While You Were Petrified

While you were Petrified - by Arwen Applestone

Harry gazed wistfully as the object of his affection smiled flirtatiously at his latest conquest, some Adam Smith. Said conquest was looking dreamily at his companion, eating the ex-Slytherin up with his eyes.

Harry sighed. 'When will I learn?' he thought. 'It's never going to be me. I can never be what he wants - handsome, suave, sexy...'

He made a disgusted snort and took a sip of his Firewhiskey. He was the Boy-Who-Lived, the saviour of the wizarding world, the one who defeated Voldemort. And here he was pining away desperately for the one man he couldn't have, the one man whom he'd fancied for years now, but had never had the guts to approach. Harry was twenty-four years old, liked and respected by everybody who knew him, but totally invisible to the only one who mattered.

Blaise Zabini, ex-Slytherin sex God. Harry had admired him from afar since Hogwarts, and when he had finally defeated You-Know-Who, he thought he'd be able to finally pursue the man of his dreams. But seeing Blaise with Seamus, one of Harry's closest friends, had stopped Harry from pursuing his crush then. After Seamus, it had been a string of others - Blaise apparently was determined to go through every gay Wizard, Squib and Muggle within a hundred kilometer radius. And he was currently with Adam, a junior Auror. Never mind that the most respected Auror in the academy was sitting a few feet away him, admiring him from afar.

Harry usually sat at the bar so that he could surreptitiously watch Blaise. He always kept the seat next to him empty in the hope that one day Blaise would take that seat and start talking to Harry. It hadn't happened yet, but, hey - a bloke could dream, couldn't he? Harry dreamt that one day it would be him, laughing and kissing Blaise, him cuddling with Blaise in front of a warm fire, him fighting with Blaise for the covers, and him that Blaise whispered sweet nothings to after a night of passion.

"Hey Harry, how's it going?" a familiar voice pulled him out of his musings, and Harry looked up to see Neville moving to sit at the seat next to him.

"This again?" Neville asked, his gaze following Harry's to the bronze-skinned young man currently snogging his drinking companion passionately. "Harry, you've got to stop this. Blaise is - you're too good for him. All he cares about is instant gratification, he takes and takes and takes and leaves broken hearts by the wayside. Is that really what you want, Harry? Don't you remember how shattered Seamus was after he'd been dumped? You're lucky that Blaise hasn't got to you yet - he'd just use you and throw you away, the same way he does to all his other boyfriends."

Harry raised his hand to stop his friend. "Nev - I know, alright? Can we drop it? I just can't help the way I feel. I know he's bad news, but I can't help thinking about him. Even being used by him and then thrown away would be better - better to have loved and lost, right? Anyway, let's talk about better things - how are things with Ginny?"

Neville beamed, and Harry congratulated himself for successfully changing the topic. "Things are fine actually. I'm...I'm going to do it this weekend, Harry. I'm going to pop the question. And I think that...that she just might say yes. I hope she does. Nothing would make me happier than marrying the woman who completes me in every way."

"That's brilliant, mate! Good Luck! I'm sure Ginny will say yes, I've seen the way she looks at you. I wouldn't be surprised if she's been calling herself Ginny Longbottom when talking to her reflection in the mirror."

Neville blushed, his chubby cheeks red with his overflowing emotions. "That's what I'm hoping. Anyway, I just wanted to pop by and say Hi. I'm meeting her later at Cherubs. And don't think you've evaded the topic - if it's not me, it'll be Ginny talking to you about Blaise. The night is young, Harry - go dance with someone, have some fun. And forget that man-eater out there."

Harry had to laugh at Neville's advice. "I'll try," he said, clapping Neville on the back as Neville hopped off the barstool, waved goodbye and left.

Harry returned to his drink, smiling to himself as he shook his head. He turned to look at Blaise's table once more, but his good mood vanished when he locked eyes with Malfoy, who was at the table with Blaise and his flavour of the night, scowling at Harry. Harry glared back at the blond and then looked away.

Malfoy and Harry had made their peace after the war, but they were by no means friends. If anything, Harry felt even more annoyed by the blond after the war, because it seemed that he was always with Blaise, even joining his friend for some of his dates. Harry had initially thought that there must have been feelings between the boys, but a lot of observation had let him to realise that the relationship between the two was purely platonic. Yet, every now and then, Malfoy would notice Harry staring at Blaise, and would glare disapprovingly. It's not like Harry wanted or needed Malfoy's approval anyway. If he finally got together with Blaise...

Harry finally decided that it was enough self-torture for the day, paid his tab and headed off home, but not before noticing Blaise and his new boy-toy sneak off to the loo together, giggling drunkenly all the way.

*****

The next morning, Harry wished he hadn't had so much to drink the night prior. He'd just had one sip of his precious morning coffee when an Inter-Department memo hit him hard in the side of the head.

"EMERGENCY!" it said. "Apparate immediately to destination detailed below. Auror in life-threatening situation. Password: Reptile Capture. Counter password: Snake Beast."

Without another thought, Harry jumped out of his chair, picked up his wand and Apparated to the location mentioned. As he tried to clear his head of the nausea that he always felt while Apparating, Harry took stock of his surroundings. He seemed to be in an abandoned building that looked that it hadn't been lived in for many years.

"Reptile Capture," Harry said softly, hoping that the Auror mentioned hadn't been hurt already.

"Snake Beast. In here," a voice whispered from an adjoining room, and Harry walked slowly towards the voice, and saw a figure crouching by the doorway. As soon as he got close enough to recognize the man, he gasped.

"Blaise! I mean...Auror Zabini."

Blaise looked at him with obvious relief. "Auror Potter. Good thing they sent you. We think there's a basilisk hiding in this building. My partner has already been Petrified. I was hoping they'd send you, being a Parselmouth would definitely help."

Harry's brain had slowed down at the point when Blaise had said that he'd hoped they'd send Harry, and had to remind himself to focus. This was a life-threatening emergency, after all.

"I think it's upstairs," Blaise whispered. "We'll try to get close enough, and maybe you can try talking it out of its hiding place, and then killing it. Follow me."

Blaise held up his right hand, which contained a mirror, and started walking towards the door that Harry had just entered.

Just as he reached doorway, Harry heard it, a low hiss. "Got to get away from the humans," the voice said, and Harry knew it was the Basilisk.

"Blaise, stop!" Harry yelled, but it was too late. Blaise had already walked through the door, looking into the mirror ahead of him, and before Harry could do anything, Blaise fell to the ground, Petrified.

"Stop!" Harry hissed in Parseltongue, closing his eyes, and he tried to picture a snake in his mind to enable him to speak the language. "We mean you no harm, but you are hurting innocent people. I can help you."

He heard the gigantic snake slithering closer. "Help? How?" it hissed.

"Where do you come from?" Harry asked. "Perhaps I can guide you back home."

"Forest. On mountain. Lost. Want mother," the snake hissed back at him.

Harry thought for a moment. There was a forest close by, that must be the one the Basilisk was talking about. It sounded like it was a baby. Harry decided that he would take the snake back to the forest. There were no humans living anywhere close to the forest, and Harry would hate to see an innocent creature be killed for no fault of its own, except for being what it was.

"I can get you there," he said. "Back to your mother. But we must leave now. We cannot endanger any more humans."

"Yes, let us leave," the snake hissed.

"Come and let me touch your tail," Harry instructed, and within a few seconds, he felt the scaly skin touch his fingertips. Harry held on to the snake's tail - noting absently that it seemed much, much smaller than the one he had fought in his second year at Hogwarts - and Apparated himself and the snake to the forest he remembered. Once there, he let the snake go, telling it never to go near human habitat again, as it would be dangerous for all concerned, and the snake agreed with a hiss, and slithered away. Harry promptly Apparated back to the abandoned building where he had left Blaise. He held Blaise gently in his arms, resisting the urge to kiss those soft lips, and Apparated them to St. Mungo's.

*****

"What's taking them so long?" Harry muttered, waiting impatiently outside the door through which Blaise had been taken a good three hours ago. Harry had sent his Patronus to get a message to Kingsley, letting them know the situation, and was now waiting for news about Blaise's condition.

Another hour later, he finally saw a nurse leave the room. Harry jumped up immediately. "How is he?"

The nurse turned to look at him, and her eyes widened. "Harry Potter?" she asked.

"Yes, I want to know how Auror Zabini is. Can I see him?"

"Are you family?"

"No, but I was on a mission with him."

"I'm sorry, Mr. Potter, we can only discuss his condition with immediate family."

Frustrated, Harry closed his eyes, and sent out a wordless Confundus charm, hoping to somehow be granted permission to enter Blaise's room, and to talk about how he was doing.

The nurse's eyes clouded over for a minute, and then she smiled. "But of course, as his fiancé, you're almost family. Come on."

Beckoning to Harry, she led him into the room, where Blaise was lying on a bed, cold and unmoving.

"Doctor, this is Harry Potter, Mr. Zabini's fiancé. He wants to know about how our patient is doing."

The mediwizard looked surprised at the introduction, but stepped forward and introduced himself anyway. He told Harry that Blaise was not in any danger, he'd been Petrified, but his vitals were looking good. They just had to wait for him to wake up. It could be a matter of hours, days or months - it was too early to tell.

Harry took in the information, nodding his head. It was nothing he hadn't heard before, but he hoped that Blaise would awaken soon. And when he did, Harry would be by his side, and Blaise would realise how much Harry loved him, and they would live happily ever after. Or something like that. For now, Harry would just be happy with Blaise waking up soon.

"Can I stay with him for some time?" Harry asked the mediwizard.

"Of course, Mr. Potter. We would never dream of taking that privilege away from a patient's fiancé."

Harry winced every time somebody called him Blaise's fiancé, uncomfortable with his lie, yet unable to tell the truth. Nevertheless, the assumption had got him into the room and Harry didn't regret the small Confundus charm he'd used. He thanked the doctor, and pulled up a chair next to the bed. He sat there, waiting for the mediwizard and nurses to leave the room. As soon as he was alone with his love, Harry reached out for Blaise's hand, shuddering as his fingers closed around the other Auror's ice-cold digits.

"Come back, Blaise. You've got so much going for you. I just want one chance with you - one chance to prove how much I love you, how far I'd go for you. Please, come back to me, Blaise," Harry whispered.

*****

The next morning, Harry was awakened by a loud ruckus going on outside the door. He stretched, and winced - his neck had a crick in it, and his back was sore from sleeping in the chair next to Blaise's bed.

"What do you mean, you only allow family in? I'm the only family he has, for Merlin's sake. Everyone else is dead. We're almost brothers," a familiar voice yelled, though Harry couldn't place the angry voice through the remnants of sleep.

"Oh, I didn't realize that. Well, in that case...his fiancé is in there with him though..."

"Fiancé? What are you on, woman? Blaise is not engaged!"

"He most certainly is, his fiancé brought him in, and has been sitting by his bedside ever since."

"That must be some imposter; I can tell you for a fact that Blaise is very much single..."

"He's no imposter! Why don't you go in for yourself and see who it is?"

"I think I will do just that!"

And with that, the door burst open, and through it, strode a very angry looking Draco Malfoy, red spots colouring his pale, pointy face.

*****

"Potter? You're the fiancé?" Malfoy looked dumbstruck.

"Er...yes, that would be me," Harry said sheepishly, cursing the misunderstanding again, but being unable to refute it without looking like a fraud.

"Are you trying to say that...you and Blaise are engaged? To be married?"

"Well, it's a very recent development, really. He...he just proposed a couple of days ago...er...on Friday, in fact."

"On Friday? But that was the day Blaise went on a date with that Adam fellow."

"Yeah, well, that was just a ruse. I met him at his house after his...date...and that was when he proposed," Harry lied glibly.

"Bloody hell! How long has this been going on?" Malfoy asked, running his fingers through his hair, a disbelieving look on his face.

"Um...a few months now, but we kept it a secret, you know. Blaise...he thought his friends would disapprove."

Malfoy stared at Harry for what seemed to be a few minutes, then sighed.

"Why didn't he tell me about it? I would never keep him from being happy. He knew that I didn't approve of his...wild encounters. I'm happy that he's chosen a...stable bloke like you to settle down with. I just wish he had told me about it."

"Well, I'm partly to blame for it - I didn't want it getting out either. Since he's an ex-Slytherin, you know. My friends won't be too happy either. Anyway, it's all out in the open now, so...um...yeah."

Malfoy's lips were set in a hard line, as he stepped forward. "In that case, Potter, let me be the first to congratulate you. And welcome you to the family. As I told the rather annoying nurse outside, Blaise and I are practically family, we're all the family the other has."

Malfoy held his hand out for Harry to take, and Harry was eerily reminded of the time in his first year at Hogwarts when Malfoy had done something similar, and Harry had refused his hand. This time, however, Harry shook Malfoy's hand with a smile.

"Thanks," he said, wondering what he was getting himself into with all this.

*****

Malfoy sat by Blaise's bedside for some time, and then turned his attention to Harry, and started a casual conversation. To his surprise, Harry spent almost an hour talking to Malfoy. The conversation was awkward and cold, in the beginning, but Malfoy seemed to warm up to him by the end of it.

"I had noticed you staring at Blaise every time he was out on a date - I just thought you were one of those pathetic wankers who admire him from afar," Malfoy said, and Harry felt his face heat up at this description, which was scarily accurate.

"Um...yeah, I was just...jealous, you know. Blaise had to keep up the show of being single, and I went with it," Harry replied.

"Well, no more of that now, I presume. Since the cat is out of the bag, as it were," Malfoy responded, and Harry nodded in agreement.

"Potter, I think more of our friends need to know about you. Can you meet us for drinks at the Hog's Head this evening? It will be just a few old friends who will be glad to hear that Blaise is finally settling down."

"I...I don't think that's necessary," Harry stuttered. "I mean, I'd like to stay here with Blaise during my free time, and I'm not..."

"It will just be a couple of hours, Potter. You can head on back here as soon as we're done. It's not like Blaise can hear you natter on anyway."

"Yes, I understand that, but I'm not sure I'm ready to meet all his friends. I mean...without talking to him about it..." Harry trailed off, not knowing exactly how to word his discomfort at the prospect of meeting a bunch of Blaise's friends under the false pretext of being his fiancé.

"Don't worry about a thing - nobody will give you grief about it. I'll personally see to that. I'm sure all of our friends would want to meet the man who has finally satisfied Blaise the Insatiable," said Malfoy with what was almost a smile.

"Insatiable, huh? Heh, heh," Harry said, blushing. "Alright, I'll be there. What time?"

"I think around six should be good. That will give you enough time to come back and cuddle with Blaise for the night." Malfoy definitely seemed to be smirking now.

"Six p.m. will work. I can't stay long, but I will drop in for a couple of drinks."

Malfoy nodded, and took Harry's leave then, stopping by Blaise's bed once more to whisper something in his friend's ear before he left the room, leaving Harry wondering what in the world had possessed him to start this lie. Blaise the Insatiable would surely kill him once he regained consciousness, and found out about Harry's deception.

*****

Six p.m. found Harry hovering outside the Hog's Head, not entirely sure what he was doing there. 'Just a couple of drinks and I'll be out of there,' he thought to himself. 'It's easier this way, and it'll get Malfoy off my back.'

Gathering his wits about him, Harry walked in through the door, and started looking around. He immediately noticed Malfoy half-raising his hand to him in invitation from a table near a dirty glass window. There were four others with Malfoy at the table - Harry recognized two of them as ex-Slytherins, the other two he had never seen before. Malfoy was wearing a sea-blue shirt with a blue blazer, and his hair fell in soft wisps around his face.

As Harry walked towards the table, the occupants started clapping and whistling. Malfoy shushed the others as Harry approached, and offered Harry a seat next to his own, which Harry took, feeling rather embarrassed.

"Everybody, this is Harry Potter, the one to finally tame our Blaise. Potter, you already know Gregory and Theodore from Hogwarts, that's Fillius Aramus and that's Martin Bracken, they're business associates," Malfoy said, indicating each one as he introduced them. Harry remembered reading about Malfoy's booming Potions business, and smiled and nodded at each one in succession.

"Harry Potter!" Greg Goyle said, with a smile. "I couldn't believe my ears when Draco told me, but it looks like it's true..."

"Um...yeah," Harry said, attempting a half smile. 'Just a couple of drinks,' he told himself. 'Then I can get the hell out of here and never have to see them again...till Blaise wakes up and tells them all about what a big liar I am.'

"Yeah," Theodore agreed. "Of all of us, I'd imagine it would be Draco who settled down the first - what with him constantly harping on about true love, fidelity and monogamy."

The group guffawed at this, and Harry turned a bit to see Malfoy out of the corner of his eye - the blond had a soft smile on his face that Harry had never ever seen or expected to see on Malfoy's face. The pointy faced git could actually smile without smirking - that was news!

"Not to mention that brave, foolhardy, non-pureblood Gryffindors are Draco's favorite kind of man-meat," the man introduced as Fillius said, and Harry quirked his eyebrows at the comment.

He looked questioningly at Malfoy, whose smile had faded and had been replaced by lips set in a cold hard line. "I thought I asked you never to mention him again, Aramus."

Harry turned back to look at Fillius, who looked a bit sheepish now. "Sorry mate, no more about Finnegan."

Harry choked on a sip of water he had just taken. "Seamus? You went out with Seamus? When was that?" he asked Malfoy. Going from not even knowing that Malfoy was gay to finding out that he had dated one of Harry's best mates was a shock, to say the least.

"That would be before Blaise seduced and stole the little Gryffindor's heart," Theodore said. "Ickle Drakykins was so heartbroken then, weren't you? Moping about betrayal and Gryffindor morality. That was pretty sneaky of Blaise too, getting Finnegan drunk like that..."

"This is about Potter, people. Fun as taking the piss out of me may be, I'm sure our guest is not interested in my past affairs," Malfoy said, his cold voice betraying the smile pasted on his face.

Harry silently agreed. He had no inclination whatsoever to hear about Seamus and Malfoy, or Seamus and Blaise, for that matter. The past was the past, and it was best left there. Though he had been surprised to hear that Malfoy was one of those blokes spouting on about monogamy and faithfulness...

The rest of the evening passed without walking over too many mines, and as soon as Harry finished his last sip of his second Butterbeer, he stood up. "I think I'll call it a night now. It was great meeting all of you, and maybe we could do this again once Blaise is better..."

"No, no," Gregory said. "You're not getting out of it that easily, Potter. Blaise and us, we're a package deal. You stay with him, you get us as drinking buddies. Every Friday, after work. Didn't Blaise tell you about our drinking night?"

"Er, well...he might have..." Harry started, but was stopped by the loud guffaws from the table.

"Oh, this one is priceless," Fillius said. "This Friday, at eight at the Hilarious Hippogriffs. After that we take it to Pixie Dust for some dancing. You know, the one at the edge of Knockturn Alley."

"I don't think..." Harry tried again, but this time it was Malfoy who cut him off.

"He'll be there, I'll see to it," Malfoy drawled, and Harry threw him a glare. This only caused the raucous laughter around the table to intensify though, so Harry quietly said his goodbyes and left.

Back at St. Mungo's, as Harry sat beside Blaise's bed again, he thought about the evening - it hadn't been that bad, really. To be quite honest, it was the most fun he had had in a while. Most of his drinking nights out were spent looking at Blaise from afar. It didn't help that Blaise worked in the same department as Harry, so they had a lot of common friends. Except for Malfoy and the blokes Harry had met tonight, he reminded himself. Maybe it wouldn't be too bad getting to know them better. That might just be a way into Blaise's heart, after all...

*****

That Friday, Harry found himself making his way to the Hilarious Hippogriffs at eight. Malfoy had sent him several owls, some reminding him to be there, others mock-promising vengeance if Harry wasn't there. He'd debated going for a while, but seeing as he had no other plans, he decided that it couldn't hurt. After a few drinks with Malfoy and the others, the little group headed over to the nightclub. Harry had never been to Pixie Dust, and it was unlike any club he'd ever been to. It seemed to be a rather progressive place, and Harry could see couple of all combinations of gender and species dancing together. Gregory, Theodore and Fillius had all picked up witches and were dancing on the packed floor, while Malfoy was chatting up some bloke near the bar. Harry sipped his drink, a horrendous orange coloured drink called Veritacitrus, which actually tasted pretty good. It was giving Harry a good buzz too, and he found a silly smile creeping up his face as he watched a male half-giant dance with a female goblin. Harry idly wondered about the logistics of such a relationship.

"Ah, but the existence of your friend Hagrid should have told you that love defies the laws of physics," Malfoy's voice drawled near his elbow, and Harry almost jumped.

"Wha...what?"

"I saw you staring at the giant-goblin couple out there, Potter. Don't tell me you weren't wondering about how they do it."

Harry felt his face flush. "I most certainly was not. I was just...admiring the dancing."

Malfoy chuckled. "Sure you were, Potter, sure you were. Now how about getting off that seat and joining me for a dance."

"You've got to be kidding me, Malfoy. I don't dance - not without enough liquid fortification anyway..."

"I'm sure three glasses of Veritacitrus will give you enough courage," Malfoy said, holding out his hand. "Come on, Potter, dance with me for a while. It's always easier to get the attractive blokes if you're dancing with one. They figure if someone else wants you, you must be worth something."

"Did you just pay me a compliment, Malfoy?" Harry asked, a mischievous glint in his eyes.

Malfoy shrugged. "I've done worse to get a shag."

Harry raised his eyes at this.

"Out of the blokes who will be drawn to me if I dance with you, Potter, I didn't mean you!" Malfoy quickly added, offering Harry his hand again.

Harry took a long look at Malfoy's hand, and finally allowed the blond to pull him off his seat.

"You do know that your drink is spiked with a mild version of Veritaserum, don't you, Potter?"

Harry laughed. "That's just what they want you to think. You, of all people should know that serving Veritaserum is illegal."

"And yet," Malfoy said, leading Harry to the dance floor, "you still feel the inexplicable urge to be truthful, don't you, Potter?"

"I'm always truthful," Harry said, as they found a slightly less crowded spot near the edge of the dance floor.

"Ah, always the Gryffindor, even years after Hogwarts," Malfoy shouted, as the ambient sound was really loud at the moment.

Harry laughed, and allowed himself to feel the music. The alcohol in his system certainly helped, and Harry found himself trying out moves he'd only seen other people pull off. Malfoy danced near him, stopping him physically a few times when he was about to step on some toes.

After a while, Harry was jostled and landed right in Malfoy's arms. He thought he heard Malfoy's breath hitch at the contact. For an instant, Harry wildly thought that Malfoy was leaning in to kiss him, but before he could make more of that thought, the blond smiled, and Harry knew that he had imaged the moment. Malfoy moved smoothly and gracefully, seemingly unconcerned by their proximity, and so Harry let himself relax as well. He held on to Malfoy and danced for a while. It felt good, even if it was Malfoy. It had been a while since Harry had danced with anyone, and whatever faults Malfoy may have, Harry couldn't argue that the blond wasn't attractive. He even smelt nice, of fresh laundry and expensive cologne. Harry closed his eyes and enjoyed the moment. Malfoy's arms around him felt safe and warm.

"So Potter," Malfoy said after a few minutes, "How did you and Blaise hook up? And what about my devilishly handsome friend made you fall for him? Apart from his looks, of course."

Harry looked away from Malfoy. 'Here come the lies,' he thought, fighting against the mild truth potion. "Er...we hooked up a few months ago at one of the Auror parties. What do I like about him?" Harry sighed. "I don't know - his passion for life, the way his eyes light up when he's excited about something, the soft looks he bestows on people he cares about, his body, of course, his wit..." Harry shook his head. "I'm turning into a mushy sap, aren't I? Why do you ask anyways?"

"Just curious - I've always wondered what attracts you crazy Gryffindors," Malfoy replied with a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes, as they drew apart with the music, and continued swaying to the music.

"You've definitely got better from what I remember at Hogwarts," Malfoy told him after a while, and Harry grinned.

"Yeah, I took lessons from Seamus for a while..."

Harry stopped abruptly and turned to look at Malfoy. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to bring him up. It's just that we've been close over the years and..."

"You don't have to explain, Potter. Finnegan and I were done years ago, and I'm not sensitive about the issue anymore."

Harry refrained from mentioning how obvious Malfoy had been when his friends had brought up his relationship with Seamus, and instead said, "He's single now, you know, Malfoy."

Malfoy stiffened and looked at Harry through narrowed eyes. "And why, exactly, did you feel the need to mention that?"

"Well, the two of you obviously had a bad break up, but he's a really good bloke, and...maybe that's what second chances are all about?"

Malfoy suddenly gripped Harry's arms and pulled Harry close to him. "The one thing I absolutely cannot tolerate, Potter, is betrayal. Drunk or not, Seamus cheated on me and I can never forgive or forget that. Even if he was the last man on earth, I wouldn't touch him. I respect the boundaries of relationships, and I expect others to do the same." Malfoy paused for a moment and looked searchingly into Harry's eyes, probably to make sure Harry understood how serious he was. Harry's dance partner then exhaled sharply and continued, "I would appreciate it greatly if you never mention Finnegan's name in my presence again. Can you do that?"

Harry released the breath he had held, and nodded. For a moment, he remembered Malfoy as he had seen him during the war - being a spy had not been easy for the man, and he had had that cold, hard look almost constantly moulded to his face.

Malfoy danced for a few minutes more, but there was definitely a coldness between them now, and Harry was relieved when a couple cut in, a sandy haired young man clinging on to Malfoy, while his companion, a young wizard called Jeremy, danced with Harry, apparently not having recognized his dancing partner as the saviour of the wizarding world.

"It's good that your boyfriend isn't very possessive," Jeremy said, pulling Harry close as a slow song played.

"Oh, he's not my boyfriend," Harry said quickly.

Jeremy's face lit up. "You're single, then?" he asked hopefully.

Harry felt it - that feeling that Veritaserum was trying to get the truth out of you - but he wasn't an experienced Auror for nothing. He overcame the feeling easily, and said with a smile.

"Engaged, actually. My fiancé couldn't make it today, though."

Jeremy's smile dimmed a little, though he didn't let Harry go. They danced for a couple more songs, before Harry excused himself, and as he left the dance floor, he saw Jeremy promptly pick up somebody else to dance with.

Harry saw Gregory back at the table with a young witch, with whom he was animatedly chatting. Harry was debating whether to join the couple or not, when Gregory saw him and waved him over. He introduced the young witch as Clara, and she almost fell off her seat when she realized that she was meeting the great Harry Potter. She completely abandoned Gregory, and to Harry's great discomfort, clung on tightly to him as she asked him questions about the war and his career. Harry answered her questions reluctantly, trying to find a way out of the clingy witch's grip.

"Cheating on your fiancé, already, Potter?" Malfoy's voice drawled, and the witch startled at the intrusion.

"Fiance?" she sqeaked. "You're engaged?"

"Um..." Harry started, but Malfoy answered. "To be married, no less. Potter here is all grown up and is settling down. Run along now, I'm sure there are other single wizards out here who would love to dance with you."

The witch looked crestfallen, and turned her attention back to Gregory, who now gave her the cold shoulder. She left after a few minutes, after throwing a longing glance at Harry and a dirty look at Malfoy.

"You didn't have to be so rude!" Harry said to Malfoy, the moment Clara was out of earshot.

"Well, you certainly weren't rude enough, so I only thought it proper that I step in. Unless you were actually enjoying the cloying attention."

Harry scowled. "I was just trying to be polite. Of course I wanted nothing to do with her. She was way too annoying and star-struck."

"And you're engaged," prompted Malfoy.

"Yes, that too," Harry gritted out, feeling the pull of the Veritacitrus wanting to contradict the statement, but squashing the feeling.

*****

Harry chose not to return to the dance floor, though quite a few men and women approached him. He sat gloomily at the table, talking to others as they took their breaks from dancing. Malfoy danced almost the entire rest of the time, with several blokes, and Harry had to admit that the git could move. Harry wouldn't mind learning some of those suave moves himself, though he was sure he would make the moves look clumsy.

Finally, Harry's four companions returned to the table, looking flushed and happy, and after a last drink, they decided to call it a night.

"So, Draco, are we on for tomorrow, or will you be hung over?" Gregory asked.

"I can hold my alcohol, Gregory, I never get hung over," Malfoy slurred, and Harry had to fight not to laugh at the sloppy delivery.

"Sure, Draco," Gregory said with a smile. He then turned towards Harry. "Hey, Potter, do you want to join us?"

"For what?"

"Draco and I practice a bit of Quidditch at his place on Saturdays. Just a snitch and a quaffle, no bludgers. It's fun. How about it?"

"I'm not sure that Potter would want..." Malfoy started about the same time as Harry said, "Sounds like fun, I'm in."

He looked sheepishly at Malfoy. "Unless you'd rather I didn't, of course."

Malfoy stared at Harry for a few moments. "Nonsense, Potter, why wouldn't I want you to join in? Be at the Manor at 11 am. I don't think we'll be awake before then." Malfoy gave Harry a strange look then, seeming to search for some kind of answer. He shook his head after that, and the five stood up, promising to meet the following week for drinks.

It was too late for Harry to return to St. Mungo's, so he went home and fell asleep minutes after slipping into his bed.

*****

The next morning found Harry excited about the Quidditch session. It had been years since he'd played. After Ron and Hermione had migrated to the United States, Harry had slowly drifted away from the Weasleys, immersing himself in his work, trying to get rid of the rogue Death Eaters who remained. That was what had motivated him to become an Auror - after Voldemort, he had been sick of fighting and had taken up odd Muggle jobs for a while, just for the distraction. However, the deaths of so many innocent people, even once Voldemort was gone, had made him realise that the fight against evil would be a life-long one for him, one he couldn't turn his back on.

Quidditch was - well, exhilarating, really. As Harry rose on his broom, he felt that familiar gooey feeling he got every time he flew. It was a fun game, and Harry caught the snitch every time it was released, much to Malfoy's indignation. Once Malfoy almost got to the snitch before him - Harry's fingers actually brushed against Malfoy's as they both reached for the golden ball, but Malfoy withdrew his hand as if he had been burnt, and Harry snatched up the snitch. He grinned at Malfoy, who was staring at his hand, looking like he couldn't believe that had happened. Gregory laughed as Malfoy got more and more annoyed every time Harry caught the snitch, until they finally called play to a halt, after almost two hours.

"That was brilliant," Harry said, once they were on the ground. "I've always wished that Blaise played Quidditch - I used to dream of us soaring into the air together, playing friendly games just like this..." Harry stopped himself as he saw Malfoy and Gregory's smiles at this revelation. "Sorry, must be the adrenalin rush. It's been a while since I've played Quidditch."

"Don't rub it in, Potter. We know you're good without practice," Malfoy said with a mock scowl, and Harry grinned. "Seriously, though, why don't you join us every Saturday? Greg and I keep asking people to join us, but nobody has been interested so far."

Harry promptly agreed to it, realising how much he had missed flying. The three walked towards Malfoy's house, and he led them to a parlour. Malfoy snapped his fingers and a house elf promptly served them ice cold lemonade. It was very refreshing, and after a couple of glasses, Harry and Gregory got ready to leave.

"A word before you leave, Potter," Malfoy said, just as they were at the door, and Harry stopped, looking at Malfoy. Gregory looked surprised too, but said goodbye, leaving Harry and Malfoy at the door of Malfoy Manor.

"What is it?" Harry asked, wondering what had happened to make Malfoy look so serious suddenly.

"Look, Potter, I don't really like beating around the bush, so I'm just going to come out and say it. When you first said that you were Blaise's fiancé, a part of me didn't believe you and wanted to prove that you were lying. That was the real reason I invited you for drinks with the boys. You and he are so different, it's difficult to imagine the two of you together. But, I realise now that you really do care about him. Blaise is one of my best friends - I wouldn't have got out of the war alive if it hadn't been for him. I know he's got a skewed perspective of relationships, and he's not always sensitive about people's feelings, but he's good at heart. I think you'll be good for him. I'm happy for him, and I wish you all the best. You're what every Slytherin needs - a hero to save them from themselves."

Harry was stunned. Malfoy was being so honest and Harry couldn't find it in his heart to fault him for not trusting him. After all, Harry had been lying.

"Er...thanks, I suppose...Does that mean you need a Gryffindor hero too?" Harry asked, grinning.

"I suppose. Anybody in mind? Anybody whose name is not Seamus Finnegan?" Malfoy asked, with a smile of his own.

"Nobody comes to mind right now, but I'll be on the lookout if I do find someone. Thanks for...you didn't have to tell me what you did. I know you were only looking out for your friend."

"You're welcome. Now, no need to make this more awkward than it is, so goodbye, and I'll probably see you at the hospital sometime?"

"Yeah, see you," Harry said, smiling and turning to leave.

*****

Pain. Intense, excruciating pain. Throbbing through every vein. Harry tried to open his eyes, but they seemed to weigh a ton.

He passed in and out of consciousness, and one of his spells of awareness, he heard Malfoy's voice.

"We all know how much you love Blaise, Potter. You didn't need to secure the room next to his to prove your point. Now, Blaise will be awake soon, so you'd better recover soon so that the two of you can make up for lost time."

Harry tried to smile, but his lips felt like they were glued together. The pain had subsided somewhat, but the fog of confusion hadn't. Harry thought about Blaise in the next room as he blacked out again.

In his few moments of clarity between bouts of blackness, Harry heard Malfoy's voice several times.

"You can do it, Potter. Snap out of it."

"Where's your famed luck now, Potter? Can't have you dying on us now, can we? Show us what a hero you are and fight it."

"It's bad enough having to visit Blaise out here, without you being out of it as well."

Through the maze of thoughts and dreams, Malfoy's voice kept his sane, almost making him smile at times. He would just have to fight a little harder to regain consciousness.

*****

He was reliving his nightmares. Sirius falling behind the veil. Albus. The Horcruxes. Fighting Voldemort. Remus. Tonks. Fred. So much pain. Harry wished he could sleep and never have to wake up.

Through it all, Harry heard Malfoy's voice. Calm and peaceful. Dragging him out of the nightmares. Then Harry's dreams changed a bit. He was with Blaise. They were at a club, dancing together, Blaise's breath warm on his skin. Blaise smiled warmly at Harry. "You're what I've been waiting for, Harry Potter. I can't believe it took me this long to notice you," he said, licking a trail down Harry's neck.

Suddenly Neville was there too, whispering, "He's no good for you Harry. He'll use you and throw you away."

And Malfoy was there too. "Every Slytherin needs a hero, Harry. Will you be mine?" And then it was Malfoy he was dancing with, lips close enough to kiss, eyes fixed on his own, breath mingling with his. Malfoy turned him around on the dance floor so that Harry's back was against Malfoy's chest. He nibbled at Harry's ear lobe, with one hand around Harry's chest and the other drifting lower...

And then Blaise was in front of them, snogging Seamus, and laughing maniacally. "You mean nothing to me," Blaise said, pushing a weeping Seamus away.

"You made the right choice," Malfoy said, and with another quick turn, Harry was back in his arms, and they were kissing, and Malfoy's lips were warm and soft, his body warm against Harry's, and it was wonderful - everything he had ever wanted in a kiss. It was perfect - Malfoy was what Harry had been waiting for but had never realised. Harry thought of Malfoy's bravery during the war, his loyalty to his friends, his belief in true love, his strength of character...And Harry suddenly realised that he had fallen in something that resembled love with Malfoy.

Harry woke up with a start. And looked straight into Draco Malfoy's eyes.

'Shit. Shit. Shit. This is not good at all.'

~~~~

"Hey," Malfoy said, from his seat next to Harry's bed. "I thought I saw some movement there. Welcome back to the land of the living."

"Hey," Harry replied weakly. "What...what happened? How long have I been out of it?"

"You were attacked in Diagon Alley while you were shopping. You've been out for three days now."

"Oh...okay. You've visited before, haven't you?" he asked Malfoy.

Harry was surprised to see a slight blush creep up on Malfoy's pale face. "Yeah, well somebody had to look out for you, since your fiancé is still recuperating from his own accident. The healers think he's close to recovery though. They anticipate that he will be awake within a week."

"That's...that's great," Harry said, and suddenly, he wanted to cry. Blaise was going to wake up and this was all going to end. Malfoy was going to hate him again. He wouldn't even get a chance to explain. Without thinking, Harry reached out and grabbed a fistful of Malfoy's shirt. The blond lost his balance and landed with a surprised thump on Harry's chest. Before he could protest, Harry cupped his face, leaned in and kissed him.

Malfoy was too surprised to react for a few seconds, but the moment he got his wits about him, he pushed Harry away shakily.

"Potter! What are you doing? You are engaged to my best friend. This...we can't..."

"I can explain," Harry said, desperately. "It's not real. It was...he was injured...and I wanted..."

Malfoy looked angry now. "You want to dump him because he's Petrified? I thought better of you, Potter. I thought you were different. I thought..."

"No, it's not what you think," Harry protested, but Malfoy was already backing up towards the door, shaking his head disbelievingly at Harry.

"Goodbye, Potter," Malfoy said, and then he was gone.

And Harry was left alone with his tears and his regrets.

*****

Harry was released two days after he regained consciousness. He had been the victim of a rather vicious hex that had messed up with his mind and drudged up old nightmares. Harry was happy to be awake and not reliving those painful moments. He had been given three more days off from work to recover, and he spent it thinking about his life, and making decisions.

'This has gone too far. I've got to stop and think about what I'm doing and what I want. My obsession with Blaise has brought me nothing but trouble, and this thing with Malfoy...I don't know what to do!'

Harry didn't even want to think about Malfoy. Why did Harry's once-rival have to turn out to be so damn compatible with Harry? So protective of his friends. So earnest about relationships. So sincere. So perfect.

Harry took the time off to relax, he went to the beach one day, and the zoo another. He smiled and watched happy couples everywhere.

On the last day of his paid time off, Harry was just about to turn in for the night when an owl swooped in through the open window. Harry reached for it warily, and read the note it carried.

Mr. Potter,

Your fiancé is awake. You can visit at your convenience.

Sincerely,

A.J Pagot,

Healer

*****

Harry Apparated to St. Mungo's after a quick shower. He owed Blaise the truth at least. He would just get it over with, and never have to see any of them again. Except at work. Where he would see Blaise almost every day.

Sighing, Harry knocked at the door to Blaise's room, and was answered with a cheery 'Come in.'

Blaise was sitting up on his bed, looking as handsome as he'd ever looked. "Auror Potter. I mean Harry. I'm sorry, I'm still a little confused about the past few months. That snake really did a number on me. The healers tell me that we're engaged. I'm so sorry that I don't remember proposing...or was it you who proposed? Come, sit and tell me all about our life together," Blaise said, patting the side of his bed.

"Yes, Potter, why don't you tell Blaise all about your time together," a voice drawled, and Harry's stomach dropped as he turned to the window to find Malfoy leaning against it. "I'm sure Blaise would like to know all that you've been up to while he's been Petrified too."

Harry opened his mouth, but the words just did not come out.

"Oh, the poor boy - he's just overcome with emotion at the sight of his fiancé," a third voice said, and Harry looked around to see the nurse smiling at him. "He's all well again, Mr. Potter. We'll be waiting for news about the wedding."

"And it will be a grand one," Blaise assured her.

Harry looked from the nurse to Blaise to Malfoy, and suddenly, some knot in him broke loose. "I'm sorry," he said, and he ran out of the room.

*****

It had taken Harry two whole weeks to gather up the courage to do this. Meanwhile stories about Harry's alleged engagement to Blaise, and rumours about their alleged break-up plastered the newspapers every day, with Blaise's face on the first page most days.

Gathering up every bit of his famed courage, Harry owled Malfoy - Draco - and Blaise, asking them to meet him at the Three Broomsticks to give him a chance to offer an explanation and an apology.

Harry had another sip of water and waited. They would be here any minute now. Any minute. And there they were.

Blaise and Malfoy looked very serious as they joined Harry at his table.

"Thank you for coming," Harry said. Blaise nodded, but Malfoy just stared at Harry, waiting.

"Right, so...um...I'm sure both of you want to know what's going on, so I'll start at the beginning."

Harry took a deep breath and looked at Blaise. "Blaise, I've been in love with you since our last year at Hogwarts. I've waited, and dreamed, and tried to get you to notice me, but nothing worked. And then, on that mission, you were Petrified by the Basilisk and I brought you to St. Mungo's. They...they were only allowing family in, so I cast...I tried to cast a wandless Confundus Charm. But I wasn't very focussed, and the nurse ended up thinking that we were engaged. I...I didn't do anything to disabuse them of this notion. I just went with it, because I got to be around you and make sure you were okay. But then, I met Malfoy...and we got closer. And...I...um...I felt a connection with him."

Harry turned to Malfoy now. The blond was looking intently at Harry. "I fell for you. I'm sorry, it wasn't planned or thought out, but it happened. And then, when I kissed you...I knew it was you I wanted. I'm sorry - I lied, and both of you were affected and I hate that, but please, Malfoy, Draco - give me a chance. I'm not engaged, I haven't even been with anyone in a long time. I just...I've wanted a fantasy for so long, and when I met you, I didn't even realise that you were what I was waiting for, what I was meant for. I'm sorry that our new relationship has been built on a lie, but what I feel about you is no lie. I would like to start again, and get to know you better."

Draco just sat there, looking at Harry with an intensity that Harry could feel burning him up, and the silence was oppressive. All of a sudden, it was shattered by Blaise's loud laugh.

"That is brilliant. You fooled everybody into thinking you were engaged to me because you wanted to be near me. Very Slytherin of you, Harry. I can't believe I never noticed how you felt about me before. I think such brilliance should be rewarded," Blaise said, and leant forward to kiss Harry.

*CRASH*

Draco's chair had fallen back, and the blond was storming away, before Harry could stop him.

Blaise stopped to look at Draco, chuckled and then directed his attention back at Harry. He leaned forward again, but Harry stopped him with a hand to his chest.

"Blaise, didn't you hear me? I fell for Draco. I think I'm...I'm in love with him."

Blaise backed up, looking at Harry with a confused frown on his face. "Harry, you've been in love with me for years now. When did you get the time to fall for Draco?"

"While you were Petrified," Harry said, getting up from his seat with a smile. He suddenly felt a lot more confident, and knew what he had to do. "Goodbye, Blaise. Thank you for everything, and I apologise for any harm I've caused. I have somewhere else I need to be right now."

With that, Harry Apparated away to Malfoy Manor. He knocked at the door, and a house elf answered.

"Who is coming to Master's house so late in the day? Shrinky is not liking such late guests..."

"Er...hi, can I speak to Malfoy? To Draco, that is?"

"Shrinky is telling Master Draco that he has a visitor. Master Draco is not liking to be disturbed at this late hour. Shrinky is always telling Master Draco not to be friends with half-bloods who don't know about wizarding customs, but is anybody listening to Shrinky?" the house elf muttered, and Harry was reminded strongly of Kreacher.

A few minutes later, Draco entered the living room, looking as cold as he had when he had walked out of the Three Broomsticks.

"What are you doing here, Potter? I thought you had finally reconciled with the love of your life?"

"Well, I'm actually trying my best to reconcile with the love of my life right now. If he can forgive me and give me another chance," Harry said, moving closer.

"I'm not sure I can trust you. Are there any other big secrets you need to tell me about, Potter?" Draco asked, backing up a bit.

"No, my life is an open book. You can read it at your leisure," Harry said, finally face to face with Draco.

"Potter..."

"Harry, call me Harry."

"Harry then, this is too sudden for me. I've been thinking of you as Blaise's fiancé for a while now..."

"But that hasn't stopped you from thinking about me, has it?" Harry whispered.

Draco gulped. "I didn't want to think of you that way. I would never have acted on my feelings if you were really engaged..."

"But I'm not...so you can act on them now." Harry cupped Draco's face. The blond looked almost scared.

"I'm not sure about this, Harry..."

"Don't tell me you don't feel it too," Harry whispered, trailing a finger down to Draco's lips. He felt Draco's shiver at the touch, and pressed himself flush against the blond.

"Harry," Draco whispered, his eyes fluttering closed, and that was the end of the fight for him. He melted into Harry, kissing him with everything he had. After a couple of minutes of passionate snogging, Draco suddenly drew back, and a soft look adorned his eyes.

"You're finally going to be my hero, Harry, saving me from myself," Draco said, softly.

"I think we can be each other's heroes," Harry replied, smiling and raising his face to Draco's for another kiss.

*****

Boy Who Loved? By Rita Skeeter

A mere six months after his high-profile engagement and subsequent break up with Blaise 'Sex on Legs' Zabini, Harry Potter has decided, yet again, to tie the knot with a former school mate. Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy were recently seen in Diagon Alley, watching matching rings and putting their love and passion on display for all to see. (See page 2 for scintillating uncensored pictures) Will this engagement last, or will be as ill-fated as Harry's last romance?

Jilted ex-fiance Blaise Zabini says, "Harry is a lonely man with a troubled past. We cared for each other, but his issues stopped us from going further. If he thinks he can find happiness with Draco Malfoy, then I wish the two every happiness."

Only a paragon of human virtue could be as selfless as Mr. Zabini. It's certainly Mr. Potter's loss.

A picture of Blaise took up most of the front page, his arm around a young rock star, who stared adoringly at the ex-Slytherin.

Harry shook his head and put the Daily Prophet away.

"I can't believe I ever thought I was in love with that man," he said to Draco, who was getting his morning coffee, still in his dressing robe.

"Well," said Draco, walking towards Harry and sitting on Harry's lap instead of a chair. "Look at it this way, if you weren't in love with him, you wouldn't have pretended to be his fiancé, I wouldn't have got a chance to know you better, and we wouldn't be together today."

"That's true," said Harry, putting his arms around Draco and pulling him in for a kiss. "But we need to be most grateful to that baby Basilisk. Without its help, we never would have fallen in love...while Blaise was Petrified."

Draco laughed and ran his hands through Harry's messy hair, speaking against Harry's lips. "Now, Mr. Potter, how about putting some of that love and passion that Rita Skeeter talked about on display for me?"

And with a kiss that seemed to melt his aristocratic fiancé into a pile of mushy goo, Harry did just that.

*** THE END ***