Believe in me

Believe in me

Chapter six

"Do you want to explain to me exactly what it is you're doing?" Harry asked Draco as the blonde continued to circle around Harry's bizarre posing form.

Harry was standing in the middle of the Room of Requirement, bare foot and shirtless, arms outstretched as if he were nailed to a crucifix. Draco was walking around Harry's form, occasionally ducking under Harry's arms as he went. Every so often he would place a cool hand in Harry's bare back or chest, lightly stroking the soft skin making Harry shiver, and then he would start circling again.

"I'm thinking," said Draco unhelpfully, his hair tickling the underside of Harry's right arm as he gracefully moved to stand in front of the Boy Who Lived.

Draco stood up straight so that he was eye level with Harry, standing so close that Harry could feel their body heat reacting between them even though they weren't actually touching. Their lips were tantalisingly close, and Harry caved into the pressure, unable to stand it another second longer. He captured Draco's lips in his own and wrapped his arms around the Slytherin, pulling him close.

Draco responded gently, letting Harry take control. Harry kissed Draco's lips, his cheek and then started to softly caress his neck. When he heard Draco's surrendering moan he stopped and whispered softly so his breath was warm against Draco's porcelain skin.

"What were you doing?"

"Deciding what costume you should were tonight," Draco said, the contentment from Harry's kiss coming out in his smooth answer.

Harry pulled away quickly to look Draco in the eye.

"Costume!" he said, "Wood didn't say anything about having to dress up!"

"He told me the other day, I thought I'd surprise you," Draco said grinning mischievously.

"Do we have to?" Harry moaned.

"Yes. It will be fun," Draco said matter-of-factly.

"But the party's tonight! There's no time to get a costume together," Harry said, still clinging to some desperate hope that he could get out of this inevitable humiliation.

"Umm, hello?" Draco said sarcastically, "Wizards here, time is not really an issue. It's all about being inventive, which is why we've been up here getting ready since two in the afternoon. What did you think I dragged you up here for?"

Harry's eyes sparked roguishly and he flashed Draco a lop-sided smile to die for.

Draco grinned, reading Harry's mind.

"If you behave yourself, and if we get this done soon, then you never now how we'll pass the time," Draco teased, "but lets get out costumes ready first."

Harry groaned.

"I don't know, I'm no good at all this inventive creative stuff," he said, "Except when it involves ingenious ways of fighting, escaping or tricking others," he added thinking back to all his escapades over his life. Even before he had come to Hogwarts he had become quite adept at avoiding Dudley and his gang of gargoyles.

"Well I am," Draco said pompously, "which is why I have designed the perfect costume for you to wear tonight."

"You think I'm going to let you dress me up? How dumb do you think I am! I know how your mind works Malfoy, no frigging way!"

"Fine," Draco said sounding eerily unhurt, "What do you propose you go as tonight then?"

Harry's mind drew an unhelpful blank. 'Bugger' he thought.

"Fine," Harry said drawing out the word as if it caused him physical pain, "but if you turn me into some sort of sexual fantasy figure that you keep locked up in that twisted mind of yours, I will have to kill you."

"Trust me," Draco said happily, a glint in his eye that didn't bode well for Harry's hopes of getting off with going as a Ravenclaw tonight.

"What are you wearing tonight?" Harry asked suddenly remembering that he wasn't the only one who had to dress up.

"It's a surprise," Draco said grinning, "don't worry, I've got it all planned out so all I have to do is a quick switching spell and I'll be ready to go. I've got all afternoon to play with you."

"I'm not sure how I feel about that," Harry said in resignation, "alright, lets see what warped ideas you've got up your sleeve, go for it."

The next two hours were spent with Draco making Harry try on what seemed like a hundred different garments of clothing, and then performing various spells to adjust them, remove them or summon yet more clothes. Throughout the whole ordeal Draco wouldn't let Harry anywhere near a mirror, and Draco even 'accidentally' cursed Harry so he was blind for a whole half an hour, just because he had tried to sneak a peek.

Draco was now finally happy with the outfit and accessories, and Harry currently had consented to close his eyes whilst Draco painted Harry's face. Harry sat as still as he could but he was having horrible visions of Draco making him up to look like a clown... and then a few far worse possibilities occurred to Harry that he promptly blocked out.

"Done," Draco said happily, and Harry slowly opened his eyes to see Draco's grinning face.

Draco stared at Harry with a look of pure lust on his face that was making Harry slightly nervous.

"If I hadn't just spent two hours making you up to look like that, I wouldn't be able to resist undoing all my good work," Draco said in admiration, "You look great."

"Oh god, you really have turned me into something from your dreams haven't you. I want a mirror Draco. Now," Harry demanded.

"Oh all right," Draco gave in, "there's one in there," he said pointing towards the standing wardrobe by the bed.

Harry walked over slowly and opened the door of the cupboard to reveal a full-length mirror in which was reflected the image of a complete stranger, and it was all Harry could do to refrain from gasping out loud.

He looked so...different.

Harry took a deep breath and analysed his appearance. His feet were clad in chunky black boots with silver buckles the size of his wand handle. The boots reached almost to his knee, Harry could feel that, but impossibly long black trousers that were frayed at the base, and torn around the knees covered most of the monster footwear. There were numerous pockets and zips randomly placed over the slacks and several chains hanging from belt buckles by his slender hips.

Harry moved his eyes to his torso and was met with a tight fitting black tank top that left very little to the imagination. Did he really have abs like that? Over this he was wearing an open black shirt. As he ran his fingers over the soft material of the shirt he suddenly noticed that his fingernails were painted black as well, and he was wearing three chunky silver rings depicting snakes, skulls and crucifixes. One of the rings perfectly matched the large Celtic cross hanging around his neck, and Harry did his best to ignore the fang hanging from his now pierced left earlobe that reminded him eerily of Bill Weasley.

Finally, Harry looked properly at his face. His glasses were gone and he knew that Draco had performed the sight correcting charm he had learned from Madam Pomfrey. Instead, Harry's dazzling green eyes were framed with masses of black eyeliner, harmonizing with the black lipstick Draco had plastered over Harry's once pink, now dark lips. But it was Harry's hair that caused the most shock. The usual black mess that resided on his head was now tinted with blue and had been slicked with styling gel that had his once unruly, now perfectly tamed hair in spikes on top of his head.

He stood there staring at his reflection in total shock. He could barely recognise himself. The only similarity he could see between 'Harry' Harry and this new 'Gothic' Harry were the emerald green eyes that stood out like gems amidst all the black.

"Well?" Draco said into the silence, his tone telling Harry that he had kept his mouth shut for as long as he could manage, "What do you think?"

"I think," said Harry slowly, "that I'm never going to doubt you ever again. Its amazing Draco! How the hell did you manage to turn me into this? I mean, my hair! The makeup, the nails, and where did all these clothes come from?"

"They're mine," Draco said grinning as he came to stand behind Harry so that they were reflected in the mirror together.

"Why do you have these sorts of clothes?" Harry asked as he turned around to look at himself from behind and ended facing Draco.

"These are my clothes Potter," Draco said pointedly, "I wear these garments when I'm not forced to wear that grubby excuse for a school uniform."

Harry stared at Draco in disbelief.

"You so do not wear these clothes, I've NEVER see you wear anything like this!" he exclaimed.

"You've never seen me out of school," Draco said seriously, "not without one of my parents being near by anyway, and they're not exactly keen on my dress sense. I have to look more 'presentable' and less like 'some drugged up vampire wannabe'," he said impersonating his mother's pedantic tone.

"And I take it you're not bothered by the fact that I'm wearing your normal everyday wear as a Halloween costume?" Harry said teasingly.

"Firstly, it's Samhain, remember. And secondly, it's come as you aren't night," Draco said austerely, "and this is definitely coming as you aren't. Although," he added as an afterthought, moving in close to Harry, his hand sliding around the other boy and resting casually on his arse, "I have to say, if you did start to wear more black, I wouldn't be disapproving."

"Do you want to explain this whole Samhain thing to me again?" Harry said smiling as he turned around in Draco's arms to look in the mirror.

Draco wound his arms around Harry's waist and held him close as Harry stroked Draco's fingers tenderly, leaning back into Draco's tightly soothing embrace.

"Its basically a more traditional form of Halloween," Draco explained, "Halloween is for Muggle kids and atheist Wizards. It's just a bit of fun. Samhain on the other hand is a bit more serious, a bit more adult, and a bit more religious I guess.

Halloween for Muggles, originally is all about dressing up as otherworldly creatures, ghosts, vampires, witches," Draco said, grinning at the irony, "but as times gone on its become about getting lots of free sweets. For Wizards, Halloween is about celebrating our magical world, and again, not without the mass of sugary treats.

Samhain for Pagans or Wiccans... Druids, whatever you call them... Muggle Witches basically, is similar to Samhain for Pagan Wizards. It's a bit more complicated than just general Halloween. It's about a few different concepts, depending on your own specific beliefs, but one of the main points of the holiday is celebrating the coming of winter and the beginning of a new natural year. But it's also a day to honour and feast the living spirits of loved ones who have passed onto another life. I thin Mexicans years ago called it 'The Day of the Dead'. It's a day where the dead can be remembered as still alive, just not existing on this astral plane."

Draco paused in his speech and Harry knew that there was something he wanted to add, but was reluctant to do so. Harry turned round in Draco's arms so that they were once again nose-to-nose. Harry kissed Draco slowly, and Draco closed his eyes sinking into the kiss. Harry wrapped his own arms around the blonde's neck as Draco's tongue lightly caressed his own.

When they pulled apart, Harry looked into Draco's cool grey-blue eyes and waited for him to speak.

"Some Wizards, at Samhain, can contact the other world... so they can actually speak to their ancestors, or close family and friends who have died. There's something about this time of year where magic becomes universal and highly connective to all creatures. Some Muggle Pagans have even managed to perform magic with the help of spirits at Samhain," Draco said, "I've never tried to call someone at Samhain... I've never really had anyone to call, but I know that other Wizards have and its most powerful when you're with a group..."

Draco trailed off and adamantly avoided Harry's gaze.

"I thought that maybe, if you wanted to, we could... I mean, we don't have to, but if you wanted we could, you know... try to..." Draco stammered with such uncharacteristic ineloquence it was sweet.

"You thought we could try and talk to Sirius," Harry said for him, surprised that his eyes began to sting as he said the words.

Draco nodded.

Harry smiled and tried to stop his eyes from welling up too much.

"You are the best thing that's ever happened to me," Harry said with uncharacteristic eloquence, "I don't deserve you."

"Yes you do," Draco replied, smiling as he now looked directly into Harry's tear sparkling eyes.

They kissed again, more passionately this time, and Harry felt Draco kiss the single fallen salty tear off his cheek.

"Do you want to?" Draco asked Harry seriously.

Harry thought for a moment, amazed at his own patience. Draco really must be having a good influence on him. There was a time, not all that long ago Harry reluctantly admitted to himself, that he would of rushed into this, so desperate to see a familiar loving face. Now he realised, as much as he ached to see Sirius, he didn't feel abandoned anymore. He didn't feel alone and unloved, needed not wanted...

And it was because of Draco Harry understood. It was amazing, even frightening, how one person could change your whole perspective on life so completely, and could somehow make every second seem worthwhile.

He still felt guilty over Sirius's death, there was no cure for that, but he had come to accept that as much as he blamed himself, there was nothing he could have done to stop Sirius coming after him, just as he had thought he was going after Sirius. Life isn't fair, Harry had experienced this fact more times than was fair, just adding to the point, but no matter how many bad and cruel fates Harry had to deal with, he still had friends. He had Draco, and that made up for an astonishing amount of heartache. But to speak to Sirius again, just once more...

To be able to tell Sirius he was sorry he had been so gullible, so arrogant, and so stupid. To tell him how much he missed him... and how much he loved him. Just to see his face one more time...

"I want to do it," Harry said certainly.

"I thought you might," Draco said smiling, then he looked serious again, "don't get your hopes up too much. We're going to have to do this by ourselves, and it's illegal for anyone to mess with the fabrics of space and time, with life and death especially, without expressed permission from the Minister of Magic himself. I think I know what I'm doing, but this is by far the most complicated spell I've ever seen. Its like Charms, Potions and Divination all rolled into one."

"I'm rubbish at Divination, and you don't even take it," Harry said observing a flaw with this plan.

"Not with Trelawney, no," Draco said, "doesn't mean I don't know a thing or two about it. I am a Malfoy after all Harry, there isn't much about magic I don't know about," he added with lashings of that infamous Malfoy arrogance.

"I'm starting to get that," Harry said shaking his head in disbelief at the extent of the blonde's pretentious attitude. Still, he couldn't help smiling. Draco wouldn't be Draco if he lost his holier-than-thou attitude towards life, the universe and everything.

Harry leaned in to kiss Draco briefly on the lips, pulling back to get lost in his intricate marbled eyes. After a few moments of silent bliss Harry spoke again.

"I still don't know what you're wearing tonight you know."

Draco grinned mischievously and reluctantly moved away from Harry to cross the distance of the room, disappearing behind a screen, picking up his wand on the way.

"Take a good look," Draco said as he reappeared briefly, "you won't recognise me when I come out," he added confidently.

Harry laughed as Draco disappeared behind the triple plated cover once again. A few blue sparks emerged from behind the shield and less than a minute later, Draco stepped into view with distinctive elegant grace. Harry's jaw literally hung open when he saw the blonde.

Draco grinned widely at Harry's reaction and swaggered across the room to stand face to face with the dumbstruck Gryffindor. Still Harry said nothing, and just stared at Draco in complete shock. After a few minutes however, Harry's silent reaction to Draco's costume became irritating, and Draco took a step back.

"Well?" he demanded, "Say something Harry, it took me the best part of a day to get this all put together!"

"You look..." Harry said, still at a loss for words, "You look... incredible! I mean, wow! Draco it's amazing, I don't think I've ever seen you looking so amazing, and that's saying something cause you're pretty goddamn damn sexy most of the time anyway, so... wow!"

"What do you mean pretty goddamn sexy most of the time?" Draco exclaimed, "I'm incredibly goddamn sexy all of the time Potter!"

Harry laughed and conceded to Draco's point. There was no way he could argue with the blonde when he looked that dashing.

Draco had paid attention to every detail, from the white ruffled feather in his hat, all the way down to the gold plated buckles on his brown leather boots. A swish brown cape hung around his neck, and he wore a fitted suede waistcoat over a baggy cream shirt. If he hadn't known better, Harry would have sworn that Draco was a vision from the refined past.

Harry closed the distance between them with a kiss. Just as he was pulling away from the blonde's lips, Draco recaptured Harry's bottom lip between his teeth gently and kissed him avidly. Harry was a little surprised by Draco's desperate action, but pleased at the same time, and he allowed his mind to become absorbed in the sensation of Draco gently sucking his bottom lip.

Eventually Draco reluctantly broke the kiss, and smiled as he heard a quiet groan escape Harry's lips.

"We have to get going," he said.

Harry nodded and took Draco's hand in his, entwining their fingers before leading him out of the room. It was a bit of a risk to walk through the castle together, especially hand in hand, but at this particular moment Harry couldn't bring himself to care.

At first sneaking around had seemed exciting. Gradually it had just become necessary, and now... now it was a burden. The lies had begun to pile up, and more than once Harry had slipped up, although he hadn't told Draco this. It didn't help that Ron had now decided that Harry needed a girlfriend and was trying to encourage him into asking Ginny out since she broke up with Dean last month. Why Ron wanted Harry to date his sister he didn't understand, but it was very difficult situation to get out of graciously.

Harry's thoughts were interrupted as he felt Draco slide his hand out of Harry's, leaving behind cold empty space. Draco refused to meet Harry's gaze and just kept walking. Harry sighed.

It was necessary he told himself, and walked after Draco.

Draco turned a corner, Harry close behind, but far enough away so as to miss the collision of his boyfriend with one Hermione Granger, who was walking in the opposite direction.

"Watch where you're going Malfoy!" Hermione said indignantly as she straightened herself out, and then noticing Draco's attire looked at him incredulously, "What are you wearing?"

"Well Granger, not that its any of your business, but I look like a fashion reject because I'm going to a fancy dress party," Draco said, his sarcastic drawl tinting his voice causing Harry to stiffen as he awaited the inevitable punch line, "What's you're excuse?"

There it was. Hermione's face turned red with anger as she glared at Malfoy, who even in that outfit looked cool and collected. Hermione in her rage hadn't even noticed that there was a third person standing in the corridor.

Harry half hoped that even when she did inevitably spot him, she wouldn't recognise him under all the black makeup, but it was a futile hope. This was Hermione after all. Why couldn't it have been Neville coming round the corner? Harry thought momentarily before sighing inwardly and taking up his character once again.

"Take that back Malfoy," Harry said threateningly.

Hermione finally noticed Harry and gaped at him in a very unflattering fashion, her bottom jaw hanging and eyes bulging eerily out of her skull in shock.

"Harry!!" she exclaimed in very non-Hermione style.

Harry ignored Hermione's astonishment and continued to look at Draco.

"Stay out of it Potter," Draco said scathingly, "I'm so sick of you and the Weasel defending this Mudblood. She's supposed to be the cleverest witch in the school, don't you think she can defend herself?"

"Hermione could curse you fifteen ways to Zion before you even had time to think about drawing your wand," Harry said, hatred pulsating through his voice, but not in his heart, "we stick up for Hermione because we love her. Its what friends do, but you wouldn't know anything about that would you Malfoy?"

Harry felt physically sick as he had said the words, and it took all his self-restraint not to grab Draco and tell him that he didn't mean those words, especially when he saw the hurt in the blonde's eyes.

"Fuck you Potter," Draco said unenthusiastically and walked off down the corridor, leaving Harry staring after him longingly. He almost ran after the Slytherin prince, but a hand on his shoulder reminded him of Hermione's presence.

"That was weird, he normally puts up more of a fight. You must have touched a nerve," Hermione said sounding surprisingly uncaring. Then Harry reminded himself that it wasn't unsurprising at all. Hermione hated Draco, and she had every right to, but that knowledge didn't make the guilt any easier to bear.

"I guess," Harry replied quietly, "Why aren't you at the feast 'Mione?"

"I just had to get a book before Madam Pine closes the library for the evening," Hermione said brusquely as a more important question was clearly on her mind, "Would you care to explain this outfit to me now?" Hermione said moving in front of Harry, a grin on her face as she took in his overall appearance.

Harry did his best to smile back, the embarrassment he exhibited however was completely real.

"Turns out that party Wood invited me too was fancy dress," Harry said.

"I take it that's why Malfoy was dressed like the aristocratic prat that he is then?"

"Yeah," Harry replied quietly again.

"Harry, are you alright?" Hermione asked worriedly, "Ron told me that you were out all night again, you haven't done that for a while... and you seem awfully depressed for someone on their way to what is rumoured to be the best Halloween party in the country? I mean, I know the fact that Malfoy is going too isn't all that great, but still..."

"I'm fine Hermione," Harry said unconvincingly, and he didn't much care about that, he just wanted to catch up with Draco, "I've got to go. Have fun, I'll see you tomorrow," and with that, Harry walked quickly down the corridor and out of Hermione's sight.

Directly round the corner stood Draco leaning nonchalantly against the wall, his hat shadowing his eyes as he studied his feet, the only sign that he was preoccupied in thought. He looked up as Harry turned the corner, but didn't meet his gaze.

"I'm sorry," Harry said sincerely, standing in front of Draco, "I never should have said that, it was cruel."

"True though," Draco said in an almost sulky manner, then, regaining control over his self, "It doesn't matter."

"Yes it does," Harry said softly, taking Draco's hand in his, tracing the delicate lines on his palm with his own black tipped forefinger, "I really didn't mean what I said, but when you take up that act, I can't help slipping back into mine, and what you said about Hermione was..."

"Exactly what she would have expected me to say. It's what you would of expected of me once," Draco replied quietly.

"Once," Harry agreed, "but not anymore."

"It doesn't always feel like that," Draco replied.

Harry let the silence settle between them for a moment or two. Draco was rarely this honest, and Harry didn't want to do or say anything that might make him stop.

"I love you," Harry said after a while, "I've known it for a while, but I never really understood what it meant until recently.

When we first started seeing each other, we... well, we needed each other. I needed you to be there for me, and to not talk to me about my past or my future, to just be with me in the moment, and you did that," he explained as best he could, "I know that you needed the same from me, and that you still do.

I barely know anything about your life Draco, but that's okay because I know what it feels like to need to ignore life for a while. The only thing that scares me is that I'm not sure you know that I'll be here for you when the time comes that you do want to tell me.

I realised something just then, when you and Hermione were arguing. I realised that I wanted to defend you as much as I wanted to defend her, and it hurt me to know that I couldn't. What I said, it was because I was angry, not with you or what you said, but with everything, this whole situation, and I haven't felt like that for a long time and it just made angrier to know that I could still feel that way. I thought I'd moved past it.

I want nothing more than to have a happy, normal life with you by my side. I want to wake up with you every morning and eat breakfast in bed. I want to spend my whole day just looking forward to seeing you again that evening. I want to hang out with you at weekends and do all the normal things other couples do, like go to the movies, go shopping or just stay in and talk all day. I want to play Quidditch with you every Sunday and go to bed with you every night, because that's what makes me feel safe and its what makes me happier than I ever thought I could be. Than I ever thought I deserved to be."

It was at that point that Harry ran out of words, but it didn't matter because Draco was gazing longingly into Harry's hypnotic emerald eyes.

"I had no idea you were such a soppy romantic," he teased, a beautiful smile tugging the corners of his rose lips.

"Neither did I," Harry said playfully, "I do love you though. Nothing is ever going to change that."

"I love you too. I've never known what it felt like to love someone more that myself before, but I know that I'd do anything to make you happy, no matter what that meant for me," Draco said.

"Just promise me one thing," Harry said, inching his way towards Draco's mouth.

"Anything," Draco said quietly, almost vulnerably, very aware of Harry's sweet breath mingling with his own.

"Stay with me," Harry said, before covering Draco's lips with his own, not realising until he said it, how much he needed his wish to be granted.

About an hour later they were at the party in Hogsmeade, no longer feeling ridiculous in their outfits as they looked around the crowded room. To say it was a bit of a culture shock for Harry would have been the understatement of the century.

Growing up with the Dursley's, Harry had never been to a party, nor had one of his own, not even when he was a little kid. Dudley of course had had the most extravagant expensive children's parties in the neighbourhood, but Harry had either had to endure listening everyone else having fun whist locked in the cupboard under the stairs, or was forced to spend the day round Mrs Figg's. It was difficult for Harry to say which state of affairs he loathed the most.

This party however, was nothing like he imagined a birthday party to be like. This was a seriously swinging part-ay!

The two large rooms hidden at the back of the Three Broomsticks, designed specifically for these private functions, was packed, though not uncomfortably so, with people dressed in some of the strangest outfits Harry had ever seen, and that included those he had witnessed at the Quidditch World Cup two years ago. To name a few of the absurdities, there was a short, slim man, probably about twenty-two years old, covered from head to toe in black and white stripes, including painted face and hair. He was wearing a spandex suit that left very little to the imagination around the groin area. The only thing Harry could guess was that he had come as a zebra crossing with an erection.

In his distraction, looking at the array of costumed wizards, Harry had failed to notice that Draco had slipped off and come back again, only now carrying two glasses of a drink that could have passed for water were it not emitting a dense purple steam.

"What's this supposed to be?" Harry asked dubiously taking the cold glass from Draco.

"Amethyst Reverie," Draco said before taking a sip of his identical drink. Unlike Harry, Draco seemed perfectly at ease in a party scenario, although that was hardly surprising Harry reminded himself. Draco had probably been exposed to large parties from a very young age, whether he liked it or not.

"And what does that mean?" Harry asked, still looking hesitantly at his drink.

"Literally?" Draco said with a raised eyebrow and a smirk, "Purple Dream."

"Very helpful," Harry replied sarcastically, "I mean what's in it."

"Vodka, and after that who much cares? Just try it, its not that strong I swear."

Harry sighed and took a large sip of the drink, only to be hit with the unfamiliar burning of alcohol mixed with a tangy fruity taste. He coughed at the unexpected piquancy of alcohol making Draco laugh.

"You said it wasn't strong!" Harry spluttered.

"What can I say?" Draco replied smiling evilly, "I lied."

Draco was saved the wrath of Harry Potter as Oliver Wood meandered his way across the room to welcome them.

"Alright there Harry!" Wood greeted, "Draco, nice hat."

"Hi Wood," Draco said, "and what are you supposed to be?" he asked with sarcastic nicety, whilst trying not to smirk.

Wood pulled an immediate face of disgust at being reminded of the cheesy pirates outfit he was wearing, complete with eye patch and even a live parrot that seemed to enjoy biting his ear.

"Meghan made me wear it," he said, obviously disgruntled, "this whole fancy dress thing was her idea, I was quite happy with some loud music and a lot of booze, but nooooooooo, she had to go and make this a 'fun' experience. It's not all bad though, she said that if I wear this and at least act like I'm enjoying myself then she'll..." Wood luckily caught himself mid ramble before it was too late, but unfortunately not before Harry and Draco were flooded with images of what he was about to say, "umm, okay maybe that's not something I should be telling you. I must've had too much to drink already."

At this point, Wood noticed the fuming drinks in both the boy's hands.

"Speaking of drink, I hope you two aren't planning to get drunk, because its me Dumbledore will take it out on if you both go back to school intoxicated with alcohol."

"Yes Professor," Harry said rolling his eyes, "Don't worry about us, we'll behave."

"You'd better, I remember one time when I was your age, Percy managed to sneak a bottle of Firewhiskey up to the dorm rooms and... okay I really need to stop telling you things like this. I sometimes forget I'm a respectable school teacher now."

This time Draco made no effort to keep himself from laughing, and it wasn't long before both Harry and Wood were smiling as well.

"Okay, well I'd better go mingle or else Meg'll kill me. She'll probably come and say hi to you at some point, the dutiful hostess that she is. You can't miss her, she's dressed as an ancient Egyptian princess, with incredible long black hair, gold jewellery and is, without a doubt, the most gorgeous woman in the room, but I uh, guess she's not your type," he added with a wink, "She can also talk for England, I hardly get a work in edgeways sometimes, so beware."

"I seriously doubt that," Harry said when Wood was out of earshot.

"The man can certainly talk, I'll give you that," Draco said in agreement, "Come on, lets have a look around, we have to leave by ten thirty anyway."

"How come?" Harry asked as Draco took his hand and led him into the party.

"The ritual," Draco said, "unless you're having second thoughts? We don't have to do it, it's entirely up to you."

"Draco, I've already told you I want to do this. I just didn't realise that we'd have to leave so early that's all," Harry reassured.

"Well that's because I've got a little surprise planned for you," Draco said, smiling enigmatically.

"A surprise?" Harry repeated sounding intrigued, like a little boy who had just been told there was a present waiting for him in the next room, "What is it?"

"What sort of brainless question is that Potter?" Draco said in disbelief, "It's a surprise you idiot, the optimum word being surprise? I'm not going to tell you what it is!"

Harry grinned idiotically making Draco shake his head in defeat.

"You're unbelievable," he said, and then leaned in to whisper in Harry's ear, "and in more ways than one."

Harry blushed against his will and pulled Draco deeper into the sea of costumes and decorations, determined to enjoy tonight for all its worth. It wasn't often he got to completely relax, and never did he get to relax out in the open with Draco by his side.