A/N: I hope I got Rita written okay in this one, and sorry for the song if it is not your kind of music, I put it in because I thought it would be humorous. I did half like it before I wrote this but the amount of time's I had to listen to it when writing this has really put me off of it, lol.
Song: Beautiful and Dirty Rich, Lady Gaga
Disclaimer: I do not own the song or the lyrics.
"So Harry tell me when did you realise your feelings for Draco?" Rita Skeeter asked Harry in her sugary voice as they sat in the Headmistress office. It was the start of February the snow was gone from the Hogwarts grounds and Harry after refusing several hundred requests for an interview on his new relationship had finally given in and agreed to one in the hope that Rita would leave them alone and stop printing rubbish. In the past month that the two had been together Rita had written several articles that ranged from Draco slipping Harry constant love potions in order to have Harry appeal for his father's release from Azkaban, to Harry being so traumatised by war that he wanted a relationship that could never make him happy because as Rita had printed "he did not feel like he deserved the happiness after the losses that he had caused during the war".
"I don't know." Harry replied honestly. "It came gradually and the one day I sort of work up and realised that I wanted more than friendship from Draco."
"How long have you and Draco been friends, before the final battle or afterwards?" Rita asked tapping her chin with her quill thoughtfully after scribbling what Harry guessed was some twisted from of his answer.
"After the war. I deicide that there was no use to keep old rivalry's."
"Mmm." Rita noted his answer again. "Did you Draco want Harry's friendship or were you forced into it though gilt of the fact that your mother saving Harry's life had kept both you and her out of prison unlike your father?" Rita gave Draco a wide smile who just glowered back.
"No, I wanted the friendship. What happened during the war or directly afterwards had no effect on my decision to be with Harry."
"Of course it didn't." She simpered at him making Draco's glower harden even more."Did you have feelings for Harry before you two decided to become friends?"
"No, we didn't like each other as I'm sure you know, but I did find him quite attractive though I would never admit it."
"How sweet, hating him because you loved him and could not admit it." Draco rolled his eyes feeling too tired of her questioning to correct her. "How long have you battled with your sexuality?"
"Never, I just let it take me where it may." Draco replied stonily.
"What about you Harry how long had you been in denial?"
"I was never in denial."
"Oh don't be so shy Harry, we all know your attempts at love with the opposite sex. There was Hermione"
"We were never together." Harry butted in.
"Then there was that Chang girl," Rita continued as if he hadn't interrupted "and then the Weasley girl Ginevra. How did she feel when she was cast aside for your school rival?"
"She wasn't cast aside; we broke up at the start of this summer. You should know that as you published the hell out of it."
Rita nodded knowingly. "And when did she realise you were gay? When you distanced yourself from her sexually? Did she find you were distracted during sex? Did you try and imagine her as male?"
"NO!" Harry exclaimed, Draco looked slightly amused; Harry threw him a glare before turning his glare back on to Rita. "I loved Ginny, and I didn't imagine her as male. I am not gay I am just attracted to Draco." He was whishing he had taken McGonagall up on her offer to sit in on the interview, unfortunately he thought it would be better if the professor was not present, Rita's questioning was proving him wrong though.
"Alright I see. Draco how do you feel about Harry's lack of commitment. Do you find he is ashamed of your relationship, distant at times?"
"No. Harry has always been forthcoming with the relationship and has never once been ashamed or unwilling to commit."
"So was it Harry that started the relationship between you."
"Yes." Draco nodded.
"Tell me how did that happen? Did he declare his feelings for you in a romantic setting?"
Draco smirked recalling the time that Harry first kissed him. "No not exactly."
"We were arguing." Harry cut in.
"What about?" Rita interrupted Harry quill raised expectantly.
"That's none of your business." Draco said in a voice that made it clear that the contents of that argument were not going to be revealed to her.
"Go on." Rita simpered again covering up her disappointment with a wide smile.
"We were arguing and then I just kissed him out of nowhere really."
"How did you feel about this sudden attack Draco, threatened, confused, taken advantage of?"
"It wasn't an attack, but I guess I felt rather confused at first, and then we decided to become friends."
"When did you two tell others about your relationship?"
"I told Ron Weasley that I was bringing Draco over for Christmas, since then he has known of our relationship as did the rest of the Weasley family." Harry explained.
"Draco how does your mother feel about this relationship, supportive?"
Draco flexed his hands slightly. He knew that she would be likely to ask about his parents but that didn't mean that he appreciated it. His mother had written him a strongly worded letter the morning after the article had hit the papers she had demanded what Draco was thinking of by performing such foul play towards the main reason that they were kept out of Azkaban. Once Draco had explained that he had not manipulated Harry in anyway and that they both wanted the relationship his mother had condoned it, though Draco thought only because she did not want to lose another member of her family.
Draco coughed. "She supports any decision I make."
"And you Harry how do you feel about Draco's mother Narcissa Malfoy, with such a colourful past with Draco's relations do you feel a bit intimidated?"
"Intimidated?" Harry laughed. "No what do I have to be intimidated by? One old man who is locked away in prison for the majority of the remainder of his life. A women, who on the only occasion that I had traded words with her directly for a period of time, saved my life and helped bring down Voldemort in the process. Or are you referring to Draco's other relatives? Bellatrix Lestrange, who killed my godfather is dead." Draco's face hardened as Harry talked about his relatives in such a flippant manner.
"How do you feel Draco, about your boyfriend's obvious disregard for your family?" Rita turned to Draco smiling seeing the emotions that Draco was giving off at Harry's words, she had taken a dig and she had it gold.
"Well it is obvious that Harry would hold disregard for my family due to their past ties with the Dark Lord." Draco said tightly aware of Harry's gaze on him.
"What about Harry's family how do you feel about them?"
"What family?"
Rita suddenly looked slightly flustered. "Is it not true that you took Draco to meet your muggle relatives Harry?"
"Oh that family." Draco said in realisation. "They were accommodating."
"So they know of your relationship."
"No, they don't." Harry said glaring at Rita again, digging into Draco's family was one thing but asking him about his muggle relatives of which it was common knowledge of how they treated him was something else.
"Why not?"
"Harry's uncle was ill with heart problems that muggles contract, we did not think it a appropriate time to tell them, and at that time we were not sure what we were to one another."
"How do you think they would react to the news?" Rita asked Harry her eyes glinting like a cats.
"Be please I suppose." Harry shrugged.
Rita noted it down. "A few more questions before I go; how do you Draco feel about the task of looking after Teddy Lupin once you have graduated Hogwarts."
"Looking after?" Draco looked between Rita and Harry shocked and pale worry filling him up. Did Harry expect him to look after his godson with him? Did he expect them to move in together? Draco was not ready for kids; he could barley take care of himself without the aid of a house elf, who would entrust him with a child?
"We have yet to discuss such matters." Harry saved Draco from a blubbering mess squeezing his hand slightly giving him a look that said that they would be talking about it later.
"Right. Final question's something that all my readers would love to know. Who tops? And how many times a week would you say you engage in sexual activity? Every day? Never?"
Both Harry and Draco had gone red at her questioning. Harry for one had had enough of her questions, he hated the site of this woman and to listen to her talk all morning and ask her questions was nearly worse than any torture that Voldemort had placed upon him. "Enough questions get out."
Rita stood up smoothing out her skirt as Harry stood up and glowered over her looking ready to explode. "How about a picture to go with the article?"
Harry was about to tell her where she could stick her bloody camera when Draco took hold of his arm whispering into Harry's ear. "One picture and then she's gone, it might shut her up." Harry huffed but nodded.
"Go on then."
Rita smiled widely pulling out a large black camera from her handbag. "Stand over there." Rita pointed them to the space in front of the headmistress table. "Arms around each other. That's it." Click. The camera flashed. Harry and Draco broke apart a bit ready to leave the office and get back to the normal school day. "One more thing, could I just get a shot of that lovely tattoo you have Draco, on you left forearm." This time it was Draco's turn to nearly explode with anger.
"That's it, out now!" Harry shouted at her pointing a finger towards the door.
"Fine I will leave." Rita said picking up her parchment and quill and walking out of the room. "Look for the article in Monday's edition of the Prophet. Nice working with you again Harry, Draco." She nodded to both of them before leaving and closing the office door behind her.
"Thank god it's over." Harry muttered, burying his head in Draco's chest who wrapped his arms around him.
"I know, that woman is..." Draco trailed off failing for words to describe her.
"Well done Harry I am impressed that you have managed to spend two hours with Rita Skeeter." A voice from above them spoke making them both start.
"Professor." Harry said pulling away from Draco and looking up into the twinkling blue eyes of his previous headmaster.
"Harry, no need for professor anymore I am no longer your teacher. Albus would be fine, but if you feel too uncomfortable with that Dumbledore will be acceptable too."
Harry grinned. "How are you?"
Dumbledore chuckled. "I'm well, or as well as a painting can be. Yourself?"
"Good, sane at least." Harry joked.
"That's good to hear. How about you Mr. Malfoy, how are you holding up?" Draco looked up at the portrait for the first time since he entered the room the guilt he felt welled inside of him more than ever as he looked upon his old headmasters face.
"I'm fine thank you." Draco answered stiffly not knowing how to address him as he was one of the factors that led to Dumbledore's death.
"I never had time to thank you Draco."
"Thank me for what Professor?"
"For giving me a reason to organise my own death, if you hadn't been given that task I don't know what would have happened I suppose I would of had to hang on till such time that I could arrange it or until I died of the injuries I had sustained." Draco nodded sombrely not believing that he was being thanked for being a reason for this man's death. "You better run along Lunch will be over soon and if I'm not much mistaken you two have some work to catch up on after the day you missed from the Quidditch tryouts that you took part in."
"How did you..." Harry began.
"Harry you of all people should know the things that are discussed in this office and that the portraits are rarely really sleeping." He winked mischievously at Harry. "Now run along. Oh and before you go if either of you ever want to talk then I am here whenever you want, unless it is a Tuesday evening that's the day I go and play gobstones with Aberforth. He has enjoyed my company so much more since I departed." Harry and Draco shared amused glances as Dumbledore mused and they left the office and headed down for lunch.
"Harry do you expect me to help you look after Teddy with you once we graduate?" Draco asked Harry as they walked towards the great hall hand in hand.
"Can we talk about this later Draco please, I'm rather hungry and I think this is a conversation best left for private." Harry said kissing Draco on his cheek before he walked over to the Gryffindor table where he was greeted by his friends warmly. Draco stood there for a few moments watching Harry carefully before walking over to the Slytherin table.
"So Draco how was your interview? Did you describe how Harry had taken your heart and fixed it from all the horrors that you went though during your years serving that Dark Lord?" Pansy simpered sarcastically across the table at Draco. He took a deep breath trying to control his anger before turning back to her and answering.
"No Parkinson I told Skeeter all about our wonderful relationship and how I never have to sit thought another deranged psychopath dictating his perfect world to others who lapped it all up like faithful dogs."
Pansy's eyes fell into slits. "Your father and mother were part of those faithful dogs if you don't remember Draco, how do they feel about your activities with Potter? They must be proud; traitors like them would love another reason to gain a decreased sentence. What will Potter do when he finds out this is all just a ploy to get your father out of Azkaban?"
Draco banged his fist down onto the table. For the past month both the papers and the people in Hogwarts has spread rumours of Draco manipulating Harry in order to get his father out of jail, he was sick of people thinking he was using the boy, he had even received a small amount of hate mail related to that subjects warning him to leave Harry alone or they would take action against him. "My father deserves to be there and I would never ask something like that of Harry."
"He deserves it for failing the Dark Lord, if your father had succeeded then we wouldn't be sitting here being looked down upon by scum like the Weasley's, we are the wealthy, old, pure blood families, we should be the ones running this society, their scum should not be infiltrating our world, they are like a poison."
"Believe what you want Pansy, the Dark Lord was a deranged half-blood without a penny to his name. If he is the kind of scum that you want to set your ambitions towards then please do so. It is of no concern of mine." Draco got up and left the table without a single bite of food passing his lips.
Harry watched carefully as Draco walked out of the hall. That was the sixth time since the news about them being together had hit the papers that Draco had left the hall without eating, and even when he did eat something it was never very much. Harry was worried about his boyfriend he could see the frustration etched on his face, his eyes wandered over to the Slytherin table to find the source of Draco's annoyance, his eyes met Pansy Parkinson's her dark red lips pulled into a smirk directed at him. Harry was no fool he could see that Draco was having a hard time in Slytherin he never spent much time out of his rooms when he was there, and when he wasn't there he tried to avoid his year mates. He had tried to invite Draco over to have lunch with him and his friends on many occasions but was always refused; Harry thought it had more to do with Draco's pride than it did with Harry's friend who after a week of ignoring the situation had accepted Draco as Harry's boyfriend and they seemed to all get along rather well, or as well as a group of people that despised each other before could.
Harry sighed and went back to his lunch, he would talk to Draco later, it seemed like they had a lot to discuss. Harry's mind wandered back to Teddy and Rita's question about him and Draco taking care of Harry's young godson. He knew that he wanted to and he would never go back on his promise he wanted to be there for the boy like Lupin was there for him whenever he needed him. He had never thought about the implications on his love life. When he had first decided to look after Teddy he was with Ginny, though the end was near in sight for them. He had expected things to pick up between them again and assumed that they would take care of Teddy together as Ginny was also very taken with Teddy, but now with Draco he didn't know what to expect.
Harry envisioned Draco holding Teddy smiling down at the small boy in his arms, Harry smiled slightly despite himself, the imaged morphed from Draco's smiling face to a scared surprised one. That was how Draco looked when he was asked By Rita Skeeter if he was going to look after Teddy. Did Harry expect him to look after his godson with him? No not unless Draco wanted to, but what if Draco never wanted to look after him? The bell rang; Harry's friends got up and started to make their way to class happily chatting. Harry decided to put all his worries in the back of his head deciding to think about it later and concentrate on class for the time being.
Draco heard the bell, looking down at his watch on his wrist he huffed turning around on his heel and walking back down the corridor that he was walking down, he walked though a small short cut passageway, and coming out from behind a tapestry he entered onto a busy corridor full of students who were making their way to their afternoon classes.
"Beautiful, dirty dirty rich rich dirty dirty
Beautiful dirty rich"
The words echoed down the corridor causing the students to stop and look around them looking for the source. Music started playing down the corridor and the voice sounded again.
"Dirty dirty rich dirty dirty rich beautiful
Beautiful and dirty dirty rich rich dirty"
Down the corridor came walking Pansy Parkinson in high shiny black stiletto heels which clipped as she walked on the cold hard stone. Her grey school skirt rested mid calf showing off her thin white legs, her cardigan was un-buttoned, her school shirt's top buttons undone and tie hung loose around her neck.
"We got a redlight
Pornographic dance fight
Systematic, honey
But we go no money"
She was followed by the other Slytherin girls dressed as Pansy was, the sight of Millicent Bulstrode made Draco wince, it was not a good look on her.
"Our hair is perfect
While were all getting shit wrecked
It's automatic, honey
But we got no money
The girls stooped, flicked their head to the side their bodies rolling in the direction that they head
had gone.
"Daddy I'm so sorry, I'm so s-s-sorry yeah
We just like to party, like to p-p-party yeah"
"Bang bang, we're beautiful and dirty rich"
They each stuck a different pose for a few seconds before they continued to walk down the corridor the younger one's at the back entering their classrooms.
"Bang bang, we're beautiful and dirty rich"
"We live a cute life
Soundfematic, pants tigh-ter than plastic, honey
But we got no money"
The girls strutted down the corridors as the on looking students made way for them.
"We do the dance right
We got it made like
Ice cream topped with honey
But we got no money"
The second years entered their classroom's as the other's dropped on to their knees begging the air.
"Daddy I'm so sorry, I'm so s-s-sorry yeah
We just like to party, like to p-p-party yeah"
They jumped up from their positions on the floor, pointing their forefingers and thumb at those around them in the corridor.
"Bang bang, we're beautiful and dirty rich"
The girl's swung their hips around.
"Bang bang, we're beautiful and dirty rich"
They continued strutting heads held high in the air their forefingers and thumb in the shape of a gun pointing at people as they passed.
"A bang bang bang, bang bang bang, beautiful, dirty rich
A bang bang bang, bang bang bang, beautiful, dirty rich"
They numbers decreased as the others had entered their classrooms till it was only Pansy standing in the corridor.
"Bang bang, we're beautiful and dirty rich
She turned around and pointed her gun made out of her hands at Draco smirking as she flicked her wrist winking at him.
"Bang bang, we're beautiful and dirty rich"
The music faded as Pansy's black heel fell out of sight behind the closed oak door of the Arithmancy classroom. Draco glowered after her as the corridor came to life again, the students talking excitedly at the newest addition to the singing sensation that had infested itself into the halls of Hogwarts. Draco turned away from the door of his Arithmancy class and walked down the corridor and out of sight. He had had enough of people for that day.
"I can't find him anywhere." Harry grumbled throwing his stuff down onto the table in the library.
"Who?" Seamus asked as Harry sat down heavily into an empty chair.
"Draco. I haven't seen him since lunch, I'm rather worried we agreed that we would meet later in here to study but he never showed up."
Seamus rolled his eyes. "It's only been a few minutes, give him some time."
"We were meant to meet last period of the day, but he never showed, I stayed and caught up on my work but he didn't come so I decided to look for him but I can't find him. I just ran into Hermione and she told me he didn't turn up for Arithmancy."
"Where have you looked?"
"Corridors, great hall, Quidditch pitch; I've walked the majority of this school."
"You have walked around most of this school in the past hour since last period and you never thought to look in his room?"
Harry's face froze mouth slightly open. "Erm, no." He said bashfully.
"Well why don't you look in there, it might have been a good place to start."
"I can't get in there without Draco." Harry sighed.
"Why don't you just do what you do when you want to know where someone is?"
"What are you getting at?" Harry asked feeling paranoid that Seamus had found out about the map or his invisibility cloak.
"I don't know, you and Ron always are able to sneak around after hours without being caught you must have some way to track people to make sure you are not interrupting their path."
Harry relaxed, and broke into a smile. "That's exactly what I am going to do thanks Seamus."
"You're welcome." Seamus said waving to Harry as he picked up his stuff and all but ran out of the library.
'Okay there must be someone going in or out soon.' Harry thought as he stood by the entrance to the Slytherin common under his invisibility cloak. 'Ah here!' The sound of footsteps was coming around the corner. Two second year Slytherins came round the corner, Harry waited until they said the password and the section of wall opened allowing Harry entrance into the common room. Quickly he slipped though ignoring the occupants of the room, he walked directly up the stairs to the boy's dormitory and up to Draco's room, he gave a small rap on the door and waited.
Harry stood there for half a minute not hearing any movement from the other side. Brow furrowing in confusion Harry pulled out his map and looked at it, yup there it was his dot labelled Harry Potter, and there on the other side of the wall was Draco Malfoy's dot. The map never lied so Draco was just ignoring him. Harry tapped on the door again, casting a quick look around the hallway before he spoke.
"Draco open up it's me." He heard shuffling from inside the room before the door opened.
"Harry, how did you get here?" He looked slightly off put when there was no one there to talk to. "Where are you?"
"Here." Harry stepped forward and placed his hand on Draco's chest. "Can I come in?"
Draco looked down still slightly off put my the feeling of what looked like warm hard air on his chest before nodding and stepping aside closing the door and locking it as Harry took off his cloak.
"You didn't meet me to study, is something wrong?"
"No nothing's wrong." Draco said shrugging and turning away. He was still dressed in his uniform, his tie hanging off of his dresser, his white shirt half unbuttoned sleeves rolled up to his elbows. Draco sat back on his bed seemingly uninterested in what Harry had to say.
"Draco don't do that."
"Do what?"
"Shut me out."
"Who say's I'm shutting you out?"
"You are!" Harry said exasperatedly. He took a deep breath to control his anger before he continued. "Look I know Rita's question worried you. I don't expect you to look after Teddy with me once we graduate, but it would be nice to know that you are not totally adverse to the idea as he's going to be a big part of my life and I hope you will too. And I'm sorry about what I said about your family I didn't mean it. Well okay I did, I don't find them intimidating, but I did, and you can't blame me for having these feelings towards your family after everything that has happened between us but that has nothing to do with how I feel about you. " Harry said this all in a rush looking at his feet.
Draco watched Harry before pushing him off of his bed and walking over to his dresser and looked at a picture of his parents in a black leather frame. "Why do you always think everything is about you?"
Harry looked up taken aback. "What?"
"You came to find me, to see if I was okay because you thought that I was upset by something that you said or the questions that were asked about us in the interview." Draco wacked the dresser with his fist. "Did it ever occur to you that it was something else? That it had nothing to do with you, that it had everything to do with me."
"What are you talking about what's going on Draco?"
"Pansy."
"Pansy?"
"Yes, she said something to me today. Actually every day."
"What's going on Draco?"
"It's all of them." Draco shouted turning round and throwing out his hand towards his door indicating the rest of the Slytherin house. "All the time every day, they either don't talk to me, glare at me, or call me a traitor. Today it was worse! She accused me of only being with you so that I can get my father out of jail, she then said that the wealthy pure blood family's should rule the wizarding world and that everyone else was scum." Draco shook his head. "I have been getting that crap all month, accusations, and the snide comments about being a traitor and pure blood rule since the start of the year. I am marked no matter what I did or didn't do people will see me as nothing but a Death Eater."
"You are not though, why don't you just ignore it."
"It's all the time; everywhere I go, everything I do people judge me because of this thing on my arm. I hate it."
"Draco." Harry said quietly walking up to Draco and slipping his hands around Draco's waist from behind putting his face on Draco's shoulder.
"We better get going we have our last detention in a few minutes I know you would like a bit of food before." Draco wiggled himself out of Harry's hold. "And thanks for caring." Draco left the room leaving the door slightly open for Harry. Harry felt even more distant from what was going on inside of Draco. He put on his invisibility cloak before he walked out of the room closing and locking Draco's door behind him, off to dinner and then off to detention.
