~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Lovers in a Dangerous Time

By: Andrea Doolan <andrea.doolan@utoronto.ca>
http://www.touyaxyukito.com

Category: Slash

Pairings: Harry/Draco with slight Seamus/Dean, Sirius/Remus, Percy/Oliver,
Neville/Justin

Warning: Ron/Hermione het (sorry, but it worked for the story)

Rated: NC-17 (Bits of fluff and drama with sex mixed in.  Oh, and some strong
language.)

Disclaimer: _Harry Potter_ is copyright J.K. Rowling and Bloomsburry Books;
"Lovers in a Dangerous Time" words/music by Bruce Cockburn, sung by Barenaked
Ladies
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Chapter 1: Is Our Love a Crime?

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
When you're lovers in a dangerous time
Sometimes you're made to feel as if your love's a crime
Nothing worth having comes without some kind of fight
Gotta kick at the darkness till it bleeds daylight

Lovers in a dangerous time...
Lovers in a dangerous time...
////////////////////////////////////////////////////////


Harry and Draco were intertwined in the sheets on Harry's bed.  A low moan 
escaped Harry's throat as Draco thrust into him, all the while sucking on his 
collarbone (clavicle) and pumping his incredibly hard erection.

"Jesus..." moaned Harry, unable to hardly think, pardon the pun, straight.

"Sorry, Potter, I think you have me confused with your other lover..."

Harry could practically feel Draco smirking at him.  "Shut up, Malfoy, and 
concentrate on what you're supposed to be doing."

"Yes, Gov'ner, whatever you say," said Draco, in his best impersonation of an 
Eastender.

Harry laughed in spite of himself, and lightly smacked Draco on the arm.  
"/Draco!/"

Draco leant down, and kissed his lover firmly on the lips.  Harry wrapped his 
arms around the pale neck, keeping the blond boy in place.  The pace was now 
becoming almost frantic with need, and Draco was practically slamming into 
Harry, hitting Harry's sweet spot every time.  Harry's short nails dug into the 
skin of Draco's back, and he was sucking hard on Draco's shoulder.  Draco's hand 
flew faster and faster over the dark-haired boy's length, almost willing him to 
come with him.  And come he did, hard and fast, and with such force that Harry 
had to bite into Draco's shoulder.  For his part, Draco shut his eyes tightly, 
his body quaking, and murmured softly into Harry's ear.

"Love...you..."

Exhausted, the two boys laid together on the bed for quite some time trying to 
regain their breath.  They loved this time, just being together like this.  They 
didn't even have to have sex; what they most enjoyed was just spending time 
together, alone, where the outside world couldn't reach them.  Of course, the 
sex didn't hurt either.

Finally, Draco broke the tranquillity.  "I should get back."

In answer, Harry's arms, which were wrapped around his lover, just clung 
tighter.

Draco turned in the embrace so he could look into Harry's eyes.  "I hate it, 
too."

"I know.  But it just gets harder every time.  I wish it didn't have to be like 
this."

Draco just nodded.  He understood perfectly.  He wanted nothing more than to 
stay here with Harry, to not hide their relationship, and not worry about what 
anyone, especially his father, would think.

Harry slowly eased his firm grip of Draco's torso, and the blond boy slipped 
away.  He quickly dressed, and quietly retrieved the invisibility cloak and 
Marauder's Map from Harry's trunk at the end of the bed.  According to the map, 
Mrs Norris was patrolling the 4th floor, and Filtch was in the library.  It 
looked like he would be able to get into the Slytherin dungeons unnoticed.
Draco slipped on the cloak, still a definite necessity, and pulled back the 
hangings from Harry's four poster.  Just before he left, Harry reached out and 
grabbed an invisible shoulder.

"I love you, too.  Be careful."

The invisible figure warmly touched the hand on his shoulder, and then made his 
departure.  Harry could hear the sound of faint footsteps, then his dorm door 
opening and closing.  Thankfully, his roommates were still asleep.  This was 
aided by a much-needed silencing charm around Harry's bed.

Harry hated this part of the night.  He always felt lonelier than he had ever 
felt before.  Even when the Dursely's had locked him in his old cupboard under 
the stairs he didn't feel this pang of loneliness.  Perhaps because he now knew 
what he was missing, and those arms around him were still very fresh in his 
mind.  This was not helped by the thought that he would not see Draco for another 
week.  They had to keep their meetings relatively far apart, or be in serious 
risk of detection.  Or, more accurately, even more serious risk.

They both knew it was extremely hazardous to keep meeting as they did in the 
middle of the night.  But there was really nothing else they could do.  Once 
they had discovered their feelings for each other, it wasn't a matter of 
*wanting* to be together, but a matter of *need*.  At least they had use of the 
map and cloak, without which they might have been detected already.  At this 
thought, Harry felt a little guilty.  If Ron or Hermione knew that Harry trusted 
Draco enough to bring the map and cloak into *Slytherin* house, he knew they 
would feel betrayed.  But that was nothing compared to the knowledge of him 
being in *love* with his -- *their* -- worst enemy.

It would do Harry no good to think of these things now, however.  He needed to 
get at least a few hours of sleep before the next day's classes and Quiddich 
practice.

~*~*~*~*~

Potions was always the hardest class to bear.  Even though the 6th year 
Gryffindors also shared Care of Magical Creatures and Defence Against the Dark 
Arts with the Slytherins, Potions seemed to put the two rival houses in the 
closest proximity.  Plus, there was also the fact that Snape seemed to be 
pairing Harry and Draco together more and more frequently.  It seemed to be a 
plot to annoy Harry even more than he usually was in Potions.  Little did Snape 
know, of course, that Harry's discomfort around the blond Slytherin did not stem 
from his hatred of the boy.  In fact, quite the opposite was true.

Their elbows accidentally brushed together as Harry was chopping roots, and 
Draco was dropping toad's feet into their cauldron.  Harry flinched reflexively, 
and glanced at Draco with pained eyes.  Draco sighed, and tried to give his 
boyfriend (*HIS* *BOY*friend! XD XD XD XD XD XD XD XD) a quick smile.

"Is there a problem, Mr Potter?" sneered Snape as he came up to their table.

Harry scowled.  How much had he seen?  "Not at all, professor."

"Not giving Mr Malfoy here any trouble, I trust?"

The concept was almost laughable to Harry.  He, give Draco trouble?  Not for 
over a year now.  Harry didn't answer, but Draco did.

"Not yet at least," said Draco, in his old condescending voice.  Draco played 
the part wonderfully.

Snape stood there for a moment longer, seemingly trying to think of a reason to 
deduct points from Gryffindor.

"Tell me if he becomes a problem."  This was definitely directed at Draco, who 
simply nodded.

When Snape left, Draco reached beneath the table, and took Harry's hand in 
his.  Harry didn't turn, but squeezed Draco's hand in reassurance.  There was 
nothing Snape could say to make him feel truly affect him.

~*~*~*~*~

Later that night in the Gryffindor common room, Harry was sitting by the fire 
with his best friends, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger.  They were currently 
trying to work through their Astronomy homework.

"You know, Harry," said Ron as he looked up from his star chart, "the Yule Ball 
is coming up soon."  Even though there wasn't a Triwizard Tournament to 
participate in, Dumbledore had found the Yule Ball infinitely exciting, and so 
had made it a yearly occurrence.  Harry suspected that the Headmaster wanted to
take the student's minds off of more serious issues, like the return of
Voldemort.

Harry flinched imperceptibly.  He knew what was coming next.  "Yeah?"

Ron looked very excited.  "You have to come this year!"

"Yes!" said Hermione, almost as excited as Ron, and for once not bothering them 
about not doing their homework.  "We were lonely without you there last year."  
She was smiling warmly at him.

Harry didn't know quite how to answer.  It had been this time last year that he 
and Draco had first got together.  They obviously couldn't go to the ball with 
each other, so they spent the night making love in Harry's very empty dorm room.  
He had planned on doing the same this year.

"You know I'm not really one for dancing, Ron," he replied with what he hoped 
was the appropriate amount of regret in his voice.  Truthfully, he was rather 
looking forward to spending the time alone with Draco.

"Oh, no one cares about that!  We just want you to have some fun."

"And get in the way of you two lovebirds?"  Harry laughed as both Ron and 
Hermione went slightly pink.  They really were cute together.  They had been
a couple now ever since the end of 5th year. Harry had become increasingly 
exasperated with his two best friends dancing around each other, and had finally 
forced them to admit their feelings.  

So far things were still very innocent between them.  Chaste kisses and 
handholding were all they seemed to want to do.  Harry knew this would be 
changing soon.  Ron had asked Harry recently if he and Hermione should start 
going a little further.  They had had several red-faced discussions about sex, 
and what they thought it would be like.  Harry didn't have to lie too much, as 
he thought sex with a girl would be quite different than the sex his was 
currently having.  Nevertheless, he had still felt extremely guilty about lying 
to his best friends.  He could see Hermione understanding that he was gay.  But 
Ron...well, he had reason to believe that Ron was quite homophobic.  And he 
couldn't tell Hermione without telling Ron.  That felt even more unfair to the 
redhead than not telling the both of them.

"You wouldn't be in the way, honest!" said Hermione, who recovered more quickly 
than Ron.  "We'd have more fun if you'd come."

"Yeah," said Ron.  "You could ask Ginny..."

"Ron, Ginny hasn't has a crush on me for *years*.  Besides, do you really want someone taking your sister?"

"So?  You could just go as friends.  Lots of people do that.  Remember Parvati 
and Padma from fourth year?"

"Or you could go with some other girl," reasoned Hermione.  "There has to be 
someone you fancy, right?"

Harry smiled weakly.  This was getting into rough territory.  "No, I really 
don't fancy any girl, honest..."  For a moment, Harry thought he saw Hermione's 
eyes flash with a certain emotion, but it was gone so quickly he assumed he was 
just seeing things.

"Come on, Harry..." pleaded Ron.

Hermione put a hand on her boyfriend's knee.  "I don't think we'll be getting 
any further tonight."

Harry smiled gratefully at her.

Ron sighed, defeated.  "Oh, all right."

"Back to Astronomy!" Hermione commanded.

For once, Harry was glad to be doing homework.

~*~*~*~*~

A few days later, Harry, Hermione, and Ron were on their way to lunch in the 
Great Hall.  They were discussing the upcoming Quiddich match between Gryffindor 
and Slytherin.

"Well, well.  Untamed hair, horrid glasses, and the ugliest scar I've ever 
seen.  Must be the Great Harry Potter."

Harry whirled around, anger clearing playing over his face.  In his mind, 
however, he was smiling.  There stood Draco Malfoy and his two goons, Crabbe and 
Goyle.

"What do *you* want, Malfoy?"

Draco wore a smug smile.  "Oh, nothing, Potter, nothing at all.  Getting a 
little suspicious in your old age, are we?"  Crabbe and Goyle laughed and 
sneered at this.

Ron was overcome with intense anger.  "Will you just let us alone for once?!"

Draco's eyes fell on the redhead, but he did not speak to him.  Instead, he 
turned back to Harry.

"Where *do* you get your robes, Potter?  The second-hand store?"

"You know very well that Harry buys his robes from Madam Malkin's, just like you!" spat Hermione.

"Really, Miss Granger?  One could never tell, what with their extremely tattered 
appearance."  Crabbe and Goyle sniggered again.  "Out trapsing around the Forbidden Forest with Hagrid a little too much, perhaps?"

"Heh," said Crabbe, "replaces his dumb dead parents with that half-breed giant, 
he does."

As soon as the words left Vincent Crabbe's mouth, Draco spun around, and punched 
Crabbe hard right in his gut.  Crabbe fell to the ground, choking and wheezing.

Surprise fell over the entire corridor.  Quite a few students had stopped to 
witness the verbal sparing match between Harry and Draco.

Draco was seething with anger, and was breathing quite hard.  He stared down at 
his "friend" coldly.  "*I* am the only one allowed to insult Potter, Crabbe.  Do 
I make myself clear?"

Crabbe could only nod in stunned embarrassment.  Goyle looked at him with a 
terrified expression on his face.

Hermione looked over at Harry, and saw that he was just as stunned as everyone 
else.  Then, just as Draco turned around, Harry smiled very briefly.  Hermione 
turned her head quickly to Draco and saw what appeared to be the end of a smile 
directed, so it seemed, at Harry.  The moment only lasted a second or two at 
most, before the more familiar expressions took over.

"Let's go," Harry whispered forcefully to Hermione and Ron.  The three friends 
continued on to the Great Hall.

"What the *fuck* was that about?" said Ron, totally surprised by Draco's 
behaviour.

"Beats me," said Harry, hoping to keep his voice convincingly surprised.  In 
truth, Harry knew exactly why Draco punched Crabbe.  When they first 
admitted that they were in love, Draco promised Harry to never make fun of his 
parents or friends again.  However, to keep up the pretence of their hatred, 
Draco had suggested sticking to insults about appearance only, with a twist: he 
would actually mean the exact opposite of what he was saying.  So, an insult 
about Harry scar, for example, would really mean that he loved the scar, and 
thought it made Harry look sexy.  Harry had giggled at this, and readily agreed.  
It came as no surprise then, that Draco had become enraged at Crabbe's slur.  
Draco hated to see his boyfriend in pain, and he knew Harry's weakest spot was 
his parents.

Hermione stared at Harry for a second, trying to discern if he was telling the 
truth.  Things weren't quite adding up in her sharp mind.  She decided to say 
nothing at the moment, however.  She would stay quiet until she had a better 
grasp on what was going on.

~*~*~*~*~

Harry lay in bed, staring at the material that covered the top of his four-
poster.  He was almost quivering with anticipation.  He gave a slight start when 
the hangings parted, revealing nothing.  He kept quiet as a weight settled on 
the bed, and the hangings closed.

"/Silencio!/" said a disembodied voice.

Harry smiled widely as a blond head appeared, then the rest of his body.  Draco 
carefully placed the Invisibility Cloak and Marauder's Map in Harry's trunk, 
then turned sadly to Harry, and threw his arms around the other boy.

"I'm so sorry," said Draco.

"It's alright.  It wasn't your fault."  Harry pulled away from the embrace, and 
smiled at his lover.  "It wasn't even that bad, really.  Let's just forget about 
it."

Draco smiled weakly, his guilt still plainly visible over his features.  
"Okay...  Just so you know, I think Crabbe and Goyle are too terrified of me now 
to say anything else.  That goes for the most of the Slytherins, too."

Harry was absently playing with Draco's black button-down shirt.  "That's good."  
He looked up at his love.  "Can you imagine what they'd think if they knew the 
real reason?"

Harry had meant it as a joke, but Draco's features fell.  "All too well."

Draco couldn't help thinking about an incident that happened in his sixth year.  
Everyone was coming back to the common room from the game that had determined 
the Quiddich Cup.  It was Gryffindor vs. Slytherin, and the match had been 
expected to go several hours at least.  However, it had only lasted half and 
hour, with Harry getting lucky and spotting the snitch quite early.

The Slytherins had come back to quite a sight.  A sixth year boy was sucking off 
another sixth year boy by the fire.  Tempers flared, insults few, and violence 
irrupted.  Both boys ended up in the hospital wing for several days.  But that 
was really the least of their worries.  When their parents found out, real hell 
broke lose.  One boy's parents took him from Hogwarts immediately, citing the 
school as influencing their son into homosexuality.  The last thing anyone had 
heard, the boy was apparently put in an institution, which was trying to fry the 
gayness out of him by electric shock treatments.  The other boy had been allowed 
to stay at Hogwarts, but was disowned by his parents.  Due to constant 
harassment, and perhaps the loss of his lover, he had taken his own life not two 
days later.

Draco still felt incredible guilt about the whole incident.  He didn't
participate in the insults or in the beatings.  He thought it a little too
hypocritical to be having sex with Harry just the night before, and then assault
two boys because they were doing the very same thing.  But he didn't stop anyone
else from doing it, either, and in Draco's mind, that was just as bad.  When asked
why he didn't participate, he had explained it away as shock at seeing what the
boys were doing, and being frozen in place.  Thankfully, they bought the line.

"I'm sorry, Draco.  I didn't mean to bring up bad memories."

"I know, it's okay," said the blond with a smile returning to his lips.  Time 
was too short together to not make the most of it.  

He leaned down and gently kissed Harry, his tongue finding its way into the 
other boy's mouth.  He tenderly ran his hands down Harry's T-shirt, and pulled 
it over Harry's head.  By this time Harry had unfastened all the buttons on 
Draco's shirt, and slipped the garment off the other boy's shoulders.  Their 
pants, boxers, and socks soon followed.

Harry deepened the kiss, and slowly brushed their erections together.  They both 
moaned, and repeated the motion again and again.  

Harry was starting to get very excited, and knew from the sounds his lover was 
making that he was nearing the same point.  Harry abruptly stopped, and reached 
beside him for a little tube.  He looked at his boyfriend, who nodded eagerly.  
Harry squeezed a generous line on his finger, and brought it to Draco's tight 
opening.  Harry teased the opening with slow circles.  The pleasure coursed 
through Draco's body, and he whimpered into the pillow.  Harry eventually took 
pity on him, and inserted one finger up to the first knuckle.  Draco moaned, and 
begged Harry for more.  Harry complied with adding another finger, and slowly 
stretching Draco's walls.  Before he took his fingers away, he made one reach 
for the soft bump he knew to be there.  Draco moaned uncontrollably and thrashed 
about as Harry massaged his prostate.

Knowing he was now ready, Harry withdrew his fingers, and positioned his lubed 
dripping erection at Draco's entrance.  With a simple look into his lover's eyes 
he knew he had his permission.  Slowly, ever so slowly, Harry entered Draco.  
Harry's mouth was hanging open, and his eyes were shut tightly at the intense 
pleasure.  Not for the first time, Harry was glad for the silencing charm.

Draco was in pure heaven.  Nothing felt as good as sex with Harry.  Nothing.  
Draco tried to gain leverage to make Harry move inside him, but his boyfriend 
had a tight grip on his hips.

"Harry..."

"Yes?" he said, the word almost coming out as a moan.

"Move."  Draco knew he was begging.  He had no shame where pleasure was 
concerned.

Harry opened his eyes, and flashed a wicked smile at the blond.  "You want me to 
move, do you?"

Draco sighed.  He knew where this was going.  "Yes!" he said, even more 
pleadingly.

"What do I get in return for this favour?"

"Uh, an incredibly great orgasm?" said Draco, trying to look convincing.

Harry laughed.  "Yes, but what else?"

"Okay, okay...  You want me to draw another picture, don't you?"

Harry beamed down at him.  "Exactly!"  Draco was really quite a gifted artist.  
The pictures Harry was most interested in were the incredibly sexy ones he drew 
of he and Harry together in the most compromising positions imaginable.  "And I 
get to choose the pose!"

Draco smiled.  This was no punishment.  Harry knew very well that Draco loved 
drawing those pictures.  "Okay..."

As soon as the words left his mouth, Harry started moving.  Draco was now 
moaning uncontrollably.  The pleasure was extreme, and only intensified when 
Harry grabbed his ridged erection.  It didn't take long after that for the 
pleasure to explode, and hot seed covered both their chests.

Harry followed a second afterward, yelling Draco's name.

They collapsed together, both grinning like it was Christmas morning and they 
were five years old.  Even though they hated how they had to hide their 
relationship, both boys were glad for what they did have.  They thought it would 
be easy to stay exactly as they were now, or at least until they graduated.  As 
long as they didn't let anything slip, they would remain happy.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Lovers in a Dangerous Time
Chapter 2: Quiddich Accident
For author's notes, please see chapter 1
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

~*~*~*~*~

Quiddich was freedom for Harry.  Moments when he flew above the cheering crowd, 
searching for the snitch were some of the happiest in his life.  They were 
second only to being with Draco.  He was currently flying around 60 feet above 
the Quiddich pitch, searching for the snitch and keeping an eye on the game, and 
his rival seeker, Draco Malfoy.

The game wasn't going very well for Gryffindor.  The score was 50/30 in favour
of Slytherin.  A Slytherin chaser had just intercepted the Quaffle from
Gryffindor, and was making her way toward the Gryffindor hoops.  The section
of the stands decked out in silver and green jumped to their feet and cheered
loudly as Slytherin increased their lead by ten points.

Harry cursed under his break, and set out looking for the snitch with new 
vigour.  If there was one thing Harry was competitive at, it was Quiddich.  
Hermione could get her top grades, but Harry would always have his excellent 
flying and seeking skills.

Out of the corner of his eye, he thought he saw the fluttering gold of the 
Snitch, but when he turned around, it was just a tassel from a Gryffindor 
banner.  Harry was getting more than a little nervous at this point.  He winced 
as a stray Bludger tried to knocked a Gryffindor chaser off her broom.

Harry suddenly heard a gasp from the crowd, and looked around frantically.  Then 
he spotted what must have surprised them.  Draco was speeding his way; he must 
have spotted the snitch!  Harry looked all around him, but couldn't see the 
golden ball anywhere.  He looked up at Draco to see if he could determine where 
the other boy was looking, but was shocked at what he saw.  Draco had a 
terrified look on his face, and seemed to be coming straight towards him.

"Harry, get out of the way!" yelled Draco, but it was too late.  He had slammed 
into Harry with such a force that he knocked the other boy from his broom.  
They were almost 65 feet up in the air.  If Harry hit the ground from that 
height...  A look of pure horror came over Draco.

"HARRY!!  HARRY!!  NO!!"

He had to struggle to gain control of his broom, and in those few seconds, he 
could see Harry falling closer and closer to the ground.  With a scream of 
terror, Draco wrenched control of his broom, and set off after Harry.  He 
wrapped his body tightly around his Firebolt, hoping to gain the extra speed he 
so greatly need.  Faster and faster he flew towards Harry, hoping beyond hope 
that he would reach the other boy before he hit the ground.

To Draco's great horror, it hadn't been enough.  The raven-haired boy had too 
much of a head start on him.  He hit the ground with a sickening crunch.  Draco 
was there seconds later, jumping off his broom, and running over to Harry.

"HARRY!!" he was now shrieking.  "DON'T DIE!!  YOU CAN'T DIE!!  I LOVE YOU SO 
MUCH!!  I LOVE YOU!!!"

Draco was completely lost in his own world, which only consisted of himself and 
Harry.  He didn't notice the defining silence in the stands, or the footfalls of 
people running towards them on the pitch.  He couldn't hear the distant voices 
of Ron and Hermione telling him to get away from Harry.  He didn't know that 
they, and the rest of the school, assumed Draco had tried to murder Harry.

He was now being pulled away from his lover by the strong hands of Dumbledore 
and Snape, all the while still screaming over and over how he didn't want Harry 
to die, and how much he loved him.  Harry was being magicked to the hospital 
wing on a floating stretcher, and all Draco could do was watch as his boyfriend 
was taken farther and farther away.

~*~*~*~*~

The next few hours were a blur to Draco.  He knew he had been led up to Dumbledore's 
office by the Headmaster himself and Professor Snape.  He was in hysterics for 
quite some time before he calmed down enough to answer Dumbledore's questions.  
Professors McGonagall and Snape were also in the room.

"Now, Mr Malfoy, can you tell me what happened today?" asked the kindly voice of 
Dumbledore.

Draco looked panicked, and obviously confused.  "I don't know, sir...  One 
minute I was looking for the Snitch, and the next I was zooming towards 
Harry..."

"Really, Albus!  We all know him to be lying!  Remember what he did to Harry in 
his third year, trying to frighten him with that Dementor's costume!"  
McGonagall was plainly livid.

Dumbledore held up his hand.  "But I do not think that is the case this time, 
Minerva."  He looked at Draco over his half-moon spectacles.  "Why don't you 
tell us the whole story, Mr Malfoy.  It all started last year, I believe."

Draco looked at him, shocked.  Did Dumbledore know?  Had he known all this time?  
Draco took a deep breath and told them the short version of how he fell in love 
with Harry, and Harry with him.  He told them that they had kept it a secret 
from everyone, including their closest friends.  He left out parts concerning 
his and Harry's more intimate relationship.

Dumbledore nodded once when Draco had finished.  "As I expected."  Professor 
McGonagall looked incredibly shocked, while Snape just stared at him with a 
passive expression.

"You believe me?" asked Draco, looking relieved.

"Yes, I do, Mr Malfoy.  Now, can you offer us any reason why your broom decided 
to attack Mr Potter?"

Draco thought for a few minutes, trying to think of any of Harry's enemies.  The 
only person he thought that truly hated Harry (or at least acted like it) was 
himself.  Then he suddenly remembered the incident from a few days ago.

Draco looked up, completely sure of his next statement.  "It was Crabbe, sir."

"And what makes you think that?"

"It's just like him, sir.  Why didn't I think of it sooner!  A few days ago I 
berated him for insulting Harry.  He probably thought he could appease me by 
injuring, or maybe even killing Harry, and making it look like it was my fault."

"But then you would be charged with murder," said Professor McGonagall.

Draco just waved his hand at the statement.  "Yes, I know, but Crabbe doesn't 
exactly have the sharpest mind.  He probably didn't think it through at all.  
All he would have thought was that by my hurting Harry, he would be able to 
become by 'friend' again.  Actually, I'm surprised he even had the power to jinx 
my broom like that.  That must have been why he was reading all those library 
books for the last few days.  Never in my life have I seen him pick up a book 
before."

"Severus, go and bring Mr Crabbe to me, please."

Snape looked once at Draco, and then left for the Slytherin dungeons.

"Sir, may I go and see Harry?" asked Draco with a pleading look in his eyes.

"Madam Promfrey does not like visitors, Mr Malfoy," answered McGonagall.

"I think we can make an exception this time, Minerva."  He smiled at Draco.  "I 
will write you a permission note to give to Madam Pomfrey."

Thank you, sir!" cried Draco, beyond happy.

"We'll have to wait for Mr Crabbe's version of events, however."

Draco needn't have worried.  Crabbe sang like a canary when asked if he had any 
part in what happened.  He kept glancing nervously at Draco, afraid of the blond 
Slytherin's reaction.

After Dumbledore had received all the information from Crabbe that he needed, he 
handed Draco a note.  "You may go, Mr Malfoy."

Draco gave him a huge grin, and thanked him again.  With that, he was out of 
Dumbledore's office in a flash, and ran to the hospital wing.

~*~*~*~*~

As Draco reached the doors to the hospital wing, he ran into two unexpected 
obstacles, although he thought he really should have expected them.

"Stop right there, Malfoy," said a very angry redhead.

Draco felt the anger course through him.  They were stopping him from seeing 
Harry.

"I don't have time for this, Weasley!"

"Well, we don't care!" yelled Hermione.  "We're not going to let you go in there 
and finish him off!"

It seemed that they blamed him, too.  "Are you deaf?  Didn't you hear me 
screaming out there?  It *wasn't* *me*!"

Hermione seemed to lose some of her anger.  "Maybe he's telling the truth, 
Ron..."

"What?!" he looked over at Hermione, bewildered.  "Harry's not *gay*!  He can't 
be!  And besides, even he was, the last person he would go for would be 
*Malfoy*!"

"I assure you that you are wrong.  Definitely wrong," said Draco, becoming 
angrier.

Hermione looked unsure as she spoke to Draco.  "If you weren't attacking him, 
who was?"

Draco looked exasperated, but answered anyway.  "Crabbe.  If you don't believe 
me, ask Dumbledore.  I just came from his office.  Do you really think that 
he'd let me roam free if he thought I'd attacked Harry?"

The use of Harry's first name by Draco stunned them both.  "He does have a 
point..." said Hermione.

"I can't believe you're taking his side!" yelled Ron.  "After all he's done to 
us!  Done to Harry alone!"

"But if you think about it, Ron, nothing like that has happened in about a year.  
Come to think of it, I don't recall him calling me Mudblood or you poor for at 
least that long."

Draco was nodding.  "Well of course not!  I couldn't do that to his best 
friends!  I couldn't hurt him like that...  And all the things I've said to 
Harry over the last year, I didn't mean any of them."  Ron scoffed, but Draco 
continued.  "I really didn't.  We'd say stuff to each other, but we'd really 
mean the exact opposite.  It was like a sort of code."

Things were starting to add up for Hermione.  "Ron, I think he's telling the 
truth.  I don't think he could fake his reaction when Harry fell."

Ron was still very red-in-the-face.  "But...his father's a Death Eater!"

"I am not my father," came the simple reply.

"Maybe Harry's changed him or something," thought Hermione out loud.

"Of course he has.  How could I be with him and not change?  But I was already fighting my father's influence before we got together.  I don't think Harry could have fallen in love with me any other way."

"Okay," said Ron, still angry but calming down a bit, "if Harry was in love with 
you, why didn't he tell us?  Why didn't he tell us he was gay?  He, er...is gay, 
right?"  Ron looked confused and somewhat lost.

Draco smirked.  "Very much so."

"Ron, I think I know why he didn't tell us," said Hermione.  "I think it has to 
do with Percy."

"What?" said Ron, clearly in shock.  "But that makes no sense!"

"Quite right, Granger," said Draco.  "Harry is under the impression that Weasley 
here doesn't take too fondly to gays."

"But...why would he think that?"  Ron was getting more confused by the minute.  
His brows drew together in thought.

"I think you're better asking Harry that than me."  Draco sighed.  Was it so 
much to ask to see his boyfriend?  He didn't even know the extent of his 
injures.

"While this has been fun, can I *please* see my boyfriend now?"

Ron gasped at the word "boyfriend."  It was the final nail in the coffin.  
"Fine.  But we're not leaving you in there alone.  I still don't trust you."

Hermione sighed.  'Men!' she thought.  She opened and held the hospital wing 
door for Ron and Draco to walk through.

As Draco walked in, he saw Madam Pomfrey tending someone in a bed near the back 
wall.  The Matron huffed as she saw the three students enter, and walked 
straight over to them to shoo them away.

"But I have a note from Dumbledore."  Draco gave the note to her, and she read 
it with wide eyes.

She almost seemed hesitant before she spoke.  "Very...well, Mr Malfoy.  I don't 
think you could have forged this..."

Draco rolled his eyes, and ran over to Harry's bed, Ron and Hermione behind him.

"Harry?  Harry, love, are you alright?"  Draco's voice was slightly panicked.

The raven-haired boy slowly opened his eyes, and his gaze fell on that of his 
lover.  "Draco..."  He was smiling.  Ron looked startled, but Hermione just 
nodded.

"I love you so much!" cried Draco, as his arms went around Harry.  Harry winced 
slightly, but the pain wasn't great.  His real problem was his legs.

Harry smiled warmly at Draco.  "I love you, too."  He then frowned slightly.  
"But...isn't it a bit dangerous for you to be here?"

Draco looked guilty.  He released Harry, and moved aside so he could see his two 
best friends.

Harry gaped at them.  What was going on?  "They know?!"

"Yeah..." said Ron, looking shy and unsure.

"Harry," said Hermione, "we don't care.  We were a little surprised that it was 
*Malfoy*, but we don't care that you're gay."  She smiled down at him.

Harry looked unconvinced.  "You mean *you're* okay with it, Hermione.  What 
about Ron?"

Ron's demeanour changed then.  He seemed happy and totally confident.  "Oh for 
god's sake...  Harry, you're my best friend!  And you'll always be my best 
friend.  If you love him...if he makes you happy...then I'm 100% behind you."

"Really?" Harry said, shocked.

"Of course, you git!"  He sighed.  "Hermione reckons you misunderstood about 
Percy..."

Harry nodded slowly.  "You seemed so upset when he came out..."

"But that's only because of who he was with at the time, though!  I knew Michael - 
that was his boyfriend he met at the Ministry - I knew he'd hurt Percy, that 
he'd use Percy.  And that's just what happened.  Now that Percy's with Oliver, 
I'm very happy for him."  He smiled at his friend.

Harry looked too shocked to say anything, so Draco cut in.  "What about me then?  
We're not exactly the best of friends."

Ron sighed, and ran a hand through his red hair.  "I still don't trust you.  
But, honestly, now that I now all those insults you threw at Harry weren't 
really insults...  And the fact that you seem to love him deeply...  I haven't 
made up my mind yet.  Percy never had that with Jason.  Michael was always trying 
to take advantage of him."

"I never knew about all this..." said Harry, still in obvious shock.

Ron was now chuckling.  "I didn't think you'd want to hear about it.  You seemed 
so nervous around Percy after he came out."

Harry's eyes were now practically the size of dinner plates.  "That's because I 
thought he'd find out about me...that he could just look at me and tell...  And 
still a little because of his perfect attitude."

Ron was laughing full out now.  "How ironic is *that*!"

Hermione, smiling at the understanding between her friends, brought the 
conversation back to more serious matters.  "How are you felling, Harry?"

"Not too bad, really.  Madam Pomfrey was able to take away most of the pain."

Draco looked concerned.  "Is there anything I can do?"

Harry smiled up at him.  "Stay with me?"

"Always," said Draco, without hesitation.

A look passed between Ron and Hermione.  "We'll be on our way, then."  
Hermione took Ron's arm in her hand, and pulled him towards the door.

"Right," said Ron.  "See you tomorrow, alright?"

"Okay, see you.  Thanks for coming."

After Hermione and Ron had left, Draco sat in a chair beside Harry's bed, a 
companionable silence falling over them.

Harry finally spoke.  "Do you know what happened?"  His tone wasn't accusatory.  
He said it as if he didn't expect Draco to be involved at all.

Draco tightened his grip on Harry's hand.  "It was Crabbe.  The bastard!!  He 
thought he could get in my good graces again by hurting, and maybe even killing 
you, but making it look like I was responsible.

Harry nodded.  "What happened after I fell?"

Draco blushed.  There weren't many times Harry could remember Draco blushing, 
especially outside of the throws of passion.  "Well, I...er...I sort of lost 
it."

"What do you mean?"

"I...dove after you to try and catch you, but I was too far behind.  When you 
crashed to the ground, I just started screaming.  Screaming for you not to 
die...for you not to leave me...and kept saying over and over that I loved 
you..."

Harry's eyes were wide again. He reached up and wiped Draco's tears with his 
sleeve.  "Draco, love..."

"I'm sorry, Harry, but it's not just Weasley and Granger that know...  
Everyone at the game has probably figured it out, and the few that weren't 
probably have heard from other people.  The whole school is likely to know."

Harry didn't look upset, as Draco had expected.  In fact, he was smiling.  "So 
the cat's out of the bag, so to speak."

Draco chuckled.  "I'd say the whole damn *jungle's* out of the bag..."

Harry suddenly switched expressions, and looked concerned.  "What about your 
father?"

Draco sat back a bit in the chair, still holding on to Harry's hand.  "He hasn't 
come for me...yet."

Harry, gripping Draco's hand even tighter, said, "I won't like him do anything 
to you.  He won't lay one finger on you!!"

Draco smiled a sad smile.  "Thanks, Harry.  That really means a lot, but not 
much can stand in the way of Lucius Malfoy."

"But he has yet to come up against The Boy Who Lived."  His eyes were sparkling 
with mirth, and he wore a rueful smile.

Draco was laughing again.  "True!"  The blond boy leaned down, and kissed Harry 
firmly.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Lovers in a Dangerous Time
Chapter 2: Facing the Fire
For author's notes, please see chapter 1
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

~*~*~*~*~

It was a week later before Harry was allowed to leave the hospital wing.  Draco 
had stayed with him the entire time, unwilling to leave Harry's side.  Madam 
Pomfrey had called it highly unorthodox, but Dumbledore had given his 
permission.

Draco was also somewhat apprehensive of the reaction of the school.  After what 
happened to his housemates the year before, he couldn't help think the same
would happen to him if he dared go back to the dungeons.  Their only link to the 
outside world was Ron and Hermione, and the subject of the school's reaction 
didn't come up in conversation.

Lucius Malfoy still hadn't made an appearance at Hogwarts.  Draco thought for a 
brief moment that it might be because his classmates were afraid of Draco's 
reaction.  He had quite a lot of power within his house.  But then he thought 
better of this.  The Slytherins probably flooded into the Owlrey directly from 
the Quiddich pitch.  So he had to wonder why his father hadn't shown up yet.  
Maybe he had disowned him, and Ron and Hermione didn't know?  Maybe he was away 
on a long trip (which was really just an extended meeting with Voldemort)?

Harry and Draco walked down the corridor that led to the Great Hall.  Breakfast 
had started fifteen minutes previously, so they didn't meet anyone on their way.  
They clutched their hands tightly together, and walked into the unknown.

As soon as they entered, the entire room went silent.  All eyes, it seemed, were 
on them.  Particularly nasty looks were sent their way from the Slytherin table.

"Gryffindor?" whispered Harry to Draco.

"Definitely."

They walked quickly over to the Gryffindor table, and found two seats beside Ron 
and Hermione.

Hermione was the first to speak since they entered.  "All right, Harry?"

Harry gave her a weak smile. "Just about.  I'll be coming back to the dorms 
tonight, at least."  He now looked incredibly apprehensive, a look that was 
mirrored by Draco.  Noise started to fill the Great Hall again, but Harry still 
felt as if most eyes were still staring at him.

"Good!" said Ron.  "We've all missed you!"

Harry was doubtful.  He looked around the table quickly, paying particular 
attention to his roommates.  Seamus and Dean looked fairly happy, and Neville had his eyes focused on the plate in front of him.

Seamus spoke next.  "You could've told *us*, Harry," he said, indicating himself 
and Dean.  "We would've understood."

Before he could stop himself, Draco blurted out, "Finnigan and Thomas are an 
item?!"  Harry couldn't help but look shocked, too.

Dean was blushing.  "Um, yeah."  He glanced over nervously at Seamus.  "Don't 
tell me you didn't notice all those nights when I snuck over to Seamus' bed?"

"Wait," said Harry, "how long has this been going on?"

"Since about the beginning of the term," replied Seamus.  "Why?"

It was Harry's turn to blush.  "Ahh...I was probably with Draco."  He didn't 
mention that Draco had been coming into their dorm room since last year.  He 
thought that might be a little too much for his classmates to bear at the moment.

"Neville, are you all right?" asked Ron, sounding concerned.

Neville suddenly pushed his chair back, and ran from the room with tears in his 
eyes.

Harry was stunned.  Did he miss something?  "What the..."

Hermione leaned closer to him, and said in almost a whisper, "Harry, I know you 
didn't notice, but Neville's had rather a large crush on you for some time 
now..."

Harry was even more stunned.  "Really?  I had no idea...  No wonder...  I'll let 
him be for now, but I should talk to him later."

Draco, who was listening in, said, "Just don't let him seduce you."  He leaned 
over and kissed him lightly on the lips.

Harry lightly smacked Draco on the arm in mock indignation.  He felt his heart 
sore with love.  Draco didn't mind public displays of affection!

"What?  Abuse!  Abuse!" Draco teased.  Everyone around them at the table 
laughed.

~*~*~*~*~

After lunch, Harry went up to his dorm room to retrieve his Potions textbook.  
He heard someone softly crying, someone who he knew must be Neville. 

Harry walked over to Neville's four-poster.  "Neville..."  After getting no 
response, Harry tried again.  "Neville, won't you talk with me?"  Again there 
was no response.  Harry reached for the hangings, and pulled them back slowly.  
Neville was curled up on his bed, crying into his pillow.

"Neville, can we talk?  Please?"

Neville looked up with red, puffy eyes.  "Harry...I don't think I can..."

"It's okay," he said gently, "you can't help your feelings."

Neville sat up quickly.  "But!  But...you're never going to love me back!"

Harry sighed.  "Neville, some day you're going to make a man very, very happy."

"I don't see how..."

"Neville, you've got to stop thinking of yourself as worthless.  You are a great 
person!  Just look at how good you are at Herbology."

"But I can't see how I'll ever love someone else..."

"You might not think that now, but there's no telling what may happen in the 
future.  I just know that you'll find happiness."

"Really?" said Neville, wide-eyed.

"Really."  Harry sat on the bed, and gave his friend a hug.  "Now, are you 
coming to Potions with me?"

Neville visibly cringed.  "Can't I just skip?  It's almost the end of term 
anyway..."

"I think you'd better, or Snape is going to be ten times more mad at you than he 
usually is."

Neville paled at that suggestion.  "Then I guess I better go..."

"I know what'll make you less nervous around him!  Just picture him in his 
underwear!"

Neville looked scandalised.  "Harry!"  They both laughed, and left the dorm room 
for Potions.

~*~*~*~*~

Draco gripped his Potions textbook tightly in his hand.  He had the sudden urge to throw it across the hall, perhaps hitting several people along the way.  He felt like screaming, like cursing anyone who blocked his way, like hurtling himself off the highest tower of the school.  His day was only half over, and already it was a living hell.  Draco truly had no concept of how fast one's popularity could do a complete 180-degree turn.  He had gone from a boy - almost a man - who had much power and influence, at least with the Slytherins, to someone who was treated as less than dirt on the bottom of a shoe.  These were the very same people who only a week ago were hanging off his every word, and now treated him as if he was worth, to put it bluntly, shit.  He knew these people weren't worth the effort; they were a bunch of followers who would do anything for an inch of fame.  But he missed it; he missed it all the same.

He entered the Potions classroom, and immediately sat down at his usual bench with Harry.  He realised with a start that he would now be able to show his feelings for Harry in class.  It was a weird concept, after so many months of hiding it.

"Hey," said Harry, as he sat down.  "How was your day so far?"

Draco gave him a pained expression.  "Bad."

Harry's eyebrows rose high under his fringe.  "Bad?  Draco, what happened?"

The blond was now looking at his hands.  "Just...everything.  I mean, I can handle the name-calling.  It's so child-like it's almost laughable.  But...I must admit to not much liking being slammed into walls..."

"Who?"  Harry grabbed his arm, and forced Draco to look at him.  "Who did that to you?"  His eyes flashed with anger.  How *dare* they do that to Draco.

Draco just shrugged.  "A lot of people.  I think they take some perverse pleasure out of it.  'How the mighty have fallen.  Draco Malfoy, Slytherin to the core, is a little faggot.  *And* he's taking it up the ass from Harry Potter.'"

Harry recoiled from the last statement, dropping Draco's arm from his strong grip.  "Sorry, love."  Draco gave him a reassuring smile.  "Just repeating some of the stuff I've heard."  He sighed, and ran a hand through his blond locks.  "And it's not like I'm strong enough to fight back.  I've always left that up to Crabbe and Goyle."

"Draco..."   Harry had the sudden urge to take the other boy into his arms.  He realised that nothing was holding him back, so he did just that.  Draco accepted the hug gratefully, melting into Harry arms.  They ignored the jeers and general nastiness being sent their way from the Slytherins.  Right now, it was just the two of them.  And nothing else mattered.

"/Mr/ Potter!  /Mr/ Malfoy!  My office.  *Now*."

If Draco thought his situation couldn't get any worse, Snape had just come into the room.  Fuck.

The two boys made their way into Snape's adjoining office, dreading what was coming.

Snape slammed his door shut, and stood behind his desk, looking down at them over his crooked nose.

"I want to make one thing clear right now.  There will be no tom-foolery in my class!  No hand-holding, no note-passing, none of it!"

"With all due respect, sir, we're not girls."  Draco crossed his arms over his chest, defiantly.

Snape sneered at them.  "Perhaps not.  But close enough, in my book."

'Bastard!' thought Harry.  'You bloody bastard!'

"Really, Draco, I expected better from you.  And now look at you.  You've gone and turned yourself into a little Nancy Boy.  And you're with Hogwart's best-known celebrity, Harry Potter.  How cute.  Just wait until your father hears of this!"

This was the final straw for Draco.  All of the day's anger and frustration came to the surface, and exploded out.  "You listen, you slimy git!" shouted the blond boy as he slammed his fists on Snape's desk.  "YES, I'm gay!  And YES, I'm in love with Harry Potter!  Is this really so difficult for you to understand?  Harry is the best thing that's ever happened to me!  He's too good for the likes of me, I know."   Harry started to protest, but Draco continued.  "And as for my father, I couldn't give a rat's ass what he thinks!  Trust me, I'll be more than happy if he never speaks to me again."

"I see."  Snape had no emotion in his voice.  "If you feel so strongly...50 points from Slytherin!"

Harry and Draco stared at him in shock.  Never before had they seen Snape take away points from his own house.

"And 100 points from Gryffindor!"

"You can't take away points just because you hate gays!"

"Oh really," replied Snape dryly.  "Think again, /Mr/ Potter.  However, points were taken because of your appalling lack of respect for authority figures, and for no other reason."

Afraid they would lose more points, both boys stayed silent.

"I repeat: no tom-foolery.  If I so much as see a /look/ pass between you, you'll be in detention so fast, you won't know what hit you.  Do I make myself clear?"

Both boys nodded, and walked stiffly back into the classroom.  Snape must have been feeling particularly vindictive, because he separated Harry and Draco, and partnered Harry with Pansy Parkinson, and Draco with Ron.  Despite all this, Harry was determined not to let Snape get to him.  Potions had always been a living hell for him, so this didn't change much.  Harry gave a fleeting glance over to where Draco was sitting.  The blond seemed to be engrossed in preparing ingredients, and was, surprisingly, laughing with Ron.  'Well,' thought Harry, 'at least he's having more fun than me.'

~*~*~*~*~

After Potions, Harry, Draco, Ron, and Hermione were just coming out the door when they heard a rather shrill voice speak.

"Hey, look!  It's that Slytherin traitor, Draco Malfoy!"

The four stopped, and looked up towards the mocking voice of Pansy Parkinson.

Goyle was snickering.  "With his /boyfriend/!"

"Yeah," said Crabbe, seemingly over his fear of Draco.  "He's dodgy!  I bet they do all sorts of disgusting things together!"

Harry had his fists balled up, ready to take a swing at any one of them, but Draco was holding him back.

"Feeling rather full of yourself, are you Pansy?  Got yourself a little gang now and everything."

"Shut up, Malfoy!  Why we were ever so afraid of a little faggot like you, I'll never know."

Harry wrenched himself free from Draco's grip, and slammed Pansy against the corridor wall.

"Harry, no!" cried Hermione.

"We're not afraid of you or any of the Slytherins!" yelled Harry.  "You can call us all the names you want, you can even beat us up if you want, but we'll never be afraid of you!  If anything, I think we'll even pity you for leading such a meaningless existence."

Pansy's face was red with anger.  "Get off me, queer boy!"

Draco and and Ron pulled a struggling Harry off the Slytherin girl.

"It's not worth it, Harry," said Draco in a defeated voice.  "It's just not worth it."

"What?!  How can you *say* that?" cried Harry.

"It's just what they want.  They thrive on this sort of thing, Harry.  You should know that better than anyone..."

Harry stopped struggling suddenly, and went limp in Draco's arms.  He nodded, and started walking out of the dungeons.  A moment later, his two best friends and lover followed.

"Running away, are we, Potter?" sneered Pansy.  "A little afraid?  Ashamed of who you are?  Don't think this will be over so easily."

Harry tensed, but did not turn around.  Draco was at his side, and Ron and Hermione walked closely behind.

~*~*~*~*~

"FUCK!"  A pillow made its way across the common room, and smacked into the far wall.  "FUCK!"  Another pillow joined the first.

Harry was boiling.  He couldn't remember ever being so mad in his life, except for events such as the death of his parents, the wrongfull imprisionment of Sirius, and the death of Cedric Diggory.  How dare those Slytherins!  How dare they make a mockory out of the most prescious thing in his life!  Who gave them that right?!

"Harry," Draco said in a calming voice, but his boyfriend didn't seem to be listening.  Another pillow made its way across the common room.  Many Gryffindors were gathered at the opposite side from where the pillows were landing.

"Harry."  This time Draco put a hand on Harry's shoulder, and the raven-haired boy stopped just as he was about to let another pillow fly.  He turned around, and stared at his boyfriend.

"What?"

"I must put a stop to this blatant abuse of innocent pillows!"

Harry couldn't help himself.  He burst out laughing.  After everything that had happened that day, all the tension, and build-up of emotions, he had to find some release.  God, he loved Draco.  His boyfriend always knew just what to say.

"Plus I think you're frightening your little Gryffindor housemates," said the blond with a wink.

For the first time, Harry noticed the crowd staring at him, and went beat red, right to the tips of his ears.

"You're tired.  Why don't you head up to bed?" suggested Draco.

"Yeah.  That sounds like a good idea."  He reached for Draco's hand, and tried to pull him along, but the blond wouldn't move.  "What's wrong?"

"Harry..." Draco began slowly, "I don't think I should stay here tonight."

"Why?"

"Well, I'm a Slytherin, and this is Gryffindor Tower...  Not to mention some of your housemates aren't thrilled to see me here for other reasons..."

Harry's eyes went wide in realisation.  He had been so preoccupied with the Slytherins' reactions, that he had completely neglected to observe those from his own house, or from Ravenclaw or Hufflepuff, for that matter.  He realised that most of the Gryffindors wouldn't be as obvious in their dislike of his relationship with Draco, but there were probably many who wouldn't approve.  Even if he was their -- former? -- star.

Harry ran a hand through his raven hair.  "Shit.  Well, you certainly can't go back to your own dorm.  They'll skin you alive!"  Harry looked frightfully scared.

"I don't know if I really have a choice."

Harry looked at him, determined.  "Just stay here for a minute, okay?"  Harry gathered his roommates together, and talked to them quietly in a corner.  After a few minutes, they were all nodding.

Harry walked back to Draco with a smile on his face.  "They've all said they don't mind you sleeping here."

Draco looked cautious.  "But what about the others?"

Harry shrugged.  "Who cares?  They can think what they want to think.  We can deal with it."

Draco smiled, and his heart soared.  *We.*  They were a team, and would face anything that came their way.  "You're right.  We can deal with anything."

~*~*~*~*~

Draco remarked to himself that Harry's dorm room really did look quite different when lit by torches.  He could see bits of paraphanalia hanging about -- Quiddich posters, school books, some dirty laundry, and a poster of some sport he didn't recognise.

"Hey," he said, pointing to the picture, "what *is* that?"

Dean, who was getting ready for bed, turned and grinned wildly.  "Football!"

"What kind of daft Muggle game is that?  They don't even have brooms."

Dean was still grinning.  He saw another victim.  "Oh, football's *much* better than Quiddich.  I even got Seamus to like it!"

Seamus groaned.  "You should have seen what he did to me!  He withheld sex for a whole *week* before I promised to see a game with him over the summer." The rest of the room laughed.

He looked over at Ron's corner of the room.  He had a Chuddly Cannon's poster up, which Draco did remember seeing before, but this one looked somewhat different.

Ron seemed to notice his gaze, and spoke excitedly about his favourite Quiddich team.  "...and I know McKissock hasn't been saving many goals lately, but she was really great at the top of her career.  Actually, I just got this poster in Hogsmeade last weekend.  It shows a better picture of her."

"Yeah, wasn't the seeker whizzing around on her broom before?"  He cursed himself as soon as the words left his mouth.  Now they know he'd been in this room before.  Draco winced.  He was in deep trouble.

Ron's mouth hung open, and the entire room was silent.  "You've been in here before, haven't you?  When?  Harry, did you bring him up here?"

"Um..."  Harry was still frozen in shock.  He went distinctly pink.  "Yeah..."

"How?  When?" demanded Ron.

Draco looked at Harry.  He mouthed 'the truth' to his boyfriend.  The raven-haired boy nodded.

"I've actually been in here quite a few times," said Draco as he sat down on the edge of Harry's bed.  "I'd come in here in the middle of the night to...uh...visit Harry."

Everyone in the roon got the implications of that statement.

"You gave him the passwords?" said Ron, clearly still in shock.

"Yeah," admitted Harry, now out of his frozen state.  "I used his owl to pass notes during meals."

Ron clearly wanted to ask more, probably about the invisibility cloak, but refrained in the presence of his other roommates.  He sent a look to Harry that he hoped conveyed, 'We'll talk about this later.'

After a few minutes, everyone was settled in for the night.  Draco crawled into Harry's familiar bed, and drew the hangings.  He muttered the silencing charm, more out of habit than anything else.

After several minutes of tense silence, Draco spoke.  "Sorry.  For back there, I mean."  He absently played with the corner of Harry's quilt.

Harry didn't respond for a while.  He shook his head.  "I didn't really mind."

Several more minutes of tense silence followed.  Harry spoke first this time.  "Draco...have things changed between us?"

"Changed?" said the blond in surprise.  "What to you mean?"  He looked over at Harry with slightly frightened eyes.

"I mean...just...now that everyone knows...it's like we have a real *relationship* as oppossed to, well, meeting occasionally and looking at each other from across a room."

"But didn't you always want this?"

"Yeah.  And I still do.  It's just, now we're presented with all these situations and opportunities.  It's all so new."

Draco snuggled closer to Harry, and brought his arms around him.  "I think...everything has changed except us.  My feelings certainly haven't changed.  I think as long as we take everything one day at a time, everything will work itself out."

Harry kissed his boyfriend briefly.  "Thanks.  That's just what I needed.  My feelings haven't changed either.  Not in the slightest."

Draco laughed.  "Well, that's good to hear."

Harry looked like he was contimplating something.  "Are we...really going to sit back and watch as the Slytherins walk all over us?"

Draco grinned.  "Of course not.  It's one thing to give into their taunts, but it's another thing entirely to have the upper hand."  Harry quirked an eyebrow.  "We'll have to think of something...something grand to get them off our backs for good."

"Sounds like a plan.  Can we involve Ron and Hermione, too?  We always come up with great schemes when we're together..."

"Sure.  It'll be fun to see the the Gryffindor Trio in action," said Draco with a wink.

Harry smiled.  "Thanks."  His expression then turned more mischivous, and he leaned forward to kiss Draco.  Sometimes their kisses were soft and gentle, and sometimes they were hot and searing with passion.  This kiss was definitely the latter.  Both boys had been through so much in the day.  They were both emotionally drained and physically exhausted.  They wanted intimicy, but also wanted quick release.  There was only one way to solve their problem.

Draco melted into the kiss, kissing back with equal passion.  He ghosted his hand over the bulge in Harry's pajamas, then slipped a hand under the waistband.  Harry groaned into the kiss, bucking his hips in response.  He tangled his hands in Draco's blond hair, then brought them down over the smooth expanse of Draco's bare chest.  He needed this now; hot, heavy, and fast.  Harry also slipped a hand into Draco's boxers, quickly closing his hand over the dripping, hard length.

The pace was becoming frantic, both boys moving fast in each other's grasp, small moans and grunts escaping from the kiss.  It was fast, furious, and beautiful all at once.  Draco felt the searing hot storm of absolute pleasure crash through him as he arched into Harry's hand.  Harry followed him a few seconds later, practically screaming Draco's name.  Sated, they both relaxed into the bed, sighing happily.

"That was..." Harry began.

"...perfect," finished Draco.

They smiled, performed a quick cleaning spell, and fell asleep quickly in each other's arms.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Lovers in a Dangerous Time
Chapter 3: Kick at the Darkness
For author's notes, please see chapter 1
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

~*~*~*~*~

Bright winter sun filtered through Harry's hangings, and fell over just the right spot on his face to be annoying.  Harry groaned, and tried to roll over, but realised he couldn't.  Then he smiled.  He had dreamed of this.  All those nights when Draco had regretfully left his bed...he could now wake up warm and safe in the arms of his lover.

The blond boy shifted, and kissed Harry's shoulder.  "Morning."

"Morning."

"This is nice."

"Definitely."

There was a sudden movement outside Harry's bed, and the hangings were unexpectedly pulled open.

"Oh for god's sake..."

"Ron!"

"Harry, do you have any idea what time it is?"

"Weasley, while we're both impressed with your knowledge of chronological functions, I think my boyfriend and I would rather stay here."

Ron scowled at the blond boy.  "Breakfast starts in 10 minutes.  Just reckoned you'd like to know.  By the way...I've been yelling at you for the last 15 minutes.  Didn't you hear me?"

"Er, must have forgot to take off the silencing charm..."

Ron quirked an eyebrow.  "I do *not* want to know."

~*~*~*~*~

Twenty minutes, and a rushed shower later, Harry and Draco sat at the Gryffindor table laughing and eating breakfest.  They both jumped a little in surprise as Professor McGonagall came up behind them and cleared her throat.

"The Headmaster would like to see you both before class this morning."

Harry nodded to his head of house.  Why did Dumbledore want to see him?  It must be something to do with Draco...  Harry looked over at Draco who merely shrugged.  He didn't have any ideas either.

They met Dumbledore outside his office.  The old man said the password ("cockroach clusters") and bade them entrance.

"Hello, boys.  Sit down, won't you?"

Harry and Draco both had curious and slightly anxious looks on their faces.

"Yes, Headmaster?" asked Harry.

Dumbledore had a definite twinkle in his eyes.  He paused for a moment before he spoke.

"It has come to my attention that you slept in Gryffindor Tower last night, Mr Malfoy."

Draco's anxiousness turned into worry.  He began hesitantly.  "...yes, sir."

"The first time you have spent the entire night, I believe."

A deep red blush crept over both Harry and Draco's faces.  "Um..."  That's all Harry could think of to say.

Dumbledore chuckled.  "Relax, relax.  You aren't in any sort of trouble.  In fact, I suspected this might happen for some time.  And as Mr Malfoy has undoubtedly told you, Harry, I've known you've been together since last spring."

They looked infinitely relieved.  Harry had been so scared that they would have been given detention, or even worse, expulsion.  He couldn't help raising his opinion of Dumbledore after this.  It seemed that each time he saw the grand wizard he gained a new respect for the man.

"Ah, young love..."  Dumbledore stared at the ceiling as if remembering something from his past.  "Anyway, boys, I called you here to settle a problem.  As you are both most probably aware, it would be very dangerous for Draco to return to the Slytherin dungeons."  Both boys nodded.  "So what I propose is to have him moved permanently to Gryffindor Tower."

"Really, sir?" exclaimed Harry, obviously incredibly excited.

Dumbledore nodded.  "How do you feel about this, Draco?"  The use of Draco's first name surprised the Slytherin slightly, as he thought he would never gain that sort of respect from the Headmaster.  Even Snape had never called him by his first name.  Draco knew it was Dumbledore's way of letting him know that he was now trusted on the same level as Harry.  Two years ago Draco would have wretched at the mere thought, but now he couldn't help feel a swell of pride and accomplishment.  Things certainly had changed, and for the better.

"I...thank you, sir."  He looked over at Harry and grinned.  "Thank you so much!  But there's just one thing..."  Harry looked surprised.  He didn't know what Draco was talking about.  "Will I still be able to stay in Slytherin?  I mean, keep my house membership, and still live in Gryffindor?  I know I'm hated by most, if not all of the Slytherins, but I'm still proud to be in my house."  Harry relaxed.  Was that all?  He reached over and clasped Draco's hand.

"Ah, that," said Dumbledore.  "Draco, I nor any of the staff has control over to which house you belong.  Only the sorting hat has that sort of power.  Would you like to try it on again just to see?"  He was offering Draco the same thing he had offered Harry in their second year.

Draco contemplated the question for a few minutes.  Did he really /want/ to know?  What if he was placed in Gryffindor?  Or Ravenclaw or Hufflepuff?  He made a face.  No, definitely not Hufflepuff.  But didn't he owe it to himself to find out?  He would probably be better off knowing...

After several long moments, he nodded.  "I think I would..."

"Very well."  Dumbledore got up from behind his desk, and placed the Sorting Hat on Draco's head.

Despite being 17, the hat was still to big for him.  It slipped down past his eyes, and began talking in his ear.

'Hmm...back again, eh?  Trying to figure out which house you should be in.  I remember the last time we met.  I always remember.  I had barely just touched your head when I knew.  This time is different.  This time there's a little more to go on than blind ambition so strong it almost overwhelmed me.  Hmm...what's this?  You're in love, eh?  Ho ho!  And what a strong love it is...  And, oh yes, the sort of love that /demands/ courage.  And, oh!  It's a Gryffindor.  Now, wouldn't that be convenient?  But wait...there's till more...  Strong intellect...but I don't think Ravenclaw would be right.  Still not great at making friends, so Hufflepuff is out of the question.  Now...yes...the ambition is still here, but it's changed somewhat.  Yes...you could still be great in Slytherin!  It will be a different sort of greatness than I originally thought, but it's still there.  Yes, I was right all along.  You may have changed, but you still show excellent prospects in Slytherin.'

"Slytherin!" shouted the hat for Harry and Dumbledore to hear.

Draco grinned as Dumbledore took off the hat.  "Professor," he asked, "has anyone ever changed houses?"

The Headmaster looked down at him warmly.  "Not in the entire history of Hogwarts.  Relatively few people have put on the hat for a second time, but the hat has always chosen the same house.  That's why we trust it so much."

Harry hugged his boyfriend.  "Well done, love."

"Thanks."

"Now," said Dumbledore as he sat back down on his desk.  "We have several more matters to discuss.  There is of course, the matter of harassment.  I'll make it clear to you both right now: the school does not tolerate harassment of any sort, and therefore it is our duty to deal with any problems you may come across."

Harry looked Draco in the eye, and then turned back to the Headmaster.  "We appreciate that, sir, but I think we'd rather handle things ourselves."

Draco nodded.  "Believe me, it will only get worse if the school gets involved.  At least now we can't be accused of being so weak that we have to hide behind the administration."

"Yes," said Harry.  "I'm pretty confident that we can do something to ensure we won't be bothered by any of the students."

Dumbledore sighed.  "I was afraid you were going to say that.  The school will respect your wishes, but please know that if it gets out of hand, we will have to step in for your safety.  I will not have a similar incident to last year.  And, please, nothing too dangerous.  That's all I ask."

"Who, us?" asked Harry innocently.

"We wouldn't dream of it, sir," said Draco with a grin.

Dumbledore couldn't help but laugh.  "Yes, yes, I know...  Well, at least don't tell me about it."  He winked playfully as his students.

"Fair enough," said Draco, still grinning.

"There's one more thing we need to discuss before you can leave.  It has come to my attention that you had a meeting with Professor Snape yesterday."

Harry's eyes went wide.  "How did you know that, sir?"

"News travels fast at Hogwarts, Harry," the old man replied.  "I know you mean well, but please leave Severus to me."

"Professor, why does he..." Harry trailed off.

"Hate gays?" finished Draco.

Dumbledore leaned back in his chair.  "I'm afraid he was taking his anger out on you...  He doesn't really hate homosexuals.  You see, he is gay himself."

"WHAT?!" yelled both boys at the same time.

"Let me explain.  When he was around your age, he...well, he fell in love with your father, Harry."

"WHAT?!"

"He wasn't going to tell James, of course.  He and your mother were far into their relationship at the time.  Somehow -- and you can ask your godfather for the details -- Sirius got wind of this information.  I'm afraid he told the entire school."

"He did?" asked Harry in a small voice.  Thank god he hadn't told Sirius that /he/ was gay.

"I'm afraid that's really the source of all the bad blood between them.  The incident with the Whomping Willow was just a product of that.  You should have seen Severus when he realised it was /James/ who saved him.  Severus became bitter after that.  I think he still loved James, but publically he hated him.  I think this was one of the main reasons he became a Death Eater."  Harry just sat, shocked.

"When you came to Hogwarts, Severus was not happy about it."

Harry snorted.  "You could say that again..."

"I think one of the reasons he has given you such a hard time is because you look so much like your father, Harry.  And when he found out that you were in love with Draco, that made it even worse.  Another reason, I think, is because you are James and /Lily's/ son, a representation of their love.  That must have brought back memories."

"I never knew..."  It was all Harry could say.

"Professor," said Draco, "what did he do last year when..."

"Ah...  I know it wasn't obvious, but he was very shaken up over those events.  Even moreso than I was personally.  This was not just because the two students were in his house, but because he knew what it was like to be them.  But despite my attempts, he wouldn't speak up for the boys.  I'm afraid he's still denying that he's homosexual.

Draco didn't know quite what to say to that.  It sounded just like Snape to bottle his emotions inside him, and he was probably afraid of what the parents or board of governors would say if they found out a gay man was teaching their impressionable children.  "What happens now?" asked Draco.

"I will speak to Severus soon.  Hopefully I can get this cleared up.  Now," said Dumbledore, looking at his watch, "you should really go off to class.  You've missed 30 minutes so far.  Which classes do you have now?"

"Potions," both boys groaned.

Dumbledore smiled.  "We'll get together sometime soon.  Remember, come to me or another professor if you run into too much trouble."

"Yes, sir."

"Thank you, sir."

"Good-bye, boys."

When Harry and Draco had left, Dumbledore said, "There go two of the most courageous men I have ever met."

~*~*~*~*~

After Dinner that night, Harry, Draco, Ron and Hermione went to the sixth year boys dorm room to talk in privacy.  Seamus and Dean were in the common room, finishing last minute reports for Astronomy, Transfiguration, and Divination.  Neville was also in the common room trying to sort out his Potions homework.  The quartet were greeted with quite a sight upon entering.

"My bed!" cried Draco, as he ran over to his four-poster.  "And trunk!"

Harry walked over to his boyfriend, whose bed was now placed beside Harry's.  "Guess it was too much to ask to let us just share my bed..."

"For some reason, I don't think he'll be sleeping in it much anyway..."

"Hermione!" cried Ron.

"Oh, Ron, don't be such a prude."  She whispered in his ear, "Don't you think I'd do the same if I could live in this room?"

Ron went distinctly red.  "But I thought..."

"What?"

"I don't know...that you'd rather...wait or something..." he said dejectedly.

"Wait?  Why?  Unless you do..."

"Are you /kidding/?"

The whole room exploded into laughter at this, even Ron, still red-in-the-face.

Draco whisted.  "Go get 'em, Weasley!"

Ron groaned and held his head in his hands.  "Now I'm getting sex advice from Draco Malfoy..."

"I better check and see if all my things are here," said Draco, leaning down to open his truck.  He nodded his head as he pulled out his cauldron, schoolbooks, quills, and parchment.  By this time Hermione, Ron, and Harry had gathered around too see the personal affects of Draco Malfoy.

"A teddy bear?" questioned Ron.  Draco had pulled out a raven-coloured bear with emerald green eyes.

"Er, I actually got him that..." said Harry, blushing.

"His name is Harry," responded Draco, almost defiantly.  "And he's very cuddly.  Almost as much as the real one."

"Why do I get the feeling I do /not/ want to know where that bear as been?"  Ron shook his head, still amazed at how close Harry and Draco had become.  This was /Malfoy/.  With a /teddy bear/.  Those two thoughts did not want to compute.

The next items Draco brought out elicited gasps from Ron and Hermione.

"Those are..."  Suddenly, Ron became very angry.  He couldn't believe it!  He just couldn't believe it!  "The Marauder's Map?!  The Invisibility Cloak!!  What are you playing at, Harry!  Giving these things to Malfoy!  How could you?!"

"Ron," Hermione admonished, "you are already perfectly aware that-"

Harry cut her off.  "It's okay, Hermione, let me handle this."  Harry walked over to a fuming Ron, and looked him right in the eye.  "I thought you were okay with this.  I thought you accepted Draco as my boyfriend."

"I did!  But, Harry, the /Marauder's Map/?!"

Harry just shook his head.  "With love comes trust, Ron.  I trust Draco with my life.  He wasn't going to do anything to them."

"But they were in the Slytherin /dungeons/!"

"I /am/ capable of taking care of important things, Weasley."  Draco had remained silent for some time, but felt the need to enter the conversation.  "They were always perfectly safe in my trunk."

"Why did Draco have them?" asked Hermione.

Realising she was not present last night, Harry blushed.  "You didn't tell her?" he asked Ron.

"Didn't get the chance."

"What are you talking about?" she asked, staring at Harry.

"Well, Draco needed them so he could come and go safely from the dungeons to...um...here."

Hermione gasped for the second time that night.  She then looked thoughtful for a moment, and spoke again.  "I suppose that makes sense, actually.  Everywhere else is really too dangerous, such as meeting in an empty classroom or something.  It's only safe if someone has the cloak /and/ the map, so really only one of you could leave.  And Gryffindor Tower is certainly safer than Harry going to the Slytherin dungeons.  Am I right?"  She quirked an eyebrow at the pair.  Ron stared wide-eyed at Hermione's logic.

"Yeah," said Draco, shocked.  He knew Hermione was smart, but he didn't know exactly how smart.  Her top marks could have been explained by memorisation, after all.

"Spot on," responded Harry, not quite as shocked as Draco.  He had seen her deductive skills first hand.  Often she was several steps ahead of he or Ron in any situation.  Harry especially remembered Snape's challenge from first year.  And she had only been eleven at the time.

"Anyway," said Hermione, "we really need to get going on this."  She nodded matter-of-factly, and sat down on Ron's bed.  Ron sat beside her, and Harry and Draco perched on Harry's bed, which was across from Ron's.

"Any ideas?" asked Harry.  Truly, he had no idea how to go about this, despite what he had told Dumbledore.

"It has to be big."  Draco had his brows furrowed, deep in concentration.  "It has to be so big that they'll never consider doing anything to us."

"We could...uh...threaten them or something..." suggested Ron.  "That we'll hex them or something."

Hermione shook her head.  "That won't be enough.  Hexes wear off, remember?"

Ron looked sheepish, and nodded.

"We always could use more powerful magic.  Maybe transfigure them into something horrid.  A blast-ended skrewt, perhaps?"  Draco had his arms crossed across his chest, and quirked an eyebrow.

The other three couldn't help but burst out laughing.  "Oh my *god*!  Can't you just imagine Crabbe and Goyle...?  *Jesus*!!"  Ron's face had gone completely red, and he almost fell off the bed he was laughing so hard.

Hermione sighed happily.  "It would be great if we could..."

"But?" prompted Harry.

"But we couldn't.  There is no way the teachers would let us.  And they'd know who did it, and then we'd get expelled!"

"Pity," said Draco, still grinning.

Ron had calmed down considerably since his earlier laughing fit.  "You know," he said wistfully, "It's almost too bad that Skeeter woman isn't, well, human anymore.  She could cause so much trouble if we planted a few rumours..."

"Ron!" cried Hermione happily.  "You're a genius!"  She excitedly wrapped her arms around him, and kissed him firmly on the mouth.

"Wha- what?"  Ron looked very stunned, his ears colouring a distinct pink.  Why was it that he came up with great ideas without even realising it?

"The Daily Prophet!  Don't you see!  We could spread a rumour!  They'll print anything!"

"But, Hermione," cautioned Harry, surprised to be the voice of reason, "I don't know if that'll be possible without Skeeter.  And what sort of rumour could we spread, anyway?  They're not going to believe it without some sort of proof..."

Hermione just shook her head.  "Even without Skeeter, it's still just a rag.  As for the rumour...I really don't know."

"I think I can help with that."  Draco was now leaning against Harry, with a possessive arm around his boyfriend's shoulder.  "And with the proof, actually.  Why don't we give them a taste of their own medicine?"

"What do you mean?" asked Harry curiously.

"I mean, we should come up with evidence that implies certain Slytherins were engaging in...compromising positions with fellow Slytherins.  Fellow Slytherins of the same sex."

Harry looked shocked at his boyfriend's deviousness, but then thought better of it.  For all Draco was a warm and loving person, he was still a Slytherin.  The Sorting Hat had proved that for certain the other day.  And the more Harry thought about it, the more appeal the idea held.  This might just be perfect.

"Sounds good to me."  Harry smiled, and kissed his boyfriend passionately.

When the long kiss ended, Draco pulled back, his eyes questioning.  "What was that for?"

Harry shrugged.  "No reason.  I just really liked your idea."

"Looks like I should come up with more good ideas..."  The blond Slytherin returned Harry's smile.

"Uh-huh."  Harry ran a finger down his boyfriend's chest.

"Bloody hell!" cried Ron.  "We *are* still here, you know," he said, indicating himself and Hermione.

"So you are, Weasley.  Much to my misfortune."

"Draco..." warned Harry.

Draco looked almost angry.  "What?  This the redheaded's problem, not mine!"

Harry sighed, and held his head in his hands.  "Listen," he said shortly, "I don't want to deal with this tonight.  Ron, stop acting so shocked at every little sign that I love Draco.  For god's sake, we've been together for over a year."

Ron looked somewhat apologetic, but still looked at Draco defiantly.  "Harry, you know I love you like a brother, but you can't blame me for not completely trusting Malfoy.  I've only just learned of this yearlong relationship last week!  You may know him inside out, but I still need to get to know him as something other than 'The Evil Great Git of Slytherin.'  Maybe in a while I'll think he's the greatest thing since fizzing whisbies, but that'll take some time."  Ron's tone softened as he spoke his next words.  "I'm sorry I've been acting like a git.  I'll try to get to know him better."

Harry smiled widely at his friend.  "Thanks.  And I do understand.  Just being as accepting as you have been has meant a lot to me."

Ron just shook his head.  "I'd never judge you, Harry.  You never have to worry about that."

Harry nodded, reminded for the countless time of why Ron was such an incredible person.  He turned to Draco.  "And, Draco, lay off Ron a little.  He's obviously still trying to adjust."

Draco sighed.  "Harry, I've done a lot for you already.  I stopped picking on your friends for you.  I've severed all ties to the Death Eaters, except my family, so far."

Harry looked worried.  Had Draco had enough?  Was this as far as he was willing to go?  Harry had a hard time believing that.  That wasn't the boy he had fallen in love with.

Draco smiled.  "And I'll do this for you, too.  I'd do anything for you."  Draco lightly ran a hand down Harry's cheek.

Harry smacked Draco on his thigh.  "You bastard!  You were teasing me, weren't you?"

"Yep!"  He laughed.  Draco looked at Ron, and cocked an eyebrow.  "Truce?"

Ron nodded.  "Agreed."

Hermione just shook her head.  "Honestly.  Can we get back to planning now?  Please?"  When the boys' nodded, Hermione continued.  "Now we need to find a way to get the pictures.  How are we going to make the Slytherins kiss?"

"I've thought of that, too.  We'll just need some polyjuice potion," said Draco.

Ron was shaking his head.  "That stuff takes ages to make.  Don't we want to do this soon?  Like in a week or something?"

"Ah, but we won't have to make it.  We'll just need the hair from the people we want to become."

"You have polyjuice potion?  Why?" asked Hermione curiously.  Draco never ceased to amaze her.

"No, not me.  But there are advantages to being Snape's teacher's pet."  He grinned wickedly.  Snape had showed him his personal potion's stocks on many occasions, and even taught him how to make some of the more illegal potions that he would never teach in class.

"That's perfect," said Hermione excitedly.  "Now all we need to do is plan who we're going to be, and what we're going to be doing."

"Just as long as I'm not Goyle.  I had enough of him the first time."  Ron looked disgusted.

"But you were so convincing, Weasley," said Draco with a grin.

Ron made a face.  "Think I could actually feel my brain shrink.  Bleh.  No way.  Hey!" he said, turning to Hermione.  "Wanna be Pansy and Millicent?"

"This has to do with the straight guy fantasy thing for lesbians, doesn't it?" inquired Draco.

"Shut up," Ron said jokingly.  "Well, maybe...  So want do you think?" he asked Hermione again.

"And what about the straight girl fantasy thing for gay guys?"

"WHAT?!"  Ron looked bewildered.

"Oh Ron.  It makes sense, doesn't it?  If straight guys fantasise about lesbians, isn't it only natural that straight girls fantasise about gay guys?"

"Really?  I had no idea..."  Ron still looked surprised, but seemed like he was considering the matter.  "Well, okay.  One lesbian couple, and one gay couple.  How many are we doing, anyway?"

Draco shrugged.  "As long as we have a few, that should be enough of a threat to the other Slytherins.  And I have to say, Granger, that I really had no idea you had such a dirty mind.  Must be great for Weasley, though."  He winked at the couple.  They both practically glowed a deep red.  "And who exactly do you fantasise about anyway?"

Hermione went even redder.  "Not you and Harry, if that's what you're getting at!  Harry's way too much like a brother to me."

"So, who?"  Heck, Harry wanted to know just as much as Draco.

"Um..."  She looked at Ron.  "Ron, you know I love you, but everyone has to have a fantasy, right?  It doesn't mean I don't want to be with you."  Ron nodded hesitantly.  "Well...I was, um, thinking about Seamus and Dean even before I knew they were together..."

"Really?  I never would have guessed..."  Even though Ron personally couldn't understand the appeal of two guys, he could definitely understand fantasies.

"And sometimes Justin Finch-Fletchy and the Ravenclaw keeper, Jarred Summerhill..."  Hermione composed herself.  She never thought she'd be telling anyone this, least of all Harry and Draco, and especially her boyfriend.  Ron was definitely the jealous type, after all.

"And what about you, Weasley?"  Draco still wanted to have a little fun.

"Me?  I'm not saying."

"Oh yes you are, Ronald Weasley.  If I had to embarrass myself like that, so do you!"  Hermione gave him a significant look, and he withered under it.

"Um...  Same thing that you said goes here.  I don't actually want to be with any of these girls.  I love you."  At Hermione's understanding nod, Ron ploughed ahead.  "Er...  Lavender Brown and Parvati Patil, mostly.  And lots of others.  Random pairings...  Um, and sometimes...  No, not going there."

"What?" asked Harry, clearly interested in the inner workings of his friend's mind.

Ron said the next sentence in a rush, going redder than he ever had before.  "AndsometimesIthinkaboutParvatiandPadmatogether..."  He gasped for breath.  He couldn't believe he'd just said that.

But Hermione just giggled.  "Oh, silly, twin fantasies are normal!  Sometimes I think about Fred and George!  It doesn't mean you actually want to see them together in real life.  It's just sort of...erotic to think about.  Right?"

Ron looked infinitely relieved that Hermione understood, and oddly enough, he wasn't even jealous that his girlfriend fantasized about two of his brothers.  "Yeah...  Exactly."

"And here I thought Weasley must have incredibly boring fantasies, when it turns out you have a very...active imagination."

"Oh?  I'd like to hear what *you* think about, Malfoy.  And don't give me any crap about only thinking about Harry.  We had to embarrass ourselves.  So do you."

Draco wore a satisfied grin.  "Actually, Harry already knows who and what I fantasise about.  You see, sometimes we share our little daydreams when we have sex to spice things up a little.  And sometimes we even role-play."

"Ack!"  Ron was waving his hands in front of his face as if he was trying to fight off Draco's words.  "Too much information!"

"You did ask.  Oh, and I think you have good taste, Granger.  Seamus and Dean, and Fred and George are favourites of ours."

Harry groaned.  "Don't tell them too much, for god's sake!"

"But the expression on your face when Draco was telling Ron..."  Hermione was now giggling uncontrollably.  "This was fun!  A week ago I never would have guessed I'd be swapping sex fantasies with Draco Malfoy!  But it's getting late, and I'm sure your roommates want their room back."

"But we haven't finished discussing our plans," said Harry.

"We can talk more tomorrow."  Hermione stood.  She briefly kissed Ron, who thought he saw something...maybe passion...flash through her eyes.  "Good night.  See you at breakfast."

"G'night," called Ron after her retreating back.

"Hmm... Maybe I should tell the Patil twins about your little dirty thoughts, Weasley..."

"Not if you don't want me to tell anything to Seamus and Dean, or Fred and George..." Ron said firmly.

"Actually," said Harry, "Seamus would probably be flattered...  And Fred and George would just laugh.  Dean would kill us, though."

"You're not helping me, Harry," grumbled Ron.

Draco laughed.  "I'm not going to say anything.  Remember our truce?"

"I know *I* do!"  Despite his tone, Ron was smiling.  He hadn't really thought Draco was going to tell, and that thought surprised him.  Was he actually starting to trust the Slytherin?

"Anyway," said Harry, heading out the door to wash up before bed, "just think more about the plan.  We still have to iron out the details."

"Right," said Ron.  But he couldn't seem to get the image of the Patil twins out of his head.  Time for bed indeed.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Lovers in a Dangerous Time
Chapter 4: A Cuppa with Hagrid
For author's notes, please see chapter 1
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

~*~*~*~*~

The owl post came the next morning with a pleasent surprise.

"A letter from Sirius!"  Harry couldn't contain his excitement, and no one could blame him.  He ripped open the envelope enthuseiastically.  He quickly read it, shock slowly settling over him.

"What's wrong, Harry?" asked Ron, looking concerned.

"He and Professor Lupin want to meet with me whis Saturday...  He says he has something really important to tell me."

"What's so bad about that?"  Ron looked confused.  Harry was usually delighted to see his godfather on Hogsmeade weekends, especially after he had been fully cleared by the Ministry.

"I believe he's thinking of coming out," supplied Draco while he buttered a piece of toast.

"Oh," said Ron.  "Well, shouldn't you?"

"Ron, you don't understand.  Coming out to Sirius will be one of the hardest things I'll ever do...  He's the closest thing to a parent I have.  When he rejects me..."

"But you don't know that he will..."  Ron couldn't understand how Harry could think Sirius would reject him.  The two were so close, just as close as Ron was to his own family.  And wasn't family supposed to offer unconditional love?

"No offence, Weasley, but you have no idea what this is like.  This isn't something like, 'I wrecked your best broomstick, dad.'  Or even something like, 'I got some girl pregnant.'  At least that's nice and normal.  But coming out...  Their whole opinion of you changes.  It's a major ideological shift.  You just know they're looking at you and thinking, 'He's gay?  So *that's* what they look like...'  So instead of being 'Draco Malfoy' I become '/Gay/ Draco Malfoy', as if that's the only thing that characterises my life.  Not only that, but being gay is something a lot of people hate.  So you have to deal with someone thinking of you in a completely different way, *and* you have to deal with ultimate rejection."

"But that's not fair!  None of that happened when I found out Harry was gay!  He was just, well, gay.  So what?  Big deal?  Nothing *changed*."

Draco's right eyebrow shot up under his fringe.  "Not even a little?"

Ron sat back a little from the table.  "Well, just a little, though.  I mean, so Harry likes guys and not girls.  Sure, you saw my reaction outside of the Hospital Wing.  I was *surprised*.  The thought hadn't occurred to me before.  But once it sunk in, I just accepted it as a part of Harry.  It's like, Harry wears glasses.  Harry has green eyes.  Harry's gay."

Draco was shaking his head.  "Then you're a rarity, Weasley.  Most people react more like the Slytherins.  Actually, most people act like most of the school -- sort of a quiet hatred.  They're not inclined to do something particularly nasty unless coersced into doing so."

"You have very little faith in people, you know that?"  Ron turned to Harry who had remained quiet throughout Ron's conversation with Draco.  "Harry, listen.  You were afraid to tell me, right?  And look how well that turned out."

Harry slowly lifted his eyes to meet those of his best friend.  "And I appreciate your understanding.  But Sirius is almost guaranteed to hate me.  You know what he did to Snape..."

"But listen, I have a hard time believing he would reject *you*.  Harry, he loves you like a son.  I'm *sure* he's willing to overlook anything.  I mean, how many years ago was that?  Maybe his opinion has completely changed."

Harry still looked unconvinced.  "I don't know, Ron."

Hermione has been talking to Ginny, but had been listening, and now joined the conversation.  "I agree with Ron, Harry.  Sirius wouldn't hurt you.  I don't think he's capable of that.  And I think the most important thing to remember is that this will be in the papers soon.  I'm surprised it hasn't been already, actually.  Probably trying to confirm sources with a story this big."  Hermione scowled at the thought of the Daily Prophet, especially when concerned with jounalistic integrety.  "Don't you think it's better if he head about it from you instead of *reading* about it?"  Ron was nodding along emphatically with Hermione's logic.

"You do have a point there," Harry conseated.

"Harry," said Draco, "no matter what you decide, I'll support you totally.  I can completely understand if you don't want to tell him.  But I also know that you want to share all your life with him.  So whatever you decide."

Harry smiled warmly at his boyfriend.  "Thanks."  He really wasn't sure what he was going to do.  He could see it from both sides of the arguement.  In his mind, Sirius had a *right* to know.  Being gay was part of Harry, just as much as Quiddich or his scar.  It made him a whole person.  Plus it would be nice not to have the Heterosexual Assuption hanging over his head.  

But there was also dealing with rejection, rejection from his only family save Draco, Hermione, and the Weasley clan.  Could he survive that kind of complete rejection?  Would he be strong enough?  And what if Sirius thought he was disgusting, an abomination, completely abnormal and perverted.  What would that do to him?  

But then there were also the papers to deal with, especially the Daily Prophet.  Like Hermione, Harry was quite surprised that it hadn't been published yet.  So it was only a matter of time.  At least if he told Sirius himself he could stick to the facts, and he wouldn't have to deal with any lies the Daily Prophet would spread.  He could just imagine the headline.  'Harry Potter GAY!  Caught Having Sex with Goat!'  As ridiculous as that sounded, he didn't put it past them.

So he could definitely see both sides.  He had three days until Saturday when he would have to choose.

~*~*~*~*~

Their first class that day was Care of Magical Creatures.  This made Harry even more nervous, because it would be the first time he saw Hagrid since his Quiddich accident.  And unlike with Sirius, Harry had no idea how Hagrid felt about homosexuality.  But he had to go to class, so all he could do was wait and see.

Gryffindors had Care of Magical Creatures with he Slytherins, Draco was with Harry, Ron, and Hermione as they walked across the snow-covered ground towards Hagrid's cabin.

"'Arry!" called the half-giant, wrapped snuggly in is old moleskin coat.

Harry smiled weakly.  "Hi, Hagrid."

The big man sauntered over to them jovially, and picked Harry up into a big bear hug.  "All right, 'Arry?  I 'aven't seen yeh in ages!"

Harry rubbed his ribs a bit when Hagrid set him down.  "Yeah, I'm fine."

Hagrid laughed heartily.  "Good!  Good!  Say, why don't yeh come down to me cabin before dinner for a cuppa, eh?"

"Um, sure."  Harry tried not to look nervous, but he knew some of it was showing through.

"And bring yer friends and that young man o'yers, too, eh?"

Harry couldn't help but smile happily.  "Sure!  Thanks Hagrid!"

"Good, see yer then.  Best ge gettin' to today's lesson.  We're starting !"

Harry wasn't sure what ,.. were, but he was almost certain fangs would be involved.

~*~*~*~*~

Harry was frowning slightly as he, Draco, Ron, and Hermione made their way to Hagrid's cabin.  Ron noticed this, and decided to speak up.

"Okay, now I'm really confused.  Hagrid seemed okay with everything during class..."

"I reckon he's thinking more about me now," said Draco somewhat nervously.  In truth, he had every reason to dread this meeting.  Draco had done some terrible things to Hagrid in his 6 1/2 years at Hogwarts.  He was hoping by some miracle that Hagrid wouldn't judge Harry on the basis of his boyfriend.

"Don't worry too much about it," said Hermione.  "Hagrid's not one to judge people.  And he's not one to hold a grudge either."

They walked in silence the rest of the way to the cabin.  Harry couldn't remember ever being so scared to go see Hagrid before.  Usually he couldn't wait to talk to the friendly gameskeeper.  But when Hagrid said, 'that young man o'yers' before class, he seemed to be okay with Draco.  He didn't have to invite the Slytherin, after all.  So there was definitely some hope.

Harry knocked twice on the old oak door, which was almost immeadiately opened.

"'Arry!  Yeh came!  Come on in.  I've got a good batch of treacle fudge, too!"  Hagrid seemed infinitely proud of this, but the others groaned inside.  Harry, Hermione, and Ron had first-hand experience with Hagrid's cooking, and Harry had thought he better warn Draco.

"Sit down, sit down!" Harry commanded happily.  They took their places around Hagrid's huge coffee table in over-sized wing-back chairs.  Hagrid poured tea for everyone, and passed around the tin of fudge.  Everyone politely took a piece.

"Now, that was quite a fall yeh had, 'Arry.  Sure yet all right?"

Harry sipped his tea cautiously.  "Yeah.  I've fallen before, though, remember?"  It was true.  Harry had fallen from his broom more times than he cared to count.

"But not from that 'igh up!  And I don't remember yeh ever havin' to stay a week in the Hospital Wing before."  Hagrid did have a point.  Usually wounds could be healed by Madam Pomfrey within the day.

"That was a good effort yeh did, young Malfoy.  Too bad yeh didn't catch 'im, but yeh tried yer best."  Hagrid crossed his arms over his cheast, and looked solemn.

Draco nodded, and hesitated for a moment.  He had meant to say this for over a year.  He needed to get it off his chest, and he knew Harry had to hear it, too.  "Hagrid, listen...  I know I...well, I haven't always treated you with the respect you deserve.  I've been quite cruel to you, actually.  So I want -- need -- to apologise to you for that.  Especially for trying to get you fired in third year...  I've...changed since then.  I'd never do anything like that again.  I'm really, really sorry."  Draco was surprised to learn that he had tears in his eyes after he finished.  He looked over at Harry who wore a grateful smile, and took his hand for support and comfort.

Hagrid looked surprised and stunned.  "If yer apologisin' to me, yeh really 'ave changed.  Don't worry about it.  I know 'Arry musta chosen yeh fer a reason.  And any friend o'Arry's in a friend o'mine."

Draco was practically speechless.  "I...  Thank you for forgiving me."

"Like I said, don't worry about it.  Yeh just have teh worry about treatin' 'Arry right.  I don't ask anythin' more o'yeh."

"Thanks.  And I will.  I will."

Hagrid nodded once, as if to close the matter.  "Good.  Now, more fudge anybody?  There's lots more left!"

~*~*~*~*~

Harry looked very relieved to have the day almost over as he climed the stairs to his room with his boyfriend and two best friends.  Hagrid's reaction surprised him, and he was incredibly grateful for the half-giant's acceptance.  To Harry, Hagrid would also remain his protecter and rescuer from his horribly awful childhood.  Now that that stress could be put aside, he really just had Sirius to worry about.  He still didn't know if he was going to come out to his godfather.  He kept weighing the pros and cons in his mind, and so far the pros seemed to be winning.  But he was still scared out of his wits.  He only hoped that he could gather some of that infamous Gryffindor courage before he met Sirius on Saturday.