Guest - Viktor isn't really 'touchy-feely', or at least I'm not trying to portray him that way. But only a few people know they aren't really together, I was trying to keep a balance between that and him overdoing it?

YokaiAngel - Thank you!

Second guest reviewer - I don't know about pulling away, but Harry and Vlad are definitely a little rocky.

I don't know if you guys will love me or hate me after this chapter...

-YDHP-

Merlin, his head hurt. Harry cracked an eye open, spotting a bottle of water that hadn't been there last night. Either Samael neglected to mention he couldn't metabolize alcohol properly, or he had been slipped something else and didn't remember. For that matter, Harry didn't remember getting to bed. There was dancing - not as awkward as he expected, aside from the fact he couldn't seem to stop trying to catch a glance of Vlad in the navy dress robes that matched his eyes perfectly.

He vaguely remembered wondering if it would be weird to ask Vlad to dance. Ingrid didn't really ask, more dragged a laughing Vlad out and it was obvious they had learnt to dance together as he had said. Ingrid had gone alone, though he couldn't really envision Ingrid struggling to get a date if she had wanted.

"Morning sunshine. Oh. You look terrible."

"Thanks Draco. I feel it."

"No, seriously. Did you get smashed last night?"

Harry shook his head, regretting it immediately when it throbbed with pain.

"No. I didn't intentionally drink any of the spiked stuff, and I only had two butterbeers. That I remember. I don't remember getting back to the tower. Or getting undressed."

"Huh. You were asleep when I got back, after me and the twins serenaded their dates with a rousing rendition of Dance Like A Hippogriff."

"I bet Hermione loved that."

Now he looked, Vlad was already gone for the morning. When Harry fumbled for his wand and cast a tempus charm, he realised it was quite late in the morning. That explained why he was hungry - as was Draco, judging by the destruction left in his wake on the christmas cookie stack from yesterday.

"She had a little herself I think. Whoever laced the drinks used either flavorless or masked it, because nobody noticed until a fair few were already drunk. Even Dumbledore got a little inebriated, I saw him dancing with McGonogall."

Harry opened his mouth to respond, but was caught short by a shout from outside the door.

"You bettet be decent in there or I'll cut out your eyes. And mine, for that matter!"

"Hold on Ingrid, Harry's not dressed but he doesn't seem to remember how to get up."

Harry scowled, swinging his legs off the bed to get up.

"I'm fine."

He stumbled when he got up, reaching automatically for the bedframe to steady himself. Draco automatically reached to help him stand.

"You're really warm. And normally that's not the case. You guys had better get in here."

Vlad and Ingrid came in quickly, and Harry didn't have time to be embarrassed about only wearing boxers when the room started spinning.

"What's wrong with him?"

"Not a clue. We should get him to Madam Pomfrey."

"No."

Harry shook his head, hoping he wouldn't throw up for his troubles.

"Harry, you're sick."

"Basilisk."

He managed that word, knowing Vlad at the very least would understand.

"Bats, he's right. Madam Pomfrey might test him and find basilisk venom in his blood. Can you guys test him, see if he's been given anything? This is more than a bit of a hangover."

Vlad - he could recognise the small, gentle hands anywhere by now - helped move Harry back onto his bed while Ingrid and Draco presumably discussed how to see if Harry had been drugged. At least, that's what he thought was happening, too distracted by Vlad's blissfully cold hand on his clammy forehead to pay real attention.

He felt the weird suction tube attached to his inner elbow, heard a murmured charm that presumably took blood from him. Vlad stayed next to him, not talking but Harry still knew he was there.

"Is Harry allergic to anything?"

"Not that I know of, why?"

Draco held up a little glowing vial, understanding something about it Harry didn't except it was a myriad of colours.

"Basic Careless Concoction. Should have worn off by now."

"What's in it?"

Vlad quizzed, even if he could probably have listed the ingredients himself usually. Was he so worried about Harry? Through his haze, Harry felt warmed inside.

"Shrivelfig, a couple different roots, a few drops of spider venom..."

"Spider venom?"

"Yeah, so long as it's mixed with certain things it's not dangerous."

"No, I know that. I mean... spiders and basilisks don't mix."

"Oh, of course. Here, this should clear it out of him. Contains zero spider parts."

Harry felt glass pressed to his mouth, drinking whatever it was and feeling a weird tingle travel along his whole body. The fog cleared, revealing Vlad's concerned face and Draco and Ingrid hovering around nearby.

"That was unpleasant."

"How do you feel?"

"Very aware Ingrid can see my pants."

Everyone cracked up laughing, and Ingrid actually laughing was always a rare sight as she turned away.

"Half of Hogwarts wish they could say the same. Here."

Draco ducked to avoid Ingrid hitting him, then reached into Harry's trunk to fish out a jumper and trousers. Harry pulled them on gratefully, feeling significantly better for not being nearly naked in front of the Dracula siblings. Draco was different - Harry knew he was straight and they were basically brothers. Ingrid... Ingrid was a girl and Vlad was... Vlad.

"I don't think anyone else was on this stuff. So why Harry?"

"I think the reaction was an accident, because nobody but us and Bertrand really know Harry's not all human. Maybe someone just wanted you to make a fool of yourself."

Harry shrugged at Draco, reaching for his slippers and sliding past Vlad to go for food - he hadn't missed a meal for a while now and the smell of his butterbeer fudge from Hermione was mouthwatering.

"Mmm. Tell your girlfriend I love her."

"Tell 'her' yourself. What's going on?"

Turning with a mouthful of chocolate frog, Harry found Hermione surveying the scene - Ingrid in the boys dormitory, after Harry had presumably missed breakfast.

"Harry was drugged, then hungry. Ingrid saw him in his undies!"

Draco was far too giddy, Harry decided. Chewing on a licorice wand, he flushed lightly at the reminder and watched Ingrid turn away grimacing.

"I was trying to forget that. Any chance we can leave this room? No offence, but the whole room reeks of werewolf right now."

Draco didn't appear to take that personally, and Ingrid and Hermione left quickly after Harry nodded. The blond boy watched them go, looked at Vlad, then Harry, then left himself. Vlad was quiet, watching Harry closely.

"Did I do anything stupid last night?"

Vlad bit his lip, a subconscious sign he was nervous that didn't come out that often.

"Vlad? Tell me?"

"It was nothing really. You just asked me... why we didn't dance together. Before that you were with Cedric, and right after that Hagrid sent us in and I made sure you got to the tower."

The careless aspect had clearly been working - Harry had been thinking about that before he was drugged, and he was feeling somethkng akin to embarrassment that it had come out. Vlad must be confused.

"I think I remember wondering if you could really dance until you and Ingrid were the spectacle od the night. Sorry for being awkward."

Vlad shrugged, smiled and held out a napkin wrapped object Harry hadn't noticed yet. Peeling back the damp wrapping, he discovered what George Giles had deemed "the Harry special" - bacon, sausage, black pudding and extra bacon crammed between slices of toast.

"You weren't in your right mind. Don't worry, I don't think you secretly want to dance with me. Are you feeling alright now?"

Glad his mouth was full of meaty breakfast sandwich so he couldn't accidentally argue and say he really rather did want to dance with Vlad, Harry nodded and swallowed.

"You didn't ditch your date for me did you?"

"I told you before Harry, anybody who said I couldn't take care of you isn't worth my time. You're my best friend, more important than any boyfriend I have or may have in the future. Alright?"

Heart suddenly in his throat, Harry could only nod stiffly as his chest did some kind of secret ritual to tie things together. The intense stare Vlad trained on him could surely see where the confusing feelings and the deep, previously purely platonic love he had for Vlad became one pulsing mass of realisation.

Fuck.

"Harry? Are you ok?"

Vlad could probably hear the usually quiet heartbeat racing, trying to keep up with the feelings that had lodged themselves firmly in there.

"Fine. Just hungry. How long until lunch?"

He was probably babbling, cramming more of the sandwich into his mouth to shut himself up. Vlad did his usual parlour trick of holding the time over his palm - despite the fact he wore a watch.

"About an hour. There's still enough to feed an army in here from Mrs Weasley, and you've got anyone elses full day meat allowance sandwich there. Even your metabolism should be fine."

Harry was reminded his dress robes had barely fit him last night, the fabric he was nearly certain he had discarded haphazardly folded neatly next to the rest of last nights clothes on the shelf of his bedside unit. House elves... or maybe Vlad. Vlad had done that before.

"Mmm. Wonder if it'll be the Christmas lunch we didn't really get yesterday. They don't serve turkey most of the year."

Merlin, he was rambling. Finishing the sandwich, Vlad tilted his head to indicate the doorway - asking if Harry was coming down too.

"In a minute. Need to find my Weasley jumper."

He had spotted everyone else was wearing theirs - it was Christmas tradition. An indignant hoot at the window caught their attention, and Vlad went over to open the glass. Hedwig gave him a glare, swooped over and dropped a bundle on Harry's lap before perching on his shoulder.

"Remus and Sirius?"

"Are you psychic?"

"Not that I know of. The packaging smells like dog and werewolf."

"Ah."

Harry flipped the parcel over to reveal the recognisable neat handwriting of Remus Lupin. He felt a tad guilty for not writing to them as often as he should, but then he couldn't risk his recognisable snowy owl flying back and forth between Hogwarts and Sirius' home, where Remus was too.

"Oh, wow."

Vlad leaned over to see, watching Harry unroll the attached note.

"Harry

Having a clear out and found the whole wedding album. We thought you would like it.

Padfoot + Moony"

Vlad and Hagrid had gotten a couple of pictures from the Potter-Evans wedding, but Sirius had been in Azkaban at the time, so nobody could have asked him. Nor would they want to, thinking him responsible for Harry's parents death.

He flipped through it carefully, finding a few dozen moving photos of his parents wedding ceremony. There was even one of Lily Evans-Potter quite clearly fighting laughter and trying to appear stern while James and Sirius had a cake fight on the floor next to the rather confused looking band.

"That right there is the exact same facial expression Hermione makes when the twins are causing trouble."

"Are you saying our best friend is actually my mother?"

Vlad smiled, looking at the pictures like they were his own family, open and emotional. Harry felt his heart constrict in his chest, wondering how he had never seen it until it was too late, until Vlad had someone who made him smile and didn't get him into life threatening situations.

"I know most people say you look just like James aside from your eyes, but I have to disagree. You really have her smile, and the same shape of her nose. His is bigger than yours."

Pale fingers gently traced the said characteristics, hand dangerously close to Harry's and it was all he could do not to take it and blurt out his feelings, chaotic and mistimed as they were.

"You think?"

"I think I can safely say I know your face better than anybody else. You want to be alone with this?"

"No, but you can leave if you want.".

He couldn't really imagine sharing the first time he saw these images with anybody else, Vlad's uncanny knack for predicting Harry's moods and feelings meaning they could have entire conversations with few words. Like now, when Vlad slid his hand around Harry's wrist and squeezed gently, offering a silent but needed comfort.

"Nowhere else I'd rather be."

Oh, Harry was in so much trouble.

Harry eventually put the album away like it was made of fragile glass, and Vlad felt humbled and special that Harry had been willing to share such a moment with him - the topic of his parents could be very delicate, and Vlad rarely broached it before Harry. Harry tugged on his newest Weasley jumper, and Vlad took a minute to appreciate how much he had filled out in the broad shoulders stretching the thick wool. His first Weasley jumper probably wouldn't go over his biceps anymore, and that one had been baggy on Harry's narrow frame.

"Glasses."

He didn't need to say why as Harry understood and slid the frames onto his nose, touching the shape of it and smiling to himself lightly. They joined the others downstairs in the common room, and if anybody noticed Harry's slightly red eyes, they didn't mention it. Even Ingrid had her Weasley jumper on, looking rather odd surrounded by all the Gryffindor but the other students still there made no comments about her presence.

Viktor joined them at lunch, but then so did Ingrid, Theo and Blaise. There were enough students to warrant using the proper tables, but there were alot of empty spaces in there for them to move between House tables easily. Harry was quiet, spent most of his time eating practically an entire turkey to himself.

There were wizard crackers, silly hats (Vlad had a floral crown, Theo had a pirate hat and Ingrid set light to a fuschia wig) and far too much food. Draco had to excuse himself before dessert, as they quickly discovered real silver coins in and the werewolf was sweating with proximity alone. Hermione went after him under guise of checking her boyfriend didn't need a trip to the Hospital Wing, which sufficiently covered for anyone who didn't know Draco occasionally grew fur.

"Are you feeling better today?"

Cedric's voice cut neatly through the conversation, and Vlad wished he could accept properly that it was not a bad thing Cedric was concerned Harry was alright. Harry didn't mention his brush with spider venom affecting a snake-like constitution, but he turned and smiled at Cedric which made Vlad hurt a little.

"Oh, yeah thanks. Slept in this morning, feeling fine now."

"Glad to hear it. Want to come see the baby griffs? Two of the hippogriffs gave birth yesterday. Christmas babies!"

Vlad couldn't go near that - they wanted to kill him at the best of times, newly nursing mothers would literally be suicide. Harry finished the mouthful of mashed potato he was on, then nodded up at Cedric.

"Sure, when I'm done eating."

"I'll wait outside for you. The grounds are pretty with all the snow."

Cedric left, and Harry followed with a turkey and potato wrap-sandwich thing in hand, the Weasley twins and a heavy silence behind him. Viktor squeezed his hand beneath the table, prompting Vlad to look at something other than Harry's retreating form.

"Oh yeah, I remember that hippogriff tried to maul you. Guess going to them with new births would be foolhardy. Then again, you did face off that dragon with eggs."

"Yeah, and I literally almost died Theo. I figured one near death experience per season is plenty. Is February technically spring?"

Theo chuckled, spearing a square of brownie on his fork and dipping it delicately in the puddle of toffee sauce on his plate. He may be the only person Vlad knew with more pretentious table manners than Bertrand, or pre-no-parents Draco.

"I think so, so you can have a near-death experience in the second task too. When's the third?"

"June 24th. Just slipping into summer then. I need to nearly die next autumn, take note."

He kept his tone serious, but Ingrid's expression of vague amusement meant Vlad couldn't stop himself cracking up laughing.

"Noted. Blaise, stop giving Ginny the gooey eyes and hand me that platter of cake squares would you?"

Blaise's already dark skin flushed a little, his usual calm, cool exterior a little flaky when suddenly caught out. Ginny clearly cared less, standing to hand over the platter herself with a wink at Theo.

"Just because you went stag to the Yule Ball Theodore."

Vlad had seen first-hand how much Theo hated that, not necessarily the use of his full name but the rolling use of the end sound. Theo scowled as he took the platter, taking two of each square and placing them in neat pairs. When he caught the confused looks of some of the Gryffindors sitting with them, he blushed lightly.

"What? It's Christmas, I eat healthy all year round. And these are really good."

"No, it's the precision of it all. Gryffindors are messy eaters... that's why Ingrid usually makes Vlad go sit with her instead."

"It's true. However" Ingrid stole one of the neatly placed squares against Theo's vocal protests "this is beginning to dissolve into a room of heavy overindulgence. I have a potion to tend to."

"It's the holidays!"

Ingrid shrugged, popped the square into her mouth and fell into step with Professor Moonshine at the door toward the dungeons. Faced with confused looks, Vlad shrugged.

"Ingrid likes Potions, she does extra stuff for fun. I say fun, it's probably to poison me in my sleep some day and not get caught."

Theo snorted with laughter, probably one of the closest things Ingrid had to a friend outside of the Malfoy Manor circle and therefore knew full well Vlad could be being perfectly serious. When it looked like everyone was almost done eating, Vlad got up and Viktor automatically followed him, quietly comforting as Vlad sulked over his inability to go with Harry.

The Prophet next morning was both surprising and not. Not surprising in the content as Vlad already suspected-knew the information, but surprising to see it splashed across the paper, with a name that made Vlad grit his teeth in irritation.

Half-giant teaching at Hogwarts!

Written by Rita Skeeter.

This reporter can confirm she heard directly that Rubeus Hagrid, gamekeeper and Care Of Magical Creature teacher at Hogwarts, is in fact not all human. He is in fact a half giant, making me, myself and I wonder... is he safe to be teaching young minds? Giants are not known for their friendly attitude and behaviour... continued on page four.

Hagrid looked stunned, upset and even his enormous beard didn't mask those feelings.

"Seriously? How in hells name did she find this out? How is she getting into Hogwarts? And more importantly, why the hell does it matter? Hagrid is about as dangerous as a fluffy cushion."

This was the second time Rita Skeeter had a story she shouldn't have gotten, the other being about Vlad and Viktor's 'relationship'. Vlad could take a guess at when the conversation had occurred - between Hagrid and Madam Maxime after the Yule Ball. Undoubtedly hoping they could bond over a clearly shared heritage. Although...

Madam Maxime, the mistress of Beauxbatons Academy of Magic, similarly of above average height, has been heard insisting she was simply big-boned.

"Big boned... if she's not half giant I'll eat a salad."

"Ingrid. Vegetables. It doesn't sound possible."

Theo quickly fell silent under imminent threat of a knife to his face that Ingrid wielded, but given that he sat next to her almost every mealtime, it was likely only Vlad knew her eating habits better. And Ingrid had never been a big fan of eating her greens.

"They could be half turnip for all I care, how did that bedazzled skrewt dropping hear anything?"

"Clearly she's sneaking into the grounds. Really says something for the school security. Don't tell my mother I said that, I had to fight to stay here to begin with."

"Just to take Ginny to the Ball? Aren't you sweet Zabini?"

"Remember though. Lots of big brothers. And basically adopted brothers."

"And Ginny is frighteningly powerful alone. He is brave Fred."

"Completely agree George. And Gin is giving us that look."

"Let's run!"

Vlad, already fairly sure Blaise Zabini was a perfectly alright guy, and trusting Ginny to have the measure of any guy she got involved with before allowing her legion of protective brothers and surrogate-family to know about it, watched as Fred and George left under their little sisters glare.

He had another issue - Harry. He had been insistent that it was solely because he wanted to spend time with Samael, or work on his animagus stuff, but Vlad was sure as anything that Harry was suddenly avoiding him. And that was never good for Vlad. He really didn't want a repeat of the year before when he was crippled by pain and dependant on potions, given that he was almost completely free of pain relievers by then.

Eventually escaping to the library, Vlad spied the usual assortment of Beauxbatons girls who gave him looks ranging from dismissive to interested, complete with Fleur Delacour as he headed for his usual secluded spot between some little-used bookshelves on Muggle Studies related topics. Draco had stuck out that class, and it was clear Hermione was immensely proud of her boyfriend. A tinkling, melodic voice cut through his reverie.

"Vladimir."

"Fleur, please call me Vlad or I'll think you're my dad. Not a favourable comparison."

She laughed lightly, surprisingly alone and holding a book on ... merpeople of all things as she sat opposite him.

"Did you enjoy ze Yule Ball?"

"It was alright. I know you had a good night."

Vlad realised what he had said almost immediately, hoping he hadn't offended her as he stammered to apologise. Rather than upset, she seemed rather amused.

"Correct. I did, even if Roger was a leetle too... eager, shall we say."

They didn't get much chance to interact, but Fleur Delacour was not at all the fairy princess, spacey airhead many expected her to be. Intelligent and powerful, she clearly knew her Veela heritage had an impact and rather than lord it over everyone, she merely rolled with it. She was certainly more confident than most though.

Certain they wouldn't appreciate the comparison, Vlad suspected if they could get past the whole Queen Bee complex surrounding their attractiveness, she and Ingrid could be good friends. They were polar opposites really in looks, as Ingrid was dark hair, pale skin and sharp Dracula features. Fleur was blonde (a not quite adequate word for her golden bright silk hair but the first label to mind), lightly tanned and had the soft, glowing allure around her. So, while neither into his sister nor girls in general, Vlad had an inkling most boys had a type and would innately prefer either the vampiress or the Veela.

"I'll stop you there, I don't want to be scared to look at the Ravenclaw table. In reality, Viktor or me should have taken the Slytherin seeker, then there would have been a full set."

"'Ave you been working on ze egg?"

"Not so much. All it does is scream at me, I can irritate my sister and get a similar sound level. And that wouldn't have required me playing chicken with a dragon."

"Eet is interesting. Your family name translates to dragon, yet you had ze worst time with zem."

"Well spotted. Most people don't get past the vampire stories to realise that."

Confusingly, Vlad realised after she returned to her friends that Fleur had left her book on Merpeople on the desk with his things. Having no desire to stop hiding away yet, Vlad picked up Denizens Of The Deep: Volume Three - Merfolk.

Approximately ten minutes later, Vlad could have kissed the wonderful French girl for her suggestion on reading material. She was nowhere to be seen when he left his little hideaway, so Vlad resolved to quietly thank her later as he returned his books to Madam Pince before escaping up to Gryffindor tower.

The dorm was empty, save for Phantom and Lily enjoying the vacated beds - they had one each! - as Vlad pulled the accursed egg out from it's hidey-hole, carting it through to the bathroom. Rather than run a whole bath, Vlad quickly conjured a bucket and filled it with water. Hoping he wasn't about to anger the loud, violent-on-the-eardrums egg, Vlad submerged it in the water and opened it.

No horrendous screeching occurred, and the usual dull insides of the egg had lit up beneath the water. Vlad couldn't hear a thing, but Fleur had given him a vital clue - the screeching sounds were Mermish, which only translated correctly underwater. Above water, it was a wholly less pleasant experience. For a moment Vlad contemplated whether or not whoever put the voices into the eggs had to listen to the earth-shattering yelling repeatedly.

He had no idea what the egg being in Mermish meant, but at least he knew never to open it above water again. The more pressing matters included figuring out how to join it beneath the water - their Gryffindor baths weren't really big enough for that sort of contortion - and how to pass on a minor hint or two to Viktor. And Cedric, he grumbled... Maybe let him stew over it a little longer, his mind supplied vindictively.

"You look happy."

Harry's voice never failed to make Vlad's skin tingle lightly, somehow all over him all at once.

"Oh, yeah. I uh, I made some headway with my egg. Well, I know how to open it properly now. That's not much help to me understanding what the second task is, but I guess it's a start. How's your day been?"

Harry's cheeks were flushed with the cold, there were a couple of faint red lines on his skin and he was wrapped up in a jumper and gloves. Even before he answered, Vlad suspected snowball fight, but he never missed a chance to hear Harry talk wherever possible.

"A vicious snowball tournament. I think Ginny offended all by joining Nott and Zabini's team, but we defeated them. Hermione and Ingrid made the most hilarious referees, because Hermione told us off for getting too boisterous and Ingrid stinging-hexed us for missing. Even our own team members."

Chuckling, Harry made for the bathroom to presumably clean himself up of slushy snow and possibly damp clothes. Vlad sank back onto his bed, smiling dopily because Harry had voluntarily spoke to him again. It didn't last - as soon as the others were back, he was quiet and almost... averse to talking to Vlad.

It confused him that evening when he heard Harry creeping around, the familiar silky, soft swoosh of his invisibility cloak going on peaking Vlad's attention. He waited for the sound of footsteps leaving the dormitory, slipped his shoes on and vanished beneath his invisibility charm to follow the near-permanent pulling line toward Harry. Vlad knew it was a telling sign, the connection forming stronger and stronger.

Harry didn't go far really, slipping out of one of the only-outward doors to the grounds and invisible footprints appeared across the snow that had already fallen fresh since the 'ultimate snow war' earlier. He stopped near the stone circle, crunching sounds telling Vlad he had lifted himself up to sit on one of the smaller stones. Being the one wary of getting caught, Vlad had taken to charming their footsteps away as they went.

Aside from the whispers of snowfall and the moonlight faintly reflecting off the thick white blanket of flakes, the night was dark and silent. Vlad dropped his charm, hearing Harry curse silently under his breath before dropping his cloaks hood.

"How come you followed me?"

"Because I was concerned about you vanishing at midnight. What's wrong?"

"Why does something have to be wrong?"

There he was, on edge and defensive again and Vlad didn't know why, didn't know what he had done wrong this time.

"Because you don't often have issues sleeping, nor do you usually go vanishing at night."

What he expected to achieve, Vlad wasn't sure, but Harry dropped from his perch and walked across the stone circle silently, walking right past Vlad without a word. He leant against the side of one stone pillar, staring out over the snow-covered landscape of Hogwarts grounds. Obviously not knowing when to quit, Vlad followed and stood next to him.

"Harry? What's wrong?"

Vlad could feel the flash of pain across Harry's face as acutely as if it were his own, desperate to know what put it there.

"I can't tell you."

"Me? What can't you tell me?"

He had to fight not to sound offended, confused by the notion there was anything his mate couldn't say to him.

"No, you're not hearing me. I can't tell you."

In the otherwise silent night, Vlad was hard-pushed to decide who's heart was hammering harder as they looked at each other.

"What are you saying?"

"I-"

Never in his life had Vlad cursed an interruption more as crunching footsteps sounded nearby. Covering Harry's mouth with his hand and potentially blocking some kind of deeply important admission, Vlad re-cast his invisibility charm and hissed one warning to Harry.

"Hide!"

Even as Harry pulled his hood back up, there wouldn't be much hiding the imprints of their feet in the blanket white, which didn't fill in as snow continued to fall. Their position offered camouflage - whoever it was was would have to be six inches away to see the exact spot. Being millimetres away from Harry was immensely distracting, but Vlad also had to know who dared interrupt them at this time of night.

"How is it my fault that stupid reporter didn't go the right way?"

"The journalist was your idea Weasley, you should have had a better control on her. The Dark Lord does not appreciate failure."

"I helped her get in! I laced the drinks, even bloody Potters. I would have done that bloody vampires if I didn't know it would get me killed. Not my fault she listened in to that bloody oaf trying it on with the Beauxbatons woman. Then that bloody interfering vampire got Potter away too soon. Dracula."

Karkaroff and Weasley - one of whom was bleeding by the darkened smudges on the snow and the scent of injury - were clearly back from a dangerous trip. Weasley spat his surname like a vicious curse, and whatever Riddle wanted with Vlad was apparently enough to continue his ensured safety. Not only had that little rat taken advantage of Ingrid being petrified, he had been the one to drug Harry with no idea of potential consequence. Harry's grip finding his wrist was all that stopped Vlad going to finish the job on them both.

"Do not question the Dark Lord. He has intentions for the biter. Now clean up your mess, I wish to reach the ship sometime this evening."

He heard Weasley muttering expletives under his breath, then mumbling a few scourging charms to clear his blood from the snow as they continued from one end of the grounds - the gates - to the other - the lake. Peering around the pillar again, he saw them slowly retreating. He let his hand fall from Harry's mouth, invisible as they were Vlad was acutely aware of Harry's eyes on where he expected Vlad to be.

"Safe?"

Harry whispered it, counting on proximity and Vlad's above-average hearing to get his word across.

"Almost."

When Vlad could no longer see them or hear their footsteps, he dropped his charm and Harry dropped his hood again.

"Well now we know who made the Yule Ball a raucous event and you sick."

Harry didn't acknowledge his words, still staring at him so intently it made Vlad shiver in a way that had nothing to do with the cold weather.

"Uh, Harry?"

If Vlad had the thought capacity, he would have laughed at how he had forgotten Harry was a bullheaded, charging Gryffindor at heart.

But when Harry leaned over and kissed him, Vlad didn't even have the thought capacity to breathe. The whole world faded around him, and not even the fact it was a little clumsy and they were both clueless made any difference to what Vlad expected to remember a century from now as the best moment of his life.

Then he stopped, and backed away and looked guilty as the world rushed back into his senses.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't... you have a boyfriend and that wasn't ok and-"

Harry didn't finish speaking, because his whole body shook and shimmered before a quiet 'pop' turned boy to bird. There was clearly some surprise as the bird cawed and flapped its wings ineffectively, but Harry was a natural flier and the instinct took over as he turned and soared off. Vlad had zero chance of following, he didn't get his wings for another year and a half.

Of all the times Harry's magic had to surprise him.

-YDHP-

I realise that the 'half and half' of these chapters is immensely uneven, ie Harry's part is about 2,000 words and Vlad's nearer 4,000 here, but that's because I intend to make chapters more succinct but get excited and more words come out so the second half is often longer. It's not a bias thing!

Also, even as I write this chapter I was basically going THEY KISSED. As though somehow I'm surprised by my own story. I may be too invested in my characters.