Smells Like Teen Spirit

Slowly, Draco turned to lock his stormy grey eyes with Harry's emerald green ones. "Then talk."

Harry sat still for a moment. "Why did you tell everyone we'd slept together?"

"I've answered that already."

"I want you to tell me again."

"Why?" Draco asked, deadpan.

"Because, tensions and emotions were running high the other time and we were both angry. Now we're calm, we can get honest answers out of each other."

Draco shot round to stare at him. "Are you insinuating I lied to you before Potter?"

"No." Harry replied calmly. "I'm simply saying that what we both said might have been over-exaggerates because of the heightened emotions we were both feeling. We're more likely to get honest, truthful, not over-exaggerate answers now we're calm. Do you see what I mean Draco?"

"I know exactly what you mean Potter. I just don't see why I should. And anyway, by name, to you, is Black."

"Because, Draco, we're stuck in here, and aren't going anywhere until we have talked about it. So deal with it. Why did you tell everyone that we slept together?" However, before Draco could respond, Kreacher appeared in the room.

"Excuse me Master Harry, Master Draco, but Professor Elliott is requesting that Kreacher give these to you sirs." The little elf handed over two vials and a note, before disappearing with a pop. Harry read the note for a moment then let out a low chuckle.

"What? What on earth is funny?"

"Professor Elliott has sent us some Veritaserum. If we're still here by the time it runs out, she'll send Kreacher with some more."

"Why has she sent it anyway? Does she not expect us to tell the truth or something?"

"I don't know. But the letter says we have to use it. Oh well. What harm can it do eh?" He uncorked the vial and knocked the potion back in one, handing the other vial over to Draco, who did the same.

"Right, now that's over with, I suppose you want an answer?"

"Too darn right I do."

Draco sighed. "Fine. I didn't actually tell anybody that we slept together. That was a rumour the boys started." He swallowed. The Veritaserum was making him say things he didn't really want to, as he didn't want to get his friends into trouble with Harry. But he had no choice. "Theo asked me if we'd slept together. I went red and didn't answer, and they took that as a yes. When I tried to protest, they thought I was in denial, so found it even more true. I swear Potter, Harry, I never said that." He became softer and lent slightly towards the other boy. "I would never jeopardise our relationship like that."

Harry stood up and moved to the other side of the room, keeping his back to Draco. "If that's the case, why did you tell me that it was only a bit of fun and you were living up to expectations? Why did you lie?"

"Because I didn't want you to think of me as weak."

Harry turned, shock on his face. "Weak? Draco, you are one of the strongest people I know. Never do I think of you as weak."

"Thank you for that Harry. Now, why were you flirting with Ginny?"

"I wasn't."

"Yes you were Harry!"

Harry's anger grew. "How? Tell me how! Because I personally don't see how I was."

Draco stood. "Have you not even tried to see it from my point of view?"

"Of course I have! I've gone through everything that I've done, and I still don't see it, so tell me, dear Merlin tell me, where the fuck have I gone wrong?" His voice level rose to shouting as he spoke.

"Don't take that tone with me Potter!"

"Well then answer me!" Harry lost it. As he shouted back, he grabbed Draco by the collar and threw him up against the wall, pinning him there.

"Get off me!" Draco struggled. "Let go of me, or I won't answer you!"

Harry got up in his face. "You are in no position to tell me what to do Draco Black!" Their lips brushed as he spoke.

Draco's chest heaved as he tried to get the breath back that had been knocked out of him. He stared Harry back in the eyes as they both searched the other's for something, something to make it all OK. Harry too was breathing heavy and Draco could feel it on his face. His eyes strayed to Harry's lips for just a moment, before he used all his strength and shoved the other boy away. "Think of it this way. How do you normally flirt with someone? You slyly touch them. You sneak glances at them. You whisper in their ear! You were flirting with her Harry!"

"I was not! Look, cast Legillemens on me, and you'll see that I wasn't." Draco did just that, making sure to make it hurt as much as possible. Harry brought the memories of his and Ginny's so-called 'flirting' to the front of his mind. Draco saw them all, and realised that, to his own chagrin, that Harry had never once flirted with Ginny, and that she had never tried to flirt with him. He pulled out, embarrassed.

"OK, fine, but it still doesn't change the fact that I have heard you talking with your friends about me with hatred!"

"Again, you have misinterpreted me. We were talking about the way you used to be."

"OK, OK. You were talking about me in the past tense, I'll believe you…"

"Well it's not as if I can lie is it?" he mumbled.

"Potter." Draco warned him. "One thing then. One thing you can't explain away. Constantly dropping my hand when people came around. Never telling me you love me around other people. Why have you been doing that? Are you ashamed of me?"

"No. Of course I'm not ashamed. I've been holding back on the public affection for your sake, actually."

Draco looked stunned. "What?"

"I wish that you would get all the facts before jumping to conclusions. I have been doing all that to save you the pain of the abuse we could get. You act like you're the big man. You act like you don't care. Alright, you're not weak, and I will stand by that, but when people say things about us, especially Finch-Fletchley, it does affect you. You pretend like it doesn't, but it does. I've been doing all that to try and minimalise the effect on you. I was only thinking of you, so don't you dare turn around and say that I don't care, because I do. I care more than you'll ever know. I love you Draco. And you tell me that you love me, yet you never say it either. So don't completely turn this on me and make me out to be the bad guy here."

"I don't say Potter…"

"Harry. Use my full name, for goodness sakes Draco."

"Harry then. The only reason why I don't say it is because," he sighed, admitting defeat, "because doing so would be admitting defeat. I'm a Malfoy to the core, and Malfoys don't show weakness of any form. Saying that I love you, would be a sign of weakness. I'm set in my old ways, ad it will take a lot for me to come out of it. I need you to have patience with me."

Harry laughed. "Patience? You're asking me to have patience with you when you have absolutely none for me?"

"I'm not the one who threw the other up the wall!" Silence fell. Neither boy was willing to say a word. They paced, sat down, stood back up, paced again, and sat back down again when, after 15 minutes, Draco had had enough. "Room, have we asked all we need to?"

An audible click was heard as the door unlocked, indicating that yes, they had. Draco strode over to the door when Harry called him back. "Draco?"

Draco's shoulders sagged as he turned. "What?"

"I'm sorry."

"I'll see you tomorrow Harry." And with that final word, he left, Harry not far behind him.

From the other side of a mirror in the Room, Professor Elliott sighed. All the time they had been there, she had been in the connecting room, watching through a one-way piece of glass, similar to those used in a muggle interrogation room. She had seen everything that had been said, and although she wasn't happy that all that had to be said had been said, she still was hoping for them to have become somewhat friends when they left the Room. But she couldn't keep them in there any longer, so she had unlocked the door and let them go. Oh well, it was a start.

A/N: Hai. :D Not quite as long as I was hoping, but oh well. It will do. :D Next chapter will be the anniversary, so yeah. Done all my work at school now, so I should have it up pretty quick. But you know what I'm like. I might end up with writer's block again, LOL. XD Anyway, I shall be back soon… *Hello* …What was that?... *It's me, the review button*… Oh yeah. Review button wants you to use him. He wants you to review. Please review… *Or I'll cry!* Don't upset him. Please?

xxxxx