Harry Potter and Gaining Momentum

Harry was just waking up to Draco's voice when he realized that Draco had now been there for a week, and they were both still alive. Miracles do happen, he thought.

"Harry," Draco whined for the fifth time. "Get up. I'm hungry."

"Oh, shut up, you git. You sound like Ron," Harry abashed him as he sat up. He put on his glasses to see Draco standing there with is arms crossed over his chest with a scowl on. "What's your problem?" he asked in an accusing voice.

"I do NOT sound like Weasley," he said in defiance. Harry just rolled his eyes and moved to his wardrobe. He took out a shirt and pants and laid them on the bed. Draco walked over to his clothes while he was getting socks out of his dresser. "Why do you insist on wearing these hand me downs. You're probably as well off as I was. Why don't you just go out and buy some new clothes?" he asked as he held up a pair of Harry's jeans in the air to see how huge they were.

"In case you haven't noticed Draco, I'm not actually just allowed to go out and about anytime I want. For goodness sake, I'm practically on house arrest here," he said as he sat on his bed and took off his shirt.

Harry's form over the last few years had gotten really good, even if he said so himself. His arms were bulgy like a swimmer, which is not too big, but, certainly not too little. He had a rather flat tummy that defined his ribs and pecks and his occasional work in the garden without a shirt kept him with a mild tan. All in all, he could make most of the girls at school drool, of course, he didn't know this. Harry's naivety is the only reason he never noticed Draco staring at him, though if he had, he probably wouldn't have said anything anyway.

"Draco, I've been meaning to ask, the other day when we were working on your Occlumency. Why were you disappointed when Pansy and Maria Montague kissed you? I know Pansy is ugly, but Maria would make most guys beg for affection," he asked not really paying attention to his reaction.

"I just didn't enjoy kissing them. Why?" he asked suspiciously.

"No reason. I was just wondering. I guess that means they're bad kissers then?" he asked as he pulled jeans on under Draco's ever-watching eye.

"No, not really. I just didn't like kissing them. Let's just drop it, okay? Why don't you write to Dumbledore and ask if he can send some order members to take us to Muggle London to shop?" Draco asked efficiently changing the subject.

"I guess I could. Remus would probably be happy to. I'll ask if we can make a day of it. Hand me a piece of parchment and a quill and I'll send him a message. It can't hurt to ask. Then we can go down and eat," he replied. They had, over the last week, shifted into a routine of waking up, eating, practicing Occlumency, Harry would work on wandless magic, while Draco would work on his Occlumency exercises, then lunch, Harry would read one of the books Dumbledore sent, Draco would join him. They would read until dinner then they would take the rest of the day off to do as they pleased, which for Harry usually meant more practice on his wandless magic and Draco trying to do harder more complex spells that Harry had taught him. Sometimes they would duel after dinner for practice and once they even did it after dark to make it more of a challenge.

Harry scribbled a quick message to Dumbledore and called Hedwig to him. She landed on the bed and he tied the letter to her with instructions on taking it to Dumbledore. She flew the coupe while they headed to breakfast.

After breakfast they headed out of the back door to the back yard and began to practice Occlumency once again. Harry steadied himself, he become quite good at controlling his powers of Legilimency lately, and Draco had gotten better and better at forcing Harry out. He was only having trouble with not letting Harry in to begin with. Draco nodded to tell him he was ready and Harry broke straight through his mental shields and invaded his mind. This time he was looking for Draco's desires.

Harry getting dressed that morning---

"Serpensortia!" Draco yelled at the top of his lungs before a look of rage overcame his face. The snake shot out of his wand and flew out at Harry. After landing Harry took a few fearful steps back to give the snake distance.

"Who daresss wake me, sssstupid humanssss," the snake said as it saw Harry backing up and started slithering towards him.

"I mean no harm to you little one," Harry immediately said in Parselmouth. The snake jerked its head up to Harry in what looked like surprise.

"You can sssspeak to me? Then you are my masssster. What do you wissshhh of me?" it asked stopping in place.

"Jussst leave and do not harm anyone, you are free to go," Harry said as it moved its head in a nod motion and slithered off.

"What was the meaning of that?" Harry yelled at Draco while advancing on him.

"You startled me! What the hell were you probing for?" Draco yelled back.

"You nodded. I thought you were ready!" he yelled back at him. He was getting pretty pissed by this point.

"No, that's not what I mean. What were you looking for when you were in?" Draco asked calming a bit.

"I was looking for your desires. I thought we'd start off easy. I was expecting to see a vision of Dumbledore or something to tell you the truth," Harry said, trying to calm down now that Draco had.

"Why would you see that?" he asked surprised at Harry's answer.

"Because you're a Slytherin. It's natural that you want to be great and powerful. It's a trait of the house," he said in confusion.

"Oh" was all Draco said in response.

"So, why did I see a picture of myself getting dressed?" he asked now squinting his eyes in suspicion.

"I don't want to talk about it," Draco said, turning and heading for the house.

"Oh, no, you don't; do you envy me or something?" he asked in disbelief.

"What? Well, yes a little, but that's not why you saw that. Come on, Harry. Just leave it alone. I'll tell you when I'm ready," he said as he again tried to get to the house.

"No! You're not going to do this to me. I want to know why-" He suddenly stopped with a small realization. "Do you fancy boys?" he asked in a quiet voice then looked around to make sure no one was watching or listening.

Draco took a deep breath and whispered in a small voice, "Maybe."

"Oh, sorry. I didn't realize. But that means--" he trailed off for a second. "Do you have feelings for me, Draco?" he asked.

"Again, maybe," he said a little above a whisper.

"Oh, Draco. Please don't let my relatives hear you say that. They'll freak," Harry whispered back.

"Why?" he asked, looking at Harry confused.

"Because it's wrong!" Harry said.

"Are they worried about pure blood or something?" Draco asked still confused.

"What? I mean, no. Why would they be worried about that?" he asked, now getting confused.

"Because no one usually cares unless they're like my father and think it's a responsibility of a Pureblood to breed with another Pureblood and have children that will do the same," he answered.

"You mean wizards don't care if there are same sex couples?" he asked Draco.

"Why would they? Love is love, you can't expect someone to live their whole life alone can you?" he asked.

"Oh, well. Muggles really look down on that sort of thing. Though wizarding logic makes more sense," he said, thinking about it.

"You mean you fancy men too?" Draco said, looking happy.

"I--um--that is--I've never really had a reason to think about it. I dated Cho Chang last year, and it turned out horrible. But besides her, I've always been afraid of dating someone. If Voldemort found out, he'd either kill them or use them against me. You can never be too careful with him," he said as he sat down in the grass. Draco sat down too.

"Would you ever consider a relationship with another male?" he asked with hopeful eyes.

"I don't know, I guess because I've been raised to look at it as a negative thing, it really never crossed my mind. I mean of course I've looked at boys in the Quidditch locker room before, but it's always been platonic. I think, you know, just curiosity. I don't think I ever thought it would go further than that," Harry answered, looking at Draco with an appraising eye. "Have you ever had feeling like this for anyone else?" Harry finally asked after a few seconds of silence.

"Not really. I just know that I don't feel anything when I kiss girls. You're the first boy I've ever lusted for," he said whispering.

"Well, I'm flattered if it means anything to you," Harry said smiling. He really was flattered. He knew that he had a small fan club at school with Ginny Weasley as their head, but now that he thought of it, Cho was the only girl he could ever see himself with, and there was absolutely no spark behind their kiss.

"If it makes you too uncomfortable, I can leave the room when you dress from now on," Draco proposed bravely.

"Oh, that won't be necessary. Do you have anything against experimenting? I've never really thought about having a relationship with anyone that wasn't a girl. And now that I think about it, Cho was a good kisser, but there was no spark. It has to be me if everyone else in school is drooling over her," he laughed nervously.

"That's not the only person in school everyone drools over Harry. Do you know how many girls want you?" he asked.

"I've never thought about it to tell you the truth. Do you know how many girls think you're hot? I've heard quite a few fancy you also," he said with a triumphant grin as Draco's cheeks twanged a bit pink.

"So you're willing to kiss me to see if you feel a spark?" Draco asked hopefully.

"Yes. But if I don't you'll have to move on and then I'll feel bad for the rest of the summer because I'll feel like I'm torturing you by not having you," Harry replied.

"No, I'll just have to get over you, and what better way to do it than be forced to be around you. It's not like it's love, Harry,; it's just a small crush," Draco replied nonchalantly.

"Fine, but not here. In our room, I don't want my relatives catching us, they'll automatically assume that I'm a bigger freak than they already think I am," Harry said standing and dusting off his rear. Draco did the same before entering the house.

The two boys trudged up to their room, and Harry closed the door behind them. He put a locking and silencing charm in place and sat on the bed. He put his head in his hands for a moment before finally looking up to Draco who was standing in front of him with the most innocent look on his face that Harry had ever seen.

"Are you sure you want to try this?" he finally asked. Draco's eyes were lit up as he nodded his head vigorously. Harry snorted and smirked. "Okay let's do it," he said but before he could get ready Draco had already grabbed his face with his hands on either side of Harry's face and engulfed him in a closed mouthed kiss.

Harry stiffened uncomfortably at first before relaxing into the smooth lips of the counter. Draco moved his hand to the back of Harry's head and laced his fingers through Harry's hair while parting his lips a bit to move his tongue across Harry's bottom lip. Harry moaned a bit and opened his mouth to give admittance and was engulfed by warmness as Draco devoured Harry's tongue in an attempt to swallow it. Harry moaned even more and began to press harder to try and deepen the kiss. He had now also lifted his hand to the back of Draco's head and was exploring the boy's mouth with his tongue. Draco finally broke the kiss with a gasp for air. Harry sat there stunned and breathing rapidly as Draco ran his hands though is long hair trying to compose himself.

"Wow Harry, if you didn't feel anything, then I'm going to die. I've never--I mean that was--Wow," he repeated as he sat down next to Harry who had still not said anything. "Are you going to say anything?" he asked after a minute of Harry staring into space and letting his breathing go back to normal.

"Don't tell anyone when we get back to school. I'll meet you as much as I can, but we can't tell anyone. Ron would flip," he said, not looking at Draco. Draco smiled and turned Harry's face toward his own.

"I'm guessing you liked it," he asked smirking. Not the Malfoy smirk but a mischievous smirk.

"That would be the understatement of the year," he said sarcastically. Draco just laughed and kissed Harry on the cheek.

"Hedwig is back early," Draco said as he went to open the window for her. Harry had not noticed she had come back.

"I wonder why that was so quick. She usually takes at least half the day to make it there and back, and that's on a good day," Harry said as he followed. Hedwig gave a defiant hoot as if to say she was offended by his statement, but he ignored her and gave her a treat which she took and flew to her cage. Draco handed the letter to Harry for him to read. "You could have read it, you know what it's about," he said as he opened the letter. Draco didn't respond.

"Well, what's it say?" Draco asked after a minute.

"It says be ready by lunch. Remus and Tonks are going to be taking us to Muggle London, though it doesn't say how were getting there. We can't Apparate, and my relative's Floo isn't hooked up to the network so I don't think we're going to be Flooing to the Leaky Cauldron. I guess we'll find out when they get here," Harry said, thinking.

"It's eleven o'clock now, how'd she get it here so fast?" Draco asked.

"Oh, he was at the Order headquarters, so he was closer than we thought," Harry replied.

They went down to finish practicing Draco's Occlumency while they waited for Tonks and Remus to show up. Draco was really getting better especially after the whole snake incident. Harry had to really work to get in and after that it gave him a huge headache to stay in. finally he decided it was time to get Draco to feel what it would really be like to have someone to break into their mind, like Snape did to him.

"Since you're doing so well, I think it's time to give you the Snape treatment. This is how he trained me, and this is probably what it will feel like if someone were to really break into your mind. Let me know if it gets too painful and you can't get me out okay?" he asked as he steadied himself. Draco closed his eyes and concentrated them opened them and gave Harry a nod. Harry plunged in quickly and began to cruelly rape Draco's mind for things like humiliation and pain.

Draco fell off his broomstick during Quidditch---he was told by Pansy he was a bad kisser---Hermione beat him again in their grades (Harry switched to pain) ---his father beat him for losing a Quidditch game---his father beat him for talking at the table during dinner---his father beat him for saying that he couldn't marry Pansy---His father beat him for not wanting to join the Dark Side---the Cruciatus Curse.

"Expelliarmus!" he cried literally. Draco collapsed to the ground sobbing. Harry waved off the spell and ran forward and helped him up giving encouraging words.

"If it means anything, you did really well. The first time Snape did that to me he had to stop because I couldn't make him," Harry said, hugging him. Draco straightened himself up and brushed the nonexistent wrinkles out of his clothes.

"I'm okay. It was just a little hard to face all that again at once, sorry," he said trying to right himself.

"No, I'm sorry; I shouldn't have been so fierce. I'll be gentler next time," Harry said, rubbing his back.

"Snape did that to you from the start?" Draco said with appal like it just dawned on him.

"Yes, that's always what he probed for, but it didn't bother me so much because that's what my nightmares are usually about anyway," Harry confessed.

"Oh, well, I think we should go inside and wait for Remus and Tonks to get here," he said as Harry nodded and let Draco lead them into the house.

They didn't have to wait long for the werewolf and the Auror to show up. It was only about five minutes after they both went into the lounge that the doorbell rang. They both got up and went to the door.

"Harry, how are you?" Remus asked, hugging the younger boy.

"I'm good, how are you?" Harry asked while being suffocated by Remus. Remus laughed at his muffled words.

"I'm getting there kid," he said as looked at Draco appraisingly. "I'm also happy to hear you have another ally on your hands. I gather that Draco is treating you alright?" he asked looking back at Harry and trying to read his face.

"Would you bite him on a full moon if he wasn't?" Harry asked with a mischievous grin. Remus just laughed but Draco looked horrified and appalled. "I'm kidding Draco," Harry added.

After Remus finally pulled himself together, Draco, Harry, Tonks, and Remus all walked out onto the side walk. Harry finally asked, "Um--how are we getting there?"

"Oh, we're taking the Floo from Arabella's to the Leaky Cauldron," he said and Harry gave an audible sigh of relief. "Why do you ask?"

"I was afraid that you were going to hail the Knight Bus. I was beginning to get worried," he said as Remus grinned at him.

"No, I'm sorry to say I too have a dislike for the Knight Bus. Too reckless if you ask me. No, Floo is the only way to travel if we can't Apparate," Remus enlightened the group as they found Miss Figg's house. Remus knocked three times before entering without an answer.

"Don't hold back your manners, Remus," Harry teased as he entered behind Remus.

"She knows we were coming," Remus said hastily. They rounded the hall and reached the lounge to see Miss Figg completely enthralled by whatever was on the television. She only distantly acknowledged them as they walked between her and the telly.

"Good show, Arabella?" Tonks asked as Miss Figg waved her hand impatiently for her to move out of her line of vision. With that, they Flooed to the Leaky Cauldron for a day out.

Harry fell out of the fireplace just behind Remus who landed deftly on his feet, and caught Harry to steady him on the way out. Harry murmured something along the lines of 'damned Floos' before he turned around to wait for the other two. Draco came out next with just as much gracefulness as Harry managed and Tonks came out and stumbled to a nearby table which she managed to break along with one of the four chairs.

After a good repairing charm from Lupin and some steadying from Harry and Draco, the group finally became more relaxed.

"Do you already have money, or do you need to visit Diagon Alley first?" Remus asked the two teens.

"Gringotts," Harry said as he led the group to the small alley way where the brick gate way to the wizarding alley was. He stood to the side to let Remus tap the bricks.

"You know Harry, tapping the bricks doesn't show up as magic," he said as he tapped the bricks.

"I didn't bring my wand, though I guess I could have used Draco's, sorry," he said.

"Are you crazy? You didn't bring your wand?" Tonks abashed. "What would Moody say?" she added, giving him a look. Draco started to say something, and Harry had a feeling it was about his wandless magic, but Remus spoke up first.

"Oh, by the way. Moody says to tell you that you've been doing well in your mock duels with Draco. He's fairly impressed and that's hard to do with Moody," Remus said, beaming at Harry.

"How does he know how well I do, the Dursleys have a privacy fence?" Harry said before he realized why. "Oh right, magical eye," he said rolling his own eyes. The group laughed at him as they made their way through the gateway.

The alley was unusually quiet as they walked through it. Harry was used to the alley being abuzz with various witches and wizards all busying themselves with back to school shopping and thought it odd to see the alley so empty. The only time he had ever seen it this desolate was when he stayed at the Leaky Cauldron in his third year. The group made their way to Gringotts while talked joyfully about nothing really. Harry and Draco were just enjoying their time away from the cramped residence of Number four Privet Drive and Remus and Tonks were just enjoying the company of the teenagers.

Harry approached a goblin that was sitting at one of the teller seats and asked to go to his vault.

"Name?" the goblin asked without looking up from his parchment he was scribbling on.

"Harry Potter, sir," he answered with a little annoyance that he was being thoroughly ignored because he was a child. When he announced his name, the goblin looked up in surprise and immediately looked at the scar on his forehead as if looking for conformation.

"Right," he said jumping down from the stool and walking around the desk. "Are you the only vault being visited?" he asked, looking at the others.

"Well seeing as how I'm a disowned Malfoy, I don't think I'll be visiting mine," Draco said sarcastically under his breath.

"Malfoy? May I have your first name, sir?" he asked raising an eyebrow at Draco.

"Draco," the teen answered now getting rather annoyed himself.

"Please wait here," the goblin said as he left the small group and went behind a door that was sitting beside the head teller's station.

"What was that all about?" Remus asked Draco.

"I have no idea. Maybe my mother took pity on me and left me a galleon," he said laughing. The goblin returned and handed Draco a key.

"I am to inform you that because of your father's incarceration and because of your mother's involvement in harbouring a fugitive, you have become the sole heir of the Malfoy Family Fortune. Will you be visiting your vault today?" he asked rather blandly.

"Um--yes," Draco said rather dumbly. He himself was now thoroughly shocked by the recent event.

"Very well, this way please," he said as he led the way to the nearest cart at the start of a tunnel.

"Mr.--," Harry began looking at the goblins name tag, "Wigzer, I have a few questions about my account," he said as they climbed into the cart.

"Yes?" he replied.

"I was wondering, has the Black Family Trust had been transferred yet?" Harry asked. He had given Dumbledore the pensive on a five minute visit to the Dursleys a few days ago.

"Yes Mr. Potter it has. I have been asked to give you our thanks for keeping your business with us with such a highly regarded account," the goblin said again blandly. The goblin was now starting to remind him of Snape.

"Yes, let us hope that I find no other wizarding bank," he said rather harshly. The goblin seemed to pick up on this because he stood a little stiffer before he asked,

"Is there anything else Mr. Potter, sir?" This time his tone had changed from bland to worry.

"Yes, I was going to ask if the Weasleys had received their share of the Black account that I requested," he said again harshly.

"Yes, yes, sir. Everything has been taken care of," he answered politely.

"My last is not a question but a request. I would like a vault statement every month. I would like one sent directly to me with both discretion and with security, and the other sent to this address," he said holding out a piece of parchment that held Hermione's home address. "After the new Hogwarts term starts, you are to send both to Hogwarts one in attention to myself and the other in attention to Miss Hermione Granger," Harry finished with a tone of command.

"Yes, sir. Of course, sir," he stammered as they came to a stop in front of Harry's main vault. "This way, sir," he said as they all got out of the cart and stood in front of the iron-clad door. "Key please, sir," he requested as Harry handed the goblin his key and the goblin opened his vault. Inside the entire back wall was full to the top with gold galleons. There was not a Knut or sickle in sight. Harry took his pouch that he had with him and filled it to the top with galleons before making his way back to the cart. The goblin closed the vault and gave him key back.

After about ten minutes they were in front of Draco's vault where the goblin opened it and Draco did the same thing. After getting back in the cart they headed to the top and were soon standing on firm ground once again.

"Sir, I would like this to be converted to Muggle money, if you will," Harry said politely with a hint of defiance. He was going to have to show a little more back bone because if he didn't, the goblin would rip him off with conversion fees.

"Right away, sir," the goblin said as he took the money back and walked around back behind the counter.

"I'd also like to ask if I could have my vault moved and a new key made. I don't like that fact that both of my parents, criminal as they are, still have access to the money held in the Malfoy vaults," Draco said taking on Harry's air of voice.

"Sir, that is standard procedure after an incarceration, it has been taken care of," the goblin said inclining his head to Draco. Draco nodded and let him get back to work.

The goblin finished and handed Harry four stacks of bills in rubber bands and bowed to him.

"May I ask what the exchange rate was," Harry asked trying not to sound accusing.

"Your fee has been waved Mr. Potter and I've taken the liberty of drawing up your monthly summary now. I'll send another to the address you gave me before the hour is over," he said as he again bowed and left Harry's presence.

"Well he certainly changed from the time you left to the time you got back, what'd you do?" Tonks asked. Draco snickered as Harry held his head up high and gave them a look.

"I simply tried out my political standing while rubbing my money in someone's face. It worked quite well I believe. Professor Dumbledore told me that I'd have to start doing it sometime if I was ever going to be able to stay alive in the political world. I'm already a political figure, now I have the money to back my scar up," he spat as he made his way out of the bank with his three friends in tow. On the way through the door Harry stopped dead in his tracks when he looked at his summary.

"What's wrong Harry?" Lupin asked looking over his shoulder at the summary before he too gasped.

"Okay, you're looking like goldfish, let me see that," Draco said snatching the parchment and looking at it himself before raising an eyebrow and folding the paper in half. "Well it looks like you'll definitely be making Witch Weekly's most eligible bachelor this year," he said with a snort.

"I can't believe it, one hundred and two million galleons for a sixteen year old boy," Lupin said breathlessly.

"How much?" Tonks said gaping.

"One hundred and two million, two hundred and fifty one million pounds if I were in the Muggle world," Harry said in a state of shock.

"Oh" was all she could say in response.

"Well, you want to be a political figure, this is what you have to do," Draco said walking a few steps and dropping the summary on the ground. "Anyone who picks this up is going to go straight to the press and media with it," he said before he made his way back to the group and took Harry's hand leading him back to the Leakey Cauldron where they would lead themselves into Muggle London for a shopping spree.