A/N: Greetings all! Sorry for the longer than usual wait. This chapter gave me problems with its lack of inspiration. Even though I started it October 21st, I didn't finish until yesterday. Ended up writing a whole one shot in the middle of this. Blah. Hope you enjoy anyway. And again, thanks to those who read/review/follow/favorite!

Waking Up

Chapter 6: Truth Be Told

This was the second time Draco could remember waking up in an embrace not his mother's (and that was years ago, of course). Oddly enough, the arms surrounding him belonged to the same individual as last time. But unlike last time, Draco knew just whose arms they were and how they came to be around him. And despite the welcome respite from his monotonous daily activities, he really needed to get back to his room. Not only would it not do to be caught missing from his room, but it was Monday and they had class, probably soon.

With that last thought, Draco jerked upright. What time was it? A quick Tempus had him cursing. There was barely 45 minutes before his first class. He needed to bathe, get to breakfast, and be in Snape's class all within that time frame. Darn impossible with his daily ablutions and his eating habits. He doubted Snape would overly punish him for tardiness, but the man wouldn't be pleased, either. Draco pushed at Harry.

"Potter! Wake up! We're going to be late to class." This seemed to rouse the raven into waking up.

"Class? Shit, what time is it?" Harry asked as he hurriedly tried to sit up, practically dislodging Draco.

"We have about 40 minutes before Potions," Draco told him after climbing to his feet. He knew this would mean more to Harry. Snape was hardly the boy's biggest fan.

"Oh hell, I've got to go." And with a scurrying quite unlike the falcon-esque stalking of last night and barely a "See you in class, Draco," tossed over his shoulder, Harry was gone.

Now, Draco had never been one for bedside banter or post-orgasm cuddling or any such thing. His partners rarely lasted long in his bed after they'd both been satisfied. But really, this was rather abrupt and what's more, this was the second time the Gryffindor had left Draco in such a fashion. If anyone was going to do the leaving or give dismissals, it should have been him. Draco was going to have to make sure Harry understood this for next time and oh yes, there would be a next time. Draco straightened himself up and headed back to his room.

He was in Potions 30 minutes later. He'd quickly showered and done the minimum he'd let himself get away with to his hair and had forgone breakfast in the Hall in favor of a quick snack via House-elf. His Housemates sent him questioning looks but he brushed most of them off. He'd think of some viable explanation later. He wasn't sufficiently clean or well-fed enough to be up to his usual thinking standards. He was reserving what he had for lessons.

Two minutes before class began, Potter came rushing in followed closely by Weasley and Granger. Draco figured the latter two must have waited on Harry. Otherwise they likely had no excuse to be running this late. Granger would never allow it.

No sooner had they sat down and pulled out their books had Snape come bustling in the room with his robes billowing behind him in their usual flair.

"Today you will be brewing the Abraxas potion," the ex-Slytherin began. "Can anyone tell me what it is used for and its possible side effects?"

As usual, Granger's hand shot into the air; and also as usual, Snape ignored her. Why this constant dismissal didn't deter the girl's efforts was beyond Draco. Surely one could only take so much rejection. But he supposed there was something to be said for 5 years' worth of practice.

"Pity," Snape said before answering his own question when no other hand rose. "The Abraxas potion is used as a cure to those who come in contact with select extremely poisonous plants in the wild and its possible side effects include rashes, dehydration, vomiting, and uncomfortable forced bowel movements. This is a very delicate process so you will need to be extraordinarily careful and pay stark attention to the details of the procedure which are (a flick of his wand) on the board. Any exploding cauldrons (a severe look at Longbottom) will result in a 0 for today's assignment and a detention cleaning the remaining cauldrons. You will work in inter-House pairings for this assignment, as we all know some of you could use the added assistance (a glance at the Gryffindor populace). Potter, you're with Malfoy. Granger, Parkinson. Weasley, Zabini. Longbottom, Nott. Finnegan, Bulstrode. Thomas, Goyle. Etcetera. The rest of you figure it out. You may begin."

Everyone made to partner off with their assigned peer or else find their own. Draco waited as Harry moved to stand by him. He dropped his bag before turning to give Draco a sly smirk.

"Alright Malfoy," he said, "I'll go collect the ingredients, while you gather to instruments needed for the potion."

Draco inwardly rolled his eyes. Potter really had no clue how to hide things. First ignoring him, then the constant glances, and now openly smirking and civil conversation? Was he trying to get them caught? You'd think being occasional snog or shag partners had made them friends. He'd have to remind Harry to play his role, at least in public, by sticking to his own. And in general, Draco took no one's orders (excluding his father's and his professors, usually), and especially not Potter's. He sneered at him.

"No, I don't think I will. You get the tools and I'll get the ingredients." And he marched off to do so. If he'd taken a glance at Harry, he'd have seen the moment of shock followed by a flash of annoyance that was quickly succeeded by a dawning comprehension before Harry moved to do as bid. They worked on their potion as they normally would have, with minor arguments and insults thrown back and forth, though there was no real heat behind the words. But to anyone watching (which was in fact the whole class at one point or another), it seemed the two had gone back to normal. Draco pretended not to notice the looks.

When class was almost over and their finished potion was perfect, as Draco had made sure it would be, he bottled it and took it to Snape. The man accepted the vial and gave him a curt nod before turning to the next student. Draco smirked. He knew it was the best the man could do to praise him without praising Potter as well. Draco returned to his seat to wait for class to be dismissed. When it was, he grumbled with the rest about the two feet that Snape had assigned for homework on the uses, effects, and side effects of today's potion. He was raising and moving toward the door when Harry pushed past him with a narrowed gaze but a gleam in his eyes as he went to join his friends. Really, Draco was going to have to teach him how to behave. He'd clearly be teaching Harry several things. He smirked with the thought. Just then, Pansy approached him, followed by Blaise, Crabbe, and Goyle.

"And what was all that about?" she asked.

Draco groaned inside. What had she seen?

"I don't know what you mean," he replied.

"Oh, come off it. Not only does Potter not complain about being partnered with you, but he damn near smiles when he approaches you. And then you two are arguing and cursing each other like normal when recently he's been ignoring you then watching you constantly. What's up? What happened?" she retorted.

Damn. Draco forgot just how much Slytherins watched. It was a survival instinct of theirs, to know everything that was going on. Why he hadn't thought that the others would clue in to the depth of his and Harry's interactions was beyond him. He supposed he'd been too entangled in his own games. He cursed his single minded desire to have the boy. But Draco didn't display any of his inner turmoil. He looked at his friends in mock innocence.

"I don't know what's going on with Potter. Perhaps he got over the pissy phase of his menstrual cycle and returned to normal? I hear PMS can be a bitch." This remark was appreciated by everyone but Pansy, who seemed to take the comment as a personal slight. She narrowed her eyes at him.

"Oh, but not you, Pansy dear," he continued. The girl was not one to respond well to insults. Devious, the chit. That's why Draco kept her close. "You're an absolute delight at all times." This earned another round of laughter from the other boys, but Draco just flashed Pansy one of his sincerest looking smiles. She was clearly not fooled, and would likely bring it up again, but she let the issue drop for now.

"Whatever. We need to go. We've got Trelawney with the Hufflepuffs next," she said.

And so they left, not too far behind several other Slytherins that had likely hung back to eavesdrop, to the most pointless excuse for a class this school possessed. It was a complete waste of time and Draco constantly wondered why Trelawney was on the payroll. She was useless, much like that brainless oaf, Hagrid. At least he didn't have both classes today. That'd be torture of the highest order. Draco was dropping both just as soon as he was able.

Ninety minutes, and an indeterminate amount of dead brain cells later, and class was over. Draco had zoned out about 10 minutes in. They were on crystal balls at the moment and once Trelawney started going on about your "inner eye" and "releasing your aura" it got hard to take her seriously, if he ever had. It really hadn't helped that the Hufflepuffs oohed and ahhed at every other word the woman said. Frankly, that just cemented the class' insignificance in his eyes.

Lunch was more interesting if only because he saw Harry again. The raven seemed to have learned his lesson and didn't do too much to give them away, although he still cast the occasional look at Draco. But that was okay. It was no more telling than looks they'd sent each other over the years. It was acknowledgement, perhaps with hidden agendas, but no sign of the desire and lust that Draco knew now lurked within both of them. It would perhaps come out eventually, but not now. Now was too soon.

Draco watched Potter as Granger and Weasel tried to talk to their hero about something. The lesser two seemed to get irritated as Potter just smiled charmingly in a way that told Draco he was brushing them off. Draco wondered if they were questioning him about his whereabouts last night and what Potter may have told them. He doubted he revealed the truth, as there was not half of Gryffindor looking to kill him yet. He'd have to ask Harry what his cover story was. The questioning became more heated and Draco saw Harry sigh before saying something that caused Granger to blush and divert he eyes and Weasel to display and unbecoming look of disgust and revulsion. And with that the pair started surreptitiously looking about, mostly up and down their own table, but with occasional glances at Hufflepuffs' and Ravenclaws'. Well this couldn't be good.

Ron and Hermione were bloody persistent. Harry had evaded their questions this morning with cries of needing to bathe and get ready for class. They'd brought him food from breakfast so had run out of time to truly grill him, though Hermione didn't miss the chance to nag him all the way down to Potions. Where had he been? Why hadn't he told them? Had he been with someone else? Harry muttered so much nonsense, he really wasn't sure what they got out of it. Nothing matching the truth, he was sure.

He didn't quite know why he didn't just tell them the truth, or most of it. He usually told them about relationships he had with people (not that whatever he had with Malfoy could be termed anything of the sort), but there was just something different about this one. Maybe it was the fact that he had a secret. He didn't often keep things from Ron and Hermione. There was no reason to. That's why Hermione's current behavior didn't bother him. She was just trying to bring them back into equilibrium. But something about this being with Malfoy made it an uncommon case (and the fact that that was such an understatement amused him).

In any case, Harry escaped really answering for awhile. Getting food saved him this morning; being partnered with Malfoy saved him in Potions. He'd pretended diligence in History of magic with the Ravenclaws (a more difficult façade as Binns bored the life out of anyone), but they were wearing him thin by lunch. They would just not let this die. He tried to tease them and smiled as he told them he'd been with someone last night. They didn't take his meaning of the kind of company. Therefore they badgered him more about telling them who. Harry decided he was going to have to make them understand. He sighed before interrupting them.

"Guys," he said, "I wasn't just hanging out with someone last night; I was actually with a guy."

Finally they caught on. Hermione blushed and looked away briefly and Ron just looked revolted. They knew about Harry's preferences, of course. He'd had to tell them after they'd caught him appreciating one too many blokes than he could explain away. Hermione wasn't opposed to his choice, though it embarrassed her to hear he'd been with a guy. Ron was not a fan of Harry liking blokes, it wasn't part of his upbringing, but he didn't turn from Harry because of it. He just greatly preferred never to know many details. But now both of them were wondering just who Harry had been with. They tried to be inconspicuous as they glanced about the Hall. Harry smirked when he noticed their gazes never wandered to the Slytherins.

Harry couldn't keep his own gaze from briefly traveling over to Draco, whom he saw was already looking at him with a face that held traces of surprise and nervousness, but was otherwise blank. Harry suppressed the desire to roll his eyes (really, did Draco think he'd give them away this easily? At least, after that reminder this morning.) before turning back to his friends and knocking his smirk up to a full blown grin. They were just turning back to him, likely to demand that he tell them who it was.

Embarrassed or not, both of his friends were fiercely protective of him. They realized his name and fame often drew people a lot more than his looks and personality did. Harry shortly wondered which it was that appealed to Draco. He doubted it was the name or fame and they hadn't gotten along for years, so it likely wasn't his personality, either. Looks it was, then. Harry mentally shrugged. He'd been pursued for worse.

Harry tuned back in to see Ron and Hermione watching him intently. He smiled at them again.

"Guys, it's no big deal. Nothing serious," he told them.

"Then why won't you tell us who it is?" Hermione asked him in turn. Darn her twisting his words around on him. But tell them so they could explode and inform the entire Hall? No, Harry thought he'd pass on that one.

"Later," he responded. They studied him another moment before nodding and continuing their meals, though Harry saw them still stealing the occasional glance at people they thought had the potential to woo or be wooed by Harry. This time, Harry did roll his eyes.

After lunch, they trekked to McGonagall's class with the other Gryffindor sixth years for double Transfiguration with the Slytherins. Harry had been trying to act naturally since this morning after Draco's reminder, so he resisted the urge to turn toward the back of the classroom where the Slytherin and his cronies usually sat. He focused instead on McGonagall's strict voice, telling her students about the lesson they would be doing over the next few class periods. They had been working with live creatures lately, but only small things like turning a butterfly into a bee. Now they were moving on into more complex animals. They were to transfigure a niffler into a crup. These were still related creatures- the first were flying animals, these latest were both dog-like. Harry wondered when they'd do unrelated things like changing a dog into a dragon or something. Another mental shrug.

"This lesson will be a bit more difficult than the last," McGonagall was telling them, "as these creatures are larger and more complex organisms, but the theory is the same. Now, practice your wand movements again. Yes, good," she added when the class had obeyed. "Now repeat the incantation….Good. Split into four groups. There are only four nifflers today; we don't need a mass of them running around my classroom, so you'll all have to take turns. When you've split, send one group member to my desk to collect your niffler and you may begin. But remember to remove all jewelry or otherwise shiny objects before securing a niffler. We don't need to distract them." And with that, McGonagall returned to her desk to get the nifflers for their assignment.

Naturally, the class split first in half between Gryffindors and Slytherins, then in half again between the two Houses to create two Gryffindor and two Slytherin groups. This didn't seem to bother McGonagall; she likely expected it. Harry's group, which consisted of him, Ron, Hermione, Neville, Dean, and Seamus, elected Seamus to get the niffler. When he returned with it, the group lined up to take turns at trying to change the furry little thing.

While Harry was waiting in line, he stole a glance over at Malfoy's group where the blond was standing behind Parkinson watching as Zabini attempted to change the niffler. Draco didn't look overly thrilled by the assignment, but he never seemed especially happy in any class, at least not that Harry had seen. He was usually a more active git in Potions, but Harry knew that was because Snape favored the Slytherins, and especially Draco. Harry thought he might have been watching for too long because the Slytherin seemed to feel eyes on him and turned to look in Harry's direction. When he saw who was staring at him, he smirked a bit before returning his eyes back to where Zabini was giving up and letting Goyle have a go. Harry in turn returned his gaze to his own group to see Hermione trying to walk Neville through the wand movement again as the pureblood wasn't using big enough motions.

The remainder of the class progressed this way, with constant reiterations of the incantation and wand movements, though no one seemed to have mastered the transfiguration. Hermione was closest, of course, with her niffler having several crup-like qualities, including the two tails. Draco's wasn't far behind, though. He'd gotten the crup nose instead of the niffler's snout. McGonagall gave them a foot on the correct transfiguration method and probable causes their attempts failed thus far for homework.

Dinner passed uneventful until a small note fell out of a roll Harry had just split open. Harry blinked at it in confusion before picking it up and opening it. It read:

Tomorrow night. Same time. Same place.

"What's that, Harry?" Hermione asked him, getting the attention of not only Ron, but several other sixth years around them.

"Nothing," Harry said before he blushed slightly and looked down for a moment to avoid meeting anyone's eyes. When he looked back up, it was to see that Hermione had likely correctly deduced the reason for his sudden embarrassment and was critically watching the surrounding Gryffindors to see if any looked guilty of sending the note. When Ron noticed her search, he cottoned on and began checking the other tables, but again avoided even sparing the Slytherins a glance. Harry was sure he heard Malfoy bark a laugh.

Harry groaned quietly before he debated hiding his embarrassment in his folded arms, but decided that would only add to the gossip mill. So he forced himself to normalcy and returned to his meal after giving Hermione and Ron a stern glare that unquestionably told them to call off their search. He knew he was in for the Spanish Inquisition tonight, though.

He'd been right. After dinner that night, they'd retreated to a private section of the library to finish the homework they'd started yesterday and begin the assignments they'd been given today. They'd barely sat at the table before Ron said, "Okay, mate, who is it?"

Harry noticed Ron used "it" instead of "he;" just another small way Ron was in denial, if only in his head. Harry sighed before saying, "You wouldn't believe me, even if I told you." This surprised his friends. It implied 1) it wasn't someone they knew to be gay, 2) it wasn't someone they liked, in general, or 3) it was a Slytherin. Harry knew they'd reject that third option right off.

"So tell us and we'll decide if we believe you," Ron said and Hermione silently nodded.

Harry hesitated. Could he really tell them it was Malfoy? They likely really wouldn't believe him at first; then when they discovered he was serious, they'd go ballistic, or at least Ron would. Harry thought Hermione might go into a catatonic shock.

"Er," he said, "how about you tell me who you think it is?"

"Seamus," Ron said immediately.

"Not unless I want Dean to kill me," Harry responded. The two had been close since first year, but had apparently become a couple this past summer. Harry hadn't even thought of either of them, except noticing they were an attractive pair. But now that he was thinking of them, he wondered if they've ever tried a threesome. He'd have to remember to ask them about it. No. Wait. Draco. Focus, Harry.

"Alright, that rules out my second guess," Ron stated.

"What about Terry Boot?" Hermione ventured.

"Nah, I hear he's seeing Ernie Macmillan," Harry told her.

They went through several more names, mostly from their own year and House, but some from seventh and fifth years and Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs. They knew Harry stayed within that age range; any younger was too young. Even fifth years Harry tried to avoid. When Ron asked about Justin Finch-Fletchly, Harry pulled a face and said, "After that thing second year? Never." He'd never forget how Justin had looked at him after Harry had called off Malfoy's snake.

Hermione and Ron shared a glance, and then both shrugged. They were out of ideas. Harry smirked before reminding them, "You haven't named any Slytherins."

Hermione looked as if she'd been struck and Ron gagged. "Of course we left out those slimy snakes. You wouldn't defile yourself with any one of them," he said.

Harry just smiled at them. They both looked flabbergasted. Hermione found her voice first. "Harry, …you didn't. Who? Which one?"

Harry hesitated again under that gaze of hers. It almost made him feel guilty. He said, "Well, I guess it doesn't matter which one, huh? Any one is just as bad as another, right?"

"No, some are worse than others. Please tell me you haven't been cuddling up with either Crabbe or Goyle," Ron demanded.

Now Harry gagged. Even that image was enough to turn his stomach. No offense to Crabbe or Goyle, but they definitely weren't his type. Ugh. "Ugh, Ron, no, gross." Harry cringed as he pushed such a repulsive thought from his head.

"Good," Ron said. "It also better not be Theodore Nott. He's a git."

"No," Harry said slowly. They were getting closer.

"I can't think of too many more," Ron began, to be cut off by Hermione, who had been watching them before now.

"Is it Blaise Zabini?" she asked.

"No," Harry answered calmly. Zabini wouldn't be bad, though. He was quite attractive, and though a natural Slytherin menace, he was much less a prat than the majority of people in his House. If things didn't work out with Draco, perhaps Harry would consider Zabini. "But you're close…," he finished saying.

"The only other person I can think of is… Malfoy," Hermione said slowly while watching him.

Harry blushed then ducked his head; he couldn't meet her eyes anymore. By her tone, he thought she might have suspected this. Possibly due to his behavior lately- ignoring Malfoy, then watching him, to going back to normal with him this morning without any discernible reason for all the mood shifts. Hermione was perceptive enough to notice.

"Oh Harry, you didn't," she whinged.

He blushed deeper and looked up at her. She looked like she didn't know what else to say to him. "I did," he confirmed. His eye caught Ron, who had been staring at Harry in utter shock, but with a minimal desperately hopeful expression, as if waiting for Harry to refute Hermione's claim so he could breathe again. But when Harry gave confirmation, he turned as red as his hair before losing it and yelling at the top of his lungs, "YOU SCREWED MALFOY?!"

A/N: Soooo, yeah. That's really not how I had originally planned for this chapter/story to go. Harry and Draco were supposed to sneak around for awhile, maybe a few weeks, maybe a month or so, before Harry started to feel bad for lying to his friends and give Draco and ultimatum. Draco would get upset because he doesn't like being forced to do things, and they'd break off their trysts. Eventually Draco would realize he really came to love Harry during their time together and he'd come back repentant and they'd be together and all live happily ever after. Clearly my pencil didn't agree, because that's not what the hell it wrote. So now we're all on the ride again to see what actually will happen. Clearly won't be anything this cliche, huh? Until next time. Cheers. ~