The next day Harry was surprised when none of the teachers came to breathe down his throat about been out of bed that late at night.
"Thanks might be in store for us," Hermione said as Harry sat next to them on the cold stone seat.
"We told anyone who asked that you weren't feeling crash hot and went to bed early," Ron informed Harry.
"Oh... Thanks guys," Harry smiled. A few minutes later Ginny came walking towards them...with Dean.
"Hey...Oh...Umm..." Ginny stopped when she saw Harry.
"It's ok, I was just off anyway," he smiled as he stood up and left.
"Jesus Ginny, way to kick a bloke while he's down," Harry heard Ron say. Back in the common room Harry stared at a picture of all the Quidditch teams, his eyes focused on one person, Draco. He couldn't remember how long he'd been looking at the picture but it must have been a while.
"Harry," Hermione said. Harry quickly put the picture back and looked up at Hermione and Ron. They sat next to him with serious expressions on their face.
"We need to talk," Ron said.
"Last night... With you and Malfoy... is it... real?" Hermione asked. Harry stood up and paced around the couch, rubbing his hands over his face.
"Yes... I think," Harry whispered.
"But he's a Malfoy, he's a ferret," Hermione snapped as she jumped up.
"He's changed," Harry said.
"So you're..." Ron started only to get cut off by a fuming Hermione.
"Malfoy's don't change," she growled angrily before babbling.
"So you're... Gay?" Ron asked. Harry looked up.
"Yes, I guess I am," Harry replied. After a minute of silence both boys burst into fits of laughter. Hermione stopped and stared at her two laughing friends.
"What's so funny?" she demanded.
"Harry...*chuckles* is *growing laughter* gay," Ron said as he burst out laughing again.
"That isn't funny," Hermione said in a stern voice.
"What isn't funny?' Ginny asked as she and Dean walked through the door.
"Harry's gay," Hermione told them. As Neville and Seamus walked in Dean told them. The word spread fast.
"Oh my god, I turned Harry gay," Ginny said as she walked over to Hermione.
"No, no you didn't, but I know who did," Hermione said crossly before going up to her bed.
At dinner that night the hall was full of chatter, about Harry and he knew it. Damn him and his mouth, damn Malfoy for getting him into the situation. Mumbling a spell under his breath he then picked up his goblet and took a sip, the liquid was no longer water it was a strong drink that burnt his throat as he sipped it. He drank several more goblets of it before anyone really noticed something was wrong with him.
"Harry, are you..." Hermione was silenced as he placed a finger on her lips.
"Yes... yes I am, thank you for asking," Harry all but yelled. The hall went quiet as he stood up. "Now I shall be... making my way to..." he paused while he stepped over the seat and stumbled into the aisle. "...to... somewhere..." he said as he started to stumbled towards the door.
"That boy is drunk," McGonagall said to the other teachers.
"I'll handle this," Snape said as he stood. He flew to Harry's side and grabbed his arm. "Draco," Snape said. Draco stood up and moved to Snape's side. "Grab his other arm," Snape told him. Draco did as he was told and soon they were taking Harry to Snape's classroom.
