Hello, Readers :)
Chapter 2 up just 18 hours later, I'm on fire!

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Harry somehow managed to make it down to the dungeons without running into anyone despite his dazed state. He hadn't even had the brain capacity to put on his cloak. Shoving it into his robe pocket and giving himself two light slaps on the cheek to wake up his brain, he knocked on the cold brick wall of the dungeon where he knew the concealed entrance of to the Slytherin common room to be. He noticed for the first time a tiny snake etched faintly into the top corner of the brick under his fist. Smiling, he whimsically whispering 'open' to it in Parseltongue for the sake of nostalgia.

To his utter surprise and delight the bricks shifted out of the way, similar to how they did at the entrance to Diagon Alley. He looked down the dark stone stairs that lead deep into the dungeons and saw Draco gaping up at him from about halfway, foot hovering above his next step almost comically. After a second the blonde seemed to snap out of it, an air of collected calm surrounding him.

"Parseltongue?"

"Parseltongue." Harry confirmed with an evil smirk, "If only I had known. I could have had full access to this place whenever I wanted."

Draco moved to the side, allowing Harry room to come down and walk beside him as they headed towards the common room. Soft voices and light radiated up from a turn at the bottom of the stairs. "Oh?" He murmured, butting his shoulder lightly against Harry's, "Does it excite you, knowing you now have full, unrestrained access to yours truly?"

Harry laughed at the exaggerated wink Draco shot him before sticking out an arm to halt them on their decent. He turned and on tiptoes reached up to place a smacking kiss to Draco's cheek. He continued down the stairs, laughing still, ignoring Draco's indignant noises, "Hey, I forgot, we're officially friends now. Which means you're on the Potter hello kiss list, I'm afraid."

"Merlin, damn it." Draco muttered, trailing after him, "Just when I thought I'd escaped your little snog club." Their eyes met at the same time, sharing a look of disgust, both reminded of the Slug Club.

"Kiss cult sounds better." Harry decided, "And welcome to it. Feel the wrath of my friendship."

Draco looked unimpressed, "Is it too late for a refund?"

The barbed reply died on the tip of Harry's tongue as they turned the corner and entered common room. Harry was just as amazed as he had been the first time he saw it. It was decked out in hundreds of different shades of green, and everything that wasn't green was black. Thousands of candles lit up every nook and cranny of the large space, chasing out the darkness of such a colour scheme, making it seem brighter and warmer than should be possible. There were still a few students around, mostly older years, and they barely even glanced in their direction before returning to whatever it was they were doing. There was a couple cuddled by the large fire, and a few were huddled around watching what seemed to be an intense game of wizard's chess. There were some sixth and seventh year students lounged across the three sofas available in the space, forcing the lower years onto stools and bean bags. There appeared to be a kind of hierarchy going on, as the few youngest ones seemed to be delegated to the floor, the braver ones leaning back against the sofas their 'superiors' monopolised.

What drew Harry's attention the most was a group of three chattering quietly by the floor to ceiling window that took up an entire wall of the room. The view looked out into the black lake and at this late hour it lived up to its name. However, if you looked up you could see the moonlight rippling bright against the surface of the water. Every now and then you could see an impossibly darker shape moving around in the depths, and the three seemed completely unfazed by the occasional quiet bumps and hits that resonated through the glass. Harry stared in awe as a noise beat out a rhythmic tap tap tap directly on the other side from where the students sat. He strained to try and see what had made it, but nothing was visible. without missing a beat one of the trio returned the knock, only to have it repeated back once more.

"Mermaid children," Draco murmured softly, a small smile on his lips as he watched Harry's childlike wonder, "They may be known for their viciousness, but mermaids are incredibly intelligent and can be quite entertaining when treated with respect. Their young are always curious and like to interact with us. I walked in on a second year playing pat-a-cake with one just this morning."

Harry grinned at him. He was glad for the opportunity to associate mermaids with something other than the horrors of the Triwizard Tournament. He looked around the room again, scanning the familiar and not so familiar faces, "Why does no one care that I'm here?"

Draco wrapped long, pale fingers around his wrist and pulled him into the centre of the room, twirling Harry under his arm like a dancer. Harry tried to supress his giggling, nervously glancing at everyone. But just like when they had entered the room they received nothing more than a few brief, curious looks.

"Because you're with me," Draco smirked, falling backwards onto one of the couches. Blaise Zabini only just pulled his legs up in time to avoid them being crushed. Draco flapped his hands at the tall, dark, and handsome boy, "Shoo, Blaise, I have a guest."

Blaise glared at the blonde but a quick quirking of his eyebrows showed his amusement. He took his time getting up, stretching languidly before sauntering off across the room. Draco wasted no time in pulling Harry down by the wrist he still had a hold of, and Harry lived up to his ungraceful reputation by landing in a gangly sprawl across the soft material. He scrambled up from where he half-lay across Draco's lap, blushing furiously.

"You did that on purpose."

"I know."

Draco somehow manoeuvred them so that Harry was sat in the middle, feet planted on the ground, and Draco was sideways, leaning back against an armrest, legs stretched out across the other's thighs. He could see Harry preparing a protest, so he pressed one elegant finger against dark, full lips, effectively quieting him, "Hush, you're in the snake pit now." He gestured around the room.

For the first time Harry noticed something he'd never witnessed before in the Gryffindor common room. The Slytherins were all touching. Friends leaned on each other, over each other, getting all up in each other's personal space. It reminded Harry of an actual snake pit, everyone huddled and meshed together. Even the two playing chess were being draped over by the spectators. Harry let out a breath, fully relaxing into the soft, warm leather beneath him. Finally, it seemed like he'd found people like him.

"Makes sense," Harry murmured to himself, "I was always meant to be in Slytherin."

"Hmm?" Draco hummed, "Is that right? One of us, one of us."

Harry batted at his knee but grinned, "Yeah, actually. The Sorting Hat wanted me here, but some arrogant, nasty git turned me off of the idea, so I convinced it to put me somewhere else. Anywhere else."

Draco clutched at his heart dramatically, "My, Harry, I didn't know I had such a heavy influence on you after what, just two conversations? You must have been obsessed with me."

"Or, you were just a complete twat that I wanted to avoid at all costs." Harry sneered at him in the same way Draco used to do in their early years of school. He let it drop, chuckling lightly, "I'm starting to think I was wrong, though. Maybe I should have been here all along."

"Hmm?"

With a tut, Harry shoved his knee again, hard enough to cause the blonde to become a little unstable as a clear warning that he had the power to upend him and dump him onto the floor, "Am I not worth a more committed response than just hums?"

"You're asking for commitment already? Well, it's early days, but for you-" Draco was cut off by Harry's hand across his mouth, much like he was that morning in potions.

"Shut up, git." Harry wriggled, getting more comfortable. "I was just thinking about all of this. Hermione and Ron finally worked up the nerve to tell me how weird I am for being a physically affectionate friend."

Draco pulled the hand away from his mouth, lowering it down to rest casually atop his leg, "Look around, Harry. Everyone left in Slytherin is Light or Neutral, now. If the people here were ever Dark, their position was forced by threats and violence. All the ones that were truly dark left during Voldemort's call to arms or my 'revolution', and they're all dead, in Azkaban, or doing whatever it is that Death Eaters do in their spare time. Everyone that's left are victims, survivors, and fighters. Most of the kids here are from bad homes, they've seen stuff that no one should see. You won't come across a Slytherin that hasn't got some tragic tale of abuse, or prison, or death. Most of us just want some peace and quiet. We were all we had when we had no home to go to. Even outside of Hogwarts, most of us knew each other from childhood, and shared childhood trauma tends to bring people together. We are all one big, unconventional, fucked up family. So yes, we have some personal boundaries issues."

Harry could hear the defensiveness in Draco's voice, and quickly corrected any misunderstandings he may have had, "I'm not saying it's bad or anything, actually, I kind of like it. You must have seen the newspapers and magazines when my childhood story got leaked just after Sirius's death at the Ministry." He suppressed the darkness that threatened to invade his thoughts at the memory that was still too recent and far too vivid. Thinking of the Dursley's didn't do much to lighten his mood either, especially after the revelation he'd had whilst talking to Ginny. "You know what kind of environment I grew up in, granted, it was probably luxury compared to some of you, but it had the same effects. I like being in contact with the people around me, it's reassuring that this world is real and I'm not going to just wake up from some dream and be back in that place."

"Trust me, it's real. You don't have the mental capacity to imagine something like this," Draco quipped, his pale lips quirking up at the corners. "And don't wash over your past like that, I was quite shocked when I read about it. It was different from us, but also very similar, in a way. I will have to make you an honorary Slytherin," he smirked, "One of us, one of us."

The brunette nearly jumped a foot into the air when all the heads in the immediate vicinity turned almost simultaneously in their direction. The action and a few quick whispers had the majority of the room looking their way. A few offered small smiles or nods of acknowledgment before resuming their activities as if nothing had happened. It was now painfully evident that despite the apparent nonchalance, they were clearly being listened in on. "Bloody Slytherins, with your bloody eavesdropping, and your bloody hivemind," Harry grumbled.

"Don't complain, it's one of the reasons why no one cares that you're here," Draco continued, a thoughtful look on his face, "We can sense something about you. You really should have let the hat put you here, you know. And even though it didn't, and you're a Gryffindor, and we hate each other, you have recently been fighting hard for us. You've made it quite clear that you're actively supporting our little rebellion, and we are grateful for our newfound freedom and those that are helping us claim and maintain it. Funny thing, suddenly not having a Dark Lord and his followers constantly breathing down your neck; petty squabbles and rivalries just don't seem to matter anymore. Don't get me wrong, we're under no illusions that the path we've chosen will be easy, but it's quite nice having the opportunity to make our own decisions, our own futures. Or having a future at all, for that matter. A lot of us didn't expect to make it past graduation, and now…" he broke off, a small, wistful smile playing at his lips as he stared unseeingly into the distance, "call us naïve, but now we're feeling just a little bit more hopeful."

"You know, we think a lot alike, you and I." Harry looked down, sad, drawing idle patterns over Draco's long, lean legs.

Draco tapped him lightly on the chin, getting him to meet his gaze. "I take it you recently discovered some people don't think a lot like you? Did you have an argument?"

"More of a realisation. There may have been an argument as well. Or several. I wasn't overly paying attention because my brain was just…" Harry trailed off, making a vague explosion gesture with his hands. "I wish more people would give you and the Slytherins a chance. And, I also discovered that I make Ginny very jealous because of how I am with people I'm close to. I realised that I'm happy being me, and I don't want to change for her. And I really, really don't like jealousy."

Draco nodded sharply, "Definitely. You're the Golden Boy, the Saviour; you have people fawning over you left, right and centre. You need someone who trusts you and isn't going to spend their lives rummaging through your mail, tracking your fire calls, and flying off the rails every time you smile at another person. You've walked on eggshells long enough, you need someone who's there for you, will support you, and you definitely don't need to be kept on a short leash."

Harry wanted to defend his girlfriend, his relationship, but he couldn't find the words. They all sounded weak and feeble even in his mind. If he were being honest, he had to agree. He let out a low, deep sigh, resigning himself to the truth, "I think you're right. I don't think I'm going to last with Ginny."

"What else happened? That's quite a dramatic statement for one little realisation. There must be some more juicy gossip. Tell me, tell me, tell me."

Slapping his friend's hands away before fingers could begin poking and prodding him, Harry let out a small, strained laugh, "Ginny mentioned the future, and how she was supposed to be my future. I imagined it all, just like you said; white picket fence and dog and two point three children. All of it. And I panicked. I could barely breath, that future, I can't…I don't want that."

Draco watched as Harry began idly picking at the skin on his forearm, a subconscious, anxious habit he'd seen him do a few times before when talking about difficult subjects. He delicately pulled the tan hands away and held them with his own, letting Harry play with his fingers. He had soon worked out that Harry didn't necessarily do it to hurt himself, he just needed something to distract him, numb his mind from whatever topic it was they were discussing. Whenever he caught sight of a new bruise or welt on Harry's arm, Draco knew something was bothering him. He took it upon himself to offer any help he could, or just be a listening ear, but he would never let Harry just shrug it off or pretend it's nothing. Just as Harry did for him whenever he noticed the dark circles of sleepless nights under his eyes, or his face growing a little too gaunt.

"But at the same time, I do want that," Harry continued. "I do want someone special. Not someone who will hold me back from doing crazy things, but someone who will be right there doing them with me. I want to travel the world and see everything, and experience things. But I don't want to do it alone. And I'm not going to find someone who will just drop everything and follow me on every whim and spontaneous adventure I want to go on. And it's not fair of me to impose that on anyone either. I can't ask that of someone."

"You will, and you can," Draco said with a small, bittersweet smile. "There are plenty of people out there who want to travel. Even I want to travel. I want to learn medicinal potions and healing spells from all over the world. Research and gather all the information together, maybe write a book. But I also want to see mountains, and waterfalls, and the Northern Lights." He let out a small, almost indiscernible breath, "I'm sure you'll find some nice girl somewhere that will want the same."

Harry was staring at him with a wonderous look in his eyes, as if he'd never seen him before. It made Draco feel almost uncomfortable. The brunette cleared his throat, went to speak, but then fell silent again. After a while he spoke up, voice small but full of joy, "That sounds incredible, Draco."

"Maybe if you don't find this mysterious nice girl, you should just come with me." Draco made sure to keep his tone light and joking, even as his body suddenly became hyperaware of every bit of contact it shared with Harry's warmth.

"Maybe I should." Harry mimicked his tone back at him, but he couldn't help but feel a small pang of excitement run through him. Draco's plans resonated with something inside him, and he could imagine it. And hearing Draco speak so passionately about his dreams of the future made it seem almost tangible. But realisation dawned on Harry, dousing his good mood. He sighed defeatedly, "I don't know what to do. I don't think I can be with Ginny. I mean, I can, but I don't think I want to."

Draco looked at him as if he was debating whether the sky was blue or green, "Then don't be with her, Harry, it's that simple. I don't know why you're getting so angsty over it. I know you're the Saviour and all that, but she'll get over it. Especially when she realises that staying together wouldn't end happily. For either of you."

"But that's the thing, I don't think she will get over it," Harry explained. "She says she's been in love with me ever since second year, after saving her from the Chamber. That's four years, Draco. And all of our friends, all of her family, they see us as this perfect couple. Hell, I've already heard numerous people talking about moving in together, and marriage, and kids. If I break up with her, she'll be devastated. She really wants us to be the childhood sweethearts that marry straight out of school and have a happily ever after, just like her parents did, and like my parents would have if they'd lived." He distracted himself by toying with Draco's fingers, gently squeezing and releasing the tips, watching as they paled then refilled with blood. "Everyone will think I'm this horrible person that ruined the best thing that he ever had, and hurt this sweet girl, and I'll lose them all. Especially if I then just up and left to go explore the world. Well, after killing Voldemort, that is. Her family practically raised me, Draco, they're my family too. I don't want them all to hate me. And it's not just them. It's Hermione, and Remus, and Fleur and..." Harry trailed off, distraught.

Linking their fingers together, Draco brought one of the other's hands up to his lips, pressing a gentle kiss to the knuckles, "If they really are your family then they love you, and they will support you in whatever makes you happy. If they turn against you over something like this, if they can be flipped by one short-term relationship that was developed during a bloody war not working out, then I'm sorry, but they're not your family." Draco could see the cogs of Harry's mind whirring, making him doubt himself, envisioning the worst-case scenario, "I can't see them doing that to you, Harry. I've seen how much love all your friends and family have for you, it's really rather sickening. The family Sunday dinner might be a little tense for a while, but trust me. I honestly, truly, can't see them abandoning you, not after all you've been through together." He smiled, relieved that Harry seemed to be calming down. "Besides," He tacked on in an attempt to lighten the mood, "If it doesn't work out, and they're all garbage humans, then we'll run away together and elope on some distant sandy beach. We can adopt a child from every continent, and live in a renovated Egyptian pyramid."

"Oh, yeah, I've heard they're going pretty cheap these days. A great starter home." Harry's tone dripped sarcasm, but he offered his friend a genuine, grateful smile, "Thank you, Draco. The world always seems a little less complicated after talking to you."

"Bitch, did you just call me simple?"

"Honey, we have to stop fighting like this, for the sake of our future ethnically diverse children."

Draco laughed, holding Harry's palm up against his, showing the contrast between warm, dark tan and cold alabaster. The size difference was laughable; Harry's fingertips didn't even reach the last knuckle of Draco's. Draco was tall and slender, with long limbs and a narrow frame. Harry never experienced the growth spurt that Molly Weasley always promised he would, standing a good head shorter. Hard work and arduous chores, courtesy of the Dursley's, coupled with quidditch practice and extensive defence training had given him a more athletic, muscled body. Draco leant forward, close enough that he could twist a lock of his hair with Harry's, looking at pitch-black against silver blonde. He released him, sitting back to fully look Harry in his green eyes with his own grey.

"It's a good job that we've decided to adopt," Draco stated. "We are such opposites; our looks would just balance out. If we were able to have biological children, they would be the most plain, boring looking specimens on the planet. We can't have a bunch of boring Malfoys in the world."

"You mean Potters," Harry corrected with a grin. "Sounds like Ginny's new friend."

"Hmm?"

"It's what started all this, well, most of it anyway. Ginny was studying with some guy from her class. Apparently, they were flirting, although I didn't particularly notice. Or I might have just subconsciously not cared."

"See, she's over you already," Draco grinned at him, "I mean it, it'll all be fine. But I take it you're no longer interested in trying to impress her with your kissing skills?"

Harry stared at him, lost. It took a moment for it to register, and then he was letting out a sharp bark of laughter. Yes, that's what he'd actually come here for in the first place. It seemed almost ironic that he had wanted to improve his kissing to help save his relationship, and was now quite freely talking about ending it. Funny how things work out. "Not so much, no."

"So…what's your plan, Harry?"

Taking a moment to let it sink in that yes, he was really going to go through with it, Harry let his thoughts wonder, "I don't know. Should I go back and talk to her now? Take her somewhere nice in Hogsmead? Wait until the next Weasley family dinner?"

"There's no point stretching it out longer than necessary," Draco quickly caught the panic in Harry's eyes and hastened to add, "Having said that, it's really rather late now. It's a weekend tomorrow, take her somewhere quiet, maybe down by the lake, and have a real, honest talk."

"I'm kind of dreading going back there. I bet Ron and Hermione, and even Ginny are still awake in the common room. I don't think I can just go in and pretend like everything's okay."

Draco shrugged, "Stay here then."

"You sure?"

"Absolutely." He gave Harry a pointed look when he all but read the others mind, "No, you are not sleeping on a couch in the common room. When the last Slytherin goes to bed the fire goes out and it gets freezing in here. You've got a big day tomorrow, I don't think you should approach the situation cranky. You should sleep in a real bed, we'll just transfigure another one in the dormitory. You can sleep in as long as you want to, you look like you could use a good few hours rest."

"Thank you."

With a wink and a smirk, Draco announced his terms and conditions, "Provided that you give me a step by step, second by second retelling of all the drama that goes down. It's not often I'm privy to exclusive Harry Potter gossip. And," Draco drawled out the word long enough to have Harry narrow his eyes at him, wondering what he would demand, "If things go south, come and hide out in here until the storm passes." He cocked his head to the side, eyes almost imperceptibly darting around the room, "Actually, feel free to come in here whenever you like. It's not as if we can keep you out now, anyway."

Pansy Parkinson and Theodore Knott, the couple who had been lying quietly by the fire, lifted their heads, staring at Harry, "Parseltongue?" They asked simultaneously.

"Er, yeah." Harry said, suddenly feeling a little nauseous, "Just how long have you been listening?"

But his inquiry appeared to fall on deaf ears as the two laid back down, turning away from the couch and whispering softly between themselves.

"You get used to it," Draco offered rather unhelpfully, "Everyone hears everything. It's the walls, I think, they echo."

Harry stared at him incredulously, but then shrugged, deciding that honestly, he didn't care. He felt like a weight he hadn't known he'd been carrying was finally lifted off his shoulders. He didn't think he could bring himself to care about anything at the moment. His brain felt heavy and slow, an odd mixture of relief and exhaustion.

"I think you've had enough, you look dead on your…well, bum." Draco's lips curled up playfully, "Let's get you to bed before I have to carry you, because I am not carrying you."

"Even if I ask nicely?"

"Especially if you ask nicely." Draco smirked, then frowned, pale eyebrows knitting together in confusion, "Was that even an insult? Did that it even make any sense?"

Harry laughed at him, shoving the blonde's legs from his lap and standing, offering a hand up to the other, "Nope. Your brain has turned to mush, so I think it's well past your bedtime, too. Come on."

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"Lectulo."

"Stratum torus."

"Somnum cubitura."

"Exemplum replicara."

"Imitoduplae."

"Engorgio."

The almost constant flashing of magic died down and the increasingly desperate sounding spells turned into muttered cursing and deep sighs. Draco twirled his wand with one hand, the other planted firmly on a jutted hip. Harry crossed his arms, frowning in thought.

"I wondered when you two would give up."

They spun from where they were stood at the foot of Draco's bed at the patronisingly sweet female voice. They saw Pansy and Theo leaning casually in the doorway.

"How long have you been there?" Harry asked, scratching the back of his head, "Why didn't you offer to help?"

Pansy glanced at him, looking as if deciding whether he was worthy of her attention. She must have decided he wasn't as she quite deliberately turned towards the blonde, "Draco, honey, I expected better from you. Surely you know that beds in the dormitories cannot be transfigured, replicated, extended, or any other kind of created or altered."

"They can't?"

"No, honey." She stepped further into the room, perching elegantly at the edge of one of the beds. She patted the quilt thoughtfully, "Don't you think Theo and I would have done that to this thing a long time ago if we could? There's rules and magic in place to stop things happening that everyone knows happens anyway. The staff can't stop students from having sex, but they can damn well make sure it's as uncomfortable as possible."

Theo sat next to his girlfriend with a look that somehow managed to be sympathetic and suggestive, "If you want to host a sleepover, of any kind, you've got to be prepared to host it in a three-by-six-foot area."

Pansy looked at her best friend and his guest, expectation and anticipation clear on her face, "So, what will it be, boys, top and tails, or spooning?"

"I am not spooning Harry in front of you."

"That sounded an awful lot like you will be when I'm not looking."

"Shut up, Pans." Draco hesitated a glance at Harry, expecting to find him looking embarrassed and flustered. Instead, the boy just took off his glasses to scrub tiredly at his face, exuding relaxed indifference. The Slytherin crossed the small distance to his bed, turned, and casually yet elegantly fell back onto it. He stretched his legs out and propped himself up on straightened arms so he could look at Harry, "Whatever, I'm exhausted, you're exhausted. I'm game if you are."

Harry shrugged one shoulder, nodding slightly, "Yeah, of course, I'd already reached that conclusion."

Pansy and Theo shared an unreadable look. "It's no fun when you don't put up a fight," She pouted, this time addressing Harry as well as Draco. Harry wasn't sure whether that was a sign of her warming to him, or a warning for him to run and hide.

"It's just sleeping with a friend. Next to a friend," Draco hastened to clarify when a suggestive gleam entered her dark eyes.

"After six years of sharing a dorm with four other blokes in close proximity, sleeping what, three, four foot closer to one hardly makes a difference." Harry added as he kicked off his shoes at the foot of Draco's bed. He undid his tie and placed it on Draco's bedside table, nestling his glasses and wand on top. "Besides, it's not like it's the first time either of us have shared a bed with someone."

Draco frowned at that, but quickly hid it as Harry flopped down on the bed beside him, "It isn't?"

Harry put his hands behind his head, looking up at the green canopy, "Of course not. You ever been in a Weasley twin sandwich? It's not as fun as it sounds. That whole family snores like a freight train." He tilted his head to peer up at Draco through thick, dark lashes, "And I've heard plenty of stories about your many escapades."

"Hmm," Draco hummed noncommittally. He looked past Harry to where Theo was opening his mouth to speak and briefly locked eyes with his friend, giving an almost imperceptible shake of his head. Theo's eyes narrowed but he nodded, keeping quiet. Draco looked down at Harry, glad the boy seemed oblivious to the small exchange as he had closed his eyes, a small smile playing on his relaxed face. "Come on, Harry, get ready for bed before you fall asleep, we're not heathens."

Harry scrunched up his face, groaning, but let out a sigh of acceptance. He rolled straight off the bed and came up onto his feet in one fluid motion, grabbing his wand off the table. He also took one of Draco's quills, transfiguring it into a toothbrush. He wandered over to the door that lead towards the bathroom, humming a little tune as he disappeared from view.

"He is way too comfortable here," Pansy observed, her face a mix of disgusted and disturbed.

Draco shrugged, getting up to trail after his friend, "I'm kind of glad he is."

"I bet you are."

The blonde paused, one hand on the door handle. He looked over his shoulder, meeting the witch with a hard, defensive gaze. She stared back challengingly. They reached a tense stalemate for a moment before Draco closed his eyes, letting out a low breath, ducking his head in defeat. He went into the bathroom, plastering on a cheerful smile that grew decidedly more genuine when Harry gave him a silly little wave, hair mussed and toothbrush sticking out of his mouth.

The two finished their nightly routines with light-hearted conversation interspersed with contagious yawns, briefly joined by Theo and Pansy. Harry was glad that the Slytherin bathroom was laid out the same as the Gryffindor one, with a line of sinks along one wall and cubicles for toilets and showers along the other, making it easier for him to navigate his way around.

Emerging from the bathroom, the pair shared knowing smirks and raised eyebrows when they saw the curtains of Theo's bed drawn tight around the frame. The room was silent, almost too silent, giving away the heavy amount of privacy charms that must be placed around it.

"Do you want to borrow a shirt?" Draco asked as he began changing into his own night clothes. They were both on their house's quidditch teams and had gotten changed around each other so many times before in the boys' locker room that Draco didn't feel in the slightest bit embarrassed. It helped that he knew he had a great body.

"Sure, thanks."

"Shorts?"

"Yes, please." Harry reflexively turned to catch the garments as they were launched blindly over Draco's shoulder at his head. As he did, he got a full view of Draco's naked body, "Modest as ever. Nice butt."

Draco pulled a comfortable t-shirt over his head and slid a pair of rather short cotton shorts up his legs. He turned to Harry, not bothering to hide his staring as Harry stood in nothing but his boxers, his arms up over his head as he pulled on his own shirt, exposing well developed, tan muscles. "Thanks, I grew it myself. Could say the same to you, modesty is certainly not your middle name."

Harry's head popped out of the neckline with a grin, and the shirt's material settled around his short frame, the hem coming to his mid-thigh. He quickly swapped his boxers for the shorts before striking a pose like he was some sort of catwalk diva, "You've seen it all before, it's not like I've developed a secret third leg between our last quidditch practice and now."

With a tilted head, Draco exaggerated a look down towards certain private areas of anatomy, "Third leg? Is that what they're calling it these days? Seems a little generous."

The brunette flushed at that one, letting out an indignant squeak as he pulled the hemline of the shirt even lower. He straightened up, his flustering turning to a glare when Draco just laughed at him. He stepped forward, reaching up to flick the blonde on the end of his pointed nose. He let the hand lower to Draco's chest, absently smoothing over the soft material, "I never took you for a shorts and t-shirt kinda guy. Kinda thought you'd deck out in head to toe silk, or something. Not that it's not appreciated. The booty shorts are definitely appreciated."

"Do you realise how uncomfortable and hot that would be? It would be impossible to sleep. This is much preferable." He stepped away, heading to the bed to settle down comfortably. He propped his head up so he could watch as Harry approached, "Besides, full silk on you wouldn't look nearly half as cute as this."

Harry grinned, rolling his eyes as he climbed into bed beside Draco, "You know, one day your messing around with people is going to get you in trouble." He reached up to pull the curtains around the bed, missing the small frown Draco developed at his words. As an afterthought he applied a few privacy charms for good measure, "Where are the rest of your dormmates?"

"It's just me, Theo and Blaise now. Crabbe and Goyle never came back to school, they've joined the Dark Lord for good. Blaise is a complete night owl, he naps all day and barely sleeps at night, I doubt he'll be coming up here anytime soon."

"Sorry to hear about Crabbe and Goyle. I knew they weren't at Hogwarts anymore, but didn't really give much thought as to why. Ignorance is bliss, as they say. And to beat you to it, no that doesn't mean I'm the happiest man on the planet, sod."

Draco rolled onto his side to face him with a grin, "I didn't say a thing."

Harry pulled the duvet up over them both, also lying down on his side so he could be face to face with the Slytherin. They were so close in the tiny bed that they could feel the other's breath ghosting across their skin. They lay for a moment in comfortable silence, just watching the other peacefully in the dim light that came from some unknown source. Harry reached up a hand, gently caressing it against a pale forehead, snagging a stray lock of long blonde hair and brushing it back behind Draco's ear.

Draco's heart beat a steady, hard rhythm in his chest, but it seemed to almost stop when he remembered something Harry had said earlier. He diverted his gaze as best he could with the close proximity, staring down at the pillow they shared, "So, a Weasley twin sandwich?"

Snorting lightly, Harry nodded his head, "The Burrow was full to capacity; everyone and their mother seemed to be visiting. I had the choice of sharing a single bed with Ron, or a double with the twins. I figured it was the lesser of two evils. It was hot."

A nasty, unpleasant feeling was growing in Draco's chest, crawling up the back of his throat, "I bet it was," he muttered, his words a little harsher than intended.

"Piss off, I didn't mean hot like that, I meant temperature hot." Harry smirked, a thoughtful look on his face, "Although, kinda hot like that too; they're good looking guys, just a shame they're really not my type. I prefer prettier faces over classically handsome, you know?"

Draco frowned deeply, pulling back as much as he could to stare searchingly into green eyes, "Harry, do you…do you like guys?"

"Yeah, I'm bisexual," Harry said easily, but he quickly grew worried when Draco's eyes went wide with shock. "I, I'm sorry, I didn't think you would mind. I didn't mean to…I'll just…" He started to sit up, already planning a hasty retreat to a location far, far away from the dungeons.

The blonde darted out a hand, clasping it around Harry's shoulder, effectively stilling him, "No, no, of course I don't mind, I just…why didn't you ever tell me?"

Harry slowly let himself relax as the pressure never left his arm, "I've never hidden it, I always thought I was quite obvious in fact, but I've never felt the need to announce it either. If someone asked me, I would tell them, but they never ask." Harry looked unsure of himself as several emotions seemed to flicker across the other's face, "Look, are you sure you don't mind? Because if you've got a problem with this, I'd rather you just tell me now and get it over with."

"No, Harry, I…" Grey eyes stared into green, defensively hesitant yet strangely pleading, "I'm gay."

Harry gaped at him, stunned into silence, before reaching up a hand to slap at Draco's chest, "You bastard, you had me worried, there! And why didn't you ever tell me?"

"I…forgot." Draco raised a hand to catch Harry's wrist from where he was about to hit him again, "All the Slytherins know, and probably most of the school, it's probably the worst kept secret in Hogwarts. By the time I realised you didn't know, you were with Ginny, and it just…there was never a good time. I've not let myself overly think about it until this morning, when you asked me about the rumours of my sexual exploits."

Scandalised, Harry tried to free his hand, but it was futile, "And you told me they were true!"

"No, I didn't," Draco spoke softly.

Harry thought back to the potions class, reliving the conversation in his head. "No," He murmured, "I guess you didn't. but you didn't exactly lead me to believe that they weren't true, either."

Draco looked sheepish at that one, "I know, I'm sorry."

"So, all the stories and rumours, they're all false?"

The Slytherin's face burned red, and he hoped it wasn't glaringly noticeable in the darkness, "I've kissed and such before, but I'm still a virgin, Harry."

"Well, I think we've established from my lack of even having shared a decent snog with another person that I am also very much a virgin."

Draco just shook his head, covering his face with one hand, letting out a dry chuckle, "Merlin, we're both such fucking idiots."

Harry smiled toothily but frowned, remembering something Draco had mentioned earlier, "Why did me being with Ginny stop you from telling me you're gay?"

"Well, you were in a committed and what I thought was a happy relationship. I wasn't going to be that person that interferes in someone's relationship and potentially ruins their happiness."

Confused, Harry tilted his head to look at him square on, "Why would you being gay effect my rela-…oh. Oh!"

Draco buried his face in both his hands. If he'd been able to, he would have curled up into a ball, shielding himself from the dawning realisation on Harry's face. Damn these small beds. Damn the school rules. Damn the faculty and their conservative views.

"Draco, Draco, look at me, please," Harry wrapped small hands around much larger ones, gently prying them away. He cupped Draco's face, forcing the blonde to look up, "Do you like me?"

"I've been flirting relentlessly with you for the last four months, Potter, what do you think?" Draco bit out harshly, going on the defensive.

Harry chuckled lowly, a strangely relieved look in his dancing eyes, "I think I have to agree with your earlier statement that we're both fucking idiots. I thought you were just messing with me this whole time. I thought you'd figured out that I like you and were just using it as a means to tease me."

"You like me?"

"Well, yeah. You're pretty incredible, Draco," Harry ran a thumb over the smooth skin under a storm grey eye, "But I didn't dwell on my little crush because I didn't think it would, or could, go anywhere. And I didn't want to risk it changing things between us, I like what we have. I was quite content to just let it sit on the backburner if it meant I could still be your friend."

Draco sat up a little, placing a hand on Harry's chest, pushing him until he was laid down on his back. He kept his hand there, using it to support himself as he edged closer, leaning over him. His moved in, so close that his loose, chin length hair bushed against a tan face, "Can I kiss you?"

Harry didn't respond verbally, instead a hand came to glide through blonde hair, applying pressure to guide Draco closer. He didn't stop until soft lips were against his in a gentle, sweet kiss. Draco pulled back slightly, staring down at him with unmasked happiness in his eyes, and Harry knew his own face reflected the same. Taking the initiative, Draco leant down again, capturing the lips with more force, slowly letting it build more heated, massaging and manipulating the warm flesh of his lips until Harry was struggling for breath. He moved to place delicate and not so delicate kisses along the boy's face and jaw, grinning when Harry all but melted under the attention, letting out soft mewls and hitched breaths. When he experimentally suckled at the soft flesh below Harry's ear and sharp teeth caught the lobe for the briefest of moments before a hot, wet tongue soothed the delicious spike of pain, Harry clutched at him desperately, hands fisted in the back of his shirt and hair.

Growing brave, Harry used his grip and their position to send them tumbling until he was the one looming over Draco. He lost his balance in the quick change of position, throwing his leg haphazardly over the blonde to stop himself from landing heavily on his chest or cracking their heads together. They froze, staring at each other like deer caught in headlights, their unexpectedly intimate position leaving nothing to the imagination as their lower halves pressed flush together.

Not wanting to give Harry enough time to overthink and potentially ruin the moment, Draco let his eyes soften, a playful smirk on his face. He arched up to press small kisses to full lips, coaxing and teasing until he could feel Harry relax against him. He ran his hands down Harry's sides, over his hips and towards his bare thighs, where he firmly guided the other into a more comfortable position. Strong legs bent and gripped at his waist and the smaller body was straddling him fully. He kept his hands where they were, caressing the soft skin of Harry's thighs and thinly clothed hips, ducking under the hemline of his shirt to splay across his lower back, and occasionally daring to feel the firm muscle of his arse through the fabric of his shorts.

Harry felt inexperienced and clumsy, but the possessive hands, the blown, hungry look in grey eyes, and the hot hardness pressing up against him was empowering, making him feel wanted, needed, like he never had before. He balled up his Gryffindor confidence and flicked his tongue against Draco's top lip before slightly pulling the bottom between his own, massaging and nibbling like Draco had done to him. Draco seemed to understand his desires and intentions, applying his own attention to Harry's lips before easily granting him entrance, allowing Harry to take control and explore unfamiliar territory. Harry took his time to navigate and learn, memorising what drew soft whimpers or louder, deeper moans from the boy beneath him. Deciding to give Harry a taste of what it's like to be thoroughly and properly kissed, Draco danced their tongues together, sucking and stroking before pushing back, taking the playful battle into Harry's mouth. By the time he was through with him, Draco had become addicted to the taste of mint toothpaste mixed with the sugary sweetness that was purely Harry. Harry himself was left flushed and panting for breath, a low moan of Draco's name escaping his lips before those lips attached firmly to a pale neck.

"Merlin, Harry!" Draco cried out at the rough treatment, squirming in delicious arousal as Harry ravished his neck, not bothering to take it slow as he bit and sucked and licked relentlessly. Draco could feel his hips giving short, sharp little jolts up into the body above him and he gripped Harry's hips firmly, guiding them both into a slower, deeper rocking motion.

"Fuck!" Harry managed to gasp out into the hot, dampened skin of Draco's neck. Suddenly he was on his back again, a tongue in his mouth, and he was clinging onto the blonde for dear life as the heavier weight settled between his legs, thrusting their straining bulges together. He would be forever grateful for Draco's choice of sleepwear, the stretchy, thin, loose fabric not proving to be very restrictive. He spread his thighs wider, allowing Draco more contact, holding his legs up awkwardly for a moment before deciding to wrap them around Draco's waist, using the position to draw him impossibly closer. The friction was too hard, too fast, too perfect, and Harry pulled his head away, "Fuck, Draco, I'm gunna…"

Draco could feel his own release coming and buried his face in Harry's neck as he moved them together. He bit down into flushed, salty skin as they came, hard, bodies shuddering. He collapsed to Harry's side, exhausted but not wanting to crush the other under his larger frame. He snaked his arms underneath Harry, drawing him close. They lay together, breathing heavy and hearts pounding, Harry with his head on Draco's shoulder and pressed close to his side, a leg thrown over the blonde's waist. Draco's arms wrapped around him, tight enough to be possessive but loose enough to not make them uncomfortable in the hot, sticky aftermath of their deeds.

"I don't know why you were coming to me for kissing advice. You seemed fine. More than fine. Fantastic even."

Harry could hear the smile on the other's lips and when he propped his chin on the pale chest sure enough, it was there, "You know, that's the first time I've really got it. I understand what all the fuss is about now. That was fucking incredible!" He had a large, dopey grin on his lips, and he soaked in the sight of Draco looking thoroughly mussed and sated, committing it to memory. His eyes travelled down the pale expanse of neck before his smile faltered, "Oh god, Draco, I didn't mean to…shit."

"Let me guess, my neck looks like it went through ten rounds with a hippogriff? You did practically attack me, I should have known a Gryffindor would be rough." He hastened to continue as Harry ducked his face, ashamed, "Hey, hey, relax, if I didn't like it, I would have told you to stop. But I do like it. Love it, actually. You're sporting quite the hickey yourself." Draco ran a pale finger over the angry looking, tender flesh before suddenly freezing, his breath catching in his throat, "Oh Merlin, what have we done?"

The brunette met his panicked gaze, his own worried and uncertain, "Do you…do you regret it? We can pretend it never happened, I can just-" He cut of when those fingers pressed against his lips, quietening him.

"No, Harry, of course I don't, I've wanted this for so long. I really liked being with you, and I want to continue being with you," Draco let out a deep sigh, head falling back against the pillow. His hands traced idle patterns over Harry's arm and back as he stared up at the canopy, "I just, we shouldn't have let it happen. Not now, at least. You've got a girlfriend Harry. Merlin I…I'm Harry Potter's bloody mistress!"

Harry rested his head back on Draco's chest, his ear over his heart, listening to the rhythm, "I know, this was really shitty of me. I should have broke it off with her before telling you how I feel, before…before doing the rest of what we did. But…does it really matter? I'd already decided we were over, I'm breaking up with her tomorrow anyway."

"Harry, can't you understand the backlash of this? Everyone will know you never returned to the Tower last night, and I'm guessing you even told them all that you were going to be with me?" At Harry's small nod, he let out a sigh, continuing, "So, you disappear all night, then turn up at Gryffindor the next morning looking thoroughly ravished, then what? Break up with Weasley then immediately declare that you're now seeing me? They'll all know you cheated, Harry, and some things…some things aren't forgiven so easily."

"Declare I'm seeing you? Does that mean you want us to, you know, be in a proper relationship? Like dating, and being boyfriends?"

"Yes, you idiot," Draco's small smile turned into a frown, and he coaxed Harry's head back up so he could look at him, "Unless…do you want that?"

"God, yes." Harry said definitively without a moment of hesitation, "But, you know, we can be in a relationship without publicly declaring it, we don't have to tell anyone."

Draco was still frowning, and his eyes narrowed, "Ignoring the events of tonight, I will not be your dirty little secret, Harry. If we're going to do this, I want to do it properly. No hiding, no secrets, no sneaking around. I want to be able to kiss you whenever and wherever I like. I want to be able to talk to you openly and hold your hand."

"I want all of that too, but you need to realise, I'm still very much in the public eye. Remember the outcry when the press found out I was with Ginny? Are you ready for that? It won't just be our friends, or the school, it'll be the whole world looking at us."

"I don't care. I want you, all of you."

Harry smiled at him, placing a warm, slow, happy kiss to his lips. He reached past Draco, sticking his hand out the curtains to blindly snatch his wand off the bedside table. He cast cleansing charms over them, their clothes, and the bed before settling back down into the crook of Draco's arm with a yawn, "I can't wait. For us, that is. The rest will suck, but we'll figure it out. But please, can we figure it out in the morning?"

Draco was about to protest, demand that they get a plan of action made here and now, but a quick check of the time and the exhausted look on Harry's face gave him pause. They were both physically and emotionally drained, and Harry needed sleep for what was facing him tomorrow. He nodded, tangling their legs together, and held Harry close as they drifted off to sleep.

###

To Be Continued (within 24 hours).

Happy Reading,
Love,
Bambi x