Disclaimer: Not mine - all JKRs, Im not making any profits (am still poor... sniff)

A/N: Sorry this has taken so long peoples! Trust me when I say this isnt even everything I wanted to put in this chapter - I still had another 3 scenes I wanted to include but as I couldnt resist writing another encounter with Draco (I was typing it out before I'd even decided it was going to happen) this chapter ended up incredibly long and I had to end it before it got ridiculous.

So here it is, please enjoy and review! I do this to grow and learn and to flex my creative muscles - of which i have little, I'm hoping will help to develop them and your reviews are a big part of that.

Chapter 13

It was late Sunday afternoon and Harry was flying high above the Quidditch pitch on his Firebolt. The air froze as he flew higher and his breath shallowed but his sudden impulse made him determined to reach the clouds. They had hung low all day threatening a light blizzard either tonight or tomorrow and for a moment he thought how nice it would be to touch them – that moment was all he needed to begin his ascension, circling up and up. He began to feel damp before he reached them but he pressed on anyway, wondering if Alice was watching and what she would think.

The dark clouds kissed his cheeks as he flew straight through the centre of them, his flying robes and dark hair soaked through in seconds and his ears began to ache from the cold. He stayed among the greyness of the clouds for no time at all instead pulling down and out of them, having discovered it wasn't nearly as pleasant or freeing as he imagined.

As he dropped lower he could just make out Alice's tiny frame standing on the grass of the pitch underneath him, he could tell she was staring up at him so he waved. The cold and damp had steeped through his robes and was numbing his skin making him shiver.

Time for a hot shower, he thought.

As he reached the ground, Alice jogged up to him. She was wearing muggle clothes; tracksuit pants and a jumper with running shoes. It was Sunday afternoon and Harry had invited her to fly with him, she declined instead deciding to watch him fly while running laps of the pitch herself. Apparently running gave to her what flying gave to Harry: pleasure, sense of freedom, adrenaline, passion, challenge.

Harry had wanted to go flying ever since Draco had challenged him to shake up his style more – to be unpredictable – he needed to learn if he was to beat the blonde Seeker in the Slytherin vs. Gryffindor game in April. He guessed he had been out here flying for nearly two and a half hours; it certainly felt that long for his muscles.

"Did you go all the way up to the clouds?" Alice asked awed. Her face was flushed and hot but she looked alive and completely exhilarated after her run.

"Yeah, now I'm all wet," he said pouting jokingly, pretending to be upset. He imagined he looked similar to Alice with his cheeks pink from the cold but his eyes alight and excited. "I better duck into the showers."

"Sure. Should I wait around?" she asked.

They had been hanging out regularly for the last few days and were fast becoming firm friends which Harry would have been pleased with had something else not been hanging over them. The awkwardness that often accompanied a budding relationship was there, but for Harry there was another concern – they needed to have a romantic front for the rest of the school to gossip about and she was clearly keen and clearly waiting for him to initiate it, but how could he do that without feeling like he was cheating on Draco?

He couldn't, it was as simple as that.

"No, that's okay. I'll meet you back in the common room," he replied.

Alice nodded and turned to leave. He had to make the next move to push this from friendship to romantic relationship and he had to do it now before he lost his nerve and thought of – grrr, don't think it yet!

"Hey Alice!" he called out to her and jogged over to where she waited.

It was quick – barely anything, but it happened. He pressed his lips awkwardly to the corner of her mouth; he felt ill right before he did it and even worse after and he hadn't even kissed her full on the lips. The whole thing was awkward, but it was a start and something he would have to force himself to get used to – kissing her. Yuck. Alice was a fantastic person but she wasn't Draco and that made it… yuck. He forced a smile at her and hoped he could get away with 'coy and nervous' so she wouldn't know he actually felt sort of dirty. Gross dirty not kinky dirty like he felt when he was with – urgh! Not yet, don't think it yet!

"Um, okay," he said clumsily before turning and running off to the showers. He didn't even look at her – he couldn't – in case she looked happy and he actually threw up on her.

He'd forgotten he was so cold until he stepped into the warmth of the Gryffindor boys' locker room. His body shivered as he peeled off the wet clothes and imagined how good that shower was going to feel.

Mmm, shower – Oh no, graphic shag flashback…

Harry felt an intense and confusing mixture of pleasure and sickening guilt as his memories of losing his virginity with Draco in this very locker room washed over him and the memory of a few minutes ago – kissing someone else – ate at his heart.

Draco, Harry thought sadly while he pictured the blonde in his mind. He loved that boy so much, more than he ever thought possible. What the hell am I doing?

Suddenly it all seemed ridiculous and idiotic dating Alice. He was on the verge of deciding to call it all off when he was distracted by a deep growl and a warm body pressing up against his back with tender lips leaving a trail of hot kisses along his frozen skin.

Draco, Harry thought again, but in a completely different way. He was aroused immediately and if he weren't so cold he was sure he would be able to show Draco just how pleased he was to see him. All thoughts of Alice were long gone by the time his lover began to help him out of the few remaining items he had on.

"Oh Draco," Harry groaned with desire once he'd turned to see his boyfriend was already naked and hard. "This is not a good-"

But Harry never got to remind Draco of just how unwise this was as he was silenced by a sensuous kiss; deep and passionate but gentle. Draco tasted like chocolate – God, so good.

"Yum, chocolate," Harry teased.

Draco smiled indulgently. "Want some?" he offered nodding his head to his discarded robes on the locker room floor, but Harry was thinking of something else.

"Yes please," he replied.

Taking Draco up on his offer Harry kissed him, dipping his tongue between Draco's soft pink lips and tasting him again. "Yum," Harry mumbled into the warm depths of the mouth he was currently devouring.

Harry was, by now, as naked as Draco and still shivering. He pressed his body into Draco's trying to absorb some of his warmth as well as revelling in the pleasure he felt zinging through his limbs and heating his groin.

"Ahh, you're freezing!" Draco yelped, trying to fight the urge to jump back from Harry's icy skin. "Come on," he ordered. "Time for a shower."

Draco grabbed Harry's hand and pulled him towards the showers. Harry smiled broadly; he didn't care that they might get caught because the way his stomach was flopping about told him just how much he had missed his beautiful blonde and how much he needed this right now.

Harry had felt weird the last few days after their previous meeting which was more of a fight than a lovers' tryst – he hadn't realised until now but he'd missed Draco more than usual and was desperate to erase the memory of their argument and replace it with something delicious like a rendezvous in the locker room showers. Harry trembled with anticipation at what was to come – that is, hopefully both him and Draco.

The water burned on Harry's frozen skin as it cascaded from the shower head down his chest, legs and feet. He bounced around hissing through gritted teeth as his body warmed to the water temperature, by the time he was used to it – and found the water only lukewarm at best – his skin glowed pink and Draco looked him over amused.

"Better?" he asked with a kiss.

"Much," Harry replied with a grin once his mouth was released. "Now to more important business," he declared as he dropped to his knees taking in Draco's nakedness appreciatively before tentatively licking the tip of the erection bobbing proudly in front of him.

Harry was teasingly slow in his work drawing out the blonde's build up with a practised tongue. He was proud of how well he knew his lover now and how well he could please him; he recognised the meanings behind all of Draco's moans and whimpers, all his involuntary movements and the way he often instructed Harry wordlessly with his hands and was able to speed up or draw out his climax accordingly. He worked Draco up into a frenzied state until the blonde was so ready he was shaking, and then Harry used both his mouth and hands to push him over the edge with a cry and buckling knees. Draco collapsed trembling in Harry's arms and Harry held him close on the tiled floor of the shower, beaming at the effect he had on his boyfriend.

"Wow," Draco whispered eventually. "Wow, that was – wow."

"So you said," Harry chortled.

"Wow," Draco laughed, not because it was funny but because he was so deliriously happy he had no choice but to laugh.

Harry began to giggle along with him. "Geez, I'll have what you're having thanks," he teased.

"Coming right up, Kitten," Draco purred.

He gracefully stood from the shower floor and held his hand out to Harry who had more trouble standing as he slipped a little on the tiles. Once Harry had a firm stance Draco began to kiss him, much like he did earlier in greeting, burning a sensual line from his shoulder to his earlobe which he sucked on for a second before descending on his mouth.

Harry tasted good – he was warm even compared to the heat of the water in the shower. Kissing Harry was like coming home after a long day, it was most definitely Draco's favourite pastime these days and something which he didn't have the opportunity to do nearly enough. He almost got lost in the feel of Harry's mouth and the way it made him tingle all over – he almost forgot he had another mission right now, but Harry sure didn't. Harry was pushing against his thigh trying in vain to relieve some of the tension he had built up, but Draco wasn't having any of that; he fell on Harry's cock swiftly making the raven-haired Gryffindor gargle a moan he wasn't expecting.

Draco wasn't as teasing as Harry was, but he didn't rush the other boy either – it was perfectly paced to Harry's every need, timed with his moans and the movement of his hands in Draco's hair. Harry had no problem letting his boyfriend know when he need to slow down, but he was too much of a considerate Gryffindor to pump Draco's head faster when he wanted more, instead – as Draco soon learned – Harry would clench tufts of Draco's white blonde locks tightly in his fists either in frustration or restraint – Draco wasn't yet sure – and this would signal the blonde to speed up.

Harry climax was building quickly and Draco at the last moment decided to try something – he was hoping this would intensify Harry's orgasm and perhaps also encourage him to try something else with Draco next time. As he felt Harry tighten Draco pulled away for a second to slick his index finger with saliva then simultaneously he took Harry back into his mouth and slipped his finger into Harry's arse pushing gently on his prostate. Harry, who wasn't expecting this, dropped like a stone with the force of his climax, straight to the floor, his legs completely incapable of holding him up. Draco's finger was still stuck inside his boyfriend and he was yanked forwards on top of his lover, the water still warmly flowing over their tangled naked bodies.

"Holy shit," Harry panted as soon as he was able, "what the fuck was that!?"

Draco laughed loudly; he had slipped his finger out of Harry gently almost straight away as he had been pulled into an awkward position. "Did you like it?" he asked.

"Yeah," Harry confirmed. "But next time maybe don't do it while I'm standing up."

Draco laughed again even louder and Harry joined in, they both giggled like mad on the shower floor before Harry suggested they pack up before they were caught.

They were both dressed and dry when Harry heard a sound that caught his breath; someone had come in. Harry stared wide-eyed at Draco whose mouth had fallen open, Harry saw him mouth 'shit' at him before tiptoeing silently to hide behind some of the lockers.

"Harry!" a male voice called out. "Are you in here?"

Harry cleared his throat. "Yeah," he confirmed not wanting whoever this was to look too hard for him in case they found Draco instead.

Ron came around from behind another row of lockers smiling and Harry sighed with relief. "Alice sent me down here," Ron explained. "She said you were only taking a quick shower then heading up to the common room but you've been gone for more than an hour, it'll be dinner soon."

"Yeah, I got a little distracted," Harry confessed, blushing. "It's okay," he called out louder. "It's just Ron."

This time it was Ron's turn to blush as Draco stepped out from his hiding place. Draco was dressed but his hair was still damp and his skin had that just showered glow to it – perhaps with a touch of 'just-been-shagged' glow mixed in. Harry had a disturbingly similar shine which made Ron cringe at the imagery popping up in his mind – he now had a fair idea of what was taking Harry an hour to shower.

"Weasley," Draco greeted Harry's best friend.

"Malfoy," Ron said, nodding back. Ron glanced at Harry before suggesting he wrap things up and return to the Tower before they were caught by someone else.

Harry agreed and told Ron he would meet him outside in a few minutes.

"Stupid everyday life ruining my plans to keep you here forever and have you all to myself," Draco complained as soon as they were alone again.

Harry pulled Draco into a hug. "I know babe, it sucks," he agreed.

"Meet me tomorrow night at 9?" Draco suggested.

"I can't, I'm sorry," Harry winced knowing this was the last thing Draco wanted to hear. "I promised Allie I would help her practice her Disarming charm."

He noticed Draco flinch but, to his credit, he didn't comment. "Tonight then?" he said instead.

"Probably best if we don't," Harry suggested, hating to be the voice of reason.

"Yeah, maybe," Draco conceded. "I wish I could tell the whole world about you," he added sadly.

"I think the world knows enough about me," Harry joked trying to lighten the mood.

Draco just frowned at him.

"I'm sorry. I know what you mean and I wish I could tell everyone about us too…"

"So why don't we!? Consequences be damned!" Draco exclaimed, taking both Harry's hands in his.

"Because there's a little war going on and unfortunately we are on opposing sides," Harry reminded him a little harshly.

Draco recoiled, dropping Harry's hands like he'd just been burned. Harry could almost see a veil of different emotions settle over Draco but he couldn't quite pick what they were; hurt and regret, definitely – maybe also shame and uncertainty…

Harry sighed. "We can't ignore this forever, Draco," he reminded him.

"I know we can't!" Draco snapped.

"Not today though," Harry said gently. "I have to go now anyway and I don't want to ruin this afternoon – it was perfect. I've missed you so much."

"Me too," Draco agreed sadly.

"How about Thursday at 9 o'clock?"

Draco smiled weakly. "I'll count the seconds," he said.

Harry kissed him sweetly and wondered if he should tell Draco now how he felt. No, I'll save it, he thought; wanting to wait until he could show his boyfriend he loved him rather than just offering it as parting words.

Harry's eyes slid curiously across the strange and enchanting items Dumbledore kept in his office, there were too many of them to wonder what each individual item was for but he did pause to appreciate the truly spectacular looking ones.

He wasn't exactly sure what he was doing in here or what he was looking for; in fact he was almost positive this was going to turn out to be a big mistake – particularly if they were caught. He shuddered at the thought of being caught in here without permission.

He glanced over at Ron who was currently shuffling through Dumbledore's desk; his blue eyes shivered with anxiety – he was scared of being caught in here as well.

Better make this quick, Harry thought to himself.

It had been just over a week since Harry and Ron had decided to poke around and see what Dumbledore thought he had on Draco. Deep in his gut Harry was still feeling guilty about this but as long as he kept telling himself he was doing this for Draco – to have forewarning of any possible accusations – the guilt eventually died down. The trouble was Harry could only tell himself that so much before a little voice in his head asked him whether he was doing this entirely for Draco or was there something else he was looking for? Was Harry protecting himself a little as well, just in case…?

Just in case, Harry thought bitterly to himself. He hated that he doubted Draco even the fraction that he did. When he was with his boyfriend – in his presence – he didn't doubt him at all. How could he when the blonde looked at him the way he did; like he looked right through him into his soul and loved every inch of it. But there was just so much Draco was keeping from him, so much he refused to tell him, how could he not wonder why?

Harry and Ron didn't really have a plan as such, they had agreed after a heated argument that Dumbledore's office was the most likely place to find something – if there was anything to find – but had yet to pin down the best way to access it without being caught. Harry wasn't too worried though, he assumed they would have plenty of time to go over the finer details; after all Dumbledore wasn't often away from the school, particularly now that Voldemort was at large again.

But as these things often go, Harry had assumed too much.

That morning – two days after his encounter with Draco in the showers – Harry had stumbled into the Great Hall for breakfast and, even though he was still rubbing sleep from his eyes, he noticed almost immediately that Dumbledore was not present. Since Voldemort's return Dumbledore had attended breakfast every morning, Hermione said it was his way of letting the students know he was watching and guarding them. His absence was heavily felt and more than a few worried glances were directed at his empty seat.

Harry made his decision to break into Dumbledore's office that morning as soon as he overheard Professor McGonagall reassuring another student that Dumbledore was well and would return to the school just before dinner. Ron didn't wasn't as keen.

"Are you insane!?" Ron had chastised him. "We aren't ready! And I'm not even sure this is a good idea anymore."

"How do we know when we'll get another chance like this?" Harry had pleaded. "Dumbledore is hardly ever away. We'll have all morning, I overheard McGonagall…"

"No," Ron stated firmly. "If we're caught we'll be expelled and if Hermione finds out we'll be murdered – slowly, the muggle way…" Ron shivered dramatically.

"She won't find out," Harry lied knowing full well if they found something she would need to know. "She's got Arthimancy after History of Magic and we have a free study period, we can be in and out quickly – no hanging around."

The whispered argument went on for most of the morning until Ron begrudgingly agreed to accompany Harry, but only after Harry had firmly told him he was doing this with or without him.

Straight after class they made their way to the Gargoyle to try to guess the password to the Headmaster's office but after receiving some suspicious looks from Professor Flitwick, who was trying to repair a suit of armour one of the students had charmed to swear as people walked by, they quickly retreated to try another tactic. Surprisingly – considering how reluctantly he had agreed to this mission – it had been Ron's idea to fly up to Dumbledore's window on their brooms and break in that way.

That was how they found themselves in their current situation.

Harry and Ron had been searching for nearly 20 minutes with no idea what they were looking for and both were starting to wonder whether they should admit defeat and rethink this whole plan when Ron found a collection of photographs that made his eyes widen in shock.

"Harry!" he called out to his best friend who hurried over, hopeful that this escapade hadn't been a waste of time.

"What the hell!?" Harry exclaimed as he saw what was in Ron's hands. "Is that me?"

It was indeed him. There were about fifteen photographs and a note to go with them. Harry shuffled through the first four photos to discover they were all candid shots of him around the school before snatching the parchment a pale-looking Ron had just finished reading.

Before Harry had a chance to read the words he noticed a lock of ebony-coloured hair stuck to the parchment; his hair. Harry reached up and ran his fingers through his dark mane; how had someone cut out a lock of his hair without him noticing? He felt violated just looking at this stolen piece of his person.

His eyes moved to the string of words underneath and as he read them he felt his blood boil in his veins making his face burn red in anger.

He's so beautiful; it would be a shame if anything were to happen…

How dare they!? Was that a threat!? Who did they think they were? Who did they think they were threatening!? How dare this person steal his hair and take photos of him!

Harry was furious, he felt like screaming or breaking something. He looked over at Ron who was deathly pale and staring steadfastly at one photo in particular. Still holding the note, Harry moved over to see it too; it was another picture of him, he could only see his face and for a moment he wondered why Ron was so engrossed in this photo when it hit him – this was a photo of him sleeping in his bed in his dorm room!

Harry exhaled harshly – he hadn't even noticed he'd been holding his breath – and tried to control his thoughts. Who would do this? And why? How did they get into his room? How did they get his hair? Why send this to Dumbledore?

"We have to get out of here," Ron reminded him, snapping him out of his thoughts. "Here," Ron continued as he handed Harry half the stack of photos, "duplicate those ones and I'll do these."

Harry did as he was told, using his wand to make copies of each of the photos Ron had handed him. His mind was such a blur as he looked over the pictures; they were all of him – in the corridor with his friends, in the Great Hall at dinner, flying out on the Quidditch pitch.

Someone is stalking me, he realized.

As they were packing everything away, he suddenly thought to take a few of the hairs from the note; he would compare them with his own.

Just in case, he thought.

It was well past midnight and Harry's head was spinning again, he felt like he was suffocating from the heat emanating from the orange flames in the Gryffindor fireplace; it was drying out his skin and burning his parched throat as he breathed it in. He was sitting in the now empty common room with Hermione and Ron as they went over the evidence he had collected with Ron that morning; he wasn't sure what his two best friends were saying, he'd zoned out again.

"Harry, are you listening?" Hermione asked him, poking him in the arm.

"What?" he replied dumbly. "I need some water."

Hermione nodded and passed over her water bottle. The cool liquid soothed his dry mouth as he drank; he opened his throat and just let it slide down. He popped the top of the bottle shut and tried to shake the fog from his mind.

"What did you say before Hermione?" he asked.

"Where are you exactly in this photo and when do you think it might have been taken? I'm logging each of the photos to try and determine who had access to you at the time," she explained.

Harry picked up the photo and examined it closely. It was a picture of him and Neville outside by the lake; he remembered that day. It was in early November and Neville had taken him down there to talk about his parents – the healers at St Mungo's had been trying out a new potion on the Longbottoms to increase their lucid periods and Neville had received a letter from his Grandmother that morning confirming that the tests were unsuccessful.

"When was our Transfiguration essay due – the first one about transfiguration and particle matter?" Harry asked. "This was the Sunday before that was due."

"We handed that in on Thursday November 7th so this must have been the 3rd," Hermione surmised.

"Sounds about right. It was just after breakfast out by the lake, we were there for a good few hours – maybe three…" Harry continued.

Hermione nodded and began writing this information down.

Harry picked up another photo to see himself diving on his broom for the snitch; it was the first Quidditch game of the season against Hufflepuff back in October.

"Hermione, this is useless," Harry declared harshly, losing his patience. "The whole school was at that game! Anyone could have taken this photo," he said holding up the photo he had in his hand, "or this one," he continued holding up another photo of him in the Great Hall, "or this one, or this one!" Harry shuffled through the photos one by one.

"Okay fine! I get your point!" Hermione snapped at him. "I'm only trying to help!"

"I know," Harry said apologetically. "I'm sorry. I'm not mad at you just at this whole thing. I mean what the hell is going on!?"

"Let's go through it again," Ron suggested. "Okay so what we know is that someone took stalker photos of Harry, cut off some of his hair and sent it to Dumbledore with a threatening message. Why would they do that? And who are they threatening with that – Harry or Dumbledore?"

The first thing Hermione had done once she had been informed of their illicit adventure raiding Dumbledore's office was test Harry's hair against the hair found in the note; it was a positive match. Hermione was so concerned at the result she didn't even yell at them for breaking into the Headmaster's office but Harry wasn't to hopeful that she would skip it all together; he assumed it would come up later.

"Both," Hermione stated, answering Ron's question. "Dumbledore protects Harry; it would make more sense to send it to him and not Harry. It's a scare tactic; they are sending Dumbledore some sort of message or a warning to get him nervous."

"Using me? But why?" Harry asked.

"I'm not sure why they are using you to scare Dumbledore but at a guess – because you are the prophesied Savior, to threaten you is to threaten the outcome of the war?" Hermione speculated.

"So you think it's You-Know-Who!?" Ron gasped.

"Probably not," Hermione reassured him. "If it was him he probably would have killed Harry outright. Sorry, Harry," she said quickly after realizing how casually she had talked of his murder. He shrugged; he was used to the idea – he'd had how many close calls now…?

"This is a pretty tame way to send a message like this. I mean the note is self-explanatory, but these photos – particularly this one," Hermione explained as she pulled out the photo of Harry asleep in his room, "-and the lock of hair – whoever it is, they are showing Dumbledore just how much access they have to Harry; they could hurt him if they wanted to."

"So what you're saying is that whoever did this was essentially telling Dumbledore that they could hurt me if they wanted to?" Harry summarized.

"Yes, I think so," Hermione responded.

"But you don't think its Voldemort?"

"Well, I don't know. I just assumed that if he was able to get this close to you, he would have taken the opportunity to kill you instead – that is his ultimate goal…"

"It wouldn't have been You-Know-Who directly not in Hogwarts, but it could have been someone else under his orders," Ron suggested.

"Maybe, but even then wouldn't his orders have been to kill or at least hurt Harry, not to stalk him," Hermione countered. "I mean the only purpose something like this could serve would be to make people nervous – to unsettle them."

"So they're unsettling Dumbledore, trying to make him nervous or jumpy for some bigger plan," Harry concluded darkly. "Maybe this is just step one."

Harry removed his mind from their conversation numbing Hermione and Ron's voices in favour of speculating on several outrageous theories about what something like this could be leading up to; each theory was more wild and unlikely than the next. He tried to force his thoughts this way naturally, but nothing is forced naturally and Draco's absence from this conversation was very noticeable – to him anyway. No one had mentioned him yet, no one had brought up why they found these photos in the first place – that Dumbledore thought Draco did this. Harry wasn't sure what would be worse; actually talking about it or leaving the accusations unsaid.

Hermione and Ron had stopped chattering and were eyeing each other silently trying to communicate without Harry noticing; he did. Both of them looked uncomfortable, Harry knew what they wanted to say and why neither wanted to be the one to say it, but the truth was Harry could see why Draco was the prime suspect.

When he looked at all of this and thought about how much access Draco had had to him lately, their explosive history as arch nemeses and the connections he and his family had to Voldemort, he could see how Dumbledore – and his friends – would think of Draco as the most likely culprit. But could he think that? Could he betray his lover that way to believe even for a moment that he would do something like this to him? Harry didn't need any time at all to ponder this: the answer was no, he couldn't.

"Just say it," Harry snapped at Hermione and Ron. "Dumbledore thinks Draco did this – and so do you."

"It's certainly a possibility," Hermione admitted. "We can't rule it out."

"I'm ruling it out!" Harry barked. "Draco has had just as much access to me as any of the Gryffindors! But none are so easily accused as Draco, are they!? Why is everything his fault?"

"Harry, don't get upset," Hermione pleaded. "Try to understand."

"Why don't you try to understand?" Harry's voice wavered with emotion – he was so sick of constantly hitting brick walls when it came to his relationship with Draco. He silently wondered if they would ever survive if these hurdles they had to jump never ceased.

It's just me and Draco against everyone, Harry thought wearily.

Tears fell thickly down his face as he tried, yet again, to stand up to his best friends for his boyfriend. "You just don't know him that's all," he defended. "If you could see him when we're alone, he's so sweet and tender – not at all like he is with everyone else. He loves me so much; I can see it and feel it whenever we're together. And I love him too. I love him and I can't picture my life without him – I don't want to!"

Harry could see Hermione's face crumple as her feelings for Harry and her feelings about Malfoy conflicted and broke her sweet heart. Ron just looked away uncomfortably as Harry cried.

"Oh Harry," Hermione whispered. "Please can I hug you?"

Harry nodded and Hermione quickly launched herself on to him holding him close.

"This is so confusing," she sobbed into his shoulder. "But whatever is going on and whatever fights we have, we must always remember how much we love each other!" She pulled back from Harry a little so that she could look him in the eyes. "I love you Harry and you love Draco so we will just have to trust you. I won't lose you over this."

"I love you too, Hermione," Harry said, wiping away his tears and hoping it was enough.

Okay lovers! Can I just say, while Harry did kiss Alice, his rendezvous with Draco totally made up for it, right? I think thats why I put it in - to distract you from the ugliness of Harry kissing someone else - did it work? (note: i possibly also did it to overcome my urge to slap myself after writing such filth)

Also yay Harry for sticking up for our sexy blondie-bear! Draco seems tragically friendless right now and i think he needs our little Harry in his corner!

Also can you tell I cant bear Harry fighting with Hermione and Ron - or even Draco (but lovers tiffs are different) - they might get crabby with each other but they always make up to some degree before i end the scene...

Okay, keep in mind it is now nearly 2am and I forced myself to finish this for you all as this chapter has been dragging on far too long. It may not be properly proof read - particularly at the end - as i am bleary eyed and slightly nuts from fatigue right now (hence this ridiculous note at the end of my chapter).

I'm leaving now and going to bed.

Dont forget to hit that review button before you leave!

Dreaming xox