Decorus Draco

Chapter 11 - Giving in

Draco was just getting ready for dinner when he felt the familiar feeling of the hook behind his navel, and he noticed the wristwatch glowing. Before he could register much else, his feet left the ground, and a whirl of colours passed in front of his eyes. By the time the world had stopped spinning, he realised he was in a closet of some sort. Draco panicked for a minute. Maybe this was a trick and Potter was just paying him back for the shirt incident the previous day. How could he have been so gullible? Hadn't his father taught him over and over again never to trust anyone? Not even a Gryffindor who claimed to only want to be able to care for him?

Draco cursed under his breath as he tried to get his bearings. It was dark in the closet, and as Draco's eyes adjusted to the darkness, he realised he was in the closet in Snape's office. Bottles and flasks containing potions of different colours stood on shelves all around him. Draco cautiously moved towards the closet door, where he noticed a little note attached to what looked like a long piece of flesh coloured string which trailed to the ground and went under the closet door to the outside. Draco read the note; 'Use the Extendable Ears with your watch.' Draco put his ear to the flesh coloured string, and immediately heard voices.

"We don't have much time," a familiar woman's voice said. "Dinner starts soon."

Draco gave a start when he realised that the voice belonged to Madam Hooch.

"But that's not what I'm hungry for," Snape's distinctive voice replied, followed by some laughter and other sounds that rather disturbed Draco.

"Ewww," thought Draco. Snape and Hooch? That's disgusting. He looked back at the note. The watch. The recording device. Of course! How ingenious! With a recording like what he was hearing, he would have enough blackmail material on both Snape and Hooch to guarantee him unlimited favours in Potions and Quidditch. Draco tried to tune out the disturbing sounds, and instead, started recording them with his wristwatch-cum-recorder. A lot of disgusting talk about potions and lotions and Quidditch techniques followed, and Draco thought that he would probably need a Scourgify charm to clean out his mind once this ordeal was over.

What seemed like hours, but was probably only a few minutes later, Draco felt the hook sensation behind his navel again, and he was transported back to his room. He switched off the recording mechanism on his watch and grinned. That was certainly very Slytherin of Harry. Who would have thought that a goody-two-shoes like Potter would have thought of something like that? Either way, Draco thoroughly appreciated the gift. He was sure he could put it to good use.

Draco sat on his bed with a sigh. He knew it was time to make a decision. There was no doubt whom he would choose when it came to Harry and Blaise. Blaise was great, he was fun, incredibly devious and Draco cared a lot for him, but Harry - Harry. Well. Draco knew that it had to be him. Somehow, it had always been him. Draco's obsession. His passion. His goal.

A loud screech made Draco look up sharply. Hitler, his father's large white owl swooped down and dropped a letter on the bed. Draco groaned and picked up the letter, leaning over to the desk and throwing Hitler a snack before he turned to read what his father had to say.

Draco,

Your lack of a suitable response leads me to believe that the rumours that have reached my ears are true. If that is so, know that Malfoys always hedge their bets. If you were to seem to publicly form a romantic alliance with a powerful wizard such as Potter, it would be in your best interest, and I would not object to it. It would be believed that you are only doing it for our Lord's cause. Respond at the earliest with your thoughts on the matter.

Father

That was just peachy. So his father would not mind Draco publicly 'forming a romantic alliance' with Harry, would he? Of course, his father would want Draco to act like he was doing it only to lure Harry into Voldemort's trap, and Draco knew that was something he would never do.

Draco lay back on the bed, wondering what he would do next. He could no longer ignore the feelings he had for Harry, the protective urge he felt around Harry when anybody tried to hurt him, and the fierce jealousy he felt when Harry was touched by anybody other than Draco. But Harry seemed to have changed since becoming enamoured with Draco. Draco had felt slightly disappointed when Harry had agreed to wear the t-shirt defaming the Gryffindors. Harry's loyalty and the strength of his convictions were some of the things that had drawn Draco to the Gryffindor. How could he respect someone who had no control over his hormones?

Draco sat up with a jerk. He knew what he had to do. Draco picked up a piece of parchment and a quill, wrote a short note, and tied it to Hitler's leg.

"Take it to Harry Potter," he told the owl, who hooted once and flew out of the window.

~~~~~

Harry was just getting ready to go for dinner when Draco's owl flew into his room. Harry's eyes opened in surprise - Draco had sent him a letter? He hurriedly untied the letter from the owl's foot and gave him a treat, before unfolding the piece of paper.

The note was short, and in Draco's elegant script.

Meet me at the Astronomy Tower after dinner. Don't be late.

Harry smiled as he folded the piece of parchment and carefully put it into his robe pocket. Maybe he still had a chance after all.

~~~~~

Harry was so excited, he could barely get through dinner. Draco had asked him to meet him at the Astronomy Tower. That had got to mean something, right? On the other hand, Draco had not been very friendly when he had met Harry just before Potions, and had even threatened to cut him off if he was not satisfied with the gift.

So, why had Draco wanted to meet with him then? Harry wasn't really sure, but it didn't bother him much. He was going to meet Draco after dinner, and hopefully get to kiss him some more. And Harry was sure Draco would have enjoyed the gift as well. Harry had gone to great trouble planting the Extendable Ear and then Accioing it when he knew Draco would be done, charming the watch portkey to activate exactly when Snape uttered an endearment Harry had heard him use before on Madam Hooch. Harry had finally come up with a gift that he was sure Draco would like, and was hoping to be rewarded for it tonight.

~~~~~

Harry waited impatiently in the little room atop the Astronomy Tower, wondering when Draco would show up. The blond had made him wait about ten minutes the previous night, not that Harry minded it that much. That Draco was willing to meet him in this romantic setting was good enough for Harry for now. Harry now turned his thoughts to what Draco might have in mind, and smiled as naughty thoughts crossed his mind.

The sound of the door opening made Harry turn from his seat at the window. Draco entered, quietly as he had the previous day, and walked towards the seat.

"Potter," Draco acknowledged.

"Hi," said Harry nervously.

"I liked your present a lot. Didn't think you had it in you to be so sneaky."

Harry grinned. "There's a lot you don't know about me Draco, but I'm willing to share if you're interested. So, do I get a reward since you liked my gift so much?"

"Maybe," said Draco, sitting down next to Harry. "I'd like to make you an offer though. Double or nothing. Accept a dare and you can do whatever you want to me, or back down and walk away with just a kiss."

Harry gulped. "Anything?"

"Anything."

"Okay, I accept. What's the dare?"

Draco removed a small package from his pocket and unshrunk it. "Wear this tomorrow and you get to live all your fantasies about me."

Harry took the package from Draco and unwrapped it. It was another t-shirt. Harry lifted it towards the moonlight to read what was written across the front.

In bold letters, were the words, 'My best friends are a pauper and a mudblood.'

Harry felt his temper rise. "You've gone too far this time, Draco. You know there's no way in hell I'm ever wearing that."

Draco gently traced Harry's lips with a finger, and whispered huskily, "Think about it, Harry. Isn't there anything you would like to do to me or with me? Whatever you want. You ask and it's yours. All you have to do is wear the shirt for a day. Surely your friends would understand."

Harry stood up, feeling the room heat up with the anger he felt inside. "They probably will. Which is why I would never do it, Malfoy. I've been so crazy about you that I haven't been thinking straight. I can't imagine I alienated my house mates because of you. I thought there was something between us, something that..." Harry paused. "It doesn't matter, really. Tell Zabini that he's won. I give up. I won't be wooing you anymore. I've finally realised what you are, and you know what? I was wrong - you're not worth it."

Harry made to leave but Draco reached out, grasped Harry's wrist and pulled. Harry stumbled right into Draco's lap and before he could protest found himself being pulled into a deep kiss. Harry tried to push Draco away, but Draco only pulled him closer and deepened the kiss.

Harry finally managed to break free of Draco's grasp, and stepped back, breathing heavily.

"What was that for, Malfoy?"

Draco seemed to be breathing hard too. "Malfoy? I'm not Draco anymore?"

Harry clenched his fists. "Stop playing with me, Malfoy. Whatever you're trying to do, it's not going to work. I won't wear that shirt or stoop any lower than I already have for you."

Harry turned to leave once more, before Draco's soft "Don't go" stopped him.

Harry bit his lip and turned back to look at Draco. In the moonlight, Draco looked almost ethereal. The pale blond took a deep breath and started, the words flowing rapidly out of his mouth.

"I suppose I owe you some sort of an explanation, don't I? The thing is - I don't know, so much has happened, and it's so confusing. I've been trying to understand what's been going on, and I suppose I've been fighting it - fighting you. And I was looking for reasons why it was wrong, why you were wrong. I had decided that if you did accept the shirt, that was it. It would show that you had no dignity and I wouldn't bother with you anymore." Draco laughed softly. "I'm not even sure I would have stuck to it if you had worn it. Look Potter - Harry, I'm not sure what's going on between us, but it's not something I can explain or control and I'm not used to being in this position. I'm confused and it's killing me."

Harry sighed and returned to sit next to Draco. "I know what you mean. I would have never thought I'd feel this way about you either. It's confusing as heck, but I just feel that there's something...I don't know...something special happening between us. I know you feel it too, so don't even try to deny it."

Harry paused and looked straight at Draco. "D'you think it's because we're soul mates?" he asked.

Draco looked up at Harry. "I'm not even sure soul mates exist, Harry. All I know is I haven't felt this way about anybody, not even Blaise, and maybe it's time for me to stop fighting it."

Harry, who had narrowed his eyes at the mention of Zabini, now smiled. "So, where does that leave us now?"

Draco matched Harry's smile with one of his own. "Maybe we should just take it one step at a time and see where it leads us?"

Harry grinned. "That's more than okay with me." He put his arms around Draco and gently touched his lips to the Decorus's. Draco sighed into the kiss and brought his own arms around Harry. Suddenly, it didn't matter that it didn't make sense or it wasn't logical, Harry had never felt more blissful in his life. As Draco's lips left Harry's own, and touched Harry's neck, the Gryffindor was lost in sensation and nothing mattered anymore.

~~~~~

Later that night, Harry smiled as he ran his hands over the silver lettering of the shirt he was wearing. In the midst of their extensive snog session, Draco had changed the lettering on the shirt to read, 'I have a Slytherin fan' and had conjured an image of an ornate silver and green ceiling fan with snakes on each wing. Draco had told Harry that he could wear the shirt whenever he thought about him. Harry had told him that would mean wearing it all the time, and Draco had just laughed. He had told Harry it was something he meant just to be between the two of them, so maybe Harry should just wear it at nights or when he was alone.

Harry, of course, had put on the shirt as soon as he reached his room, and was now tracing each letter with his fingers, a smile on his face as he remembered the beautiful time he had spent with Draco. After their initial sweet kisses, things had heated up and hands and mouths had roamed quite a bit, but Harry had slowed things down, not wanting to rush it. Harry was happy just to be near Draco, to be able to touch him and hold him close. Draco had smiled and called Harry a sappy Gryffindor, but had kept his hands above Harry's waist after that. They ended up teasing each other a little, arguing a little, snogging a lot, and generally having a great time. They had reluctantly said their goodbyes, and agreed to meet at the same time the next night.

Harry lay awake for a long time, going over the delicious images in his head. He considered practising his Occlumency, but just could not concentrate with Draco's smile appearing before his eyes every few minutes. He finally gave up and closed his eyes and was lost in dreams of platinum blond hair and pale skin and soft, delicious lips.

~~~~~

Harry awoke, gasping for breath, a searing pain in his head. His eyes were closed shut, and in his mind he saw Draco lying on the floor, bound and gagged and surrounded by Death Eaters. Voldemort was sitting on a chair in front of Draco, lifting the bound boy's chin with a pointed nail. Nagini sat coiled up besides Voldemort and a life-size painting of Lucius Malfoy hung on the wall behind Voldemort's chair.

"Please...let me go. I don't know anything. I'm of no use to you," Draco sobbed. His face looked bruised and he had cuts all over his hands and legs.

Voldemort just laughed. "On the contrary, young Malfoy, you are extremely useful to us. Now, all we need to do is get word to Harry Potter that we have you in our custody in your own home, and he will undoubtedly come to save you. Won't you invite your boyfriend to your house to meet us, Draco?"

"You'll never get away with this," Draco screamed. "Harry will come, but when he comes, he'll destroy all of you."

The other Death Eaters joined Voldemort as he laughed. Harry's scar felt like it was on fire, and he opened his eyes, gasping for air.

"Not Draco," Harry cried. "Anyone but Draco!"

Harry stood up shakily, his magic swirling around him as he tried to steady himself. He felt completely out of control of his magic and nothing made sense except that Draco was in danger and Harry had to get to him as soon as possible. Harry opened his trunk and took out a small pouch and his Invisibility Cloak. He carried both to the Gryffindor Common Room along with his wand, and opened the pouch. Throwing a handful of the unrestricted access Floo powder, a gift from Remus, from the pouch into the fireplace, Harry uttered the words 'Malfoy Manor,' and disappeared in a blaze of light.

~~~~~