Disclaimer: Not mine. JKR's. 

A/N: This is my first fic. Flame it if u want, but don't be 

too hard on me please, I know how bad it is! Also, contains 

homosexual references. If you are offended by anything 

like that please don't read any further. 
 


	Draco Malfoy sighed. Another school year starting. 

Another year of studying and being unpleasant to the 

Gryffindors. At least it would be his last. With the Dark 

Lord now rampaging through the country trying to gain 

total power, and his father's assurances of his greatness 

when the Dark Lord was in full power, Draco Malfoy 

should have been on top of the world. 

	But he wasn't. He was fed up with the whole Dark 

Arts thing. At first he had been delighted at the return of 

the Dark Lord, assured of his safety and position as the son 

of one of the most prominent Death Eaters. But then he had 

seen the slaughter and the terror when the Dark Lord 

attacked their village only a week into the holidays. He had 

understood why the other witches and wizards were so 

terrified of Voldemort. His power was amazing, and 

horrifying. He had seen people he'd grown up with 

slaughtered for no reason other than that they didn't 

support the Dark Arts. His own mother had been one of the 

dead. The one person in the world who had loved him, as 

his father sure didn't, he just viewed Draco as a thing, a 

tool for securing the destiny of the Malfoy family. His 

mother died as she tried to shield her friends. 

	Draco shuddered at the memory of her lying there, 

face a mask of terror, stiff and cold. That one incident had 

made him re-value his principles, determined never to have 

anything more to do with the Dark Arts. And there was also 

one other thing, the piece de resistance of a wonderful 

summer. Because during the summer the unthinkable had 

happened. Draco Malfoy had discovered he was in love. 

That wasn't the worst thing. It was the object of his 

affections that was the problem. Because Draco Malfoy 

was in love with none other than Harry Potter. That slimy 

untidy little geek who had been his enemy for five 

years....and who had gorgeous green eyes. 

	Malfoy swore and punched his pillow. While he'd 

had hardly any doubts about his sexuality, apart from a 

brief relationship with Pansy Parkinson to try and keep his 

dad happy, why did it have to be Harry Potter! Of course, 

being a Slytherin it would be unheard of to have a 

relationship of any kind with a Gryffindor, and being a 

Malfoy it would be absolutely unthinkable to try anything 

with Harry Potter. The Harry Potter who had caused the 

downfall of the Dark Lord nearly eighteen years ago. The 

Harry Potter who was the Dark Lord's nemesis, and who 

the Dark Lord would almost certainly vanquish. The Harry 

Potter who had a cute boyish face, a lovely smile, a waif-

like body and amazing green eyes. Malfoy sighed. He 

couldn't very well go on being generally unpleasant to him 

now, and he would be disowned by all his friends and 

family if he did anything else. But maybe it was worth a 

try...
 
 

	Later on Malfoy was sat in his usual compartment 

near the front of the Hogwarts Express. He had lain his 

head against the cool window and was lost in thought, not 

even noticing his cronies Vincent Crabbe and Gregory 

Goyle lumbering into the carriage. He was woken from his 

thoughts by Goyle poking his arm. 

	"What!" he snapped irritably. 

	"Just wondering when we were gonna go piss off 

Potter," mumbled Goyle. Potter. Just the sound of that 

name made his stomach lurch. Did he really want to see 

him? Well, of course he did, but they would all think he 

was coming down with something if he started acting nice. 

But maybe it was worth it just to see him....no. 

	"You two go, I'll stay here," he replied. 

	"Why?" asked Crabbe. 

	"Do I have to justify everything I do to you!" Draco 

snapped. "I've just had a really rough summer, and I didn't 

sleep much last night, I'm going to sleep. You two do what 

you want!" Crabbe and Goyle exchanged confused glances 

and lurched out. Malfoy turned once again to the window 

and fell asleep. 
 
 
 

	Draco was extremely quiet during the Sorting 

Ceremony and feast, not eating much and 

stealing glances at the Gryffindor table. Harry seemed to be 

having fun with his friends, laughing and joking with them 

all. He'd give anything to be his friend. But because he was 

a Malfoy, that would never do. 

	"What's the matter, Malfoy?" screeched Pansy. 

"Are you ill or something? You're not eating!"

	"I didn't have a very good summer, and I'm not in a 

good mood, so just leave me alone!" Malfoy stormed off to 

his dorm, evoking surprised looks from the Slytherins. He 

needed to speak to someone, which was going to be 

difficult seeing as his mother, who had always been his 

advisor, was dead. 

Harry, meanwhile, had been surprised when Crabbe 

and Goyle had turned up alone in their carriage, and, 

without Malfoy to actually sling out the insults, had just 

cracked their knuckles and walked off. And he had been 

surprised to see Malfoy run out of the Great Hall like that. 

But he didn't really take any notice, and had laughed at 

Ron's jokey suggestion that Malfoy was developing a 

conscience. He had spent his summer with Ron and 

Hermione at the Burrow, had got together with and split up 

with Cho, who had now moved on to Seamus Finnigan. 

And Harry had found that he didn't really care about it, 

which had surprised him somewhat. But then he'd found 

out that going out with Cho wasn't really all it was cracked 

up to be. Her brother was far more interesting than her.  

	"Malfoy was giving you some really strange looks 

earlier," remarked Hermione when they were going back to 

the common room. 

	"Yeah, but Malfoy is really strange!" laughed Ron, 

and he and Harry ran on ahead fighting each other.

	"Boys!" muttered Hermione. Her bag got caught on 

something and she found herself pulled back. 

	"Hermione," came a low voice behind her. She spun 

round - and came face to face with Malfoy. 

	"What the hell do you want!" she hissed. He'd 

called her by her first name. Weird. 

	"Hey, don't be like that, I need to talk to you!" 

protested Malfoy as she prepared to walk off. 

	"Not interested."

	"It's about Harry."

	"I don't care, and I don't want to hear about what 

plot..."

	"I love him."

	"What?!" Hermione dropped her bag in amazement. 

"Malfoy, what kind of sick joke is this!"

	"It's no joke, Hermione," Draco sighed, running a 

hand through his pale blond hair. "Things...happened this 

summer, it made me reassess my life." He broke off as a 

group of Ravenclaws walked by. "Look, we can't talk here. 

Can you meet me tonight at the astronomy tower? Please?" 

Hermione thought about giving him a snappy answer and 

walking off, but a second glance at him stopped her. 

Instead of the arrogant, self-centred, mean spirited boy they 

knew, she saw a world-weary, lonely, vulnerable, lost 

young man. "OK, I'll meet you at one. See you then."

 
 
	At one o'clock Hermione arrived at the astronomy 

tower. Draco was leaning against the wall staring at the 

stars. She felt pity for him. He looked so lonely. 

	"Draco..." she started, then stopped. Had she really 

called him Draco? But then again, he wanted to talk to her, 

it was only fair to be civil. He turned to her and grinned. 

	"Look at the stars. There's my constellation. Draco. 

The dragon."

	"Draco, I don't think you got me all the way up here 

to talk about stars," replied Hermione, sitting on the ground 

beside him and gesturing for him to sit, which he did. 

  	"You're right. I came to talk about Harry, among 

other things." He sighed heavily, ran his hand through his 

silver-blond hair and stared at the stars for a moment. "I've 

always known I was gay. My mum was the only other 

person who knew. I know my dad wouldn't approve, he's 

seriously homophobic, which is why I went out with Pansy. 

Anyway, just recently, I found myself fancying Harry. At 

first I didn't really know why. I mean, he's skinny, he's a 

bit short and that scar is simply ugly. But he's friendly, he's 

honest, he's heroic, he's....everything I want to be. And 

those eyes, they're so beautiful. And it hurts because I can't 

have him. Dammit, I don't even know if he's gay! And he 

certainly wouldn't want me, no-one does." Hermione was 

surprised and touched by all this. She felt she could 

understand him now, and realised that under all the bravado 

and pretence Draco Malfoy was actually a really nice, 

lonely guy. Pity washed over her as she stared at the forlorn 

looking young man beside her. 

  	"I don't mean to sound insensitive, Draco, but why 

are you telling me this? I mean, we don't exactly get 

along."

	"Well, you seemed the obvious choice, the one most 

likely to listen to me. I can't tell Harry obviously, and 

Weasley would hit me rather than talk to me. And I've got 

no real friends among the Slytherins, just acquaintances 

and children of my dad's Death Eater friends. And I don't 

really want to associate with them anymore. Not after..." 

He broke off and looked away. 

	"I know. I heard. Draco, I'm sorry." They sat in 

silence for a while. Then: "He thinks he's bi."

	"Eh?"

	"Harry. He thinks he's bi. He says the real reason 

he'd split up with Cho was because he didn't really want a 

woman, and he'd fancied her brother."

	"Yeah, but he'd still not want me."

	"You said he's everything you want to be. So why 

don't you change?"

	"I want to. But I think the other Slytherins already 

think I've changed too much. And... I'm scared. Scared of 

my dad."

	"Harry wouldn't be. And if you don't, then you'll 

have no chance with him." They sat up talking about Harry, 

Narcissa and other things until dawn, when they quietly 

crept back to their dorms, Hermione promising to put in a 

good word with her friends so they could try and accept 

him. 
 
 

The next day Draco woke tired but happier than he 

had been in ages. He'd been amazed at how easy it had 

been to talk to Hermione. He really needed friends like that. 

He resolved to change for the better, to change into 

someone Harry could love. All through breakfast all he 

could do was look at Harry and think about how much 

happier he would be with him. Just then his eagle owl 

glided down to his place, dropping a letter. It read: 

 
Draco,
We have finalised the plot to bring down Potter. We need 

you to befriend him and lure him into the Forbidden Forest 

at midnight on Halloween. We will be waiting to deliver 

him to the Dark Lord there. I'm counting on you, Draco.


                                                         Lucius. 
 
 

	Draco's stomach turned. He couldn't believe it! He 

had to warn Harry somehow, but there was always the 

chance Harry wouldn't believe him. But maybe this was 

what would bring them together. Maybe he would have a 

chance to talk to him in Potions. He glanced at the letter 

again. 


Shows how much I mean to him, he only wants me as a 

tool for the plot, he couldn't even sign the letter 'dad', he 

thought. He made up his mind to assist Harry in his quest 

against Voldemort. 


 
 
 
    In Potions, Snape had placed Harry and Draco together 

to make up a sleeping draught. They were both 

apprehensive, and Harry was thrown when, instead of 

making snide remarks and sneering, Draco actually smiled 

and started chatting to him in a friendly way. 

	"What's going on, Malfoy," demanded Harry 

halfway through the lesson. "I mean, you're being nice. 

The Malfoy I know doesn't do nice." Draco gave him a 

little half-smile. God, he's beautiful, he thought. If only he 

knew what I feel. 

	"Well, Potter," Malfoy smiled, "I just thought it was 

time to bury the hatchet is all." Harry snorted. 

	"Yeah right. You don't do anything unless there's 

something in it for you." This made Draco smile. Had he 

really been so self-centred? And anyway, it did have 

something in it for him. 

The chance to be with the one he loved. 

	"Look, Harry, I need to talk to you, okay? Can you 

meet me this afternoon, you don't have any lessons this 

afternoon, do you?" Harry shook his head, stunned by 

Draco calling him by his first name. "Can you meet me by 

the Quidditch stadium?"

	"And why would I do that?" Draco rolled his eyes. 

	"Look, just trust me, ok? There's something I really 

need to tell you!"

	"What, are you going to tell me you love me or 

something?" Harry laughed. Something in Draco's body 

language made him stop. He'd gone quiet, his face 

carefully blank, and was stirring the cauldron awkwardly. 

"Look, I trust you, ok? I'll come and meet you at twelve."

	"Ok. See you then."
 
 

	At the end of the lesson, Harry rushed out. He'd 

been thinking ever since that exchange with Draco, 

puzzling over why he wanted to talk to him, why he was 

suddenly being so friendly. Was he in love with him? Harry 

thought that it was plausible, especially the way he'd been 

looking at him recently, and the way he'd gone quiet 

earlier. And Harry was surprised to find that he wasn't 

repelled at the idea. Obviously, he'd been attracted to men 

before, like Cho's brother, but he'd never done anything 

about it. And Draco was very attractive. But was he 

attracted to him? He was jerked from his thoughts by the 

sight of Ron falling down the stairs as he tripped over 

Neville's trailing bag. He joined in the laughter with the 

others, thoughts of 

Draco flying from his mind. 
 


	Meanwhile, Draco had grabbed Hermione at the end 

of the lesson and they were walking slowly down the 

corridor together. 

	"What am I gonna do, Hermione? I said I wanted to 

talk to him, and he said, 'what, are you gonna say you're in 

love with me?' and started laughing. He won't like me!" 

Draco whined. 

	"Why don't you just tell him how you feel?"

	"I can't!"

	"Why not?"

	"I...don't know, I just....can't!"
 
 
 

	Draco made his way over to the Quidditch field at 

twelve, butterflies in his stomach. He'd have to tell Harry 

something about the plot obviously, but he didn't know 

how to phrase that without it sounding that he wanted to be 

his friend to lure him into the trap. He saw Harry waiting 

impatiently at the side of the stadium, with Ron. Dammit, 

why didn't I tell him to come alone.

	"What do you want then, Malfoy?" demanded Ron. 

	"Er, well, I wanted a word with Harry. Alone, if 

that's ok with you, Ron."

	"No, it bloody well...."

	"It's ok, Ron, wait for me at Hagrid's."

	"What? And leave you alone with that slimy..."

	"I said it's ok, Ron!" Ron stormed off, surprised at 

Harry's sharp tone. "So, Malfoy, what do you want to talk 

about?"

	"Well, a number of things, really. First, my dad and 

Voldemort are plotting against you."

	"Well, that's nothing new, and I'm really not 

interested..."

	"No, listen to me! They want me to lead you to the 

Forest at midnight on Halloween."

	"So that's why you were being so nice to me!"

	"No, that's not it, I don't want to do it!"

	"You don't?" Harry was amazed. He'd thought that 

there was nothing Malfoy would rather do than hand him 

over to Voldemort and have all the glory, and said so. 

"Why not?"

	"I suppose you heard about my mum." Harry 

nodded. It had been splashed all over the Daily Prophet. 

"Well, when the attack happened, well, it made me reassess 

my view of the world. I decided I didn't want to be part of 

the Dark Arts anymore. And I'm scared to tell my dad." He 

paused. Harry was giving him a strange look. Was it 

concern? Pity? Or just plain disbelief? "I also had a chat 

with Hermione last night. I need friends, Harry, I don't 

have any real friends and when I was talking to her, I found 

it helped. I'd like to be friends with you guys."

	"Well, don't think Ron would be too happy with 

that," smirked Harry. Draco laughed. 

	"No, I don't think he likes me very much."

	"Why are you telling me all this, Draco?" Draco 

hesitated. Then, without realising quite what he was doing, 

he kissed Harry. Harry was shocked at first, but made no 

effort to pull away. It felt...strange. Nice. Suddenly, Draco 

pulled away, a panicky look in his eyes. 

	"Harry, I'm so, so sorry, I don't know what came 

over me, I...forget I was here!" And he ran off, leaving 

Harry staring after him, dazed but....happy? 

	"Draco, wait!" But Draco was already out of 

earshot, running back towards the castle. 
 
 

	"Hermione!" Draco ran up to her as she was going 

up the stairs to the library. 

	"Draco! How did it go?"

	"Well....I don't know actually. We were talking. 

Then I kissed him."

	"And?"

	"Then I pulled away and ran back here."

	"Draco, you idiot! What was his reaction?"

	"Well, he didn't pull away...."

	"Then that's a good sign! He might like you!"

	"Yeah right. He was probably too repulsed to 

move." Hermione shook her head. Draco really did have a 

pessimistic attitude. No wonder, with his dad being what he 

was. 

	"Look, I'll go and talk to him. Try and find out what 

he thinks."

	"Thanks, Hermione!" Draco hugged her. "You're a 

great friend. I can call you a friend now, can't I?" 

	"Of course!" Draco let go of her as a group of 

Hufflepuffs walked past, and stalked back to the Slytherin 

common room. 
 


	Later that evening, Hermione was sitting reading by 

the common room fire when Harry and 

Ron walked in. 

	"I still can't believe that," Ron said as they walked 

to their seats and sat down. 

	"Believe what?" asked Hermione. 

	"Harry. He told me that he thinks he fancies 

Malfoy! I mean, why Malfoy?"

	"Ron, he's changed. He's a lot nicer now. And he's 

really sexy!" protested Harry. 

	"I agree with Harry, Ron," admitted Hermione. 

"Draco and I had a talk the other day. He told me 

everything. He's really lonely at the moment, and scared. 

Just like Harry used to be before he met us, actually. And 

yes, he is quite sexy!"

	"He talked to you?" demanded Ron. "Why you and 

not me!"

	"Well maybe because you'd hit him rather than 

speak to him?"

	"Well...maybe, yeah, but...." 

	"But nothing, Ron. He's changed and wants to be 

our friend. I want you to accept him."

Ron mumbled his agreement, stating he'd rather see the 

change first before he believed it. 

	"I'm going to find him," announced Harry. 

	"Why?" asked Ron. 

	"Why do you think?" Harry grinned and strode out. 

	Draco was walking the corridors trying to 

remember the way to the Gryffindor common room when 

he saw Harry walking towards him. 

	"Hey, Harry!" he called, running towards him. 

	"Hi, Draco, I was just coming to find you. Um, can 

we go outside and talk?"

	"Yeah, sure." 

	They were walking in the grounds for about an 

hour, talking, sorting everything out. Harry had decided 

that Malfoy really had changed for the better and found that 

he couldn't keep his eyes off him. Draco had found the 

same, and after an hour Harry had asked Draco out. Draco 

had accepted of course, and when they kissed they both felt 

ecstatic, and that nothing else mattered. 

 
 

	The next few weeks passed in a blur. Draco had 

been officially shunned by the Slytherins, they all refused 

to talk to him. After an initial period of confusion and 

distrust, he had been accepted by the Gryffindors and now 

spent most evenings there with Harry, Ron and Hermione. 

Even Ron found out he had loads in common with Draco, 

and were often plotting practical jokes to play on the 

others. 

	The morning of Halloween arrived, and all through 

the day all they could talk about was the feast. Draco 

however was feeling uneasy. Today was the day that he 

was supposed to hand Harry over to the Dark Lord. Like 

hell he'd give Harry up! 

	"Harry," he said when they were all gathered in the 

Great Hall for the feast. "Today was the day I was 

supposed to hand you over to Voldemort!"

	"Well you're not going to, are you?"

	"Well, no, but Harry, my dad doesn't give up 

easily!"

	"Sweetheart, you worry too much!" Harry laughed, 

kissing him. "Voldemort's hardly going to come in here, is 

he? It's too well protected, and anyway he's scared of 

Dumbledore." Draco agreed, but couldn't shake off the 

feeling of unease he was feeling. He became more and 

more nervous as midnight approached. When midnight 

struck and nothing happened, he started to relax a bit. But 

then, at ten past, a flash of light flared out through the Hall 

and Voldemort, surrounded by Death Eaters, appeared. 

Students screamed. 

	"Where is he, Lucius?" snarled Voldemort, turning 

his snake eyes on the Death Eater. 

	"I...don't know, Master. He's not at the Slytherin 

table..."

	"I'm here, Father," drawled Draco, stepping out to 

face his father. 

	"Boy, why did you fail to turn up?" demanded 

Voldemort. 

	"He forgot, Master, I'm sure..." began Lucius. 

	"Shut up! He can answer for himself! Well then, 

why?"

	"Because I didn't want to," replied Draco, staring 

Voldemort down and appearing far braver than he felt. 

	"Boy, you disobeyed an order, and now you will 

pay." Draco shuddered and shut his eyes. 

Voldemort raised his wand....

	"Stop!" shouted Harry, striding forward. "I won't let 

you do it. I'm the one you really want, leave him alone!"

	"Ah, Potter! This does get interesting! Well, you 

can watch your friend die. Or maybe I'll just torture you 

both first!" Voldemort raised his wand and pointed it at 

Harry. "Crucio!" Draco pushed Harry out of the way and 

took the curse. His screams were terrible to hear. Finally 

Harry couldn't bear it any longer and raised his wand. 

	"Avada Kedavra!" His wasn't the only voice that 

sounded; Ron, Hermione and Dumbledore had said the 

curse at exactly the same time. The curses hit Voldemort, 

who disappeared in a blinding green flash and a scream. 

Draco slumped to the floor as the curse was let up. Harry 

ran over to him. 

	"Draco, are you ok?"

	"I'll live, Harry," gasped Draco. 

	"Why did you push me out of the way?"

	"You're more powerful than any of us, you're the 

only one who could defeat him. And I couldn't let you get 

hurt. I love you."

	"I love you too," whispered Harry tenderly, as 

Draco passed out. A cold, high pitched laughter sounded 

throughout the Hall. Someone screamed. Harry turned 

round. The spirit of Voldemort was floating in front of him. 

	"How touching! Pity I have to kill you both really!"

	"What? How?" whispered Hermione. 

	"Stupid girl! You realise you can't kill something 

that's immortal! You can just....incapacitate them for a 

while!"

	"We'll see about that," muttered Dumbledore. 

	"Ah Albus!" Voldemort grinned. "So nice to see 

you again! Take him down!" But the Death Eaters couldn't 

move. Dumbledore smiled. He raised his wand, muttered 

something and the Death Eaters disappeared. 

	"Harry, I'll need your help. Remember what we've 

been practising." Harry nodded and picked up his wand. 

They muttered something in an obscure language even 

Hermione couldn't understand. Voldemort screamed as his 

spirit imploded, breaking up into its native atoms. 

Dumbledore smiled at the students, who'd started cheering. 

	"How did you do that?" demanded Hermione. 

"What was it?"

	"It was something the Ministry have been working 

on for two years. It's a spell that totally destroys a spirit," 

explained Dumbledore. "It means that we will be having no 

more trouble from Voldemort."
 

	At the end of the school year, Harry, Draco, 

Hermione and Ron graduated with top marks. "So what's 

everyone going to do?" asked Hermione as they sat on the 

train taking them home. 

	"Me and Harry are going to move in together," 

announced Draco. "I've got a job with the Ministry, 

training to be a hit wizard. It's quite exciting."

	"I've been offered a trial with the Chudley 

Cannons," announced Harry. "Trials are next week, and I'll 

learn if I make the team next month."

	"I'm trying out for keeper," announced Ron. 

"Although I probably won't get anywhere. And if that falls 

through, my dad's always got a place on his department for 

me. How bout you, Herm?"

	"I'm going to train to be a teacher," she replied. "I 

couldn't be anything else really, could I? I'm going to teach 

Arithmancy. Oh, and me and Ron are moving into the 

apartment opposite yours, Harry. Got to keep an eye on 

you, haven't we?" Harry grinned. He was happy, truly 

happy, and looking forward to the start of his adult life. 

	"School's been pretty good, on the whole," he 

mused. 

	"Apart from Voldemort trying to kill me every year, 

I mean. But I found some great friends here, discovered 

Quidditch and fell in love." He squeezed Draco's hand. 

	"By the way, Ron," stated Draco, "when are you 

and Hermione going to get together?"

	"What? But I don't..." they started together, and 

looked at each other and blushed. 

	"Well, maybe I do," admitted Ron, flushing as red 

as his hair. 

	"Yeah, me too," admitted Hermione, blushing 

furiously. They leaned over and kissed each other. 

	"Finally!" sighed Harry and Draco, smiling. 

	The four of them felt a pang of regret as they 

disembarked from the train. They were a bit sad about 

leaving behind Hogwarts and their friends, and a few tears 

were shed as they said goodbye, promising to keep in touch 

with just about everybody. 

	"I'm gonna miss all this," sighed Harry as they got 

into a cab to their new apartment block. 

	"Me too," admitted Ron. "And we can't really say 

life was dull at school. I wonder what adventures face us in 

the years ahead?"

	"Who can say," murmured Hermione. "But I don't 

think it will be any less exciting than the past."

 
The End