Changes

Notes: Sequel to Sleep, Soap and Skin and Our Secret Hideaway. I think you should read them first if you really want to get this one here!



Draco puts down his book with a sigh, unable to concentrate on reading. His mind is swirling again, trying desperately to find a way of telling his father about his decision. He rubs his temples in slow circles when Pansy sits down in a chair next to his.

"Draco, have you seen Blaise?"

He furrows his brows and shakes his head. "No, not in a few days. I thought he's ill. Have you tried his rooms?"

Pansy sighs loudly. "Yes, I have but if Blaise is in there, then he doesn't open the door. He hasn't been in the Great Hall for any meals in three days. I am worried Draco, what if something happened to him?"

The blonde stands up slowly and stretches. "Don't worry Pansy, maybe he went home for the weekend or he's just not feeling well, what could happen to him here?" She doesn't look convinced but says nothing more. Just as Draco turns to go to his dorm, Snape's voice sounds in the common room.

"Mister Malfoy, please come with me." He turns and leaves without looking back to see if Draco follows him. The young man hurries to his godfather's side and they walk the short distance to Snape's office. The teacher motions for Draco to sit and slides into his own chair behind his desk.

"I assume that you have noticed Blaise Zabini's absence, Draco?" Snape leans forward and entwines his fingers on the smooth wooden surface.

"Yes, we've been wondering where he is. Pansy is extremely worried, she likes him a lot but I don't think he-."

"Spare me any details, I have no interest in knowing too much about my students' love lives and you know that, Draco. However, Mister Zabini will not return to Hogwarts, at least not this year. That leaves the place of the Head Boy to fill and I am offering it to you."

Draco smiles slightly. "Thank you Severus, I feel honoured that you offer me this chance and I will take it." Snape nods and both are silent for a minute.

"You are not going to tell me why Blaise is gone, are you?"

"No Draco, I will not." Draco nods and falls silent again. Snape waits patiently and continues looking at the young man. After a while he sighs and speaks again.

"What is bothering you Draco?"

Draco rubs his eyes and lets out a sigh of his own; debating whether or not he should tell his godfather what worries him. He had planned to go to Snape for a while but had always found something else to do. But now that he is here, he might as well talk.

"Father wants me to take the Mark on my birthday but I don't want it and I-" Draco pauses and takes a deep breath, "I don’t think I can tell him and come out of it alive." He gnaws his lip nervously and stares at the older wizard who simply stares back.

"Why do you tell me this, Draco? You know that I am the Dark Lord’s follower myself and that is a foolish thing to tell a Death Eater."

Draco snorts. "I tell you this because I think that you are not loyal to the Dark Lord. I think you are working for Dumbledore. I mean, you have saved Harry –Potter's," he adds quickly but he knows that Snape caught his slight blunder, "life again and again and you are teaching him -what do you call it? - Remedial Potions. You don't really expect me to believe that, do you? You wouldn't volunteer to spend more time with Potter, which means that the Headmaster probably wants you to that for him. Whatever you are teaching Potter, I think it has nothing to do with our usual classes."

Snape's arched eyebrow and the white knuckles of his clenched hands are the only visible reaction. Draco looks expectantly at the man who seems to have no intention to answer him.

"Are you going to help me or not?", he asks impatiently. Snape sits back and clasps his hands in front of his chest, one extended index finger tracing his thin lips while he stares at his desk.

"Let me talk to the Headmaster about this, Draco. I am sure we will find a way to help you." He stands up and Draco follows suit, slowly walking to the door.

"Are you going home for the holidays, Draco?" Draco nods as Snape closes and wards the door to his office behind them. He looks at his godson for a while and then strides past him, only to stop after a few steps.

"The house-elves should have brought your possessions to your new rooms by now. The password is your mother's given name until you change it, which I suggest you do soon."

Draco smiles and thanks the man before turning to inspect his new, private rooms. He doesn't hide his grin at the thought of what that means for him and Harry as he walks past two younger Slytherins.


***


Harry knocks on the door to Hermione's room for the second time, tapping his foot on the floor impatiently. He raises his hand again as the door opens and Hermione pokes out her head only, hiding the rest of her body behind the door. Her bushy hair is tousled and her cheeks are flushed. That and the swollen and reddened lips and the thin layer of sweat tell Harry what he has guessed from the sounds that had drifted through the door. He grins broadly.

"Oh, hi Harry." She flushes a deeper shade of red and clears her throat nervously.

"Hi Hermione. Sorry to disturb you, could you give me your Astrology homework? I really need some help there but since you are busy..." She nods and closes the door in his face. He waits for a minute, trying hard not to listen to the conversation that he hears through the door. Soon Hermione reappears, now wearing a dark blue dressing gown, and hands him a scroll of parchment.

"Thanks Hermione. Oh and maybe you should use a silencing charm, if I can hear you talking out here then I could also hear you-" Hermione flushes and cuts him off quickly.

"Oh yes, thank you Harry. See you later." She closes the door again and Harry laughs and returns to the common room.


As the portrait swings open, he hears the buzzing sound of heated conversations. Ron catches his eyes and waves him over.

"What's going on?" Harry asks and looks around the common room. Several rather big groups of girls from different years are talking excitedly but in contrast to Ron, they look quite happy.

"Blaise Zabini is gone. Collin says that he won’t come back this year and Malfoy is the new Slytherin Head Boy. Can you believe that? Malfoy is going to be even more insufferable now."

Ron continues rambling but Harry doesn't really listen anymore. Head Boys and Girls have their own rooms and they have a few more privileges, like the permission to be out after curfew. Harry cheers inwardly and fights to bring an appropriately annoyed expression on his face.

"And why are you making so much fuss about it?"

"What? Oh just ignore the girls, they're just so thrilled that the Weird Sisters will play in Hogsmeade during our Easter Holidays." He rolls his eyes at the group of girls that stand closest to them. "They really weren't that good, right?"

"Uhrm, no, not at all. I think I forgot one of my books in the library. See you later, Ron." He turns to the portrait but decides to go up to the dorm and fetch his Invisibility Cloak and the Marauders Map. He squeezes both items into his bag and leaves the Gryffindor tower.


***


A few minutes later, Harry knocks on the frame of the portrait that serves as a door to the Slytherin Headboy’s rooms and waits patiently for Draco to answer, while the startled witch on the portrait looks around confusedly. When the door opens, Draco starts to snap at his unwanted visitor but his mouth hangs open and the expression on his face changes from annoyed to confused when he sees nobody. Harry grins to himself and extends one hand, tracing one finger over Draco’s cheek. The other boy jumps back at the unexpected contact but composes himself after no more than three seconds.

”Merlin, how I hate it when you do that!” Harry grins, pulls the hood of his cloak back and steps through the door, closing it behind him. He takes the cloak completely off and drapes it over the back of a chair that’s standing at a small desk. The room they are standing in is not too big, a thick burgundy carpet on the floor and matching walls in a lighter shade. There is a half-filled bookshelf, a small sofa and a matching table, facing the fireplace. Two doors lead into other rooms but they are closed now.

“No Slytherin colours?” Harry arches his eyebrows and smirks at his lover. Draco slowly comes closer, circling around his lover, looking him up and down. A finger that caresses the back of his neck makes the hairs on Harry’s body stand and he shudders.

“I always thought that the four houses should try to work together.” Harry laughs quietly at the sentence.

“No you did not.” Draco chuckles and stops behind Harry, bending down to nuzzle into unruly dark hair.

“All right, I didn’t, but things can change.” Draco’s hands slip around Harry’s waist and fingers slowly crawl under Harry’s shirt, caressing tanned skin. Harry lets his eyes close and leans against his lover with a smile.

“Yes, I guess they can.” He turns in Draco’s arms and captures his lips in a bruising kiss. Harry bites Draco’s bottom lip and soothes the pain with slow licks. It doesn’t take long and their shirts fall to the floor unheeded, as they explore each other’s bodies as if they don’t already know every inch of skin. Harry finds himself pressed up against a wooden door, his lover’s hips grinding into his, the friction feels amazing but it is not quite what he has in mind for the evening. He pushes Draco back and slowly kisses and licks a wet path across a smooth chest and a flat abdomen. His hands open and push down Draco’s trousers while his tongue dips into his lover’s navel, eliciting needy moans from the blonde. Harry’s breath ghosts over the long erection in front of his face and he can’t resist placing teasing kisses and licks onto the firm shaft, barely touching it. Draco whimpers and stares at his lover, refusing to beg with words for what he needs. Harry smiles and bends his head, taking the tip of Draco’s cock into his mouth, sucking and swirling his tongue around it.

“Oh God Harry!” Draco cries out and falls forward, his hands on the door supporting him as well as his lover’s hands on his thighs. Harry takes him deeper and deeper until Draco can feel Harry’s throat work around the head of his hard cock, his tongue moving along the rigid shaft. A finger pushing into him sends his orgasm spiralling through his body, shooting his seed into Harry’s mouth. The young man on the floor drinks it hungrily and licks Draco until he is sure that not one drop is left. Draco’s legs tremble with the effort of holding him up and finally he collapses and slides to the floor to be wrapped in Harry’s arms immediately. Harry pulls the panting Slytherin closer and kisses him softly, sharing the taste that lingers on his tongue with his lover.

“Harry that was-“ Draco doesn’t get to finish his sentence as a whooshing sound and a familiar voice interrupt him.

“Draco, please come into my office and hurry up, I have other things to do.”

Draco doesn’t turn around, trying to hide Harry, who has ducked behind his shoulder. “Yes Severus, give me a few minutes, please.” The same whooshing sound tells him that his godfather has ended the fire-call.

“Fuck.”

“Gods, how I hate him.” Harry mutters against his lover’s chest. Draco gets up and pulls his clothes back on, frowning. “Draco?” Harry asks worriedly and gets to his feet.

“He is on our side! He is trying to help you and you still hate him! He risks his life every time he goes to one of those Death Eater meetings! For Merlin’s sake, he saved your life!” The last words are yelled and Harry backs away as Draco comes closer to him.

“Draco, I-I know that! And I- I don’t hate him, not really, I mean, how could I? He saved my life and he is trying to help me despite,” He takes a deep breath and casts his eyes down, “-despite what have done. I just- I mean, he has the worst timing ever!” He sees that Draco calms slowly and lets out a relived sigh when the blond takes one of Harry’s hands in his and rubs slow circles on the back of it with his thumb.

“Yes, he’s always had a bad timing.” He smiles to himself, lost in memories for a moment. “I didn’t mean to yell at you, I overreacted.” Draco pauses again. “What does ‘despite what you have done’ mean?” His lover sighs and rubs his eyes under his glasses, sitting down on the couch.

“You know about the lessons he gives me? The remedial potions lessons?” Draco nods. “He’s not teaching me Potions, he is trying to teach me Occlumency.”

Draco nods again. “I guessed something like that.”

“You did? How- doesn’t matter. Anyway, the lessons started two years ago. One night I looked into his Pensieve. I don’t know why I did it and I know it was wrong but I couldn’t help myself. He threw me out and the lessons stopped.” Harry lets out another sigh and looks at Draco. He can see that his lover is forcing himself to remain silent.

“Dumbledore still thinks that I should learn it and so I apologized about a hundred times until Snape agreed to continue the lessons this year.”

Draco nods again and gets up. “I should get going, he doesn’t like to be kept waiting.” He pulls Harry up and kisses him gently. “Will you wait here for me?”

“Of course I will! I have more things planned for you tonight.” He grins at his lover and pushes him to the door. “Hurry up, the sooner you get there, the sooner you will be back here.”

Draco pulls him in for another kiss and hurries out through the door.


***


Draco wanders slowly back towards his rooms, inwardly cursing the Headmaster and his twinkling eyes. A wise decision, of course it is! How could deciding not to crawl at a feet of a monster be not wise? He doesn’t need Dumbledore to tell him that! Still grumbling, he mutters the new password and opens the door to his rooms. On first glance they seem to be empty but he spots a worn out shirt on the floor and his lover’s cloak that is still draped over the chair. The door to the small bedroom is ajar and he can see candlelight flickering through the gap.

Draco pulls off his robe and shirt and drops them onto the sofa. He glances at the clock that sits on his desk and is surprised to see that it is well past midnight. He slowly approaches the door, pushes it open and then smiles at the sight. His bedroom is lit only by two candles, sitting on his nightstand and on top of the low cupboard in the corner. In the middle of his four-poster bed, he sees his lover, lying half on his stomach, half on his side. The light of the candles dances across his uncovered skin, creating patterns that disappear in the blink of an eye. Harry clutches a pillow and his chest rises and falls rhythmically under it, his emerald eyes are closed behind his slightly askew glasses.

Draco watches his lover quietly, enjoying the ability to see him completely relaxed and unguarded, so much different from when he is outside and surrounded by many people, even his friends.

He strips the rest of his clothes off, places his wand on the sheets and climbs onto the bed, careful not to wake the sleeping Gryffindor. He kneels next to Harry’s shoulder and watches him for a while. He lets his eyes glide over his lover’s naked form, memorizing every inch of olive skin, every curve of muscle, the tiny mole at the base of Harry’s head that is barely visible beneath raven hair. Draco leans down and places his lips to the spot. He kisses every vertebra that is visible just beneath the skin, his hands gliding up and down Harry’s back and his sides. He caresses one shoulder, strokes down Harry’s arm and entwines their fingers as his lover lets out a sigh and smiles.

The blonde leans over Harry and reaches into the nightstand, pulling out a jar with a reddish liquid that he places on the sheets next to him. Harry turns his head and smiles sleepily at him. Draco smiles back and reaches towards his face to carefully pull the glasses off and put them on the nightstand. After that he leans down and gently captures Harry’s lips. Harry moves to turn over but Draco’s hand on his back stops him. Draco smiles and lowers his head again to Harry’s shoulder, biting it lightly before continuing the path of gently licks and kisses that he has started earlier. He reaches for his wand when his mouth reaches Harry’s bottom and whispers a purifying spell. Harry’s hips jerk at the sudden tingling feeling.

Harry gasps when he feels a warm, wet tongue venture into his crack slowly, hot breath puffing against his heated skin. Slender hands part his cheeks and he feels that Draco spreads cool lubricant on his skin, his fingers brushing Harry’s entrance teasingly. Harry whimpers a ‘please’ and Draco rubs a hand over his back soothingly. He feels Draco hesitate for a moment, his breath warm and damp against tender skin before arousal shoots throughout his body and his vision swims as Draco’s velvet soft tongue licks his entrance, pushing into the puckered ring of muscles. Harry cries out and grips the pillow so hard that his knuckles are white. Draco explores his hole thoroughly, kissing and licking it until Harry is babbling incoherencies and writhes helplessly on the bed, rubbing his leaking cock against the sheets and pushing back onto Draco’s tongue. The room around him spins as he feels his orgasm build far too quickly and he repeats his lover’s name over and over as his come spurts onto the sheets beneath him.

For a brief moment, the world around him darkens and all he can hear is his own rapid panting and the thrumming of his heart. After some time, Harry drifts from his more than comfortable land of oblivion back to the surface and realizes that he has turned onto his back and has a very aroused Slytherin in his arms. He opens his eyes and grins lazily at his lover who smiles back at him.

“Thank you, Draco.” He pulls the blonde’s head close and locks their lips together, sliding their tongues over and around each other slowly. He wonders briefly why his lover tastes like strawberries until he remembers that the lubricant was red. Probably flavoured then, he thinks. Draco’s hands stroke Harry’s body again, rubbing his thumb over his nipples, his fingers dancing over his thighs and stomach. Draco tells him to roll onto his side and moves to lie behind his lover, after he’s dipped his fingers into the jar again and coated himself with the slick substance. He reaches down and gently inserts two fingers into his lover, amazed at how easily they slide in. Draco’s gentle touches and the knowledge that his lover forces himself to be gentle and slow for his, Harry’s sake, make Harry grow hard again. A short time later, Draco pulls his hand back and takes hold of his erection, guiding it to Harry’s entrance. Draco leans down, kisses the back of Harry’s neck and pushes into him slowly. Harry pushes back, impaling himself on his lover’s cock with a moan. Draco pauses for a painfully long moment, trying to regain control over his body until Harry rocks against him, sending sparks of heat flying through his body.

“Harry, I can’t-“ He pants, gripping Harry’s hip hard, forcing himself to stay still. Harry covers Draco’s hand with his and squeezes it.

“Hush, I know. Fuck me, Draco!” His lover’s words cause his control to spin out of his reach and he does as he is told, thrusting into Harry hard and fast. Harry meets every single one of his movements, murmuring words of encouragement until all he can get out are moans of passion. Draco manages to roll them over and pull his lover up so he is kneeling behind Harry, his hand on his hips pulling Harry back onto his cock.

“Touch yourself!”

Harry reaches beneath his body and grips his cock hard, pumping it twice before he comes again with Draco’s name on his lips. His lover pistons into him a few more times and then spills his seed into Harry as he cries out.

They collapse on the bed and it takes every ounce of Draco’s strength to pull out of Harry and roll off him. The panting Gryffindor crawls into Draco’s arms and holds him loosely. Gradually their heartbeats slow down and their breathing returns to a normal pace.

“Gods, Draco I-“ The young man stops suddenly and tenses in his lover’s arms. Draco props himself up on his elbow and looks at him worriedly.

“Are you okay, Harry? I’m so sorry, I was too rough, I should ha-“ Draco’s words are abruptly cut off by Harry’s lips on his, quite effectively silencing him. When they pull apart, Harry cups Draco’s cheek with his hand.

“I’m fine. I probably won’t be able to sit for a few days but that was worth it.” He grins at Draco before he kisses him again. They fall silent and Harry settles more comfortably in Draco’s arms before closing his eyes and drifting off to sleep.


***


When he wakes up, feeling sticky in several places, his lover does not lie beside him. He wonders what time it is but quickly realizes that he can’t tell since there is no clock in the windowless room. Harry reaches for his glasses and sits up, wincing as he does so. He was right about not being able to sit. He trudges into the small living room and finds Draco on the couch, wearing a dressing gown. A teacup is cradled in his hands, resting on his drawn up knees as he stares into the fire. Harry’s eyes flicker to the house shaped clock and he groans inwardly. It’s only ten past five. The blonde doesn’t look up when Harry carefully sits down close to him but not touching.

“Draco?” Harry asks after a while.

A ‘Hm’, is Draco’s only reaction. Harry touches his shoulder lightly and Draco finally turns his head to look at him.

“What did Snape want from you last night?”

Draco turns back to stare into the fire. “I told him about my decision, that I don’t want to become a Death Eater and asked him for help. He went to Dumbledore.” He snorts. “The Headmaster is of course pleased to hear that I want to stay on the good side. He thinks I shouldn’t tell my father yet because we don’t know how he’d react.” He pauses for a moment before shaking his head slowly. “As helpful as ever. I knew that much myself and I am not keen on telling him any time soon but I won’t be able to avoid it for ever.”

Harry takes one of Draco’s hands in his and pulls it to his lips, touching them to the pale fingers.

“It’s almost six months until your birthday, we will think of something. And if you, you know, need a place to stay, I will have a room for you in my house.”

Draco smiles at him sadly, sets the cup onto the low table and lies down on his side, motioning for Harry to lie behind him. His lover slides in behind him and wraps one arm around Draco’s waist, resting his head on the other.

“Thank you Harry, I appreciate your offer but I think I’ll try to find another way.”

Harry’s heart clenches and a feeling of rejection rises in Harry even though he tells himself that it’s ridiculous. Why should Draco want to live with him anyway? During those past two months he had thought sometimes that Draco might reciprocate his feelings but a moment later he wasn’t sure anymore. Draco’s voice pulls him from his thoughts.

“You have a house?” Draco turns his head to look at his lover who nods.

“My Godfather left it after he-“ His breath hitches and he stops speaking. He still hasn’t talked about Sirius’ death to anyone but Draco seems to know the story. He takes Harry’s hand and entwines their fingers on his chest and sighs. Both fall silent and stare into the weakly burning fire, letting their thoughts stray for a while.

“I’ll be leaving tomorrow morning.” Draco says into the silence with a sigh. Harry pulls him closer and nestles closer to his lover.

“I know. I promised Ron and Hermione to spend the day with them since they’re going home for Christmas and we haven’t seen much of each other lately.” He smiles and lets his forehead rest against Draco’s neck. He hears his lover chuckle, the body in his arms shaking slightly.

“I suppose you have been too busy.” Harry laughs quietly and places a kiss to the skin of Draco’s shoulder beneath his lips.

“I guess you’re right. Hermione has spent most of her time with Luna or preparing for our NEWT’s. I probably start doing that too. And Ron...well, I don’t know about him. Maybe we should try to get him a girlfriend.”

Draco’s head jerks around. “We should find a girlfriend for him?”

Harry laughs out loud.

“I meant me and Hermione! It would be quite a bit of a shock for the others if you and me tried to find Ron a girl!”

“Yes, indeed. Well, good luck then. If he’s always as slow as he was with Granger then he’ll never get a girlfriend!” He gets a slight slap on the hip from Harry for his comment and grins. “What? It’s true! No surprise she picked somebody else even thought I’d never have guessed that she’s a lesbian.”

Harry looks at him for a moment before he answers. “I think she’s bisexual. I mean, she snogged Krum, remember?”

“It was weird that Krum had a crush on Granger of all people. You know that you have to find a Hufflepuff for Weasley, don’t you?” Harry blinks and stares at his lover, obviously not understanding. “For the connection of the four Houses and stuff. You and a Slytherin, Granger and a Ravenclaw, only Hufflepuff is missing. What a terrific headline for the Prophet: “Gryffindor Trio unites Hogwarts!”

Laughter bubbles up from inside Harry and he rolls Draco onto his back, kissing him enthusiastically. Draco wraps his arms around Harry’s neck and holds him close. A chirping noise interrupts them and Harry looks around, trying to locate its source. The wooden clock catches his eyes the moment a small, very real looking green-yellow bird comes out to sit on it top and sit next to another one and add his own voice to the song.

”Oh my God! That is your alarm clock?” He laughs hard and Draco’s pout doesn’t help the situation at all. After a while Harry calms down and takes his glasses off to wipe a few tears from his eyes. “Sorry Draco, it’s just surprised me. Where did you get that? It’s certainly no heirloom of the family, is it?” Draco blushes and Harry notices how adorable it looks when his lover blushes. ‘Totally lost’, he thinks with an internal sigh but smiles.

“Pansy gave it to me last year when we went to Hogsmeade together and I found it in a store. I kept it in my trunk all ear because, well, what would the other guys think of that?” Harry grins as Draco blushes an even deeper shade of red, now matching the carpet.

“That’s all right, we all have our little secrets.” He leans over to kiss the blonde soundly. Draco breaks the kiss trails his lips over Harry’s jaw to his ear. He nips the earlobe and whispers softly.

“What are your secrets Harry? Will you tell me?” Harry shudders at the feeling of Draco’s warm breath against his chilled skin.

“Maybe you will find out someday.” He answers and Draco makes a noise of protest as Harry pulls away and stands up. He stretches his arms above his head and Draco watches him hungrily.

“Can I use your shower?” Draco turns to glance at the clock again.

“I think we won’t be down in time if we each take a shower now.” Harry cocks his head to one side and pouts.

“But we should, I am all sticky from last night and I bet you are too. We could shower together, that way we’d save some time.” He extends one hand to his lover who’s still lying on the couch.

“You don’t really believe that, do you?” Despite his words, he takes Harry’s hand and allows himself to be pulled into his lover’s arms again. Harry smirks and kisses Draco again before leading him to the bathroom door. It certainly had some advantages to have a Head Boy as a lover.


***


He spends most of the day outside with Hermione and Ron, building snow witches and wizards, having snowball fights and laughing and talking. When it’s starting to get dark they go inside and change, frozen stiff. Harry and Hermione are faster than Ron and sit in the common room that is almost empty. Hermione turns to him and watches Harry for a while.

“What?” He asks when he begins to feel uncomfortable under her all too knowing gaze. His friend surprises him with a smile.

“I would never have thought I’d say that but I think Draco Malfoy is good for you.” Harry’s jaw drops and he gapes at the young woman in front of him. After a while he heaves a defeated sigh and slumps in his chair.

“Am I that obvious?” Hermione smiles again.

“I don’t think you are but I am your friend Harry and I have been watching you. The way you look at him gives it away.” She pauses. “And the way he looks at you, too.” Harry raises his head.

“Do you mean...” His trails off, not daring to voice his hopes.

“I think he likes you a lot, he may even feel more than that. Like you do.” She gives him a meaningful look and Harry swallows hard, hardly able to hold his grin back.

“And you are okay with that? With me being...”

“With you being gay? Yes. I’ve known that for a few years.” Harry interrupts her.

“What? How? I never told anyone!”

Hermione grins smugly and answers in one word. “Cedric.”

“Oh.”

“Yes. I mean he was...”

“Hot.”

“Exactly.”

“Who’s hot?” Ron’s voice echoes down the stairs and a moment later he is standing in the common room. Harry flushes but Hermione turns around calmly and smiles at Ron.

“The Weird Sisters.” Harry looks at his friend, amazed at her ability to lie as smoothly as that.

“Oh come on, Harry tell her that they aren’t that great!”

Harry sighs dramatically. “They aren’t that great.” He says in a bored voice. Ron frowns at him.

“Thanks mate, that helped a lot.” he says sarcastically and sighs loudly. “Whatever. Shall we go down for dinner? I am starving.” Harry and Hermione agree and they go down into the Great Hall.


***


The Entrance Hall is packed with students, trunks and a few teachers. Ron asks Harry for the umpteenth time if he really wants to stay at Hogwarts, his family would love to have Harry with them for Christmas. Again Harry thanks him but declines. He can’t explain it to himself but he wants to stay at Hogwarts this Christmas. He hugs Hermione and then Ron and Ginny who grins at him with that knowing grin that girls seem to have patented. He rolls his eyes as she looks over his shoulder and her grin widens. A second later he feels a warm hand on his hip that squeezes lightly before it’s gone again. He waits a few seconds before he turns his head to see Draco turning around at the door. Their eyes meet and Harry smiles, not caring about the people around him. No one pays attention anyway. Crabbe, Goyle and Pansy Parkinson reach Draco and they step through the large doors, and out of Harry’s view. He has a bad feeling about seeing his lover go.

“Have nice holidays Harry, we won’t be gone for long.” Hermione hugs him again and whispers into his ear. “He won’t be either.” He smiles and hugs her back.

“Bye.”

“Bye Harry!” they echo and leave too. He doesn’t watch the rest of the students leave but goes up to the Gryffindor tower. He falls onto his bed with a sigh, listening to the far away sounds from the grounds.