Switched

Chapter 5

A New Situation

When Harry awoke, he found breakfast waiting for him next to his bed. Draco was already showered and ready, watching him with a small smile.

"I went to the kitchens for breakfast, so I thought I'd get you something too," he said.

Thinking of last night, Harry thanked him and hastily consumed his food. After his own swift shower, he and Draco were off to the libraries once more. They walked in silence, Draco teasingly bumping into Harry every so often. Harry couldn't remember the last time he felt so perfectly content.

"Boys." Dumbledore appeared in front of them, smiling bemusedly.

"Morning Professor," Draco said.

"And how is your punishment coming along? Made any head-way?" Dumbledore asked.

Draco coughed lightly, hiding a laugh. Harry bit his lip, trying not to grin.

"Another day of this good behaviour and I will consider separating you two. It's not so hard to get along after all, now is it?" Dumbledore smiled. "I am certainly glad that the animosity between you both has subsided. I can only hope that things will remain this way."

As Harry watched Dumbledore walk away, he realized that he couldn't imagine hating Draco ever again.

Neville was waiting for them outside the library.

"I have news from Hermione. She wants to gather up ingredients today. Most of the stuff should be easy to get, but we'll need into Snape's cupboard for a few things. She wants you two to gather all that you can during the day, and tonight we'll meet up to collect the rest. Ginny and I are going to take care of setting things up in Myrtle's loo. Ginny figured that since you two are, er, attached, that she would work with me."

"Sounds good, Neville," Harry said.

"Ginny knew you'd understand." Neville nodded to them both and moved to leave.

"Sounds like you've got competition for Ginny's heart after all," Draco whispered as they entered the library.

"Somehow I don't mind." Harry winked at Draco. "Fucked up as it sounds, I'd rather be with you."

"Sounds like I've turned you off girls completely. Good to hear," Draco said coyly.

"And I hope I've done the same for you?" Harry asked.

"Well...." Draco trailed off.

"Just wait until we go all the way," Harry said with a smirk.

"I like the sounds of that last part." Draco linked his fingers in Harry's and led him to a secluded table near the back of the library. As they perused over the potion they were to make, Draco's hand found Harry's thigh.

"Neville has some bat wings we can use, Hermione keeps knotgrass and fluxweed in constant supply, and I know Ron has some boomslang skin left over from Potions. What else... Ginny usually has powdered bicorn horn on hand, and I should have some lacewig flies somewhere." Harry checked the items off the ingredient list.

"I have a cauldron we can use, and I'm pretty sure I have some left over leeches from a potion I did last month," Draco added.

"That leaves us with moonstone, Jobberknoll feathers, Mandrake hairs, and crushed snake fangs. I bet Hagrid has some snake fangs we can crush," Harry said.

"The only place we'll find moonstone and Jobberknoll feathers is Snape's storage cupboard," Draco said.

"Looks like we'll be breaking in tonight." Harry absently brushed a hair off Draco's cheek.

"Sound dangerous," he hissed.

"I laugh at danger," Harry said.

"Really?" Draco kissed Harry's neck. "How sexy."

"Before we do that, we need to raid the greenhouses for mandrake hairs," Harry insisted.

Draco frowned, but followed Harry out of the library nonetheless. Harry would've rather found an empty broom closet to make out in, but he knew there'd be hell to pay if Hermione couldn't start the potion that night.

Moments later, they were dashing across the school lawn. The warm winter weather continued, and Harry was happy to see not a cloud in the sky. The greenhouse was unlocked, and it was sweltering inside. The mandrakes were near the back, growing like mad. Several seemed to be squabbling amongst themselves over which one had the nicest foliage.

Draco grabbed a nearby pair of scissors and snuck up behind a plant. Harry watched as he carefully snipped a few hairs from the nearest Mandrake without a sound.

But just as Draco pocketed the hairs, the now bald plant began to quiver and shake, and soon the whole bench was threatening to tumble. Harry and Draco ducked underneath, trying to hold it steady.

"What's going on?"

They froze at the sound of Professor Sprout's voice.

"Oh, you bloody Mandrakes, causing trouble as usual," she muttered, standing in front of the bench. Harry held his breath, staring at her shoes.

"Everything alright Pomona?" Another pair of shoes appeared and Harry recognized the voice of Madam Hooch.

"Yes, Rolanda, it's fine. The plants are just causing trouble. Just give me a moment and I'll grab that Cedar Bark for you." Professor Sprout began to mutter incantations and the table stopped shaking.

"Are you coming to the staff Christmas party tonight?" Madam Hooch asked.

"I wouldn't miss it. I'm afraid there's not much to celebrate in these dark times, but it will be a nice break all the same. Maybe this year we can get Minerva drunk again and she'll do her Sybil impressions, like last year," Professor Sprout remarked.

Harry and Draco choked back laughter.

"Or maybe we can get both her and Albus drunk and see what happens," Madam Hooch chuckled.

"That would be the day - those two finally admitting their little affair."

"I wonder if Severus will join us this time."

"I know a certain Defence teacher who will be heartbroken if he's not there."

"Poor girl. What is she thinking, crushing on him?"

"Maybe if we get Severus drunk too...."

Madam Hooch giggled. "We sound just like one of the students, talking of spiking the Christmas punch!"

"I heard Albus ordered several cases of Butterbooze just for the occasion."

"Sounds like he wants to party."

"Must have something to be happy about, although I can't imagine what it is."

"Well, have you seen Potter and Malfoy lately? Now that they're stuck together?"

"No. Why?"

"Well, maybe Albus' little plan worked! They seem to be actually getting along!"

"That would be the day! Those two, friends!"

"You never know, maybe there's something to be happy about after all."

"Let me grab you that bark," Professor Sprout said.

The two women chuckled as they wandered away. Harry and Draco exchanged a look, but remained silent until they heard the greenhouse door close. It wasn't until then that Harry realized he had been leaning on Draco, holding his hand. They shuffled out from under the mandrake table.

"Little plan?" Draco asked. "You don't think Dumbledore planned all this?"

"No. No way, how could he?" Harry did sometimes wonder about that man. What if all his adventures weren't so accidental after all? Maybe Dumbledore has been testing him all along.

"But he wouldn't switch us, would he?" Draco asked.

"How could he have? It was Neville's doing. Besides, how was he to know that we would -"

"Fall in love?" Draco whispered.

Harry's eyes met Draco's, and he smiled. It was the first real, genuine smile Harry had ever seen cross his own face since he and Draco had swapped. In an instant, they were kissing, falling back onto the dirty floor, arms entangled.

"Watch out for the mandrakes," Draco murmured as Harry rolled atop him.

"I almost don't want this potion to end," Harry sighed.

"I know," Draco said, "neither do I."

The moment lost, Harry crawled off of Draco and they left the greenhouse in a thoughtful silence.

As they crossed to Hagrid's hut, Draco spoke. "Dumbledore did once catch me in a bit of a compromising position. I'd had too much to drink and was attempting to seduce an also drunk Oliver Wood. Thankfully the old boy caught us and stopped me making a bad mistake. But that wouldn't be enough for him to think that I am, well, that I could be attracted to you, is it? He didn't actually see anything. And he's caught me with girl's loads of other times."

Harry began to think. "Come to think of it, there was this one time that Dean let us all smoke some of this muggle stuff he had, and I ended up wandering off and bumping into Percy Weasley. I did try to manoeuvre my way out of detention, but Dumbledore caught us before I said - or did - anything

too -"

"Percy Weasley? Seducing Oliver Wood is one thing, but Percy?" Draco laughed.

"I was not in my right mind, okay?" Harry gave him a playful shove.

They had reached Hagrid's door. Harry gave a loud knock.

"Hello! Harry!" Hagrid swung the door opened and beamed at Draco, who grinned right back.

"Hagrid, how are you?" Draco asked.

"I'm all righ', but what 'bout you? How's the..." Hagrid motioned to Harry.

"It's fine. Look, Hagrid, we need some crushed snake fangs for a potion we're studying. Do you have some we could use?" Draco asked.

"A course I do!" Hagrid turned, leaving the door open, and moved to one of his many cupboards. "Lemme ground it up fer ya."

As Hagrid pulled out a bowl of snake fangs and grabbed a large stone, Harry and Draco let themselves inside.

"I hear you two 'er finally gettin' along. That's good fer ya both. Yer might not see it now, but its fer the best." Hagrid beamed at them both.

"We're trying Hagrid," Draco added.

"I know. An' e'ry one appreciates it." Hagrid gave Harry a meaningful look, and he felt compelled to respond.

"Thanks," he muttered. This only made Hagrid begin to get teary, and his hand shook as he poured the newly crushed snake fangs into a bag.

"Is so nice to see yer two like this, bein' friendly, bein' as ya want. I always knew yuz weren't all bad, there little Malfoy, and 'Arry here is the one to help yer out...." Hagrid became so emotional, that he insisted they both leave at once so he could be alone.

After walking for a few moments in silence, Draco stopped. "Are you getting the feeling that everyone knows about what we've been doing?"

Harry leaned in and kissed Draco lightly. "So what if they do?"

* * * *

Draco was amazed at how the day seemed to fly past. Earlier that week, the hours had crept by, and now it felt like there wasn't enough time to spend with Harry. Soon enough dinner was over, the potion was ready, and it was time to collect the remaining ingredients.

Hermione and Ron were first to arrive to Harry and Draco's room, appearing from under the invisibility cloak with matching pink cheeks.

Harry and Draco exchanged a questioning look, but both Ron and Hermione avoided their eyes.

"I brought the map so you two can keep lookout under the cloak," Hermione said.

Harry, who had been cautious of talking of his cloak or map around Draco at first, had professed these secrets to him by now.

Moments later Ginny and Neville arrived, laughing and grinning, and eagerly gathered the supplies to take to Myrtle's bathroom.

"Wait until the clock strikes midnight to begin to brew. That will give Ron and I three-hours in case something goes wrong," Hermione commanded.

"Hermione, you shouldn't be coming with me, if you get in trouble, this will all be worth nothing! You could be suspended," Ron said.

"I know Ron, but -"

"But you don't trust me to do it myself."

"It's not that. Harry and Draco can't get in any more trouble, Neville can't either, and Ginny..." Hermione trailed off.

The youngest Weasley muttered something about getting set-up and dragged Neville away. Ever since the Howler incident and Harry rumours, she was on 'probation' with her parents. One false move and they were threatening to remove her from Hogwarts themselves.

"I can do it myself," Ron insisted.

"I know Ron, and I wish there was another way, but I'm the only one who knows the spell to reduce the moonstone to a solid, and it would take too long to teach it to anyone else. And we're going have our hands full keeping the feathers under control; Snape charms them to tickle anyone who comes near."

Ron sighed, but nodded agreement. Draco cast Harry a small smile, and they shared a silent laugh over how hopeless Ron and Hermione were.

"Besides, if you get caught there's always the foolproof Draco Malfoy Grab and Kiss manoeuvre," Draco said. "Why do you think I'm always sneaking around with Pansy? It's not her stunning company, trust me."

Ron and Hermione looked at Draco blankly, as Harry choked back a chortle.

Draco rolled his eyes and explained. "If anyone stumbles upon you in Snape's cupboard, grab the person you're with and kiss them. Dumbledore's a sucker for that stuff. Must be a hopeless romantic."

"Shall we?" Harry asked, proffering the cloak. Ron and Hermione were blushing as everyone climbed underneath. They all had to crouch together to fit and Draco had to use all his restraint to stop himself from grabbing Harry right then. Ron and Hermione were exceptionally awkward, blushing and stumbling constantly, so it took quite awhile to finally reach Snape's dungeon.

"I wonder if the old boy went to the little Christmas party after all?" Draco whispered.

"Let's see." Harry pulled out the map and enchanted it to life. Sure enough, Snape, and most of the other teachers were safely upstairs in Dumbledore's office.

Ron charmed the door open, and he and Hermione snuck out from the cloak and inside. Harry and Draco, still hidden under the cloak, settled just inside the room by the door, eyes on the map.

"This way," Hermione whispered.

As she and Ron worked on charming the cupboard open, Harry and Draco waited, pressed against the wall - and each other. Soon enough, Draco's mischievous hands were wandering.

"Draco..." Harry whispered, but that only egged the other boy on. Harry tried to focus on the map, but he was becoming far too distracted.

On the other side of the room, Hermione and Ron ducked inside the closet, closing the door behind them.

Draco's lips were now on Harry's neck. Neither boy noticed a small dot labelled Snape moving towards the dungeon.

Just as Harry's lips met Draco's, the door next to them swung open and they both froze. Snape - smelling strongly of whiskey and wobbling on his feet - stumbled inside.

"We wish you a merry Christmas... bah," he slurred, leaving the door ajar behind him as he wandered inside. He was fumbling with his robes to no avail.

"Bloody buttons." He walked into his desk and cursed loudly. "I need a Sobering Solution, that's what I need."

Just as Snape's hand twisted the handle of his cupboard, someone else staggered into the room.

"Severus Snape. Why ever did you leave the party?" Tonks, sloshed out of her mind, slid inside, closing the door behind her.

"Bah humbug," Snape muttered.

"Need a little Christmas cheer?" Tonks wandered to his desk, eying him dangerously. As if motivated by her actions, Draco went back to work on Harry's trousers.

"You're drunk Nymphadora."

"So are you, Severus."

"Go to bed."

"Is that an invitation?"

"Nymphadora, you shouldn't be here. You and I -"

"Do you call me by my first name to annoy me? Because I find it pretty sexy when you say it."

"Tonks, listen to me."

"Call me Dora."

"Dora, whatever you feel - or I feel for that matter -"

"You feel something for me?"

"I'm too old for you."

"That's my decision to make." Tonks slid next to Snape, hands on his chest. "Let me help you with that robe."

"We shouldn't...."

"Since when have you ever cared about what you should and shouldn't do?"

The robe was off, and Harry was longing to be anywhere else, despite Draco's passionate behaviour.

"We both need a good Sobering Solution."

"What I need is you." Tonks leaned in and kissed Snape on the mouth. They fell back against the cupboard, shutting the door.

Not wanting to watch his least favourite teacher snog a good friend, Harry turned away, only to have his own lips meet Draco's. The mutual kissing went on for a long moment before Snape finally pushed Tonks away.

"I don't want you to do something you'll regret," he murmured. "You don't want me."

"I do."

"Let's sober up and then decide, okay?" Snape moved again to open the cupboard, and Harry tore his lips away.

Draco looked frantically at Harry, silently asking if there was anything they could do. But it was too late.

"What the fuck?" Snape cried, tumbling back.

Tonks just cheered, and Harry could see why. There was Ron and Hermione, kissing like mad. After a long moment, they pulled hastily apart.

"Professors," Hermione managed.

"You two - you've been here all along?" Snape panted.

"Oh my," Tonks said.

"Professors, we, uh..." Ron stammered, hastily adjusting his clothes as Hermione did the same.

"Look. Let's just pretend none of this happened, all right? You two leave - now - and do not speak a word of this to anyone, and I'll forget you were down here at all," Snape said.

Ron and Hermione exchanged a disbelieving look and rushed from the closet to exit. Harry and Draco slipped out behind them, just in time to hear Tonks insisting that she and Snape follow Ron and Hermione's lead and try out the closet. As soon as they were all very far from the classroom, Hermione stopped and whirled on Harry and Draco.

"Where are you two?" She stamped her foot impatiently.

Harry and Draco reluctantly revealed themselves, Harry clutching the invisibility cloak in his arms.

"What happened back there?" Hermione asked.

"We were nearly caught," Ron added.

"You seemed to make the best of the situation," Draco muttered.

"You were supposed to be lookout for us," Hermione hissed.

"Why weren't you paying attention? What on earth were you doing?" Ron snatched the map away. "How hard is it to watch a freaking map?"

"Like you two didn't enjoy yourselves," Harry said. "It's about time, after all."

"We could've been in trouble! Suspended! I thought the whole reason why we've kept this switch a secret is to keep that from happening!" Hermione motioned for Ron, and together they began to stalk away.

"But you weren't suspended, so what's the big deal?" Draco wondered.

"It's not like we did it on purpose. Yes, we were careless, but we...we..." Before Harry could find the words to confess, Hermione stopped at the end of the hall and shot them a nasty look.

"Whatever this potion has done to you two, don't forget that it's just magic. And in a few days everything will be different," Hermione said.

"Remember where you really belong in Hogwarts, both of you. Slytherin and Gryffindor. We can fool ourselves into thinking we could all get along, but..." Ron shook his head. Taking Hermione's hand, they were gone.

"We really fucked that up," Harry said.

"They must know something is up between us," Draco agreed.

"Draco, they're right. We need to take responsibility for our actions here. Some things may have changed -"

"But other things remain the same. I get it."

"Ron and Hermione are my friends."

"I was beginning to think they were my friends too." Draco pushed past Harry and began to walk away.

"Draco."

"They should be thanking us. We finally got them kissing."

"We should've been watching out for them."

"It worked out fine, didn't it?"

"Draco, that's not what's important. It's about keeping your word to friends."

Draco continued to walk away. He'd never felt so conflicted before. Part of him - perhaps the altered part - wanted to stand by Harry, to be friends with Ron and Hermione, and forget who he was and where he belonged. But a deeper part of him was wondering how he could do that given his family, his duties, and his own promises that were supposed to be kept. He could hear Harry coming up behind him, meaning to catch him, but for the first time in a long while, he wanted Harry to go away.

"Leave me alone!"

"I can't, Draco, we're magically attached."

Anger surged through Draco. "Fine!" He moved sharply away, causing a terrible pain in his arm. Harry toppled forwards. But even in Draco's body, Harry was fast, and he quickly regained his own balance and pulled Draco sharply forwards. Draco tried to run, not caring how much it hurt, but Harry chased him, and in moments he was tackled and on the ground. Harry climbed atop him, and he was at once angry and aroused. He swung at Draco, but somehow couldn't connect fist to face.

Even as Harry fought to pin him down, Draco could tell the other boy was holding back. Were they so far gone that they couldn't hurt each other anymore?

"Draco, listen to me! I don't want you to be mad," Harry insisted.

"Maybe I want to be mad! Maybe I just want to hate you again!"

The sound of shattering glass made both boys freeze, and Harry wordlessly slipped the invisibility cloak around them both.

"Minerva, calm down, please, you -" Dumbledore's voice floated down the hall, and moments later McGonagall rounded the corner at a run. She stumbled into the gargoyle and slumped against it, sobbing.

"Minerva." Dumbledore appeared next to her, crouching at her side.

"How many more do we have to lose?" She was crying.

"I know Minerva, the war is hard, but Morgan fought bravely, and risked life and limb for important Order information. He would be proud to know that his owl reached us safe, and we now know Voldemort's plan."

"But what was the point of his death? We assumed Voldemort and the Death Eaters would be moving to recruit over Christmas break, that's why we've added extra watchers and spies!"

"But now we have confirmed information about the Malfoy's!"

"Albus, what's the use? There's no changing their minds, any of them. They'll turn to the Death Eaters, just as they are supposed to, and we'll be outnumbered again."

"Don't give up hope, Minerva."

"How can I have hope? I remember last time Albus. I'll never forget finding bits on Benjy Fenwick blown all over the ground, or the screams of Alice and Frank as we tried to get at their tormentors. We lost Edgar and his entire family in that fire - his children were innocents, they weren't even students at Hogwarts yet! And being cornered by those lunatics searching for Voldemort... I'll never forget the pain Albus. I just wanted to die. All the broken families and forgotten plans... my life has been on hold since Voldemort first appeared, I'm not young anymore, Albus, and neither are you. How long before he outwits us? Will Potter ever be ready to face such an enemy? And what has the other side lost? Death Eaters never really care for each other, they never loved and lost like we did. They're willing to sacrifice they're own children for goodness sake! And the more the fear grows, the more people begin to support them, the more we lose Albus. How many more battles can we fight?"

"We have to fight, Minerva, it's the only way."

"I know, Albus. I know."

Albus leaned in and kissed Minerva lightly on the forehead.

"Look at me," she chuckled sadly, "one drink and I'm a wreck."

"Everyone is allowed to feel, Minerva, even you."

"I'm sorry Albus."

"Don't be."

He slowly helped her to her feet, and together they headed back down the hall.

Draco couldn't look Harry in the eye.

"What information..." Harry wondered.

"You know that I -" Draco began.

"You don't know. I know that."

"We can't keep fooling ourselves that we're in love or something." Draco slipped away from Harry and stood up.

"I do love you, Draco. Despite my better judgment."

Draco had never heard those words before.

"And somehow, I know you love me too." Harry stood as well, leaning close to Draco. "And I know what you want, and it's what I want too. I want to be with you."

Draco kissed him passionately. After a moment they broke apart and walked back to their room hand in hand. Arguments and troubles forgotten, Draco pulled Harry onto his bed, undressing him with tender care. Harry gave him and nervous smile.

"I love you, Harry Potter," Draco whispered.

Harry simply surrendered, letting Draco take over. Their kisses grew passionate, their caresses hungry, as limbs entangled and body parts connected. And for the first time, Draco wasn't just fucking someone, he was making love to someone he truly cared for - and who truly cared for him.