." Massi nods absently. Draco extricates himself from Harry and crawls over the bed to Massi. "Are you ok? You seem," he pauses while he searches for the right word. "Distracted."

"Yes, I'm fine," Massi says.

"Where were you?" Draco asks.

"My father wanted to see me."

"Fathers," Draco says with a sigh. He sits down behind Massi and extends his legs out to either side of him. He wraps his arms around Massi's waist and Massi leans back into him. Draco glances at Harry and he thinks he sees a flash of of a frown on Harry's face, but then Harry gives him a quick thumbs up. "What did he say?" Draco says gently. Massi shakes his head.

"Um, nothing," he says, which Draco interprets as 'nothing that I can say in front of Harry, enemy of the family'. He turns his head and catches Harry's eye again before flicking his eyes towards to ensuite bathroom. Harry nods and holds up a finger, which Draco interprets to mean that he will excuse himself in a minute so as not to seem suspicious. Draco wraps his arms tighter around Massi and lets the other man relax more into his arms.

It feels strange to have Massi in his arms. He has gotten so used to Harry being the only person he cares about that it is strange to be comforting someone else. To be fair, Harry is still the only one he cares about. He is only pretending with Massi, even if the comfort might seem real.

Harry excuses himself after a few minutes, claiming to need to use the facilities. He scrambles off of the bed and leaves Draco and Massi alone. As soon as the bathroom door closes behind Harry, Massi shifts in Draco's arms. He pulls his legs up on the bed and turns so that his shoulder is against Draco's chest. He clearly finds this not to his liking because a scowl crosses face before he pushes Draco backwards onto the bed and then shuffles around until he is straddling him. Then Massi leans down and puts his face next to Draco's ear.

"My father wanted to see me because he was upset that I had taken you to the Wunderkammer," Massi whispers. "But then I told him about your reason for coming here, and he's agreed to see you."

"That's great news," Draco says, because it is. It means he's less likely to be killed in his sleep. Which is a thing he now realizes could happen. How could he just let himself fall asleep the night before? In this den of vipers? He curses himself for being so stupid. "When?"

"After dinner," Massi says and then nibbles Draco's earlobe. Draco shivers involuntarily. He is very aware of the fact that they are both only wearing swimming trunks. Massi's skin is hot against his. He reaches up and pushes Massi off of him. Massi pouts.

"I haven't talked to Harry about our arrangement yet," Draco says. He sits up again and dangles his leg over the edge of the bed. Massi moves until he is sitting next to him. Then he rests his head on Draco's shoulder. From within the bathroom comes the sound of a flushing toilet and then Draco hears the faucet running. He nudges Massi's head off of his shoulder just as the door opens and Harry emerges.

"Harry," Massi says. "We need to talk." Harry lifts an eyebrow and regards Massi cooly.

"Do we?" he asks.

"Yes."

"Talk then." Harry crosses his arms. He doesn't take his eyes off of Massi. Draco feels Massi shift next to him. He's worried where this conversation is going, but he can't say anything because he needs Massi to think he's on his side.

"Draco and I have a request," Massi says.

"Is that so?"

"Yes." Massi stops talking and looks unsure from what Draco can see of him in profile.

"What Massi is trying to say," Draco says. "Is that he is wondering if we can all three of us have a relationship. As in, we all date each other."

"I thought you said you weren't interested in men," Harry says to Massi, a smile playing about his lips. Draco sees Massi shrug beside him.

"I enjoyed last night more than I thought I would," he says. "And I like you two. So is that a yes?" Harry looks at Draco who gives him the smallest of nods.

"Why not?" So that is settled.

Massi drops Draco off in front of his father's office after dinner and leaves him to his pitch. Draco had anticipated that Massi might stay and vouch for him but it's not the first bludger that's been knocked into his path, so Draco squares his shoulders, pats his wand pocket to make sure his wand his there and then knocks on the study door.

"Entra," calls a booming voice. Draco grips the doorknob harder than he means to, but pushes the door open with a self assured smile on his face. He walks into a room that is as opulent as the entrance hall, but in a more subdued manner. The large bay window at the end of the room is framed with deep red velvet curtains and a large mahogany desk sits in front of it. There is an imposing leather chair behind the desk and in it sits Signore Battaglia. Draco walks across the thick Persian rug and bobs his head quickly in deference when he reaches the desk.

"Ah, Mister Malfoy," Signore Battaglia says. "Si, Massimo said you might stop by." His accent is much thicker than his son's. Draco almost wants to put the Reliquary's translation skills to use and converse in Italian, but he doesn't want to show his hand, so he continues in English.

"Thank you for taking the time to meet with me," he says. "I'm not sure how much Massi told you about my proposal?"

"Not much."

"Very well." And Draco launches into his sales pitch. He talks about the history of the Malfoy family, about the notoriety of their name and the pureness of their blood. He speaks bitterly about their coming out on the wrong side of the war and losing most of their fortune to reparations and lawyers fees. He talks about their political connections which helped keep them out of Azkaban after the war - not mentioning that their betrayal of Voldemort in the final battle, and Harry's testimony had played a large part of it too. He tells Signore Battaglia of his parents, shut in at Malfoy Manor, of zhow they are unable to leave due to Ministry restrictions, but how they had hatched a plot to send Draco abroad to make alliances even under the Ministry's noses.

"All of this led me to you, Signore Battaglia," he says. "To suggest an alliance. We would give your operations the Malfoy sheen - that is not to say that the Battaglia name is not already well respected - but think what we could do together! And of course, we would give you an immediate toehold in the UK. Current projections have the UK becoming an even larger financial powerhouse in the coming years, and with the break up of Gringotts, there has never been a better time to invest in small banks." He prattles on about the UK markets for a while longer, using many of the lines Seamus had when he had been trying to convince Draco to open an account at Ashe bank.

"This is a very interesting proposal," Signore Battaglia says. "Yes, I've heard through other sources that the break up of Gringotts has been good for various enterprises, what with the regulatory affairs people having to spread themselves so thinly to audit them all." Draco had not heard that and files away that information with interest while he nods enthusiastically.

"I have a contact at one of the banks, who can help us get set up," Draco says. It is technically true. Seamus would help them set up an account to be sure, but beyond that? Well, Draco doesn't expect anything to get that far anyway. He just needs them to be on his side for a few days so that he won't be summarily killed.

"A fascinating proposition to be sure," Signore Battaglia says. He leans back in his chair. "I will consider it. But I do have at least one concern."

"Would you be kind enough to share it with me?" Draco says. "So that I may allay it?"

"Harry Potter," Signore Battaglia says and Draco's heart sinks but he keeps his face impassive.

"What about him?"

"He's Ministry." Draco nods once.

"Massi mentioned."

"He did?"

"And he mentioned you had a plan for him? If you do, it would make my life easier." Draco says quickly, trying to throw Massi under the hippogriff as little as possible.

"We do," Signore Battaglia says. "I will not concern you with it, but suffice to say, he will be taken care of." Draco nods. "And it will look like an accident."

"Very good. That saves me a lot of trouble," Draco says.

"In the meantime, I will think on your proposal. I am certainly intrigued, but I will need to discuss with the rest of the family."

"Of course," Draco says. He bows as Signore Battaglia dismisses him and then walks out of the room, holding his head high and trying to seem as confident, if deferent, as possible.

McLaggen strolls into Flourish and Blotts on Tuesday morning with a swagger than only Cormac McLaggen could pull off. Pansy spots him as soon as he walks through the door and rolls her eyes. She does her best to ignore him, even though she knows that it is her that he has come to see.

"Parkinson," he says as he draws up to her.

"McLaggen," she acknowledges.

"Could I take you to lunch?" Although Pansy knows it must be something to do with the murders on Harry's street, her first reaction is to say no.

"Must you?" she asks.

"A friendly lunch," he says. "As friends."

"But we're not friends," she points out.

"You said we could try." Pansy twists her mouth in irritation.

"Fine," she says. "Yumenoki on the Fulham Road at 1pm." She had spotted this place across the street from the restaurant where she had encountered Harry and Draco on their "date" back in August and has been trying to come up with an excuse to eat there since.

Unfortunately, Greg is very wary of going out in the Muggle world, and she doesn't overly want to go alone. Not to mention, all of her other friends have been so busy with their boyfriends that they all seemed to find at the same time that she hasn't had many people to eat out with. (She is almost convinced it is a conspiracy. Millie, Izzy and Daphne all finding love at the same time? Ugh. Disgusting.)

"Great," McLaggen says. "See you there." He leaves, but not before making eyes at both Emma and Nathalie on his way out the door. Creep. Pansy can't believe she briefly considered sleeping with him.

"What did McLaggen want?" Pansy jumps in surprise and turns to find Greg behind her.

"Oh," she says quickly. "We're going to lunch."

"Business?" Greg asks and Pansy is glad for a moment that she hasn't obliviated him again. She nods.

"I hope he's buying," Greg says with a wink.

"I'll make sure of it," Pansy says.

"That's my girl." They both freeze. "I mean, uh."

"Are you asking me out?" Pansy asks.

"Yes?"

"You're not sure?"

"Will you go out with me?" Greg asks, his voice more confident.

"Yeah, alright," Pansy says with a smirk. Greg's face breaks into a smile and he reaches out and pulls her into a hug. She gently extricates herself. "Not at work," she says. He nods and releases her, but not before giving her a quick kiss on the top of her head.

Pansy arrives at Yumenoki right at one, only to find that McLaggen arrived early. He has gotten them a table in the tiny restaurant. They are not the only people there, but they are in a secluded corner. Once they have ordered bento boxes - Salmon Teriyaki for Cormac and Nigiri and Sashimi for Pansy - Pansy casts a quick muffliato around them.

"Right then," Pansy says. "What did you want to talk to me about?"

"There's been another suspicious death."

"Another murder?"

"I don't want to call it a murder," McLaggen says. "Because we don't know yet if it was a murder, but it is certainly suspicious."

"Tell me everything you know," Pansy says, laying her hands flat on the table. McLaggen briefly lifts his eyebrows, but then seems to understand that this really is a working lunch and that she is here for that reason alone. He nods once.

"A body was found in a house a few streets over from Potter's house," he says. "Apparent suicide."

"If it's a suicide, why are you bringing it up?"

"Due to the location. It is the house next to where a previous death had occurred." He rummages around in his bag and pulls out a sheaf of papers. Pansy shakes her head.

"We're in Muggle London. Show me later."

"Why did you say to meet here then?" Cormac looks at her, confused. Pansy shrugs.

"I wanted to eat here," she says. "And you asked me to lunch. And Greg won't come here because it is in Muggle London."

"Greg?"

"Goyle."

"What does he have to do with anything."

"He's my boyfriend," Pansy says. She relishes watching the emotions, first surprise and then disappointment, that flit across Cormac's face.

"I see," he says. "Does he know you're a-"

"-Hit wizard? Yes, he figured it out."

"And you're sure that he's the same Gregory Goyle from school? The Goyle I knew could barely add two and two." McLaggen is saved from a scathing reply only by the arrival of their food.

Pansy picks up her chopsticks and begins to eat. She starts by trying a bite of everything, first a sip of miso soup, then a nibble of salad. Then a piece of tuna sashimi, a piece of California role and what she guesses is a piece of salmon nigiri, but she could have sworn the waiter had mentioned sea trout? Either way, it is all delicious.

She looks up to see McLaggen staring at her.

"What?" she asks as soon she has finished her most recent bite.

"Nothing." She narrows her eyes and glares at him for a moment before turning her attention back to her food. It is so good that she might have to try talking Greg into 'braving the Muggle world' just to come here. She likes Greg, of course she does - she just agreed to go out with him, but his reticence when it comes to the Muggle world is baffling to her. She supposes she should go easier on him - he grew up in a much more austere pure blood family than she did - but it irks her nonetheless. Maybe things will change.

"So tell me more about the Simurgh Society," she says by way of conversation. "What do you know about them?"

"They're a group within the Ministry that's trying to bring about the reemergence of wizards as the top levels of power. They don't want wizarding society to be hidden away any longer. They say that we should be out in the open, asserting our dominance over the non-magical populations." Pansy frowns.

"That sounds a lot like some of the pro-Voldemort propaganda we used to hear," she says.

"I know," McLaggen says darkly. "It reminds me a lot of the Carrows."

"Oh right," Pansy says, smirking. "I forgot you had to repeat your seventh year."

"Shut up," McLaggen mutters, his face flushing. Pansy hides her amusement by eating a piece of California roll.

"How do you know all of this about the society?" she asks, changing the subject.

"Banks," McLaggen says. "As a secretary, he's heard a lot of conversations that others think he hasn't. Somehow people seem to forget that he's in the room."

"Dempsey's not in the society, is she?" Pansy asks, sudden alarm coursing through her.

"We don't think so. Banks hasn't heard anything from Dempsey's office at least. All the conversations he's stumbled across have been while he's delivering things or fetching tea." Pansy nods slowly. She takes a deep breath, willing her heart rate to return to normal.

"Do we have any confirmed members?"

"No. Even when they're conferring on Ministry premises, they wear hoods."

"And no one has followed one of them?" Pansy asks, incredulous. It is the first thing she would have done.

"Of course they have," McLaggen says. "But the Simurgh Society is smart. Upon parting ways, each person somehow finds a crowded room or elevator to duck into, unhooding so quickly that we haven't been able to determine who they are or whether they were there before."

"And no one has thought to record this?" Pansy asks. McLaggen gives her a withering look.

"Come on, Parkinson, you know-"

"-Yes, yes. I know. No unauthorized recordings on Ministry property," Pansy says quickly. She mentally kicks herself for even suggesting it.

"And anyway, they don't often communicate within Ministry walls at all. We're lucky Banks has overheard what he has." Pansy nods slowly and picks up another piece of sashimi. She dunks it quickly in soy sauce and then transfers it to her mouth.

"So we have no confirmed members?" she asks. McLaggen shakes his head.

"But we're pretty sure they have some higher ups."

"What makes you think that?"

"Look," McLaggen says. "Can we discuss this after lunch?" Pansy purses her lips.

"Why?" McLaggen lifts up his bag.

"I have things to show you," he says.

"Fine. We'll finish eating and go to the Cooler under Fortescue's."

"Really?" McLaggen asks, his eyes lighting up. Pansy twists her mouth to the side but nods.

"I think it's the safest place."

"Can we get ice cream?"

"What are you? Twelve?"

"There is no age limit on ice cream," McLaggen snaps.

"Fine," Pansy says. "You can have ice cream." He punches the air in triumph, still holding his chopsticks, and sends a piece of salmon hurtling past her face.