Disclaimer: As usual, Harry is not mine and i'm not making any money out of this but i am so glad JK is letting me borrow him and Draco for a little while...

Sorry this chapter took so long, i can hope the next one will be quicker but in all likelihood it wont be...

Chapter 11

Harry, Ron and Hermione were walking the halls to History of Magic and talking quietly as they went; Hermione had started the conversation as she had begun to worry about the rumours that were still circulating Hogwarts regarding Harry and Draco being in some sort of romantic or sexual relationship.

"Yeah, I wondered what was going on about that. For some reason I haven't heard any of the rumours directly, but I've certainly noticed everyone talking and staring at me," Harry said when Hermione brought it up.

"Of course you haven't Harry, people love you and the ones that don't are scared of you. There's more rumours than you'll ever know going around Hogwarts about you – particularly about your magical abilities," she replied.

"My magical abilities?"

"Yeah, people are saying you have phenomenal power like nothing anybody has ever seen before!" Ron said in a mockingly deep voice. "A lot of people are scared of you; they think you'll blast them into oblivion if they cross you."

"That's insane," Harry breathed, completely stunned at what some people thought of him. Did he give that impression; crazy, unstable psychopath with more power than all the Founders combined?

"What are you going to do about these 'you-and-Malfoy' rumours? They're getting out of hand," Hermione said, refocusing the conversation on her original concern.

"How are they getting out of hand? What are people saying?" Harry asked starting to get worried.

"Its less about what people are saying and more about the percentage of people that actually believe it," Hermione said.

"Yeah," Ron agreed. "It's getting ridiculous. The other day I heard Seamus and Dean talking about it, wondering if it was true especially since you seem to disappear a lot at night for hours at a time. Things are bad when the people close to you think it's possible that you're with Malfoy."

"That is bad," Harry said agreeing with his two best friends. "I'll have to do something about it. We've been picking fights and insulting each other more than usual lately but it doesn't seem to be having an impact. I'll talk to him again and see what he wants to do about it."

"Okay, just be careful Harry like you promised, remember?" Hermione reminded him.

Harry nodded quietly as they entered the sleepy History of Magic classroom and took their seats.

Harry hadn't seen Draco that day apart from sighting him across the room at breakfast, not that it would have mattered if he had, Draco still wouldn't have told him anything about the night before and his close call with a fellow Slytherin.

It started late that night once almost everyone else had gone to bed, Draco was sitting alone in the common room reading through his notes for Potions the next day when Henry Shepherd an unusually large Slytherin seventh year sat down next to him on the couch wrapping his arm around Draco's shoulders.

"Draco Malfoy," Shepherd said, shaking his caramel coloured hair lightly. "What are we going to do with you?"

"You could get the hell off me!" Draco snapped lightly, but didn't remove himself from the couch. Shepherd was much too hot-tempered to antagonise unnecessarily.

"Can I just ask – why Potter?" Shepherd's eyes glinted teasing Draco dangerously.

"Not that shit again! There's nothing going on with me and Potter! I hate that saintly little prick – strutting around like he owns the fucking place just because he's got that crazy old fart Dumbledore wrapped around his little finger!" Draco yelled. This time he did pull away from Shepherd.

"Now, now," Shepherd tut-tutted him. "Potter wouldn't like you saying those things about him or Dumbledore, if he finds out he may not put out for a while!"

Draco rolled his eyes but didn't reply. It was obvious nothing he could say would do any good anyway. Shepherd got up off the couch and followed Draco across the room, his hand rested on Draco's shoulder and travelled lightly down his arm to his wrist where it gripped tightly. Draco didn't move or resist; Shepherd needed to he handled carefully.

"Don't worry beautiful Draco, I would give you whatever you wanted whenever you wanted it," he whispered leaning into Draco's neck making him shiver. Shepherd got excited at that shiver thinking Draco was feeling aroused, in reality Draco was feeling sick. He shivered in revulsion.

"I'm not really in the mood right now," Draco said carefully pulling away from Shepherd as he felt the older boy's hard-on pushing into his hip.

Shepherd's eyes flashed angrily. "But I am," he replied tightly.

"Look you're very attractive and if I was into guys I would definitely be interested, but I'm not. It's nothing personal, okay?" Draco lied easily; his tone was light but resolute.

"The hell you aren't into guys!? You're gayer than Jacky Jones!" Shepherd accused loudly. Draco cringed at the thought of being 'gayer than Jacky Jones' the overly flamboyant leader singer of the popular wizards band Felixtoe.

"Honestly Henry," Draco smiled jokingly, "I don't think it's possible to be gayer than Jacky Jones."

Shepherd growled furiously; first he was rejected now Draco was laughing at him! He shoved Draco hard into the wall, pinning him there with both his large hands pushing heavily on Draco's shoulders. Shepherd smashed his lips against Draco's kissing him roughly, Draco was dead still he didn't respond even though his mind was in a blind panic wondering if Shepherd was going to rape him or kill him or both. Draco was little match to Shepherd's large frame, weight and brute strength.

Draco's wand was in his robes inner pocket but was hard to reach pinned against the wall like that so he would just have to wait until Shepherd was done and grab his chance when he could. Shepherd pulled away before too long and looked Draco in the eye.

"Good enough to take a stinking Gryffindor up the arse but not me, huh?" he snarled. He placed his hands on the top of Draco's shoulders now and pushed down hard making him sink to his knees so he was face first in the seventh year's crotch. Shepherd pulled out his wand and placed the tip at Draco's temple.

"Now, Slut-to-the-Chosen-One, Golden Boy Gryffindor's little bitch, you're going to suck my cock nice and slow. No biting now or hex you."

"You think you'll get away with this? You think Lucius Malfoy will stand for you humiliating his son this way?" Draco threatened roughly, still staring into Shepherd's groin.

"Oh yes, Daddy-dearest… I think your daddy would be mighty interested in finding out who you're new little boyfriend is because I'm guessing he doesn't know yet." Shepherd replied with his counter-threat thrusting into Draco's face a little.

"There's no proof of anything between me and Potter, there can't be because it's a fucking lie! And you wouldn't dare hand over information to my father, especially when you're accusing me of something like bedding the enemy, unless you could prove it! He would have you're gigantic arse on a platter before you could blink! Not to mention the Dark Lord, you know how he prefers my father and I, if he knew you were spreading lies… it tarnishes his name as well as mine and you know it, Shepherd!" Draco spoke steadily but he was shaking on the inside. He hoped his words were enough to frighten Shepherd into letting him go.

They were. Shepherd backed up and let Draco off his knees.

"Shame," he said to Draco completely unremorseful and unafraid, "you would have been a great fuck, especially if I got to force you – so tight…"

Fury burned up in Draco once more and the full impact of how close he came to being in serious trouble hit him at once. Before he consciously thought about it Draco summoned one of the decorative daggers that hung high up on the dungeon walls with his wand which he was now gripping tightly. The dagger flew to his outreached hand and as soon as he felt it between his fingers he plunged all 10 cm of the blade upwards into Henry Shepherd's stomach. Without waiting to see if he'd killed him Draco fled from the common room and into the dark corridors of Hogwarts.

He spent 30 minutes wandering around trying to decide if he should report the incident to Snape before deciding against it and heading back to the secret room he shared with Harry. Draco was suddenly extremely grateful he'd thought to ask Harry to teach him the password; he slept soundly there that night and even debated never coming out again, but he knew he couldn't hide forever so he dragged himself to breakfast. Draco swore to himself later that the only reason he ever survived that day looking over his shoulder for Shepherd's avenging dim-witted friends was because he knew that night he was meeting Harry and Harry made everything right. Harry was the only thing right.

Draco didn't spend too much time in the Slytherin quarters that evening, he was there long enough to drop off his things and get a change of clothes before heading back to his and Harry's room. The lack of confrontation for his actions with Shepherd meant one of two things, either the other boys thought Shepherd deserved to be stabbed and hence Draco was free and clear or they were planning a punishment for Draco much more complex than attacking him on first sight. He hoped for the former.

Draco was asleep when Harry reached their secret room that night; he was sprawled across the bed with his hair knotting around his face and his mouth cutely open while he breathed. He wasn't sure how best to wake the sleeping beauty so Harry followed his instincts and laid down beside him, propping his head up with his arm and gazing over Draco's form. Harry pressed his body close to Draco's; knee to knee, hip to hip and stomach to stomach. Draco snuggled into Harry but didn't seem to wake at all, not that it worried him– just being close to Draco and being able to touch him was enough. Harry let his fingertips trace Draco's jaw line down to his chin before moving up to brush down the perfect line of his nose and finally resting on his lower lip. Harry was daydreaming about kissing the lips he now touched and was surprised when those very lips seemed to leap forward catching the index finger caressing them softly between gentle teeth and hot flesh. Although he was surprised at the move – thinking Draco was asleep – Harry wasn't startled, he just smiled.

"How long have you been awake?" he whispered.

"Long enough to feel you molesting my face," Draco answered with a smile once he'd allowed himself a good suck on Harry's finger.

"Well it's hardly my fault, you do have an adorable face," Harry grinned knowing Draco would hate being described as 'adorable' when there were other more masculine words to use. He saw Draco wrinkle his nose at the word to show his displeasure but that only made Harry grin harder. "I particularly love the way you mouth hangs open when you sleep," Harry continued teasing him further, "tell me, do you drool at all? Because my cousin Dudley sleeps with his mouth open and – AHH!"

Harry didn't get to finish his sentence as Draco pounced on him reaching skillfully for his most sensitive and ticklish areas. Draco's hands and wiggling fingers jumped randomly from Harry's sides to under his chin to his knees tickling him mercilessly as Harry laughed uncontrollably and tried to bat him away with weak swipes at any part of Draco he could reach while pathetically attempting to tickle him back. Eventually Harry had no breath or fight left in him and he was forced to surrender.

"I give in!" he screamed between laughs. "You win! You win!"

Draco stopped tickling him and Harry managed to wriggle out of his grasp almost instantly, he flung himself across the bed and scrambled to the other side of the room well out of Draco's reach.

"You monster," Harry accused. "That was just mean."

Harry pouted dramatically through his grin. He loved playing with Draco, he felt young and free again and not at all like a 16 year old boy with the weight of the world on his shoulders. Draco who seemed to understand this enjoyed playing with Harry just as much and never teased the handsome Gryffindor for what he would have normally called 'immature and girly dramatic theatrics.' He just smiled across the room at his pouting lover and suddenly wished he wasn't so clothed.

"Come here," Draco requested seductively, raising his eyebrows in case Harry missed the tone in his voice.

Harry shook his head playfully letting his dark locks swirl freely around his face. "I don't trust you anymore," he said, taunting the blonde with a subtle but sultry shift in his stance.

"Are you going to make me come over there and get you?" Draco threatened.

Harry smiled again. "Absolutely," he answered.

He wasn't sure what to expect next but he was dying to find out what Draco would do with that request. He watch as Draco slid off the bed and came over to him, tilting his head slightly as he appraised the situation, at this point Harry knew even Draco wasn't sure what he would do.

They stood staring into each others eyes for a few seconds before Draco reached for Harry's robes and began to undress him; he didn't resist. Once Harry was completely unclothed, Draco began to remove his own robes; Harry didn't help. Draco's robes fell around his feet and Harry had to restrain himself from reaching out to touch the other boy; this was for Draco to control and Harry wanted him to direct every part of it.

Their last encounter felt like weeks ago (even though it was only days) but Harry remembered it was passionate and lustful as they ripped each others clothes off, but this time was different. Harry could tell from the way Draco kissed him, it was soft, slow and light like their lips barely touched at all at first. Draco deepened the kiss and lovingly dipped his tongue into Harry's mouth tasting him. Harry felt Draco's fingernails glide down his back and he had to suppress another giggle as it tickled his spine; he didn't think laughing would add to the mood. Harry kissed Draco back and held him close instead, he felt so completely loved it was like being at the Weasley family dinner table at Christmas – feeling safe and surrounded by certainty and total trust almost like in that moment those things were tangible items that Harry could keep forever if he wanted to.

He looked into Draco's clear grey eyes and realized what he'd known subconsciously for a while; he was in love. He could feel the words forming on his lips – those three words he had known Draco so needed to hear – when his lover spoke first, halting him.

"Hold on to me," he said smiling before scooping Harry up in his arms effortlessly as though he weighed no more than a child.

Harry gasped in shock at first then wrapped his arms around Draco's neck and laughed as the Slytherin carried him to the bed.

"Don't hurt yourself!" he warned.

Draco laid Harry gently on the bed and lying next to him closely took leisurely pleasure in mapping Harry's skin and teasing him sensually for the next half hour before letting Harry call the shots. Draco wasn't particularly pleased about it but he knew Harry still wasn't ready to let Draco make love to him the way he wanted to and suggesting it now would ruin the moment. He hadn't planned to seduce Harry like this it just seemed natural at the time and from the first kiss he could see in Harry's painfully obvious green eyes how much the raven-haired boy cared for him. But Draco, being the kind of person he was, still needed to hear it out loud and was determined that he would before the night was through.

Harry seemed to know that Draco wanted to be the one on top but sensing his apprehension had surrendered the position without hesitation, giving the control back to Harry. Upon realizing this Harry felt his heart skip a beat and was more sure than ever that he loved this stunning blonde underneath him. Harry made love to Draco that night in the same way Draco had teased him in the lead up; slow, tender and loving. He was gentle in his thrusts constantly caressing his lover's chest and cock determined that Draco would enjoy it as much on the bottom as he would have on the top. Harry was starting to learn where Draco's prostate was and by the end of the night he was hitting it deliberately every time in a way that made Draco twitch and groan with pleasure. Harry felt his climax bursting as much in his chest and stomach as he did in his groin; he moaned without restraint as he clutched at Draco's waist hitting the other boy's special spot a few more times as he shouted the words that always set Draco off.

"Oh God, I'm coming," he announced just before he lost total control and the numbing afterglow swallowed him up.

Draco's climax followed seconds later and the two sighed into total relaxation, neither able to move or speak for several minutes.

Before sleep claimed him entirely Draco leaned over to kiss Harry – who had already dozed off – awake.

"That was amazing," Draco admitted making Harry blush with smug pride. "Next time I hope I can show you how great it is," he continued, he couldn't resist reminding Harry that eventually it would be his turn – Draco was not naturally submissive and didn't intend to change that no matter how much he loved his little green-eyed monster.

Harry just smiled – albeit nervously. "Don't worry Draco you will," he assured him.

Draco growled in pleasure and gathered up his boyfriend in his arms, still growling he shook his head as he nuzzled into Harry's neck. "I'll have you boy if it's the last thing I do! Grrr!" he barked playfully as Harry laughed into Draco's wild blonde hair.

Harry's smile faded quickly once Draco had stopped. "I can't stay too long for pillow talk," he admitted shyly, "my roommates have started talking about where I go at night and have annoyingly linked my disappearing to those rumours about us. I won't be able to stay for hours like I used to."

"Love me and leave me then, you player!" Draco joked before looking more serious himself. "Those rumours aren't going away are they?"

"Hermione says they're getting out of hand," Harry admitted, shaking his head. "What do you think we should do about them?"

"Dunno. Our extra public slandering sessions about each other don't seem to be working do they?"

Harry shook his head again.

"If this keeps up it's going to get back to my father," Draco admitted reluctantly.

"So we need to up the anti! What about a public brawl? I'm not keen on hitting you much but I've been thinking about it all day and it seems like the best option."

"Yeah it's also the option most likely to land us in detention for the rest of the year. Besides it would need to be a duel far more intense than any we've had so far and if anyone get seriously injured – which could happen – we could end up getting expelled!"

Harry cringed at the idea. "Well that was my grand plan. Have you got anything better?"

"Actually I do but don't freak out until I'm done okay?" Draco waited for Harry to agree before continuing. "Another relationship," he suggested.

"What!?" Harry shouted, freaking out despite his assurance he wouldn't only seconds before. "You want to date someone else!?"

"Not me! You! Fake date Granger! Just wander around holding hands publicly and let the rumours of your new relationship squash the ones of ours," Draco suggested.

"That would be a good idea except Hermione is with Ron now," Harry sighed.

"Since when!?"

"Since now, they got all publicly snuggly on the couch in the common room last night so everyone knows."

"Damn!" Draco cursed. "What about Weasley's sister? You're friends with her she'd fake date you right?"

Harry shook his head at that too. "Ron would never let me do that. Ginny actually has a thing for me – since forever actually – and even if she knew it was fake dating she would still get emotionally attached and Ron would kill me if I hurt her."

Draco slumped as he realized the only option left. "Then you'll have to date someone for real."

"Are you kidding? I can't do that! I'm with you!" Harry objected.

"What other option do we have?"

"What about you? Can't you fake date someone?"

"There's no one I trust enough to confess our relationship too. Besides I'm not the one people watch. I'm not the one eyes follow as he walks through the corridors of this stupid castle!" Draco had pulled away from Harry as if he was angry with him.

When Draco turned back Harry saw the frustration in his frown and guilt settled on him like a dead weight.

"No, it has to be you," Draco whispered almost as if he was talking to himself even though he was looking at Harry.

"People notice you and talk about you just as much as me," Harry said, although he knew it wasn't true. "If you dated someone it would squash the rumours just as effectively as if I did it."

"That's a lie and you know it," Draco scoffed. "Besides I don't date, my reputation is strictly use-and-abuse."

"Like you did with Pansy?" Harry said feeling hurt and slightly vulnerable as though he was currently allowing himself to be used and abused by the smooth talking Slytherin even though he knew it wasn't like that.

"Yes like that," Draco admitted somewhat shamefully.

Harry shifted uncomfortably. He wanted to touch Draco again – wanted him to hold him again – but the topic had taken an awkward turn and he wasn't sure what to say. Draco seemed to sense it though and for a moment Harry's thoughts paused to wonder how his former enemy came to know him so well before he was being drawn close to him again.

"You're mine though and I want a say in everything – I'll set all the rules and boundaries and I want regular updates and a say in who this little bitch is going to be," Draco stated.

Harry nodded in agreement wondering how their relationship had gotten to this point. He was happy with it being just the two of them and wasn't keen on a third person, particularly when it was him who had to fake date the poor girl who would think they were really dating. Harry sighed sadly, already feeling sorry for this future fake girlfriend of his, this could only go badly for her and he knew he would hurt her terribly by the end. Not to mention Draco and the vicious jealous streak Harry could already see shining through, this was not going to end well at all. But what other choice did they have?

Harry set his jaw firmly resigned to execute this ridiculous plan – he could not, under any circumstances, lose Draco. Not now, not ever.

After saying goodbye to his boyfriend Harry wandered back up to Gryffindor Tower, it was about midnight he guessed as he had met Draco that night at about half past 9. He started to mentally list all of the girls he could potentially date, it would have to be someone he could stand to be around and someone he would realistically date; after all he was not only convincing the public at large but also the roommates who had begun to doubt him. As he thought of a new potential candidate he also thought of a reason why it could never be her. He sighed again as he ducked in through the portrait hole wondering what he was going to do when he heard a shrill voice crack the still midnight air.

"AH! Piss! Fart! Bugger! Shit!"

Harry couldn't help himself, he had to smile. He tucked his invisibility cloak under his arm as he clapped eyes on the owner of the string of profanities. She was a fourth year Gryffindor he'd seen around and spoken to once or twice. Her name was Alice Hopperfield and he recalled her being very nice and funny too if he was remembering the right girl.

Alice was jumping up and down on one leg, holding the other in both her hands as she did. Her face was scrunched up and her teeth bared as she hissed.

"God dammit!" she cursed again.

Harry laughed out loud this time and she looked up at him so startled by his sudden appearance in the otherwise empty common room that she forgot she was standing on one leg and tumbled right over landing hard on the ground as she did, banging her head on the coffee table.

"Shit, are you okay?" Harry asked rushing over to her.

Harry noticed her turning beetroot red as he grabbed her hands to help her up.

"Yeah," she said. "It's just not my day that's all. I have this stupid assignment due tomorrow that I – in all my infinite wisdom – left until the last minute. Then as I got up to go to the bathroom I stubbed my toe on the leg of in the table and, well, you saw the rest."

Alice's blush began to creep down her neck, disappearing into her jumper. Harry let his mind wander back to his previous encounters of Alice; she was cute – he could see that now – and from memory she was funny, easy to get along with and even though she was younger she was as mature as Hermione had always been – she wasn't silly like the other girls were and as a result Harry remembered her being alone in the common room a lot, like she didn't have many friends. He smiled as he thought she was definitely someone he would date.

"Well, I'm not that tired what if I stay up and help you with your assignment for an hour or so?" he offered.

"Oh no, you don't have to do that," Alice said shyly.

"I want to – if you don't mind that is? What's the assignment for?"

"Defense Against the Dark Arts," she replied.

Harry smiled. "That's my best subject."

Harry sat with Alice for another hour until her essay was done and they were both yawning widely. Harry thought she had done an excellent job on her essay and he was really warming to her, she was as great as he remembered and before he could stop himself he had invited Alice to sit with him at breakfast.

It wasn't until the next morning as he thought about meeting Alice for breakfast that he realized he'd promised Draco could chose the girl he would date.

'Shit,' he thought cringing, 'he's going to be really pissed off.'

A/N: Oops. I just reread this chapter and realized how mean I was to Draco (in his encounter with Henry Shepherd) – I didn't mean to be that mean! It was an accident I swear! I just wanted him to get pushed around and hassled a bit, enough for him to come up with this crazy 'Harry-fake-dating-a-girl' idea… Maybe I went a little far… oh well, sorry Draco… forgive me?

Oh and Harry you silly boy! At least Draco has enough sense to know he has to choose a girl you won't like not one you will like! Your sexy little blonde doesn't want any real competition you know?

What have I done people? Harry and Draco are meant to be together forever! cry

Let me know what you think everyone! Review!

Keep Dreaming x