Harry and Draco had gone to Hogsmeade during a snowstorm to apparate at the Ministry. Neither of them wanted to wait for the storm to abate, instead choosing to get it all over with.

They apparated into the Ministry atrium with a pop. They brushed off the snow from their cloaks and told their names to the receptionist who snapped her head up and looked at them anew. Draco surrendered his wand when asked but Harry refused. She didn't know what to do for a moment and then sent a small patronus to her manager for clarification.

Harry and Draco waited. Draco glared at Harry but Harry refused to be cowed. He wasn't about to be without his wand if the Board had any ideas about flogging them.

Finally the manager arrived and Harry turned, taken aback. The man looked at Harry fondly and then at Draco a little suspiciously. "Hi, Harry," said the man.

"Um…Hi, Wulf. It's…ah…good to see you."

"Yeah." He looked at Draco again before he turned to the receptionist. "What seems to be the difficulty, Miss Walnut?"

"This gentleman refuses to surrender his wand and he must go in to see the Board of Governors."

"You mean this gentleman?" he asked, tossing his shoulder-length, white blond hair aside. "You mean Harry Potter?" He gave her an officious chuckle. "My dear, if Harry Potter wanted to bring in the Dark Lord himself, he is allowed. He may keep his wand."

"Very good, Mr. Ingalls," she said, reddening.

Wulf turned away from the woman without a backwards glance. "So Harry. Here to see the governors, eh? Rotten luck. Hardly fair."

"Yeah. Any tips that could help?"

He glanced at Malfoy again. "Just be honest. Tell what you feel. By the way, I read the article this morning. It might go well for you." And then he looked at Draco again as if to say "but not for you".

"Oh yes. Wulf, this is Draco Malfoy. Draco, this is Wulf Ingalls." Draco said nothing as he looked Wulf over. Neither offered the other his hand. "I guess you're in charge of this department now," Harry went on.

"Yes. Visitors and Hospitality. A step up from before as file clerk, eh?" He glanced at the receptionist and moved them both away from her. Others walking through the lobby took double-takes when they spotted Harry. It was not the easiest thing to talk confidentially in the middle of a crowded lobby, especially being the Hero of the Wizarding world. "Look, I think this is a good thing."

"What? Getting sacked?"

"Oh no, Harry. I mean getting this all out in the open. And with you-you know, Harry Potter coming out and all, it can't help but make things better."

"Doesn't feel that way," he said, observing the people walking by and whispering.

"But it will. There isn't much I can do in my present position, but I will do all I can in the background."

"Thanks, Wulf. I suppose that is more than one can ask for."

"Think nothing of it. Well, I won't keep you. Good luck… You, too," and he reluctantly took Draco's hand before he hurried back across the polished floor.

Harry blew out a long breath. "That was rather awkward."

"Who was that git?"

"Er…that's an old boyfriend."

"Him? I'll kill him."

"Draco! No!" He grabbed the Slytherin's arm. "Just leave him alone. He's all right."

Draco wore a strange expression, part snarl, part scowl. "Was he your first?"

"Good God no!" He began walking toward the archway and entered a long corridor. Draco followed. "No, my first was a Muggle."

"A Muggle!"

"Be quiet, will you!"

"I shag someone who had sex with a Muggle? Ew, Potter! Are you trying to poison me?"

"The last thing I wanted my first time to be about was the famous Harry Potter," he whispered harshly. "He had to be a Muggle. Someone who wouldn't know me."

Draco tried to calm himself, but his breathing indicated he was far from calm. "So…just those two, then?"

"No. There were two more Muggles, then Wulf and then…Oh bugger. Him."

A young man walked toward Harry and gave him an embarrassed smile. He brushed his long fringe of blond bangs aside and took Harry's hand in a friendly shake. "Heard you'd be here today. Just wanted to stop by and wish you luck."

"Sure, thanks, Edward."

Edward glanced at Draco as if he were little more than a waiter. "Harry, could I have a word?" He glanced at Draco again.

Harry nodded and Edward took his arm and steered him away from a fuming Draco. "Look Harry. All this stuff in the papers. Well…it's made me think again about…well…us. You know. How it was. And I was thinking…that…seeing that you're now out and all…that maybe…maybe you and I…could…pick up where we left off. If that's all right."

"Oh! Oh Edward. I'm sorry. But Draco and I…" He looked back at Draco whose scowl had not diminished. "We're still together."

"Oh! I thought…in the Prophet this morning…"

"Yes, well, we made up."

Edward's face fell. "Oh. Jolly good. Brilliant. Well then. I guess…good luck to you both."

He trotted past them quickly and Harry turned to watch him go.

"Him, too?"

"Yup."

Draco looked after him "Crikey, Potter. You are a slut."

"That's only five."

"I hope you were protected. Especially from the Muggles. The thought-"

"Of course I was! I'm not an idiot."

Draco put a hand to his hip and watched Edward's every step with a studied expression until he disappeared around a corner. "So tell me, Harry," he said, speaking slowly, "were the other ones-those Muggles-blond as well?"

"Oh I don't think so. Um…well…yes, come to think of it. That's funny, isn't it?"

"I think I'm sensing a pattern."

"What?"

Draco's amused expression started to irritate. "Do you really mean to tell me that you didn't notice that they all bear a more than striking resemblance to Mr. Malfoy's best son?"

"No they don't!" But even as Harry protested he got a sinking feeling. He conjured their faces in his mind. Every one of them blond. Every one of them pale. Every one of them- "Oh God."

"The white blond hair, the slim figure, impeccably dressed. You did have a Malfoy obsession."

"Yeah. Good thing I'm over it."

Draco snorted a laugh. "You're sick, Potter. Really sick. Though I am terribly flattered."

He did his best to stop the blush from creeping up his neck but it was no use. "Well how about you? How many conquests did you make?"

"Just Pansy."

"Parkinson?"

"Yeah, a woman. I used to think I was straight, remember?"

"Right. Well no wonder you're jealous when all you had was Parkinson."

"Yes but while you were swanning about Hogwarts under your invisibility cloak drooling over the Malfoy, I was at least having sex of some kind."

They had nearly reached the end of the passage when Harry asked, "So…ah…how was that? With a girl, I mean?"

"Never did it with a girl, Potter?"

"Gay, remember?"

"So do you mean would I ever consider sweeping the other side of the street again?" Draco chuckled at Harry's expression. "No. Once you've had Potter you never go back." He gave Harry a stunning smile. "I feel sorry for all those Draco wannabes. There's nothing like the original, is there?"

Even though Harry felt nervous as they approached the door, he smiled. "There is absolutely nothing like the original."

They stopped in front of the door. "Well," said Draco. "Last chance to run."

"Not running away. Let's go."

* * *

It looked to Harry very much like a trial, especially like the last one when he and Draco had been brought before the Wizengamot only four months ago. He bristled but walked confidently toward the front of the room where witches and wizards were sitting behind a long rectangular table. There were twelve of them-like a jury, he thought-and he wondered suddenly how this was all supposed to proceed.

"Harry Potter, Draco Malfoy. Thank you for coming," said a wizard with a walrus-like red mustache. He sat in the center of the table with wizards and witches poised on either side of him. They all had important papers they were shuffling or fingering. No one but the walrus-mustached wizard even looked directly at them. "You have been called to this hearing to answer charges made against you."

"And then what?" asked Harry.

Draco tried to elbow him but Harry stood one hand span too far.

The wizard caught his eye. "I beg your pardon?"

"It's just that I wonder what happens after this hearing. I mean, you wouldn't have called this hearing unless you think we did something wrong, and at the Ministry that seems like a sure sentence to me. So what do you have planned? Since I saved the Wizard and Muggle world I just think I have a right to know."

"Now…now Mr. Potter…"

"Oh it's Mr. Potter, now is it? So you've only just remembered I'm a world famous hero? And possibly the most powerful wizard on the planet."

The others looked up nervously.

"Who happens to be gay," he added and smiled. "So. I am gay and so is Professor Malfoy. And we both happen to teach at Hogwarts. And we did perhaps a foolish thing and danced together at a school dance…and then another foolish thing by kissing in front of the student body. Dear me. Let's see how that stacks up to getting rid of Voldemort."

He stepped forward and was pleased to see the governors slide back into their chairs. Harry took out his wand for further affect. Surely they didn't expect that Harry would still have his wand. This clearly was not a good thing.

He wrote in the air as if writing on a chalkboard, and his words appeared in glowing blue. "Let's call this side of the argument… 'Gay' and this side 'Voldemort'. Now let's see. On the Voldemort side we have-" he wrote in vivid blue-"'killing', 'torture', 'destruction', 'enslavement', 'evil'…can you think of anything to add, Professor Malfoy?"

"'Malfeasance.'"

Harry suppressed a laugh. "All right. 'Malfeasance.'"

He made a show of looking at his list. "Now. On the other side, what have we? 'Love', 'companionship', 'joy'-"

"Don't forget 'dancing'," offered Malfoy, getting into the spirit.

"Of course. 'Dancing'-"

"And a real flare for dressing…"

"Your point is taken, Mr. Potter," said Walrus-mustache. "But the fact of the matter is, parents are removing their children from the school. Now tell me truly. If you were sitting here in our place and there was a disturbance in the school that caused the children to flee, what would you do?"

The man had a point. Harry wasn't expecting rationality. He waved his hand and vanished his list. "Perhaps as the board, you could offer to educate the parents that there is no threat."

"But we do not believe that to be the case."

"Threat of what?" cried Draco. "That we're going to start turning all the kiddies into queers?"

"There were two male students dancing as well-" a witch interjected.

"Yes!" said Harry. "A couple of boys who were trying to come to grips with their sexuality and we helped them be less confused. What is wrong with that?"

"That is not your place to teach that. Your place is to teach Potions and Defense Against the Dark Arts, respectively."

"We aren't teaching in a vacuum. They are living, breathing wizards and witches and they need more than the basics. That's why they live there. They learn to live with one another, understanding one another. Do you really want another Voldemort on your hands? If we ignore who they are we will set evil free again."

"Are you insinuating that Voldemort-"

"That's not what I meant! I just mean that we have to be open to the students and nurture them no matter who they are. Maybe if more questions had been asked, more love given-oh I don't know. If I honestly believed I was harming one single student, I would resign my post immediately. I would certainly feel obligated to do so."

"And you, Mr. Malfoy?"

"I'm letting him do the talking. He's eloquent enough for the both of us."

"I do not think you appreciate the seriousness of the situation, gentlemen. When the parents keep their children from attending Hogwarts I see a great deal of harm. Our decision must be based on what is good for the school."

Draco stepped forward, unable to contain himself. "But we are good for the school! Certainly the children seeing Harry Potter, their own hero, teach is invaluable. And to see his mortal enemy turned from evil and welcomed, a man who had no right to redemption but was granted it anyway-that should give them hope for themselves. Don't you see that?"

The wizard shook his head and shuffled his papers. "You have been charged with immoral conduct, malfeasance, and insurrection. You will receive our decision in a month."

"Insurrection? What the hell-"

"Draco!"

"In a month?" Draco glared at each of them and turned perplexed to Harry. "You mean that's it?"

"But we didn't…I mean…"

"In a month, Mr. Potter, Mr. Malfoy. You are dismissed."

Draco stood poised to pounce, and so Harry grabbed his arm and dragged him backwards toward the door. Once they passed through the archway and the door closed behind them, he turned to Draco. "What just happened?"

"I don't know. What do you think?"

"I think we lost."

Draco slumped. "So do I."

They returned slowly to the front desk in the lobby where Draco got his wand back. They apparated back to Hogsmeade, pleased at least that the snow storm had subsided, but it left the air heavy with frost. The trees bent forward under the weight of snow and they slogged slowly up the hill through the newly packed drifts.

Draco looked around the halls of Hogwarts as if for the last time. "Should we go to Dumbledore's office?"

"No, let him come to us."

"Shall I…do you want to be alone tonight?"

He turned to Draco. The sight of his lover was the only thing that calmed him. "Why would I ever want to be alone when you're around?" He took Draco's hand and walked with him up the changing staircase until they came to the Defense classroom. The room was dark and lit by shafts of silver moonlight that looked colder from the frost-edged windows. They went together up the pulpit stairs, through Harry's study, and through the painting of the fighting wizards to Harry's rooms.

Draco dropped his robes to the floor with an exhausted sigh. "What are we going to do, Harry?"

"Well, if all else fails, I'll send you to law school and let you support me."

"Seriously."

"I am serious."

"I guess it's as good a plan as any." Draco gazed out the tall reticulated windows. "I will miss this view, though."

Harry put his arm around him. "Me, too."

He turned his face to Harry and Harry could feel Draco's hot breath on his check. "Funny thing is, I should be depressed as hell but I still feel like making love to you."

Harry's green eyes sprung open with delight. "Really?"

"Don't you?"

"Yes, actually."

Draco leaned in and kissed Harry, raining light, repetitive kisses on his lips before his mouth mashed over Harry's to take more. Harry lifted his hands and cupped his lover's face. He felt Draco's fingers clutch his waist before his arms slid around him and pulled him close. In Draco's arms, the world and all its problems fell away, the perfect place to lose himself.

As he kissed him, he thought about his past boyfriends, men who flitted only temporarily through his life to leave it almost as quickly as they joined it. The first man, Harry's first, had been a wonderful encounter of self discovery and tenderness. That Muggle who met Harry in the park two years ago and who struck up a conversation with him, had only seen Harry as an interesting and attractive man. There was none of the stigma of being Harry Potter. What a relief that had been, and surely that was part of the attraction (though before Draco mentioned it, he hadn't realized that they all bore a resemblance to the Slytherin). The relationship went on for four months. The man wanted to know Harry better, but that would have meant revealing who he really was and he wasn't prepared to do that. And so two more Muggles fell into his life with the same demands, and always, Harry wasn't willing to let them know his true self. How could he? It meant explaining too much. What he needed was someone he didn't have to explain Voldemort to. And that had led to the Ministry and an accidental encounter with Wulf who was funny and playful and not intimidated by the Famous Harry Potter. Harry seduced him, in fact, and it was a new sensation for him. Wulf was sweet and he made every effort to make Harry feel comfortable with him, but then comfort became a trap and Harry needed to move on. And then he fairly stumbled into Edward at the Ministry, too. Edward was in many ways more mature than Harry and their relationship was often more cerebral than physical, though the physical part was just as good. But Wizarding liaisons at the Ministry became too complicated and he drifted away from Edward as well, and found himself living a celibate life in Muggle London, afraid to go forward and afraid to go back. Muggles, Wizards? Where did he belong? To whom did he belong? And would anyone really belong to him? Seeing Draco again had been his bane and his salvation. His bane because he believed-as Draco did himself-that the blond was heterosexual and would never look twice at Harry. And his salvation, because he at least made friends with him after so many years of hatred.

How could he have known how miraculous it would all become?

Draco was his, he was Draco's and it was as it always seemed it should be. He hugged him tighter, relishing the contact, knowing how rare it was that true love could find true love.

He tasted Draco in the slow luxury of knowing well one's lover. He knew the places he could touch, and the places yet to surprise him (though there were few left of those). He broke from the kiss to start a trail along Draco's jawline, first nibbling his earlobe until his lover sighed those little noises Harry found so enticing. And then he kissed and licked his way down his long, white neck to the base of his throat, pulling at his tie and collar with his teeth, until Draco was driven so mad he tore them off for himself.

Harry unbuttoned Draco's shirt one small button at a time, kissing the white skin revealed beneath. Draco was panting and Harry hadn't even gotten close to his waistline yet. He pushed the shirt wide open and bent to kiss and lick Draco's skin. How smooth his skin was! Harry loved to taste it, to run his tongue down his chest. Draco always seemed on the edge of peaking no matter how he stimulated him, and now was no different. He squirmed and moaned his pleasure at Harry's touch, inviting more by throwing back his head and arching his back. Harry obliged by lapping his nipples then pinching them with his teeth and Draco let out a long moan.

Harry peeled his lover's shirt off impatiently, unbuckled his belt, and pushed down his trousers and pants. He maneuvered him to the bed where he pushed him back and grabbed the trousers to easily slide them off. Draco lay back; lordly, naked, aroused, his lids half closed and watching Harry. Harry stood back to disrobe, never taking his eyes from Draco's. He was about to take off his glasses when Draco whispered, "Leave them on. They're sexy on you." Harry smiled and left them alone. His clothes were soon in a pile on the floor and he crawled forward, simply taking in the sight of his lover sprawled, stimulated, and awaiting him. Draco leaned up and touched Harry's cheek and stroked it. Harry grasped the hand and turned the palm towards his lips and planted a kiss there. Then he turned the hand again and sucked a finger into his mouth. Draco gasped, his eyes widening. Harry kept sucking and twisting his tongue around the finger, watching Draco's eyes become dark with lust.

Harry let the hand go. He wanted Draco's entire body and lowered his face to kiss his white chest. He kissed down his torso and paused over the stiff prick. He kissed the head and Draco exhaled a deep sigh. Harry reached for the side table and retrieved the lube. He uncorked the jar and dipped his fingers in. Draco opened his legs obligingly and lifted his hips. Harry slathered Draco's entrance, positioned himself, and inched his cock inside, taking his time, pausing to allow Draco to become used to his slow assault.

Draco moved with him, sharing every moment, every sensation. When they were one like this, Harry felt that nothing could ever be as wonderful; not breathing, not eating, not feeling the sunshine on his skin. Draco was all that and more, because the magic (or was it love?) seemed to make it more between them, pulling them deeper into one another, entwining them in ways they could barely comprehend. It was more than sexual stimulation, more than lust or love. It was simply more, and Harry reveled in it until he choked out his orgasm with something akin to Draco's name mingled with the other endearments he wanted to call him.

When he caught his breath, he eagerly moved to allow Draco access, and they were caught up again in their dance, moving together, reaching their peaks together. And when Draco was sated, he slipped down into Harry's arms-where Harry loved him to be-and they fell asleep together, knowing no wizard body of prejudiced fools could really come between them.

And when they awoke in the morning, still in each other's arms, Harry sighed his contentment. Draco echoed it over his chest.

After a long interval, Harry broke the silence. "I will really miss teaching." Harry had not spoken coherent words for some ten hours except to moan his lover's name.

Draco jostled to look up at him, his pointed chin resting on Harry's chest. "So will I. I didn't think I'd like it so much."

"Maybe we can become private tutors."

"Oh certainly. They wouldn't want us teaching in a school, so why not hire us into their homes?"

"Yeah, I guess so."

"I wish it were different. Especially for you." He stroked Harry's chest and slid his hand down to the dark line of hair that started at his navel and ran downward. "It might still be, you know. They might just sack me so you could stay."

"And I already told you I wouldn't stay if they sacked you."

Draco sat up. "But really, Harry. That makes no sense. You were meant for this. I just stumbled into it. Maybe I can become a barrister and change the laws."

"If they kick you out, how could I possibly stay?"

"It's what I would do."

"Slytherin ways?"

"Well, they are more logical, you know."

"And anyway I don't believe you would."

"Oh no?" He tried a Slytherin smile, but it soon faded. "Damn you and your damned Gryffindor ways. I think they're rubbing off."

Harry smiled and beckoned Draco back into his arms. "That's all right. They won't hurt you."


On to Chapter Nine
"Empty Seats"

Back to Chapter Seven
"The Daily Prophet Revised"

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