The Portkey jaunt was thankfully short.
"Welcome to Pokhara!" Jordan said in his annoyingly cheerful voice. Draco heard Potter gasp next to him and remembered to unlink their hands, but not before Jordan winked knowingly at him. Draco scowled.
"Draco, look!"
He turned, surprised by Potter's use of his first name, and the view nearly took his breath away. They stood in an open temple-like structure with huge pillars holding up a domed roof. Between the pillars could be seen an immense lake and beyond that jutted an incredible series of mountain peaks, all incredibly white in contrast to the brilliant blue sky.
The reflection of the mountain range gleamed on the water like a reverse shadow. Potter walked between the pillars and out upon the grassy sward to stand with his hands on his hips, admiring the natural wonderland. Draco stayed where he was and admired Potter.
"Beautiful, yeah?" Jordan asked next to him.
Draco nodded and Jordan made a snorting noise that drew Draco's attention. He raised a brow and started to ask what Jordan's smirk meant, but Brendan and Nigel popped up behind him and Jordan turned away, all business once more.
"Congratulations, Brendan and Nigel! As Harry and Draco were the first team to arrive in Pokhara, they will get to choose their challenge. Aurors, would you prefer Puzzles or Paddles?"
Instead of making them guess, Jordan explained. "Puzzles" involved putting together a complex puzzle to build a clue that would take them to their next destination. "Paddles" would force them to row a wooden rowboat to the centre of the lake where a small temple sat. Once there, they would need to locate a clue inside the temple without drawing adverse attention of the Muggle worshippers.
Draco was heartily tired of physical challenges and rowing sounded particularly heinous. "Puzzles," he said immediately.
Potter frowned. "I'm not very good at puzzles."
"Don't worry. I am."
"Excellent. Auror team, if you will descend the steps right over there and enter our puzzle room Hannah will escort the Dragon Tamers to the lake. Once there, both teams will find a red box. Please stand inside it and do not begin until the lines turn blue. Our Aurors will receive a five minute head start for being the first team to reach this point. Good luck, Aurors." Jordan's voice sounded particularly smug and Draco wondered if he should have chosen to row, after all.
It was too late to change his mind and Potter was already descending the stone steps. Draco followed. At the bottom was a small circular chamber with elaborate carvings on every visible surface. On the floor had been drawn a red rectangle with what looked like chalk, except that it glowed slightly. Potter stood within the lines and Draco joined him. There was barely room for the two of them and their shoulders overlapped. For just a moment, Draco thought about leaning forward and nuzzling the black hair that curled just behind his ear. The skin there was very soft, he knew.
Potter turned his head and must have caught the thought, because his lips curved into a smile that made Draco clench his hands into fists in order to resist the urge to kiss him.
"Fucking Watcherbee," Draco whispered.
"Yeah," Potter replied and leaned back against him. The magical recording device hovered in front of them, so Draco risked a quick grope of Potter's backside, squeezing lightly and drawing an intake of breath from Potter. Draco chuckled.
"Stop that or I'm going to say to hell with everyone watching and molest you right here," Potter murmured, so low that Draco could barely hear.
Draco's hand tightened at the idea of Potter actually doing such a thing. Then he snorted aloud, because that would be madness. "Your adoring fans would revolt."
Potter's eyes narrowed. "Do you really think I care about that?"
Draco considered testing Potter's resolve to find out for certain, but the red lines glowed blue and Draco let go of his arse. "Too late. We have a puzzle to solve." Draco stepped forward quickly, confessing that he was not quite ready to cross that line himself. Admitting that he wanted Potter was one thing, admitting it to the world was another.
When the box turned colour, a large stone table appeared before them. It had most likely been hidden with a Disillusionment Charm. Draco walked forward to examine it. A recessed area, rectangular in shape, covered most of the surface. Atop that lay a haphazard pile of square tiles.
Potter hefted one and looked at it curiously before throwing him a perplexed look.
"Runic symbols. I don't suppose you can read Ancient Runic?"
Potter shook his head and looked away. "A few words, like 'open' and 'danger'. You know the ones they stress in the Department."
Draco made a noncommittal sound. He hadn't expected much help from Potter, anyway. Luckily, Ancient Runic had been thrust upon him as a child, as several of the books in his father's extensive library were written in the language.
"Very well, you can spread them out while I give a go at sorting them."
Potter eagerly set to his task, covering most of the table surface with the tiles while Draco turned them and began to put words together.
"Hey, this one says 'open'!" Potter said with a grin.
Draco's lips curved into a smile, even though he fought it. Damn the man for being stupidly adorable. Draco took the tile. "Very good, Potter. You've been quite helpful." Potter bit his lip and looked somewhat crestfallen, so Draco reached out and gave his wrist an impulsive squeeze. "Don't worry, I've almost got it."
And he did. A few more quick turns and some instructions to Potter had the tiles quickly falling into place. Draco set the last one with a sense of satisfaction. He translated the words aloud for Potter's benefit.
"It says 'Do you dare to open the door to your soul?'"
As soon as he said the words, the stone table rumbled and shifted. A crack appeared down the centre, widening to disclose a recessed space that held three objects.
"Our wands!" Potter cried and snatched up his. Draco took his wand and also the large key that apparently fit the door that had appeared on one section of the curved wall. Potter noticed it, as well. "Is that the door to your soul?"
"I don't have a soul, Potter, so it must be yours."
Potter nudged him with an elbow. "Yes, you do. You hide it well, but it's there beneath all the prickles."
And just like that, Draco wanted to kiss him again. "Prickles," he repeated roughly, trying for sarcasm, but possibly failing as he gave Potter a look he feared bordered on smitten. Potter's grin widened and their eyes met for far too long as silence stretched between them. Finally Draco jerked his head toward the portal.
"Shall we?" he asked and rounded the table, not walking near Potter just in case the urge to reach out and touch him became too much to overcome.
Draco thrust the key into the oversized keyhole and gave it a twist before pushing the door open. Nothing but blinding light met his gaze, causing him to raise his hands to shield his eyes, blinking back tears against the glare.
And then the light disappeared.
Draco blinked again, seeing nothing but multicoloured spots before his eyes, sliding through the darkness and flashing as he blinked. His hands groped outward, one still clutching his wand, but he felt nothing. "Potter?" he asked. The word echoed and there was no response. "Lumos!"
Light burst from the tip of his wand, illuminating his surroundings... which were curiously devoid of anything interesting. Draco was in a cavern, apparently, filled with dull grey stone and nothing else.
"Potter!" he shouted. The word echoed back at him and he stilled his breathing to listen intently, but there was no answering cry. He tried several more times to no avail. "Right, then," he muttered. "I'm alone." For the first time in days, now that he thought about it. He had grown used to Potter being constantly near at hand and his absence now was curiously wrenching.
Three passageways exited the chamber, all quite close together and looking very similar, hewn from the stone itself. He walked closer to examine them, wondering which passage would lead him to... wherever he was destined to go. Was it his task to locate Potter? He looked around for the Watcherbee, but if it was still viewing him it was better hidden than usual.
The passages were all the same, except for the centre one, which had very faint prints in the dust of the floor. Not footprints, however, but paw prints. Draco knelt to inspect them more closely. They seemed to be the prints of a large cat, like a tiger or jaguar, or something similar that had tendencies toward man-eating.
Prudence would suggest choosing one of the passages without the looming threat of death, but Draco felt it likely that such a path would be a waste of time. Clearly, the prints were the only clue and he was meant to follow them.
The passage meandered on a twisting path that gradually led upward without branching. Draco walked slowly and kept his wand at the ready, alert for anything. Light became visible and he hurried his pace, eager to see the end of the dark corridor. He stopped short when the exit took him to a peaceful-looking garden. A grassy sward surrounded by flower-laden bushes and overhanging trees seemed to frame a stone bench nestled beneath a willow. Near the bench was a bubbling stone fountain and seated on the bench was a white tiger. The animal watched him without moving as Draco walked forward cautiously.
There was something odd about the scene and after a moment he figured it out - they were still underground. He wasn't sure how he could tell, as the bright blue sky above seemed perfectly natural. Perhaps it was his years at Hogwarts living beneath the spelled ceiling in the Great Hall.
The tiger was also strange, seated more like a housecat than a wild creature, with its tail wrapped around its legs. The bench was nearly too small for it.
"Care to tell me where we are, then?" Draco asked mildly, still walking forward, albeit carefully, just in case his intuition was wrong.
He wasn't wrong. The tiger shimmered and changed, becoming a round-faced old man wearing a multicoloured Nepalese hat and plain brown robes trimmed in orange. "Welcome to Shangri-la," he said.
Draco looked around once more. "Shangri-la? I always expected it to be larger."
The old man smiled. "Your wit is a shield against your fear. You should turn it to more constructive uses. What do you seek, Draco Malfoy?"
Draco considered the words, looking for hidden meaning. It almost seemed a trap and he wondered if this scenario wasn't a continuation of the puzzle he had built earlier.
"I seek the way out."
"That is not correct." The old man's tone was kindly. "Sometimes in the course of our lives we do not get a second chance. But sometimes we do. This is one of those times. What do you seek, Draco Malfoy?"
Fuck. What was he supposed to say? He thought about the tile puzzle. Do you dare to open the door to your soul? Apparently he was required to come up with something a bit deeper than flippancy, something that demanded soul-searching.
"What does any man seek? Acceptance? Appreciation? Friendship?" Draco paused and then added, "Love?"
"Are you answering the question with more questions?"
Draco shook his head. "No. To be honest, I suppose those are the things I'm seeking."
"And have you found them?"
Draco thought about it. Harry Potter had accepted him, although grudgingly, into the Auror program and silenced the sneers and jeers with a surprising lack of tolerance for such behaviour. Draco had expected him to be one of his primary opponents and they had certainly had their moments, such as the Teak Incident. The memory now brought only a smile, even though at the time it had nearly got them thrown out of the department.
And appreciation? Potter had certainly shown him that. Of course, it was one thing to show appreciation for a blow job, but quite another to express admiration for a job well done. Draco remembered Potter's face in St Petersburg as he had watched Draco locate the magical objects. Draco had felt intelligent, successful, and valued. Perhaps, not surprisingly, after their experiences together he had to admit he now thought of Potter as a friend. And more.
"Yes," Draco admitted. "I wouldn't have thought it possible only days ago, but yes, I think I have."
"All of them?"
Draco smiled. "Possibly not the last, but I would say there is a very good chance of getting there, if things continue to go well."
The old man nodded in a sage fashion. "Then you are no longer searching for those things, since you have found them. So what it is that you seek?"
Draco breathed deeply, but felt only a curious sense of peace when he admitted what he sought - the only thing he wanted. "Potter," he said simply. "I need Harry Potter."
The old man nodded. "You have done well," he said and shifted back into his Animagus tiger form. After giving Draco a very un-catlike wink, he wove through the flowering bushes and disappeared. After a moment, the entire scene seemed to melt together and then it vanished, leaving Draco alone in a large, dark cavern.
Draco spun around in frustration and saw nothing of interest beyond three more passages that led from the room. "How is this helpful?" he yelled. He received no answer but his own echo.
ooOOooOOoo
"Well," said Hermione, "that was interesting."
Ron was gaping at the screen. Malfoy's words had been something of a shock. Ron had assumed that whatever had been going on between Malfoy and Harry had been either a nasty trick or some casual fling on Malfoy's part. He had not expected Malfoy to practically admit to falling for Harry.
"Told you," Ginny said smugly around a mouthful of chips.
Ron glared at her and stuffed a piece of cod into his mouth. At least his sister had brought fish and chips. Neville was in the kitchen searching for the butterbeer Ron was certain they still had in the pantry somewhere. Luna was not in attendance due to her work schedule, but she had assured them that she and her co-workers would all be tuned in for the finale.
"Do you really think Malfoy cares about him?" Ron asked finally.
"I don't think he was lying," Hermione said.
"Then why did everything disappear?"
Ginny hit him with a pillow. "Maybe you should keep watching, gormless."
Not for the first time, he envied Harry's lack of siblings.
ooOOooOOoo
Harry stamped down his growing panic as he spun in place. He was in a hedge maze. A fucking hedge maze. Memories of the last time he was in a maze came rushing back, leaving his palms wet and clenched into fists. His wand dug into his right palm.
"Malfoy!" he yelled. "Draco!"
There was no reply, as he had half-expected, so he walked to the end of the row. To the right, the maze continued on into the darkness. To the left, after a short distance, there was a glow, although he could see more hedges illuminated beyond. He headed that way, walking quietly and carefully while holding his wand ready.
He stepped into an open space, fully enclosed by foliage. It was square in shape and contained nothing but a small garden bench fashioned of plain stone that matched the cobbled floor he walked upon.
A man sat upon the bench, smiling at him sedately. He wore brown robes and a woven hat in the Nepalese style, brightly coloured and pulled over his brows. His gaze seemed kindly, but Harry knew enough not to be fooled by appearances. He lifted his wand.
"Greetings, Harry Potter," the man said.
"What is this place?" Harry asked, following the question with, "Who are you?"
The man ignored his queries. "Your exploits are known to us, Harry Potter, and your fame has been spoken around the globe. Your courage is legendary and you have faced your fears with honour. But I wonder, what is it you now fear?"
Harry frowned. The similarity to the maze he had fought through during the Triwizard Tournament was not lost on him. He wondered if the question was akin to the Sphinx riddle.
"Is this part of the challenge?" he asked, hoping nothing had gone wrong and that Malfoy was all right.
The man said nothing and Harry sighed. Fine. His greatest fear. Honestly, fear seemed a bit pointless these days, considering he had faced dementors, Death Eaters, Voldemort, and death itself before his teenage years were done. He was rarely afraid in the course of his job, although he was not egocentric enough to say he was fearless. He still had a healthy sense of self-preservation that kept him from behaving too stupidly, even though Malfoy would probably suggest otherwise. Harry smiled at the thought of Malfoy's witty rejoinder.
"I fear anything that might harm my friends," Harry said cautiously.
The man smiled, but shook his head. "All people with empathy have this fear. You must look deeper."
Harry mentally cringed. He wasn't much of a soul-searcher. What was it he feared? Aside from Ron and Hermione becoming sick or injured, or losing any of his friends for any reason, there wasn't much to fear now that Voldemort was gone... Harry did not think of himself as a fearful person, actually. He rarely even had nightmares these days. When he did, he generally woke up in the darkness, heart racing with adrenaline, and wishing -
"I don't want to grow old alone," Harry said quietly. "I want what my parents had, and I'm afraid I won't have that chance. I've passed up so many opportunities, waiting for something..." Waiting for someone. Harry looked away and then caught sight of movement at the edge of his vision. The Watcherbee. He scowled.
"This conversation will not be revealed if you do not wish it so," the man said.
Harry nearly sagged with relief. The thought of someone like Rita Skeeter watching his confession, smirking and twisting his words into a vitriolic newspaper article was not pleasant.
"I definitely do not wish it so. I value my privacy."
"Perhaps too much." The words were simply delivered and could have been a question. Regardless, they struck Harry. Was it possible he had driven away potential relationships with his obsessive need to avoid the limelight? Was he so disgusted by the idea of being fodder for the press that he had sabotaged his own chances for happiness? Certainly he had done it with Ginny. After being almost constantly in the eye of the press and feeling pressured to become the picture perfect hero with the lovely wife and 2.5 children, Harry had panicked. He had suggested to Ginny a short separation, just so that he could make sure marriage was what they both wanted. By then, Ginny was also tired of the attention and willingly agreed. By unspoken agreement, they had simply let it die. The incident with Bertram Haversham had merely been a catalyst for their final breakup.
Harry had been happy enough to be out of the public eye, once the furore over their ended relationship had passed. The quiet life was fine and Harry had fought bitterly against joining The Incredible Race, despite the fact that his chosen solitude was also a bit lonely and somewhat dull. He normally counted on his job - and Malfoy's antagonism - to balance the boredom.
"Sometimes to be truly whole we must sacrifice a thing that brings us pleasure, in order to achieve that which completes us."
Harry wryly decided the man would have been sorted into Ravenclaw if he had gone to Hogwarts. Many times he had passed blue and bronze clad students arguing similar subjects. He mulled over the words. That which completes us. Harry shook his head. He supposed the answer to that was different for everyone. Harry had no idea what would complete him; he felt pretty whole at the moment.
Except that he was missing Malfoy.
"Where is Draco? Is he somewhere in this maze?"
"Your instincts have served you well in the past. You would do well to pay attention to them in the future," the man said cryptically. With that, he got to his feet, walked around the bench, and disappeared into a section of the hedge. Harry hurried over to examine the place, but his hands encountered only solid branches and leaves.
The man had either been a ghost or a projection, or he had a way of Vanishing that Harry could not determine. Either way, Harry was alone.
"Through the maze it is, then," Harry muttered. He turned and started back, using his wand to light his way. As he walked he mulled over the conversation. "Sometimes to be truly whole we must sacrifice a thing that brings us pleasure, in order to achieve that which completes us."
What was he meant to sacrifice? Something that brought him pleasure? Recently, the only thing that brought him pleasure was Draco Malfoy. Harry's steps faltered at the thought and he smiled at the memory of Malfoy in the shower, soap running over his gleaming skin and the look in his eyes as Harry touched him...
Damn it. Was he really supposed to give that up? It felt like they had barely begun. And how would letting go of Malfoy bring him happiness? How would it help complete him?
Harry shook his head and wished Hermione was here. If only for someone to talk to as he made his way through the maze. At least he had his wand and could mark the floor each time he took a turn in order to avoid backtracking and walking in circles. And no Blast-ended Skrewts had jumped out to attack him.
After what seemed endless twists and turns, Harry had an epiphany that stopped him in his tracks. Trust your instincts, the man had said. Harry's instincts were screaming at the thought of giving up Draco Malfoy. Therefore, he wasn't meant to sacrifice Malfoy, he was meant to sacrifice his privacy. It was so simple. He mulled it over for a moment, trying to work out all the issues he had been avoiding while trying to convince himself that what they shared was only a casual fling, something that would need to be set aside when they returned to London and their normal lives. But now...
Could he do it? Would Malfoy be willing to reveal himself as Harry's lover? Was Harry willing to deal with the letters and Howlers and photographs and possible loss of friendships? Ron and Hermione would probably understand, but it was impossible to know how people would react, even when you thought you knew them. And it wasn't just any man Harry was planning to out himself with; it was Draco Malfoy.
The simplest thing would be to enjoy Malfoy while he could and maybe, sometimes, they could connect back home. Casually. Even as he thought it, Harry grimaced. A secretive affair was not what he wanted. What he wanted was more of what they had shared in Bora Bora and Kathmandu. Quiet dinners and sightseeing and hand-holding and shouted fights and brilliant make-up sex...
With new resolve, Harry began to move once more. He rounded a corner and found himself facing an arched doorway cut into the stone wall. He was out of the maze, unless this was merely another part of it. The passage had a low ceiling, forcing Harry to stoop as he made his way along. It sloped downward, but did not curve, and it was thankfully short.
The passage opened into a large chamber that contained a low roaring sound. Harry brightened his Lumos to try and penetrate the darkness - the place was enormous. He walked forward cautiously, avoiding boulders of all shapes and sizes. He hoped the chamber did not collapse in upon itself. From the debris, it seemed a possibility.
The roaring became louder as he reached the centre of the chamber and he stopped when he realized a huge chasm cut the place in two. He peered over the edge, but could see nothing but darkness. It seemed an underground river flowed far below.
Cursing the chamber as a dead end, he was about to turn back when a flicker of light caught his eye. He stared as the light grew brighter.
"Potter?" someone yelled.
"Malfoy?" he asked hopefully.
The light bobbed as Malfoy ran toward him. "Potter! I thought I would never get out of there!"
"Stop!" Harry shouted in a panicked tone as Malfoy drew closer to the chasm. The light halted and Harry could vaguely make out pale hair and Malfoy's shape. "There's a rift!"
Malfoy started forward again, more slowly, and finally stopped when he was across from Harry. The distance that separated them was perhaps twelve feet.
Malfoy looked delighted and he actually laughed out loud. "Potter! I can't believe I'm saying this, but it's very good to see you!"
Harry smiled back and wished he could throw himself on Malfoy and show him just how much he returned that sentiment. "It's great to see you, too!" he called. "How do we cross?"
ooOOooOOoo
"Honestly, Harry, cast a Flying Charm," Hermione muttered.
Ron nodded in agreement. There hadn't been much footage of Harry, only shots of him walking through a hedge maze and then entering a great cavern. Most of the episode had been spent watching the dragon tamers row across the lake with their rippling muscles flexing . Hermione and Ginny had been riveted.
"What's happening to Brendan?" Ginny demanded. "I wanted to see if he conquered his fear of enclosed spaces!"
"Who cares about the stupid dragon tamers, Gin?" Ron demanded. "We're supposed to be here for Harry!"
"And poor Nigel with his inability to commit," Hermione said in the same tone she had once used in reference to Gilderoy Lockheart. "Will he ever find love, do you think?"
Ron stared at them both in horror while they cooed over the bloody dragon tamers while poor Harry was trapped in a dark cavern with Draco Malfoy.
"Can you two pay attention?" he demanded.
Hermione cleared her throat. "Sorry, Ron. What is Harry doing now?"
"Looking for a way across. Why doesn't he just cast a bloody spell?"
ooOOooOOoo
"There is no easy way to cross, Potter!" Draco yelled. "We'll have to fly!"
Potter nodded, as though he had expected as much. Draco had also, but he had hoped there would be a bridge to make it easier. Of course there was none.
"All right," Potter said when they both halted at the narrowest point of the chasm, which was still a very large distance. "I'll do it."
Potter lifted his wand and cast. Draco waited, but Potter seemed confused. He cast again.
"It's not working!"
Draco frowned. "Let me try. Wingardium Leviosa!" He cast it first on himself and then on a nearby stone with the same result - nothing. Damn it. "They must have nullified certain spells!"
"You think so?" Potter's voice was sarcastic and Draco nearly chuckled before he remembered himself.
"How do you plan to cross?"
"Me?" Potter asked. "Why me?"
"Because you are brave and daring and faultless, of course. What do you intend to do?"
Potter tugged at his hair. It was too dark to tell, but he was probably blushing and Draco wanted nothing more than to put his hands on Potter and take him away to do inappropriate things. Unfortunately, Apparition didn't work, either.
"Okay, I'm going to jump across," Potter said.
"What? No, Potter, you can't jump across. It's too far. We need to conjure a rope or something and determine where to tie it..."
"Stand back!" Potter yelled as he walked away from the chasm in obvious preparation to hurl himself across.
"You can't be serious!"
But of course, he was. Potter raced toward the gap and Draco stepped aside, wand out, watching with horror as the complete idiot threw himself over what seemed a ridiculously large space - and nearly made it. His hands scrabbled at the edge as gravity caught him and dragged him toward the darkness below. Draco leaped forward, dropped his wand, and snatched at him, catching both wrists just as Potter started to fall. Draco's chest thumped into the ground and his arms were nearly torn from their sockets as he bore Potter's full weight.
"Potter, you complete fuckwit!"
"Sorry," Potter said. "I thought I could make it."
"There are a dozen other things we could have tried first!"
"Your fault," Potter said. "I wanted to get to you as soon as possible."
Draco could barely make out his features in the darkness, but his words gave Draco a rush of warmth even through his annoyance. "Stop being a romantic sap when you're about to fall to your death."
"I am not. You've got me. Don't let go. I'm going to try to get my feet on something..."
Draco clenched his teeth and held on tightly while Potter squirmed and twisted. Then the pressure on his arms changed.
"Okay, I think I've got a foothold. I'm going to let go with my right hand."
Draco reluctantly loosened his grip and Potter heaved himself upward before his fingers dug into Draco's arm where it attached to his shoulder. Draco's free hand groped for and found the waistband of Potter's jeans. He curled his fingers into the rough fabric.
"Brilliant," Potter said, breathing heavily. "Now the other side."
Potter repeated the movement with the other hand and Draco curved a hand around Potter's backside and then heaved, pulling him up and over his shoulder by his arse and waistband. Potter's knee banged into Draco's forehead, but he sprawled in the dirt, safely out of danger.
Draco stayed where he was for a moment. He wasn't sure he could move his arms. "You are a complete idiot, you know that?"
Potter laughed. "You've mentioned it."
Draco groaned and levered himself up with his strained muscles. He turned and threw himself atop Potter before taking his face in his hands and kissing him, Watcherbee and the world be damned.
ooOOooOOoo
Ron shot to his feet. "Oh my god! They are kissing! Kissing!"
Ginny clapped. "Yeah, way to go, Malfoy!"
Ron glared at her. "I can't believe you approve of this!"
Ginny snorted. "Harry isn't exactly fighting him off. Look at them." She waved a hand toward the screen and Ron reluctantly glanced back at it. Harry's hands were wrapped around Malfoy and they both seemed to be enjoying themselves to the exclusion of all else.
"Bloody hell," Ron muttered. "Well, the cat's definitely out of the bag now. I suppose we should sit back and wait for the next wave of protests and demands for confirmation of Harry's new gay status." He dropped back to the sofa.
"Well, I think it's rather sweet," Hermione said. "We know that Malfoy cares for him. I just hope Harry feels the same. He doesn't seem the type to want a casual, secret fling, but this is Malfoy..."
"I wonder how long they plan to do that?" Neville muttered, still watching the screen. Ron decided it would be best not to look.
~TBC~
Author's Note: Did I say two chapters? I guess I meant three... :D LAST CHAPTER COMING NEXT!