"So zat man was professor Snape? I knew I recognised him somehow." All four of them had gathered in Krum's room to listen to his painful retelling of the last few days' events. Once he'd finished, Harry had filled him in on their side of the story.

Krum had managed to sit upright in the big bed. He looked pale and drawn out but it seemed that the only wound left bothering him was the scratches on his shoulder. Hermione had curled up on his good side and had been rubbing soothing circles onto his stomach as he talked. It was clear he'd skimmed over some of the more gruelling details, not wanting to relive it.

Harry and Draco had squeezed onto the love seat together. Harry was still somewhat embarrassed that they'd been caught topless and making out, but Draco couldn't have seemed to care less. When Krum had gotten to the part about leaving Snape behind, Draco had quietly slipped his hand into Harry's. Harry gave it a little squeeze.

When the conversation had petered out a bit, Harry called Kreacher up and asked him to prepare breakfast for all of them. The whole time he was in the room he kept casting furtive glances towards Viktor, almost as if scared he was about to be attacked.

"Kreacher's certainly acting odd. More than usual anyway." Harry said once the elf had left. Draco nodded in agreement. "You haven't gotten round to explaining how you and a house elf are quite so civil you know."

"Well he was being an ornery bugger for the first few days, starved me half to death."

"It's not like you even have anything left to lose!" Harry burst, looking shocked. Draco shrugged and continued.

"All I had for three days was a bit of stale bread and very blue cheese, which I didn't even keep down after… yeah that's another story." Draco wasn't really comfortable talking about the latest burn mark on the tapestry, especially not with Hermione and Krum in the room. "In desperation I raided his cupboard, which he wasn't pleased about. I found this locket, something he'd been given by one of his old masters. I gave it back and got food the next morning. When I thanked him for it, the food improved. Turns out, your elf has got some strange kink for appreciation."

"So that's why you stopped him to say thanks last night?"

"Yeh, I don't think it was easy for him to do that. You hadn't ordered him too, and I bet he would have been scolded for speaking out like that in the past. I think he pretty much saved your life last night, speaking of which he still seemed pretty spooked by your shoulder." Everyone in the room seemed to tense at once. It had felt like the disaster had been averted and in the afterglow they'd sort of forgotten what Kreacher had said about it being cursed.

Viktor, who had been out of it for his diagnostic looked both confused and worried. The dittany seemed to have sealed his wound, he'd assumed the lingering pain was just muscular.

"Cursed?"

"Some dark infection he said. How did you get them?" Krum thought back. It had all become a haze of pain and misery.

"When zey first caught me I think. It was Bellatrix and a man, zey chased me through the tunnels under the stadium. The big man was fast, he landed on me and scratched my shoulder in the process." Harry felt his stomach turn to ice. It seemed the others were thinking along the same lines as him.

"What did he look like?" Hermione asked cautiously.

"Big, hairy. He stank too, like a vet dog."

"Is it possible?" Harry said to Hermione who had started to shake like a leaf.

"I don't know. He wasn't transformed but… its possible. It's so rare, I don't know."

"Don't know what?" Viktor's voice had raised an octave and was now on edge. There were few things his Hermione didn't know, and the worry on her face was starting to scare him.

"Fenrir Greyback, he's a werewolf. We think he was the one to scratch you." Hermione had failed to answer so Harry spoke up in her place. She'd gone terribly pale.

"Library. I need a library." She moved to get up but Draco stopped her.

"No, you need food and each other. Me and Harry will go to the library and you can come join us in a bit." For a moment Harry was certain Hermione was going to argue. Her old prejudices were about to surface and she was about to lay into Draco. But then the moment passed and she sat back on the bed. She burrowed herself into Krum's side, who wrapped an arm around her. Draco pulled Harry up and guided him out of the room.

"Good move, it looked like they could do with a bit of comfort from each other." Harry said as he pulled the door shut.

"Yeh well they aren't the only ones. I know I'm not in danger of growing hair or fangs or anything like that, but he's not the only one to receive bad news." Draco's voice was soft, gone was all his usual brashness and bravado. He still had hold of Harry's hand so pulled him towards the library door.

"What happened?" Harry was full of concern, but had to wait until they were safety behind the closed doors of the library to get any answers.

"I've been disowned. I was burnt off the family tapestry, and there is only one reason a magical tapestry gets singed like that." He wasn't looking at Harry, which made it difficult for Harry to discern what Draco felt about it. There was clearly a mask on, but whether it was hiding anger or sadness Harry wasn't quite sure.

"Draco? Draco, look at me." When his head stayed down harry put a gentle hand on his chin to pull it up. "Does it really matter? Does it really change anything? I may have called you Malfoy for half my life but it was Draco I fell in love with, not Malfoy. You're still Draco, nothing will ever change that."

Draco was reeling. He'd spent many nights over the last few weeks imagining Harry saying those few precious words almost as much as he'd imagined the two of them up to other things. It seemed unreal now, now that the words were actually out in the open. He was about to say it back, ready to scream it from the rooftops even, but got distracted by the sensation of Harry's lips on his.

Currently unable to speak, Draco tried to throw all of his feelings for Harry into the kiss, to let him know that he loved him too.

"Wow, if that's how you kiss me when I confess feelings to you I might have to do that a little more often." Harry teased. Draco smiled back and could feel himself going a bit pink.

"I love you too Harry. It's ridiculous and crazy and I don't know how or when it happened, but if the last few months have taught me anything it's that I can't be without you anymore." Harry reached up to stroke Draco's cheek.

"Good thing I'm not going anywhere then. And I can't tell you how relieved I am the feelings mutual." He moved forwards to wrap his arms around Draco and hold him close. "If it really bothers you though, not having a last name, you can have mine."

"Harry!" Draco poked him in the ribs, but not particularly hard. He'd stopped himself from letting his imagination run that wild.

"What?! Then I'd be able to call you Potter too." He managed to do a remarkably good imitation of Draco sneering Harry's name. Draco laughed but poked him again for good measure.

"You're so..."

"Handsome, fabulous, brilliant?" Harry said with a wink.

"I was going more for daft." Draco tried to say it flatly but there was a hint of laughter in his voice anyway. "Thank you, that made me feel much better about it all."

"Well I have plenty more kisses where those came from." Tilting his head up, Draco decided to claim them all. He pressed his lips to Harry's, revelling in how warm it was. The melded with his own like they had been made for it.

They stumbled backwards, Draco's back colliding with a bookcase. They kissed with a hot passion, lips and tongue. Harry still had Draco's chin cupped in his hands, and was angling up to kiss him better.

Draco slid his hands up Harry's back, revelling at the soft skin he found there. He gripped hard, pulling Harry even closer to him. Harry broke the kiss for a moment causing Draco to whine. He lifted his arms and Draco quickly relieved him of his shirt before adorning the soft skin before him with kisses.

Harry pulled at Draco's shirt too and before long they were both topless, eagerly making up for all the physical contact they'd been lacking. Draco turned to force Harry up against the wall and sucked a love bite onto Harry's collar bone making him gasp. Every little touch and kiss was drawing soft little moans from Harry and Draco couldn't get enough of them.

Pulling Draco back up to kiss him, Harry pushed back landing them sloppily on one of the reading chairs. The leather provided a welcome cool against his flushed skin. It was a glorious feeling. Draco eagerly felt as much of Harry's skin as possible. It was so soft and warm. Everything was warm.

Draco bit onto Harry's shoulder, sucking fiercely. It felt like he'd been waiting so long to tell the world that he was Harry's and Harry was his. Harry pulled Draco up to kiss him fiercely, causing the chair to over balance and topple to the floor.

"Are you alright?" Draco said, his voice full of concern.

"Yes, now shut up and kiss me." Harry growled. Draco was more than happy to oblige. The kisses were becoming more and more heated. Draco ran his tongue along Harry's lip eliciting a soft moan. He was eager to pull more of those noises out of Harry.

Draco sat up, with a leg either side of Harry's hips, pinning him to the ground. Harry's usually messy hair had taken on a sexed-up tussled look, and from here Draco had a wonderful view to take in Harry's well sculpted body. The quidditch practices had clearly paid off well for Harry, he was not overly muscled but toned in all the places Draco was just thin. It made Draco feel a little self-conscious to be next to - the only definition on his torso was due to ribs sticking out.

"You're so beautiful." Draco felt his cheeks darken rapidly. Complements seemed to take on a whole new meaning when they were baring themselves so fully.

"Yes well, you are incredibly sexy." And it was true. Draco could feel the warmth from Harry emanating through where they touched, which definitely helped. He could feel the hardness beneath him which happily matched his own.

"I've been called many things in my life, but sexy is a new one." Harry teased while gently bucking his hips to earn a gasp from Draco.

"Hmm, The Sexy One. I like it." Draco lent forwards to meet his lips with Harry's, whilst grinding back into Harry. Two could play at this game.

Keeping his hips moving the entire time, Draco allowed his hands to explore Harry's boy some more. He found Harry's nipples and tweaked them earning him a deep moan. Every noise Harry made sent little jolts of pleasure to his groin.

Draco slipped one of his knees between Harry's legs to better apply pressure and loudly moaned when Harry moved to do the same. Their touches became more frantic as they rutted against each other in time. Harry wrapped his arms around Draco, holding him close to his chest.

Both could feel the mounting pressure of oncoming orgasm. It was a hot tingling at the base of their spines. Moans and sweet nothings were coming thick and fast, no longer caring if they were heard.

Draco felt Harry rut against him once more and dug in his fingernails as he came, shuddering with the release. He tried to keep moving in time despite the sudden wave of fatigue. A moment later Harry muttered a soft fuck in his ear as he came too.

Letting his muscles go slack, Draco dropped himself down onto Harry's bare chest, panting. Harry circled his arms around Draco and they just lay like that for a while, trying to catch their breath and come to terms with what just happened.

"You sure you want to spend the night in my bed? I can't promise to be in control of my actions with the chances of feeling that again." Harry laughed, making Draco vibrate on top of him.

"Oh I'm sure I'll survive." Draco laughed too. .

.

Hermione came to join them about an hour later. If she noticed any awkwardness between the two boys she did not bring it up. Instead she made a beeline for the tall bookcases and began scanning the covers.

She looked considerably more composed than she had in Viktor's room when they'd left. A look of steely determination was set on the face, a look Harry firmly associated with research.

"Have you gotten anywhere yet?" She said, not facing them. Draco winked at Harry who promptly kicked him under the table. He let out an oomph of air but continued to grin like a Cheshire cat.

"No not yet, found a few books which look promising though." Hermione nodded, pulling out a book herself. She leafed through it before replacing it and moving on. Harry tried to stick his head back into the book he'd started, trying to not get distracted by the intense look on Draco's face.

Not long after Hermione had finally settled in a big chair with a book there was a crack to mark the arrival of Kreacher and food. Harry's stomach growled hungrily, prompting him to wonder what had taken the elf so long. Then again, given what Harry and Draco had just been up to it was probably for the best.

He had three plates of smoked salmon, scrambled eggs and toast. It smelt delicious, causing Harry to regret the fact he'd never had Kreacher cook for him before. Draco and Harry dived in like the two ravenous teenagers they were, but Hermione barely seemed to notice the food.

"Hermione, you ought to eat some breakfast." Harry said round a mouthful of scrumptious eggs.

"In a minute…" She muttered back. Harry sighed. This was far from the first time Harry had seen Hermione devote herself fully to book, but this seemed different somehow. Her eyes flicked across the pages rapidly, her every move marked by speedy desperation.

"It will be alright Hermione. The worst that can happen is that he will become a werewolf," Hermione finally looked up sharply, glaring at Harry. "And yes that's terrible but it's not the end of the world. Just look at Lupin and Tonks."

"We don't know that at all. Kreacher said it was an infection, it could kill him." She resolutely turned back to her books. After a moment of silence Draco piped up.

"If you really believed that you wouldn't be here. You would be spending his last moments at his side."

"Of course I would fucking be here! I refuse to let him die!" Hermione snapped. She was shaking, white knuckles clutching the book. She took a deep breath and tried to carry on reading.

"I think you're just scared it will change who he is."

"And why the hell should that matter?"

"Because you think he might not love you anymore." For a moment Harry was certain that Hermione was going to curse Draco or slap him, probably both.

"Out. Get out. It's clear you don't want to help the filthy mudblood so get out." Hermione's voice was low and dangerous. Draco stood gracefully and left at once, leaving Harry stuck in the middle of it all. He was shocked by what had just happened.

"I'll be back in a moment." He muttered to Hermione who had already turned, red faced, back to her books. Harry stood and quickly followed Draco out of the room. They went up the fight of stairs to the window arm chair where they'd sat the day before.

"Was that really necessary?" Harry asked. He rubbed his temples, feeling the beginnings of a head ache. He was unsure whether it was the research or the emotional rollercoaster this day was turning out to be.

"Yes. It needed to be said."

"Was it? If you were in danger of losing someone you loved, if you were in danger of losing me, tell me you wouldn't be sat in there trying to find a way to change that."

"But that's the whole point! She's not in danger of losing him. She is looking for a cure which many wizards have spent thousands of years searching for because she can't accept the threat of change. Like you said, if he becomes a werewolf he is still alive, still by her side. Hell, it might even improve his chances of surviving this damned war."

"She needs to feel like she is doing something, she's always been that way. I don't think she is in denial or anything. It's just Hermione." Harry felt like he needed to defend Hermione, though why he wasn't really sure. He sighed resignedly. He knew that whatever differences the pair had would have to be sorted another day, right now he ought to get back to the library.

"Look, if you don't want to help fine. It's your choice. I am going back to help." Harry turned to head back down the stairs.

"Harry! It's not that I don't want to help! I happen to actually rather like Krum, and mudblood was her word not mine earlier."

"So what's the issue?" By this point Harry was feeling rather resigned. His good morning mood had rapidly waned and he wanted nothing more than to crawl back into a nice warm bed and recuperate after the madness of the last few days.

"She is going about it the wrong way. Come on, there will be nothing about a cure for lycanthropy in those books. The situation is rare unto itself, how could it be documented?"

"I know!" This admission seemed to take Draco by surprise but Harry continued before he could question. "Look, she needs to feel like she is doing something and she needs to feel supported. I've never seen her so shaken by something in my life and telling her to sit there and accept it won't help."

"How much do you trust Professor Lupin? He was part of the order wasn't he?" Harry was a bit surprised by the sudden change in tact but answered anyway.

"How do you- oh never mind. Yes he was, and I trust him."

"So ask him to come here. He can allay her fears much better than any dusty book could." Harry stopped and processed the idea for a moment. Besides the fact that he had no idea where Lupin was, it was a good idea. He'd just have to hope that Hedwig could find him, and that he wouldn't go to Dumbledore. Harry doubted that he would, after all he and the headmaster hadn't seen eye to eye much after Sirius' death.

"You write a letter and ask Hedwig to send it. I better get back to the library before Hermione has a meltdown."

"Okay, and Harry?"

"Yes?"

"I'm sorry we just had a sort of fight." Draco stepped forward and quickly gave Harry a chaste kiss on the lips. Harry grinned.

"Fighting is one of the things we do best, right next to getting along and kissing each other senseless." Draco felt himself grinning back.

AN: Hello! Sorry for the couple of weeks delay. I'll admit I've never written smut before, and it took me a while to be happy with it. It would be really appreciated to hear what you guys thought of it.

I am also now into exam session which unfortunately takes precedent. Chapters will be added as and when they are ready, instead of my usual friday schedule.