Harry and Draco apparated into the Ministry lobby and a male receptionist greeted them and asked them to surrender their wands. But just as they were about to reply, Miss Walnut came out of her office. "Mr. Timmons, whenever Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy come to the Ministry, they will not be required to surrender their wands. Please make a note of it. Gentlemen," she said, inclining her head, and disappeared back in her office.

By now, of course, everyone had heard about the "Mutiny Dance" as it was now called, and Harry and Draco were greeted with smiles and waves as they walked the corridors toward the Board of Governors hearing room. They exchanged perplexed looks with one another. "Now what?" hissed Draco.

Harry shrugged. "Maybe it's a good thing."

"And the chances of that?"

Harry fell silent. They listened to their shoes click against the polished stone floor as they approached the door. Harry didn't hesitate. He pulled it open.

The same twelve governors sat at their rectangular table. The walrus-mustached wizard watched Draco and Harry enter, his hands folded on the table in front of him.

This time there were two chairs. Harry didn't know if this was a good sign or not. Perhaps that's where the flogging took place. Draco was about to sit when Harry made an imperceptible shaking of his head. Draco stiffened instead.

"Gentlemen, thank you for being on time. As you know, we are all here to render our decision about the two of you continuing to teach at Hogwarts. It seems three nights ago Hogwarts was host to another dance." He sighed. "It was determined that you two had nothing to do with instigating the activities there."

"You mean the students dancing with one another? Same-sex dancing?"

Draco looked at Harry as if he were out of his mind. Harry shrugged. Maybe he was.

"Ah…yes, Mr. Potter. It was a fine show of confidence. The students themselves seemed to have engineered the dance just so that they could initiate this demonstration. Most commendable but entirely inappropriate."

Harry-who felt inflated with pride-suddenly deflated.

"Obviously these children were caught up in events they should never have been party to-"

"Actually, that is not entirely truthful."

Harry and Draco turned. Dumbledore walked into the room, strolled down the shiny floor, and moved to stand between them. He gave them each a friendly nod. "The students were most affected by these events and had a very real need to participate. Young people have a great deal to offer their community, my dear governors. I am surprised that as a school board you were unaware of that fact."

The governors rumbled amongst themselves. Dumbledore clasped his hands together in front of him. "In fact, the students made me fully aware of their plans beforehand…and I approved them."

"What?" Draco faced the old wizard angrily. "You knew? And you let them? And you wouldn't let us?"

"Draco, I urged you to patience, remember?"

Harry motioned Draco back.

"As I was saying, the students of all houses came together. All houses-" He looked at Draco. "Yes, even Slytherin, Professor Malfoy-in an unprecedented collaboration the school has never seen before. It proves to me, ladies and gentlemen of the board, that the presence of Professor Potter and Professor Malfoy can only serve as one of the school's greatest assets. And despite an old-fashioned view on sexual morality imposed upon them, the students seem able to distinguish for themselves what is acceptable behaviour in their society. Simply because these two men love each other in ways the rest of us can scarce comprehend-and I might add even envy-does not devalue what they share, as proved by the students of Hogwarts. I therefore put my vote forward to allow them to stay at Hogwarts and to lift the unfair ban on their public displays of affection, and to drop any and all charges against them."

Harry couldn't quite breathe. He was so happy that Dumbledore had come through again, he didn't have room to be angry with him for playing his games.

But the faces of the board members were far from cowed. "A pretty speech, Albus," said the Walrus-mustache. "But as you surely know, you do not have a vote anymore on the board."

Harry's spirits suddenly plummeted.

"I was, of course, speaking figuratively," said Dumbledore. "Oh. By the way, if it is any influence at all on your decision, after the story appeared in the Daily Prophet, I have received three hundred and twenty-two letters from parents who had previously pulled their students from Hogwarts, saying that they will return them within the next few weeks. A significant rise in population, wouldn't you agree, my dear governors?"

The governors said nothing. They looked at one another silently.

"Perhaps you would like us to wait outside while you confer?" asked Dumbledore. Without waiting for a reply, he took Harry and Draco's shoulders and steered them toward the door.

Once the door closed behind them, he said, "Come along. I don't think we need to wait here."

"But, Albus," said Harry. "Shouldn't we wait for their decision?"

"I don't think so. I think it will go in your favor now." He walked ahead of them while they stood frozen outside the door. Dumbledore took a few more paces, stopped, and turned. "Come along."

Harry and Draco didn't argue. When they apparated back to Hogsmeade Dumbledore offered to buy them butterbeers in the Three Broomsticks to celebrate and they were so taken aback by the events that they agreed.

After the drinks arrived, Draco stared at his bottle. "So it was all a trick. I hate that you do that!"

Dumbledore landed a gentle hand to his shoulder. "It was no 'trick', Draco. Merely a way of pushing you two into action. And the entire school, I daresay."

"But you made us angry with you, Albus."

"A small price to pay, Harry. And what would you have done had I moved to do the work for you? This way you did not feel helpless. You tried. You worked together."

"The houses," said Draco. "Did Slytherin really work with the others?"

"Indeed. I believe they were in charge of getting the word out. They were the slyest ones, of course, and not one teacher got wind of it. Very clever."

"So…it's okay if we dance together at dances now?" asked Harry.

"As I told you before, Harry. I've never sacked anyone for dancing, and I certainly don't intend to start."

They finished their beers quietly, and when they were done, walked together up the hill to Hogwarts.

Later that night, Harry was looking out the window of his room at the snow in the moonlight. He heard the muffled password through the door, "Gryffindors Rule!" followed by Draco's "sod it!" and the door swung open. Harry smiled and beckoned Draco to the window. Draco joined him and put his arm around him, enjoying the view by moonlight.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" sighed Harry.

"Yes." But Draco wasn't looking at the view. His eyes were on Harry. Harry turned and smiled, giving him a peck on the lips. "Do you think, Harry, that we can get through the rest of the year without any more mishaps? Without anyone trying to kill you or me or anyone trying to otherwise get rid of us?"

"Haven't the foggiest."

"Just another day at Hogwarts, eh?"

"Yep."

"When's the next dance?"

"Not till the end of term."

"Damn. Of course, we can always practice here."

"I prefer to do something else here."

"Oh?" Draco squeezed Harry tighter. "What did you have in mind?"

"Something that involves you, and chocolate sauce, and perhaps whipped cream."

Draco turned wide eyes and a wide grin toward Harry. "Potter! You never cease to amaze me."

"I hope not." Harry reached into his pocket and took out the watch. He flipped the lid opened and the needle pointed toward Hogwarts. He sighed.

Draco grabbed it out of his hand, opened the window, and tossed it out.

"What did you do that for!"

"I never want to see that thing again."

"But…it has that inscription in it."

"You've got the real thing. I'll inscribe anything you want anywhere you want. Didn't you mention something about chocolate sauce?"

Harry's shock wore away, replaced by a good portion of lust. "Okay. But it's a rather long inscription."

The End


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