Chapter 21

Harry woke slowly and smiled as he recalled the night before in vivid detail. He and Draco had talked and ate Italian food, and then he'd walked Draco back to his dorm as they discussed the next day's events. By the time they reached the entrance to Slytherin, it was decided that they would eat their meals together and have time to themselves otherwise. That thought jolted Harry into action. He had to get breakfast before going out to Hagrid's hut to meet Susan and groom their firecrab. He freshened up, got dressed, and hurried out into the throng of hungry students heading in the same direction.

When Harry arrived at his house table, Draco stood from his and strolled over to him very confidently. "Good morning, Potter."

"Draco." Harry smiled and offered the blond the seat beside him. "We're dating. I've told you that means you can use 'Harry' anywhere, now."

Draco sat with a smile and they began to eat, neither noticing the stares they were getting as their chit-chat slowly meandered from the happenings of the night before to the possibilities of the future and when Draco set his napkin aside, Harry wasn't far behind.

"I'm meeting Susan Bones for our Care of Magical Creatures assignment." Harry reminded the blond. "See you at lunch?"

Draco nodded. "Blaise is probably awake by now. He was asleep when I got in last night, so he doesn't know that we're dating officially. I should tell him before he finds out through the gossip mongers."

Harry watched as Draco hurried off to the dorms. When he got to Hagrid's hut it was to see his partner and another student whispering to each other.

"Susan?" Harry called. "Everything alright?"

"Yes, Lord Potter..." She nodded and sent her friend away. "Though, I must admit I'm a bit confused. May I ask why you picked me for a class partner?"

"Well, for one, I think we're well matched in academics. When you're mentioned in conversation, it sounds as if we'd get along pretty well personality-wise. I figure that in combination with you're being in the house that values hard work means that neither of us is likely to abandon the other to do all the work on the project." Harry told her honestly. "You also have a relative on the wizengamut and will probably be understanding if I'm late for a meet-up?"

"So it's all business, then?" Susan asked, sounding disappointed.

Harry shrugged with a frown. "What else?"

"Oh, well I- I don't know! I suppose I thought perhaps you wanted to ask me out or something and had some idea that we should get to know each other this way first, but..." She sighed. "I just heard from Mandi that Malfoy was sitting awfully close to you at breakfast... and you're on a first name basis with each other, so I'm just a bit thrown."

"I didn't mean to lead you on, Susan." Harry said gently. "I suppose I didn't advertise my sexuality, but that was because I didn't have someone to share it with yet. Now I do."

"And Malfoy is going to be that someone?" She asked incredulously. "After what he's said and done over the years? Not just to others but to you?"

"We've talked things over thoroughly and come to common ground, Susan." Harry said gently. "He's had reasons for his past behavior. We're going to date for the foreseeable future."

"I don't understand...but I suppose...I hope it works out for you." She sounded disappointed but quickly became more business oriented. "Anyway, the firecrabs... right?"

Harry nodded silently.

"Apparently, they like being groomed but it says here in the book that we're going to need some specialized tools." Susan told him. "Hagrid should have them."

Harry hurried off to get the tools.

When Draco had returned to the dorm in search of his friend Blaise, the other boy was awake but heading off to the showers to begin his morning routine. So Draco had held back the answers to the questions he was certain were burning holes in his best friend's tongue, only telling him to hurry. He did a bit of studying while he waited for his friend and wasn't surprised to see water droplets still streaming down the other boy's chest and legs when he rushed back into the room.

"Well?" Blaise panted with impatience. It wasn't like Draco to keep secrets from him.

"I was out til after curfew so you were sleeping when I got back." Draco began. He fully intended to tell his best friend everything but it was always fun to toy with him first.

"I know." Blaise sat on his bed, ignoring that it would soon be soaked through. "What happened?"

"Father got me out of Herbology a little early." Draco chuckled. "I may have deliberately been a bit vague about the reason I needed to talk before going to Potter's."

"Don't give me the runaround, Draco!" Blaise whined.

The chuckle turned into a belly laugh. "Oh, alright! I told Father the situation - including the dreamwalking and Potter possibly guessing the secret. Then I whinged a bit about Potter possibly not being able to handle some of the things currently going on in my life. Father made a good point about my having no idea about Potter's life so I shouldn't make assumptions. Etcetera, etcetera. We went to Potter's suite and Luna was there. She cast the secrecy ward - by the way - so I can't tell you much unless he tells you first but I can tell you..." He paused to look closely at some non existent lint on his sleeve for dramatic effect. He plucked the sleeve twice allowing his friend to stew a bit.

"What?!?" Blaise wailed flopping backward onto the bed.

"He did guess the Malfoy secret." Draco smiled. "And I have a smarter mate than I thought."

Blaise sat up straight and stared at the Malfoy heir. "How?"

"We were under a secrecy spell, remember? Don't despair, though. I have it in good authority that it'll come up in conversation tomorrow afternoon. We're going to join his search for Slytherin's hidden quarters." Draco grinned. "Aren't you going to mention the fact that I called him my mate?"

Comprehension bloomed on Blaise's face. "I guess that means you told him?"

"I did." Draco smiled. "He took it pretty well, considering."

"So what happens now?" Blaise asked, sounding numb.

"Well, this weekend, we're meeting for mealtimes and doing our own thing in between." Draco said, biting his lip. "We're searching the common room tomorrow afternoon and you already know my dinner plans for the week."

Blaise couldn't believe it was true. How on Earth could anyone have guessed it?

"Blaise?" Draco called waving a hand in the air.

"Sorry. I'm just marveling at your new boyfriend's mystery solving skills." Blaise joked.

"Very funny." Draco glared playfully at him. "Dry your bed and get dressed so we can try to head him off. I want to know something before him."

"What?" Blaise asked with a frown.

"We're searching the common room now so he doesn't surprise us tomorrow." Draco said, throwing a shirt at his friend.

Blaise laughed out loud, catching the shirt just before it hit his face. "How are we going to find something that only he can open?"

"Luna told me how the Ravenclaw door operated." Draco smirked. "I think we should be able to tell if there's something like it here at all, don't you?"

"Alright." Blaise grinned. He'd always loved getting one over on a Gryffindor! "Should we get Pansy involved? She will be there tomorrow, won't she?"

"She will and she's already aware of tomorrow's activities." Draco pushed the other boy's shoes toward him.

"Wait, wouldn't the Dark Lord have found it when he was here?" Blaise asked.

"Luna found the Ravenclaw door ages ago but she couldn't open it. The same thing could've happened with my uncle." Draco explained. "Harry thinks that Tom wouldn't have been able to open the secret quarters because Harry is the combined heir while Tom was only of Slytherin's blood."

"But he was able to open the Chamber of Secrets!" Blaise pointed out.

"Harry thinks that's because he spoke Parseltongue and was Slytherin's heir..." Draco stressed the word. "...just Slytherin."

"Interesting theory." Blaise bit his lip. "Let's see what we can find."

They grinned at each other and hurried to the common room where Pansy had already given up. She was sitting with Daphne Greengrass and they were playing with her sister Astoria's hair.

Draco huffed. "Did you look at all?"

"Of course I did." Pansy pouted. "It's not my fault you two took so long."

"And?" Draco prompted.

"There's nothing that looks like what you told me to look for." Pansy shrugged and continued to plait the younger girl's hair.

Draco glared at the girl. "Fine. Blaise and I will look again. If we find something, we'll let you know."

"You mean, you'll rub my nose in it." She sighed. "If you don't find it before Potter, you have to buy me something from Honeyduke's on the first Hogsmeade weekend."

Draco nodded. "Alright, but if we do... you can't wear makeup for a whole weekend."

She stuck her tongue out at him but grudgingly agreed.

Draco turned to Blaise. "I think we should start at the entrance. Slytherin might've been sneaky and put it outside the common room."

"I don't know..." Blaise frowned. "I've always had a theory..."

Harry didn't understand why Draco seemed so down during lunch but the blond had perked up at the idea of pushing his ex's buttons about the possible pranksters who attacked Neville on the staircase the day before. They parted for the afternoon so he distracted himself by moving forward with his plans. He signaled to Zack who got to his feet and joined him.

"Cedric is meeting us in the corridor outside Hufflepuff's entrance." Zack told him.

"Good. Now remember - we can't let on that I've been there before." Harry murmured as he picked up his things.

"Of course." Zack rolled his eyes and turned to lead the way. "Any news on that tutor?"

"Remus will be in contact tonight." Harry muttered softly.

"Do you know what you are going to say to Diggory?" Zack wanted to know.

"I don't have the precise words but if I'm going to make him doubt Dumbledore, I'll have to start by making him like and trust me." Harry said confidently as they turned the corner to see Cedric leaning against the wall with Cho pacing in front of him.

"Heya, Zack." Cedric grinned before turning his eyes toward Harry. "Hi! Erm, I don't know how you want me to address you...Potter? Lord Potter?"

"I appreciate that you're asking... but we've been through some pretty serious things together, Cedric." Harry said kindly. "I'd be happy for you to use my name."

"Alright, then." Cedric nodded thoughtfully. "I think you know Cho."

Harry nodded to her. "I do. How are you?"

Cho smiled softly at him. "I'm alright, thanks."

"Are you joining us?" Harry asked.

"No." She shook her head. "My friend Marietta needs help in Charms. I was just making plans with Ced."

"I've been thinking about it and, well...since seventh years are allowed to visit Hogsmeade any weekend we like and sixth years are allowed as long as they're accompanied... Why not have lunch there tomorrow?" Cedric smiled at her. She nodded and hurried away with a wave to Harry prompting Cedric to give up on the unnecessary task of holding up the wall. "I hear you have your own password. Do you want to use it or shall we let you in?"

"I'll give it a go." Harry said politely as he stepped up to the portrait. "Gwaed a hud."

The girl in the painting winked at him and bowed her head as she welcomed him.

The group followed Harry in and seemed amused as he looked around in wonder. "I never realized there were so many shades of yellow." Harry murmured.

On his first visit, it had been too dark to notice the many different styles of furniture, not to mention the colors. There was a light wooden table with several mismatched straight backed chairs off to the left side. The hearth glowed warmly with tiles around it that were painted with sunflowers.

"Is that just a pile of cushions?" Harry chuckled in surprise. "An overstuffed couch... centuries old tapestries ...so chaotic but all tied together by the yellow and black patterns. I love it! Dobby! Our sitting room needs colorful cushions!"

The elf popped in to see what Harry was talking about but didn't stay.

Zack was staring in silent horror at Harry's obvious enthusiasm. One bookcase took up a whole alcove because there was a plant or rock on each shelf in addition to the books. Harry grinned as he lifted a citrine geode to watch it sparkle in the fire light.

Cedric laughed at Harry's childlike behavior as the door opened to admit a surprised Susan Bones. "Oh, hello, Lord Potter."

"Hi. I'm here looking for Helga Hufflepuff's secret quarters." Harry told her, keeping his eyes moving as he spoke. "You can join us if you like."

"Thanks, but I'm meeting a friend in the library." She answered with a bemused smile.

Next to the fireplace stood the staircase that led to the dorms. Harry bypassed it to look at a smiling portrait but slipped, grabbing the tapestry as he stood up and brushed himself off, chuckling. "Tripped on the rug. Oops!"

"Is that the stone wall?" Cedric was suddenly alert and almost breathless. "Most of the walls have layers of portrait and tapestry to them. There's even a bit of panelling."

That's when Zack realized Harry was only acting.

The young lord looked up as if he'd been surprised by Cedric's words. "Really?" He asked as he hurried to place his hands on the stones. He followed the wall the wrong way first, only to find a dead end and turn around. "None of the other walls look likely but I don't feel any -" His comment cut off as his hand made contact with the wooden door's handle. "This doesn't feel like stone..." Harry let his voice trail off while he ducked under the tapestry. "This is it, guys! A door and the knob turns!"

"You're kidding!" Zack fell into character. "Let me see!"

Cedric rushed to hold the tapestry aside for them before following his housemate in. "This is amazing, Harry!"

For his part, Harry was rushing from item to item like he'd never seen it before. "This desk looks more like a crafting table with all these pots! The books are all about plants!"

"There's a door over here." Cedric pointed out.

Harry grinned earnestly as he looked up at Hearthstone Manor. "Open it! It's probably a bedroom."

Zack did the honors. "It's not a bedroom, Harry."

The tone of his cousin's voice told Harry more than his words. "Dobby, get Professor Sprout!" He called as he rushed to join the others, no longer in the mood for playacting. "What are they?" He whispered as he took in the sight before him. The room was lined with tables - each one holding a plant or two under preservation spells.

"I've never seen plants like these before..." Cedric said in a hushed tone. "I'll open the door to the common room for the professor."

"No need, Diggory, I'm here. What've you found?" She asked as she made her way inside. "My word!"

"Do you know what they are, Professor?" Harry asked, allowing her to see that he was curious but cautious.

"I recognise several of them but not all, Lord Potter. Professors Slughorn and Snape will be helpful." She muttered to herself.

"Dobby, fetch them." Harry commanded. "Are they dangerous?"

"That one is extremely poisonous if ingested or if you become stuck by a thorn." She said pointing to an innocent looking cactus plant. "It's called the Desert's Fang."

"That's on the endangered list, Lord Potter." Professor Slughorn said breathlessly as he joined them. "Professor Snape is in London until tomorrow. Pomona, I can help you catalogue them and we can speak with him upon his return."

Harry nodded. "So may we explore further?"

"Oh, yes..." After the teachers consulted and turned back to him, Sprout's expression was grim. "I need to know your plans for the plants before I can tell you anything, Lord Potter."

"Well, I can't make plans until I know more." Harry told her honestly. "If they're extinct or even just endangered, I suppose the right thing to do would be to find or create a secure facility to house them so they can be cultivated. If they're not, then we'll need to do more research to figure out what purpose was served by my ancestor preserving them under stasis for so long."

"Alright. That sounds sensible as a couple of these plants are on the ministry's list of controlled substances. Some are indeed in danger of extinction." Professor Sprout told him sternly. "I suggest we keep them in stasis but move them to the secure greenhouse where I keep my seedlings."

"That's a great idea, Professor, and if I may... I'd like to request that Neville be involved with this project." Harry replied respectfully. "He's got a great instinct for herbology. He'd likely find it fascinating as well as enjoyable."

"I'm glad you feel that way, Lord Potter." She grinned. "I was just thinking that several students could be of use and his name was at the top of the list."

"Shall I ask my elves to assist in moving the plants?" Harry offered.

"Oh! How thoughtful! I'll need to clear a space for them first, dear." She answered with an excited sparkle in her eye. "Give me a half hour."

Harry chuckled as she bustled out the door and turned to Dobby. "In half an hour, I'd like you, Ziva, and Roody to move these plants very carefully to the greenhouse for the professor."

"Yes, Master Harry, sir!" Dobby saluted him and popped away.

"Yes, well, I'd best be going along with her, as well, Harry." Professor Slughorn toddled over to the door. "You may continue exploring the chambers as long as you promise to keep reporting anything dangerous."

"Understood, Professor." Harry smiled at him.

"I say, my boy; have you been to Slytherin yet?" Slughorn asked suddenly, half turning back to look at Harry.

Harry wasn't sure if he should say anything. "I considered it and thought it was possible that the Chamber of Secrets was all he left for future generations."

"I see. Yes, that does seem to be a likely conclusion." Slughorn sighed. "Well, if you change your mind, do let me know. I would dearly love to see it!"

"I'll keep that in mind, sir." Harry smiled at the rotund man as he left.

"I thought-" Zack hesitated but only for a moment. "I thought Malfoy was searching Slytherin with you tomorrow."

"He is - I just don't know if I can trust Slughorn." Harry suddenly grinned. "Actually, now that I think about it, I'm pretty sure Draco's searching Slytherin now."

"What?" Zack asked with a frown. "Why?"

"Think about it, Zack." Harry laughed, more amused with every passing moment. "He has always been competitive with me and now that we're dating, I doubt that will change beyond the spirit of the competition. In this case, he has the distinct advantage of living in the house I'll be searching. At lunch, he was quiet and seemed to be disappointed about something until I gave him something else to think about. I'm sure that's it."

"I suppose it's possible." Zack frowned. "But he could've just been disappointed in the lunch menu."

"Ten sickles says - he's looking to find the entrance to Slytherin's secret quarters before me and not finding anything." Harry snorted. "Five more sickles says - he's got Zabini helping."

"I'm sure you're right, Harry." Cedric laughed. "That sounds just like him!"

Zack smirked in agreement. "I guess I can see it."

"Now, in the other rooms I've found a bedroom, so I'm certain there's one here too." Harry grinned at the prospect of more secrets to uncover.

"So, the tapestry was all that was hiding the door? All these years?" Draco marveled. The couple was seated at the Gryffindor table and eating their evening meal. "Did you find her bedroom?"

"Yes." Harry said with a smile. "The bed was a beautiful four poster; each post was a tree and the branches met above the mattress with the curtain flowing from the canopy and embroidered with a willow pattern. The carpet was a mix of deep green and dirt brown."

"It sounds like a clearing in the forest." Draco murmured as the last of his dinner disappeared with the plates. "Was there anything there?"

"Yes. Notes about gardening patterns and the plants we found." Harry told him quietly. "I've written to my solicitor to begin the process of finding expert herbologists who can study, protect, and hopefully restore to the world any of the plants that may be endangered but this actually makes me think that there may be more in the Ravenclaw rooms than I had time to find."

"I wonder what we'll find tomorrow." The blond commented softly while serving himself an Apple Charlotte.

"Why don't we start with what you found this afternoon?" Harry asked innocently as he cut into his chocolate cake.

Draco froze and glanced up at the other boy who was grinning as he chewed.

Harry laughed at the blond's expression.

"How did you...?" Draco asked, shocked that Harry guessed his activities.

"Did you find anything?" He asked, still smiling.

"Not much." Draco pouted and glared at him. "How did you know?"

"You were awfully quiet at lunch and didn't say what your plans were for the day beyond telling Blaise about the new aspect of our relationship." Harry smirked. "Speaking of which ...How did he take it?"

"He was a little surprised that we told you everything," Draco smirked. "But he fully expected us to become a couple...given the circumstances. He's the one who helped me puzzle out the dreamwalking."

"Ah. He seems a bit... protective of you." Harry mused. "Is there a reason for that?"

"Why?" Drao frowned. "Jealous?"

Harry shrugged. "I just want to know if I'm dealing with a protective friend or an ex who's still in love with you."

"He was the only friend of mine who knew the secret for so long." Draco reminisced. "Really, he's like a brother to me."

"So Parkinson doesn't know?" Harry asked. "I was sure she was in the loop."

"She was told only because her father tried to get us betrothed." Draco explained. "I know that my father put him off for a while, but after my powers began to manifest, they decided that there were too many unknowns to set something like that in motion."

"It wasn't an unknown that you were gay, was it? Why would your dad set up a betrothal with a woman?" Harry asked gently.

"At the time, he only suspected that I prefered my own sex." Draco confided. "Until I confirmed it on my twelfth birthday, he conducted such things as if I were heterosexual."

"I see." Harry murmured under his breath. "I suppose it doesn't matter now."

Draco smiled and shook his head. "No."

"So by 'not much'... does that mean you did find something?" Harry asked, returning to the original topic.

"Blaise is the one with the theory." The blond sighed.

Although Harry was elated to find that he'd been correct about the other boy's participation, he frowned. "He has a theory?"

"Blaise has always held a fascination for the lake. When we were in first year, he saw what seemed like a ruin just outside the windows of the common room." Draco told him. "The wall keeping the dorms from flooding is the easternmost wall."

Harry's thoughts raced. "I suppose it could be an outcropping of the castle that is under an illusion spell but there's a very real possibility that it was crushed by the water and truly ruined."

Draco seemed saddened by the prospect of that. "I guess we'll have to cross that bridge when we come to it."

"I guess we will." Harry grinned as he stood and offered a hand to Draco. "I'll walk with you to the dungeons."

Draco blushed but nodded as their hands touched. He felt like they held hands more than most couples he'd ever seen.

Just outside the doors of the hall, they stopped to look out the windows. The courtyard was dark and they saw all the way to the stars.

"Draco, you coming?" Blaise asked softly from behind them.

"Blaise!" Draco spun around in surprise. He'd thought his friends would be in the common room by now.

"Master Harry Potter, sir." Dobby spoke from Harry's elbow. "Master is having a floo-call."

"Alright." Harry said softly. "I'm a little disappointed to end the evening so early, but ...I suppose I'll see you in the morning."

Dobby shook his head violently and desperately twitched his ears.

"On second thought," Harry's left eyebrow rose involuntarily. "I think my floo-call may interest you, Draco."

Draco frowned at the elf but agreed to join him for a little while. He told his friend not to wait for him and gave Dobby permission to transport him along with Harry.

Luna was on the floor with her head in the fire. "Yes, Uncle Luc. He'll be here soon."

Harry's eyes widened. "Malfoy?"

"Father?" Draco asked, just as surprised.

"Draco. Potter, a mutual acquaintance wishes a word." Lucius informed them.

Harry laughed but nodded. "Are they there now?"

"He wishes to speak in person." Lucius hedged. "He has the information you seek."

Harry thought quickly. "Can my safety from this person be guaranteed...at least temporarily?"

"Yes." Lucius nodded once. "He will make an oath as soon as you arrive."

"I'll be in touch." Harry said walking off toward his bedroom.

Draco followed. "What just happened?"

"I agreed to meet with Voldemort." Harry said solemnly. "Give me a moment. I'll meet you in the office."

He didn't look at the blond as he rushed through the apartment and into his room. He grabbed the communication mirror and said his godfather's name.

"Pup?" Sirius started.

"I have several startling things to tell you, Siri, so please just let me get it all out." Harry told him grimly. At his godfather's nod, he quickly continued. "I hired my cousin Percy as my assistant several days ago. I've begun to make friends in the other houses. Uhm... I found all but one of the founder's rooms and I'm certain to find the last one tomorrow which is great because each room has had something interesting inside. My minimal power over the element of water was accidentally revealed to Draco Malfoy and he decided it was important enough to keep quiet unless oaths were given. I still barely have a clue as to what the puzzle pieces are, much less where to find them but we can discuss that later, because what I really want to talk about is the meeting I had yesterday and the floo-call I just had a moment ago."

"Who were they with? Same person?" Sirius asked.

"Yes. Lucius Malfoy." Harry told him frankly.

"I'm sorry?" Sirius' eyes just about popped out of their sockets. "You met with whom?"

"We were under a secrecy spell that Luna told me about." Harry quickly reassured him. "Percy was here for the beginning of it. The important bit is that I proposed an alliance and we learned each other's secrets. Theirs is a real corker but, I can't tell you because their family magic will take my voice if I attempt it." Sirius looked worried so Harry rushed into the next topic to head off the older man's questions. "There are several interesting things that came out of the meeting that I can divulge, though. Shall I?"

A nodding Sirius was joined by Remus and Dudley.

"I'm happy to say that Draco and I are now dating." Harry told them with a smile. They all wore expressions with varying degrees of shock. "It's earlier than I'd expected but we're really getting to know each other...and I think it'll be a good thing."

"Congratulations, cub!" Remus grinned. "I'm happy that you're happy. Not sure about the Malfoy family as a whole but Draco seemed like a good kid when we met last June."

The congratulations were echoed by the others as Harry walked through the hallway towards the office where he would continue briefing them on his situation. "Draco needs to hear the rest of our conversation so give me just a second." He opened the door and wasn't surprised to see that the blond was in his chair. Harry grinned as he picked up a chair and put it beside the one Draco occupied. "I have a communication mirror and my cousin, godfather, and uncle are on the other side. I told them we're dating. Now they need to know about some of the other things that are happening."

Draco nodded.

Harry placed the mirror on the desk and used a sticking charm to keep it still. He told them a little about the incredible things he'd found in the secret quarters of the founders. Then he told them about the sword and how he only had a lead to more information about the other puzzle pieces. "And that's where you come in. I need one of you to write me that Dudley is ill so I can get away from Dumbledore and the school to meet Lucius and our 'acquaintance'."

"How can you be sure he's telling the truth, Harry?" Sirius asked, frowning with worry.

"The dreams, Siri." Harry reminded him. "I've confided to Draco and his father about the dreams and the conclusions I've come to about them. My instincts tell me to trust the Malfoys and Tom said he'd swear an oath to my safety as soon as I arrive."

"How can I work it out to join you?" Draco asked rhetorically while pacing.

"Why do you need to?" Remus asked in confusion.

"A big part of it is his family secret, Moony." Harry bit his lip. "Hmmm..."

"While we can't tell you the whole secret, you are his family, so I can say that there's a creature inheritance involved. I feel quite protective." The Malfoy heir was pacing but suddenly stopped, snapping his fingers. "My godfather!"

"Creature?" Remus asked in a daze.

"Mmhm." Draco barely acknowledged the older man's echo. "Dumbledore won't want you going to London by yourself, will he?"

Sirius chimed in a second later. "He'll ask Snape to escort you to headquarters and I'll be there to meet you."

"Why would he ask the most convenient person for me to do it? I'll be flooing into my own home so that's not only an unnecessary delay, but it puts my safety in the hands of someone I don't yet trust." Harry frowned. "I know you trust him, Draco, but I don't even understand how that gets you there?"

"Severus will figure out the logistics." Draco told him. "If that's what Uncle Tom and Father want, it will get done."

Harry sighed feeling helpless. "Alright."

A knock sounded at the door to the office and both boys turned to see Luna peeking in. "I'm sorry, Draco; there's a prefect here asking for you."

"Blast it!" Draco shared a look with Harry. "I must've missed curfew."

"Alright, see you tomorrow, then." Harry said lightly as his secret hope for a good night kiss went up in smoke.

Draco smirked as he picked up his cloak and slowly stepped up close to peck Harry's cheek before hurrying out.

Harry smiled goofily and Luna was giggling as she closed the door behind them. "It's like he knew what I was thinking..." He whispered to himself as he touched his face where the blond had kissed him.

"Get to bed, pup." Sirius laughed. "We can talk more tomorrow."

"I can't!" Harry protested. "There's more to say! Remus, did you find an occlumency tutor for us?"

"Unfortunately, Harry..." Remus informed him regretfully. "The best occlumens is someone you wouldn't want to deal with."

Harry huffed. "Who is it, and what about the second best?"

"Alright, the best is Snape." Remus smiled sadly. "The second best is a Buddhist monk who's living in a cave on Mount Everest. He only speaks Sri Lankan and has recently taken a vow of silence."

"You're joking." Harry stared at him. "Sirius told you about our conversation before the title acceptance and your having me on."

"Fine!" Remus laughed. "You caught me! It's actually a Druid priestess living on the lost isle of Avalon."

"If it's lost how does anyone know that's where she is?" Sirius interrupted. "How would we communicate with her? Would she come here to teach them? If she did, would she be able to get back?"

Harry glared at them. "I'm losing the buzz I got from Draco's kiss."

"Alright. I give." Remus sighed. "The second best occlumens is Dumbledore. I swear I'm not joking this time."

"I guess I have to talk to Snape soon. I have to find out what role he played in this whole thing before I even ask about that. Good night." Harry nodded grimly and covered the mirror before taking it back to its place in his bedroom.

Draco endured being hauled into Professor Slughorn's office with bruised pride. "I don't see why I couldn't report there by myself, Pucey. I was merely a few minutes late for curfew - not missing for hours!"

"With Snape in London until tomorrow, Slughorn put me in charge of the curfew headcount. I don't want the professors to think I'm not doing my job, Malfoy." The older boy said reasonably. "Just because you're dating Lord Potter, it doesn't mean you're above the rules."

"I know I'm not. It's not like -" Draco began but was interrupted by Slughorn's entrance. "Good evening, Professor."

"Mr. Malfoy, I understand you weren't in your dorm at curfew." Slughorn tsked. "Not even in your house common room."

"Yes, sir, I was with Lord Potter." Draco thought quickly and remembered that Harry told him Slughorn was interested in Slytherin's secret quarters. "I've only just convinced him to search Slytherin for -"

"Slytherin's secret rooms?" Slughorn asked, eyes wide. "Well, then your tardiness is to be excused! Commended, even! When will he be visiting?"

"He's coming tomorrow to meet some of my friends. We've just started dating, you see," Draco hedged. "And he wants it to be a casual ...social thing."

"Sometime during the week then." Slughorn nodded absently. "Well, let me know. Off to bed with you both."

"I can't believe you." Adrian Pucey ruefully escorted Draco all the way back to the boy's dorm. "You can talk your way out of anything. If old Sluggy wasn't so fascinated by the prospect of these secret rooms of Potter's, and Snape didn't have a close friendship with your parents, you'd really be in trouble."

Draco gritted his teeth until he could safely get away from the older boy. "How did you even find me?"

"You must be joking!" Pucey laughed. "I'm sure you know that everyone saw you sitting with Potter at dinner and everyone saw you leave with him."

Draco blushed and ducked his head, knowing that means they all saw them holding hands. "Of course."

"Good night, Malfoy. Do try not to miss curfew again on my watch, eh?" Pucey grinned.

Draco glared at him and opened the door to his dorm where Blaise was frowning at him from his bed. "What?"

"You were with Potter." Blaise commented softly. "It's awfully late."

"My father had floo-called him." Draco replied blithely.

"Ministry business?" Blaise wanted to know.

"No." Draco looked around but the others seemed to be asleep so he sat beside his friend and whispered. "He had a message for him...from Uncle Tom. He wants a meeting."

Blaise's eyes widened.

"He wants the meeting badly enough to guarantee Potter's safety." Draco confided quietly.

"Wow." Blaise looked light headed. "What did Potter say?"

"He said yes, of course. He'd be a fool not to if my uncle can give him some kind of information." Draco told him with a frown. "I don't know exactly how it'll happen but it's not impossible."

"Course it's not." Blaise frowned, worried. "I suppose we'd best get some sleep if we're going to be in any mood to spend the afternoon with Potter."

Draco nodded and went to perform his nightly routine. Once finished, he came back and sat on his bed. "Blaise?" The other boy grunted an indistinct acknowledgement so, as they both slipped under their covers, Draco confessed one last detail to his best friend. "I kissed him."

Blaise was suddenly awake again. "Really?"

"Well he'd wanted to walk me back and I had a funny feeling he'd try to kiss me but then Pucey came looking for me and it didn't happen and he looked so disappointed that I took pity on him." The blond paused, closing his eyes with a smile. "I kissed his cheek and left."

Blaise chuckled sleepily in relief. "That's adorable."

"Don't be ridiculous, Blaise. Malfoys aren't cute in the least." Draco grumbled but had to admit that Harry's reaction had been nothing short of adorable. "Good night, Blaise."

"Night..." The other boy murmured in response but he slept as soon as his head hit the pillow.

The next morning, Harry was already outside the great hall when Draco and his friends arrived. The other Gryffindors were suspiciously absent as the young lord stepped forward to greet his boyfriend. "The terms of the bet stated that you would have dinner at the Gryffindor table...but I was wondering if I could join you at Slytherin for breakfast."

Draco smiled and gave him a nod before nudging Blaise to open the doors. "Yes, please do join us, Harry." When Draco heard Pansy's gasp, his smile morphed into a smug grin. Draco hadn't told her of that little development, but she caught on quickly enough and followed them inside.