Thanks to reviewers:-

L'Arriere-monde & theTigersFire – thanks!!

Chaos – obscure as your review was...thanks?

Sna – ok – hogwarts is in Scotland...sure – in this story it's a High School in New York

Kt – you love the story then I love you – I don't actually know who's gonna fall for who yet...it'll work it out eventually

HonEySky – thank you for the suggestion of harry being jealous of draco – I will think about it – and also, course it was obvious they were gonna be partners – duh!

Reese Craven – hugs back, much more harry/draco interaction coming – btw, really loving your story What?

7. A Passage to much more than India

Harry stumbled in through the front door, tripping over his sister's school bag, and dumping his own stuff on the floor.

"Mum? Dad? Brat?"

When there was no reply, Harry shrugged to himself and walked into the kitchen. Basketball always made him hungry...and horny but that was besides all points...hungry was the main focus right now. Opening the fridge door he searched desperately for food that wasn't fat free (his mum's) or bright pink (Morgan's). After finding a dodgy looking apple he decided to take a quick shower before Draco arrived, so he didn't smell like...well, like he'd being playing basketball for an hour in the blazing hot sun.

Harry quickly hurried upstairs, taking off his red and gold team kit and dumping them in the washing basket, before hopping in the shower and turning on water, letting it run warm before submerging his head. While the near to scalding water pounded over his hair, driving it into his eyes, Harry thought abut the boy he was being forced to spend time with in order to actually graduate school.

Of course, had Harry just seen Draco Malfoy in the street he would've wanted to do him right there and then. But that was not the case. Harry had had to meet this wonderfully beautiful boy under the watchful eyes of Dumbledore and Snape. And when it came down to it, regardless of how wonderfully beautiful the boy was on the outside, the inside was less pleasant. Harry didn't really mind the snide comments, he found the playful (at least on his side) bantering fun, but that was only in small doses. How was he going to handle him alone for the length of time it took to write about a book?

Sighing loudly, Harry turned the knob on the shower and the water stopped. He stepped out and wrapped one of the dark blue towels hanging on the radiator around his waist. He jumped at the sudden noise when the doorbell rang.

"Just coming," Harry yelled, realising it was probably pointless to expect the ringer to hear from the other side of that bloody huge door.

Rushing down the stairs, clinging to his towel so it did not fall off and create an embarrassing situation, Harry opened the door. Standing on the other side was a very stunned blond, his mouth, most probably unbeknownst to him, hanging open.

"You'll catch flies, Malfoy," warned Harry, grinning.

Draco's mouth suddenly clamped shut as he gave Harry a withering glare. "I'm not used to being greeted by a man in just a towel."

"You obviously haven't been in America for long enough then." Harry stepped back to allow Draco in. "Come on, as you pointed out I am in nought but a towel and it's getting rather breezy."

Draco frowned and stepped into the hallway. Harry noticed he was still wearing what he had been early – black jeans and a black shirt.

"You want something to eat or drink?"

"No...thanks."

"Okay. My parents will be back soon and if we wanna actually get some work done we should do it in my room. Come on."

Slowly and reluctantly, Draco followed Harry up the stairs, looking at the family photos as they went up – such things had never existed in Draco's house – just an oil painting of he and his parents, but that was from years ago and was kept in his father's study where no one else was allowed to set foot.

Upon entering Harry's room, Draco looked around him. The blue walls were plastered with posters of basketball stars, bands or movies, and the spaces in between were filled with photos of Harry and his family and his friends. The blond boy sat lightly on the dark blue bed covers and looked around him.

"So," began Harry from somewhere behind a wardrobe door where he was apparently rummaging for clothes, "you got any ideas on what book we should do?"

Draco shrugged. "I dunno."

"Well, I've read Lord of the Flies but-"

"You read a book, Potter?" sneered Draco.

"Yes Draco. I can read. I can also write my name and wipe my own ass," replied Harry, re-emerging from the closet with a pile of clothes in his hand.

Dropping the clothes on a nearby chair, he turned his back to Draco and dropped the towel.

"Harry!" Draco gasped in absolute horror. "What are you doing?"

"I'm getting dressed," said Harry in a 'duh-isn't-this-obvious' kinda voice. "Why? Have you never done the process yourself."

"Of course I have. I just tend not to parade naked in front of strangers."

Harry pulled on his underwear, his back still to the other boy. Draco could practically hear him roll his eyes. Turning around, now semi-decent in a pair of black boxers, he folded his arms over his chest and fixed Draco with a look.

"One, I don't know what parading means to you, but that is not what I was doing. Two," he continued, counting the numbers off on his hand, "it's my bedroom, if I want to be naked in it I think that's my right. And three, unless you're hot for me then it shouldn't bother you.

"Fuck you Potter."

"You wish," bit back Harry, hopping into a pair of baggy black jeans. "Can we please just get on with this?"

"Whatever." Draco looked Harry up and down as the dark haired boy straightened up and reached for his T-shirt. "How quaint," he muttered, referring to the small silver ring hanging from Harry's left nipple.

Harry grinned. "Makes for good conversation."

Draco breathed a silent sigh of relief as Harry finally covered up his chest and sat cross-legged on the floor. As much as he didn't want to admit it to himself, Harry naked had been a little to much for him and he didn't know if he could have taken another second of the other being so blatantly yet cluelessy sexy.

He ran his finger across the collar of his shirt, trying to loosen it a bit. "God, is it hot in here or is it just me?"

Harry glanced up from the sheet of paper he was reading. "Just you."

'Course it's just me,' Draco thought bitterly, 'Damn you and your body and your nipple ring Potter.'

"Okay, so we have to pick a book?"

"Whatever. Lord of the Flies is fine by me," muttured the blond.

"Cool."

Draco watched fixatedly as Harry bit his lip in concentration as he jotted down some notes on a sheet of paper.

"So, when should we do it?"

"What?!" exclaimed Draco, now sitting up poker straight on the bed.

"The project...you know...the reason we're stuck together?" Harry explained slowly, as if Draco was stupid.

"Oh, yea, um...I don't know."

"Not important now." Harry got off the floor and sat next to Draco, showing him the notes he'd made.

Draco tried to look interested in the notes but was finding it hard to pay attention to anything but the closeness of Harry and he, they were so close he could feel the heat coming in waves off Harry.

"Um...this sentence here doesn't make any sense," he pointed out, annoyed at the way his voice came out in a husky whisper.

"Where? Oh yea, I'll change that."

As Harry leant across Draco to get a pencil, the blond took in a sharp breath, struck by Harry's chest on his crotch and his warm breath on Draco's arm. He stared in amazement. Was the other boy not affect at all? Did he stand naked in front of everyone and then subconsiously turn them on?

'No,' he thought angrily. 'Not turned on. Worried, repulsed, disgusted.'

"Harry, are you home?" called a voice from downstairs.

Harry stood up. "My parents are home I guess."

Draco glanced quickly at his watch. "I should go home anyway."

The two boys clattered down stairs to where Harry's parents and sister were standing in the hallway.

"Oh, hello Harry dear," said the pretty red-head who Draco took to be Harry's mother.

"Hey mum. Hi dad. Morgan. This is Draco Malfoy."

Both Harry's parents greeted Draco warmly, while Morgan stood behind her father's legs turning somewhat pink.

"I really have to go, I promised my Uncle."

Harry raised his eyebrows and opened his mouth to say something before closing it again and simply smiling. "I guess I'll see you tomorrow at school then?"

"Yea, tomorrow. Bye Mr and Mrs Potter," Draco quickly added, reverting back to his manners so swiftly that he could've sworn he now had an auto-pilot.

"Bye."

As Draco closed the door behind him, Harry could feel his parents gaze on his back.

"Yes?"

"Nothing dear, he's just very good looking," mused Lily.

"Oh my god! I'm going to my room!"

On the other side of the front door, Draco leant against the side of the house, breathing deeply. He had no idea what had happened to him in there, but it had definitely unnerved him.
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