Draco changed his shirt again and was much more pleased with the results. The creamy silk looked good against his skin and he trotted downstairs to get his cloak but ran into his mother.

"Going out?" she asked.

He didn't know why but he began to blush. "Er...yes. Um...out." He tried to skirt past her but she gracefully blocked his path.

She looked him over coolly. "And meeting whom?"

"W-what makes you think I'm meeting anybody?"

"Come, Draco. You could never lie to me. Who is it? Is it someone we know?"

Draco looked around the foyer, expecting to see his father, but when Lucius didn't appear he relaxed. "Look, Mother. I just don't wish to discuss it."

He took several steps toward the door when his mother said, "It's Potter, isn't it?"

He froze for a second time. It seemed to take him a full minute to turn around and stare at her. He felt his lips flapping but no sound came out. She approached and cocked her head at him. Her smile was genuine. "I knew you couldn't keep away. Always, in your letters from Hogwarts, it was 'Harry Potter this' and 'Harry Potter that'. I always knew there was something behind it."

"N-no. I mean...I don't know what you're talking abou-"

She touched his face with the back of a knuckle. "Ah my little dragon. Do you think you can hide it from Mummy? It's all right," she whispered. "I know. I've known for a long time."

"Kn-known what?"

"That you...prefer boys."

"No I don't! I mean I didn't-" Draco shook his head. "You're confusing me!"

"My Draco," she went on, "if you want Harry Potter I think you should have him. No matter what your father thinks. I love him dearly, but his day is done, I think. You will be master of Malfoy Manor someday. You'll have the say. You should do what you want. Purebloods...it means so little now. Bella is gone, all the Blacks are gone. What difference does it make in the end? You should be happy. That's all I ever wanted for you."

Draco's mouth hung open and he felt hot tears burn at his eyes. He fell into her embrace and began to sob, incoherently at first, and then between sobs, he tried to tell her. "I didn't know, but now I do, and I do want him, Mummy, but he doesn't want me. I've made a fool of myself and he hates me, hates me all over again-"

"Sweet Draco, hush, hush. Mummy's here." She rocked him and with his nose pressed to her robes, he inhaled her delicately perfumed scent, just like he used to do in her arms. It served to calm him and he allowed her to silently rock him. But after a while, he pushed himself away and wiped his face.

"I've made the mess. I have to fix it."

"Are you sure you don't want one of Mummy's potions?"

"Er...no. I want Harry to really want me. Not from some potion." He sighed. "I'm going to meet him now. I don't know what it will accomplish but at least he agreed to see me. But I've got to go. I can't be late."

"Good luck, my son."

"Thanks, Mother." He gave her a smile. And with that, he Disapparated.

* * *

Harry paced in the foyer. He told himself a thousand times not to do that but he couldn't not do it. He kept glancing at the clock as well, almost hoping Draco wouldn't come. This was sheer idiocy seeing the man. Why did he allow himself to do it?

Go find some nice bloke, Harry. One who isn't so high maintenance. One who isn't...Malfoy! He shook his head. Now that he knew he was gay, he also knew that somehow, even through all those years of hating him, he had wanted Draco, too. Wanted him fiercely. If fighting would work, then they fought. If hexing brought them closer, then they hexed. He saw it all now.

Could it possibly be, could it even be remotely true, that Draco wanted him as well? He had thought so before. Wasn't it convenient that Draco suddenly realized he was gay as well? Well. Harry had. It was possible, but not probable. Hermione would have a cauldron full to say about it if given the chance. And he had wanted to talk to them about it, but there never seemed to be the right time to bring it up. Pass the peas, please. Oh, and by the way, I'm gay. Roll, anyone?

He'd already made himself into the prize fool for Malfoy. Why was he allowing himself to do it again?

Harry froze at the sound of the doorbell. Oh shit. Malfoy. He hurried to the door. Stopped. Stepped back. Turned an about face and headed back into the house. Swearing aloud, he turned again and headed slowly to the front door.

Madness. Madness. He pulled the door open and scowled his deepest, darkest scowl. "Malfoy." His tone was dripping with disdain. It was so thick you could cut it with a Diffindo.

Draco clutched at a bouquet of red roses. "Hi," his voice squeaked. He thrust the flowers forward, but Harry only glared at them.

"What's this?" he asked, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Um...flowers. For you."

"Don't want them. Let's just get this over with."

Draco frowned. "Not very polite, Potter. Just going to leave me on the front stoop like this?"

"Maybe. I haven't decided."

"Hmpf. Not what I expected from a Gryffindor."

Harry unwound his arms. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Draco lowered the flowers to his side and studied the buffed nails on his other hand. "I don't know. There were just all these rumours about people from your house, but... Never mind. It doesn't matter."

Harry growled, grabbed Malfoy by the sleeve, and hauled him in. He slammed the door and stomped into the sitting room. When Malfoy failed to follow, Harry hollered at him. "You coming, Malfoy, or do you need an engraved invitation?"

Malfoy sauntered in, looking decidedly like the old Malfoy from school days. He dropped the flowers on the nearest table. "Got anything to drink?"

"This isn't a social call. You are not a guest. Now what do you want that you had to talk to me about?"

Draco sniffed and threw himself down into the nearest chair, draping his legs over the chair's arm. "You know, I don't think I'll tell you now."

"Then get the hell out!"

"Easy, Potter. Relax." Draco eased his legs off the chair arm and sat properly. "I just wanted to talk to you about...about the last time we were...together."

"Didn't we already cover that subject?"

Harry noticed now how Draco's attitude was just a thin veneer, hiding the slight tremble in his hands and the uncertainty in his eyes. It gave Harry confidence. "Well...things are different now."

"Oh? How so?" Harry sat in the chair opposite, stretching his legs out in front of him, crossing at the ankles.

Draco couldn't hide his nervousness anymore. "It's just that...when I left you, I did a lot of thinking. About things, you know. About how I felt. And it seems...." He laughed in a forced casual way. "It seems that I'm gay after all."

Harry didn't react. He'd expected it. "So?"

Draco didn't seem to count on that response. He blinked at Harry. "Well...I'm gay," he said more feebly.

"Yeah, I heard you. What's it to me?"

That brought Draco to his feet. His grey eyes glittered as they used to in school, like a summer storm waiting to burst over the landscape. "What do you mean 'what's it to you'? You're gay!"

"So?"

"Stop saying that! I thought you wanted me."

"Maybe I did once."

Malfoy sneered. "Oh, I get it. Now you're the hurt party. Well, I damn well apologized for that!"

"So that makes it all better."

"Look! What do you want from me? I came here to tell you that I'm gay and that I'm attracted to you and that I want to...you know." His voice softened. "Pick up where we left off."

"You want a shag?"

"Well...I...."

"Right, then. Get your clothes off."

"W-what?"

"I'll fuck you, Malfoy, if that's what you want."

"What-? No! I don't just want a fuck, Potter! I want...I want...."

"What! What do you want?" Harry was on his feet, moving dangerously close to Malfoy. He could smell the man's cologne mingled with the rising sharp scent of his sweat. Draco took a step back.

"I want...I want...you." He cringed, seeming to get smaller, even though he was taller than Harry.

"Isn't that convenient. And I had wanted you. And then you fucking lied to me!"

"I know! But I'm not lying now! Honest! Please. Just give me a chance to prove myself."

"And just how would you do that?"

Draco cast about for ideas. "Well...couldn't you use veritaserum on me?"

"Oh yes. I'll just fetch it from my kitchen cupboard. Where the hell would I get veritaserum?"

"You're Harry Potter!" As if that answered all questions.

Harry shook his head. "Why did I agree to this?"

"How about...Legilimency, eh? You can do that, can't you?"

"No, I can't. Not well, anyway. And you're just devious enough to be able to skirt around it anyway."

Draco pulled back, his mouth dropping open. "Devious?" he whispered. "Right. I'll never be anything other than that in your eyes, will I? Never mind that I have a heart and feelings. Never mind that I'm suddenly so confused about myself I'm ready to jump off to the highest tower at Malfoy Manor. Never mind that I came to you here in good faith, trying to apologize and get you to understand-" To Harry's horror, great round tears welled up in Malfoy's eyes and rolled down his pale cheeks. "-that I have f-feelings for you. But I get it. I hurt your feelings and now you can't forgive me. No matter what you felt for me before, it doesn't matter now. Fine. I guess I'll go. Thanks for seeing me."

He stepped around Harry and headed for the foyer. Harry didn't know why, but he followed him.

Draco never lost stride. He yanked open the door. At any moment, Harry thought he might call out to him, make him stop. But he never did. He just watched Draco march out the front door and close it behind him.

Standing alone in the foyer, Harry listened as the soft echoes of the closing door finally died away. Draco Malfoy had said he had feelings for Harry. That he was gay. But it was impossible to believe him. It had hurt too much when Draco scrambled away from him, frightened and admitting that it had all been a sham. Draco was his last hope. He was the one person with whom Harry could just be Harry. How many other wizards could he trust that wanted to be with him and not the Hero?

And Draco was gone. Draco. The man he had fallen for.

* * *

Draco had found his way to that same gay pub as before. He was on his fourth beer when, as before, that same man had found his way to an empty stool beside him.

"Hey, you're that confused bloke, aren't you? The Looker?"

Draco raised a bleary eye to the dark-haired man. If he squinted, his face didn't look so wide-more like Potter's. If only he had worn glasses... "Yeah, it's me."

"So...walking into a gay pub once is an accident. Coming here a second time is a little more intentional."

Draco turned to him. "I came here on purpose, okay? I guess...you were right. I guess...I am...gay."

The Muggle wasn't smug about it as Draco thought he might be. He merely raised his brows and turned all the way toward the bar. "What are you drinking? I'll join you."

"It's this dark beer."

He motioned to the bartender and got himself a pint. "My name's Mike. What's yours?"

"Draco."

"Draco? Is that Greek?"

"Latin."

"So...you're from Latin America?" He grinned as he drank.

Draco got the joke but didn't laugh. "I went back to that bloke I deceived and he wouldn't believe that I had changed."

"Oh."

Draco shook his head. His voice came out whinier than he would have liked but after four beers and working on a fifth, he couldn't find it in him to care. "I just never expected that I'd be a poufter. I don't think I was ever attracted to blokes before."

"Sometimes these things are repressed, you know. Family issues. Problems with finances. All sorts of things could have been preying on your mind. Have you had anything like that lately?

Draco looked at him and visions of Voldemort swam up in his memory. "There's been a lot of anxiety on the home front for the last few years."

"There you go. You just never had the time to think about it. Now me, I've known since I was five years old. Always liked blokes. Tried to kiss a few in grammar school."

"I bet that went over well."

"Got me block knocked off a few times, I can tell you." He chuckled at it, though, and drank his beer, licking the brown foam from his lips. Draco watched. The man had nicely shaped lips.

"Do you want to dance?" asked Draco. There was enough alcohol in his system to free his inhibitions. To free several.

Mike smiled and put his pint aside. "Draco, I'd love to."

Mike took Draco's hand and walked with him to the tiny dance floor, where other men were dancing close to one another. It was a little less like dancing and a little more like public sex, the way some had entwined their partners, lips locked and hands traveling.

Draco melted into Mike's arms and laid his head on his shoulder. He inhaled the scent of the man. He smelled like soap and sweat. He found he rather liked it, rather liked the feel of his strong arms around Draco's torso. "You're not a bad looking bloke yourself," said Draco.

Mike drew back to look at him and seemed pleased. He smiled. "Thanks," he said softly. His brown eyes were searching Draco's face. "I know I might regret this...." He leaned in and gently touched his lips to Draco's. It was nice, Draco decided. So he really was gay. Not just for Potter but for all men. Mike was pressing closer and his kisses were getting more intense, but Draco didn't care. It felt bloody good. Someone wanted him, even if it wasn't exactly the right someone. But to Draco's alcohol-soaked mind, it didn't quite matter at the moment.

He raised his arms and encircled Mike's neck, kissing him back just as deeply. His tongue slid lazily over the other's and his lips were fastened tightly to the man's mouth. With their bodies pressed so firmly together, Draco could feel Mike's erection growing, pushing against his thigh, and to Draco's surprise, he felt his own tightening his trousers.

He ran his fingers through that dark hair, imagining for just a second it was Harry's. Mmmm. What if these were Harry's lips? What if these hands now groping his arse were Harry's hands? What if that hardness mashed into his leg was Harry's cock...

"Draco! What the hell-!"

What if that was...Harry's voice?


On to Chapter Five
"The Wand Chooses the Wizard"

Back to Chapter Three
"Worst Enemy"

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