CHAPTER THIRTEEN: Blessed By An Angel

A/N: I don't own any rights to Harry Potter. Little magic is used and homosexuality, violence, rape and language are used. Don't like it? Don't read it. You've been warned.

"Why would he do that to you?" asked Harry as Draco looked around helplessly for a better answer than he had.

"I refused to join…it wasn't meant for my future. I know it wasn't…"

"How did you know?"

"I had a crush on the most honest and loyal guy in school…"

"Neville?" Harry asking trying to be silly.

"It was you ya twit!"

"We don't have to do anything Draco…I'm so sorry about what happened to you and I wish I could make things better but…I already know that if I could mend a broken heart with just a few words, I would have fixed a million by now…I'm sorry that I can't change your past. I wish I could…"

"You know there's a dance this upcoming Friday, right?" Draco asked completely off-subject.

"Yeah, I know. Did you want to go?"

"It'll be my first time coming out to everyone as a gay man and I think it'd be the perfect opportunity. Granted, it won't be anything like the Yule Ball…Do you want to go Harry?"

"Of course…but I do have one question…"

"What's that?"

"How could you feel comfortable…kissing and fooling around with me on the roof but now you don't?"

"I don't know…the thoughts come in my head at the worst times, literally…"

"It happens. It's understandable. Do you want to walk back or stay here for a bit?"

"I'd like to stay here for a bit and have a cigarette, if that's okay with you…"

"Yeah, you mind if I have one too? I can never get my own…"

Draco handed Harry a cigarette and they both sat in silence, staring at each other. They knew that their friends would wonder where they are and where they've been.

"They're probably out somewhere…you know…" said Ron.

"How do you know? I mean, how do you know they weren't kidnapped?"

"Hermione…it's Harry and Draco…it's not like only one of them is missing. I mean yeah Harry never misses class unless he's sick but he wasn't in the dorm this morning so he must have went to see Draco and they could have gone somewhere…where do you and I go when we do it?"

"Ron, that's different. We don't stay out all night and all day together after that…it has to be something really bad…"

Hermione kept going on and on about the terrible things that could have happened but none of them did happen. She was beginning to bug Ron with her incessant anxieties about what could happen and what might have already happened.

"We have to tell someone that both Harry and Draco have been missing since last night…they weren't in class, they haven't come to breakfast…they must be starving!"

And yes, they both found themselves hungry after lunch so they headed back to Hogwarts.

"Shall we sit together or do you think it's best if we come out at the dance as an official couple?" asked Draco.

"I think…I honestly think the dance would be the best place but I want to do it now," Harry said like a baby.

"Well, I'd prefer to wait…if that's okay with you…"

"Okay fine…" Harry said and kissed Draco's forehead.

They walked back up to the castle and held hands but unhooked them right before walking in the doors. Hermione was standing right there in tears.

"Where have you been? We have been looking for you everywhere!" she yelled as Ron came in behind her.

"See Hermione? I told you they were with each other."

They both blushed.

"We reported you missing to Dumbledore and all the teachers! They've been looking for you everywhere! Where have you been?"

"You reported us missing? Both of us?" asked Harry. Dumbledore walked in behind Hermione and Ron with professor McGonagall.

"What's the meaning of this?" she asked her students, "Harry, what are you doing down here?"

"I was in Hogsmeade…"

"During class? Harry and Draco…come with me please," Dumbledore ordered.

They were dreading this day when they would get caught and they both ultimately thought they would assume that they were having sex or worse: fighting.

"You do realize that this is against school rules?" asked Dumbledore, "What were you two doing alone and not in class?"

"It's not what you think…" Draco interrupted, "Look…all we were doing was…well…it all sounds stupid once you actually think about it."

"Sir, we missed our morning classes and figured that it would be no good trying to get to the last one seeing as we were already marked down as absent from all of them…we thought we'd be in bigger trouble if we went." Harry said.

"Yes, but why did you both miss your morning classes together?"

They both blushed and looked down embarrassed to say.

"Harry and Draco…I'm not punishing you for your relationship. I sensed there was some…tension between you that wasn't enemy-related. I will keep your secret between me and professor McGonagall, no one else will know as long as you tell me why you missed your morning classes."

"Sir," Harry started, "we met up last night for dinner and nothing else, I swear on my parents' grave I wouldn't do anything that you think would be inappropriate…"

"Harry…" whispered Draco embarrassed.

"All we were doing is having a late-night dinner. We didn't want people to see us sitting together. We ended up falling asleep and we really do apologize…it was just a one-time thing. It'll never happen again, I swear. We both do."

"All right," Dumbledore says, "I will let this slide because I understand what it's like to be young and in love but…I will remind you that this is only a warning. Next time it happens, you'll get something much worse than detention and I'm sure you both know what I mean…if you do this again, I shall not keep your secret from anyone."

"Yes sir," they both said in unison.

"Go on. Before you go, Draco, was your father here last night?"

"Yes, he was. He tried to hurt Harry sir and locked me in my room so I couldn't get to him…that's kind of why I wanted to see him and to know if he was okay."

"Okay. Thank you. I will see to that matter."

"Please don't, just let it go…" Harry begged, "it'll get Draco into more trouble than ever…"

"Only if Mr. Malfoy agrees to not pursue the issue, I will not interfere."

"I agree!" Draco yelped.

"Okay. Go on to dinner then, have a nice night."

They both walked down to the Great Hall separately. As soon as they departed, Draco startled Harry by giving him a quick kiss and whispered, "Love you," in his ear. Harry's smile told Draco the same thing. After Draco walked in, Harry went in afterward. 'I can't wait till the dance…just a few more days.'