DISCLAIMER: Not mine. Sadly.
AUTHOR'S NOTE: well I'm back! Be honest now, how many of you thought I was never going to update this? Shame on you!
Anyway, I've gone back and amended the other chapters slightly – changing dates and bringing it in line with OotP.
Going over what I'd written I had to laugh at myself for thinking that 5 pages was a long chapter – this is 11 (before comments etc.) and feels short!
I totally promise that I won't leave it anywhere as long between updates again and this story will be finished!
Please pop over to my Live Journal and comment – I've hardly got any! Plus I posted the first chapter of another fic, which I'd like opinions on. Also I'll keep up to date with whether this is going on the LJ.
This is dedicated to everyone who reviewed and shamed me for not updating sooner – thanks for the nagging! Review responses are at the end, if you reviewed I responded, because each of you helped! However, apologies up front because some responses are far too short for the lovely long reviews I got, but the responses add two pages as it is.
~ ~ Chapter Six ~ ~
Sunday 1st December
'The Plan' as Harry liked to call it (Hermione preferred 'The Impending Unmitigated Disaster') had been going for 61 days and Harry was struggling to see any payback. Draco clearly just wasn't the jealous type. Since the picnic by the lake a week earlier he'd spent everyday with the Gryffindor's – which made sense considering the fact that the all ready depleted Slytherin rooms must seem even emptier with the absence of his best friend – and Ron even Ron seemed to be taking to him. But while Seamus could be counted on to do or say something do give away his more than amiable feelings towards Blaise but Draco seemed above it all somehow, a commentator observing the living habits of Gryffindors, not a fellow student involved in their concerns.
It was bloody irritating.
And also, as far as Ron's attitude was concerned, fairly confusing.
His best friend had been under enforced civility when first Blaise then Draco breached the sanctity of the Gryffindor common room, being polite but not overly friendly. He had warmed to Blaise because you just couldn't help but warm to Blaise, he was funny, friendly and relaxed. Then a few weeks later he had bought Draco with him, someone Ron had put a lot of time and effort into hating, someone whose father had tormented Ron's father, someone whose family he had been trained to dislike and distrust from the moment he could understand things like that. But Harry wanted him there so he would get on with the git even if it killed him. So he used the only means of interaction available to him – chess. And Draco had proved more than an adequate challenge for the boy who had ridden roughshod over the best Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff had to offer and relished this new challenge.
And somewhere along the way Ron confessed he had found himself growing strangely fond of the abrupt, rude Slytherin. Slowly he discovered that Draco had a keen sense of humour, a dry sarcastic wit which, yes, granted had disparaging remarks as the main force but which came out in such a way as was purely amusing rather than cruel. The boy was prickly and easily offended but had a self-awareness that allowed him to laugh at himself. It was, he decided, just a case of wanting to be friends or enemies. It was an attitude that caused Hermione to shower him with kisses, thrilled that her boyfriend was so mature.
And Hermione too was getting on incredibly well with Draco, though Harry had never thought she would have a problem with him, rather he had half expected Draco to snub her totally. Anyway, they had gotten on, especially after he had confessed his feelings to his friend, and soon they had become a common feature in the library, much to the relief of both her friends and his, Blaise having confided that the rest of the Slytherins were ready to kiss Hermione for rescuing them from Draco's study sessions, which much like Hermione's, involved colour coded charts and lots of books and nagging.
So while on some level the plan had worked, for he was seeing Draco on a daily basis and Draco was interacting with his friends in a way he had never dreamed possible, there was one major cock up, or so it seemed.
Draco was either incapable of feeling jealously, or totally disinterested in Harry.
And both were bloody irritating.
Sighing in annoyance Harry turned out the light and brooded, indulging in his favourite memory: how it all began.
FLASHBACK
Saturday 23rd September, Sixth Year
Wrapping his arms around himself Draco took another tour of the boundary of Hogwarts, one of the lesser known joys of prefect duties at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Wishing he had had the sense to put on another layer or three he was preparing to turn in for the night when he saw a figure staggering towards him, only visible because of the surprisingly clear night and strong almost-full moon. Putting on his best 'prefect' face he prepared to heap scorn and punishment against whoever had dared break the rules and, more to the point, been stupid enough to have been caught.
Standing there, arms crossed, sneer turned up to full volume he watched the figure come closer, amazed he hadn't been spotted yet. The boy – he could tell the gender now – swayed gently as he walked, clearly hammered. He wondered who would have the gall to break rules and sneak out and also look old enough to get served in the pubs in, he assumed, Hogsmeade. He guessed they would have gone to the Hogshead, as they were decidedly less fussy over age restrictions that the Three Broomsticks, though few had the guts to go into the darker, more questionable pub.
Finally he was able to see the person clearly – and though he too must be able to see the impending doom he made no effort to avoid being caught – when he was somewhat taken aback to discover that the drunken form heading towards him was none other than Harry Potter, Boy Who Lived. It stood to reason, he supposed, none of the Slytherins would have betrayed Snape's rules and snuck out – especially with all the alcohol they wanted easily available on premises – and out of the other three houses there were few who have the balls and ability to pull such a stunt. Of course, it wasn't so impressive when Potter surely knew that nothing he did could cause him much trouble, being Dumbledore's precious child, the Boy Who Can Do No Wrong and numerous other naff titles.
Finally Harry noticed him, though like the rest of the evening the encounter didn't go exactly as he had planned it.
"Hello Malfoy," Harry grinned unfocusedly at him, over-cheery but speaking clearly for all that, "what you doing here."
"I might ask you the same thing Potter," he replied smoothly, noticing the bottle of something called 'Jack Daniels' in Potter's hand and raising an eyebrow, "though it seems somewhat obvious really."
"You're being remarkably judgmental Malfoy," Harry scolded playfully, punching him gently on the shoulder, "you never felt the need for a bit of a drink? Ease up a bit, let your hair down. Though it would probably stay like that after being gelled back for so many years. Does it automatically grow into that style?"
Draco looked slightly thrown by the segway into his hairstyling choices but recovered quickly, "how much have you had Potter, and who is Jack Daniels."
"'Only one man has the right to change our whisky, and we'd be pretty surprised to here from him'" Harry slurred slightly, his brow furrowed in concentration as he remembered the slogan, "'we call it Jack Daniels, old time, old number 7 something or another, but you can ask for Jack.'"
"So is it like Firewhisky?" Draco was genuinely curious now, eager to learn about muggles from someone who could answer and not remember that he had actually been interest in muggles.
"Yeah, I guess. It hits the spot though."
Draco leaned in and took the bottle off Harry and swigging it back. "Bloody hell," he gasped, peering at the label on the bottle in the darkness, "40% proof! Jesus Potter, have you drunk this tonight? It's over half empty!"
"Yeah, so what? Went to muggle London tonight, this was just one for the road."
Draco couldn't but be genuinely impressed at Potter's capacity for holding his alcohol, if he was being remotely truthful then the amount he had consumed would have floored most kids his age, Draco included, and he had had enough tutelage at Lucius knee to ensure he could hold his drink better than most.
On another level, however, the casual way he referred to drinking was worrying.
"Potter, do you do this often?"
"What?" Harry frowned at him, standing carefully and fixing his gaze on Draco, trying to match his severity.
"Sneaking out. Drinking."
"Yeah. What's wrong with that?" Harry seemed genuinely confused and Draco couldn't help but grin at the new level of stupidity alcohol added to his rival. 'Maybe I could get him to drink before matches…' He became aware that Potter was muttering angrily, pretty much just to himself. "Bloody Malfoy, so bloody superior. Swans around all superior and perfect and so bloody up himself. Ponces around being so shitty to all those his piss poor excuse for a father has taught him are below him, sneering and despising anyone who doesn't fit into his Arian race. Arian? Does that work for wizards? Or is that just a German thing? Or and appearance thing? I'll have to ask 'Mione. Huh"
His thought processes were shot, Draco observed, marveling at the fact that, though hard to understand on a logical basis he wasn't slurring his words or doing any of the more cliché drunk things. "Potter, sneaking out, drinking…" he prompted, stirring Harry to action.
"Yeah, well it's nice. And only on weekends. It started back at the Dursleys – Dudley went clubbing and they made him take me 'cus of the threatening and everything. Alcohol makes you're head go all swimmy and the world all happy and you just sort of forget the bad things for a while. Forgetting is good."
"What have you got to forget Potter," Draco sneered angrily, still stung by his earlier word and, after all, the boy had probably never been on the receiving end of a harsh word until he met Snape.
"Quirrel, Ginny, Pettigrew, Cedric, Cho, Sirius," he reeled off matter of factly, "death, anger, misery. The usual teenage stuff."
"Black?"
"Don't say his name," Harry snarled, showing his first real emotion of the night.
"Sorry," Draco didn't sound sorry at all but then again he wasn't, "but seriously Potter, drinking to forget? Isn't that rather…pathetic."
"Probably," he nodded, sitting down, crossing his legs and looking up at the other boy, "sorry, floor moving rather. Anyway, come on, no one wants to here all about Harry's problems, he's meant to be all cheerful and happy and saviour-y. He's meant to be a happy-go-lucky guy who likes Quidditch and occasionally doesn't get killed by Voldemort. Hermione and Ron don't want to here that sometimes Harry just wants to die, to go find Sirius wherever he is and be done with life. That Harry likes to think about what he could be doing had he just not gotten on the train to come back here, had just left you all to it, to sort out you own mess and had gotten a life as his own. So talking to people not really going to happen. Hence, drinking."
"Did you just say 'hence'?" Draco marveled at how being hammered had caused Harry to become positively talkative.
"Maybe, anyway, apparently people use sex to forget things too, which, I'm guessing, is cheaper and possibly more fun."
"But…"
"Well, not so much of a problem in the muggle world, but here, where people expect things, well Harry Potter can't just go round shagging whoever he fancies. I mean, I can see the headlines now, Boy Who Lived to Fancy Boys or some such crap. God, it would be awful, so tacky."
Draco started, blinked, stared, gawped, recovered.
"Yes, quite right, very unfortunate. But really, the drinking is a bit stupid Potter."
"Harry likes drinking."
"You realize you are talking about yourself in the third person right?"
"Am not. The Boy Who Lived is good, innocent, well behaved, and Harry is me. Some people don't really get that."
Draco marveled at the rambling that was Harry, wondering if anyone else had seen this side of his enemy. An enemy who had, it would appear, gone to sleep in a sitting position.
"Potter, hey Potter," he shook the other boy, not allowing himself to wonder why exactly he was doing this and not running for Snape and getting the boy a whole world of detentions. "Wakey wakey boy."
"Hey blondie," Harry opened his eyes and squinted up at Draco, "how you doin'."
"Cute Potter."
"So I've been told."
"Ugh," Draco sighed, hauling Harry to his feet, "come on cheery, back to Gryffindor."
"'Kay. JD. Give"
Great, now Harry was pouting like a child and Draco was finding it really hard not to find it attractive.
He handed over the whisky and Harry took another swig, sighing slightly in contentment.
Draco put on his 'prefect' face again and steered Harry towards the school, depositing him at the entrance to the Gryffindor common room, glad Harry was not in any position to ask exactly how he knew where he was going, ridiculous though it was that in a school of that size where the pupils spent nine out of twelve months there were actually places that remained a secret from some of the population.
Monday 25th September, Sixth Year
Draco was quickly getting exasperated at the nervous looks Harry was shooting across the classroom at him and he knew exactly what the boy wonder was worried about. Would the big bad Slytherin tell the world the wonder boy's big secret?
Sure as eggs is eggs Harry came up at the end of the lesson, back to his normal uncertain, unfluent self, "um, Malfoy, I was just um wondering if I could maybe have a word, maybe. Kinda now," cue nervous pushing of glasses up the nose.
"Sure Potter," he nodded, unable to suppress the tinge of disappointment he felt. Was he really that much of a shit?
When the classroom had cleared out Harry looked up at the cool, composed Slytherin and smiled nervously. "Look Malfoy, the thing is, well Saturday night, you see I don't tend to forget things, when I'm drunk, and so I know what I said. And the thing is, well, the thing is I wanted to apologise, to apologise for what I said," Harry was clearly nervous and speeding up as he reached the end of his confused sentence but despite all this there was no mistaking what he said.
"Huh?" Draco gawped, once again wrong footed by the Boy Who Lived.
"I know its probably a bit late but I really am sorry Malfoy, I shouldn't have said what I said about you, you've been really different this year, which, granted, has lasted for three weeks so far, but for those three weeks at least you've been different. I'd go so far as to say nice but it'd probably offend you," Harry offered a shy smile at this and Draco couldn't but smile back.
"So coherent Potter," Draco teased and Harry marveled at what was probably the first genuine expression he'd seen on the other boy. "Seriously though, I have to say I thought you were going to beg me to keep your little secret."
"The gay thing?" Draco nodded and Harry grinned, clearly more relaxed now he'd gotten the apologies out the way. "Nah, not remotely worried about that one I'm afraid."
"Really?" Draco raised an eyebrow speculatively.
"Gotta teach me how to do that, but yeah not worried. I mean yeah, I haven't really told anyone, 'cept you, but it's not like I'm ashamed of it or anything. It just hasn't come up. Stop it," he positively giggled as Draco's eyebrow shot up even further and the boy held his hands up, protesting his innocence. "But seriously, I never thought you'd tell anyone and even if you did, well, who'd believe you? Plus, you made one rather fatal mistake. Like I said, I remember Saturday night and I remember you escorting me to Gryffindor rather than running for Snape. And yes, you could tell them I'm gay but I could tell them you've got a heart, which would rather destroy your hard won evil bastard reputation."
"I am impressed Potter, that is really rather devious of you."
"Thank you kind sir," Harry smirked, "so do you accept. The apology, I mean."
"Sure."
And they left it at that.
Or rather they didn't, for they had several more than cordial conversations over the next week which anyone with any self awareness would have recognized as decided flirting, on Draco's part, at least – which did, however, explain why Harry was caught totally unawares when Draco moved things up a notch.
Monday 2nd October, Sixth Year
They were in detention again, though not because of any fighting on there part but rather because when Snape gave Harry a detention McGonnagol promptly gave Draco one, because she was not going to let Snape get away with that.
So they were sitting in the potions classroom with nothing really to do and Draco was bored.
"Potter, fancy a shag?"
Harry actually, literally fell off the stool he was balancing on in shock – though it was not that surprising considering he was balancing on only two of the four legs at the time.
"Pardon," he asked dazedly from his new position on the floor.
"Fancy. A. Shag."
"Thought that's what you said."
"So…"
"Being a tad confused here."
'Oh for God's sake, is this even worth it?' "Look I'll put it into words you should be able to understand. Me horny. Me gay. You here. Fancy a shag."
Harry just stared at him and Draco pondered if a fall of only a meter could cause concussion.
"It's cheaper than getting drunk," Draco offered hopefully, really warming to the idea now.
"Right, yes, good point, but the thing is I've never really, well I'm not exactly, I'm sort of what you night call, well…"
"Virgin?"
"That's the one."
"Well, we can change that you know."
"Indeed, and it's nice of you to offer, really it is, and you're really rather attractive, very attractive," he corrected hastily at Draco's offended look, "but I'm not sure I'm really ready for that. Sorry."
"Well, we don't have to do…that right away. We could work up to it," Draco was determined to get Harry now, he had never been refused before. "Kiss me."
"You're insane you know? I mean, two weeks ago we weren't even talking to each other and now you want me to…"
"For God's sake Potter, this isn't about being best mates, this is about sex. I'm gorgeous, you've got potential, we should just go for it."
"You make a good case," Harry smiled shyly and shuffled across the floor to where Draco was sitting and kissed him, tentatively at first, but then deeper and more intensely. He felt Draco's hands in his hair, urging him closer.
Finally forced to pull apart by a more mundane need (oxygen), Draco stared at Harry in amazement.
"What the fuck was that Potter?"
"Ah, right, sorry, probably should have mentioned that one. You see I've kinda only kissed one person and that was Cho, and she was all crying and soggy and everything so that probably wasn't the best experienced ever, and then there was you, and hence, bad kissing. Sorry."
"You've only kissed one person? Ever?"
"Uum, yeah."
"Bloody hell! Well, you're a bloody quick learner, Potter. Come here," he pulled Harry back to him, thanking his lucky stars that no one else knew what a good kisser the other boy was because he'd never have gotten a look in otherwise. Not that he would have told Harry that!
As Draco pulled him into his lap again and kissed him enthusiastically Harry wondered if maybe he wasn't as bad a kisser as he feared.
Wednesday 4th October, Sixth Year
Arms wrapped around his waist and eager lips attacked his neck as Harry was pulled backwards into an empty corridor.
"Afternoon Draco," he grinned at the other boy as he was spun around for a proper kiss. Neither quite knew when or why it because Harry and Draco, but somewhere in between the first kiss and this one, in only two days something had changed.
"Shut up Harry," he replied, effectively doing the job himself. It was an entirely new experience for Draco, the idea of kissing just for kissings sake, but he really did love kissing Harry Potter.
Finally Draco pulled back for more than a moment, shifting himself to a slightly more comfortable position.
"You know, putting an embargo on sex does bad things for people Harry. I swear I could spend all day kissing you, I'm forgetting there's anything more."
"God, please don't forget," Harry moaned, shifting his position slightly to rub himself more blatantly against Draco, "I think I've waited long enough now."
"Thank Christ," he was only half serious in his relief as he grabbed Harry's hand and urged him forward. At the other boy's confused, questioning gaze he shook his head in despair, "please Potter, I'm not doing anything here, it's dirty and dusty and just yucky."
"So gay," Harry giggled as Draco practically ran with him down to the dungeons.
END FLASHBACK
Smiling sadly at the memory Harry crossed his fingers in the darkness and hoped that something would finally start to go his way.
Wednesday 4th December
"This is ridiculous," Harry threw his potions textbook dangerously close to the fire in his frustration, "I don't care about this. Why the hell did I even take this stupid subject?"
"To prove Snape wrong," Blaise replied, entering the common room and retrieving the battered book, "problems?"
"Yes and I totally give up now," Hermione sighed, "see if you can explain it to him, as he either can't or won't understand my efforts."
"What ever shall we do with you," he grinned, kissing Harry on the cheek and sitting on the sofa and pulling Harry into his arms, settled comfortably between his legs.
Shifting slightly Harry looked up at the taller boy and grinned dirtily, "how am I ever going to concentrate sitting in such a position."
"I'm sure we'll find a way. The threat of Snape, perhaps?"
"Good point," Harry scowled, "go on then."
"Right, close your eyes and no cheating…" Blaise flicked through the book, for once unconcerned about whether Seamus or Draco were watching the display and as such they were entirely natural as they laughed and joked together, Harry actually not minding learning for the first time in many months.
Thursday 5th December
"Oh God, I'm going to fail and he's going to point and laugh and kick me out, oh God why am I even here," Harry had been going on in this vein for five minutes now, pacing up and down outside the potions classroom waiting for the doors to open and the test to start.
"Harry, calm down," Hermione soothed every time he paused for breath, though it wasn't having any effect, "its no different to every other test he's done."
"No different? NO DIFFERENT? It's worth 40% of the final mark. For the year. For the rest of my life. Oh God I think I'm going to be sick."
He did, Hermione reflected, look really rather green. She hadn't seen him this nervous since his first Quidditch match all those years ago. She spotted Blaise rounding the corner with relief – someone else could have at him for a while. Meeting his gaze she rolled her eyes and gestured at the panicking Harry.
"Harry, look at me," Blaise was an expert at calming people down – his sister had similar panic attacks about pretty much everything. "You'll be fine, it's just a test, you can re-sit it."
"Re-sit?" Harry's face lit up at Hermione tutted disapprovingly.
The door to the classroom opened and the not remotely calming sight of Snape loomed large on the horizon, "Right, take you seats. Quietly."
Friday 13th December
Blaise was talking to Draco as they walked to the Great Hall when he found himself with an armful of Harry. A Harry, moreover, who was hugging and kissing him with abandon.
"You are the most wonderful, brilliant man ever Blaise Zabini," he gushed, waving the parchment he was holding in Blaise's face, "I passed. I more than fucking passed. 95%. Ninety-fucking-five percent. Snape's green!"
"Oxygen becoming an issue," Blaise grinned, prising the over enthusiastic boy off him.
"Sorry" Harry babbled, still beaming at all concerned, "rather happy here. I better go and show Hermione before she starts worrying that my results were so bad I topped myself! See you later!"
Blaise shook his head laughing as Harry barreled down the corridor, causing people to leap out of the way to avoid being bowled over.
"Mad, he is," he remarked to Draco, not noticing the lack of response or the slight frown that creased the usually smooth forehead.
***
Draco was becoming quite irritated by the irrational anger that seemed to be bubbling up every time he saw Blaise in the last two weeks. It had all started when he had happened to turn away from his chess game and catch a glimpse of Blaise and Harry studying. He'd hardly allowed his gaze to linger on the two of them, feeling a slight flush rise up as he watched what really seemed like an intimate moment between the two, Harry pressing up again Blaise so shamelessly.
He had also felt something of resentment that Blaise was tutoring Harry, remembering all too well the numerous times that he had helped Harry with essays and notes, offering all sort of interesting incentives to keep the boy interested. He didn't let himself wonder what Blaise was offering to keep Harry's interest because the possibilities tended to contrive to give him a headache.
And the way he had tried to calm down a babbling Harry had made him remember similar instances where he'd wished he could do them same.
He found himself doing that a lot recently, wishing.
Wishing he could kiss Harry once more.
Wishing he could wrap his arms around the ever energetic boy and encourage him to be still once more.
Wishing he could sit there so brazenly in the middle of all Harry's friends and not worry about anything.
Because suddenly he was feeling bizarrely possessive about Harry, suddenly he was feeling rather angry that Blaise was touching what was his.
'I've never done very well with sharing,' he mused, 'and really Blaise could have had the manners to ask before just barging in and claiming him. It's just bad manners and really the only reason I'm even thinking of these things is because he ended things and not me. That's all, I was wrong footed and didn't have any real closure, that's all this is. And now, suddenly, they're all everywhere and in you face. I mean they were practically, well, you know, on the sofa, totally shameless. And the kissing in the hallways and Blaise is always all over Harry, lying on him, hugging him. Totally shameless. It's embarrassing, that's what it is, offending my delicate sensibilities, creating that strange gnawing feeling in my stomach. Embarrassment. Not jealousy. Definitely not jealously. I am not jealous, I can't be, it's only Potter after all."
He wasn't really doing a great job of convincing himself, but half baked excuses were more reassuring that the truth.
END CHAPTER SIXWhat did you think?
Right, please review. Lots and lots of reviews make a happy author!
Review responses (which aren't too detailed because everything was so long ago):
wintermoon2: somehow you're always quick of the mark reviewing me, thanks! Well you probably can't remember what you said, but you made some good points! Hope you liked this flashback!
NayNymic: thanks for the long review!
Jade Maxwell: long review – love 'em! Glad you liked the look back at Harry's state of mind et. al. And the Draco POV. Actually your guess was fairly close, if you can remember what you said!
Menecarkawan: thanks for the review.
Katrina: thanks for the ideas and the review.
the crazy ladies: thanks for the review – hope this chapter wasn't confusing
Katie-Catherine: thanks for the review!
Slice: sorry, horribly long wait! Thanks for the review!
Schtoops: another long review I totally can't do justice to, so a big thank you! Please review again! Seriously, the review was great, thanks!
Desertrain: thanks for reviewing! Glad you like the story.
Celestial DreamBlaze: does this answer your question?
Voltor: thanks.
luin-lote: thanks *blushes*
i-miei-occhi-verdi: no longer AU, think I've bought it in line now. Unless you class all future fics as AU, though I'm hoping she surprises us all and goes with slash – a girl can hope! But no H/B I'm afraid, interesting twist or no!
Moony-Black: thanks for reviewing.
Angelica: glad you like it – well they were kinda together in this fic.
Morgana: thanks
dracoqueen456: thanks, keep reading (and reviewing!).
chibidark angel: wow seriously long review, thanks! This comment really isn't doing it justice, but thanks.
SiriusMoonPuppy: thanks for the comments. Hope you like this chapter.
Tearlesereph: yes Blaise is enjoying the arrangement, though wouldn't you if you were a famous wizards boyfriend – what, it could happen!
Silver Sparklze: more is here!
blue-feline: yup, that would be the general feeling about Draco's reaction. He's getting there though.
Scorn-Silverstar: thanks, glad people are supporting me!
Sapphire: wow, flattered much! Glad you like my work (how grand does that sound, my work!)
Elle: that's a good idea for a flashback – I'll see if I can fit it in.
Marishamarish: thanks
Angel: glad you likes it – here's chapter 6.
Ashes7: continuing now and forever – well until I type 'the end'!
SilveredDeath: thanks!
JoKeR: Draco will be heartbroken – he's just slow!
fyre4: thanks!
Amirathis: jealous rage – good idea! Thanks for the review
Tangledhair: thanks!
Lilybbee: thanks!
Fairchilde: yeah, Draco was too nice, but he's not so sure about how he feels – denial anyone! Hope you like the new chapter.
AnnaMadeLemonade: glad you like my fic and SO sorry for hopelessly slow update – it won't happen agan, I'm really back in the flow with this one! I'm so blushing at your lovely review though!