Harry was sat by the fire, surrounded by his friends who were chatting around him. Hermione and Ginny were scolding Ron for not caring about his Transifguration homework, whilst Dean and Seamus discussed Quiddich. Harry meanwhile, was deep in thought, staring in the flames. Draco Malfoy was on his mind - as usual. He was dragged out of his thoughts upon hearing "Malfoy". He looked up at Ron who'd said it.

"You didn't say, how was detention with Snape?"

Harry shrugged; "not that bad actually. Malfoy wouldn't let me do the potion, so I didn't do anything."

"Was he, being nice?" Ginny asked, somewhat horrified by the idea that Malfoy could have a nice side. Harry laughed.

"No! He just didn't want me to mess it up and have us have another detention."

"Oh right, that's better then."

Harry nodded and looked around, everyone went back to their conversations. The evening dragged on, people came and went, the friends were joined by the Weasley twins, and the Creevey brothers. Harry managed to keep to himself and not have to talk to many people; which kept him happy. He had nothing to say to anyone. He was thinking about going up to bed when Neville came into the common room with two letters, looking confused.

"What's the matter Neville?" Hermione asked. Neville held up the letters.

"An owl just gave me these, but they're not for me. They're for an Aleksander, and Boris..."

Harry jumped up, adrenaline rushing around his body; "they're for me!"

He held his hand out to take them but Hermione beat him to it.

"Really Harry? I don't believe you."

"They are, I swear! Remember that spell I asked you for, I'm pretending to be someone and-"

"-That writing looks like Malfoy's... Are you writing to him!"

"No!"

He managed to snatch the letters off her and conceal them under his jumper. Hermione advanced towards him.

"Tell us Harry, who are you writing to?"

"No one, I swear, it's not important, just..."

He ran out of the common room, up the stairs to the boys dorm and through to the bathroom, locking the door behind him, leaving everyone in the common room sharing confused looks.

"He's up to something," Ginny muttered. Hermione nodded.

Harry sat against the door, to ensure no one tried to get into the bathroom and pulled the letters from under his jumper. Before opening them, he put them up to his face, taking in a deep breath through his nose, smelling Draco's scent that was on the letters. He sighed contently, before opening the one for Aleksander.

Aleks,
I'm pretty sure Potter is straight, he's been after this girl in the year above for a while. But at the same time, I haven't seen him near her in a while... I'll go investigate. By which I mean annoy him and bully him to get a reaction.
Thank you for putting me onto Boris, he's a big help.
I'll write again soon if I get any news.
Draco.

Harry smirked, knowing Draco was just provoking him for attention earlier. He was just desperate for Harry to notice him. It could just work to both of their advantages if they were caught together. Thoughts began running through Harry's mind, on how to provoke Malfoy. Bump into him, accidentally touch him, get close to him in crowds... He shook his head in an attempt to shake the thoughts from his head and picked up the letter to Boris.

Boris
Me coming out to the school is definitely not an option, it's just not going to happen. I'd be setting myself up for all sorts of ridicule and abuse, it's not worth it. I doubt there's another gay person at this school, if you saw them you'd understand. The school is plagued by couples being disgusting in corridors, and the only people who aren't in on the action are the ones who never will be. Like the Gryffindor, Longbottom. The day he gets a girlfriend is the day I come out.
I don't want to embrace my liking for Potter, it's wrong on so many levels. I hate him, I can't stand him. But at the same time I don't want to be around anyone but Potter. But he's been acting weird lately. Today in Potions he couldn't take his eyes off me! And kept rubbing up against me...
Out of curiosity, what are your problems? I'm not half bad at giving advice, I'm just awful at following it myself.
Draco

Harry cringed, he'd nearly been caught out today, he'd have to watch what he did. He folded the letters up and put them in his pocket, before checking the dorm room was clear. He rushed over to his trunk and hid the letters with the rest, he was sure his friends wouldn't even consider looking inside the frame of a picture of him, Ron and Hermione. He'd decided to write back in the morning in History of Magic, he just had to be able to get a seat on his own, or make sure Ron fell asleep. It had been a long day, and sleep didn't sound like a bad idea. He got changed into his pyjamas and crawled into bed, pulling the curtains shut around him. He lay his head down and closed his eyes, and suddenly didn't feel tired. It happened often. He'd be tired all day, but the moment he got into bed and closed his eyes, he was wired. He lay staring at the ceiling, thinking about things that could help him fall asleep. Professor Binns talking about the Order of Merlin. Nothing. Professor Binns talking about Goblin Wars. Nothing. He poked his head out of the curtains and the clock on his bedside table, to see how late it was. Any time now his friends would be coming up to bed. He crawled to the foot of his bed and pulled the curtain back, so he could get into his trunk. He pulled out the Marauders Map and his invisibility cloak and hid them underneath his covers; planning on pretending to be asleep if anyone checked, and sneaking out after everyone was asleep.

It had just gone midnight, Harry, concealed by the invisibility cloak, had just sneaked out of the common room and was scanning the Marauders Map intently to find the name of his blonde enemy. He finally found him, three corridors down from the One-Eyed Witch Passageway. Harry jogged as quickly and quietly as he could to the passageway, to hide his cloak and map, just before checking Malfoy would pass him. Not even having a plan of action, Harry began walking slowly, - as if he was just meandering on a late-night walk - towards the intersecting corridor he knew Malfoy was on. The light coming from Malfoy's wand got brighter and brighter until the boys were suddenly face-to-face. Malfoy jumped a mile, not expecting to see Harry.

"Potter! What on Earth are you doing?"

Harry shrugged innocently; "just taking a walk, what does it matter to you?"

"I, am prefect! Everything you do matters to me! You do know you're not supposed to be out of bed at this hour."

A smirk spread to Harry's face; "neither are you. What would mummy say if she knew you were out of bed at this hour!"

"Keep talking Potter, you've already got one hour's detention, want to make that two?"

"Bring it on, I know you just want to spend time with me."

Draco's confident smirk faltered for a second; "I think you have me confused with someone else."

"I don't think so... You say I stare at you, how would you know if you weren't staring at me first? You keep provoking me, just because you want my attention. It's you who likes me!"

Draco's smirk left his face completely, replaced with a scowl; "how dare you!"

Harry, bravely, took a step closer to Malfoy, their noses nearly touching. He wondered how strong Malfoy's resistance was; would he push him away or pull him closer?

"Come on Malfoy, you want to kiss me!"

Malfoy grabbed the front of Harry's jumped with both hands and forced him against the wall; "you've got some nerve, Potter."

Harry couldn't help but smirk; "people tell me I do. I also tend to get one people's nerves too... Am I getting on yours?"

"You always get on my nerves, just by being alive."

Harry pouted; "now, you don't mean that."

Malfoy closed the gap between them, pressing his body against his; "I've never, ever meant anything more! I hate you, I loathe you! The way you strut around this castle, the way you think the world should bow down to you, like you're some mystical lord-"

"-My beautiful green eyes? My body?"

Malfoy pulled away, eyeing Harry suspiciously; "...What?"

"You know..."

Malfoy let go of Harry and backed away; "...What are you talking about?"

Harry shrugged; "nothing... I'll be going back to bed now..."

Malfoy was too shocked to say anything, and let Harry walk off without another word said between them. Harry took in a deep breath as he retrieved his cloak and map.

Draco was rooted to the spot, so much adrenaline was pumping around his body which temporarily paralysed him. His skin was hot and prickly, and Potter's clean smell lingered in the air. He was suspicious about what Potter had said, did he know? He certainly seemed to make out he did. Draco wished he'd had the guts to just kiss him, at least then he'd have a definite answer. But then, if Harry wasn't gay, chances were he'd tell the school... It wasn't worth it. He was finally able to move. He decided to just hurry back to his bed, curl up and try to forget the day had happened.

The next morning, Draco couldn't get the previous night's events out of his mind. The scenario kept running through his mind, but with different endings. His favourite being Harry kissing him back when he went in for a kiss, and the two of them making love there on the corridor. He had to tell his friends to go ahead without him that morning when that thought came to his head. He slumped down at the Slytherin table, looking at the food in front of him, not feeling at all hungry. Pansy Parkinson suddenly scooted up to him and slipped her arm though his, resting her head on his shoulder.

"Morning Draco."

Draco nodded; "hello."

"Are you all right?"

Draco hummed and scanned the Hall for Potter. He was sat at the far end of the Gryffindor table with his friends. He'd occasionally throw his head back and laugh, ruffling his hair up, and stretch, making his shirt tighten across his chest. Draco sighed and looked down at the table. Pansy rubbed up against him.

"Draco... Have I got something in my eye?"

Draco sighed and turned to look at her; "what are you-"

Before he could finish Pansy pulled him into a kiss, holding his head against hers so he couldn't pull away and sticking her tongue into his mouth, Draco's arms flailed about in shock, people around wolf whistled and hooted at the kiss. When she finally let go Draco - without thinking- wiped his mouth and pulled a face of disgust. He grabbed a glass of pumpkin juice and drank as much as he could in one gulp, which glancing over towards the Gryffindors. Potter was looking over at him with a face of disgust. Clearly Draco wasn't the only one repulsed by Pansy. He looked back at Pansy, who looked ready to burst into tears.

"What did you do that for?"

Pansy's lip wobbled; "I thought-"

"-Thought what? I don't want to, even touch you! Let alone go out with you! Just, get away from me!"

Pansy began wailing and ran out of the great Hall. Everyone around on the Slytherin table looked at Draco, a little shocked by what had just happened. Draco sighed and got up too, storming out of the Hall. When he got onto the main corridor he slumped against the wall and hid his face in his hands. He took in a couple of deep breaths and rubbed his eyes, full of rage and frustration.

"Not enjoy the kiss Malfoy?"

Draco looked up, Potter had just walked out of the Hall.

"Piss off."

Potter smirked; "it's not the right if it's not me, is it."

"I said piss off!"

"Suit yourself... Here I was, going to let you."

Draco looked at Harry blankly; "you... You what?"

"What? I didn't say anything..."

Potter walked off, leaving Draco more confused than he'd ever been.

Harry meanwhile, felt he could walk down the corridor with his head held high. He thought that by messing with Malfoy like this, it would help him figure out that he may have been gay too. It was also very fun, making him squirm.

About five minutes into History of Magic, Ron fell asleep, leaving Harry to write his reply to Malfoy.

Draco,
I understand, people can be cruel, especially teenagers who don't understand, but there will be at least one other person who knows what you're going through, it's statistically impossible for you to be the only one. And I understand, couples kissing everywhere can be infuriating, it's more inconsiderate than anything else. No one wants to see that as they're passing from lesson to lesson.
We don't chose who we like Draco, love is a horrible thing. It's irrational, it ignores all logic, and sometimes it'll make you believe it's just there to torment you. This crush you have on your enemy is proof of just that. but, by what you've been describing, it sounds like Potter is showing an interest in you. Has he been doing anything else? You probably aren't reading too much into it, he could be trying to give you hints.
My problems? They're pretty similar to yours... I'm gay too, but there is absolutely no way I'm coming out here! It sounds pretty hypocritical of me to tell you to come out whilst I'm stuck in the closet, but sometimes it's for the best, it's just definitely not for me.
Boris.

Harry nodded and folded the letter up, fashioning an envelope out of another piece of paper, slipping the letter inside. He hid it in his pocket and checked his watch. Writing that letter had taken up the majoirty of the lesson, there was only ten minutes left. After lesson he ran up to the owlry to post the letter, before running up to Divination. There was usually a ten minute break between first and second lesson, but Harry and his peers who also took Divination usually spent that ten minutes climbing the stairs to their lesson, allowing them a couple of minutes break when they got to the top to catch their breath. Harry had to run extra fast to catch up with Ron.

"Where'd you go? You just took off after last lesson," Ron asked. Harry shook his head, panting heavily.

"Went to post a letter," he managed, between deep breaths. Ron nodded and decided to hold the conversation until they got into the classroom.

That night, Draco was doing his prefect duties, wandering up and down corridors, making sure no one was out of bed. It had just gone midnight, Draco decided to go spend a bit of time by himself. He slowly climbed the stairs up to the top of the Astronomy tower; he liked to go up there, to look out over the grounds in the moonlight. The air was fresh and the view was spectacular, and he got to be alone. He'd just gotten to the top of the stairs when an owl fluttered into the tower, clutching a letter in it's beak. It perched on the railing against the window. Draco reached out, hesitantly, and took the letter. It had his name on the front. He tore open the envelope and pulled the letter out. Recently, the Bulgarians had been quicker at writing back to Draco. If he sent a letter in the morning, he was bound to get a reply either late that night, or the following morning. He read the letter several times, thinking about what 'Boris' had said. Potter was acting weird, and it wasn't even the normal standard of weird, it was beyond bizarre. He kept mentioning how Draco would like to kiss him, and had even said he'd let him. Draco couldn't help but feel frustrated with the way Potter was acting. He sighed and sat by the window, now feeling completely detached. He had someone he could talk to, but it wasn't the person he really wanted to talk to.