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Twice Upon A Time	By : kimberjingle1 Category: Harry Potter > Slash - Male/Male > Harry/Draco Views: 2135 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, nor any of the characters from the books or movies. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 1
- 2
TWICE UPON A TIME

By Kimberjingle

Chapter 1 �Finding Oneself in the Present Then Lost in the
Past

The skin-chilling wind of mid October whipped and skimmed
the window surface whistling the song of approaching winter. Dark gray clouds
heavy with their fury had loomed over Hogwarts for days teasing with frigid
rain, which made the castle even more damp and chilly. Waking slowly to the
quiet rattling of the loose window hinge being shaken by the gusts and the
start of light taps onto the stone sill of Gryffindor tower from each heavy
drop of rain, one warm, toasty seventh-year snuggled back down beneath the
crisp sheets and thick crimson blankets. Slightly opening his eyes, he turned
his head to the side. Even though his snitch clock was hovering at his bedside
table not far away, the blur couldn�t be deciphered without ocular assistance.
The first number on the clock was undoubtedly a five, which was still very
early and the rain was heavier now pattering its sleepy lull.

A wet, muffled snore from a dorm mate drew a long sigh from
the only one awake at this time of morning. Knowing a peaceful slumber had now
escaped him, Harry stretched lazily remembering that he�d have plenty of hot
water for a long shower if he dared to leave his warm, comfortable bed. After
trying again to sleep, he gave up and slid his legs from his bed and into his
worn slippers. Taking his bath necessities, he left the dorm room for the open
shower area. The icy cold tiles under his feet made him- shiver and goose
pimples spread over his legs from the chill. The hot water felt glorious on his
skin both warming him in reminiscence of the bed he�d just vacated, but then
again waking him for another day of classes. As he soaped and washed, Harry had
time to ponder on the year thus far.

His classes were basically the same in his last year of
Hogwarts. Double classes of Advanced Charms, Advance Transfiguration, Advanced
Arithmancy, Advance Defense Against the Dark Arts, and Intermediary Spell
Making were the basic classes for seventh years. The newest class was
instituted last year was OMC, which was Offensive Magical Combat. It had been
instituted for the upper two years of students and everyone knew that the class
was training them for battle combat due to the looming war on the horizon. Harry
also had special classes with Occlumens/Legilimens mind control training now
with Dumbledore who had taken Professor Snape�s place as Harry�s instructor of
that skill last year. Voldemort was growing in strength with his Death Eaters
and had attacked several villages, towns, businesses and personal residences in
the last year taking what he wanted as he always had and leaving countless
bodies in his path of destruction. The last malicious attack had been two
months ago at the residence of a very wealthy man who was the curator of one of
the largest wizarding museums in wizarding Britain. The man and his wife had
been tortured and killed after the Death Eaters had ransacked their residence.

Turning off the water and drying quickly before he became
cold, Harry refused to sink again into the straightjacket of guilt that plagued
his every thought. In his fifth year when Voldemort had made his appearance
known, the wizarding world had begun to focus on Harry�s every move, word and
breath. It was unnerving and he knew the masses were waiting on him alone to
come up with some great thing to conquer Voldemort. The pressure was unbearable
and when the Offensive Magical Combat class had been instituted, Harry was at
an all time low of depression.

Dumbledore had taken Harry aside many times to reassure him
that the war against evil was not his fight alone. Even though the man�s words
were comforting, they did nothing to dispel the anticipation in the air
wherever he appeared. Wizards expected their young hero to derive some great
and powerful unique skill or universally inspired power to kill the Dark Lord
before a war was upon them all. The pressure was immense.

Shaking his head and refusing to go down that solitary
guilt-ridden pathway again, Harry had dressed for the day. When he entered the
dorm room again, his mates were still sleeping soundly drifting in that cozy
dream world where their safety wasn�t an issue and one quiet teen with a scar
didn�t bear the responsibility of saving their world. Harry wasn�t shy with his
closest friends, dorm mates and the Weasly family, but he was considerably
reserved with his speech or company to those he didn�t know well enough to give
a shred of his highly guarded and coveted trust. The media was malicious and
his words were few for his own peace of mind. What little of that he could
find.

Thoughts of Sirius� death filtered through his thoughts as
he packed his book bag with what he�d need for the day of classes. Losing his
godfather was just one instance in the long line of tragedies that had racked
his young years. The days of naivet� were long lost and the sour twinges
bitterness harbored in Harry�s very soul. It was too hard to love someone and
have them taken away so suddenly, so Harry decided never to do that again. Wearing
his indestructible armor to protect his tender feelings as well as his sanity,
he slung his book bag filled with his completed homework, quills, ink and texts
over his shoulder with the intention of having an early breakfast in the dining
hall and reviewing for his classes of the day.

The dungeons of Hogwarts were some of the most elaborate,
spacious and grand ever to exist and if a student was lucky enough to be sorted
into Slytherin, it was their domain.

�Get up, Malfoy,� Blaise said with ear to the wood giving a
few knocks to the door behind which dwelled the Prince of Snakes. �It�s almost
seven. Are you awake?� After waiting out his patience, Blaise came into the
room seeing Draco Malfoy dressed in what he�d worn the day before lying face
down on his bed sleeping like a log with a very un-Malfoy like drool onto his
pillow. It was the third time this week. �Malfoy!� The blond head popped up and
gave the sleepy half-eyed glare. �It�s almost time for breakfast. Get moving.�
Only rewarded with mumbling grumbles and sluggish movements from one who was
now buried beneath the blanket pulled over his head, Blaise decided his
housemate and friend was awake enough to carry on by himself. �I�m going to the
common room. I�ll see you in the dining hall.�

�Whatever,� Draco grouched rubbing the back of his neck
hearing Blaise leave his private room. With a groan of exhaustion, Draco threw
off the blanket, roused and wobbled into his private bath. The shower water was
hot and made little rivers of clear over his perfectly pale pureblood skin.
Turning his arm Draco glared with disgust at seeing the only imperfection his
body bore. The dark mark on his arm had been there over a year already, but it
was still as revolting as ever. He�d never wanted it to begin with, but when
faced with taking the mark or being tortured and eventually given the mercy of
death, he�d given in.

Thankfully Severus Snape had been a comfort to Draco�s
situation. With the man�s guidance and example, Draco had pledged a secretive
oath to Dumbledore to be a double spy for the side of light against Voldemort.
After seeing hundreds of faceless muggles raped, beaten, tortured and killed,
Draco reflected on the madman who reveled in his deeds. He was a psychopathic,
delusional murderer with no allegiance to anyone or anything but himself. The
vile creature would kill his own men if they dared disobey his every whim. The
Dark Lord wielded power over his followers by invoking their fear of him. No
true control was ever had by using fear as a means of motivation, he thought as
he dressed for the day still yawning.

Draco was tired. He had been tired for over two months and
the reason for his exhaustion was that he had been assisting Snape with a
command from their evil master. Months ago before the beginning of his last
student term at Hogwarts, the Malfoy heir had been given the honor of joining
his Death Eater comrades on a raid and killing at the home of Deon Finsk, the
director of the Historical Wizarding Society and curator of the Derbinghouse
Museum of Magical History. What the groups of Death Eaters sought, they had
eventually found. Voldemort had learned of the discovery of the TriForce only
weeks before. The tiny pyramid shaped device of some metal resembling pewter
opened with the correct spell and contained a dial. A great wizard named
Merlatius Wyndman in ancient times had created the unusual artifact. His
written works were to this day gleaned, studied and dissected by advanced
wizarding scholars who enjoyed the theories of time travel.

Somehow the snake-like, undead leader of the Death Eaters
had found out about the TriForce and upon very little study, but much greed,
had formulated some twisted devious plan. In his self-proclaimed genius,
Voldemort had commanded the two Death Eaters having mastery levels in potion
making to create the accompanying potion to the TriForce. The elixir, when
taken, would draw out a wizard�s signature and change his solid bodily form
into a gaseous transparent state so that when the TriForce was inducted with
the right spell, the wizard could travel back to the time the wizard had set
upon the TriForce dial. Draco thought it was folklore and hogwash, but Severus�
years of hobby studies on time travel and such drivel had made Draco almost
believe that it could be possible. With the artifact and the potion, the evil
one could go back in time and wreak havoc setting up a chain of events in the
timeline giving him ultimate power in the present if he so chose.

Severus Snape and Draco had worked as a team every evening
for the last two months creating batch after batch of the potion that was
nearly perfected. They had alerted the Order of the Phoenix about their command
and progress with the potion and were deliberately stalling the Dark Lord. The
previous evening the latest batch had been tested. To Draco�s delight and then
to his horror, the potion was perfect and had only to be bottled and presented
to their master.

With a flump, Draco sat at the dining hall table and reached
for toast that he slathered with orange marmalade and ate while still deep in
his thoughts. As he had every morning since he�d come to Hogwarts, Draco gave a
glance across the dining hall to the Gryffindor table to see the hero of the
wizarding world. Harry wasn�t eating but opting to read in some book while all
his friends were chatting about, laughing and just being stupid Gryffindors.
For a brief moment, Draco wondered what he was reading and as if he knew he was
being watched, Harry raised his head and looked directly into the silvery eyes
of the dragon for a few long moments. If Draco didn�t know better, he would
have sworn Harry�s eyes were filled with a certain sadness. Not that he cared
one way or the other how the dark haired teen felt. Without any emotion evident
on his face, Harry looked back down to his text. Draco, as usual, went back to
his breakfast of tea and toast. The day was starting out as every other.

His first four classes of the day went by as normally as
ever and Harry was heading toward the stairs to go to potions. With a heavy sigh,
he thought of his least favorite class, least favorite teacher, and least
favorite subject all in one room.

�Hey, mate,� Ron said sauntering near with a goofy grin.
Harry looked and then noticed the tell tale mark on Ron�s neck. Harry snorted
his amusement and began taking the stairs. �What? She loves me.�

�Yeah, right,� Harry quipped. �You�ve only been dating her
for three weeks, Ron.�

�But Lydia isn�t like the others, Harry,� Ron said. �She�s
different.�

�That�s what you said about Mandy, Gail, and then Candace,�
Harry said.

�Well, this time I mean it,� Ron said taking the landing of
the first of the four flights of stairs down into the belly of the school.
�Lydia could be the one for me. I mean like�the only one.�

�The only one left you haven�t screwed probably,� Harry
said. �You need to be more selective about who you�re giving it to. What if you
get some disease or something?� Harry grinned to the tease.

�I�ll take my chances,� Ron smirked. �Unlike somebody else I
know.�

�Not this again,� Harry said. �Don�t start with me today.
I�m not in the mood.�

�From what I hear, you�re never in the mood,� Ron said and
getting a hard glare. Ron raised his hands in surrender to Harry�s piercing
accusation. �Fine. I won�t say anything. I don�t understand it at all, but I
won�t complain.�

�I have other things to worry about than shagging everything
that moves,� Harry said. �You�re getting a reputation around here.�

�Mine has to be better than yours,� Ron said. �Hell, the
last time you had a date was in fifth year.�

�Get off my back about this, alright?� Harry snapped. �I
don�t have time to go around chasing after some stupid girl looking like a
fool.�

�But what you�d get out of it might be worth it,� Ron said
with a laugh.

�Is sex all you ever think about?� Harry asked. Ron
scratched his chin with a scowl of thought as they were coming near a group of
students.

�Yeah,� Ron admitted and the pair laughed softly.

�Harry, Ron,� Hermione greeted and then did a double take to
see the large purple love bite on Ron�s neck. �For Merlin�s sake. How tacky
that is. Have you no decency?�

�Obviously not,� Harry said of Ron�s latest display of
conquest. The students filed into the potions classroom taking up in their
groups of three where they would continue to work and complete the potions they
were brewing as an assignment for the week. Being seventh year students the
potions each group was given a different task and if perfect, the group�s
potion could be used in the infirmary when completed. If the group�s success
was chosen for use, each student in the group would receive five house points.
Harry was teamed with Padma and Neville, so he knew his potion wouldn�t be
perfect or correct in any way although he had taken charge of their group.
Neville, hands down, was the worst student of potions ever at Hogwarts and
Padma couldn�t be bothered from reading fashion magazines or filing her nails
to care one way or the other. That left Harry to do almost everything himself
with a bit of Neville�s help and a lot of Padma�s complaint about the smell of
the green sludge in their cauldron.

The class had begun and everyone was working and conversing
silently reading directions, chopping, slicing, straining, measuring and going
back and forth to the supply room for additional ingredients to prepare and add
while the greasy potion master walked from table to table snarling and giving
his disdainful look to each cauldron.

�Padma, could you please go get us two dramets of ground
alligator scales?� Harry asked as he stirred counterclockwise as his directions
called.

�Me? Why can�t Neville do it?� Padma asked from her chair
were she was playing with the end of her braided long hair.

�Because Neville is straining out the liquid from the ground
hesmuth,� Harry said as if to a three year old. �And I�m stirring. You need to
go get it. That�s why we are paired in threes.� With a stomp and pout, Padma
went to the storage room and came back with a ceramic cup used for filling with
powdered substances. Without warning she dumped it into the cauldron and Harry
gasped loudly. In a flash he grabbed Neville�s robe and Padma�s arm flinging
them to the floor quickly just before the cauldron erupted into an explosion.
Since Harry had fallen onto the pair of them, the brunt boiling liquid had landed
on his back. Even with layers of clothing, the potion burnt and he winced with
a yelp of pain. Snape had come to the rescue with his wand out evaporating the
potion where he could before any damage could occur.

�Why did you do that?!� Harry yelled at Padma as he was
trying to stand.

�You told me to!� Padma exclaimed.

�I never�,� Harry started.

�Silence,� Snape drawled the insult in his smug voice.
�Longbottom, what happened?� Neville looked terrified as he swallowed and took
a breath.

�Padma was asked to get the um�.the um�.er�,� Neville was
thinking.

�Two dramets of ground alligator scales,� Harry said softly
to Neville.

��two dramets of ground alligator scales,� Neville said.
�Then she came back and added it to the cauldron. Then it exploded, sir.�

�Who was the team leader?� Snape asked. Padma pointed to
Harry who raised his hand slightly. �I see. Not surprising. Clean this mess up.
You will each receive a failing grade on this assignment.�

�But, sir, I didn�t ask�,� Harry started.

�Silence, Potter!� Snape said with a scowl. The man looked
like he hadn�t slept in days and his eyes were hard and cold telling easily of
his exhaustion and bad mood. �I don�t want excuses. Your potion is ruined and
you, as team leader of this assignment, should have been in control of the
project. I see that you weren�t, therefore your leadership skill as well as
your potion is useless. The grade stands. You have a half hour to take care of
this mess.� Snape walked away and Harry sighed in anger before looking to Padma
with a glare of irritation.

�What? You said go get it. Why would you ask me if you
didn�t want to add it?� Padma asked. Not bothering to explain that things had
to be added at certain times and in an exact order, Harry began to clean up the
mess from the table and floor in silence with Neville assisting. �That stuff
really stinks. You don�t think it will ruin my shoe, do you? I just got these
from Paris.�

�Padma, shut up,� Neville said in his own irritation. �I
can�t do with another failing grade in this class. I�m barely passing now.�

�Me, too,� Harry said as he worked. The vain girl did put
away a few things for them, but all in all it was Harry who did most of the
cleaning as he mumbled on about potions, stupid girls and unfairness.

�Potter, do be quiet. There are other students in this class
attempting to work,� Snape said.

�Sir, our potion was coming along perfectly until this
mishap. Perhaps I could begin again and we could�� Harry started.

�Ten points from Gryffindor for not listening the first time,�
Snape said. �I said the grade stands.�

�I was merely attempting to ask if Neville and I could
re-make the potion, sir,� Harry said. �We need this grade.� Harry looked down
in an embarrassed way hoping the man would reconsider.

�I am low on stores of three of the ingredients you�ve
wasted already,� Snape said. �With the current situation in the wizarding
world, it�s difficult to procure potions ingredients that are pure not to
mention the hassle of having them transported to the school, if you remember.�
Everyone knew of the attacks on any deliveries to the school as of late by
Voldemort and his men. Harry nodded and swallowed the bitter pill of pride
knowing it was necessary.

�Professor, my grade in your class is bordering on failing,�
Harry said. �I need extra credit and I�m willing to work for it. Is there
anything I could do to earn an additional grade in this class to help my grade
average?� Not wanting to volunteer right away but curious, Neville listened as
Snape sighed softly and then looked deep in thought.

�I will give you a passing grade for this assignment, but
you must devote three evenings to do clean up on projects I have in my lab,�
Snape said. �There are tubes, utensils and slides which need sterilizing as
well as twelve cauldrons needing a three wash cleaning with different solvents
before sterilization. You will be required to wear a mask and gloves when
cleaning them and you may report to my lab this evening at six.� Harry nodded.
�Do not be late.� Snape whirled around to check on the other students� work.

�Great,� Harry whispered to himself. �If I didn�t need this
grade I�d tell him to shove it.�

That evening after his homework assignments and dinner was
over, Harry put his book bag in his room and took the stairs down to Snape�s
lab. He was just shy of early and not wanting to be with the intimidating man
one second longer than necessary, Harry waited in the hallway beside the door.
That�s when he heard the voices speaking inside. Not able to make out any
definite words, Harry continued to listen until it was time to knock, which he
did.

�Potter,� Snape said as a greeting as he opened the door.
From behind his professor, the pale, pointed face of Draco Malfoy appeared.
�Malfoy, we�ll discuss this at a later time.� Draco nodded and left down the
hallway. �Come with me, Potter.� Following the man, Harry was given a breathing
mask and a pair of gloves to wear. �You will clean and sterilize these vials
and put them away appropriately by size on these dowels. Here are the slides
that also need cleaning and sterilizing. And over here are the cauldrons that
will need a three-part wash. First with this solution, then with this one and
finally with this one. It will take you at least three hours to clean them all
and the next two evenings there will be twelve more to be cleaned.�

�These aren�t cauldrons from the classrooms, sir,� Harry
said. Snape snorted.

�Of course not, Potter,� Snape said. �These cauldrons were
used by me in the making of a very, very important and highly unstable potion.
The other twelve cauldrons you will be cleaning tomorrow will be just like
these pewter ones. Get to work. I�ll be in my office.�

Without another word, the man left Harry alone in the
silence of the lab. The slides were cleaned with the solutions, sterilized and
put away and Harry was working on cleaning the tubes. The heat from the small
burners in the lab where other potions were bubbling became immense and he was
sweaty and very hot. Taking a break, Harry took of the mask and gloves and sat
at a stool. With the hem of his t-shirt, the tanned teen wiped his sweaty brow
and took a moment to lay his head on his arm on the table for a few minutes of
rest.

When he heard a noise from the other room, he feared Snape
was on the way. With haste the gloves
and mask were taken with him to the corner were the large vat sinks were
waiting. Seeing the many potion making trinkets that Snape owned, Harry put
down his gloves and mask to look at the interesting things. Several were pure
gold, lava rock, snowstone, granite and even one of highly rare vaporized
crystal. Snape�s footsteps were heard much closer and Harry quickly grabbed one
of the cauldrons and put it into the sink. He was scrubbing away with his back
to the man when Snape entered to get a single book before leaving again. With a
sigh, Harry continued to scrub the pewter cauldron with a scrubbing sponge
until all of the murky blue of the potion within it was loose. The cauldron was
rinsed and the next began.

Another hour and a half later, Harry had cleaned every one
of the cauldrons with the first two solvents and sat on the stool again to take
a break and wipe off the sweat from his forehead. Taking a long sigh he noticed
his hand that was stained a light blue. In a panic, he looked back to the sink
and noticed the gloves and mask he was supposed to have used.

�Oh fuck,� Harry spat to himself. �I wonder what potion that
was he was working on?� Looking closely at his light blue tinged skin that had
been in contact with the unknown potion for hours, Harry worried. Whatever
Snape had been working on may have filtered through his skin. Not feeling any
differently from any foreign substance that may or may not affect him, Harry
was pondering questioning the man as to the nature of the potion when he�d finished
cleaning. �I can�t do that. He told me to use the gloves and I didn�t. I�m here
because I need extra credit. If he finds out I didn�t use the gloves as I was
told, he won�t give me the grade and everything I�ve done the last four hours
has been for nothing.�

Deciding to wait it out and hopefully not come down with
some horrible ailment from exposure, Harry decided to take his chances. Perhaps
the potion Snape was working on was something harmless. That�s what he�d hope
anyway. Nothing seemed to be wrong with him and those stupid gloves were
hindering his progress anyway. When it was time to finish the cleaning, Harry
put the gloves and mask back on and used the third cleaner and sterilizer. In a
half hour, he was finished. Still wearing the gloves and mask, Harry left the
lab to find Snape at his desk working on paperwork.

�I�ve completed the cleaning and sterilization, sir,� Harry
said tiredly.

�Very well. I�ll check what you�ve done and if satisfactory,
I�ll allow you to come tomorrow and repeat the processes,� Snape said. �You�re
dismissed.� Harry only nodded and walked to the door. �Potter, take off the
gloves and mask.�

�Oh. Sorry,� Harry took off the items and left them with the
man before heading out quickly and taking the stairs two at a time. It felt
like pure freedom to be out of the man�s domineering presence. Rounding a
corner in lightening speed, Harry bumped directly into something tall. �Excuse
me.�

�Harry,� Dumbledore said with a grin. �Are you in a hurry,
my boy?�

�Yes, sir,� Harry grinned. �I was working for Professor
Snape.�

�Detention?� Dumbledore asked.

�No, sir. Extra credit,� Harry said softly with the edge of
embarrassment.

�It�s an admirable thing to give up one�s free time to
improve one�s learning and grades,� Albus said. �What was the motivation for
wanting extra credit?�

�I was paired with Neville and Padma in Potions and�.well,
our potion assignment was destroyed,� Harry said. �It was an accident and
Professor Snape gave us all a failing grade because of negligence. I needed a
good grade on that assignment so I asked if there was any way to make up for
the bad mark. He said that I could work on cleaning some things in his lab for
the next few evenings for the credit work. It was difficult and I�ve been there
for four hours, sir. I was just on my way to the tower before I miss curfew.�

�I see,� Albus nodded and patted Harry�s shoulder. �Be on
your way, then. I�ll see you tomorrow during our class session.�

�Yes, sir,� Harry said with a grin. �I�m looking forward to
it.� The trek up the stairs was uneventful and upon entering the empty common
room, Harry made his way up to his dorm room where there was some banter being
had as always.

��and that was her fault,� Seamus said with a huff.

�Bullshit,� Dean commented. �He didn�t have to resort to
violence.�

�But she asked for it, Deano,� Ron said. Harry sat on his
bed to listen. �Everyone knows how she is anyway. Becky is a slut and gives it
up to any guy. And the way she dressed shows what she�s after. I don�t believe
her.�

�Well, I do,� Dean said. �I saw her coming from the
infirmary.�

�What�s happened?� Harry asked them.

�Becky Lonahan,� Seamus said with disdain. �You know how she
is, Harry. She�s been with every guy in the school. She claimed that Geoff
Piltner raped her. I think it�s bullshit.�

�Me, too,� Ron said changing into pajamas. �Becky was with
Rob Johnstack for the last four weeks and then he dumped her. I think she�s
trying to get him back or something.�

�So she asked Geoff to beat the crap out of her?� Dean asked
sarcastically. �I saw her, Ron. She had a black eye and her arm was in a sling.
He did a job on her, man.�

�What�s happened to Geoff?� Harry asked.

�Expelled,� Neville said. �They came to get him out of
Charms is what Tammy said.�

�Who came to get him?� Harry asked.

�Dumbledore with two aurors,� Neville explained. �They
didn�t put him in handcuffs or anything, but he�s left school until his trial
in two weeks.� Harry nodded and was genuinely sympathetic to the girl
regardless of what had really happened.

�So you think she�s telling the truth?� Ron asked.

�I don�t know,� Harry said taking off his shirt and
beginning to put on his pajamas as he spoke. �I don�t know her that well. But
regardless of whether she sleeps around or not, she has the right to say �no�
if things are going too far.�

�Going too far?� Ron asked sarcastically. �Harry, if you
remember, Becky has been on suspension four times for being caught in the boys�
dorms. She wears all that makeup and on the weekends she�s wearing those little
skirts and her tits are practically hanging out. She�s asking for it.�

�Regardless of the way she presents herself, she still has
the right to say �no� to anything she doesn�t want to do,� Harry said buttoning
his top.

�So it�s okay if she leads on a guy and then when they�re
doing it, she can get up and change her mind?� Ron asked.

�Yes,� Harry said. Ron snorted. �Ron, it�s her body
regardless of what she does with it. And even if she�s in the compromising
situation, it�s her choice and whoever the guy is needs to respect her wishes.�

�I think I agree with Harry,� Neville said.

�But Becky was in Geoff�s dorm in his bed, Harry,� Ron said.
�She went there with purpose and then wouldn�t go through with it. I don�t
think he should have hit her, but she asked for it.�

�Evidently she changed her mind,� Dean said. �Geoff should
have laid off and just told her to leave without taking out his anger on her.�
The banter went on for a few more minutes until everyone was settled into bed
and then the subject was dropped.

�How was helping Snape?� Neville asked.

�It was hard work,� Harry said. �I was scrubbing cauldrons
for hours. I�ll probably be there for the next two evenings.�

�Handy excuse for missing the dance Friday night,� Ron
chuckled. �As if you�d actually go anyway.�

�I went to the last one,� Harry said.

�Without a date,� Seamus teased.

�So?� Harry asked as he sat up in a huff. �You all seem to
think that I have to bring a date everywhere. Why is that? I don�t have to do
anything I don�t want to do. Personally, I think girls are a pain. I�m sick of
finding love notes in my book bag and tired of them asking me to go out. I�m
also at wits end with everyone pushing me go on a fucking date!�

�Calm down, Harry,� Dean said kindly. �We�re just teasing you.�

�For two years?� Harry asked them all. �Please lay off, you
guys. I have other things that I like doing besides being jerked around by some
girl.�

�Yeah, I agree,� Ron smirked in a tease. �But if you�re not
with some girl, then you�re probably doing a lot of that jerking yourself.� The
other guys laughed softly and Harry flipped off Ron.

�I spend all my time with Tammy,� Neville said. �I don�t
know what I�d be doing if we weren�t dating.�

�You�d be looking for a date,� Dean said. �But I�m dating, too.�

�Yeah, but you�re dating a boy,� Seamus said. �Maybe that�s
Harry�s problem. He may need to date another guy.�

�Would you do that?� Ron asked. Harry thought for a moment
and then shrugged.

�I don�t know,� Harry said. �I might.�

�You�d date another boy?� Ron asked in shock sitting up in
bed with wide eyes.

�I don�t know, Ron,� Harry said. �I�ve never�I mean I��
Stumbling and stuttering to find the right words, Harry ran a frustrated hand
through his hair and shrugged. �I have no idea and I�m exhausted. Good night.�
Pulling his curtains closed quickly, Harry lay underneath his warm blankets.
The others gave each other questioning looks at Harry�s reaction to the
question. It was a rare gem to find a subject so touchy with him and without
even conversing over the matter, the dorm dwellers knew that the issue would be
rehashed at some point.

Classes the next two days were normal and Harry had gone to
Snape�s lab for the third night. Seeing as how the potion he was cleaning from
the cauldrons was all the same blue and knowing it hadn�t affected him in any
way, Harry opted to clean without the gloves which were usually only used when
cleaning cauldrons used for creating poisons. Knowing these cauldrons weren�t
used for poison, Harry felt adequately safe not to wear the protective gear. If
anything occurred during the next few days, he�d alert Madame Pomphrey and get
a dissipating potion that would remove anything harmful from his bloodstream.
It wasn�t that odd of a request in the school infirmary and she probably
wouldn�t even question Harry about it.

After the cauldrons were put away on the third night, Harry
was finally finished with his extra credit work. It was Friday night and just
after half past nine. As a seventh year, the curfews on Friday and Saturday
nights were not until one in the morning, so he would have some time to himself
after Snape excused him. When he entered Snape�s personal chamber, he found
Draco Malfoy there speaking with the professor quietly. Harry cleared his
throat to make his presence known.

�Your grade will reflect a passing mark on the previous
assignment. You�re dismissed, Potter,� Snape said. Giving a short nod, Harry
moved to the door but not before taking a thorough assessment of Malfoy. He was
wearing black leather pants that clung like shiny wet skin to his long shapely
legs with glistening metal snaps all the way up the sides to his hips. Paired
with a dark wine colored shirt boasting black velveteen trim and onyx buttons,
he looked�well, very good. Noticing Harry�s appreciative expression, Draco
smirked.

�See something you like, Potter?� Draco asked in that smug,
arrogant drawl.

�Nice pants,� Harry said sarcastically trying to sound
insulting with a grin as he left the room with a silent laugh. Knowing he�d
have to pass the banquet hall where the dance was, he crept silently in the
hallway hoping he wouldn�t see Ron or any of his dorm mates who would pest him
about attending the function. On his walk he thought about those leather pants.
They were very fetching on Draco�s very slim, yet nice solid form.

Over the years many of Harry�s classmates had grown taller.
Some had put on weight, some had lost weight, and some hardly ever changed.
Draco Malfoy was in the last category along with Harry. Both were still seekers
on their house teams and quite physically fit in a pleasing way. There couldn�t
be but an inch difference in their heights as seventeen year olds. But Draco
had a slightly smaller frame than Harry who was typically average. For the past
three years, Draco had let his hair grow long to his shoulders, but when they�d
come back to school this year, it was cut very nicely with loose spikes hanging
about his forehead. Still the striking platinum blond and perfectly gorgeous,
Draco had many girls and boys swooning in his wake daily.

After taking his dark mark and consulting with Severus Snape
on the dangers of being a dual spy, the Prince of Slytherin had come to the
side of light and had been inducted as a secret member of the Order of the
Phoenix. Harry remembered the talk with Dumbledore and Snape in the
Headmaster�s office when Draco had given his pledge to the light. Harry was
shocked to say the least and had voiced his personal opinion to Dumbledore that
maybe Malfoy couldn�t be trusted. The wise Headmaster agreed that Draco was
typically not the trustworthy type, but over the course of months he�d proven
his loyalty several times with divulging useful information to the Order.

Although Potter and Malfoy were now on the same side, their
bickering with one another had continued but in a more relaxed way and very
seldom at that. Basically, they ignored each other. Harry had often wondered if
he could attempt to be civil with Draco and perhaps make some tiny gesture at
friendship since they were now comrades waiting on the call to battle. After
all, it was best to befriend and trust those in whose hands you were placing
your life while battling a common foe.

As he approached the banquet hall, Harry peeped around the
corner a few inches to see a few of his classmates up ahead in the hallway. Not
feeling like being harassed over attending some stupid dance, Harry took the
other hallway and went outside to the front steps of the school to sit and gaze
out over the lawns in the full moon. A thought of Remus Lupin came and went as
well as some other thoughts of the few notes Harry had found in his book bag
the previous day. The three notes were all from girls who had asked him to be
their dates at the dance this night, but he�d kindly told them in person that
he was assisting Snape in his lab that evening and wouldn�t be available. It
wasn�t a lie in any case.

Another train of thought pulled into the station of Harry�s
mind. The previous night Seamus had mentioned that possibly Harry�s problem
with dating was that maybe he needed to be dating a boy. The problem with
Seamus� statement was the fact that Harry had thought the same thing nearly
three years ago but hadn�t acted on his impulses. Some of the things Harry was
drawn to were a strong mind, athleticism, intelligence, wittiness, a sense of
humor, loyalty, dedication and kindness. The few times that he�d caught himself
noticing attractiveness in others in the past year, those others had been
males. Not that he couldn�t appreciate loveliness in a female who was pleasing
to the eye, but those Harry found physically attractive earning a bodily
reaction were all males. It was his secret, but when Seamus had mentioned the
fact that maybe Harry may prefer a male companion, he�d panicked and closed
himself off as was his way. Ron had asked him if he�d date another guy, and not
being prepared to have that talk with Ron or even himself yet, Harry had tried
to dodge the questions.

It was frustrating. Harry had never had sex and was
seventeen. At first he�d made the excuses that he was too busy with Voldemort�s
stupid self and that he didn�t have time. Then came the excuse of studying,
then his dedication to Quidditch, then studying for N.E.W.T.s, and then study
on this or that. The point was that his excuses were running out and that Harry
knew he was avoiding speaking to anyone about the true reasons he didn�t date.
He was simply afraid of losing his friends or being laughed at and not to
mention confused as hell every time his mind lingered on the lustful urges his
teenage body would have to other boys. It felt like some freakish nightmare,
but also very wickedly satisfying to take long, secret looks at the few boys he
found attractive. At being a complete novice to any deed remotely sexual, Harry
didn�t know from experience, but his imagination was quite vivid.

Sure, there were other gay boys and bisexual classmates at
Hogwarts who didn�t put any pretense or try to hide their sexuality. Not that
they were flaunting it, either, but of those was Malfoy. He had been with girls
and then with boys alternately last year. This year he�d been dating two other
boys in their seventh year class and had, to Harry�s knowledge, not dated any
females. Perhaps Harry could ask Draco about his problem. With a loud laugh at
how stupid that would be, Harry shook his head and rubbed his eyes.

�I have literally lost my mind,� Harry said.

�I couldn�t agree more,� Draco�s smooth drawl was heard.
Harry jumped.

�I didn�t hear you come out here,� Harry said. �I was sort
of speaking to myself.�

�Thus my agreement that you have, in fact, lost your mind,�
Draco said stepping out onto the front steps of the school. Harry was sitting
on the step and the night was beautiful. The bright full moon of October was
casting her light and being reflected in the lake in the distance. Every tiny
dewdrop on the lawn flickered the refracted beams making the ground glitter
with diamond dust. �It�s nice out tonight.�

�Yeah,� Harry sighed. For long moments the pair said nothing
even though several times, Harry�s wandering eyes would feast upon the tight
folds of leather at Draco�s knee and the appeal of his expensive black leather
half boots so near to him.

�You�re staring again,� Draco said.

�I wasn�t staring, I was just�,� Harry shrugged. �I like
those boots.�

�Thanks,� Draco said before he sat on the step next to
Harry. �Listen, Potter, we�ve not exactly been what you may call �friendly� to
each other even though we�re now on the same side. I think we need to keep up
the fighting so that nobody realizes that I�m playing a dual role.�

�Fine,� Harry said. Draco nodded and the silence came back
in full force. It was chilly outside and the t-shirt he�d worn while cleaning
Snape�s cauldrons was wet around the bottom hem making him cold even though he
was wearing one of the soft, thick jumpers he�d bought before school term began
over the wet shirt. �We haven�t fought that much lately, though.�

�Well, I�ve been busy,� Draco said. Harry laughed softly.

�Yeah, I can see that,� Harry said with a grin. �I�ve been
sort of busy myself.�

�Really?� Draco asked drawing out the word as if he was
interested. �From what I hear you do nothing but study, have Quidditch practice
and read. You didn�t even bring a date to the dance last week and I know you
missed tonight because you were cleaning cauldrons. Is that what does it for
you? Being the evil potion master�s slave?�

�Hardly,� Harry said. �I could get a date easy. I
just�there�s�� Harry shook his head. �Why am I telling you this anyway? You
don�t give a shit.�

�That�s precisely why I�m good to talk to,� Draco said. �I
couldn�t care less about what the hell you do.� The feeling was relaxed and
comfortable, so Harry took a deep breath and cleared his throat.

�I um�I sort of�.,� Harry bit his lip in nervousness. �I
just don�t know if I can tell you stuff like this. Hell, we�ve hated each other
for years and now I�m sitting wanting to spill my guts about some personal
shit? I must be losing it.�

�You don�t trust me. Is that it?� Draco asked.

�Well, that depends,� Harry said. �I do trust you because
you�ve proven yourself loyal to the Order. But personally, you and I have
continually sought to make each other miserable for years. And if I tell you
some personal things and you decide to use it against me, I�d be very hurt.�

�Bleeding hearts of the world unite,� Draco said with flair
waving his arms in his dramatic way. �For Merlin�s sake, Potter. I was just
asking if you wanted to chat. I didn�t know I was to become your personal
therapist.�

�Just forget it,� Harry said. �I�ll deal with it.�

�Well, now I�m intrigued,� Draco said as if irritated to
have any interest in the boy wonder�s sordid affairs. �What could the golden
one who can do no wrong have to be worried about?�

�You mean other than a psychopath trying to kill me at every
opportunity?� Harry asked.

�Don�t flatter yourself. You�re not the only one he wants to
kill. That lunatic wants everyone dead,� Draco said. �You just hold the honor
of being first on the list.�

�Yeah. Thanks for all your support,� Harry said before the
dead silence fell again. The fog had begun to roll off the lake and over the
lawn of the school. The mist was like a creeping monster coming ever closer to
envelope them during the night.

�Well?� Draco asked impatiently.

�Well, what?� Harry asked. Draco rolled his eyes with a
snort.

�You stupid twit. Aren�t you going to talk about something?�
Draco asked.

�About what?� Harry asked.

�Good lord, Potter. Are you really that dense?� Draco asked.
�You just went on and on about needing to talk to someone and then you don�t
say anything.�

�Didn�t we decide that I don�t want whatever I say
splattered all over the school or in the Daily Prophet?� Harry asked. �I can�t
say anything about what I want need to talk about to anyone who won�t hold what
I say in confidence.�

�Fine. I won�t tell anyone,� Draco said. �Unless it�s just
really, really good and I can�t resist.�

�Forget it,� Harry said. Draco laughed.

�Alright. Fine. I won�t say anything,� Draco said. Harry
shook his head. �It can�t be that interesting anyway. Hell, there�s nothing
about you that isn�t printed in some book already. So let�s hear it.�

�No way,� Harry said. �I would have to know that you
couldn�t spread this around.�

�Have you done something horrible?� Draco asked excitedly.

�No,� Harry said.

�Did you kill someone?� Draco asked.

�Malfoy, no. What do you think of me?� Harry asked.

�You�re right. You�re not that bold,� Draco said. �Um�did
you get drunk, steal a muggle automobile and go on some high speed chase?�
Harry snickered.

�No,� Harry said. �This is a personal matter.�

�You can�t get it up?� Draco asked.

�What?� Harry asked. �No. I mean, yes. Yes, I�m�I�m fully
functional.�

�Functional?� Draco laughed in his mocking way. �Oh. I see
then. You can�t get any.�

�What? Oh, please,� Harry drawled casually. �I have offers
all the time.�

�From who?� Draco asked.

�None of your business,� Harry said with grin getting more
uncomfortable with the conversation but more comfortable with Draco�s playful
bickering. �What is it with everyone wanting to know about my sex life lately?�

�So you admit to actually having a sex life?� Draco smirked.

�Shut up,� Harry said. �That�s none of your business
either.�

�Fine,� Draco said. �So what did you want to talk about?�

�Nothing,� Harry said in a tiny voice similar to a pout.

�You are such a pathetic liar,� Draco said. �You�re out here
brooding over something and wanting to talk to someone about whatever it is.
You had plenty of time to go to the dance, but you didn�t. You�re avoiding your
house members by being out here, so what the fuck is up with you?� Harry sighed
and rubbed his eyes under his glasses.

�If you take a blood oath with me, I�ll tell you,� Harry
said pointedly looking to Draco for his reaction.

�Fine,� Draco held out his hand with finger pointed. Harry
bit his lip and reached into his pocket for his knife. �You�re not going to cut
deep, are you? I don�t like pain.�

�Grow a set of balls and take this like a man,� Harry said
taking a quick slice through Draco�s finger and then his own. They mashed their
fingers together for a few moments and each felt the tingle of the magical
bonding. �I promise not to betray your trust.�

�I promise not to betray your trust,� Draco repeated. With a
spell from his wand, to seal their bond, each had their finger healed and Harry
put his knife and wand away. �Alright. I can�t go around spilling your secrets
now even if I wanted to, so let�s hear it.�

�Fine,� Harry said quietly. �I still can�t believe I�m
telling you this. But it all started about three years ago�� Harry started
talking about how he�d been on a few dates with girls and hated it so he
decided not to date anymore. But more recently had felt attractions to others
who, to his surprise, had been boys. He voiced his concerns that Ron and his other
friends didn�t know anything about how he truly felt and that he had begun to
think that possibly he may be gay. Harry�s worried voice and mental anguish
over what he was feeling as he spoke was evident in his words and actions.
After a long session of spilling his innermost secret and his frustration with
everyone asking why he never took a date to a dance or to Hogsmeade on
weekends, Harry finished his rambling. ��so I don�t know what to do.�

�And this is your big secret? The huge thing that worries you?�
Draco asked smugly.

�Weren�t you listening?� Harry asked. �Yes, this is a big
thing with me.�

�Potter, listen. It�s your life,� Draco said. �If you want
to date another boy, you just do it. Fuck what everyone else may think. It�s
not their choice. It�s yours.�

�I just don�t want to lose my friends,� Harry said. �I have
basically nobody on this earth as family and I consider the Weasleys and
Hermione as my family. I don�t know how they�ll react if I just�.� Harry
shrugged.

�If you just what? Started dating a guy?� Draco asked.

�Yeah,� Harry said nodding. �I don�t want to take the chance
on losing them.�

�So you�ll make yourself miserable because you don�t want
them to feel um�disappointed in you or something?� Draco asked. Harry nodded.
�That�s such a load of bullshit.�

�No, it�s not,� Harry argued.

�Look, Potter. If they are truly like a family to you, then
they will understand that it�s your choice of what you want to do,� Draco said.
�If they are true to you and care about you like you say they do, then they�ll
support whatever you decide in relation to what you feel is best for you. Maybe
you�re going through some type of experimental phase with your sexuality or
some other psychological garbage, or maybe you are bisexual or gay or whatever.
That isn�t the point at all. The point is that you have do what makes you happy
and not suffer with giving up on what you want to please someone else.�

�It�s not that easy,� Harry said. �I�m a public figure and I
don�t want to be harassed over whatever I do.�

�Oh yes. Your public image may be tarnished with the news
that you could possibly be gay. Is that it?� Draco asked.

�Dumbledore says that I need to keep in mind that I�m
somewhat of an icon and that I do influence others by being in the public
light,� Harry said. �I think it�s crap, but he�s impressed on me the importance
of trying to be a role model.�

�So you think that you can�t be who you are because of
that?� Draco asked.

�Well�.yeah,� Harry reasoned but with the look of
questioning.

�Have you ever considered that being who you are and not
hiding it is being a role model in itself?� Draco asked. �As much as I hate to
call you a role model, Potty.� Harry grinned at Draco�s teasing tone. �I know
the weasel is your best mate, so you need to start with him first. Just tell
him what you�ve told me tonight. I�m sure he�ll understand.�

�I don�t know,� Harry said. �Ron is�he�s just not easily
accepting of things. His brother Charlie is bisexual and dated a guy for a long
time. I thought Ron was going to have a heart attack when he found out about
it. But then we all met Patrick and it was alright until Charlie and Patrick
broke up and that was that.�

�So, the weasel got over his homophobic hang up after awhile
and now everything on the home front is just camp dandy,� Draco drawled dryly
as if he cared.

�I guess,� Harry said. �I really wouldn�t mind dating a
another guy, I don�t think. I spend time with people I like, so it would be
just like hanging out with a friend.�

�With a friend who wants to kiss and have sex with you,�
Draco said. Harry looked mortified. �Please, Potter, get a clue. If you�re
dating someone you�ll be doing those types of things, you idiot.� Harry
swallowed and looked away. �Potter, have you�are you a��

�Yeah,� Harry whispered with a nod. �I�ve never had sex, so
there. Not that I�.or wouldn�t do it�I mean, I�I would do it, it�s just�I never
cared for anyone like that. What I mean is that I would like to have feelings
for the person I had sex with and have that in return before I give myself to
someone in that way. I�ve never had a relationship of any kind before. Hell,
I�ve never really dated anyone.�

�I was going to suggest you get laid, but seeing as how you
need the complete fluffy, sweet and frankly overrated emotional package before
fucking somebody, I guess that�s out of the question,� Draco commented as if he
could care less.

�Can I ask you a personal question?� Harry asked with that
innocent look.

�No,� Draco said coolly staring out over the school grounds.
�I don�t do personal questions.�

�Give me a break,� Harry said. �After what I just told you,
I think I deserve a little cooperation on your part.�

�What people deserve and what they get are two completely
different things,� Draco said. Harry gave the head tilt of impatience. �Fine.
What is it?�

�I�m assuming that you have had sex,� Harry said.

�That would be correct,� Draco smirked as if the question
were stupid.

�You don�t have to be so smug about it,� Harry snapped.

�Fine. Yes, I have had sex. Plenty of it,� Draco said. Harry
nodded.

�Which do you prefer?� Harry asked.

�Prefer as in gender?� Draco asked. Harry nodded. �I�m more
of the gay variety. I prefer the male sex. With girls it�s a one way deal.�

�So you�ve um�,� Harry motioned.

�Yes, I have been a bottom in a male pairing,� Draco said.
�Do I like it? Yes.�

�Can you um�can you tell me about it?� Harry asked quietly.

�That�s a bit over the personal line of questioning, Potty,�
Draco said..

�I meant can you tell me what that�s like,� Harry said
quietly as if in a whisper. Draco sighed. �I can�t tell anyone, you know. We
took a blood bond.�

�Yes, I know that. I�m not an idiot,� Draco snapped. �Fine.
What do you want to know exactly?�

�Anything,� Harry said. �I don�t know anything about it. I
know where the parts go, but that�s about it.�

�You sad and pathetic little orphan. Have you just been
sheltered your whole life or what?� Draco asked. �Don�t the guys in your dorm
talk about these types of things?�

�Not while I�m around,� Harry said. �Nobody tells me
anything. I�ve never had parents to explain anything to me and the only things
I get told or taught are some crazy magical defenses to keep me living until I
can kill the evil guy. When I walk into a room, everyone stops talking like I�m
not supposed to hear anything.� Draco laughed. �It�s not funny.� The hurt in
Harry�s words were just that.

�I can�t believe this,� Draco said shaking his head with a
grin.

�I have overheard my dorm mates talking about sex with their
girlfriends and Dean with a few boyfriends he�s had, but never in an explicit
way,� Harry said. �I think they may talk to each other about stuff like that,
but somehow I�m never included in that type of conversation. I suppose they
know that I wouldn�t have that much to add to the conversation having never
done it. It�s embarrassing that I�m seventeen and know every magical defense
known to wizard kind, but I�ve never had sex or even enjoyed a kiss with
anyone. I�m screwed up.� Harry rubbed
his eyes hard with a defeated sigh. Draco took pity on his unlikely chat buddy.

�I had never considered the fact that you had never had
sex,� Draco said. �I just assumed that you�d had more than your share with your
fame and all that crap.�

�That�s just it,� Harry said. �I can�t find anyone who wants
to be just with me. Not because of fame or all that shit. I gave up on it a
long time ago. But now, I�I�m�I want someone. I�d like to have a date or go to
Hogsmeade and spend the day in someone�s company. Hold their hand or�or even
kiss them. But for me, it just seems impossible.�

�You have never kissed anyone?� Draco asked as if it were
impossible.

�Yeah, I have, but�,� Harry shrugged. �It was with girls.
And it was terrible. Each time it seemed forced and that it was a duty I had to
suffer through.�

�You poor, pitiful soul,� Draco insulted. �You are so not
right, Potter.�

�You can call me Harry,� Harry said. �I think we�re beyond
the surname phase after the conversations we�ve had tonight. I still can�t
believe I�m talking to you like this. You of all people.�

�It is sort of ironic that you can talk to me about your
deepest, darkest secrets when you have the weasel and Granger by your side at
every minute,� Draco said. �I thought you three were very close.�

�We are,� Harry said. �But in the last two years Ron has
taken to dating everyone, Hermione has a steady boyfriend and we�re not
together as much.�

�I see. So they�ve left you,� Draco said.

�They didn�t leave me,� Harry countered. �It�s just we all
have other things to do besides hang out with each other.�

�You mean they have other things to do,� Draco said. �You
have nothing else to do besides sit outside with me while there�s a dance going
on.�

�And why aren�t you at the dance?� Harry asked throwing the
question back. �You couldn�t find anything better to do than to sit here and
listen to my whiney, pathetic bitching?�

�I was on my way to the dance when I saw you cleverly
avoiding the banquet hall corridor,� Draco said. �I just had to know why.�

�Bullshit. You�re lying,� Harry said. �I�m an Occlumens and
you�re lying. Tell me the real reason and keep in mind that I will still know
if you�re lying.�

�I don�t care if you know I�m lying or not, Potty,� Draco
said. �I�ll tell you what I want you to believe and if you don�t, then piss
off.�

�Fine,� Harry smirked. �Couldn�t find a date for the dance?�

�Oh, please. Of course I had a date,� Draco said as if
insulted by the comment. �Don�t be ridiculous.�

�So where is your date now?� Harry asked loving to make
Draco squirm.

�At the dance,� Draco said. �I dumped his sorry ass.�

�Why?� Harry asked.

�None of your non-fucking business,� Draco said.

�I told you all of my stuff. I want to know why you�re out
here when you could be dancing the night away in the arms of some lover,� Harry
quipped.

�And didn�t I just tell you I broke up with my lover?� Draco
asked. Harry�s look was too much. �Fine. Jason and I had dated for over a
month. It was okay. Not the best I�ve ever had, but not the worst either. I
liked him until I heard that he and Karen Felch were screwing in his dorm room
last Wednesday. So, I said nothing. I waited and then tonight at the dance
earlier I watched. She went to the restroom and then Jason asked to be excused
for the same reason. After a few minutes, I went to the bathrooms and he wasn�t
there. He was in the girls� bathroom with Karen in a stall screwing her. So,
naturally, I laughed at them, punched him in the face and left. It�s no big
deal.�

�It is a big deal,� Harry said quietly. �He hurt you. You
don�t have to hide how you feel from me, Draco. I can tell because I�m trained
to feel others� emotions and thoughts. It hurt you a lot.� Looking to Harry as
if judging his sincerity, Draco nodded slightly.

�I guess,� Draco said looking away not read to give up on
his mask of uncaring. �But I�m over it. If he wants that fat cow, then let him
have her.�

�I can sense that you really, really liked Jason. You could
have possibly fallen in love with him one day,� Harry said. �I can feel that
from you.�

�What are you? Some kind of shrink?� Draco asked mockingly.
�Yeah, I liked the guy. But now I don�t. That�s it.�

�It takes longer than a few hours to grieve the loss of
someone close to you, Draco,� Harry said. �Believe me, I know all about it. Not
with a lover, but with�with people who are close to you. It�s takes time to get
over that when they�re gone.� Draco sighed and ran a hand through his spikey
hair.

�What I need is a stiff drink and a good fuck,� Draco said.

�Maybe you need some time to either talk about it with
someone, or some time alone to come to terms with what you�re feeling,� Harry
said.

�I know what I need. It�s a pint of vodka and a good screw,�
Draco said very pointedly knowing what was best for himself. Harry shrugged.
�Feel like having a drink with me?�

�I can�t drink,� Harry said. �I�m tested for foreign
substances in my blood routinely and I can�t take the chance on being expelled
or in trouble for it.�

�You are no fun at all,� Draco said. �Well, I need to get
smashed on booze, land a good screw and then try to navigate this school and
not kill myself by falling down the dungeon stairs.�

�Maybe you should drink in your room if you�re going to
drink,� Harry said. �That would be safer.�

�I can�t drink there. I have a private room,� Draco said.
�There�s no one there but me.�

�You could ask Crabbe or Goyle or Zambini to join you,�
Harry said. Draco made the face of disgust.

�And why in hell would I do that?� Draco asked.

�They are your friends, right?� Harry asked.

�No, stupid. They are my housemates,� Draco said. �I don�t
have any friends.�

�I�m your friend,� Harry said. �Aren�t I?�

�No,� Draco said. �You�re�you�re just Potty. Some stupid
Gryffindor that I have had the misfortune of meeting.�

�Thanks,� Harry smirked taking the teasing.

�Are you sure you won�t come drink with me?� Draco asked. �I
have some apricot Brandy that I know you�ll like.�

�I can�t get caught drinking,� Harry said. �Dumbledore would
have a fit.�

�Listen, I�m a potions genius, Potty,� Draco said. �I have
some dissipating potion in my room. After we get smashed I�ll give it to you
and you�re good as new. Nobody will know it.�

�Are you sure?� Harry asked. �You have to be absolutely
sure.�

�Are you doubting my potions knowledge?� Draco asked. �Don�t
be daft. I do it all the time. The dissipate actually works for hangovers, too.
I have many vials of it so you�ll be fine.�

�Are you inviting me to your room?� Harry smirked.

�For drinking, yes,� Draco said.

�And then you�ll kick me out when your fucking victim comes
along then?� Harry asked as they stood up walking toward the doors.

�Not unless you�re him,� Draco said. �But it would take
considerable amounts of alcohol to make me want to have sex with you.�

�Why?� Harry asked in their playful banter. �I�m not that
bad, am I?�

�Yes, you are,� Draco said as they entered together still
bickering but in a playful and enjoyable way. �You�ve already admitted to being
a virgin and a terrible kisser.�

�I didn�t say I was a terrible kisser. I said that all the
kisses I�ve ever had were terrible,� Harry said.

�Same thing,� Draco said.

�Not, it�s not,� Harry said following Draco around the
corner to the dungeon stairs which they started to descend.

�Yes, it is,� Draco argued.

�Not,� Harry said. �Are you a good kisser?�

�Use your head. I�m the absolute best hands down,� Draco
said.

�So every kiss you�ve had has been good?� Harry asked.

�No,� Draco commented. �Some people just can�t kiss worth a
damn or I didn�t like their style.�

�Exactly. So you can kiss but you don�t always enjoy it,�
Harry said. �Same with me.�

�Yes, with all your mass of experience I can see where that
would be your problem as well as mine,� Draco said.

�Just shut up,� Harry said. The pair descended the six
flights of stairs together in a silence until Draco turned to Harry with a
solemn look wearing his real feelings on his face.

�You�re right,� Draco said. �It did hurt me that Jason was
screwing around on me. And I�m very angry and hurt over it.�

�That�s a natural reaction,� Harry said very kindly in a
comforting voice. �Of course you�d be hurt by someone betraying you in that
way. That�s the lowest form of insult and Jason isn�t deserving of you.� Harry
nodded with a slight grin, but Draco was taken by Harry�s honesty and his
empathy. Without another word Draco turned and Harry followed down the next two
flights of stairs. When they�d rounded the corner several Slytherins were on
their way back from the dance and entering the common room.

�Oh shit,� Draco cursed. �They�re back. I can�t bring you
into the common room when it�s full of those fools.�

�It�s alright,� Harry said surprised at how disappointed he
actually was. �I guess I need to go to my dorm anyway.� Draco sighed and leaned
back against the wall for a moment.

�I want to thank you for listening to me,� Draco said quietly.
Shocked was not the word for what Harry was at that moment.

�Um�yeah. Sure. Anytime,� Harry said. �We will always have
the blood bond between us, so anytime you want to talk, I�m here. Well, unless
Voldemort kills my sorry ass and then you�re just shit out of luck.� Harry
snickered but Draco looked very serious.

�That�s not funny, Harry,� Draco breathed.

�I was just trying to lighten your mood,� Harry said. �You
seem sort of depressed over the situation with Jason and all that. But I wanted
to thank you for listening to me, too. I had never told a living soul what I
told you and you didn�t make fun of me for it. That means a lot to me.� The
long silence ensued and each wanted to speak more but didn�t know what to say.
The minutes dragged by in the deserted rarely used corridor that they�d taken
to keep from being seen by anyone. Draco noted Harry�s slow even breathing and
his disappointment, which he was hiding very well. To his own shock, Draco was
actually looking forward to having Harry in his room for a private drinking
party. They�d never got along or spoken civilly before and he found that Harry
was a good conversationalist and easy to talk to. And it didn�t hurt that in
the last few years, his enemy�s physique had taken a turn for the better. Potter
was nothing but lean, lithe sculpted muscle with a bronzing tan from all of his
summer activities. The young man was simply delicious, totally hot and didn�t
have a fucking clue that he was the ultimate lust object of the whole entire
school.

�I want to give you something,� Draco said softly. Harry
nodded and waited on Draco to take something from his pocket or hand over
whatever it was. The moments trickled by and amid the nerve-wracking silence of
the hall Harry waited and waited.

�What is it?� Harry asked after a long while. Draco turned
to be nose to nose with his counterpart and Harry was momentarily taken off
guard by the unexpected and close proximity invading his personal space.

�I want to give you this,� Draco whispered before tilting
his head slightly and placing his warm lips gently to Harry�s. Two sets of eyes
gently closed as lips tugged lightly on the other. Harry felt Draco�s hands
lightly skim up his arms and then slide over Harry�s shoulders encircling his
neck as their kiss deepened slightly. Harry�s breathing was becoming heavier
every second he was losing himself into this expertly executed and totally
sensual kiss. As Draco�s warm tongue gently lapped at his bottom lip, Harry
parted them in invitation. The taste of simply Draco was warm cinnamon hinted
with vanilla and absolutely perfectly blended with his antique spicy scent
mixed with the clean smell of soap. Their bodies were aligned, touching and
Harry couldn�t help that his hands found Draco�s hips and then slowly crept around
to hold his back pulling him closer as their tongues touched for the first
time. A slight movement brought them even closer so that their chests were
flush and legs scissored between the other�s as they stood as close as
possible. The Slytherin�s body was slim, hard, and temperate. Holding and
passionately kissing this tasty delight in his arms was the most exciting,
thrilling, wanton and perfect thing Harry had ever experienced. Trying to
follow as Draco led in their kiss, Harry was enraptured and wanted nothing but
to remain in the flushed mouthed connection experiencing the incredible thrill
and exhilarating sensations coursing through his veins and intoxicating his
hazy mind. The kiss was slow and deliberate but very sensual. When Draco�s
teeth gently nipped at the tip of Harry�s tongue, he couldn�t help the tiny
whimper that escaped into their kiss. Every nerve ending in his fiery body was
screaming for more and he pulled Draco even harder to him mashing them
together. Feeling, touching and the taste of the Slytherin prince that Harry
now craved was all he was surviving on in that moment. It was pure heavenly
sweetness. It was excellence, gentleness and the very thing that had been
missing in his life. Draco�s arms slid slowly down so that his hands were on
Harry�s neck and moved up to hold his cheeks before slowly ending their series
of light butterfly kisses and pulling away as if in slow motion. The depths of
emerald green met storming flashes of silver and a million questions were
there. Heavy lidded eyes drooping with the weight of want and longing were
evident for each. Draco took a few slow steps back and Harry�s breathing
increased slightly wanting to jerk him back into his arms and dive into him
fully to be sated of the need to have more of him. The crushing grip that he
was losing this moment was like a swell in his chest and he wanted this. He
needed this�

�Draco�,� Harry whispered almost in a desperate way. Draco
only smirked with a tiny grin laced with great melancholy.

�I have to go,� Draco said. Harry felt the panic that
whatever this had been was ending.

�Now? Can you um�or can I�,� Harry stammered.

�No,� Draco said. �It�s late. I have to go.� Without a word
and before Harry could react, Draco had turned and was gone into the Slytherin
common room. A feeling of disbelief and dread filled Harry�s chest and as much
as he wanted to run after Draco, Harry stood motionless and feeling everything
inside him crumble into pieces. In those few moments his concepts had fallen
into a heap of rubble and he had changed. With that one kiss, Harry�s outlook
came into some type of tiny focus. Draco was right. It didn�t matter what
others said. All that mattered was what Harry needed and that was to feel. He�d
closed himself off for so long from any feeling that may lead to vulnerability
that the waves of passion, need, lust, longing, humanity and confusion were
almost overwhelming. He had friends who would either understand that this was
his life and his choices, or they wouldn�t. After having tasted that forbidden
fruit, there would never be any going back.

After standing in the deserted corridor for what felt like
forever in hopes that Draco may come back, Harry finally gave up and turned to
take the stairs. He trudged up the stairs one at a time until he reached the
top where he stopped and turned to give a questioning glance down the stairs.
Draco had just been hurt by a lover. Maybe he was just reaching out wanting to
feel comfort. Maybe he was using that kiss as a �thank you� to Harry for
listening to him. On his way back to the Gryffindor tower, Harry pondered these
confusing things. There was no doubt in Harry�s mind that he would have done
anything Draco had wanted to do after that kiss. Anything he�d asked for Harry
would have given it without question. Was he that pathetic that one simple kiss
could put him on his knees? Not that the thought of being on his knees with
Draco wasn�t exciting in itself�

�Bilirubinus,� Harry said the password and absentmindedly
sauntered into the common room in a daze of his own thoughts ignoring everyone
staring at him on his way slowly in silence to his dorm room. At the next to
last step up, Harry stumbled and fell hitting his elbow on the landing. �What
the hell?� Looking down to see why he�d tripped, Harry gasped noticing that his
foot was ghostly transparent. Quickly pulling up his pant leg, his flesh up to
his knee was nothing but opaque transparency. Right before his very eyes, his
leg solidified again and he touched his skin mashing and prodding it. With a scowl
of confusion and disbelief, Harry sat for a moment trying to figure out what
had happened. He righted his glasses on his nose, and tested his weight on his
foot before going into the dorm room and sitting on his bed. It was nearing
eleven and Harry knew that Neville would be the first one back into the room in
less than an hour. Toeing off his shoes and slipping out of his jumper, still
slightly damp and stained t-shirt, socks and pants, Harry�s hand slid over his
aching crotch.

He�d been so hard when Draco had kissed him. It was complete
arousal. Maybe that was why everyone at Hogwarts swooned in the gorgeous
blonde�s path when he dared to grace the halls with his presence. Had Draco
given kisses like that to everyone? Harry sighed in some pitiable way. Of
course he had. It was probably nothing to him to lavish those types of kisses
on charity cases. To Draco it was probably just some �thank you� for the poor,
pathetic virginal Harry Potter who�d never had a kiss like that. The kiss was
something that Draco had given as a token of appreciation. But to Harry it was
so very much more. That was his first true kiss wrought with passion and a
sensual depth. And for the life of him he couldn�t shake it from his mind. The
taste of Draco still lingered upon his lips and the scent of him was in Harry�s
nostrils taunting his mind making him crave the touch of the dragon once more.
His first kiss and it was with a boy.

�Damn him,� Harry whispered and then punched his mattress.
With his other hand he reached up to adjust his glasses and noticed the same
phenomenon of ghostly transparency of his hand. �What the fuck�.?� After a few
seconds his hand, fingers and wrist became solid again. �Draco, what did you do
to me?� After checking over his body to make sure he was completely solid,
Harry tossed his shirt into the laundry basket. Reaching for his pajama top,
his hand again became transparent and a cold tingling chill crept up his spine.
Turning quickly to the mirror, Harry gasped as his chest, stomach and neck
pulsed solid and then to transparent again. �Oh shit�.what the hell is going
on�?� The cold kept creeping over his
skin down to his arms, thighs, legs, feet and the next few pulses of solid to
transparency were worse. Watching horrified in the mirror, he was fading in and
out between solid and transparency more rapidly. Harry was gawking in the
mirror unable to tear his gaze away breathing heavily as his eyes went wide in
fear. He was beginning to fade and feel an eerie foreboding tug into another
place. Frantically reaching out his hand to the mirror as if trying to hold on,
he panicked. �Noooooooo!!!!� His scream rang out just before he vanished
completely.

�Ron�,� Lydia gasped as they kissed and fondled in the dark
classroom. �Ron�we can�t.�

�Why not, baby? Nobody will find us,� Ron said kissing her
neck, which always did the trick with her.

�Are you sure?� Lydia breathed onto his cheek kissing him
and then slipping her tongue into his mouth as his hand closed over her breast.

�Trust me,� Ron whispered as the other hand slid up her
thigh and tugged at her panties. Lydia gave in and soon Ron was buried inside
her pounding away as she gasped and held on with her fingernails to his back.
With talented hands, he found that pink pleasure button and stimulated it just
right to make her whimper, gasp and moan as he fucked her expertly. When her
body tightened around his stiff cock, Ron could hardly hold back another
moment. Thankfully she had her orgasm with a shudder and he rammed deep into
her spilling his own seed with a throaty groan of bliss. �Oh baby, I�m coming��
After taking time to snuggle in that post-coital bliss with her for awhile, it
was nearing their curfew.

�I need to go,� Lydia said between kisses.

�I don�t want you to go,� Ron said in his flirty way. �I
want you to stay right here with me all night.� Lydia smiled with a giggle.

�I can�t,� Lydia said. �I have to be in the dorm or they�ll
look for me.�

�But you know I hate to let you go,� Ron said kissing her
over and over again until she pulled away.

�I�ll see you tomorrow,� Lydia said before they both stood
and arranged clothing. After another quick kiss, Lydia slipped out of the dark
classroom on the way to her Ravenclaw dorm. Ron sighed with a sly grin to
himself at being sexually satisfied and then took the hallways up to Gryffindor
tower. When he entered the common room there was a gathering of students
discussing something urgent. �What�s going on?�

�Have you seen Harry?� Hermione asked quickly but noting
Ron�s flushed cheeks and red tell-tale marks on his neck.

�No. Not all night. Why? What�s he done now?� Ron asked.

�I just got here,� Hermione said. �Collin, Greg and Samantha
said they heard Harry scream from upstairs. But here�s no one in your room.�
Hermione shrugged making no sense of it.

�Are you sure it was him who screamed?� Ron asked in
concern. Samantha nodded.

�I swear I�m not lying,� Samantha said. �It was the same
type of scream that we hear sometimes when he�when Harry has those dreams from
Voldemort at night. He sounded terrified.�

�I thought maybe Harry had another dream like that, but he�s
not in the dorm or in his bed,� Hermione said.

�He may have taken the invisible way out,� Ron said hinting
to Harry�s cloak.

�After one of those dreams?� Hermione asked as if it were
stupid. �Ron, Harry gets sick and can�t hardly walk at all after those
nightmare visions. Besides, would Harry ever leave the dorm without this?�
Hermione held up Harry�s wand. Ron scowled. �He never leaves the dorm without
it. You know that.� Ron nodded and took Harry�s wand in his hand. �I�m really
worried, Ron. Harry has been sort of�well�acting oddly lately.� Ron gave her
the look. �I meant more oddly than usual for him.�

�Do you think we should alert McGonagall?� Ron asked.

�Go up to the room with me and let�s see if we can figure
this out,� Hermione said. Dean and Ron followed Hermione up to the seventh year
boys� dorm and entered. �This is just how I found everything.� Ron came in and
saw Harry�s shoes and socks in the floor along with his pants. Upon further
inspection, he found the t-shirt Harry was wearing that day before he�d gone to
clean cauldrons for Snape.

�I don�t get it,� Ron said holding up the shirt stained with
a few blue spots. �He was wearing this earlier. And his shoes? He�s barefoot wherever
he is.� Hermione opened Harry�s armoire perusing over what clothing he owned.
Ron looked as well as Dean. �Everything he owns is there. Nothing is missing.
Nothing.�

�So he�s somewhere naked with no wand or shoes,� Dean said
as if investigating a great mysterious crime. Hermione and Ron gave Dean a
harsh look and he withered under their scrutiny. �Well, if everything he owns
is here, then he�s naked.�

�I don�t get it,� Ron said. Hermione took Harry�s shirt and
looked at it closely.

�What is this?� Hermione asked of the blue spots on his red
t-shirt.

�I don�t know. Spaghetti or something,� Ron said.

�It�s blue, Ron, you idiot,� Hermione said. �Have you ever
heard of blue spaghetti? What was Harry doing this evening?�

�Cleaning cauldrons for Snape,� Dean said. �He complained
about it for an hour before he left for the labs.�

�So this could be a potion of some kind,� Hermione said
taking a sniff of the spotting. �There�s no smell and I don�t recognize this
potion. Maybe we should show this to Snape.�

�Oh I can see that,� Ron said sarcastically. �Excuse me,
Professor Snape, but Harry is missing and all we can figure out is that he
cleaned cauldrons and ate blue spaghetti.� Ron rolled his eyes. �Brilliant,
Herm.�

�Does it actually hurt you to be that stupid?� Hermione
asked in her irritated tone.

�Why don�t we just wait to see if Harry comes back?� Dean
asked. Ron moved to Harry�s trunk quickly and opened it up. After feeling
around for a moment he closed the trunk and then lifted the edge of Harry�s
mattress where he pulled out the invisibility cloak.

�He�s not using the cloak,� Ron said holding it up.

�And Samantha and Collin both said they saw Harry come into
the common room looking very bothered by something. They said he came straight
to the dorm room never speaking to anyone,� Hermione said. �Then about fifteen
minutes later they heard him scream. Collin said he came up here to peep in the
room, but saw no one and thought Harry was in the bathroom, so he checked
there, too and he wasn�t anywhere. If he didn�t take the cloak out of here,
then where in hell is he?� Ron opened the window and looked down.

�You think he jumped out the window?� Dean rushed over to
look down but it was dark. �Want me to go down there and check?� Ron nodded
morosely hoping he wasn�t right and Dean set off in a flash running out of the
room and out of the common room.

�I think we need to tell McGonagall what we know,� Hermione
said.

�Maybe Harry just needed some time and took a walk,� Ron
said. �You know how he is sometimes wanting to be alone and stuff like that.
Let�s wait and if he�s not back in two hours, then we tell McGonagall.�
Hermione nodded. �That is if Dean doesn�t find him at the bottom of this
tower.� The pair looked out the window and down again. Knowing they couldn�t
see to the bottom in the dark, they both sat on Harry�s bed.

�Why does he do this?� Hermione said with a sigh.

�I don�t know,� Ron said. �You know Harry needs his space
sometimes.�

�I have hardly spoken to him in the last three weeks,� Hermione
said. �I�m with Dylan all the time and you�re with�with um�well, whoever it is
this week.�

�Lydia,� Ron said. �Lydia Lynn Leverly.� Hermione crossed
her arms and snorted with a grin at the girl�s name. �What? I think it�s a cool
name.�

�Yes, I�m sure you would,� Hermione said. �You do know that
Lydia is also seeing Edward Coffer.�

�She is not,� Ron said.

�Yes, she is,� Hermione said. �Ask Ginny if you don�t
believe me.�

�I will,� Ron said and then there was silence. �So how is
the wonderful world of romance with Dylan?� Ron laughed softly. �What a
complete dork he is.�

�Dylan is a very studious and bright person,� Hermione
defended. �He�s kind and considerate.�

�Have you done it yet?� Ron asked.

�That is none of your business,� Hermione said in a huff but
looking more irritated than anything. Ron laughed a belly laugh.

�You haven�t,� Ron smirked. �You can get him to have sex
with you. That�s a riot.�

�Some people have enough respect for themselves and others
than to tarnish their reputations,� Hermione said haughtily. Ron said nothing
but kept giving her the look with the tiniest of growing grins. Eventually
Hermione sighed in a lost cause way and looked away. �Fine. He won�t do it. We
kiss and are close, but he won�t have sex. What is his problem, Ron? Am I not
attractive?�

�Oh yeah. You�re beautiful,� Ron said. �Kind, smart,
outgoing. Perfect, really. Dylan is an idiot.�

�Then why won�t he do it?� Hermione pouted. �I thought he
was shy or something so I took the initiative. Last weekend I wore that pink
outfit with the low cut top��

�You look so good in that outfit,� Ron said with a nod.

�Thanks,� Hermione smiled. �But Dylan didn�t even notice. I
had my hair up like this�� Hermione pulled up her hair to the back of her head
with a few tendrils framing her face. �Does this look alright?�

�Looks beautiful. I remember when you had it that way,� Ron
said. �He didn�t comment on it?�

�Nothing. Not a single word,� Hermione said.

�Well, I would have,� Ron said in that friendly way. �Maybe
he�s not ready to go all the way or maybe he thinks you don�t want to have sex
yet.�

�He�s an eighteen year old male, Ron,� Hermione said. �And
I�m not throwing myself at him, but I do give enough hints that he should be
offering or at least trying to go farther. I am not doing something right?�

�Well, you�re making known that you�re interested by what
you wear and how you look,� Ron said. �And that perfume you wear drives me
insane.� Hermione laughed with Ron and took his hand.

�Thanks,� Hermione said. �I just can�t find the boyfriend I
want. Dylan is great, but he never wants to go to Hogsmeade on weekends. And he
hates it when I want him to dance with me at the dances on Friday night. Don�t
think I�m awful for this, okay? But it�s near Halloween and I don�t want to
break up with him because I�m afraid I won�t have a date for the Halloween
Ball.� Ron laughed softly. �It�s not funny.� Hermione pouted. Ron pulled her
close and held her as they lounged comfortably on Harry�s bed. Hermione lay her
head on his chest and took the comfort he offered.

�Well, let�s make a deal,� Ron said. �We�re friends and if
neither of us have a date for the Halloween thing, then we�ll go together.
Okay?�

�Okay,� Hermione said quietly. They sat together for a long
time talking about everything until Dean came back and Hermione sat up quickly.

�He�s not dead at the bottom of the tower,� Dean said
sitting on his own bed. �I didn�t see him on the way here either. I did ask a
few people and Vickie Pender said she saw Harry talking to Malfoy and that they
had gone down the stairs to the dungeons.�

�Malfoy? Why on earth was he talking to Malfoy?� Hermione
asked.

�Talking? Why weren�t they fighting?� Ron asked. �Maybe
Malfoy did something to Harry. We need to tell McGonagall.� Hermione nodded and
the three set off toward McGonagall�s quarters. �Why did you bring that?� Ron
asked of Harry�s shirt in her hand.

�I thought that maybe�,� Hermione shrugged. �I don�t know.
We�ll show it to McGonagall anyway. It couldn�t hurt.� The three knocked on
their head of house�s door and she answered.

�Granger, what is it?� Minerva asked.

�We can�t find Harry, Professor,� Hermione said. �I know
that�s not an unusual occurrence, but there are some things that don�t make
sense.� The three were asked inside and took the settee. Minerva sat on her
chair. They explained everything that they had learned and she nodded
occasionally. ��and he�s been missing for over an hour.�

�I see,� McGonagall said. �I don�t mean to sound
condescending, but we know Harry to be somewhat of a rule bender. Perhaps he�s
just taken a walk outdoors.�

�But he never leaves without his wand,� Ron said.

�And he�s naked,� Dean said.

�He�s what?� Minerva asked thinking she�d heard wrong.

�We checked Harry�s armoire and everything he owns is there.
Every piece of clothing he owns is in his room,� Hermione said. �Nothing is
missing. Not one thing.�

�We know everything he has because there isn�t much of it,�
Dean said. �And to be honest I�m sick of most of it. I don�t know why he
doesn�t go shopping again in Hogsmeade. I know he can afford to go. And if I
had his money I�d be going to�.�

�Mister Thomas, that�s enough,� McGonagall said. �I suppose
that since Harry didn�t take his wand, the situation needs to be taken care of
quickly although he was in his dorm room by all accounts. You said that Mister
Creevey saw Harry go into the dorm and not leave again?� The three nodded. �And
that Miss Pender said she saw Harry and Malfoy heading toward the dungeons?�
The three nodded again. �Very well. I suppose we should speak to Malfoy first.
Let me get my shoes.� Ron, Dean and
Hermione followed McGonagall from her quarters and down the stairs of the
dungeon. �Miss Granger, what is that you have there?�

�Oh. This is Harry�s shirt he was wearing today,� Hermione
said. �Harry was working for Professor Snape for some extra credit cleaning
cauldrons. I thought that these stains on his shirt may be from some potion. It
could have been dangerous with skin contact. I�ll ask Professor Snape while
we�re down here.� McGonagall nodded and they followed her to the Slytherin
domain and to the common room. She gave the password and entered with the three
following.

�Mister Zambini could you get Mister Malfoy, please?�
McGonagall asked. Blaise nodded and set off toward the boys� dorms where he
knocked on the door and waited.

�What?� Draco asked in a huff from the closed door.

�Draco, McGonagall is here wanting to speak with you,�
Blaise said.

�Hold on,� Draco said slipping into his black silk robe and
tying it. The matching silk pajama bottoms and black slippers were also donned
and Draco followed Blaise from the dorm corridor to the common room.
�Professor?�

�Mister Malfoy, could you step into the hallway with us for
a moment?� McGonagall asked. �I need to ask you a few questions.� Draco nodded
unsurely and followed the four from the common room.

�What is it?� Draco asked when they were out of range of
perked eavesdropping ears noting Hermione and Ron in attendance with Finnegan.

�It seems that Harry Potter is missing,� McGonagall said.
�There was an account from another student who said that you and Mister Potter
were seen at the berth of the dungeon stairs coming to the dungeons earlier in
the evening.� Draco nodded. �Can you tell me why Harry was down here and if he
mentioned where he was going afterward?�

�Potter had assisted Professor Snape this evening cleaning
cauldrons,� Draco said. �I was with Professor Snape in his quarters speaking of
some important matters when Potter had completed his work. I left and was
headed toward the banquet hall to attend the dance when I saw Potter go out the
front doors of the school.�

�Oh no,� Hermione said.

�Hold on, Granger,� Draco said. �I went to see why Harry was
trying to avoid the dance and his housemates. We sat outside and talked for a
while. I suggested that he come to the common room and have a beverage and
speak of some matters we were discussing earlier outdoors. Harry agreed and we
came to this very hallway. My housemates were beginning to come back from the
dance, so we decided that it might be a bad idea for him to be in the common
room with the other students while in my company. We talked for a few minutes
and then�,� Draco paused thinking that not in a million years would he tell
anyone that he had experienced the most wonderful kiss of his life. ��and then
Har�um�Potter said he was on his way to his dorm room. I left him here in the
hallway and went to my room where I went to bed.�

�That�s all?� Ron asked suspiciously.

�Yes, Weasel,� Draco said.

�So you and Harry were speaking in an actual conversation?
Civilly without beating each other into a bloody pulp?� Hermione asked in
surprise. Draco smirked.

�Potter does have the capability for rational speech, in
case you missed it,� Draco popped.

�Thank you, Mister Malfoy,� McGonagall said. �Although that
doesn�t help much.�

�He�s missing?� Draco asked. The others nodded and Draco
scowled. �He didn�t mention to me about going anywhere besides his dorm.�

�And why would he?� Dean asked. Draco took offense.

�Well, maybe because Harry needed to talk to someone and I
happened to be the one he chose to speak with about some things bothering him,�
Draco said.

�Like what things?� Ron asked as if he didn�t believe a word
of it.

�Things,� Draco said curtly. �I took a blood oath with him
to never reveal what was said. So I can�t tell you even if I wanted to. It�s a
magical bond preventing me from saying a word of it. But the thought that he
sought someone to talk to other than his two closest pals and a host of Gryffindors
says a lot, don�t you think?� There was a silence in the hallway and Hermione
swore she could hear Ron�s blood boiling.

�It�s not that we�ve been neglecting Harry if that�s what
you�re trying to imply, Malfoy,� Hermione said. �We�ve all been very busy with
studies lately.�

�Yes. Busy,� Draco drawled as an insult.

�You listen to me you little fucking ferret,� Ron snapped
taking a step forward to tower over Draco who didn�t flinch at all. �If you
know something or where he is, you�d better tell us right now or I�ll break
you.� Draco snorted with a grin of humor.

�In your dreams, weasel. Besides, why wouldn�t I tell you
where the golden boy is? I think we�re on the same side,� Draco said pointedly
to his fellow Order member never breaking the steely eye contact. Ron stepped
back knowing Draco was now a soldier of the light. �I swear to you I don�t know
where he is. Yes, he was here. Yes, I saw and spoke with him. He was pissed off
at first and then was�well, he�he was in a much better mood when he left here.�

�Malfoy, do you happen to know what this is?� Hermione held
up the shirt.

�A shirt, maybe?� Draco asked as if it were stupid.

�The stains, if you please,� Hermione said. �Harry was
cleaning cauldrons for Snape. This was on his shirt. Do you know what it is?�
Draco took the shirt and looked at the blue stain. He knew exactly what it was.

�Yes, I know what it is,� Draco said gravely. �We need to
show this to Professor Snape.� Draco took the shirt and walked quickly down the
corridors with the others following. The dungeon prefect knocked his signature
knock and Severus opened the door.

�What is this?� Snape asked looking to each face of one
Slytherin, McGonagall and two notable Gryffindors. �This has something to do
with Potter, doesn�t it?� Draco and everyone else nodded. �How could I have
guessed?�

�Look at this,� Draco held up Harry�s shirt and showed
Severus the stain. �Was he exposed to a quantity of this potion?�

�Only the remnants in the cauldrons. He used gloves and a
mask when cleaning them,� Snape said. �Why?�

�Harry is missing,� Draco said. �If he�?� Severus took the
shirt in a flash and walked from the door into his quarters with the others
following. Ron and Dean were looking around at Snape�s personal space as if
something eerie was going to launch itself from a dark corner and sink it�s
fangs into them at any moment. They all entered the lab and Snape picked up the
gloves and mask Harry had used. They were dry.

�Stupid Gryffindor,� Snape said. �If he was exposed to more
than six dreds of this potion it could have taken affect under the right
circumstances.� Draco sighed and tilted his head back with his eyes closed as
if the news were the most horrible thing he�d ever heard.

�What is this potion, Professor? Is it dangerous?� Hermione
asked. Draco and Snape shared a very grave look.

�I think we need speak to the Headmaster. Immediately,�
Snape said before he picked up a small pyramid shaped relic he was working with
when they�d knocked and one of the small cauldrons Harry had cleaned along with
a vial of blue potion in a tube. The group of six took the stairs up and was
soon riding the circular stairs up to the Headmaster�s office. McGonagall
knocked on the door.

�Enter,� Albus said and his guests entered as asked all
wearing faces of concern. Snape put the pyramid, the cauldron, the vial of
potion and Harry�s shirt on the Headmaster�s desk. The old man looked to each
of them and worked the magic into his brain. �He�s missing?�

�Yes,� Snape said.

�What�s going on?� Ron asked. �What about this potion and
what�s that thing?� Ron pointed to the small pewter pyramid.

�Please sit. Everyone,� Albus said motioning to the chairs
behind them.

�So do you know where Harry is, sir?� Dean asked as he sat.

�No,� Albus said. �But we know where he may be.�

�Where?� Hermione asked.

�Perhaps the better question is when,� Albus said making the
three Gryffindor students scowl in confusion.

�I don�t understand, sir,� Hermione said. �Could you be more
specific?�

�This pyramid is called the TriForce,� Albus said motioning
to the device. �It was created in ancient times by a great scientist wizard
studying time travel named Merlatius Wyndman. This pyramid in conjunction with
a special potion theoretically could give a wizard the ability to travel back
in time. The potion changes a bodily form into a semi-transparent almost
gaseous state. With the pyramid acting as a type of dial to guide how far back
in time one wishes to go, the potion to put the body in a state by which time
travel is possible, and with a spell to activate them a wizard could be
transported back to whatever point in time he wishes. That theory had never
been tested because the potion was never perfected.�

�And now it has been,� Draco said. �Voldemort stole the
pyramid on a raid a few months ago. He ordered Severus and myself to make the
accompanying potion. The Dark Lord wanted to go back in time and change events
so that when he came back to the present, he could claim power more easily. The
potion was all he was waiting on and now it�s finished.�

�So Harry touched this potion stuff and it sucked him back
in time?� Ron asked with a confused look.

�But sir, Harry didn�t know the spell to activate the
pyramid,� Hermione said.

�Miss Granger, there is much to Harry that others are not
aware,� Albus said. �He no longer requires the use of his wand as he can
perform wandless magic with great ease. It was my request that he not share
that ability with others.�

�Albus, I didn�t know,� Snape said in grave realization.

�Yes. That is correct,� Albus said. �If you had known and
were questioned by Voldemort while you were under Veritaserum then Harry�s
advantage would have been lost by the Dark Lord knowing that he was wandless.
We wanted to hide that information. It was my decision not to tell you.� Snape
nodded his agreement. �However, in doing so, that may have created a greater
problem. With wandless magic it�s controllable to a point unless the caster is
having great emotion and then sometimes it can be uncontrolled.� Draco
swallowed and looked panicked for a moment. �It�s my theory that if Harry has
been exposed to enough of the potion while performing his extra credit work,
that it would take affect if he had experienced some great emotional release.
Was Harry upset in some way this evening?�

�Not that we know of, sir,� Dean said. �Harry spoke to
Malfoy in the dungeon and then was in his room. A few of our housemates heard
him scream and then we couldn�t find him anywhere.�

�Mister Malfoy, what was the nature of the last things you
and Harry said to one another?� Albus asked. Draco looked frozen.

�We�we um�,� Draco said. �We weren�t fighting, sir. I swear
it.�

�Very well. What were you doing?� Albus asked.

�Um�,� Draco tried to find something to say. �We
were�we�talking. We were talking.� The headmaster tilted his head in thought.

�What were you speaking of?� Snape asked.

�Just um�just�nothing, really,� Draco said. �I can�t
remember.� Draco looked back to Dumbledore who was gazing upon him in a
questioning way. The lie was obvious.

�Draco, this is very important,� Albus said in his most
serious tone. �I need for you to tell us the truth. What happened before Harry
left the dungeon?� Draco swallowed again with a face of dread and took a small
glance to Ron, Hermione and Dean before he looked back to the headmaster in
guilt.

�We�we um�,� Draco stuttered hardly able to say the words.
�We were�we were�kissing.�

�You liar!� Ron yelled.

�Ron, please,� Hermione said with a hand on his thigh to
calm him. �Malfoy, you can�t be serious.�

�You and Potter were kissing?� Minerva asked. Draco nodded
in embarrassment with his eyes closed as the pink and red blush flushed his
cheeks.

�I didn�t know Harry was gay,� Dean said. Ron snorted.

�He�s not,� Ron said. �Malfoy is lying.� Draco looked to Albus
who knew the truth when he heard it.

�I see,� Albus said.

�It wasn�t like that, sir,� Draco said. �Harry had been
upset and we talked outside and�well, we took a blood oath so that we couldn�t
reveal what we�d spoken of to each other. We both shared some things and it was
like�therapy. We went to the dungeon to have a drink in the common room. My
housemates were there and we couldn�t go in. So we stayed in the hallway and
then�it�it just sort of happened. I had a fight with Jason earlier in the evening
and Harry was being comforting.�

�Oh my god,� Ron spat in disgust. �Keep your mangy hands off
him.�

�It wasn�t a one way deal, weasel,� Draco spat back.

�That�s enough,� Snape said preventing the physical brawl on
the horizon. �So Potter may have been upset and his magical strength with being
wandless could have activated the potion.� Albus nodded.

�Harry must have been feeling a great emotion at that time,�
Albus said.

�I�d say he was sick over it,� Ron said.

�I can guarantee you he wasn�t,� Draco said. �Quite the
opposite, in fact.�

�I said that�s enough,� Snape said giving both hotheaded
teens a glare. �We need to know the last metal that Potter was in contact with.
That will narrow down his placement in this timeline. If the last metal he had touched
was this cauldron being made of pewter, he could have only been sent back a few
weeks or months.�

�No,� Draco said. �It wasn�t. The last metal that I know of
that he touched was on my pants.�

�What?!� Ron gasped loudly.

�Lighten up, Weasley,� Draco said. �It wasn�t like that. My
pants had snaps on the sides and back. Harry had his arms around me and I know
he touched them because his hands were on my hips where the snaps meet.�

�I�ll need to examine the snaps to take a metal sample,�
Snape said. �Depending on the metal and it�s alloys, that will determine how
far back in the timeline Harry has gone. I just hope there isn�t any trace of
aluminum or iron. That could send him back hundreds of years.�

�Oh god no,� Hermione said. �How do we get him back?�

�Since we know the potion works, the only option is to go
back into the timeline and retrieve Potter,� Snape said. �I have enough potion
for four to go and five to return. But there is one other complication.� Albus
nodded.

�What is it?� Dean asked.

�His memory,� Draco said.

�When Harry was thrown back into time he will have no memory
of the present time because he didn�t use the spells to prevent the loss of
memory,� Albus said. �So whomever goes to retrieve him, he won�t be able to
recognize them at all. They will be strangers to him.�

�The other factor is that Potter will have to be willing to
come back. If he is not willing to return to the present, there is no way to
force him to come back,� Snape said.

�He�ll want to come back home. He�s probably just waiting on
us there now,� Ron said.

�No, Ron,� Hermione said thinking the logic through. �Harry
doesn�t know us now. He�s living another life. He may think he is home.� Snape
nodded.

�So how do we convince him to come back here?� Dean asked. �I
know I wouldn�t want to come back here if I was him.�

�That could be tricky,� Minerva added. �If Harry is with a
family who is now his own, he may not be willing to come back at all. Albus, I
could go back in time to get him. I�m his head of house and I know Harry well.�

�We�ll go,� Hermione said of herself and Ron. �We know
everything about Harry, sir. We could befriend him and convince him that he
needs to come with us.� Ron nodded.

�And me,� Draco said. �I could go.�

�I hardly think you need to go,� Dean commented. �Haven�t
you done enough to him already?�

�Mister Thomas, this is not the time for accusations,�
Minerva said.

�I must go because I can cast the spells to make sure we
return properly and Harry is a student in my care,� Albus said with a scowl
looking to them all. �Ron and Hermione along with myself and Draco will go as
soon as we can determine a probable location and time frame where Harry is.
Severus, please examine the metal samples from Mister Malfoy�s clothing. I will
take your best guess as to the locale and date.� Severus nodded. �As for the
other three of you to accompany me, I urge you to go to your dorms and rest
tonight. I suspect we should be leaving at noon tomorrow on our journey. It may
take several weeks or months to find, befriend and have Harry trust us enough
to tell him what has happened. It may take even longer to convince him to come
back with us. Harry is not one to trust easily in the present and I doubt that
his nature in another time would be any different..�

�But will Harry be different in the other timeline?�
Hermione asked.

�It is the same timeline, Miss Granger,� Snape said. �You
will simply be going back to the past. Potter may be living with wizards or
with muggles. There is no way to determine those factors.�

�What if he�s dead?� Dean asked. �I mean�what if�what if he
appeared in the past in the middle of the ocean or something?�

�If he had been killed, Harry would have rebounded back to
the present in seconds,� Albus said. �But Harry, no matter where he is, is a
survivor. I expect we�ll find him in good health, possibly working and sadly,
he may be more stable and happy than he is in our world at the present. If it
were up to me alone at knowing he was living comfortably without the tremendous
pressures and tragedy Harry has had to live through, I would leave him there to
live a satisfied life. But being who he is, we need him here.� The others
nodded to that logic. The agreement was made that when Severus had discovered
the metal properties and determined all he could, that the four taking the time
journey would charm and conjure clothing relevant to the period, currency and
other things they�d need for a month. Hopefully, it would be soon when they
could be back in the present, but with so many unknowns, they would be
prepared.
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Twice Upon A Time