Harry walked up the long hill to the castle and made it just in time as Filch was locking the gate. He snorted at Harry and gave him a look that seemed to say he wished he had locked him out. "Mr. Filch," greeted Harry politely with a nod.

"Professor Potter," he said, choking a bit on the 'professor' part.

Harry shook his head and hurried up the walk to the castle entrance. The dinner had probably already begun and he was feeling hungry. He made it quickly through the corridor nearly running through Nearly-Headless-Nick-made his apologies-and slipped through the big doors of the Great Hall. He walked down the center aisle, waving hellos to various students and finally arrived at the head table.

"Nice of you to join us at last, Professor Potter," said Dumbledore, munching on a quail leg.

"Sorry, sir. I had my appointment in Hogsmeade."

"And how did that go?"

"Um…fine. He starts tomorrow."

"I'm sure you know what you are doing."

Harry shot a glance at the old wizard. It wasn't exactly the reply he was expecting. Professor Trelawney sat next to Harry and she was looking at him through her large lenses. "I was noticing the cards, Professor," she said to him in her raspy voice, her breath scented with alcohol. "They look very portentous. Very portentous. If I were you, I should be wary of associations with strangers this week."

Harry slowly scooped mashed potatoes onto his plate. That had to be a coincidence. After all, even a guess had to be right once in a blue moon. And the only thing Trelawney had been right about was that bloody prophecy and she wasn't even aware of making it. Besides, it was sodding Voldemort who made it come true. How Harry had wished he'd just left it alone. Of course, that had been Snape's fault- Harry shook his head. He had to stop thinking of that stuff. That was the past. This was the present. That should concern him more. And with that thought, he turned to look down the table at Draco.

Draco was making a study of ignoring him. He sighed. He guessed he deserved that. He really had been quite prissy when he left Draco, getting upset for no reason. After all, Draco was only looking out for his welfare. He gave Draco a good long look. Cym Sorenson may be good-looking in an outlandishly eye-popping way, but Draco had the kind of attractiveness that just stuck to one's ribs. His features were slightly pointed which added to the devilish quality of his face-which also added to his mystique, probably the most attractive thing about him. Draco was dangerous, always would be, whether it manifested in true danger or not. He exuded it and that was terribly sexy. At least Harry thought so. And then there was Draco's hair. It felt so silky between his fingers. He loved to run his hands through Draco's silvery blond hair, especially when Draco was kneeling in front of him and-

"The mashed potatoes seem to be a favorite of yours," said the headmaster with an amused glint in his eye.

Harry looked at his plate. He hadn't been paying attention and piled an abnormally high mountain of it in front of him. He put the serving spoon back in the nearly empty bowl and sat back. "Well…they look especially appetizing tonight," he said lamely.

There was nothing for it but to tuck in. Harry didn't think he'd be eating mashed potatoes again for a long time.

* * *

Harry waited in his room for Draco but it didn't look as if the Slytherin was going to come. Harry sighed. It was his fault. Should he go to him? Since Draco was angry at him, he didn't think it was nice to just floo there, so he got up, left his tower, and made his way down to the dungeons.

He was nearing the Slytherin common room and thought he heard footsteps. It was much too late for students to be out and about. He suddenly wished he had his invisibility cloak on him, but he thought a Disillusionment charm would do just as well. He flicked his wand at himself and made his way stealthily down the darkened corridor. Charmed, no one would really notice him unless they already knew he was there.

Or unless he grunted in surprise-like he just did running into Draco.

"What the-? Harry? Is that you?"

The charm dissipated and Harry straightened. "Draco? Where have you been?"

"I was looking for you. You weren't in your room."

"I waited for you."

Draco fell silent and stared at the worn carpet. "I don't know what I said or did to you make you angry with me," he said softly, "but I'm sorry just the same."

"No, it was just me being stupid."

Draco raised his face. Yes, thought Harry. That really was quite a good-looking face. "So…do you want to…shall we-?"

But they both heard the noise. Someone was in the corridor scurrying in the opposite direction, heading for the Slytherin common room. Draco looked at Harry. "I'll handle this," he said with a scowl. "Meet you back at your room."

Harry didn't have time to reply. Draco was already running with his wand at the ready.

* * *

Draco skidded around the corner and dived through the open door. He rolled down the stairs to the common room startling several students studying by the large fireplace. He rolled upright and looked around. "Did you see someone come in here just now?"

The students-a couple of sixth years-shook their heads.

Draco grunted and shoved his wand back in his pocket. "That's it. Everybody up! House meeting!" He pulled the bell rope that set off the alarm and all the dorms rang with the loud claxon. He waited by the fire and soon the Slytherin Prefects scurried in, tying their dressing gowns. "I want a head count," he told them. "And whoever isn't in here had better have a bloody good excuse."

Soon all the Slytherins started arriving, rubbing sleep from their eyes and looking around wearily. Draco scowled and leaned against the stone mantle, drumming his fingers. It took a while, but the prefects finally returned breathlessly to report.

"Treeloft and Adams appear to be missing, sir," said the dark-haired Prefect boy.

"Now why does that not surprise me," said Draco. "All right. I don't want to see anyone wandering about after hours. Do I make myself clear? I don't think you want to see me truly angry." No one made a sound. No one moved. "Everyone back to bed!" The crowd of students moved as if on cat's paws. "I'll deal with those two myself."

Draco pondered it. When he was making mischief, there were a few places he always ended up, of course it usually had something to do with harassing Harry Potter. He groaned, thinking of it. If he could have spent those wasted years shagging him instead, he would have been a much happier Draco. Course he wasn't thinking in those terms then. "While Potter was spying on me in his cloak and all Poly-Juiced up." The thought of Harry secretly watching him-especially in the Quidditch changing rooms-caused a sudden arousal. Harry must have been pretty hard, too, watching Draco, secretly desiring him. What a thought! Draco hating him, and Harry wanting something quite the reverse.

Draco took a deep breath to calm himself. He had to stop thinking about that. He had these wretched students to find.

He stopped to think for a moment. There was a directional charm he could put on his wand that would do the trick. He made an incantation over his wand flat in his palm and then said, "Find me Treeloft and Adams." The wand quivered, turned a few tentative directions and then quieted. "What?" He shook his hand a bit to rattle the wooden stick over his palm, and then realized that he only confused his wand. He assumed they would be together but perhaps they weren't. "Show me Treeloft," he tried, and this time the wand sprang to life, pointing itself in a specific direction. Draco took off.

He climbed a staircase and followed it down a passage until he realized he was heading for the hospital wing. He picked up his pace and trotted and then ran. The hospital wing doors were barred for the night but Draco pounded on them until he heard footsteps.

"What the devil-Professor Malfoy!" Madam Pomfrey threw open the door. She was in her dressing gown, her long gray hair plaited into a single braid down her back. "What are you doing? I have a patient trying to sleep!"

"And shouldn't you be contacting the head of their house when you do have one, Poppy?"

"Of course I did! I've been doing this a lot longer than you, Mr. Malfoy."

"But I never got word."

She pressed her mouth tightly. "Kreacher. That miserable house elf!"

"Okay." He relaxed and breathed again. "Just tell me what happened."

"Someone pushed Treeloft down the stairs. No one saw anything, but we suspect it might be something Peeves did. I've already summoned the Bloody Baron to deal with it, but I have not heard back."

"How is Treeloft?"

"He'll be fine. Some bone-mending potions and bed rest, and he should be released by the afternoon."

"What about Adams?"

"Adams? Adams? No. I have heard of no other students with difficulties. Treeloft is my only patient."

"When was Treeloft admitted?"

"About seven."

"All right. Thanks, Poppy. And…uh…sorry for barging in and all."

"That's quite all right, Professor Malfoy. I understand your concern for your students."

"Yeah," he said, thinking only of stringing up Adams. Peeves, was it? He doubted it.

He stepped out into the corridor as Pomfrey closed and barred the doors. He laid his wand in his palm again and said, "Find Adams." The wand quivered again and darted in another direction. Draco sprinted.

He traveled down several flights of stairs and along several dark corridors until he came to the library. The door was closed and he quietly pushed it open with one hand. The wand was definitely quivering indicating the library. He stepped in and lightly made his way through the dim stacks. And there, in a far corner almost hidden by the shadows, was a small person resting their head on their arms. Draco put a fist to his hip and raised his wand. "Lumos!"

The bright light and his loud incantation awakened her and she sat bolt upright. Her face, creased by lying on her sleeve, looked confused and bleary. Her eyes turned to Draco and widened in fear.

"Where the hell have you been, Adams? It's well after ten."

"No! It can't be." She stared out the window as if it could verify it one way or the other. Then she whipped her head back at Draco. "I…I…"

"Explain this one if you can, Adams."

"Sir!" She stood and tried to straighten her robe. She twisted her ring nervously. "I must have fallen asleep."

"And Madam Pince didn't find you and wake you up? I find that a little hard to believe."

"But it's happened before, sir. I'm…I'm very small. She didn't notice me. Not until much later. It's not my fault. I've been studying-" And then she suddenly burst into tears.

Draco was at a loss. Now he wasn't sure what to do. Students weren't supposed to cry when you yelled at them. None of the blokes did. Damn. What was he supposed to do with this?

He swung his wand arm back and forth and stared up at the vaulted ceiling, waiting for her to stop. Blimey! "All right, Adams. Um…all right. Steady on. Just…go on back to your dorm."

"Am I in trouble, Professor?"

"Oh…well…" Draco grimaced. How the hell did he know? "We'll discuss it in the morning. Just be sure you are not late to class."

She sniffled and ran passed him, her cloak flapping.

Draco whispered, "Nox," and tucked his wand away. He wiped his face with his hand and shook his head. This teacher business had a lot more to it than offering points and assigning detention. He never realized what a pain in the arse it could be.

* * *

He trudged back to Harry's rooms, stood before his door, and grunted the password, "Gryffindors Rule." The door swung open and Harry was instantly in the doorway.

"Well?"

Draco trudged in and dropped onto the bed. "I don't know," he said throwing up his hands. "Two were missing. Treeloft and Adams. Treeloft was in the hospital wing since seven, and Adams I found asleep in the library."

"So it was neither of them?"

"Could have been Peeves, I expect. Though he usually makes a show of making fun of the poor prat who falls for it. Though Pomfrey said he might have been responsible for Treeloft falling down the stairs."

"Falling down the stairs? Is he all right?"

"Yeah. He'll be out by tomorrow afternoon."

"More like those damn changing stairwells were to blame. Never understood the need for those."

"Me neither."

Draco slumped. Harry sat beside him and looked at him for a while until he moved up on the bed and positioned himself behind Draco. He started massaging his shoulders. Draco succumbed to the delicious feelings. "Ah. That's nice, Harry."

"Feel good?"

"Mmmm."

Harry's strong fingers dug into his taut muscles, loosening them. He worked at it a while until Draco suddenly felt warm lips at his neck. He inhaled a sharp breath and dropped his head forward in surrender. A warm, moist tongue blazed a trail up from the base of his hairline across his neck to his ear where it swirled around and caused a sudden reaction far lower.

"Harry," he moaned.

The hands at his shoulders snaked down his chest and began to unbutton his shirt, pushing the material aside to massage down his bare skin. "Oh Harry," he whimpered, leaning back into him.

Harry laid Draco back on the bed and lips covered his upside down, playing at his with tantalizing slowness. A tongue finally found its way into his mouth and toyed with Draco's, causing a deep shiver of desire to tremble down his spine. Draco reached up vaguely and found Harry's head and pulled him down for a deeper kiss. By now Harry's hands had traveled down Draco's torso and his busy fingers were unbuckling his belt. Draco raised his hips to help Harry shuck his trousers but it proved difficult from that angle. Harry moved in front of Draco and finished the job. He looked down at the disheveled and partially undressed Slytherin and drew his lips into a smile.

"That's a very naughty expression you're wearing, Potter."

"That's a very naughty amount of clothes you're not wearing, Malfoy."

"Well," he said, measuring Harry under drowsy lids. "What are you going to do about it?"

Still smiling, Harry divested himself of his robes, shirt, and trousers. Draco eyed Harry's proud erection with a sudden shiver of anticipation that doubled as Harry crawled toward him on the bed. Bracing himself over Draco, Harry lowered his pelvis and two hard erections slid over the other. Draco closed his eyes and exhaled a shaky sigh. What Harry was doing was downright nasty. Flesh easing over flesh, catching on one another, slapping back. Oh! It was so exquisite Draco thought he might come from that alone. "Oh Merlin, Harry."

"Draco, you feel so good."

"As do you."

"You feel so hard."

"Make love to me, Harry. I want to feel you inside me. Please."

Harry didn't answer. But Draco heard the sound of something whistle through the air and slap into Harry's hand. When he felt oily fingers at his entrance he knew it was the lube. A blunt hardness was suddenly pressed against him there and he opened his legs wider and wrapped them around Harry's waist. He squeezed, pulling Harry tighter against him and the hard cock poked inside. Draco moved his hips, urging more, and Harry obliged, sinking deeper into Draco's moist hole. Then Harry began to thrust in earnest. He wasn't hitting the sweet spot, but Draco didn't mind. He just liked the feeling of fullness, of Harry filling him and the sharp jerk of his hips while he thrust, the rasping breaths of his lover above him. Harry was inside him! Such a feeling! Even the slight burn and the stretching wide of his sphincter added to the exquisite intimacy. His Harry. Inside him.

Harry moved, changed the angle of his thrusting, searching for the sweet spot inside Draco. Found it. Draco made an involuntary yelp of pleasure and jerked his hips. Harry made a sound like a growl which turned on Draco even more. His lover leaned forward and kissed him, biting his lips and grinding his belly against Draco's erection. Between that and the pounding his prostate was getting, Draco was quite close to orgasm. His arms ran up Harry's sides and fingers dug into his back. He spoke whispers to Harry's lips dancing lightly over his mouth but the words made no sense, or at least had no literal sense. Harry swallowed them with his tongue and thrust harder, more forcefully. He was coming, hot liquid shooting into his lover and then Draco came, expelling stickiness sandwiched between them, his legs clenching for dear life around Harry's waist.

It took a while for him to calm. Harry's breathing evened after a while and lay with his dead weight on top of him. But Draco didn't mind. The feel of Harry, all of Harry against him was so incredibly satisfying that he knew he didn't need to breathe very deeply to survive. Finally, sleepily, Harry rolled off of him. The wetness on his skin and the loss of body warmth instantly chilled him. But before he could say, Harry had wrapped him in the duvet and drew him close. That was his Harry. Even half-asleep, he was considerate. Draco happily nestled into his shoulder and threw a leg over his hip. They'd sleep a little, wake, and start again.

* * *

Draco stretched into the sunshine of the morning and breathed a heartfelt sigh. He glanced toward his partner still snoring beside him and smiled a lazy grin. He leaned down and pressed a kiss to the lax mouth and Harry snorted awake. His green eyes fluttered open, searched, and found Draco. He smiled and then made his own feline stretch. "Morning, Draco."

"Morning, Harry. That was a very…restless…night."

"Didn't you sleep well?"

"When I was finally allowed to sleep, yes."

"Are you complaining, Mr. Malfoy?"

"Not in the least, Mr. Potter. I am simply amazed at your stamina."

Harry raised his brows and searched for his glasses. "So am I. You bring it out in me."

Draco looked out the window. "I suppose it's time we get up. It's a big day, today."

"The parents are coming, aren't they."

"Yes," said Draco grimly.

An owl pecked at the window and pushed it open. It made a circle over the bed and dropped the Daily Prophet onto Harry's lap. He sat up and positioned the pillow behind him.

"Shall I make some tea?" asked Draco.

"Sure." Harry looked at the paper. "Still haven't found Gordon Harper," he read then skimmed the rest. "Hey. The parental visit to Hogwarts made the front page." Harry creased the paper. "That reminds me. I'll have to make a visit to Treeloft later. I'm sure he'll be glad to see me," he said ruefully and continued to read while Draco pulled on his dressing gown. Malfoy was about to light the hob for the kettle when Harry made a very uncharacteristic declaration. "Oh SHIT!"

Draco spun. "What did you say, Potter?"

He looked up at Draco with a stark expression, the color gone from his face. "Uh…nothing."

"That doesn't look like nothing."

He blinked furiously. "How's the tea?"

"Never mind that. Give me the paper."

"No, Draco-!"

He snatched it from Harry's hand and read:

HOGWARTS TO HOST PARENTS

Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardly is opening its doors today for the first time to the parents of students concerned with the teaching techniques of former Death Eater and current Potions Master Draco Malfoy. Attendance at the school has fallen considerably since the announcement of Malfoy's appointment and sources informed us it was hoped that a face-to-face meeting with You-Know-Who's former cohort could ease tensions. Though the members of the board of governors could not be reached for comment, a Ministry official declared that he thought the appointment was "outrageous and showed an extreme lack of judgment on the part of the headmaster."

Adding to this already bubbling cauldron, the Daily Prophet has learned that a student has made an accusation against Professor Malfoy of impropriety. The child in question seemed to hint that the behaviour toward her was sexual in nature--

"WHAT!"

"Draco. Now don't panic."

"WHAT!"

"I said don't panic. Let's get to Dumbledore's office as quick as we can."

Draco's knees buckled and he sunk limply to the bed. "Oh God, oh God."

"Come on. Let's get dressed. Come on, Malfoy. Move!"

Harry helped Draco dress because he couldn't seem to make his own limbs do it. Here it was again, thought Draco. That nightmare descending. Would it ever stop? It seemed that the harder he tried the worse things got. Getting rid of Voldemort didn't seem to do the trick for Draco, though it made the rest of the Wizarding world happy. He was haunted day by day by the mistakes he'd made. He'd end up like Snape, he supposed: death the only real redemption.

He allowed Harry to drag him to Dumbledore but what difference would it really make? Once an accusation like that was levied would anyone really trust him again? He could protest his innocence all he liked, but the mob would want his blood. Maybe he should just give it to them. All the good things that had happened to him in the last three months all seemed to fade. He couldn't remember happiness. Happiness was something shrouded in a distant fog. Although-he felt a warm hand on his arm, tugging him forward. That touch vaguely reminded him of something called happiness. He looked up at Harry's determined profile. The feeling grew stronger. Yes, it all had to do with Harry. Happiness, love, contentment. But if something should separate them, Draco wasn't certain if he could climb out of his despair by himself.

They reached the gargoyle statue and Harry shouted, "Canary Creams!" It leapt aside revealing the griffin. He stepped forward and pulled Draco with him and they traveled upward on the spiral stair. Harry didn't wait for it to arrive completely before he leapt forward and pounded on Dumbledore's door. The old wizard called for them to enter. It seemed he was already prepared for their arrival.

Harry shook the paper at him. "Did you see this!"

Dumbledore, standing behind his desk, closed his eyes and slowly nodded his head. "I am afraid I have. I am sorry, Draco."

"Well who is it?" asked Harry. "Who made these outlandish accusations?"

Dumbledore shrugged and sat wearily. "I only wish I knew. No accusations of any kind were brought to me. I have to assume they were brought to the governors."

"Why to them?"

"I can only speculate that whoever brought these charges wished to skirt past me. Of course, that will be quite impossible."

"Albus," pleaded Harry. "You know these charges are false. Draco couldn't possibly-"

"Yes," he said. "I know."

Draco raised his head. "It's all over. There's nothing you can do this time. There's no clever way around this with fancy words. They'll have my head."

"An interesting assessment, Professor Malfoy. What makes you think so?"

"Well look at it! An accusation of impropriety with a student! How can I ever get out of that?"

"Are you guilty, Professor Malfoy?"

"Of course not! Of all things! And a girl!"

Dumbledore raised his brows. "I would not put that at the top of my list of arguments," he said quietly.

"But you know what I mean! I'm done for."

"All is not lost, Professor Malfoy. There has yet to be charges made by the governors and those may never come. We all know how reliable the reportage of the Daily Prophet is. But there are parents to meet today. I am afraid that is unavoidable."

"But they will all have read that bloody paper!"

"That may be so, but they will still need to be addressed. The students should be finishing their breakfasts and classes will resume. Once the hall is cleared the parents will start arriving and Draco needs to be there to welcome them as will I."

"How about me?" asked Harry.

"You have a patient to talk to in the hospital wing and a new assistant starting today."

He bit his lip. "I forgot. Treeloft and Sorenson."

Draco looked from Dumbledore to Harry. "Harry won't be there?"

"Harry would not have been there in any case. This gathering was for your benefit, Draco. Harry would only serve as a distraction."

Fiery tendrils of panic wrapped around Draco's heart.

"He's right," said Harry. "You need to do this alone."

He shook his head. "I can't do it alone."

Dumbledore rose. "You won't be alone. I will be there." Draco swallowed, or tried to. Dumbledore stepped away from the desk, walked around it, and wrapped an arm around Draco's shoulders. "I believe it is time to go. Shall we?"

Doom. Draco felt it in his marrow. It felt the same when he was summoned into Voldemort's presence or when he felt the burn of the Dark Mark on his arm. There was nowhere to run, nowhere to hide. "Yes, Headmaster," he answered automatically, and allowed the old wizard to lead him. He parted from Harry at the corridor. For some reason, he felt he might never see him again.


On to Chapter Five
"Parent's Day"

Back to Chapter Three
"Close Your Minds"

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