Coveting Thy Enemy

AUTHORS NOTE: I apologize for the shortness of this chapter. That's just how it turned out. I would like to thank all of my reviewers yet again. Without you, I wouldn't have written twenty-four chapters. I love you all!

Chapter 24: Plans

Draco would like to know all of the tricks Professor Dumbledore had up his sleeve. It would seem that for such an outwardly seeming scatterbrain, he had an uncanny ability for cutting to the chase. Harry seemed to be quite aware of the Headmaster's ability, since he wasn't surprised when Dumbledore called them to his office. After six chess games with Ronald Weasley, the meeting with the headmaster was welcome. Weasley had beaten him, marginally of course, at all six games, and Draco was trying to forestall the fact that he would have to admit that the Gryffindor was more superior than him at something.

When they were admitted into the Headmaster's office, Draco was surprised to see his uncle there. By the grim expression on his countenance, well, grimmer than usual, he could tell there was bad news. He and Harry sat down in the two chairs offered to them, and after declining candy from the headmaster, the meeting started. "Well, Harry, Draco, you're probably wondering why I called you here, right?" Professor Dumbledore asked. His eyes weren't twinkling like they normally were. Instead, he fixed them with a gaze that seemed very serious indeed. The boys nodded the affirmative. "It seems we have quite a situation on our hands, boys. I think you know what I mean."

The boys nodded again. "Harry, Draco, first I want you to know that your relationship is completely acceptable to me. In fact, I believe it has been forthcoming for some time." The boys were shocked. They didn't think the headmaster would have been prejudiced in any way, but the news that he may have known how they felt even before they did was quite astounding. He continued, "The problem is, boys, it seems we have a spy for the dark side in our midst."

Of course, this wasn't news to them either. After all, someone had to have let the cat out of the bag, and since it obviously wasn't Ron, there had to be a mystery person lurking somewhere. "We know, Professor," Harry said. "The problem is, we have no idea who this person could be."

Professor Snape sighed. "Well, we were hoping one of you would have an idea. To be honest, we have absolutely no clue ourselves," he said, glancing at the headmaster.

Dumbledore shook his head sadly. He knew quite a bit about the going on's of the school, but it was impossible to know everything. "You see, Draco, I just received an owl from your father. He wants you to come home."

Draco only nodded. He had been expecting this. Harry, however, was upset. "Headmaster, you can't let that happen. If Draco goes home, something terrible will happen!" he cried in dismay. His jade eyes were suddenly very shiny, as if he were about to cry in frustration.

"I know that Harry," Dumbledore said. "I don't plan on letting Draco go home. However, his father has complete control over him. After all, he is only seventeen years old." Wizards could practice magic openly at seventeen, but they still weren't considered adults and their own keepers until they were eighteen.

"I'm not going home," Draco stated suddenly. He eyed the headmaster with determination. "There's no way I'm going back there. I don't care about myself; it's Harry I'm worried about. Now that my father knows about us, he's in more danger than I am." Draco seemed to be getting angrier by the minute. He paused a few seconds to try to keep his Malfoy temper at a low boil. "He's especially in danger if my father has rein over me. I don't want him using my feelings for Harry in any way. He's like a vulture; if he sees a weakness, he'll pick at it until it's dead."

Harry grimaced at Draco's analogy. "Draco's right, Headmaster, we are each other's greatest weaknesses. We can't let Lucius come here and take him back to Malfoy Manor. If that happens, one or both of us is going to wind up dead."

"I realize that, Harry," Dumbledore said, "The problem is, Lucius Malfoy plans on coming here first thing in the morning, and I don't think he plans on leaving without his son."

"So, you're just going to give him to him?" Harry cried, standing up. Tears were starting to well up in his eyes now. Seeing Harry's emotional state, Professor Snape pushed him back down in his chair with surprising gentleness.

With his hand still on Harry's shoulder and with a tone that was much softer than usual, Snape replied, "We don't plan on giving Draco to his father, Harry. That's why we called you two here. The headmaster and I have come up with a plan to keep both of you away from Lucius."

"Why didn't you say that before?" Draco asked sarcastically.

Snape gave his nephew a glare that shut him up rather quickly. "When your father comes here tomorrow, Professor Dumbledore is going to tell him that you two ran away together. If you're not here, or if he thinks you're not here, he can't really take Draco home."

"That's an idea, but where will we go?" Harry asked.

Dumbledore looked at Harry. "You will be residing where you should be residing, Harry, in Godric Gryffindor's suite." Harry had found out long ago that he was the heir of Gryffindor, so this did not come as news to him. Draco, however, had no idea, and he was now eyeing Harry with an astonished look. "Severus and I have placed protective wards on the room, so you should be completely safe. You will be receiving private lessons from your professors in that room. You will take your meals in that room, and you will not leave that room."

Although the boys were at first excited about getting to share a living quarters, the excitement soon dissipated when they realized it was to be their prison for an indefinite amount of time. "We can't come out at all?" Draco asked.

"Not with a spy at Hogwart's, Draco," Severus said, aware of his nephew's plight. "When we find out who the spy is, if we find out who the spy is, than maybe you will have some freedom. Until then, I'm sorry to say that you're stuck in this predicament."

"Yes, boys. It's too bad we don't know of a way for you to move about the grounds unnoticed," Dumbledore said with a twinkle in his eyes. The boys grinned at one another. It would seem that the Headmaster was giving them permission to use the invisibility cloak whenever they wanted. Maybe it wouldn't be too bad being in hiding after all.

"We will of course alert Miss Granger and Mr. Weasley of your predicament. We, however, cannot alert anyone from Slytherin, though, Draco." Dumbledore said. Usually, Draco would be offended at this slur on Slytherin, but he had to admit, if there were a spy at Hogwart's, it would most likely be a Slytherin. So, he didn't say anything.

Severus led the boys up a winding staircase to the one of the many towers in the castle. When they stopped at the door, the boys noticed a painting of a young shepherdess tending her flock. "Password, please," the shepherdess asked sweetly. "Ton-tongue toffees," Snape said. "Professor Dumbledore came up with the password," he said, shrugging at the boys. The room was decorated in Gryffindor colors. It was much more luxurious than the Gryffindor dorm, however. The walls were covered in crimson silk with a gold brocade trim. The carpeting was of a similar shade of crimson, and their feet sank in its softness when they walked across it. In the middle of the room were two twin beds. The boys looked at each other and grinned. They could always move the beds together after Snape left.

Snape showed them the adjoining lavatory, which held a large claw-footed tub with a shower. Draco was especially delighted at this. He had always preferred long, lazy baths instead of the showers he was forced to take in the Slytherin dorms. Dragging them out of the bathroom, back into the main room, Snape opened the drawers of a mahogany chest in the corner and showed them the supply of robes and other clothing that was folded neatly there.

"Why can't we wear our own clothes?" Draco asked, puzzled.

"You just ran away, Draco, did you bring any clothes with you?" Draco's uncle asked rhetorically.

"You mean this is it? We're to start living here now?" Harry asked.

"Yes," Snape replied shortly. "I should be going. I have a class tomorrow to prepare for, after all." He walked across the room to leave. "By the way," he said before exiting, "A house elf will be bringing you dinner at the usual time." Then he was gone.

When Snape had left, Draco flopped onto the bed and sighed. "You know, Harry," he said, looking up at the Gryffindor, "not that I don't love spending time with you or anything, but this really sucks."

Harry lay down next to his boyfriend and leaned on his elbow to look the other boy in the face. "I know, Draco," he said, an almost evil glint in his eyes, "however will we spend our time?"

Draco understood the implications in Harry's voice. "Well, I guess we could move the beds together," he replied.