Harry stared at the ceiling. The bedsheets were tangled around his legs but he didn't feel like moving. He was sated, sore, embarrassed, and pretty confused. He turned his head on the pillow and gazed at the sleeping Malfoy. That blond hair-as silky as Harry imagined-lay across his closed eyes. His lips were parted and he snored occasionally. That white bare chest rose and fell. He looked at Malfoy's lips again. How that man could use those lips! Harry trembled again at the thoughts and memories flooding him. How long had they been in this bed? Hours? He had no idea what time it was. A pang of guilt accosted him. While he and Malfoy had their romp, all of Hogwarts was still in the throes of the spell. He wondered if he should contact Hermione to find out if there had been any developments.

But then he looked at Draco. Yes, Draco. He thought of him as Draco now. That's what he whispered to him in his ear, that's what he shouted at the top of his lungs. Draco. But Draco would only call him Harry a few times. It was still "Oh Potter!" even when he came. Harry shrugged against the sheets. Did it matter so much? The only thing that mattered was what wasn't said, and he hoped Draco might say it. Harry whispered it to Draco's neck while he was running his tongue along that white throat; said it soft and gasping, because he felt it suddenly so deeply. He hadn't known the depth of his emotions until Draco unwrapped him, as if everything he'd ever felt had been tightly crushed into a hard ball only waiting for release.

But Draco hadn't said it. Maybe he never would.

As Harry watched, Draco opened his eyes, searched, and found Harry. He drawled a smile. "Potter," he purred, and threw his arm around Harry.

"Look, Draco, we've…we've got to stop fooling around and get back to business."

"My thoughts exactly," he said lazily, and licked Harry's side from his rib cage to his arm pit.

Harry shivered and mustered the strength to pull away. "I don't mean that. I mean this other. The spell."

Draco lay back and huffed. "Oh. That. You sure you want to leave this little haven so soon?"

"Malfoy, it isn't fair to everyone else. They're in danger every moment. And so vulnerable."

"Vulnerable," he muttered and slid his glance to Harry.

Harry jumped out of bed, dragging the sheets with him. It left Malfoy naked. His body lay in lazy relaxation but he was semi-arroused. Harry turned from the irresistible sight and pulled on his trousers, shucking the sheets. "We've got to get going. Now, Malfoy!"

"Spoil sport." Malfoy sat up, grabbed his wand, and magicked his clothes back on.

Harry stared at him. "Wow. That was impressive."

Malfoy smiled lazily. "Didn't you say that a few hours ago?"

Harry felt himself blush, and moved toward the neutrality of the table. "Look, we've got to figure this out. Can you remember anything else that happened right before we all blacked out?"

Malfoy meandered toward the table and moved around it. He moved toward Harry as Harry took a step back and hit the wall. "No," said Draco softly, his hand reaching out for Harry's shoulder. His fingers curled over the bone and he dragged himself up against the Gryffindor. He leaned in, his face close, lips even closer. Harry felt his hot breath on his mouth and longed suddenly to lean further and kiss those teasing lips. Draco smiled slightly and completed what Harry could not manage to do. His lips tested Harry's mouth, danced lightly over them. They touched firmly for a moment before Draco drew back. Harry was conscious only of grey eyes, a smirk, and the rapid thump of his own heart. "I just remember Weasley and Longbottom," said Draco softly, paying little attention to what he was saying while dragging his finger down Harry's cheek.

"They…they were pointing…you said," said Harry vaguely, trying to hold on to his thoughts. "D-did they say anything?"

Draco rolled his eyes and sat, resting his arms on the table. "Okay. Come to think of it, they did. Um…what was it? Something about impotens…" Malfoy snapped to his feet, eyes wide. "Wait a minute! Those bastards! They were trying to hex me! I'll kill them!"

Harry pushed him back down. "Is that what they were doing? Yes, it makes sense. They were probably trying to take away your powers and it somehow backfired."

"I'll kill them!"

"That was dark magic and the two of them aren't familiar with dark magic. Ron and Neville. It's amazing they didn't kill themselves."

"Good. Because I want to kill them."

"It was pretty clever, really. If I had thought of it, I might be tempted to do the same to you." Draco looked up at him appalled. "That was before, of course. I wouldn't do it now. And anyway, I really wouldn't have done it at all. Dark magic is never good to mess with. And it would be pretty cruel to take a wizard's power away."

Draco stared at Harry. A thought seemed to have occurred to him for the first time. "What…what does it feel like?"

Harry sighed. "A little like the Imperious Curse, only without the good sensations. Very…helpless and empty." He rubbed his arm. "I don't like the feeling." His eyes met Draco's. "It's a little like I feel with you."

"Helpless and empty?"

"Not empty," and he blushed, knowing how that must have sounded. "But certainly helpless."

"Because I have magic and you don't?"

Harry lowered his eyes. "I wasn't thinking about that."

Draco said nothing and Harry eventually lifted his face. Draco was looking at him in a concentrated and not exactly pleasant way. "I can't help it if you're in love with me," he said.

Harry turned away to hide the burning of his face. He shrugged. "It's all really new right now. I guess I can't expect you to feel the same. You're a person of lusts, and I'm a person of emotions. That's how it is."

"Is that how it is?" he said harshly.

But then the stone talked again.

"Guys! Are you there!"

"Where else would we bloody well be, Granger!" yelled Draco.

"Hermione," said Harry leaning over the stone, and feeling slightly foolish for doing so. "I think we've discovered what happened. We think Ron and Neville were trying to take away Draco's power and it backfired somehow."

"Draco?" she said after a pause.

"Malfoy," he corrected sheepishly. Malfoy smirked at him, a triumphant twinkle in his eye.

"That makes sense," said Hermione. "Where did they get a spell for Dark Magic? I bet they snuck into the restricted area of the library. I'll go look for a counterspell and then Malfoy will have to perform it. That will probably bring those two around. I hope they don't get expelled for this."

"I hope they bloody well do!" Malfoy yelled at the stone. "Don't think I'm going to forget this!"

"All right, Malfoy. I get it. I'll go to the library now and get back to you. You two sit tight."

Harry looked at Malfoy and the Slytherin looked back, his eyes crinkling. "She wants us to sit tight, Potter. We haven't tried it sitting."

********

Harry had restrained Malfoy. He didn't think it a good idea to engage in…well, what they had done earlier while waiting for Hermione. It seemed too exposed, too deviant. Draco only laughed, of course, saying that's what added a thrill.

Harry sat in a chair on the opposite side of the room. He was afraid that if he sat too close to him, he would succumb too easily to the suave Malfoy. Draco had conjured some food and he was ravenously stuffing his face. Harry didn't want food. He just wanted his powers back. And he wondered what would happen to him and Malfoy once they got out of here. He decided to ask.

"Draco."

Malfoy looked up. The use of his first name softened the hardness of his eyes.

"What's going to happen…once we leave this room? To us?"

"What do you mean, Potter?"

"You know what I mean. Are you…are we…." He sighed. "Is this just a one time thing, or what?"

"What do you want it to be?"

"You bloody well know what I want it to be!"

"Do I? Really, Potter. You're being quite the woman about it. So you've come out at last and like it. So enjoy it."

"But I want to enjoy it with you."

Draco rolled his eyes.

"You said you wanted me."

"Yeah, Potter. Wanted. Now I got. Had. And now you want to propose or something. Get a grip."

Harry slammed himself back in his chair. "Fine. Once a Malfoy always a Malfoy. I thought you'd changed. Now I don't care."

"Fine," he said blithely.

Harry sat in stony silence until Draco approached. "You really should eat something, Potter. Food, I mean," he added with a wicked smile. "It's been a while."

"No thanks."

"Oh don't be such a baby. Just eat something. You don't know how long we'll be stuck in here."

"I don't want anything!"

"All right. But don't come crying to me later that you want something conjured. I may not be in the mood."

"Hello?"

This time Dumbledore's voice came from the stone.

Harry and Draco gathered around it. "Yes, Professor," said Harry.

"We believe you have come up with the right solution. A book of dark magic was found under Mr. Weasley's bed."

"Sir," said Harry desperately, "you won't expel him, will you? It's his last year, and Malfoy has been so cruel to him over the years." Draco frowned. "I know it's not much of an excuse, Professor-"

"This is a serious matter, Mr. Potter. I doubt that I can simply let it go with a little detention. And there is the matter of the grievance Mr. Malfoy will no doubt submit to the Board of Governors."

"Draco won't do that, sir. Will you?"

Draco stared at Harry as if he'd lost his mind. Harry mouthed "Please!" Draco shook his head. Harry didn't realize he was doing it, but he touched Draco's hand and something electric passed between them. Draco grabbed Harry's hand and held it, looking into his eyes.

"Boys? Are you there?"

Harry pleaded with his eyes and Draco swore under his breath. He inhaled and said, "Headmaster…I…I don't think I will prefer any charges."

"Really? It sounds like you and Mr. Potter must have come to an understanding."

He looked at Harry and his expression changed, softened. "Yes," he said quietly. "I suppose we have." He was still holding Harry's hand.

"I need to teach you the counterspell, Mr. Malfoy. You can perform it from where you are." Dumbledore said the words, Draco repeated, and then the old wizard instructed him to take out his wand. "Wave it toward the hospital wing, Mr. Malfoy, east of you. Use a spell to charm your wand so you know exactly where east is. Have you done so?"

Malfoy did it and faced the bed. "Yes, Professor. I have the direction."

"Now. Say the spell and wave your wand over your head three times. No more than that. That should do it."

Draco looked at Harry. There was suddenly something exposed and vulnerable in his eyes Harry hadn't seen before. Perhaps he was unsure of his abilities, and then he said, "I wish you were the one doing this."

Harry gave him an encouraging smile. "You can do it, Malfoy. I know you can."

"Yeah. But then you'll have your powers back."

"Is that what this is about? You're afraid I'll hex you for what you did to me."

"What I did to you?"

"Okay. What we did to each other."

"No. It's just…." His lip trembled. "This was the first time I ever felt stronger than you."

Harry was taken aback. How could that be? Draco was always superior, strutting around Hogwarts like owned it, and people got out of his way. Never had Harry met anyone more sure of himself. Except that it had all been a lie.

"Are you afraid to be less? Because you're not less than me. I thought we were equals."

"Are you kidding? You're a far more powerful wizard than I could ever be, Harry. You…scare me sometimes. You think I never approached you before because I wasn't certain you were gay? I was fairly certain you might be. But I didn't, because you were stronger than I am. And it scares me."

Harry took a step toward him. "Even after today?"

"Especially after today. You had no powers."

"Even if I had, I don't have any with you around."

Draco stared quizzically.

Harry blushed. "Don't you get it? When I told you…told you I loved you, I surrendered to you. Do you think I'm capable of hurting you? Ever?"

Draco looked dumbfounded. Harry supposed the Slytherin wasn't used to compromise, or love, for that matter. He only knew conquest. Did he know he'd have to surrender to Harry, too?

"Gentlemen," said the voice of Dumbledore. Harry looked at Draco meaningfully and they both blushed. "I…ah…have been waiting for the spell, Mr. Malfoy. Can you discuss your…situation…at a later time?"

"Of course, Professor," mumbled Malfoy. He raised his wand and said the incantation loudly and waved his wand three times. Immediately, a bright yellow light emitted from every wall, ceiling and floor. They were bathed in it, but unlike the last time, no one passed out.

"Was that it?" said Harry.

"Try a spell," said Draco.

Harry took out his wand and aimed it at the stone. "Wingardium Leviosa!" The stone slowly rose and hovered before Harry's bright eyes. He breathed a sigh of relief.

"Mr. Weasley and Mr. Longbottom have awakened," said Dumbledore, a smile in his voice. "And all our powers have been restored. Thank you, gentlemen. You can leave the room at any time now. Any time you feel it the right time, that is."

Malfoy disenchanted the stone. "Don't want to be eavesdropped on again," he muttered.

"And so," said Harry. He felt a little odd now. "Shall we…go?"

Draco stood as he was, staring at the floor. "You know, Potter. It has occurred to me that I never said something I should have."

Harry drew closer to him. He felt his breath quicken and he felt the need to reach out and touch Draco, though he restrained himself from doing so. "What?"

Draco finally looked up. His face had dropped the façade of indifference and smugness. He finally looked just like anyone else. Anyone who had something heartfelt to say. "I just wanted to say…Potter… I wanted to say…"

Harry breached the gap between them and planted his mouth firmly on Draco's. His hands flowed around Draco's waist and Draco's hands followed the curve of Harry's back. The kiss was fierce, and they both moaned into each other's mouths, taking from one another and offering freely.

That was enough for Harry.

The End


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