Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.

Naruto found it surprisingly easy to disguise his feelings for Sasuke. He just acted like he usually did, and the raven suspected absolutely nothing.

The only problem was that Sasuke might not feel even remotely the same way. Hell, he may not even like guys! Of course, Naruto was pretty sure he was safe on that count. No guy touched him like Sasuke had that night in the common room and claimed they didn't like males.

'Most of you haven't done as well as I hoped,' Itachi said, bringing Naruto out of his thoughts as he started passing out the latest marked homework of the Sixth Year's Defense Against the Dark Arts class. 'In fact, two of you in particular have received a T.' His cold eyes lingered on Naruto and Sasuke. Sasuke looked faintly alarmed as he stared at his homework, but most of his shock was masked. Naruto looked downright horrified.

'I'd like the two – you know who you are – to remain after class and see me.'

Sasuke sighed and slumped in his chair. Naruto trembled.

When the bell rang, Sasuke and Naruto gathered their books and walked to the front of the classroom. Itachi waited till the rest of the class had emptied out before speaking.

'Here,' he said, handing Sasuke and Naruto two new sheets. An O and an E were marked respectively and circled on the parchments in red pen. 'This is your real homework. I just needed an excuse to talk to you two.'

Sasuke rolled his eyes, hiding his relief. 'You couldn't have just said that you needed to talk to us after class? You've reduced him to tears.' He jerked his head in Naruto's direction.

'Teme!' Naruto growled, punching Sasuke's arm. 'Have not,' he added grumpily.

'The class might be getting suspicious,' Itachi shrugged. 'I always seem to need a reason to talk to you two lately. The homework was the only thing I could think of. Besides,' he added, smirking, 'it was fun watching your expressions.'

'What'd you need to say?' Sasuke sighed, waving a hand prompting his brother to get on with it.

'Orochimaru is coming to Hogwarts.'

They blinked. Twice.

'What?' Sasuke slammed his fists onto Itachi's table and glared at his brother. 'What the hell do you mean, he's coming to Hogwarts?'

'Exactly what it sounds like,' he said dryly. 'He's arriving at the school next week as a school governor.'

'But why?' Naruto asked. 'Didn't you say Tsunade doesn't like him?'

'Blondie, Tsunade has no say in who is and who isn't a school governor,' Itachi informed him with a faintly pitying look. 'That's the ministry's job.'

'So he's just…he's just coming?' Sasuke asked incredulously. 'But why? Why does he need to come here?'

Itachi shrugged. 'Officially, it's the ministry's orchestration. But we know better. He's probably looking for an excuse to get at our fortune again.'

'By messing up Hogwarts?' Sasuke said, outraged.

'Tut tut, little brother,' Itachi admonished. 'We don't know that he's going to mess up Hogwarts, as you so delicately put it. We are clueless as to his true plans, obviously. I just wanted to make sure you keep up your guard around him.'

'When's he coming?' Naruto asked.

'Oh, no worries, it'll be somewhere in January or so,' Itachi said lightly. 'We needn't bother about him till then.'

Sasuke stood up. 'Keep us up to date, then. Come on, Naruto.'

Naruto sighed. 'I have no idea what's going on.' He glanced at Itachi as he followed Sasuke out. 'And I have no idea why this involves me.'

'So, it's Hogsmeade this weekend,' Kiba whispered to Naruto during their Transfiguration lesson. 'You're coming, right?'

'Yeah,' Naruto whispered back, keeping his eyes on Professor Kurenai, who was teaching up front. 'Jiraiya mentioned in his last letter that he wants some stuff that he heard about from Itachi.'

Even though he was talking back, he wasn't really paying attention to Kiba's ravings about the many positive aspects of Hogsmeade. He was worrying about his past self.

It had been two weeks since he'd gone to Tsunade with his chosen subjects. What he hadn't mentioned to his friends about his meeting was that their principal had handed him a timetable that only one with a Time Turner could follow. Right now, he was in sixth-year Transfiguration and fifth-year Muggle Studies, both at the same time.

Naruto still wasn't used to the sensation of travelling back in time. He constantly worried about getting caught. Lucky for him, only three out of the five days he attended school required him using the Time Turner. Like today, for instance – a Tuesday.

'Naruto!'

Naruto turned and blinked at Kiba. 'What?' he whispered.

'Did you even hear what I just said?'

Naruto chuckled sheepishly. 'Um. No?'

Kiba rolled his eyes. 'I asked you if you wanted to help me drag Sasuke along.'

Naruto looked at Kiba in surprise. 'Drag Sasuke? Wouldn't he want to come anyway?'

'Sasuke has missed several hundred Hogsmeade weekends,' Kiba said, sighing dramatically. 'Hinata and I feel that it can't be good for his health to be cooped up in the castle for so long. So we've decided to insist he accompany us this time.'

'But why doesn't he like going to Hogsmeade?' Naruto asked, puzzled.

'No one knows,' Kiba said, narrowing his eyes mysteriously. 'Some say it's because the only love of his life jilted him there.' Naruto's heart clenched painfully in his chest. 'Others think he just doesn't like being social.'

'It's probably the latter,' Naruto murmured, praying he was right. Or if he was wrong, Sasuke was over whoever the girl had been.

'So you'll help?' Kiba asked brightly.

'Sure,' muttered Naruto. 'Whatever.'

'Naruto! Kiba!' The two boys looked up at a glaring Professor Kurenai. 'I do hope you're discussing the ways in which we can transfigure curtains into quilts.'

'Of course, Professor,' Kiba lied smoothly. 'I was just explaining the concept to Naruto here.'

'Pity,' Professor Kurenai said. 'It would've been better to talk about transfiguring tree bark to paper, since that's what we're learning today.' Naruto flinched. 'Seeing as you two know so much about curtain transfiguration, however, I expect a 4-foot long essay on the subject by Friday latest.' The bell rang just then. 'Class dismissed.'

Kiba sighed and gathered his books. 'Crazy old lady tricked us,' he said in a hushed voice to Naruto, glowering in Professor Kurenai's direction as they exited the room. 'Typical. I never did like her.'

Naruto rolled his eyes. By tomorrow, Professor Kurenai would go back to being Kiba's favorite professor ever, he knew. He waved goodbye to Kiba and headed toward the Dungeons, where the Potions class was located.

'Hn. Dobe.'

Naruto's heart leapt in his chest as he turned around and saw Sasuke standing at the foot of the steps that led to the Dungeon. Funny how his heart seemed to do that lately.

'Sasuke!' he grinned. 'You're on your way to Potions?'

'Yeah.' The dark-haired boy looked at Naruto and smirked slightly. 'You're that eager to walk me to class, huh?'

Butterflies invaded Naruto's stomach. Had Sasuke found out about his feelings already? But how? 'W-What do you mean?' stammered Naruto.

'I told you I'd see you in Potions,' Sasuke reminded him. 'When I passed you just now in the first floor corridor. You were running somewhere like crazy. What, you forgot already?'

Naruto suddenly remembered. Sasuke had said that to him, before he'd hurried off and ducked into an empty classroom and used the Time-Turner. To Naruto, though, that was a bit over an hour ago.

'Oh, um, yeah,' Naruto laughed nervously. 'Sorry, I was just talking to Kiba, and I…you know me, I tend to forget these things.'

'Well, that was quick of Dog-breath,' Sasuke commented, turning and walking down the steps. 'He'd have really had to run to meet you on the first floor from the third. Didn't he just have Transfiguration?'

'Um, yeah. We needed to talk about something important,' Naruto said, following Sasuke.

Naruto saw Sasuke's back stiffen slightly, although he had no idea why. 'What was so important?' Sasuke asked in a deceptively casual voice.

'Hogsmeade weekend,' Naruto quipped hastily. 'We're thinking of going together.'

'I'll come too,' Sasuke said as they reached the Potions classroom.

Naruto blinked in surprise. Hadn't Kiba just told him that Sasuke would up a strenuous fight and refuse to accompany them? 'You will?'

'Yeah,' Sasuke said firmly. 'I will.'

Sasuke glared miserably at a passing sign bearing the words Madam Puddifoot's Tea Shop. He didn't know what he'd been thinking when he'd insisted to Naruto that he'd come with them to Hogsmeade. He hated it here with all his heart. He had for a while now, ever since he first came here in his third year. Everything was just so…happy. Ugh. It made him sick.

Stupid jealous feelings, Sasuke grumbled. If he had known that Hinata was going to be here, and that Naruto wouldn't have been alone with Kiba, he would never have offered to come. Of course, Kiba was already dating Hinata, so there was never any danger of them doing anything even slightly romantic in the first place. Still, Sasuke scowled, trying to convince himself that he had done the right thing in coming. You never know. Something might have happened.

The only places that were worth visiting in this horrible village were Scrivenshaft's Quill Shop and the Shrieking Shack. Unfortunately, though, the Shrieking Shack had been completely barred from visitors since the Great Battle of Hogwarts. And Sasuke wasn't particularly looking forward to purchasing a top-notch quill, with his own raven-quill working perfectly fine.

'Oi, teme!' Naruto called out from in front of him, where he was happily chatting away with that stupid mongrel and Hinata. 'We're going to stop by that place over there, The Three Broomsticks. Come on!'

Sasuke groaned and followed. Well, he supposed it wasn't that bad. Madam Rosmerta was really, really old, but none of her looks or wits had left her. She did make a mean Firewhisky. And he could really go for some alcohol right now.

They stepped into the large pub. There were people drinking, eating, chatting and milling around, but the pub wasn't quite full. They easily managed to find a nice round table with four chairs in a corner of the room, and when they'd given their orders to Madam Rosmerta, started talking once more.

'I'm surprised you were so eager to come here, Sasuke,' Kiba said, draping his left arm over Hinata as he looked across the table at him. 'You've always hated it here.'

'Hn.' Sasuke wasn't feeling very talkative. He noticed out of the corner of his eye that Naruto had suddenly sat up straighter, and was looking at him.

'Sasuke,' Naruto began, looking down with the beginnings of a blush, 'can I ask you something?'

'You just did.' Sasuke's face remained impassive, but his interest increased. What thoughts had already painted a red tinge to the blonde's cheeks?

'Bastard, you know what I mean,' Naruto scowled. He still refused to look up.

Sasuke noticed Kiba lean forward curiously, and Hinata as well, although she didn't do it quite so conspicuously. 'What is it, Dobe?'

'Why do you hate it so much in Hogsmeade?'

Was that all? Surprise etched itself into Sasuke's features. 'No reason, Dobe. I don't like the atmosphere, or something, I guess.'

Naruto looked up now, a glimmer of hope in his eyes, to Sasuke's stunned amusement. 'Really?'

'Um. Yeah,' Sasuke answered carefully. 'Should I hate it for any other reason?'

Kiba shook his head vigorously at Naruto, but the blonde completely missed the hasty and anxious look, although Sasuke didn't.

'I heard that you'd been dumped in Hogsmeade by some girl. And that you're a social retard.'

Silence roared at the table. Kiba looked horrified, Hinata shocked, Sasuke stunned, and Naruto was completely oblivious.

'Dobe,' Sasuke began, very slowly, 'where exactly did you hear that from?'

Naruto nodded at Kiba. Sasuke's gaze shifted to and glared at the dog-lover, his eyes promising death. Kiba paled and winced, tightening his hold on Hinata. Sasuke then turned back to Naruto.

'I can assure you that I had never been dumped in Hogsmeade by a girl, having never dated a girl before. I'm not that much into females, fortunately.'

Naruto felt something akin to relief sweep through him. He'd known, of course, that Sasuke had no particular scruples when it came to dating men, but it was still somewhat liberating to hear him say it out loud. He didn't let anyone see how he was feeling, though, and said to Sasuke, 'And as for you being a social retard?'

'I wouldn't call it retard,' Sasuke said, his lips tugging upward. 'More of an aversion to people.'

Madam Rosmerta suddenly appeared with their drinks. 'Here you go, dearies,' she said in a cheerful voice. 'Three Firewhiskies for the men, and a Butterbeer for the Miss.'

Naruto reached for his Firewhisky – which he had only ordered because Sasuke and Kiba had – and brought it to his lips, gingerly sniffing it. It didn't smell too bad. He took a tentative sip.

It was amazing! The alcohol burned a way down his throat and into his gullet, where he could still feel its effects. Now that he knew that Sasuke really did just have reservations about Hogsmeade for no apparent reason, most of all not involving a girl, he felt much, much more relaxed. He might as well order another drink.

Several Firewhiskies later, Naruto was quite, quite drunk.

Naruto downed the last bit of Firewhisky in his mug. 'I want another one,' he announced dazedly, slamming the glass mug onto the table. When no one responded except to look at him cautiously, he said resolutely, 'Now.'

Sasuke rolled his eyes. It was obvious that the dobe had imbibed more alcohol than he could handle. He himself had stopped after he was done with his first drink, and Kiba had stopped after two. They both knew that the alcohol in Firewhisky was exceedingly hard to handle. Sasuke supposed they should have warned Naruto.

'Where ish my Firewhishky?' Naruto demanded of Kiba. 'Giw me my Firewhisky!'

Sasuke stood up. That was about enough of that. 'I'll take Naruto up to Hogwarts,' he told Kiba and Hinata. 'I want to leave anyway. I might as well drag him along.'

Kiba nodded. 'Okay, thanks. I'll stay here with Hinata, if that's alright. We wanted to drop by Madam Puddifoot's later.'

Sasuke refrained from gagging. He hated Madam Puddifoot's more than any of the other places at Hogsmeade. He sighed again. 'Come on, Dobe. Let's go.'

Naruto shook his head and crossed his arms stubbornly, remaining seated. 'No! Not until I get my Firewhishky!'

'I've got some in our dorm,' Sasuke lied smoothly. 'Really good stuff. Ages old, tastes way better than this pub's.'

Naruto stopped his complaining and chanced a look at Sasuke from underneath his blonde bangs. 'Really?'

'Really,' Sasuke said, feeling like a cad. Then he got pissed at himself for feeling like a cad. He should be able to lie to Naruto, and not feel guilty about it! Damn that dobe. Damn those stupid blue puppy-eyes.

Naruto stood. 'Letsh go!' he said cheerfully. To Sasuke's surprise, Naruto grabbed his hand and, holding it tightly, dragged him out of the pub.

Once they were out, Naruto still refused to let go of his grip on Sasuke's hand, although Sasuke half-heartedly tried pulling away from his grasp. Naruto only tightened his hold. So Sasuke gave up and opted for leading the way to the castle by swinging Naruto's right arm – the one holding onto Sasuke's hand – around his shoulder, and supporting him on the trek back.

Naruto stumbled over the flat ground, but Sasuke made sure he didn't fall. Their good luck couldn't last forever, though. About three-quarters of the way, Naruto tripped over a rock that was about the size of his foot that he didn't see, and he tumbled to the ground, dragging Sasuke down with him.

'Ugh,' Sasuke groaned, reaching up and rubbing his head. He had somehow landed on his back, but his head seemed to have knocked into Naruto and the ground at some point. And it hurt like hell.

He opened his eyes slowly, and then blinked as he stared into a pair of blue eyes. Naruto had landed on top of him.

Oh God.

'Naruto,' Sasuke coughed, trying to ignore the way their groins were pressed together, 'do you think you could get off of me?'

Naruto only stared at Sasuke, seemingly fascinated with his face. He made no indication that he had heard what Sasuke had said. 'You know,' he suddenly remarked, 'you really are hot.'

Sasuke blushed, much to his annoyance. 'Dobe, you're intoxicated. You don't know what you're saying.'

'Oh, but I do,' Naruto said. But his voice was still slurred, so Sasuke didn't feel all that inclined to believe him. 'You're hot, and I wantcha to know shomething.'

Sasuke sighed and decided to play along. 'Okay, fine. But then you get off.'

'I wantcha to know that I love you.'

Sasuke blinked in surprise. 'What?'

'I love you,' Naruto said firmly, 'and there ain't nothing you can do about it.'

He then ruined the effect by passing out.

Sasuke lay like that, with Naruto on top of him, for what seemed like an eternity. He thought, and he thought.

He liked Naruto. Naruto apparently returned his ardor. But did he really want to trust a drunkard? Ah, so many questions. For what seemed like the hundredth time, Sasuke sighed. He might as well drag the dobe to the castle.

When Naruto woke up, it was with a splitting headache. He groaned and tried to go back to sleep, to make the pain go away. It didn't, of course. With another groan, he tried to rise.

'Hn. Dobe.'

Naruto blinked his eyes open, now upright. 'Sasuke? What are you doing here?'

Sasuke was sitting on the edge of his bed, watching him carefully. The rest of the dorm was empty. The others must still be in Hogsmeade.

'This is my dorm too, you know,' he drawled in reply.

Naruto rolled his eyes. 'Is something wrong, bastard?'

Sasuke stared intensely at him. Naruto gazed confusedly back. Sasuke then relaxed and opened his mouth. 'Naruto, will you go out with me?'

Naruto stared at Sasuke, his face a picture incredulous disbelief. His heart, though, was drumming quite painfully against his ribcage. Sasuke had asked him out! 'Seriously?' This had better not be some sick joke.

Sasuke smirked. 'Seriously.'

Naruto beamed at him. 'In that case…Yes.'

A/N: I'm back! I used all my spare time abroad to finish this, so seriously, you guys owe me. ^.^ A review would be a nice way to show your appreciation.

Whoops! Hehe, silly me. I told you guys to vote on that poll in the last chapter, but didn't put it up on my profile. Seriously. I'm SUCH a tubelight.

It's up now, so go vote! I need to know if Orochimaru should...okay, go check and find out what Orochimaru should do that or not.

Anyway, just to let you know, I updated Chapter 11. I forgot to mention the Time Turner, so I did, and then I changed the subjects that Naruto takes, for reasons mentioned in the author's note in Ch. 11. Once again, thanks to cynlee for pointing out the Time Turner bit.

And in case anyone is wondering, yes, Naruto did finish the four-foot long essay and hand it in to Kurenai.

The explicit parts should be up soon! A few more reviews, and it'll be done. I should warn you though: This is my first actual yaoi lemon. My poem fic, Promised Love, doesn't count, because I didn't go into detail in that. So be nice when it's up, k?

Please review!