Behind the Masks We Wear

Behind the Masks We Wear: Chapter 2

Don't open your eyes

You won't like what you see

The blind have been blessed with security

Don't open your eyes

Take it from me

I have found you can find

Happiness in slavery

-Happiness in Slavery

-Nine Inch Nails

It was two days before Halloween and Ron had spent most of the past week bugging Harry to tell him which girl he was going with until Harry threatened to cast a permanent silencing spell on him. When he wasn't doing that he was asking about what was going on with Malfoy. He hadn't accepted the very flimsy explanation Harry had given him about what was so important that Draco had needed to see him that night. Harry knew that he had given a very flimsy excuse, but if he told Ron right out what was really going on he'd flip. It didn't really matter though Harry thought since Ron told him almost every day what a git Malfoy was and that he was obviously up to no good.

In the weeks since Harry and Draco had first talked down by the lake they had called a truce in public as well as private and Harry hoped that getting to know Draco would ease the shock for Ron when he learned that they were seeing each other. Harry, to his surprise found that he actually liked the person Draco Malfoy was becoming, the one without the anger and pettiness.

If someone had come up to him at the beginning of the year and told him that he'd be dating Draco Malfoy he would have told them they were insane. It seemed everything had happened so fast. Harry wasn't sure what he felt for Draco aside from lust, but he had decided that once you got past that cold outer shell he put up sometimes like a defense mechanism he was a very likable guy. Hopefully everything wouldn't blow up in his face like Ron seemed to be predicting.

Good thing I know what Ron's divination grades are like, Harry smiled.

He and Ron had planned to go out today to find costumes for the Party. Neither of them had any idea what to go as, but since costumes were mandatory they needed to think of something and were going to Hogsmeade to look.

Ron came down the stairs to the common room with a letter in his hands. "Hey Harry, Guess what? Charlie is going to come teach dragons with Hagrid for a semester in Care of Magical Creatures. I think it'll all be theory though. Mom says he'll be here tomorrow."

"I hope its all theory. I saw enough of dragons during the first task." Harry got up out of the chair he was sitting in. "Ready to go?"

They walked down to Hogsmeade and into Gladrags to see if there were any costumes left. There were the usual vampire and mummy costumes, but Ron and Harry weren't sure that's what they wanted.

"You could go as a leprechaun Ron." Harry did his best to try and hide a smirk.

Ron glared at Harry in mock irritation. "Malfoy's rubbing off on you Harry that was a truly evil idea. Do you know that Colin Creevy is going as you?"

Harry groaned. Colin could take hero worship to stalker levels, and it made Harry want to shove him in a closet most of the time he was around and throw away the key.

Ron took a look at one of the vampire costumes. It might not be so bad. "You'll get a kick out of this though. Guess who Seamus is going as."

"Anything is fine as long as it's not me."

"He's going to go as Lockhart. Don't tell anyone, it's a surprise, but he said he wants to see if he can pull off being as irritating as that idiot was."

"I can't wait to see that." Harry laughed. "Seamus is such a ham."

Ron ended up getting the vampire costume. He figured at least that way he didn't have to worry about what to wear anymore, but Harry didn't like any of the choices left there, and walked back with Ron empty handed.

They were walking back through the oak doors to Hogwarts when they ran into Charlie.

"Hey Charlie." Ron ran over and gave him a brotherly hug. "Mom said you wouldn't be here until tomorrow. Have you seen Fred and George yet?"

"Yeah I just ran into them a second before you two. They were telling me about their mad plan to go as each other to the Halloween Party. I can't see how anyone will be able to tell the difference."

"We just got our costumes. Well I did anyway. Harry still doesn't know what to go as."

Charlie took a look at Harry and thought for a minute. "Why don't you come with me Harry? I've got an idea what you can go as. I'll see you later Ron."

The two walked off with Harry nodding his head to what Charlie was telling him. It seemed that Harry did have a costume after all. Ron walked up to the dorm and put his costume away.

* * * * * * * * *

Draco sat in his bedroom with a letter from his father on his lap. He opened it slowly and took a look at what his father had to say.

Draco,

I've heard some of the rumors going around about you and Potter and I'm pleased you have managed to become friends as ordered so that everything will run smoothly. Do not think to defy me like you tend to do, as I'm sure you are aware where that will get you. I'm confident that by summer we will have Potter right where we want him thanks to your endeavors.

L.

As he finished the last line the letter disintegrated in his hands.

Suddenly there was a knock at the door, and Pansy walked in. One look at his face let her know that something was wrong. He was wearing that ice-cold mask that said 'I have everything under control.' She sat down next to him silently and put an arm around him. He leaned in slightly accepting the comfort she offered, surprising Pansy somewhat. Draco never showed weakness to anyone for any reason.

Pansy wanted to ask what was wrong but she didn't think Draco would say. She knew that he had gotten a letter from his father but didn't know the contents. It could be that it was something to do with Potter. He seemed happy in the relationship he'd started with Harry and she thought he deserved some happiness. Pansy gently ran her hand up and down his arm comfortingly, pulling him close unobtrusively. She decided that she would keep an eye on everything and be here to support Draco in any way she could, debating for a minute whether to go breach the issue to Hermione who despite her muggle heritage was one very smart witch. Draco wouldn't appreciate her telling the few secrets she knew to someone outside their group no matter how good the intentions, and she wasn't going to break trust with him so she'd keep silent unless there was no choice.

Pansy had gone up to Hermione a few weeks back after the incident in the Gryffindor dorms between Harry and Draco. She had apologized for her previous behavior and asked if they could be friends. They had ended up discussing what they knew about both Harry and Draco's relationship, and Pansy let it slip that she was the one going with Ron to the Halloween Party. Hermione asked her if she would like a study partner and Pansy who could be a bit studious herself, although she never took it to the limits Hermione did, agreed. Slowly they were breaking down the house boundaries between them much like Harry and Draco seemed to be doing. Ron simply watched it all happen completely confused as to how anyone could be friends with a Slytherin. Ron, it seemed could hold a grudge forever.

* * * * * * * * *

Harry was walking back to the dorm a couple hours later. Charlie had been nice enough to lend him a few things for his costume. He smiled to himself. He couldn't wait until Draco saw him in the costume. Suddenly an arm reached out and pulled him into a nearby classroom. He let out an undignified squawk and went to protest when suddenly he was being kissed thoroughly. He pushed himself away quickly and saw Draco standing there smiling at him.

"I thought you liked being kissed by me," Draco stepped over, and pulled him close again.

"I love being kissed by you," Harry gently reached up and tucked a loose strand of hair behind Draco's ear. "It's being mauled by persons unknown that I object to."

"Ah... So you thought I was one of your fan club."

"I don't have..." Harry paused. "Did you know that Colin Creevy is going to Halloween as me? That boy is seriously disturbed."

"Mmmm..." Draco was softly kissing Harry's neck. "Should I have a little chat with him about his stalker-like tendencies?"

"Nah, he's harmless. I hope. Well at least he's on our side."

"You mean you hope he's on our side."

Harry pulled back out of Draco's arms. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Harry you can't be this naive. You can't trust everyone just because they say they can be or because they're Gryffindors. The way Creevy follows you around all the time; his actions could be an overdose of hero worship just as easily as covert operations for Voldemort. You decide."

Harry pondered that. In that light it was very possible Colin's actions could be seen as traitorous. "Ok, I can see where you're coming from except that you missed something. Colin's a muggleborn he wouldn't have anything to do with Voldemort."

"There's always Imperious."

"Drake, shut up," Harry moved forward to kiss him but Draco stepped back a bit.

At Harry's look he said, "Look Harry, I just want to point out that you can't be trusting just everyone like you do. This war is coming to a head and you really need to keep your eyes open so nothing comes at you from behind."

"That's what I have you for." Harry pulled Draco close and held him tight.

"Are you sure?"

"Am I sure of what?"

"That you have me. How do you know this isn't some sort of façade?"

"I know."

Draco pulled out of Harry's arms and with a frustrated look stalked out of the empty classroom. How can he be like that? Stupid trusting Gryffindors. He'd be so shocked if he really knew what was going on. 'You're not about to tell him what's really going on though are you?' an internal voice said. You want him in the dark. Draco fumed, cursing himself for bringing anything up in the first place, and stalked down to the dungeons.

Harry watched Draco walk out with an uncertain look on his face. He could trust him couldn't he? Everything had happened so fast; Draco's decision to switch sides and the sudden change in his behavior; their relationship. Somehow he knew though. It wasn't lust or even love that made the decision. He just knew.

Harry remembered the dream he had had the night before.

It was the end of the Triwizard Tournament again. He seemed to be able to relive this time and time again. How he wished he hadn't asked Cedric to take the cup with him.

They grabbed the cup and were portkeyed to the graveyard.

Again he heard that voice say, "Kill the spare." It echoed in his mind.

Then with a flash of green light Cedric was dead and lying at his feet. "I'm so sorry," he whispered. "I'm so, so sorry." A tear ran down Harry's cheek.

Suddenly the dream quickly moved forward and Voldemort raised his wand to cast the Cruciatus Curse. Tensing in preparation he waited for the pain to consume him, not able to move from the spot, and not able to wake himself.

Then like before the dream changed from its normal course. An arm grabbed him from behind pulling him back against someone, close and safe. He saw a familiar pale white hand reach forward around him and with a wave cast the shielding spell, and Crucio bounced off. Wandless... thought Harry. That's impossible. Then he heard a voice say "Two bound, in perfect love and perfect trust," and Harry woke.

I need to talk to Hermione about these dreams, Harry thought. I know its Draco in them, although I don't recognize the voice in this one. I've no idea what they could possibly mean. For all I know it's just my wet dreams invading on my nightmares.

* * * * * * * * *

Everyone was in their dorms after classes on Halloween getting ready for the Party. The Gryffindor common room was bustling with people trying to get those last minute accessories to add to their costumes for the perfect look. Harry was upstairs getting into the outfit Charlie had lent him while Ron was in trying to get his hair to slick back correctly in a vampire-like style.

"You know..." Ron said while trying to get one patch of hair to stay down, "we're going to need to get some masks before we go down."

"I have some paper ones we can transfigure," said Harry jumping up and down trying to get the pants to his costume on.

Finally they were set and went down to meet everyone in the common room. Colin was there dressed, embarrassingly enough, as Harry (in his usual Gryffindor robes). Seamus was doing a shockingly accurate impersonation of Lockhart that made Harry want to run before he was grabbed and used as a stage prop. The twins were dressed in their Weasley sweaters complete with the F and G on the fronts. Of course they were wearing each other's.

Fred grinned evilly as Dean Thomas walked in dressed as a devil. "Man in a red suit. Satan. Santa. Coincidence? I think not."

"Yeah and he always knows if you've been naughty or nice," added George.

Dean laughed at the commentary. "Well I think I know if I'm going as Saint Nick or Old Nick today guys."

Suddenly George let out a wolf whistle and all heads turned toward the girls' dorm.

There stood Hermione dressed in a skintight cat costume that clung to all her curves, it had a long black tail and, it zipped tightly up the back. She had on a collar to match along with a pair of furry kitty ears.

"Meow," she said with a grin.

"Wow 'Mione, you look hot," said Harry with a wink in her direction.

"So do you Harry." Hermione looked at Harry's costume. He had on a pair of pants that seemed to be just as tight as hers and made completely of black dragon hide. Attached at his waist was a braided whip, and he was holding a pair of gauntlet style gloves in his hand. His jacket was also made of dragon hide but was left open and he had on a white tee shirt underneath.

Ron got one look at Hermione's costume and predictably enough flipped.

"You can't possibly be wearing that 'Mione."

"And why not?"

"It's indecent. You're barely dressed."

"What do you mean I'm barely dressed? I'm completely covered. Even if I had decided to go completely naked there's one thing you might want to remember. You aren't my father and have no say in what I wear." Hermione bristled.

"Yeah lighten up Ronniekins. 'Mione looks great," said Fred clapping Ron on the shoulder.

"Way to go Ron. You have such a way with women," Harry chuckled. "C'mon Dracula, get your mask and lets go."

They followed Hermione down to the Great Hall with Ron apologizing all the way. Hermione finally forgave him before they entered figuring he deserved to work for it. They put their masks on and stepped inside. Harry saw Seamus hamming it up for the teachers with Dean by his side. Snape looked almost as disgusted as if it was the real Lockhart. Fred was covertly transfiguring the collar and cuffs of Dean's costume into white fur. Harry snickered and wondered how long it would take for Dean to notice.

Then Harry looked toward the refreshment table and saw Draco standing next to it with Pansy and his mouth dropped open. Draco was wearing a pair of very nicely fitted black pants with a sword belted at his side and black boots that were polished to a mirror shine. For a top he was wearing a Slytherin green button down shirt with loose sleeves. On his head was a thin gold crown and he was holding a pair of white gloves.

Harry quickly collected himself and walked up to Ron who had moved in a bit further.

"Come on and I'll introduce you to your date for the night."

Ron followed Harry over to where Draco and Pansy were standing.

"Hello, Miss fairy maiden..." said Harry smiling at Pansy, "may I present your date, Count Dracula."

Harry went over and stood by Draco while Ron and Pansy introduced themselves.

Pansy held out her hand. "Hello Count."

Ron, feeling very unlike himself, took Pansy's hand and softly kissed it. "My lovely fairy maiden may I have your name?"

"I think for the evening you may call me Titania."

"Titania?" Ron wondered if that was her real name. He didn't recognize it.

"She was the fairy queen in A Midsummer Night's Dream by William Shakespeare. He was a muggle writer from 400 years ago or so."

"You wont give me your real name?"

"No milord Count, not yet. The anonymity adds to the fun don't you think?"

"Very well Titania. Shall we dance?"

Draco watched Pansy walk off with Ron and smiled. Things seemed to be starting off well there. He turned to Harry and looked him up and down. Harry looked so unbelievably sexy that he almost swallowed his tongue the first time he saw him step into the room. He quickly looked elsewhere before he tossed Harry into a chair or onto the floor or whatever was convenient regardless of who might be watching and snogged him senseless.

"I see you decided to go as Prince Charming," said Harry with a look that said snogging him senseless anywhere was ok with him.

"I did not." Draco did his best to look evil. "I'm the Wicked Uncle of course." Draco cleared his throat as he was looking at Harry's outfit again. "Um... So what are you supposed to be?"

Harry flashed a huge grin at Draco. "Dragon Tamer."

Draco nearly spit out his drink at that announcement. "Oh you think so do you?"

"I know so," Harry said softly implying that it would be fun for them both. Harry looked at Draco for a minute thoughtfully. "Listen Drake, about the other day..."

"Forget it." Draco waved a hand indifferently.

They stood there a while watching people dance and helping pass out drinks to a small degree. They talked a little about which costumes were good, but for the most part enjoyed being in each other's company. Harry noticed that Charlie had asked Hermione to dance and that she looked very happy about the idea. He pointed it out to Draco who agreed that something would need to be done to get those two together if they didn't manage it on their own. Harry smiled. They were positively turning into a pair of matchmakers. Ron and Pansy had danced all the dances and were talking non-stop. After two hours the band paused for a break and everyone walked off the dance floor to get some drinks and sit down and rest. Ron and Pansy headed over to where Harry was with Draco.

"Hey Malfoy interesting outfit," said Ron.

"How can you tell its me?"

"No one else in the school has hair the same color as you," Ron grinned. "Hey Malfoy, how is a blonde like a bottle? They're both empty from the neck up."

Draco stepped forward ready to say something really nasty when Harry grabbed his arm and whispered in his ear. "Just let it go for tonight. For Pansy's sake if nothing else hon. Please."

Draco nodded slightly and with a glare at Ron walked off.

"You can't let it go can you?" whispered Harry to Ron as he walked by him. "He's trying to get along and all you can do is look for new ways to piss him off." Harry followed after Draco.

Ron shrugged; he couldn't understand why Harry actually wanted to be friends with that jerk.

Harry caught up to Draco and grabbed his arm. Across the room he could see Seamus raising his Lockhartized eyebrows. Damn. He let go of Draco's arm like a hot poker. At this rate it wouldn't be long before the cat was out of the bag. Apparently it really was impossible to keep a secret in this school.

"I'm sorry Harry he just really gets on my nerves," Draco said.

"You were trying and that's all that matters Drake. I wish Ron would be willing to try as well. He still thinks you have some sort of nefarious intentions. What do you say we go spend some time together alone?" The last was said very quietly under his breath to Draco.

"That sounds great, you go to our usual spot and I'll follow in a few."

The usual spot was an unused classroom on the second floor that no one ever seemed to go into. Harry had found it the year before and often went there to work quietly or spend time alone thinking when the weather was too cold outside. He had shown it to Hermione and Ron but it didn't appeal to either of them in the same way it did to Harry, and they only really entered if they were looking for him. When Harry had shown it to Draco at the beginning of their relationship he had found the room as charming as Harry. The whole room seemed to be the same as it had been in the 1800's, from the bookcases to the floor. There were 6 desks in the middle of the room and a settee along the left side. The teacher's desk seemed to have been moved out for other purposes because there wasn't one there anymore, only the marks on the floor as a reminder of its presence. On the other side of the room there was a big fireplace with a swing out arm one could hook a teapot or cauldron on. Harry and Draco had spent many hours sitting in front of the fire or on the sofa talking about their lives outside of Hogwarts. They were both fairly surprised that no one had ever heard them talking and walked in since the hallway was a fairly busy one. One afternoon on a whim they had taken turns yelling as loud as possible to see if anyone would actually come and try to help. No one had, and they assumed that there was some sort of magic at work.

Harry went in and started a fire in the fireplace. Then he sat down to wait for Draco to get there.

Draco only waited a minute or two before taking a quick look around the Great Hall, noticing with a smile that Hermione was dancing with Charlie again and snuck out in the direction Harry had gone.

He hadn't gotten out unnoticed though. Ron had been watching him and Harry ever since Harry had made the comment on trying to get along with Draco. The little ferret might have done something to Harry to make him change his views so quickly but he wasn't fooled. He was going to prove that Draco hadn't changed and when he saw him sneak out it seemed like the perfect opportunity.

Ron told Pansy that he'd be back in just a minute and snuck out after Draco. Pansy seeing what he was doing and being no fool followed him hoping to prevent any disasters.

I wish I had Harry's cloak thought Ron as he tried to follow Draco without being seen or heard. Draco who was concentrating only on seeing Harry, and not getting caught by Filch didn't notice anything. He slipped into the room and closed the door tightly. Harry had taken off his mask and was sitting on the settee. Draco strode over and pulled Harry close not bothering to take off his mask and kissed him softly.

It had taken Pansy a little bit to get out of the Great Hall and she abandoned any pretense at covertness and simply ran to catch up. She caught up to Ron as he had his hand on the doorknob to the room and was turning it.

"Ron no!" she yelled hoping to stop the turn and push of his hand that would open the door. "Don't!"

She ran the rest of the way to stand behind Ron in the doorway.

Ron had opened the door only to get the shock of his life. He stood there one hand on the doorknob completely frozen, gaping at the two boys kissing in the middle of the room. Harry had just started kissing Draco back rather heatedly when Ron shouted.

"What the fuck?"

Harry looked up somewhat distractedly. "Ron?"

"What do you want Weasley?" asked Draco letting go of Harry reluctantly.

"An explanation to start. I'd like to know why my best friend is kissing some Death Eater filth."

Harry shot Draco a look that said let me handle this. Draco nodded and wrapped an arm around Harry's waist.

"He isn't a Death Eater, and we're going out. I was hoping to get you used to the idea of my being friends with Draco first...."

Draco snorted at this, and Harry shot him a nasty look.

"But that's what's going on. We're dating. We've been dating since that night he came to the Gryffindor rooms."

"What are you going to say to 'Mione?"

"She knows. She's known all along."

"What?! I can't believe this is happening." Ron turned to Pansy behind him. "And you! You called my name and tried to stop me. You knew who I was didn't you? You knew everything."

Pansy pulled the ribbon holding her mask on to loosen it and slowly lowered it off her face. Ron gasped when he saw who it was.

"You!"

"I knew about Harry and Draco, yes," Pansy said quietly to Ron. "I also knew I was going with you to the Party. I liked you and Harry and Draco were nice enough to set up a date for me."

Ron fumed. "I can't believe how hard everyone's worked to deceive me. I hope you're happy."

"I'm sorry." Pansy turned and ran off with tears in her eyes.

"Deceived?" Ron turned back around at the sound of Draco's voice. "How were you deceived? It was a masked ball, emphasis on the mask part. If you had met her there would you still feel deceived? You spent two hours with her and it seemed like you were having a great time. Are you going to deny it all, because of who she is? Would you have had less fun if you knew?"

Harry looked Ron straight in the eye and added. "If I were you I'd run after her as fast as possible, get down on my knees and beg for forgiveness, but that's just me. Maybe you think a girl that likes you a lot and is fun to be with isn't worth keeping just because she's a Slytherin. In which case you'd deserve to spend the rest of your life alone."

Ron remembered how much fun he had been having with Pansy that evening and how lovely she looked in her fairy outfit and what a nice laugh she had. He turned before Harry had finished everything he was saying and was running down the hallway after her.

Harry looked at Draco. "He has a good heart and means well. Sometimes he just needs a good kick in the ass to see what's what."

"He was out of here like a bat out of hell. Things should be ok now. So where were we?"

Harry whispered against Draco's lips. "I believe we were here...." He pulled Draco close again and kissed his chin, his nose, and his forehead until Draco caught his lips with his own and kissed him hungrily.

Ron ran down the hallway after Pansy checking rooms on the left and right until he finally found her in the entrance hall standing just outside the large oak doors of Hogwarts looking up at the stars.

"Pansy..." he said softly.

She turned and he could see there were tear tracks making lines down her cheeks. Immediately he felt unbelievably guilty. He hadn't meant to hurt her with what he said. He had never before considered that she had feelings to hurt. Apparently he was wrong on both counts, and Harry was definitely right that he owed her a huge apology.

"Pansy, I'm so sorry."

"Saying sorry to a Slytherin? Aren't you worried someone will hear you?"

"I'll shout it in the Great Hall if that's what it'll take for you to accept it." Ron held out his hand to her. "Please my lovely Titania."

"Very well, I'll let you off the hook since I'm feeling forgiving, but there better not be a next time." Pansy smiled and took Ron's hand.

Ron pulled her close and kissed her softly. "I had so much fun tonight and I almost ruined it all. I can't believe how stupid I can be sometimes."

"That's ok I bet it was a bit of a surprise finding out. Especially after seeing Harry and Draco."

"Now that will really take some getting used to. I can't stand him you know. Always making those jokes about my family." Ron seethed.

"I understand, but he is trying to get along with you for Harry's sake and now you'll have to try and get along for mine." Pansy grinned. "Maybe somewhere in the middle you'll find you are actually getting along for real. Look at it this way, Draco cares about someone you love like a brother. How is that wrong?"

"It's just his intentions I don't trust."

"I'm in Slytherin too, do you trust mine?"

"Well I'm not sure yet, but its more to do with how you've acted in past years then the fact that you're in Slytherin. After all the man that betrayed Harry's parents was in Gryffindor. Anyway I'd sure like to give things a shot."

"Does this mean we're dating now?"

"Yes." Ron pulled Pansy close again kissing her softly. She melted into him kissing him back. He raised a hand threading it into her hair gently while kissing her deeply Pansy moaned softly. Time stood still as they stood there in the moonlight completely engrossed in each other. Music from the Party softly filtered outside surrounding them while the stars watched in acceptance.