True to your heart

Chapter eleven: An epidemic

"Potter!"

Harry jumped, and looked up to find himself looking into the cold black eyes of the Potion´s Professor.

"Yes, Professor?" he asked, trying to sound like he was innocently curious.

Snape took a deep breath, to try to keep his temper down, "You have spent all lesson idly staring into space, and you have not done any work at all... Well what do you have to say for yourself?" he inquired.

Harry knew better than to come up with a snappy retort, instead he merely answered, "Nothing Sir."

Snape gave a sadistic grin and turned away from Harry, "Well then, Gryffindors should be happy, ten points will be taken. And Mr. Potter, you will join Mr. Malfoy in detention tonight at eight o´clock."

"Malfoy?" Harry asked, stunned.

"Yes Potter, Mr. Malfoy also has detention tonight. Constant day dreaming and staring into space must be an epidemic this afternoon." Snape replied, smirking as usual.

"Believe me Potter, the last thing anyone wants to do, is spend Friday night in detention with you." Malfoy drawled, saying the last word as if it was the worse curse word imaginable.

Harry was about to tell him to shut his mouth and shove his wand were the sun didn´t shine, when Snape beat him to it,

"Mr. Malfoy, shut your mouth this instant. Before I am forced to take a further five points away from Slytherin." both the Gryffindors and Slytherins stared at him in disbelief; the same thought running through all of their minds, `He wouldn´t do that, would he?´

Almost as if he knew what they were thinking Snape said, "Believe me, that was not just an idle threat. I do take points off my own house every now and again. Now back to work this instant."

Harry seriously doubted this, in all the years Harry had been attending Hogwarts Snape had never taken points of Slytherin, especially not his favorite student, who everyone knew was Malfoy.

"Wonder what´s wrong with Snape?" Ron asked as they walked back up to Gryffindor tower after class.

Hermione and Harry looked at each other and shrugged, "I don´t know."

"It´s weird though," Ron carried on, "He´s never taken points off Slytherin before or given one of the Slytherins a detention, especially not Malfoy, and today he´s done both. I´m telling you, hells frozen over."

When they got back to the Gryffindor common room, there was a huge crowd gathered around the notice board.

"What´s going on?" Hermione asked.

"There´s a list of the new Quidditch team and the match fixtures," a younger student, who Harry didn´t know, told them. Harry, Ron and Hermione pushed their way through everyone to the front.

"Congratulations, Harry!" Dean said, thumping him on the back.

"For what?" he asked, starting to feel incredibly confused.

"Harry look." Ron said, pointing at the sign on the notice board.

Gryffindor Quidditch Team Reserve Team

Chaser R. Weasley C. Creevey

Chaser S. Finnigan D. Creevey

Chaser D. Thomas N. Byrne

Beater P. Patil S. Filan

Beater K. Egan M. Read

Keeper L. brown H. Granger

Seeker H. Potter G. Weasley

Captain H. Potter G. Weasley

"I´m captain?" Harry asked, torn between disbelief and happiness.

"Way to go Harry!" Ginny said, hugging him tightly.

"You too, Ginny." Harry said, when she had finished crushing him,

"Thanks." she replied blushing.

`Uh Oh!´ he thought, `She still has a crush on me.´ that was definitely not a good thing anymore, `She´ll be crushed if she finds out about me and Draco.´

Harry was thinking this over in his mind when Ron came bounding over to him, "Harry, go get the invisibility cloak. We´ve had orders for a lot of food, which we need to go `borrow´ from the kitchens."

Harry nodded and ran up the stairs three at a time, seconds later he came back down with the invisibility cloak under one arm. "Lets go." they wrapped the cloak around them and crept out of the portrait hole.

"Do you know what food we´re getting?" Harry asked, as they tiptoed down the corridor.

"Yep, I´ve got it all here on this list." Ron replied, reaching into his pocket, looking for the piece of parchment, there was only one problem; he couldn´t find it.

"Well... where is it?" Harry asked impatiently, Ron looked at him sheepishly.

"I... I can´t find it," he admitted.

"You what?"

He doubled checked his pockets but he still couldn´t find it, "I must have dropped it somewhere."

They began to look on the floor around them and then they spotted it, lying about six feet away from them. "Look!" Harry said, pointing to it.

They started to walk towards it, but they stopped dead when someone stepped through a doorway.

"Malfoy, what´s he doing here?" Ron hissed, but Harry put his hand over his mouth.

"Shush! Don´t forget he´s head boy, if he´s hears us we´ll be in loads of trouble and, knowing him, he´ll confiscate the cloak." Harry reminded him.

Ron stopped trying to get to Malfoy and just watched, in defeat, as he bent down and picked up the piece of paper.

"Well... well... well, what do we have here?" he muttered, to himself, picking up the paper and looking at it, before folding it up and putting it in his pocket.

"Now what?" Ron whispered.

"We´ll just have to remember most of the stuff. It´s a good job you didn´t put a name on it, otherwise we´d be in deep trouble." even though Harry and Draco were as close as they were, it didn´t stop Draco from trying to get Ron, at least, into trouble. Ron looked away from Harry, with guilty eyes.

"You did, didn´t you?" Harry asked; sounding frustrated.

"Well... you see the thing is I didn´t exactly put my name on. I kind of borrowed a piece from parchment from someone else´s notepad," he grudgingly admitted.

Harry groaned, how could Ron be so stupid. Now the person whose name was on that paper was going to be in so much trouble. "Whose notepad was it?"

Ron smiled guiltily, "Yours."

"Ron! How could you be so stupid, I can´t believe you! Now I´m going to get in it with Malfoy, who I´ve tried to avoid arguing with all year, I didn´t want to get into too much trouble during my last year of school."

"Harry, I´m sorry really. If it´s any consolation, I didn´t think we´d get caught or that I´d do something this stupid."

"It isn´t any consolation, and you´re right it is a stupid thing to do. Now come on." Harry instructed, marching off at top speed, going so fast that Ron had to take at least three steps when Harry only took one, just to keep up with him.

Without any further mishaps, they were tickling the pear and the door to the Hogwarts kitchens swung open.

"Harry Potter, Harry Potter." almost every single house elf in the kitchen ran and hid when Harry stepped out from under the invisibility cloak; that is except for Dobby.

"Harry Potter is visiting Dobby? Sir this is an honour." Dobby squeaked.

"Hi Dobby." Harry greeted the little elf that visited him over the summer. That was when it dawned on Harry; Dobby had seen Draco at his aunt´s house. And not even Ron and Hermione knew about that, things could get complicated, Harry decided.

"Dobby we can´t stay long, we have a common room full of hungry and excited people. We just came to see if there was any food you could spare ..." he broke off when the sound of footsteps came from the other side of the portrait.

"Uh, Oh! Dobby if anyone asks; we were never here." Ron whispered, throwing the invisibility cloak back over him and Harry. No sooner were they safely under it, the portrait opened and Malfoy stepped through into the kitchen. Harry and Ron both groaned quietly, it seemed it was not their night tonight.

"May Dobby be of any assistance to sir?" Dobby squeaked; the young Malfoy always petrified him.

Draco looked at the other house elves and kitchen around him, although it didn´t look like he was seeing them at all; in fact, it looked like he was looking for something or someone instead.

"No I do not require any assistance from a pitiful creature such as yourself right now, Bobby, is it? I simply came by to grab a snack before I finished my corridor patrol duty tonight."

"Dobby understands you, Mister Malfoy. You is free to look in any of the cupboards." Dobby told Draco, as he waved a tiny arm in the direction of the food stores. Draco chuckled to himself while he opened the cupboards and began to look through their contents; Dobby was obviously still scared of Draco, from when he worked as a house elf in Malfoy Manor. Draco shook himself mentally, `Stop it. You don´t need that worthless pile of crap anymore. You have more than you need with Harry, don´t ruin it by thinking about them anymore than you have to.´ Draco grabbed a huge lollipop that had loads of different coloured strips on, a different colour for a different flavour, then pushed the door shut with his foot. "Cheers Bob." then he left.

When they were positive that he´d left, Harry and Ron emerged from the cloak once again. "That was close. Like I said, can you spare any food for the Gryffindors?" Harry asked, quickly.

"Yeah, cause, as you can see, we don´t want anymore near misses with that idiot Malfoy." Ron added, Harry felt like he was going to explode with anger, he really didn´t like it when people started talking about his boyfriend like that in front of him. Granted they didn´t know, but still Harry couldn´t help feeling like he should defend Draco. He discretely took a few deep breaths, to stop himself from knocking Ron senseless. Even though he and Ron had been best friends for seven years now, recently Harry felt like he had more in common with Draco than with Ron. Draco knew all of Harry´s deepest secrets; hopes, fears and dreams, but Ron... well Ron only knew a few things. There were just some things you couldn´t tell your best friend, being gay and that you are shagging Draco Malfoy were just two of those things.

A few minutes later they were on their way back to Gryffindor tower, with all the food that Dobby had given them. Once they had given everyone the food, Harry ran upstairs and put his cloak away, then, after saying bye to Ron and Hermione, left for the dungeons. It was five to eight, `damn´ he thought, he had exactly five minutes to get across to the other side of the castle and the dungeons.

Chapter twelve: An unusual punishment

"The great Harry Potter has finally decided to grace us with his presence, has he?" Malfoy drawled, as Harry stumbled into Snape's classroom, five minutes late.

"Shut up!" Harry looked around and saw that Snape wasn´t anywhere in sight, "Where´s Snape?"

Draco shrugged, never turning around to look at Harry, "Don´t know. He disappeared just after I arrived and he hasn´t been back since."

Harry looked around again, "So what are we supposed to do? Just sit here and annoy the hell out of each other, till he gets back and finds us as each others throats?" he asked sarcastically.

Draco eventually turned around and his eyes met Harry´s. "Why are you acting like that?" he asked softly. Before turning back around, so that Harry was left looking at the back of his head.

"Like what?"

Draco gave a short, hollow laugh, "Come off it Harry. You´re acting like a moron, like I... like I used to do, all the time. What´s wrong with you anyway? You´re changing, and it´s not for the better."

Harry was shocked; he had no idea that Draco felt like Harry was changing. He didn´t like it, especially if it was affecting Draco, the one person he really loved, in any way. "I... I... I don´t know what to say." he stammered, as he walked around the desk, where Draco was sat and sat down on it, so that he was sat crossed legged facing Draco. Draco didn´t look up at Harry when he sat down in front of him and kept his eyes trained on the grain of the wood, that the table was made out of.

"Draco?"

Draco still didn´t look up at him, "What?"

Harry sighed, Draco was possibly the most stubborn person Harry had ever met, but Harry loved him for it. "Baby, look at me." when Draco raised his eyes a little, Harry gently put his fingers underneath Draco´s chin and tilted his head back so that he could look into Draco´s eyes. "I am so sorry, I mean it. I had absolutely no idea I was changing."

Draco looked into Harry´s eyes, and eventually he found what he was looking for, honesty. "I believe you. It´s just that, ever since Ron and Hermione came back you´ve been acting different." Harry opened his mouth to say something, but Draco held up a hand to his lips and he shut it again, "I know we´re not ready for everyone to know about us, and I know it´s definitely not safe for you to let people know about us. We´ve been acting like we hate each other for goodness how many years, 7? And we´ve been dating for two of those, and recently I think you´ve forgotten when to act and when to be yourself, so you´ve just stayed with acting all the time. I fell in love with Harry Potter, not `The Harry Potter - who´s more like Draco Malfoy, than Draco is.´"

Harry had been sitting in silence listening to Draco explain exactly how he felt, and when he had finished Harry could feel tears stinging the back of his eyes, "Draco, I´m glad you told me now. I didn´t realize I was hurting you, I´m sorry." he apologized again. Draco shook his head,

"You don´t have to apologize for anything Harry. Just bring back the real Harry and get rid of this one."

"I promise you he´s back for good, and he´ll never leave again." Harry promised, leaning down and kissing Draco on the lips, "Sealed with a kiss," he whispered, against Draco´s mouth, just before the kiss deepened.

Both boys were very close to stripping each other naked right there and then in Snape's classroom, when, said teacher, walked in with Professor Dumbledore. "If you would kindly refrain from snogging each other in my classroom." he said, sarcastically.

Harry and Draco both jumped, they had been so wrapped up in the kiss that neither of them had heard the Professors come in.

"Potter get off the desk, I didn´t give you detention to sit all over the tables."

"Sorry Professor." he mumbled as he slid off the table, and into the seat next to Draco.

"Boys, you may be wondering why Professor Snape gave you both Detention´s for such ludicrous reasons," Dumbledore began.

`Because I´m a Gryffindor, and he hates me.´ Harry thought to himself.

"Not quite Mr. Potter, and he most certainly doesn´t hate you." Professor Dumbledore said, chuckling at the surprised look on Harry´s face.

"I just don´t like you Potter." Snape injected.

Dumbledore didn´t seem to hear this comment by Snape, either way he continued as if he hadn´t, "As you both know the wizarding world is in dark times right now, has been for some time actually. It is vital that we work together with people who have been considered our enemies until now." he thought for a second and looked at the two boys, "Although now I see that you two aren´t exactly enemies, are you?" he added with an affectionate smile at the two boys, who were obviously deeply in love with each other, something that people wouldn´t have thought possible up until now.

Both boys blushed at exactly the same time.

"What the world needs is strong wizards who will join together and rid the world of Voldemort, once and for all. I have had numerous conversations with the sorting hat and it seems that the two of you have more power than any other student this school has ever had, including both your parents."

Draco and Harry were holding hands under the table and his grip tightened, at the mention of his parents, so much that it was almost cutting off the circulation to Harry´s fingers.

"It was predicted over two thousand years ago, before Hogwarts existed. These prophecies said that two children of wizarding blood would be born and unite with each other, despite all obstacles. Together these two wizards would be the most powerful wizards the world has ever known, individually they would be stronger than the average wizard but together they would be almost unstoppable."

Harry and Draco stared at Dumbledore in disbelief, did he mean what they thought he meant.

"I have always had my suspicions that you were one of the two, Harry. After all no normal wizard could have made it through all the obstacles that have been placed in front of you, in the past. Harry, when your parents died to save you, your mother protected you and her love helped repel the killing curse, but part of you did that as well. There has always been a part of you that was powerful, even from birth. Voldemort was not used to dealing with this kind of power, so his own magic backfired on him and almost killed him."

"And that´s why we need you two, to kill him properly, once you´ve learned how to control the magic and use it." Snape said, being strangely nice to Harry.

"I get how Harry´s more powerful than normal wizards, but why me? I´m just a normal wizard, I´m not special; I haven´t done half of the things Harry has done." Draco said, pain clearly showing in his voice. Harry squeezed his hand, in a comforting way, trying to tell him without words, how special he was.

"Mr. Malfoy, you are just as special as Mr. Potter. A great wizard doesn´t need to do daring things like stop Voldemort every year, just to be special and powerful. The only reason why your magic and strength hasn´t shown itself yet is because you haven´t had a chance to use them. Most times they are activated in the face of extreme danger or anxiety, and everyone knows that Harry has been in more danger over the past 17 years, than any wizard combined. So they showed up early in him. After a few training lessons, you will be able to tap into your powers and use them, whenever you want." Dumbledore explained to Draco, who looked flattered when he told him that he was just as special and powerful as Harry was.

"I was the one that instructed Professor Snape to find a reason to give the two of you detention, so no one would get suspicious of our little meeting. No one, not even the ministry knows that this prophecy has almost been fulfilled, and I would prefer it to stay that way. We have our own spies with Voldemort," Harry looked at Snape, who was holding his left forearm, and didn´t seem to realize what he was doing, "But we also have to remember that Voldemort also has spies around the school."

"As much as I hate to admit it," Snape said quietly, "Most of them are in fact Slytherins. That´s why it was imperative that Mr. Malfoy had all of his classes with at least one Gryffindor. It is too dangerous for him to be alone with Slytherins, especially after what happened during the summer. So we made sure Potter, at least, was in all of your classes."

The two professors gave both boys a few minutes to digest all this new information, after all thinking you were normal one day and then finding out you were special the next was a pretty big shock.

"We want to give the two of you special lessons to help prepare you. Every Tuesday and Thursday you will meet a teacher at the Gargoyle gate and they will take you to a classroom especially prepared for you to practice in. As well as receiving extra lessons, you will be excused from normal classes, but this will not be a time for you to slack off. Occasionally you will have free periods, more than you have now, which I expect you to study in. when you do have classes they will take place at different times to the rest of the students´, and they will all be advanced levels. Except for divination and care of magical creatures, these subjects can be dropped if you wish." Dumbledore informed them.

"But Professor, I need Divination to pull my grade up, if I want to pass my N.E.W.Ts." Harry protested; he didn´t want to take divination if he didn´t have to, but he didn´t want to fail either.

"Don´t worry Potter, the extra classes will make up for divination and care of magical creatures."

"In that case then, I´d rather take the extra classes."

"Me too." Draco agreed.

"Everything is settled then your advanced classes begin next week, you will receive your new timetables in a few days. You can go back to your dormitories now." Dumbledore said, beginning to walk out of the door.

"Albus, aren´t you forgetting something?" Snape reminded him.

Dumbledore pondered this for a moment then remembered what he had forgotten, "Harry, a special room has been set up for you to use as your own dormitory. I think you will find it useful when you start your new classes, as well as for other things too." his eyes twinkling mischievously, Snape rolled his eyes in disgust, how could a headmaster give a horny teenage boy, his own private room? "You will be able to move into it tomorrow dinnertime, Professor McGonagall will take you from Gryffindor tower to your room, please make sure you are up around eleven. I know how you kids like to sleep in on Saturdays."

"I will, Professor." Harry assured him.

"Professor!" Draco suddenly blurted out, making everyone jump in the process, "What is Harry going to tell the other Gryffindors? About why he has a new room, I mean?"

"Hmm... an excellent question Draco. I think you should tell them that you have been given it to keep you safe from any attacks or spies that are around the school. This wouldn´t be a total lie, after all, you have always been under treat from Deatheaters and Voldemort." Harry nodded his agreement as Dumbledore left the room.

"Aren´t you two going? Or would you rather stay here and sort out my potions cupboard for me?" Snape asked, almost sounding amused.

Harry and Draco looked at each other before shaking their heads and jumping up.

"Thought not." Snape chuckled to himself. (A/N: Snape chuckling?????)