Thank you to my three reviewers! Xaverii Jade, MoonyPadfootJr (thanks for the prodding to update – I am trying!) and Peegchica (I think your review got cut short?)

Chapter Two

It was just over six years now since he'd first met Corbin. Jack still remembered how small and scared the boy had looked, clutching a battered suitcase as he stood in Kings Cross Station. And now, looking at him - standing tall, his clear blue eyes narrowed, his jaw set - it was hard to imagine Corbin ever being scared. He was slender with a handsome, almost beautiful, face. His black hair curled when it was long enough, which it was now, just reaching his ears and the nape of his neck – for several years he'd kept it very short, almost shaved. The glossy curls were being tousled by a gusty wind. Corbin looked like Jack had always imagined Heathcliff looking, out on the windy moors.

A sharp elbow interrupted Jack's thoughts and reminded him that they were inside…in the Ministry of Magic's Auror Training Room.

"Stop drooling." Tessen murmured.

Jack shifted uncomfortably, grateful for the robes that hid his arousal. "I'm not, " He protested sullenly as he moved his gaze over to Corbin's opponent, Cassius Malfoy. Malfoy moved forward gracefully, his voice icily calm, his eyes focused on his prey. Jack thought that no one on earth could possibly face down Cassius Malfoy and not be afraid. No one except Corbin. He suppressed a sigh.

"Good, now, try a disarming hex." Smythe said cheerfully as Malfoy and Corbin faced each other again. The diminutive, elderly auror trainer seemed oblivious to the tension that crackled between the two trainees.

"Think they'll kill each other?" Tessen asked in a low voice.

"I'm just glad it's not me." Jack said, then he felt his face flush as Tessen looked at him.

"Some Gryffindor you are." Tessen laughed. "Although I have to say I'm glad it's not me either."

Malfoy said something in a low tone and Jack watched the muscle in Corbin's jaw twitch. Suddenly, Corbin lunged and there was a sharp, loud crack as his fist connected with Malfoy's jaw.

"A stinging hex would work wonderfully here, Hill." Smythe called out. The trainer turned to the rest of the class for a moment. "Muggle-borns have a tendency to resort to physical violence when they're first training, it's instinct. Malfoy will – Mr. Malfoy!" Malfoy had just punched Corbin in the stomach and tackled him to the ground.

"Can't remember one, can you?" Corbin sneered, slamming one of Malfoy's arms against the floor as he rolled on top. Malfoy's eyes widened for a moment before narrowing furiously. As Malfoy's forehead smashed into Corbin's nose, Jack thought that perhaps it hadn't been the best idea for Corbin to tease Malfoy about the memory charm accident he'd had in school. Corbin grunted as blood began to stream from his nose and he thumped Malfoy's head against the floor. Jack heard Malfoy call Corbin a demon as he threw another punch. Corbin flushed angrily. Jack wondered if that was a muggle insult because all the demons he knew were really quite nice – if a little ugly. Corbin definitely wasn't ugly. He was sexy and hot and sweaty and…Jack really hoped training would get over soon. Little scenarios of Corbin and Cassius fighting over him were starting to coalesce in his tired brain. They'd been sleep deprived for three days, Moody's idea of hardening them for the job.

"Try a repelling jinx. Those are very handy for gaining space from your attacker. "Smythe called out helpfully.

"What's going on here?" Alastor Moody stomped into the training room. Jack immediately sat up straighter. He could see Tessen doing the same thing, out of the corner of his eye.

"Just a little duel." Smythe answered cheerily as Corbin and Malfoy continued to wrestle. Malfoy and Corbin were widely acknowledged as the best in the class and consequently not many of the other trainees wanted to be paired with them.

"Training's done for the day. We'll be tracking Grindylows first thing tomorrow." Moody said gruffly. The two men continued to punch each other, ignoring Moody's words. Tessen got up and started walking stiffly towards the changing rooms. Audra Domran and Fiona Bones were ahead of him. "Hill, Malfoy, stop now or you're both out of the program."

The two men separated immediately, glaring daggers at each other.

"Need your Mummy, Malfoy?" Corbin sneered. Malfoy took a step towards him and was stopped only by Moody gripping his arm.

Corbin walked slowly towards the exit. Jack got up, trying to look nonchalant, ignoring the fact Tessen was watching him from the doorway.

"You all right?" Jack asked with concern.

"Yeah." Corbin nodded as he dabbed at the blood still dripping from his nose.

"You should have been in Gryffindor." Jack commented, looking over at Malfoy. Moody had just performed a healing spell on Malfoy's nose.

"He's not that scary." Corbin shrugged, one corner of his mouth quirking up, then he winced, one hand coming up to hold his ribs.

"You'd know." Jack said with a smile – and watched as Corbin stiffened and the blue eyes narrowed. "I meant, being in the same house at school and all." He said quickly.

"Right."

"Want to have dinner?" Jack asked.

"No. I've got a date." Corbin answered as they reached the doorway.

"Seems like it's date night," Tessen interjected, "You, me, Malfoy."

"Oh." Jack was trying hard to hide his disappointment. "Who with?"

"You don't know her." Corbin said flatly. Jack felt like he'd been punched in the gut. He'd thought Corbin was gay…after all, he'd dated Malfoy for over a year. They'd had a messy break-up a couple years ago. After the dust had settled, Jack had begun waging a subtle, apparently too subtle, campaign for Corbin's affections. And now he was dating a girl! A girl! "We've been together a few months now."

"That's nice." Jack struggled to find something to say, a rare occurrence in his life. They'd entered the changing room where Tessen started to strip his clothing off. "So, she didn't go to Hogwarts?"

"God, no. No girl from Hogwarts would ever date me, they all think I'm gay." Corbin tugged off his shirt with some effort.

"And…you're not." Jack said, once again avoiding looking in Tessen's direction. He didn't want to see the sympathy in his friend's eyes. Thank Merlin, Tessen walked into the showers.

"No." Corbin looked at Jack. "That…thing…with Malfoy. It was just…experimenting."

"Oh." Jack nodded. "Right."

"It's all right that you're gay. But I'm not."

"Right." Jack nodded again, trying to ignore the tears that were threatening to well up. Stupid Moody with his sleep deprivation, it made Jack more emotional. He hadn't cried since he'd fallen off his first broom at age seven – well, not counting when his parents had died. And damn Corbin Hill – being gay was not something horrible. But Corbin was making him feel that it was, just like he had the first day they'd met. Jack lifted his chin defiantly. He wasn't going to feel that way anymore. "Your loss." He said, turning sharply and walking out of the changing rooms – straight into Cassius Malfoy.

"Watch it, Bartleby."

"Sorry." Jack cursed Corbin again as the tears welled over.

"What's wrong?" Malfoy asked, something resembling concern in his eyes. Jack knew he had to be hallucinating to see emotion in Malfoy.

"Nothing." Jack shoved past him and walked quickly down the hall.