Inspired by your shoe laces
“Sometimes… pant… I wish…pant… that...” Draco Malfoy bent over, putting his hands shakily on his hips, and glared from under his sweaty headband. “That…pant …Weasley finished…you off.”
“Come on, Draco!” Blaise smirked, dropping into a lunge. “Exercise never hurt anyone!”
“Believe me, it hurts on your fifth frickin' jog around Hogwarts! Bloody hell, Goyle isn’t even moving!”
Blaise glanced quickly at where Goyle lay on his stomach at their feet. “He’s just resting, Draco! I’m sure he’ll be… kind of fine… um, yeah, better move him onto his back… don’t want the poor slob to smother himself to death.”
Draco and Blaise rolled the very tired and sweat stained Goyle onto his back. Draco fell tiredly next to the boy, using his rather large stomach as a human cushion.
“What is up with you and this exercise craze, anyway? You were only released from hospital yesterday!” Draco asked, still puffing.
“Well, it seems to me that everyone has forgotten about our very important gig in a couple of weeks! What, with this ‘civil war’ going on at Hogwarts, you prats have forgotten it!”
“We didn’t forget,” huffed Draco. “We just had more important things on our minds, like you being blind!”
Blaise started to stretch on the spot. “That was the past, Draco! I want us all to be in shape for the talent scouts!”
“You were released yesterday! How is that the past!”
“Oh, shh, Draco!”
“Why do Pansy and Potter get out of exercise hell, anyway!”
“You think you could call him Harry. You did shag him!”
“Really?” said Draco, angrily. “You think I would remember!”
“Stop being stupid, I bet it was the best night of both your young lives. Anyway, what were we talking about? Oh, right. Pansy doesn’t have to exercise because she is the manager and every one knows the chubbier the manager the better the band, and Harry doesn’t have to because he is sorting out his differences with the Gryffindors.”
“What! You mean he is actually talking to those jerks! Alone!” Draco asked worriedly.
“Yeah,” Blaise said dropping into a crunch. “It was my idea!”
“Are you insane?” whined Draco.
“Nine out of ten metal health experts seemed to think so, but that’s not the point. Harry needs to be friends with these people. I talked to them as well, they are quite sorry.”
“Blaise! Aren’t you the least bit worried?”
“No, not really,” Blaise said, leaning heavily on his leg. “You’re sounding a bit paranoid though. What did I tell you about magic mushrooms before lunch?”
“Blaise this is serious,” whined Draco, stumbling tiredly to his knees. “They are going to turn Potter against us! Then we won’t have his… fabulous voice!”
“Draco, don’t you think you are overreacting a little bit?”
“This coming from Blaise Exaggerate Zabini!”
“Hey, don’t tease the middle name! That’s been in my family for generations!”
“Don’t get me started on your family!” Draco spat angrily.
“What happened between you and Marius, Draco? One minute you're friends the next you're not!”
“Just leave it, Blaise!” said Draco Malfoy, stomping off toward the castle.
“Where are you going!” shouted Blaise at Draco's retreating figure.
“I’m going to find Ha… Potter!”
0000
Draco was on a mission. He had checked the library and half a dozen other Gryffindor places but still couldn’t find his band member or his band member’s dense friends. Draco liked sneaking about, reminded him of his youth really, sneaking about the manor, stealing things to hoard in his little hoarding cupboard. Like cookies, he had piles of week old cookies. And jars, Draco loved collecting jars, some jars he put little bugs in, other jars he just filled with water. Draco was at peace when he was with his jars.
Just as Draco snuck down the corridor on the 4th floor he heard a noise come from an empty class room. Could this be the missing band member? Or maybe some greater evil...
Draco kicked open the door, it swung open violently. Draco Malfoy threw his nose high it the air, his blond hair catching the light brightening the darkish room.
“I have come to claim what is mine!” He declared.
“Which is? Mister Malfoy?” asked a very angry looking Professor McGonagall.
“Sorry Professor, wrong Gryffindor.” Draco quickly exited. “Okay, wrong red and gold clothed ruffian, maybe the next class room.”
“Malfoy? Are you talking to your self?”
“Potter! What are you doing sitting down there?” asked Draco Malfoy, glancing down at the Boy Wonder, who was sitting all by himself, his back against one of Hogwarts' walls.
“You answered your own question Malfoy, I’m sitting,” Harry said, closing his eyes resentfully.
Draco suddenly became very worried. His mind raced. Harry was angry. Is he angry at me or at the Gryffindors? Why am I feeling so upset because he’s calling me Malfoy? He’s meant to be my friend, so why doesn’t he call me Draco? How long has my mind known him as Harry? He is angry at me? Why? It was those Gryffindors!
Draco bent to his knees and knelt down next to Harry Potter, if he wanted to keep Harry’s… voice from been stolen away by thick Gryffindors, he only had one choice.
“Harry... Are you okay?” Draco asked, anxiousness bleeding into his voice.
Harry Potter opened his green eyes and blinked twice. He looked apprehensively at Malfoy, as if he expected him to ask for something.
Harry sighed. “I’m fine, just a bit angry at Hermione and Ron.”
“Did you talk to them?”
“Yes.”
“You forgave them?”
“Not really, but at least I am talking to them again, I suppose. Hermione thinks we should try to work on our friendship, make it like it was when we were younger.”
“And how does Granger plan to achieve that?” Draco asked, raising an eyebrow.
“She wants to start the DA again. We stopped because our DADA teacher this year is okay. Hermione thinks if we start it up again and open it to everyone we might create some unity between groups of people.”
“Like them and us?” Draco asked, sitting next to Harry.
“Exactly,” Harry groaned, closing his eyes.
“And you don’t agree that us all joining the DA will be a good idea?”
“There are so many things I have to be figuring out right now, I don’t have enough time to teach 1st years how to stun! My first quidditch game of the season is the day after our gig, we have that flashy important person coming to that gig to tell us if we have a future in music, I know I should just relax and see what happens, but I’m a nervous wreck, plus what makes it worse, McGonagall decided to inform me that my marks are dropping, so my future is screwed, I don’t have enough time to become a rock star, or a quidditch player or an Auror!”
“You wanted to be an Auror?” Draco laughed. “You are such a geek.”
“Hey! You’re not helping!”
“Well, may I suggest just taking every thing a bit slower.” Draco smiled. “Who are you playing next week anyway?”
“Hufflepuff.”
“Well, that’s easy, you could beat them with you eyes closed. I am sure your quidditch captain-- it’s that Alicia girl, isn’t it?-- won’t work you too hard. And I bet Granger would love to help you with your studies.”
“That doesn’t leave much time to practise new songs for the band.”
“We'll work it out. Are you free tonight?”
“Yeah.”
“Well, we can have a band meeting to help you work out a time table. I’m good with time tables. When I was younger I had nervous issues.”
Harry laughed for a long time.
“Hey! I can’t help if I was--" He twitched "-- a bit edgy, I lived my entire childhood on a schedule! Breakfast of crumpets and jam always at 8.47!”
Harry couldn’t stop laughing. “You're taking the piss, right?”
“Harry, do I ever take the piss?” Malfoy asked, smirking. He stood and quickly pulled Harry with him. “Come on, let's go see if Blaise has forced Goyle into having a cardiac arrest.”
0000
The week pasted extremely quickly for Harry. Between rushed homework sessions and late quidditch practise Harry hardly saw the band. When he did, they practised non stop, hardly enough time to have a conversation. At the end of the first week, Harry sadly realised he missed his naughty Slytherins and their shocking antics.
“Harry, are you okay?” asked a tentative Hermione. “You seem a bit down.”
“I’m fine,” muttered Harry, rubbing his eyes. It was late Friday night and he and Hermione were going over Potions homework. The Gryffindor common room was filled with bustling Gryffindor, snuggling up with warm blankets or playing a nice game of chess.
“You want to go hang out with the Slytherins don’t you?” Hermione asked, closing her book.
“Of course not,” snapped Harry. Of course his mind was begging for him to be allowed to wander off to the dungeon and have a crazy adventure with the band.
“Harry, don’t lie to me,” Hermione said angrily. She sighed and rubbed her eyes. “I just don’t know what to do any more, I love you like a brother and you know I think that spending all this time with those people isn’t a good idea, but you always seem so happy with them, and so bored with us. I... I think you should go hang out with them, I want you to be happy and even if it’s not with me, I still want you to be happy.”
“Hermione. that’s really nice of you but I honesty don’t want to go. I like doing homework with you.”
“Harry, go!” Hermione said, standing up and collecting her books. “’I like doing homework'... Honestly, I’m not that dumb!”
Harry smiled. “You don’t mind?”
“Not one bit, as long as you’re back by night. Ron gets awfully worried if you’re not in your own bed again.”
0000
“Harry!” cried Blaise Zabini as Harry opened an empty class room door. “How do you always know exactly where we are?”
“Magic,” Harry smirked, jumping onto a desk across from Blaise.
“So the fire breathing-homework-crazy-dragon let you have a night off?” Blaise smiled, strumming ideally at his base.
“Yes, thank god! This week has been hectic! All I want to do is relax with my friends!”
“And you couldn’t do that with Hermione?” Blaise asked quietly picking.
“Only when we don’t have homework due, but I have a potions report I need to hand in next Monday, so every five minutes it’s ‘Harry do your homework!’”
“Sucks to be you,” Blaise laughed.
“So where is every one?” asked Harry glanced round the unused class room.
“Draco and Goyle are having a race,” Blaise said happily.
“A race?” Harry asked.
“Yep, a running race around the school, should be back any minute.”
“And Pansy is...?”
“In the kitchens getting some food,” Blaise said, smiling.
“Doesn’t that defeat the purpose of all the exercise you guy have been doing?”
“Pansy is on a different fitness regime,” explained Blaise, “She’s on an all carbs anti diet.”
“Anti diet?”
“Yep. She has to eat as many potatoes, chips, breads and pastas as she can, in order to gain weight!”
“She wants to gain weight? Why? Aren’t girls always worried about their weight?”
“Well, Pansy doesn’t really know it’s a anti diet. I haven’t gotten round to telling her yet,” Blaise said tensely.
“Blaise! You sneaky little thing! You know she’s going to kick the shit out of you once she finds out.”
“And how will she find out?” Blaise said, smirking.
“What if I tell her?”
“You wouldn’t dare, little man,” Blaise leered.
“Try me,” Harry grinned.
The empty class room’s door opened and in walked Pansy, carrying a large bowl. When she sat next to Harry he saw it was full on cooked potatoes covered in cheese.
“Long time no see,” she said, her mouth still filled with potatoes.
Blaise snorted. He covered his mouth and nose quickly with his hands.
“What are you eating, Pansy?” Harry asked knowing full well it was a part of Blaise’s crazy diet tricks.
“It’s a part of my new diet!” Pansy gushed. “Blaise got me into it; it’s not like those stupid diets where you have to give up carbs, this one uses the carbs to flush all the fat out of your body!”
“Interesting,” Harry mocked. “Why aren’t Blaise and the other boys on it then?”
“I asked the same thing!” said Pansy. “It’s because I have a uterus!”
“What?” asked Harry in shock,
“Blaise told me the uterus cleans out the system when the carbs travel through it,” Pansy said, smiling.
“What would Blaise know about the female uterus? He's as gay as that pink sweater he’s wearing!”
“Hey!” Blaise cried. “I’ll have you know before I started wearing pink sweaters, I spent a lot of time hanging out with the female uterus!”
“You wouldn’t know a fricking uterus if it hit you in the face,” Harry teased.
“If it hit me in the face I would know what it is!”
“Pansy, Blaise was being stupid. You can’t lose weight by sitting on your arse eating potatoes covered in cheese. I don’t even think you need to lose weight, you always look wonderful to me,” said Harry
“BLAISE ZABINI YOU LITTLE FUCKER! I ATE FOUR BAGS OF BLOODY POTATOES!”
0000
“Hey Harry,” mumbled Goyle as he entered the empty class room panting. “Draco isn’t here is he?”
“Nope, congratulations! You won!” Harry smiled throwing a chocolate frog at him.
“I run round the frigging school and all I get is a chocolate frog?” Goyle asked angrily.
“Hey don’t hate the prize, hate the person who invented the game,” Harry said, chewing his own chocolate frog.
“Where is Blaise, anyway?”
“In the kitchen eating four bags of potatoes,” Harry garbled.
“Pansy finally realised his diet was a fake?”
“Yep, quite hilarious.”
“I’m going to go watch, wanna come?”
“Nah, I better wait here to tell Draco, when he turns up where you guys are up to.”
“Your choice. See ya, Harry.”
“Bye, Goyle.”
Harry waited for five minutes eating his way through a bag of chocolate frogs (the entire bag had been the prize, but Harry felt if Goyle really was on a diet an entire bag of chocolate frogs wouldn’t help his goal, plus Harry had missed dinner). The big oak door of the classroom scraped open and in strutted Draco, looking more like he had just walked a runway than ran the entire school.
“Hey, where is everyone,” he asked, taking a seat on the desk next to Harry.
“Pansy found out about the fake diet and is forcing four bags of potatoes down Blaise's throat. Goyle went along with them-- for moral support, of course.”
“Moral support my arse. He went along to try and get some potatoes,” Draco spat good naturedly.
Harry laughed and offered Draco a chocolate frog, which he took gratefully.
“Where have you been anyway?” Harry asked. “Goyle arrived ten minutes ago, and you are hardly in a sweat.”
“I’m sure you would love to see me all sweaty, wouldn’t you Harry,” Malfoy smirked.
“Oh yes, Draco, I’m trembling in my Gryffindor tie,” Harry said sarcastically.
Draco laughed heartily. “I couldn’t be bothered running round the school again, so I sneaked off and broke into Snape's liquor cabinet.”
“You didn’t!”
Draco produced a bottle of gin from his school robes. “I so did.”
“He’ll kick the shit out of you, when he finds out,” Harry warned.
“Well, the only one who knows it was me, is you. So, Harry, will you be telling on me?” Malfoy pouted.
Harry grabbed the bottle off Draco and took a swig. He winced slightly. “It all depends, will you be telling on me?”
Draco laughed and stole the bottle back.
“Ronald, chocolate frogs aren’t the right thing to eat for breakfast!” Hermione said, angrily taking the frog away from Ron.
“Why not, Hermione? They’re full of nutrients!”
Harry rested his head on breakfast table. The sound of Hogwarts eating wasn’t affecting his hangover positively.
“Ron! How do you expect to do well in school if you don’t have the right breakfast?”
“We don’t have any classes today, Hermione! It’s Saturday!”
“So! That’s no reason to be unhealthy!”
“What about Harry? Why aren’t you giving him a hard time? He was up half the night again!”
“At least.” Blaise, who had walked over from the Slytherin table, smiled. “Harry knows the importance of a healthy breakfast.”
Harry mumbled a laugh but kept his forehead on the table.
“Hermione, Ronald,” Blaise said briskly. “I have to borrow Harry for a moment.”
Hermione nodded quickly while she loaded a plate of toast and eggs for Ron. Ron half glared, half pouted as Harry was lead away by Blaise to the Slytherin table.
“My head is sore,” Harry grumbled, leaning on Blaise.
“That’s what you get, sitting with Gryffindors.” Blaise scowled good naturedly.
Blaise sat Harry next to a perfectly groomed Malfoy, who didn’t look hung over at all-- besides a faint shadow under his storm grey eyes. Pansy had a cigarette going; she nodded at Harry. “Long night?” She smirked. Goyle was eating toast looking grumpily at the piles of bacon.
“I have called this band meeting,” began Blaise, “because we are about to do a performance.”
“Yeah, next week,” said Goyle dryly.
“No, right now,” Pansy said happily. She and Blaise had planned something. She pulled miniaturized music instruments out of her bag. “Let’s rock the breakfast tables, boys!”
Draco smirked, Goyle smiled, and Harry felt suddenly worried.
“Wh.. what do you mean right now?” He trembled.
“Surprise performance,” Blaise laughed. “We just up on the table, rock the house's socks off, jump off the table and run like hell from the teachers.”
“What song are we playing?”
“The Muggle one Goyle likes, "Dammit" by Blink 182. Lots of drums and hectic dancing.” Pansy smirked. “What are you wearing under your robe?”
Harry gulped. “An old pair of jeans and a sweater.”
Pansy laughed. “Draco, darling, what are you wearing?”
“It’s the second Saturday of the month, Pansy! You know I always wear leather every second Saturday of the month!”
“Well, Harry, pull off your jeans. I got a pair of leather pants in my bag,” said Pansy.
“Wh…what? Right here? In the middle of the Great Hall?”
“Darling, jump under the table if you're afraid, but be quick. The breakfast rush is almost over.”
Harry shrugged and dived under the table. He grabbed the pants of Pansy and started to undo his jeans.
Sitting in his boxers under the table, Harry suddenly felt horribly vulnerable.
“What’s taking you so long?” hissed Pansy.
“I can’t get the leather pants on,” hissed Harry back to her. “This happened last time.”
“What did you do to get them on last time?” Pansy asked.
“Send Draco down,” Harry gulped.
Suddenly Draco’s blonde head appeared under the table. “Didn’t I tell you to go commando?” He laughed.
The rest of the band waited quietly, trying not to listen to the gasps and tugging sounds coming from their feet.
“Nice weather,” Goyle said stiffly as Harry let out a very loud groan.
“Oh no,” Blaise crooned. “Things can’t get any worse.”
Hermione Granger and Ronald Weasley wandered over to their section of the Slytherin Table trying to find Harry.
“Have you seen Harry?” Hermione asked Pansy stiffly.
“Yes, I’ve seen all of Harry,” Pansy mocked, licking her lips.
Ronald shuddered.
“Do you know where he is at the moment?” Hermione asked angrily.
“I can’t tell you I’m afraid,” Pansy smirked.
“He’s our friend! And we deserve to know where he is at all times!” Ron cried.
“Fine,” Pansy said, still smirking. “Look under the table.”
They both bent down simultaneously.
Harry Potter had Draco Malfoy lying on top of him, Harry’s leather pants half way down his thighs, Draco Malfoy's long pale fingers holding onto the pants. Whether he was pulling them up or down, Ron and Hermione couldn’t tell. Harry and Draco both were very sweaty.
“Just do it, Draco,” Harry was panting in pain. “One swift movement.”
Hermione and Ron quickly stood and returned to their own table.
Harry and Draco slithered from under the table.
“Fun?” asked Blaise, smirking.
“Let's just get this over with, these panst are cutting of my blood circulation,” Harry groaned.
“Are you sure the blood isn’t rushing to one place?” Pansy joked.
“Oh, shut up, let’s get this over with,” Draco ordered.
Harry pulled off his sweater, revealing a white shirt. Blaise who knew about the surprise gig was wearing dark purple leather pants and a black tee shirt. Goyle was wearing baggy jeans and tee as well. Pansy whipped out her wand, quirkly enlarging the guitars and handing them to Blaise, Draco and Harry. Goyle and Blaise cleared the food away so they could all stand on the table, and a big space for the drums. A few Slytherins gave them a couple of weird looks.
They all stood by the table and took a deep breath.
“I introduce us,” Draco said stiffly removing his wand. “See you in detention,” he laughed, before his voice was magiced around the hall.
“Good morning Hogwarts!” His voice rang as he jumped up on the table. “We are Ostentatious by Nature!”
Goyle and Blaise bounced onto the Slytherin table as well. Goyle set up the drums in a wave of a wand. He picked up his sticks and took a seat behind them. The great hall was deadly silent; Harry felt every eye on the band. All the teachers looked quite angry. Besides Dumbledore, who was smiling. Harry jumped onto the table as well.
“We are going to play a song for you all!” Draco Smirked as he stepped over a plate of toast. “Can we have a warm welcome for our very sexy lead singer Harry Potter?”
Quite a few people clapped politely. Professor McGonagall started to march angrily over from the teachers table.
“Thanks Draco.” Harry smirked as well, taking the wand. “Hit it!”
Goyle drums pounded suddenly and loudly around the Hall; Blaise and Draco’s rhythmic beats erupted from their guitars. Faster and faster the music pounded. Harry nodded his head along to the beat a coy smile on his lips.
“It's alright,” he shouted into the wand. “To tell me, what you think about me.”
Draco and Blaise ran down opposite sides of the table, their fingers making magic with their guitars. The Slytherins, thanks to the enthusiastic Pansy, started cheering and making havoc around the table. Hufflepuff also started to make a riot, cheering and clapping.
“I won’t try to argue, or hold it against you,” Harry called passionately.
Goyle was going crazy on the drums. The fast beat of the music echoed around the big hall.
“I know that you’re leaving, you must have your reasons, the seasons are calling and your pictures are falling down,” Harry cried.
Professor McGonagall looked angrily at Harry, trying to get his attention to signal him down from the table.
Draco and Blaise where going off, like complete lunatics. Complete musical genus lunatics. Harry glanced briefly at his friends. Most of the Gryffindors were clapping and cheering as well, but Hermione, it seemed, had fainted. Maybe Harry’s leather tight leather pants didn’t do it for her.
“Well, I guess this is growing up,” Harry cried the song coming to an end. “Well I guess this is growing up!”
Hogwarts erupted with cheers and cat calls, even Dumbledore was clapping.
“Harry Potter!” called Professor McGonagall, over the ruckus.
Harry glanced back at the band “Run!” He shouted. Abandoning their instruments, Ostentatious by Nature jumped off the table and ran toward the exit to escape the wrath of Professor McGonagall.
“Ostentatious by Nature!” screamed Blaise before Goyle and Draco pulled him out the Great Hall door.
0000
Harry sat in Gryffindor common room late Sunday afternoon trying to finish his Potions essay. Hermione refused to help him; she was still a bit shitty about the shock she got under the Slytherin table.
Harry didn’t mind that much though; it was quite nice sitting in his favourite red sweater in front of the warm common room fire. Harry liked being by himself at times. It reminded him of his childhood.
Harry took a long sip of hot chocolate, he smiled as the hot liquid warmed his innards.
Ginny Weasley hastily took a seat beside him. “Harry,” she greeted in a soft tone.
Harry nodded briskly. Ginny and himself hadn’t gotton on very well since they broke up.
“Harry, in the pub, when you and your band played, Zabini said something about you liking someone and you called them ‘the best kisser in the world’, and I was thinking since you have only ever kissed me and Cho, and she turned out to be a disaster...”
“Ginny, what are you on about?” asked Harry, quite angry.
Ginny suddenly launched her self on Harry, kissing him madly. “It's okay, Harry, I still love you too!”
Harry pushed her off harshly.
“I wasn’t singing about you!” He spat.
Ginny was in tears. “Who then?” she asked desperately.
Harry just glared at her.
“It's that bitch Pansy Parkinson, isn’t it?” growled Ginny. “I heard Seamus and Dean talking about how you slept with her, but I didn’t believe it!”
“Don’t say that about her! She’s not a bitch!” Harry yelled.
“You’ve changed, Harry. You used to be so good, you used to be a hero.”
“Maybe I don’t want to be your hero, Ginny!” Harry growled. “You need to get this freakish first year crush out of you mind”
Ginny erupted into tears and ran up the girl’s dormitory.
Harry took a seat again, pretending no one was watching him. It took a couple of minutes before he settled down again.
“Mister Potter,” Professor McGonagall stated, turning up by Harry’s elbow. “It would seem you have been avoiding me.”
Harry spilled hot chocolate down his front. “Of course not, Professor,” Harry gushed.
Professor McGonagall raised an eyebrow. She didn’t quite understand Harry Potter, truth be told. One minute the boy was a Muggle rock star, the next he was a polite young man wearing a sweater.
Harry nervously pushed his glasses higher up his nose.
“I am quite disappointed with your behaviour, Potter. Though Professor Dumbledore doesn’t seem that bothered, there is still the subject of your dropping grades.”
“I have been trying harder, Miss,” Harry said earnestly.
“Yes, well we have a few tests coming up, so they shall tells us if that is true.”
Harry nodded somberly.
“Anyway, Potter, I came to inform you that your friends have been invited to have a cup of tea with the Headmaster.”
“I’ll just go fetch Hermione and Ron then,” Harry said, standing up.
“I meant your other friends, Potter,” said the Professor darkly.
0000
“Salutations Harry. Oh, and good, you brought your friends,” Dumbledore said happily, looking up from reading a thick book at his desk.
Harry sat down, quite accustom to meetings with Dumbledore. The Slytherins, who Harry had brought with him, looked quite afraid. Blaise was staring at one of Dumbledore’s pointy silver objects in a scared disgust, his hands where clasped fearfully on his own bottom.
“Lemon drop?” Dumbledore offered to Goyle, whose hand instantly went to one, before Blaise's hand wacked it away.
“Sorry, Professor Dumbledore, sir, Goyle is on a diet.”
“Diet! Why on earth for? Do you know Buddhists believe the bigger a person the happier they are?”
“Still sir, please tell that to Pansy, not Goyle.”
“Blaise! For the last time, I will not become a fat man for you,” Pansy cried.
Blaise pouted and went back to eyeing Dumbledore’s objects.
Goyle took lemon drop from Dumbledore earning him an eye twinkle.
“Did you have a nice holiday Mr Malfoy?” Dumbledore asked serving tea to every one.
“Yes, sir, it was quite pleasant. Why don’t you get round to hounding us for Death Eater secrets? I know that’s why we are here.”
“Mr. Malfoy, I would never ask you to reveal any type of secrets you might have.”
“Fine, then sir, I admit it! I stole a bottle of gin from Professor Snape!” shouted Draco losing all sanity. “Are you going to lock me up in Azkaban for it!”
“I think I should get to the point of this visit,” Dumbledore said quickly, eyeing Draco with a worried expression.
“Please don’t punish the band, sir,” Blaise pleaded. “It was my idea, punish me,” he added in a slightly seductive air, his eyes still on the pointy object.
“I don’t want to punish any of you,” Dumbledore said hastily. “I wanted to tell you how very pleased I was by your performance. I think your band might create a bit of unity between our houses. I haven’t seen such a ruckus among the houses since 1953. I heard two Hufflepuff and Slytherin students yesterday discussing Muggle music.”
“Who was the traitor who spoke to a Hufflepuff? I’ll kill them!” Pansy said piously. “Ahh, only joking,” she said, noticing the looks of horror.
“Sir, we have a very important show next week. It’s at the Hogs Head. We need your permission to go,” Harry asked beggingly.
“That’s no good,” said Dumbledore. “I was banned from the Hog's Head for indecent exposure. You better try to see if you can switch it so you can perform at school, I am sure the students will enjoy that.”
“That would be great! Thank you sir!”
“Just one thing Harry, I also quite enjoy Muggle music and was wondering if you could play a song for me.”
“Sure thing Professor, what song is it?”
“'Superstar' by the Carpenters.”
“The Carpenters?” Harry asked, his face dropping.
0000
“How are we meant to portray anti-conformism and all things to do with anarchy if we play Carpenter songs?” Draco spat as they exited Dumbledore’s office ten minutes later.
“Aren’t we meant to portray happiness and love?” asked Goyle.
“I thought we were portraying happiness and the freedom to love,” Harry said earnestly.
“That weird, I always we thought we were portraying the happiness one gets when they play round with a funnel.”
“Blaise! What did I say about stealing funnels form the potions lab?” Pansy scowled angrily. “You never know where Snapes put them!”
“Ew! Teachers indulging in sexual actives! Yuk!” cried Draco, clapping his hands over his ears.
“I don’t know,” said Blaise with a glazed sort of look. “Some teachers I wouldn’t mind indulging with.”
Harry remembered the look Blaise was giving Dumbledore’s objects and shuddered in disgust.
“Who cares anyway, I kind of like the Carpenters,” said Goyle heading toward the Great Hall for dinner. “They make me happy on the inside.”
“She starved her self to death, are you still happy?” asked Draco sourly.
“Well, still happy and kind of hungry.”
0000
“Harry, I need a word with you,” Pansy smirked to Harry during a Magical Creature’s class on Monday. She ignored Hermione and Ron as usual.
“Always a pleasure, Pansy,” Harry smiled. Hagrid had taken Dean Thomas to the Hospital Wing, because the legless Leprechaun they where trying to subdue had bitten off his finger. Leprechaun, Dean and Hagrid had disappeared to the hospital wing to try and recover the absent finger from the Leprechaun’s belly.
“Darling, you must have noticed since the last performance, our personal lives have become quite…. observed.”
Harry nodded. He caught Colin Creevy watching him shower that very morning.
“Yes, people have been a bit more fascinated in us lately,” Harry said shrugging. “It’s not that different from normal.”
“Maybe for you it’s the same, Harry, but Blaise was nearly raped yesterday!”
“What?’ Harry cried. “Is he okay? I saw him at breakfast!”
“Don’t worry Harry, he is quite alright; he raped Terry Boot back so there no harm done. But Draco-- he’s had twelve marriage proposals. Not good for his ego.”
Harry glanced over to Draco, who, by the looks of it, was desperately trying to get away from Lavender Brown.
“Goyle is being stalked, and Harry, in the Girl's Bathroom before class, I heard Ginny Weasley tell a group of girls about yours and mine little adventure.”
“What did she say?”
“How I had tricked you into believing you're in love with me.”
“I don’t love you!” Harry said shocked glancing over Pansy shoulder to see if Lavender had backed off.
“Way to make a girl feel appreciated,” Pansy growled.
“Well, I do love you, Pansy, just not like that!”
“Off course Harry, I love you as well, but not like that. I know it was Blaise’s crazy idea for you to sing to someone and I think it has worked, all girls can talk about your secret lover. Most think it's me, I’ll clear that up some how.”
“But wouldn’t it be better if I was single?”
“No, its better if girls think you are in love.”
“Why?”
“Because they will think you love them; secretly you’re pinning over them.”
“No one is dumb enough to believe you can fall for some one with out even talking to them...”
“You don’t understand girls, Harry. They suck up romantic crap like Dementors do happiness.”
“So are you worried about the stalking and stuff?” Harry asked, concerned.
“Nah!” Pansy said. “Its good advertising.”
Harry laughed, until they saw Lavender kneel down on one knee. “Honestly!” he declared storming over to the frightened Draco and love declaring Lavender. Harry dragged her away by your long blonde hair.
“Hey! I was thinking about accepting that!” Draco joked to Harry. “We would have had perfect blonde children!”
“She dyes her hair. She’s really Ron’s cousin, bright ginger roots, I swear!” Harry said angrily.
Draco pulled a face. “That’s absolutely disgusting!”
0000
That night, when Harry was sitting with the Gryffindors, enjoying a nice dinner of wild rice, mushrooms and tofu, the conversation about Quidditch he was sharing with Ron was interrupted by none other the Dumbledore himself.
“Students!” Dumbledore said, his old voice crackling like a warm fire. “A student wishes to speak to you about an upcoming event at Hogwarts. Please give Miss Parkinson a warm round of applause."
The school (mainly the boys) broke out into cat calls and wolf whistles, as Pansy (whose skirt had shrunk a good inch) made her way on stage.
“Thank you, Albus,” said Pansy smoothly.
Goyle had to restrain Blaise in his seat.
“My name is Pansy Parkinson,” Pansy smirked, her bright red lipstick shining right around the hall, making boys of all ages shudder in delight. “And I manage a little band named Ostentatious by Nature!”
The hall went hysteric, girls fainting and boys clapping. Harry never noticed how wild the school was going over the band. He had been too busy with school work and practise to be bothered what his class mates found cool.
“Well, they shall be performing for our wonderful school, this Friday night!” The school was screaming with pleasure. “And…” The school was silenced in suspense. “Everyone who turns up goes in the draw to be the special lady or gentleman who captured our young Harry’s heart and will win a special date with him, in the Astronomy Tower." She breathed the last part making the entire school uproarious again. Goyle had to restrain Draco.
“Thank you all! I hope to see you all then!” she shouted before turning over and bending down to speak with Albus.
“Wow! That Pansy is fit!” Dean (finger reattached) said loudly over the ruckus.
“Yeah, Harry you were so lucky to have a ride on that little slut,” Seamus crooned.
“Please retain from calling Pansy names in my presence,” said Harry angrily. “She is a really good friend.”
“I heard Lavender tell Susan Bones that Pansy’s is your soul mate,” Hermione said, ignoring the girls who were standing up to get a better look at Harry.
“Pansy isn’t my soul mate,” said Harry angrily, glancing over to make sure no one had tried jumping Draco over at Slytherin. “She is just a really good friend.”
“Who is this secret girl anyway Harry?” Ron asked, leaning forward. “You can tell me, I’m your best mate.”
“Who says it’s a girl?” said Seamus (who had been listening) loudly.
“Yeah, well that thing with Zabini was just a one time thing, right Harry?” Ron asked.
“I can’t mention their gender or their name,” said Harry, trying not to think about Draco Malfoys long pale fingers.
“So it’s a boy?” asked Ronald in shock. “You can’t love a boy?”
“I didn’t say it was a boy,” Harry said through gritted teeth. “And if it was, I don’t see any reason why I can’t be their soul mate! Soul mates go deeper then houses and social standings and hair colour! You can’t choose your soul mate!”
“You’re not a poof, are you Harry?” Ron asked, disgusted.
“Who cares if I am or I aren’t,” Harry said angrily standing up.
“Harry, where are you going?” Hermione asked desperately. “You haven’t finished your tofu!”
0000
Harry stormed out of the Great Hall; he felt many eyes staring at the back of his head, and staring at another thing below his back (his bum). He couldn’t deal with Ron and Hermione, or his numerous fans right now.
Harry sat angrily down on a desk at the back of an unused class room. So many things had changed-- his relationship with Hermione and Ron was on the rocks, Voldermort was still out there, he didn’t even know if he wanted to be an Auror anymore.
“A Knut for your thoughts,” said Draco Malfoy, taking a seat next to Harry on the desk. Harry hadn’t even noticed him walked in.
“You followed me,” Harry whispered.
Draco watched Harry for a moment. “I saw you fight with the Gryffindors.”
“You and the entire Hogwarts student body,” Harry growled.
“What happened” asked Draco gently.
“Ron thinks no boy could ever love me,” said Harry, not looking Draco in the eyes.
“Oh Harry,” Draco crooned. “More boys love you then anyone would ever love Ron!”
Harry smiled weakly, still not looking Draco in the eyes. “I better be going, lots of homework to do.” Harry stood up and went to leave.
“Harry,” said Draco, suddenly grabbing Harry’s arm. “I’m right here.”
“I know you’re there, Draco,” Harry said, frantically trying to pull his arm away-- and the feeling that was growing in his chest.
“Then why don’t you look at me?” shouted Draco.
“I can’t,” Harry whined looking at his shoes.
“I’m right here, Harry!” Draco shouted again, grabbing Harry by the shoulders. “Why is it so hard to choose? What do you want?”
Harry stared at Draco’s feet, “You have,” said Harry softly, “little smiley faces on your shoe laces.” And he looked up into Draco eyes and kissed him hard on the lips.
Draco pulled back quickly. “Blaise had little mushrooms on his shoe laces, are you sure you wouldn’t prefer him?”
Harry laughed and shook his head; he went to kiss Draco again.
“What about Pansy? Her shoe laces are pink.”
“Nope,” said Harry laughing.
“Goyle has normal white shoe laces, are you sure you don’t want him?”
“Draco,” Harry breathed. “I want you.” He kissed Draco again.
0000
“Pansy won’t be happy,” Draco said tiredly. He and Harry were sitting under a big tree by the Quidditch Pitch on Wednesday afternoon.
“We will have to tell her sometime, though it will ruin her advertising plan.”
“That stupid thing about finding your soul mate,” Draco spat. “If any girl touches you I’ll rip out their finger nails.”
“Draco, that’s a tiny bit harsh,” Harry laughed.
“No one touches my bitch.”
“Bitch?” aaid Harry, raising an eyebrow.
Draco looked sheepish. “Sex slave, then?”
“Draco,” Harry said in a warning voice.
“Fine! Fuck servant,” Draco smiled.
“Don’t think you flashy words can fool me, Draco Malfoy, that’s the same thing! I was thinking boyfriends has a nice ring to it.”
“Oh, but, Harry!” whined Draco. “That’s so cliché! Why don’t we be affectionate love bunnies?”
“Draco! Really, can you imagine saying, Hello nice to meet you; this is my affectionate love bunny Harry.”
“Sounds better then boyfriends,” Draco grumbled. “What about lovers?”
“Or partners.”
“Or crazed underwater mammals.”
“Draco!” Harry warned again.
“Don’t lie and say you don’t find my humour absolutely charming!” Draco smirked, resting his head in Harry’s lap.
“Why do I put up with you?” Harry asked.
“Because of my delightful shoe laces.” Draco smiled, closing his eyes.
“Yeah and that’s about it,” Harry joked.
Draco opened his eyes. “Is that it? I’ll show you, Harry Potter!” His saddled Harry very quickly, and attached him self to Harry’s neck. Harry moaning as Draco teeth bruised his skin.
“Say you want me,” hissed Draco into Harry’s ear.
“Draco,” hissed Harry back. “I want you.”
Draco smirked a started lightly kissing Harry’s collar bone.
“Draco!” Harry whispered urgently. “I can hear some one coming.”
“Yeah, you.”
“No, Draco, seriously, I hear foot steps. Get off quickly.”
“Who cares? Let them, watch me, ravish you!” Draco purred biting on Harry’s neck again.
“Oh my god! Would you two please stop eating each other?” cried Goyle, coming around the tree.
“Goyle!” squealed Harry, doing up his shirt buttons.
“You better have a really good reason for disrupting us!” said Draco angrily, getting off Harry’s lap.
“Pansy called a practise session. You two have obviously started one on your own. Pansy is going to be angry, how long has this been going on?”
“Three days,” Harry smiled, he was glad to finally tell some one about his and Draco secret.
“And you better not tell anyone, Goyle,” Draco said, helping Harry to his feet. “We want to keep it secret from the fans.”
Goyle looked angry. “And when were you planning on telling us?”
“Today,” said Harry quickly. “We were going to tell you first, because we know we can trust you!”
Goyle smiled. “You’re right, you can trust me, but you better tell Pansy, she get it out of me anyway!”
0000
When Harry and Draco told Pansy and Blaise about their new relationship, they had two very different reactions. Blaise burst into tears and gave them both hugs and sloppy kisses, demanding to have children named after him. Pansy looked thoughtful for about a minute before laughing hysterically.
“Hey!” said Draco, quite irritated. “It’s not that funny.”
“Yes it is!” howled Pansy. “Your father works for You Know Who! And Harry has to kill You Know Who! It’s all crazy and ironic!”
“Still not that funny,” said Draco.
“Oh, come on, darling, don’t be mad. I think you and Harry make a wonderful couple, like yen and yang, but you have to admit the odds are against you.”
“I think we are very lucky,” Harry smiled giving Draco a peck on the cheek. Draco saw in his eyes that he to looked a bit scared.
0000
“We didn’t think about that, did we?” asked Harry as Draco walked him up to Gryffindor tower that night. “Voldermort is a bit of a pain.”
“You're right, we didn’t think about it,” Draco said. He banged shoulders with Harry. “We’ll get through it though.”
“What if you get hurt?” asked Harry, nervousness clear in his voice. “I don’t want you to get hurt because of me, maybe…”
“No, Harry,” said Draco, taking Harry’s face in his hand. “Don’t do that, don’t break up with me because of him!”
Harry suddenly released how much he did like Draco Malfoy-- his smile and his humour and his courage. Harry felt a sensation climb up inside him.
He hugged Draco with an amazing force, their arms grabbing at each other.
“Have breakfast at Gryffindor tomorrow?” Harry asked Draco.
Draco nodded and turned to leave. He whispered Lumos and headed down the dark corridor towards Slytherin.
0000
The next couple of days pasted extremely quickly for Harry, a blur of meetings in broom closets and extra band practises.
His relationship with Draco blossomed; Harry wanted to spend all his time with the good looking Slytherin, but he felt that Hermione was getting a bit suspicious. Of course Harry’s life at the moment was too frantic to reassure her and on Friday morning, the day of the big performance Harry was feeling quite sick.
“Harry, are you okay?” Hermione asked at the breakfast table. “You’re a bit pale.”
“You're right, Granger, I think Harry should have some of my no-more-nerves treatment,” Draco, who had joined Harry at Gryffindor table, said. Harry kicked him underneath it.
“What’s your no-more-nerves treatment?” asked Hermione, raising an eyebrow. Harry hadn’t told the Gryffindors about his new relationship.
“Well…” said Draco, smirking.
“It’s nothing,” said Harry quickly. “He’s just being stupid.”
“Apparently, from what I heard in the girl’s bathroom,” Hermione said carefully. “The girl who gets to have dinner tonight with Harry after the show also gets a kiss.”
Draco choked on his oatmeal.
“And, if you buy ‘Ostentatious by Nature’ merchandise you get your name put in the draw again,” Hermione continued.
“Merchandise?” Harry asked shocked. “I’ve seen the T-shirts and wrist bands, what else is there?.”
Hermione flashed a brief smirk. “Pansy actually asked me to help.”
“Hermione, you didn’t!” Harry asked, shocked.
“If this is how I can become a better friend for you Harry, I’ll do it; I used to help you defeat evil, now it’s making sure your Harry Potter action figure walks in a straight line!”
“You and Pansy made action figures!”
“And ‘Ostentatious by Nature’ bath soaps, and socks and hats, badges, underwear, my favourite is the ‘Ostentatious by nature’ book bags!”
“You are joking right?” Draco asked, shocked.
“Oh no, Pansy’s making heaps, she sells them in the girls bathroom. I’ve got a set of the dolls, if you want to see them,” Hermione said, rummaging through her bag, she produced five dolls.
“This is Pansy doll, she demanded one herself,” Hermione showed them the figure, about the same size and the muggle Barbie dolls. She put Pansy doll on the table; it walked and winked seductively past the toast. She was wearing a black corset and bright green mini skirt, her short black hair bounced as she walked.
“Comes with five changeable outfits, including naughty school girl and nurses uniform,” Hermione said.
Then Hermione showed them Goyle’s doll, he looked exactly like the shrunken boy, wearing his uniform. He came with a drum kit, which he sat quickly down at and start playing Dammit by Blink 182, over and over again.
Hermione showed them Blaise’s doll, both Draco and Harry laughed loudly, the figure lent against the juice jug and smiled jadedly. Hermione held her wand to his head. “Hey, fancy a shag” aaid the doll, in Blaise’s exact voice. Pansy doll seemed to hear and bounded over to Blaise to give him a smack around the head.
“This is your's, Malfoy.” Hermione put the blonde doll on the table. Malfoy doll looked sulkily around the table as if he was searching for something. His pale face and eyebrows the exact same as the real counterpart who was peered down at him.
“And Harry’s, now we don’t know why it does this, we’re still trying to fix it before tonight.” Hermione placed Harry doll by the frantically searching Draco doll’s side. Draco doll stopped searching immediately and launched him self on to Harry Doll, they started to do unmentionables on Hermione’s toast.
Harry grabbed his doll by the scruff of his jersey; Draco did the same to his. The two dolls struggled to get free.
“Bloody hell, Harry, can’t keep you hands off me can you!” daid the real Draco, with an awkward laugh.
“Anyone could see,” aaid Harry trying to cover himself. “That your doll was clearing forcing mine into it.”
They both laughed and Hermione looked cross.
“Do you know any reason why they might do that?” She asked in a foul mood. “Its understandable that Pansy doll would tell off you lot, and that Goyle doll would sometimes follow the Pansy doll round, but for your dolls to try to … At every possible moment, it doesn’t make sense.”
“Would you look at this, my doll is wearing the exact same underpants as I’m wearing!” Draco laughed as he glared down the dolls pants.
“Malfoy please, I need to get to the bottom of this, we have five hundred pairs of these dolls locked in Pansy’s dormitory going at it all over the floor,” Hermione whined.
Draco whispered in his dolls ear, which immediately stopped struggling. Draco put him on the table, and Harry put his on as well, they approached each other carefully, under Hermione’s sharp eye. Doll Draco whispered in Harry doll’s ear. Harry doll smirked and winked at real Harry.
Hermione put her wand above their heads.
“Bloody Hell, Potter, you’re such a dweeb,” Draco doll said friendly.
“I‘m not the dweeb, you’re the dweeb!” aaid doll Harry lamely.
Real Draco laughed. “You are such a dweeb Potter.”
“No, I’m not, you’re the dweeb,” Real Harry said before he could think of a better come back.
“How did you stop them from… indulging in… those activities?” asked Hermione.
“I told him I would rip off his little plastic penis if he didn’t keep his hands to him self,” said Draco, having a spoon of oat meal.
“Little penis,” Harry whispered so only Draco could hear him.
“You know I was only lying, so Granger wouldn’t try ravishing me under the table,” Draco joked smirking.
Harry slid his hand onto Draco thigh, making sure none of the Gryffindors had noticed. “I just remembered I forgot my transfiguration book,” he announced quickly.
Hermione looked at him suspiciously. “See you in class then.”
Harry turned his head as he exited the great hall; he winked at Draco before leaving the hall.
“I’ve forgotten my Viking hat,” Draco said, obviously distracted, to Hermione before running out of the Hall.
0000
Harry sat in the small room behind the teachers table. The last time he was in here he had been selected for the Tri Wizard Tournament. The room now held a makeshift changing room, mirrors leant against the walls, Harry peered into one, not really liking what he was seeing. His hair, once again streaked with green hung heavily round his pale face, his eyes bright green framed in dark thick eye liner, and there was his newest accessory, one Pansy had to pleaded him to get, a small silver bar protruded over his eye brow, Pansy had pieced it. Harry was having second thoughts about every thing. What would his parents say if they could see him now, leather pants shining like the night, heavy wrist bands covered in spikes a piercing through his brow.
A gentle hand was placed on the small of Harry’s back.
“How did you get into your leather pants with out me?” asked the smooth voice of Draco Malfoy.
Harry suddenly realised his parents weren’t here, Draco was, and he was where he wanted to be. Draco’s pale face smiled at him, his blonde hair, as soft as silver fell over his face; his grey eyes were lined with heavy black eye liner as well.
“I took your advice finally,” Harry smiled
Draco raised an eyebrow. “Commando?” He drawled.
Harry nodded, feeling himself go very red.
“You two are like twins!” Blaise said happily bounding over, his dark soft black hair bouncing up and down.
“Twincest never felt this good,” laughed Draco, kissing Harry on the cheek.
Blaise smiled, “I once tried that with my brother Basal, didn’t got down that well with my mother.”
Harry spat the pumpkin juice he was drinking out. Draco winced.
“You’re lying right?” Harry asked pleadingly. “You don’t have a brother.”
“Oh, I do have a twin brother,” said Blaise leaning over Harry to put eye liner on. “Basal, he goes to that silly school in France, looks exactly like me, thought he is awfully ridiculous.”
“More mad then you?” Harry asked shocked.
“Way more silly, I was lying about the twincest thing by the way, Basal is too clingy to start a relationship with.”
Goyle enter the room, dressed in his band gear of baggy jeans and a tee. “What’s up?” he asked noticing Harry look of horror.
“Blaise is talking about his brother Basal.”
“Oh,” said Goyle, putting on a wrist band. “The silly one?”
“How many brothers do you have?” Harry asked .
“6 brothers and 3 sisters,” said Blaise happily. “Basal and I are the oldest, then Benedict, Benito, Barnabas, Belden, Beau and my sisters, Beryl, Bona and Bibiana.”
“All their names start with B,” Harry said, rising an eyebrow.
“Hey, what do you know, I never realised!” said Blaise without a trace of sarcasm.
Pansy then bustled into the room, looking more like a manager then every before, she wore a crisp white shirt with a long red tie, (matching red nail polish and lips) and a short grey skirt with long white socks. A very skanky manager.
“I just welcomed him,” she said breathlessly. “The entire hall is packed, this is the night boys, this is the night.”
“What is going on with the whole ‘win a date with Harry Potter’ thing?” Draco asked bitterly.
“Don’t worry,” hushed Pansy. “I’ve got every thing sorted! I’ve got the sorting hat filled with names at the side of the stage, after your performance, I’ll rock on out and then lead Harry and the lucky boy or girl to the tower where a dinner is waiting.”
Draco grumbled.
“Oh, but Harry,” Pansy said. “You’ll have to kiss her on the stage.”
“On the stage?” Harry asked, bewildered. “In front of people.”
“You don’t mind hooking up with Draco in front of us,” Goyle complained.
“Where do I have to kiss them?” Harry asked, ignoring Goyle.
“On the lips,” Pansy said, not looking Draco in the eye. “Now I’ll go out and introduce you. Dumbledore turned the teacher table into a stage it looks quite nice.”
As she opened the door to leave, the band heard the hundreds of school children screaming out their names.
They couldn’t hear what Pansy was saying, but the cheering got louder.
“Draco,” Harry said quietly as he waited with the others. “You know I don’t want to kiss them right?”
“I know, Harry,” Draco sighed.
“Draco,” Harry said, quietly again. “I think I’ve lost my voice again.”
Draco looked at Harry, and smiled an affectionate grin; he kissed Harry gently on the lips, his tongue sweeping at Harry’s bottom lip.
“We have to go out,” said Blaise awkwardly.
The boys broke apart, the strapped on their guitars and headed onto the stage.
Roars meet their ears; the crowd was going crazy, a giant mosh pit was formed at the base of the make shift stage. Harry noticed a fat little man sitting at the back, was he the man from the label?
“Hello,” said Harry, grabbing the magic mic. “Our first song tonight is a classic." Here you go Dumbledore, he thought bitterly. “And, it was inspired by your shoe laces.”
Draco fingers started to work on his guitar, a soft beat silenced the crowd.
“Long ago, and oh so far away, I fall in love with you before the second show!” Harry sung into the microphone, his voice dripping with unhappiness. His own fingers, teasing the guitar strings.
“Your guitar,” Harry sung as Draco’s fingers worked. “Sounds so sweet and clear, but your not really there it’s just the radio!”
Goyle came in with a soft drum beat; Blaise produced a saxophone he had been practising on for the past few weeks.
“Don’t you remember you told me you loved me baby,” the song becoming stronger. “You said you would be coming back this way again baby!”
Harry felt the need to look over his shoulder at Draco, but fought hard against it.
“Baby, baby, baby, baby, ohh baby, I love you I really do!”
When the song had finished, and the crowd had finished applauding with a crazed pack of elephants, Harry asked the crowd.
“So, who is your favourite band?” he asked, smiling.
“OSTENTIOUS BY NATURE!” cried the hall.
“And who want us to play a song one of our members wrote them selves?”
The crowd screamed and inaudible reply.
“This song, is called ‘Your Absinthe Kisses’, and it is written by Mr. Draco Malfoy, I believe a round of applause are in order.”
The crowd was going so wild; Harry was almost scared for his life.
The drums started first, raw and empty, the hollow noise filled the great hall, it echoed off the walls, like it was the only thing in being. Then the bass, its sullenly deep tone rolling around the room like smoke. Draco and Harry’s guitars sung together, crying of passion and burning nights, hot bodies pressed against glass or Absinthe sliding down a dry throat.
“Your eyes, like poison ivy, wrap around my soul,” Harry knew very well who Draco wrote this song about, he felt Draco grey eyes glare tenderly at his back. “Your eyes, my candles in the darkness, lead me on my wicked way.”
The song was haunting; it fitted cold grey Hogwarts perfectly, like a ghost wandering down the empty corridors, or an owl flying over head.
“You mouth, dripping with Absinthe,” Harry screamed each syllable rolling off this tongue. “A placebo for my nightmares and you’re my only cure.”
Harry felt prickles down his back; Draco’s guitar was screaming, louder and louder, its extraordinary desire filling the hall. The crowd was jumping up and down in the mosh pit, their arms flung in the sky. Blaise was swinging around with his bass, Goyle sweated profoundly.
When the music came to an end and Harry’s throat felt like he had drunk an entire bottle of Absinthe, the crowd was oddly silent. Then like an explosion had happened they returned to their crazed behavior.
Harry took a deep breath, he finally glanced over his shoulder, Grey eyes locked on his, and they both smiled. Harry was so temped to rush over and give him an Absinthe kiss.
“Wonderful,” Pansy smiled, stepping up to the stage. She took the microphone off Harry, though she held his hand. “Now hags and zombies, we are going to see who the winner of our little competition is! Harry, if you don’t mind, will you pull a name out of the hat.”
Harry smiled nervously, he saw many girls in the audience cross their fingers. He reached his hand into the sorting hat, Pansy held it high above his head. He pulled out a long strip of white paper. He read it silently, his face become very red. He locked eyes with Draco as he read the name.
“Draco Malfoy.”
“Damn,” said Blaise quite loudly. “I wanted to win.” A few people laughed, most were staring in awe and the eyes locked Harry and Draco.
Pansy looked quite shocked, she hadn’t expected that. “Ahhh … I guess Mr. Malfoy will be enjoying a dinner with Harry tonight” she still looked thoughtful but she continued, she glanced over at a guilty looking Goyle, who had been sitting close to where the hat was kept. “Harry, why don’t you give Draco that kiss?”
Harry went very red. He could feel every Gryffindor eye on his in the hall, willing him to say no.
Harry strolled causally over and Draco, who was looking quite scared him self. Harry swooped, before he lost his nerve, he kissed Draco, his hands coming up to his pale face. The hall had gone silent again.
“Come on, Draco!” Blaise smirked, dropping into a lunge. “Exercise never hurt anyone!”
“Believe me, it hurts on your fifth frickin' jog around Hogwarts! Bloody hell, Goyle isn’t even moving!”
Blaise glanced quickly at where Goyle lay on his stomach at their feet. “He’s just resting, Draco! I’m sure he’ll be… kind of fine… um, yeah, better move him onto his back… don’t want the poor slob to smother himself to death.”
Draco and Blaise rolled the very tired and sweat stained Goyle onto his back. Draco fell tiredly next to the boy, using his rather large stomach as a human cushion.
“What is up with you and this exercise craze, anyway? You were only released from hospital yesterday!” Draco asked, still puffing.
“Well, it seems to me that everyone has forgotten about our very important gig in a couple of weeks! What, with this ‘civil war’ going on at Hogwarts, you prats have forgotten it!”
“We didn’t forget,” huffed Draco. “We just had more important things on our minds, like you being blind!”
Blaise started to stretch on the spot. “That was the past, Draco! I want us all to be in shape for the talent scouts!”
“You were released yesterday! How is that the past!”
“Oh, shh, Draco!”
“Why do Pansy and Potter get out of exercise hell, anyway!”
“You think you could call him Harry. You did shag him!”
“Really?” said Draco, angrily. “You think I would remember!”
“Stop being stupid, I bet it was the best night of both your young lives. Anyway, what were we talking about? Oh, right. Pansy doesn’t have to exercise because she is the manager and every one knows the chubbier the manager the better the band, and Harry doesn’t have to because he is sorting out his differences with the Gryffindors.”
“What! You mean he is actually talking to those jerks! Alone!” Draco asked worriedly.
“Yeah,” Blaise said dropping into a crunch. “It was my idea!”
“Are you insane?” whined Draco.
“Nine out of ten metal health experts seemed to think so, but that’s not the point. Harry needs to be friends with these people. I talked to them as well, they are quite sorry.”
“Blaise! Aren’t you the least bit worried?”
“No, not really,” Blaise said, leaning heavily on his leg. “You’re sounding a bit paranoid though. What did I tell you about magic mushrooms before lunch?”
“Blaise this is serious,” whined Draco, stumbling tiredly to his knees. “They are going to turn Potter against us! Then we won’t have his… fabulous voice!”
“Draco, don’t you think you are overreacting a little bit?”
“This coming from Blaise Exaggerate Zabini!”
“Hey, don’t tease the middle name! That’s been in my family for generations!”
“Don’t get me started on your family!” Draco spat angrily.
“What happened between you and Marius, Draco? One minute you're friends the next you're not!”
“Just leave it, Blaise!” said Draco Malfoy, stomping off toward the castle.
“Where are you going!” shouted Blaise at Draco's retreating figure.
“I’m going to find Ha… Potter!”
0000
Draco was on a mission. He had checked the library and half a dozen other Gryffindor places but still couldn’t find his band member or his band member’s dense friends. Draco liked sneaking about, reminded him of his youth really, sneaking about the manor, stealing things to hoard in his little hoarding cupboard. Like cookies, he had piles of week old cookies. And jars, Draco loved collecting jars, some jars he put little bugs in, other jars he just filled with water. Draco was at peace when he was with his jars.
Just as Draco snuck down the corridor on the 4th floor he heard a noise come from an empty class room. Could this be the missing band member? Or maybe some greater evil...
Draco kicked open the door, it swung open violently. Draco Malfoy threw his nose high it the air, his blond hair catching the light brightening the darkish room.
“I have come to claim what is mine!” He declared.
“Which is? Mister Malfoy?” asked a very angry looking Professor McGonagall.
“Sorry Professor, wrong Gryffindor.” Draco quickly exited. “Okay, wrong red and gold clothed ruffian, maybe the next class room.”
“Malfoy? Are you talking to your self?”
“Potter! What are you doing sitting down there?” asked Draco Malfoy, glancing down at the Boy Wonder, who was sitting all by himself, his back against one of Hogwarts' walls.
“You answered your own question Malfoy, I’m sitting,” Harry said, closing his eyes resentfully.
Draco suddenly became very worried. His mind raced. Harry was angry. Is he angry at me or at the Gryffindors? Why am I feeling so upset because he’s calling me Malfoy? He’s meant to be my friend, so why doesn’t he call me Draco? How long has my mind known him as Harry? He is angry at me? Why? It was those Gryffindors!
Draco bent to his knees and knelt down next to Harry Potter, if he wanted to keep Harry’s… voice from been stolen away by thick Gryffindors, he only had one choice.
“Harry... Are you okay?” Draco asked, anxiousness bleeding into his voice.
Harry Potter opened his green eyes and blinked twice. He looked apprehensively at Malfoy, as if he expected him to ask for something.
Harry sighed. “I’m fine, just a bit angry at Hermione and Ron.”
“Did you talk to them?”
“Yes.”
“You forgave them?”
“Not really, but at least I am talking to them again, I suppose. Hermione thinks we should try to work on our friendship, make it like it was when we were younger.”
“And how does Granger plan to achieve that?” Draco asked, raising an eyebrow.
“She wants to start the DA again. We stopped because our DADA teacher this year is okay. Hermione thinks if we start it up again and open it to everyone we might create some unity between groups of people.”
“Like them and us?” Draco asked, sitting next to Harry.
“Exactly,” Harry groaned, closing his eyes.
“And you don’t agree that us all joining the DA will be a good idea?”
“There are so many things I have to be figuring out right now, I don’t have enough time to teach 1st years how to stun! My first quidditch game of the season is the day after our gig, we have that flashy important person coming to that gig to tell us if we have a future in music, I know I should just relax and see what happens, but I’m a nervous wreck, plus what makes it worse, McGonagall decided to inform me that my marks are dropping, so my future is screwed, I don’t have enough time to become a rock star, or a quidditch player or an Auror!”
“You wanted to be an Auror?” Draco laughed. “You are such a geek.”
“Hey! You’re not helping!”
“Well, may I suggest just taking every thing a bit slower.” Draco smiled. “Who are you playing next week anyway?”
“Hufflepuff.”
“Well, that’s easy, you could beat them with you eyes closed. I am sure your quidditch captain-- it’s that Alicia girl, isn’t it?-- won’t work you too hard. And I bet Granger would love to help you with your studies.”
“That doesn’t leave much time to practise new songs for the band.”
“We'll work it out. Are you free tonight?”
“Yeah.”
“Well, we can have a band meeting to help you work out a time table. I’m good with time tables. When I was younger I had nervous issues.”
Harry laughed for a long time.
“Hey! I can’t help if I was--" He twitched "-- a bit edgy, I lived my entire childhood on a schedule! Breakfast of crumpets and jam always at 8.47!”
Harry couldn’t stop laughing. “You're taking the piss, right?”
“Harry, do I ever take the piss?” Malfoy asked, smirking. He stood and quickly pulled Harry with him. “Come on, let's go see if Blaise has forced Goyle into having a cardiac arrest.”
0000
The week pasted extremely quickly for Harry. Between rushed homework sessions and late quidditch practise Harry hardly saw the band. When he did, they practised non stop, hardly enough time to have a conversation. At the end of the first week, Harry sadly realised he missed his naughty Slytherins and their shocking antics.
“Harry, are you okay?” asked a tentative Hermione. “You seem a bit down.”
“I’m fine,” muttered Harry, rubbing his eyes. It was late Friday night and he and Hermione were going over Potions homework. The Gryffindor common room was filled with bustling Gryffindor, snuggling up with warm blankets or playing a nice game of chess.
“You want to go hang out with the Slytherins don’t you?” Hermione asked, closing her book.
“Of course not,” snapped Harry. Of course his mind was begging for him to be allowed to wander off to the dungeon and have a crazy adventure with the band.
“Harry, don’t lie to me,” Hermione said angrily. She sighed and rubbed her eyes. “I just don’t know what to do any more, I love you like a brother and you know I think that spending all this time with those people isn’t a good idea, but you always seem so happy with them, and so bored with us. I... I think you should go hang out with them, I want you to be happy and even if it’s not with me, I still want you to be happy.”
“Hermione. that’s really nice of you but I honesty don’t want to go. I like doing homework with you.”
“Harry, go!” Hermione said, standing up and collecting her books. “’I like doing homework'... Honestly, I’m not that dumb!”
Harry smiled. “You don’t mind?”
“Not one bit, as long as you’re back by night. Ron gets awfully worried if you’re not in your own bed again.”
0000
“Harry!” cried Blaise Zabini as Harry opened an empty class room door. “How do you always know exactly where we are?”
“Magic,” Harry smirked, jumping onto a desk across from Blaise.
“So the fire breathing-homework-crazy-dragon let you have a night off?” Blaise smiled, strumming ideally at his base.
“Yes, thank god! This week has been hectic! All I want to do is relax with my friends!”
“And you couldn’t do that with Hermione?” Blaise asked quietly picking.
“Only when we don’t have homework due, but I have a potions report I need to hand in next Monday, so every five minutes it’s ‘Harry do your homework!’”
“Sucks to be you,” Blaise laughed.
“So where is every one?” asked Harry glanced round the unused class room.
“Draco and Goyle are having a race,” Blaise said happily.
“A race?” Harry asked.
“Yep, a running race around the school, should be back any minute.”
“And Pansy is...?”
“In the kitchens getting some food,” Blaise said, smiling.
“Doesn’t that defeat the purpose of all the exercise you guy have been doing?”
“Pansy is on a different fitness regime,” explained Blaise, “She’s on an all carbs anti diet.”
“Anti diet?”
“Yep. She has to eat as many potatoes, chips, breads and pastas as she can, in order to gain weight!”
“She wants to gain weight? Why? Aren’t girls always worried about their weight?”
“Well, Pansy doesn’t really know it’s a anti diet. I haven’t gotten round to telling her yet,” Blaise said tensely.
“Blaise! You sneaky little thing! You know she’s going to kick the shit out of you once she finds out.”
“And how will she find out?” Blaise said, smirking.
“What if I tell her?”
“You wouldn’t dare, little man,” Blaise leered.
“Try me,” Harry grinned.
The empty class room’s door opened and in walked Pansy, carrying a large bowl. When she sat next to Harry he saw it was full on cooked potatoes covered in cheese.
“Long time no see,” she said, her mouth still filled with potatoes.
Blaise snorted. He covered his mouth and nose quickly with his hands.
“What are you eating, Pansy?” Harry asked knowing full well it was a part of Blaise’s crazy diet tricks.
“It’s a part of my new diet!” Pansy gushed. “Blaise got me into it; it’s not like those stupid diets where you have to give up carbs, this one uses the carbs to flush all the fat out of your body!”
“Interesting,” Harry mocked. “Why aren’t Blaise and the other boys on it then?”
“I asked the same thing!” said Pansy. “It’s because I have a uterus!”
“What?” asked Harry in shock,
“Blaise told me the uterus cleans out the system when the carbs travel through it,” Pansy said, smiling.
“What would Blaise know about the female uterus? He's as gay as that pink sweater he’s wearing!”
“Hey!” Blaise cried. “I’ll have you know before I started wearing pink sweaters, I spent a lot of time hanging out with the female uterus!”
“You wouldn’t know a fricking uterus if it hit you in the face,” Harry teased.
“If it hit me in the face I would know what it is!”
“Pansy, Blaise was being stupid. You can’t lose weight by sitting on your arse eating potatoes covered in cheese. I don’t even think you need to lose weight, you always look wonderful to me,” said Harry
“BLAISE ZABINI YOU LITTLE FUCKER! I ATE FOUR BAGS OF BLOODY POTATOES!”
0000
“Hey Harry,” mumbled Goyle as he entered the empty class room panting. “Draco isn’t here is he?”
“Nope, congratulations! You won!” Harry smiled throwing a chocolate frog at him.
“I run round the frigging school and all I get is a chocolate frog?” Goyle asked angrily.
“Hey don’t hate the prize, hate the person who invented the game,” Harry said, chewing his own chocolate frog.
“Where is Blaise, anyway?”
“In the kitchen eating four bags of potatoes,” Harry garbled.
“Pansy finally realised his diet was a fake?”
“Yep, quite hilarious.”
“I’m going to go watch, wanna come?”
“Nah, I better wait here to tell Draco, when he turns up where you guys are up to.”
“Your choice. See ya, Harry.”
“Bye, Goyle.”
Harry waited for five minutes eating his way through a bag of chocolate frogs (the entire bag had been the prize, but Harry felt if Goyle really was on a diet an entire bag of chocolate frogs wouldn’t help his goal, plus Harry had missed dinner). The big oak door of the classroom scraped open and in strutted Draco, looking more like he had just walked a runway than ran the entire school.
“Hey, where is everyone,” he asked, taking a seat on the desk next to Harry.
“Pansy found out about the fake diet and is forcing four bags of potatoes down Blaise's throat. Goyle went along with them-- for moral support, of course.”
“Moral support my arse. He went along to try and get some potatoes,” Draco spat good naturedly.
Harry laughed and offered Draco a chocolate frog, which he took gratefully.
“Where have you been anyway?” Harry asked. “Goyle arrived ten minutes ago, and you are hardly in a sweat.”
“I’m sure you would love to see me all sweaty, wouldn’t you Harry,” Malfoy smirked.
“Oh yes, Draco, I’m trembling in my Gryffindor tie,” Harry said sarcastically.
Draco laughed heartily. “I couldn’t be bothered running round the school again, so I sneaked off and broke into Snape's liquor cabinet.”
“You didn’t!”
Draco produced a bottle of gin from his school robes. “I so did.”
“He’ll kick the shit out of you, when he finds out,” Harry warned.
“Well, the only one who knows it was me, is you. So, Harry, will you be telling on me?” Malfoy pouted.
Harry grabbed the bottle off Draco and took a swig. He winced slightly. “It all depends, will you be telling on me?”
Draco laughed and stole the bottle back.
“Ronald, chocolate frogs aren’t the right thing to eat for breakfast!” Hermione said, angrily taking the frog away from Ron.
“Why not, Hermione? They’re full of nutrients!”
Harry rested his head on breakfast table. The sound of Hogwarts eating wasn’t affecting his hangover positively.
“Ron! How do you expect to do well in school if you don’t have the right breakfast?”
“We don’t have any classes today, Hermione! It’s Saturday!”
“So! That’s no reason to be unhealthy!”
“What about Harry? Why aren’t you giving him a hard time? He was up half the night again!”
“At least.” Blaise, who had walked over from the Slytherin table, smiled. “Harry knows the importance of a healthy breakfast.”
Harry mumbled a laugh but kept his forehead on the table.
“Hermione, Ronald,” Blaise said briskly. “I have to borrow Harry for a moment.”
Hermione nodded quickly while she loaded a plate of toast and eggs for Ron. Ron half glared, half pouted as Harry was lead away by Blaise to the Slytherin table.
“My head is sore,” Harry grumbled, leaning on Blaise.
“That’s what you get, sitting with Gryffindors.” Blaise scowled good naturedly.
Blaise sat Harry next to a perfectly groomed Malfoy, who didn’t look hung over at all-- besides a faint shadow under his storm grey eyes. Pansy had a cigarette going; she nodded at Harry. “Long night?” She smirked. Goyle was eating toast looking grumpily at the piles of bacon.
“I have called this band meeting,” began Blaise, “because we are about to do a performance.”
“Yeah, next week,” said Goyle dryly.
“No, right now,” Pansy said happily. She and Blaise had planned something. She pulled miniaturized music instruments out of her bag. “Let’s rock the breakfast tables, boys!”
Draco smirked, Goyle smiled, and Harry felt suddenly worried.
“Wh.. what do you mean right now?” He trembled.
“Surprise performance,” Blaise laughed. “We just up on the table, rock the house's socks off, jump off the table and run like hell from the teachers.”
“What song are we playing?”
“The Muggle one Goyle likes, "Dammit" by Blink 182. Lots of drums and hectic dancing.” Pansy smirked. “What are you wearing under your robe?”
Harry gulped. “An old pair of jeans and a sweater.”
Pansy laughed. “Draco, darling, what are you wearing?”
“It’s the second Saturday of the month, Pansy! You know I always wear leather every second Saturday of the month!”
“Well, Harry, pull off your jeans. I got a pair of leather pants in my bag,” said Pansy.
“Wh…what? Right here? In the middle of the Great Hall?”
“Darling, jump under the table if you're afraid, but be quick. The breakfast rush is almost over.”
Harry shrugged and dived under the table. He grabbed the pants of Pansy and started to undo his jeans.
Sitting in his boxers under the table, Harry suddenly felt horribly vulnerable.
“What’s taking you so long?” hissed Pansy.
“I can’t get the leather pants on,” hissed Harry back to her. “This happened last time.”
“What did you do to get them on last time?” Pansy asked.
“Send Draco down,” Harry gulped.
Suddenly Draco’s blonde head appeared under the table. “Didn’t I tell you to go commando?” He laughed.
The rest of the band waited quietly, trying not to listen to the gasps and tugging sounds coming from their feet.
“Nice weather,” Goyle said stiffly as Harry let out a very loud groan.
“Oh no,” Blaise crooned. “Things can’t get any worse.”
Hermione Granger and Ronald Weasley wandered over to their section of the Slytherin Table trying to find Harry.
“Have you seen Harry?” Hermione asked Pansy stiffly.
“Yes, I’ve seen all of Harry,” Pansy mocked, licking her lips.
Ronald shuddered.
“Do you know where he is at the moment?” Hermione asked angrily.
“I can’t tell you I’m afraid,” Pansy smirked.
“He’s our friend! And we deserve to know where he is at all times!” Ron cried.
“Fine,” Pansy said, still smirking. “Look under the table.”
They both bent down simultaneously.
Harry Potter had Draco Malfoy lying on top of him, Harry’s leather pants half way down his thighs, Draco Malfoy's long pale fingers holding onto the pants. Whether he was pulling them up or down, Ron and Hermione couldn’t tell. Harry and Draco both were very sweaty.
“Just do it, Draco,” Harry was panting in pain. “One swift movement.”
Hermione and Ron quickly stood and returned to their own table.
Harry and Draco slithered from under the table.
“Fun?” asked Blaise, smirking.
“Let's just get this over with, these panst are cutting of my blood circulation,” Harry groaned.
“Are you sure the blood isn’t rushing to one place?” Pansy joked.
“Oh, shut up, let’s get this over with,” Draco ordered.
Harry pulled off his sweater, revealing a white shirt. Blaise who knew about the surprise gig was wearing dark purple leather pants and a black tee shirt. Goyle was wearing baggy jeans and tee as well. Pansy whipped out her wand, quirkly enlarging the guitars and handing them to Blaise, Draco and Harry. Goyle and Blaise cleared the food away so they could all stand on the table, and a big space for the drums. A few Slytherins gave them a couple of weird looks.
They all stood by the table and took a deep breath.
“I introduce us,” Draco said stiffly removing his wand. “See you in detention,” he laughed, before his voice was magiced around the hall.
“Good morning Hogwarts!” His voice rang as he jumped up on the table. “We are Ostentatious by Nature!”
Goyle and Blaise bounced onto the Slytherin table as well. Goyle set up the drums in a wave of a wand. He picked up his sticks and took a seat behind them. The great hall was deadly silent; Harry felt every eye on the band. All the teachers looked quite angry. Besides Dumbledore, who was smiling. Harry jumped onto the table as well.
“We are going to play a song for you all!” Draco Smirked as he stepped over a plate of toast. “Can we have a warm welcome for our very sexy lead singer Harry Potter?”
Quite a few people clapped politely. Professor McGonagall started to march angrily over from the teachers table.
“Thanks Draco.” Harry smirked as well, taking the wand. “Hit it!”
Goyle drums pounded suddenly and loudly around the Hall; Blaise and Draco’s rhythmic beats erupted from their guitars. Faster and faster the music pounded. Harry nodded his head along to the beat a coy smile on his lips.
“It's alright,” he shouted into the wand. “To tell me, what you think about me.”
Draco and Blaise ran down opposite sides of the table, their fingers making magic with their guitars. The Slytherins, thanks to the enthusiastic Pansy, started cheering and making havoc around the table. Hufflepuff also started to make a riot, cheering and clapping.
“I won’t try to argue, or hold it against you,” Harry called passionately.
Goyle was going crazy on the drums. The fast beat of the music echoed around the big hall.
“I know that you’re leaving, you must have your reasons, the seasons are calling and your pictures are falling down,” Harry cried.
Professor McGonagall looked angrily at Harry, trying to get his attention to signal him down from the table.
Draco and Blaise where going off, like complete lunatics. Complete musical genus lunatics. Harry glanced briefly at his friends. Most of the Gryffindors were clapping and cheering as well, but Hermione, it seemed, had fainted. Maybe Harry’s leather tight leather pants didn’t do it for her.
“Well, I guess this is growing up,” Harry cried the song coming to an end. “Well I guess this is growing up!”
Hogwarts erupted with cheers and cat calls, even Dumbledore was clapping.
“Harry Potter!” called Professor McGonagall, over the ruckus.
Harry glanced back at the band “Run!” He shouted. Abandoning their instruments, Ostentatious by Nature jumped off the table and ran toward the exit to escape the wrath of Professor McGonagall.
“Ostentatious by Nature!” screamed Blaise before Goyle and Draco pulled him out the Great Hall door.
0000
Harry sat in Gryffindor common room late Sunday afternoon trying to finish his Potions essay. Hermione refused to help him; she was still a bit shitty about the shock she got under the Slytherin table.
Harry didn’t mind that much though; it was quite nice sitting in his favourite red sweater in front of the warm common room fire. Harry liked being by himself at times. It reminded him of his childhood.
Harry took a long sip of hot chocolate, he smiled as the hot liquid warmed his innards.
Ginny Weasley hastily took a seat beside him. “Harry,” she greeted in a soft tone.
Harry nodded briskly. Ginny and himself hadn’t gotton on very well since they broke up.
“Harry, in the pub, when you and your band played, Zabini said something about you liking someone and you called them ‘the best kisser in the world’, and I was thinking since you have only ever kissed me and Cho, and she turned out to be a disaster...”
“Ginny, what are you on about?” asked Harry, quite angry.
Ginny suddenly launched her self on Harry, kissing him madly. “It's okay, Harry, I still love you too!”
Harry pushed her off harshly.
“I wasn’t singing about you!” He spat.
Ginny was in tears. “Who then?” she asked desperately.
Harry just glared at her.
“It's that bitch Pansy Parkinson, isn’t it?” growled Ginny. “I heard Seamus and Dean talking about how you slept with her, but I didn’t believe it!”
“Don’t say that about her! She’s not a bitch!” Harry yelled.
“You’ve changed, Harry. You used to be so good, you used to be a hero.”
“Maybe I don’t want to be your hero, Ginny!” Harry growled. “You need to get this freakish first year crush out of you mind”
Ginny erupted into tears and ran up the girl’s dormitory.
Harry took a seat again, pretending no one was watching him. It took a couple of minutes before he settled down again.
“Mister Potter,” Professor McGonagall stated, turning up by Harry’s elbow. “It would seem you have been avoiding me.”
Harry spilled hot chocolate down his front. “Of course not, Professor,” Harry gushed.
Professor McGonagall raised an eyebrow. She didn’t quite understand Harry Potter, truth be told. One minute the boy was a Muggle rock star, the next he was a polite young man wearing a sweater.
Harry nervously pushed his glasses higher up his nose.
“I am quite disappointed with your behaviour, Potter. Though Professor Dumbledore doesn’t seem that bothered, there is still the subject of your dropping grades.”
“I have been trying harder, Miss,” Harry said earnestly.
“Yes, well we have a few tests coming up, so they shall tells us if that is true.”
Harry nodded somberly.
“Anyway, Potter, I came to inform you that your friends have been invited to have a cup of tea with the Headmaster.”
“I’ll just go fetch Hermione and Ron then,” Harry said, standing up.
“I meant your other friends, Potter,” said the Professor darkly.
0000
“Salutations Harry. Oh, and good, you brought your friends,” Dumbledore said happily, looking up from reading a thick book at his desk.
Harry sat down, quite accustom to meetings with Dumbledore. The Slytherins, who Harry had brought with him, looked quite afraid. Blaise was staring at one of Dumbledore’s pointy silver objects in a scared disgust, his hands where clasped fearfully on his own bottom.
“Lemon drop?” Dumbledore offered to Goyle, whose hand instantly went to one, before Blaise's hand wacked it away.
“Sorry, Professor Dumbledore, sir, Goyle is on a diet.”
“Diet! Why on earth for? Do you know Buddhists believe the bigger a person the happier they are?”
“Still sir, please tell that to Pansy, not Goyle.”
“Blaise! For the last time, I will not become a fat man for you,” Pansy cried.
Blaise pouted and went back to eyeing Dumbledore’s objects.
Goyle took lemon drop from Dumbledore earning him an eye twinkle.
“Did you have a nice holiday Mr Malfoy?” Dumbledore asked serving tea to every one.
“Yes, sir, it was quite pleasant. Why don’t you get round to hounding us for Death Eater secrets? I know that’s why we are here.”
“Mr. Malfoy, I would never ask you to reveal any type of secrets you might have.”
“Fine, then sir, I admit it! I stole a bottle of gin from Professor Snape!” shouted Draco losing all sanity. “Are you going to lock me up in Azkaban for it!”
“I think I should get to the point of this visit,” Dumbledore said quickly, eyeing Draco with a worried expression.
“Please don’t punish the band, sir,” Blaise pleaded. “It was my idea, punish me,” he added in a slightly seductive air, his eyes still on the pointy object.
“I don’t want to punish any of you,” Dumbledore said hastily. “I wanted to tell you how very pleased I was by your performance. I think your band might create a bit of unity between our houses. I haven’t seen such a ruckus among the houses since 1953. I heard two Hufflepuff and Slytherin students yesterday discussing Muggle music.”
“Who was the traitor who spoke to a Hufflepuff? I’ll kill them!” Pansy said piously. “Ahh, only joking,” she said, noticing the looks of horror.
“Sir, we have a very important show next week. It’s at the Hogs Head. We need your permission to go,” Harry asked beggingly.
“That’s no good,” said Dumbledore. “I was banned from the Hog's Head for indecent exposure. You better try to see if you can switch it so you can perform at school, I am sure the students will enjoy that.”
“That would be great! Thank you sir!”
“Just one thing Harry, I also quite enjoy Muggle music and was wondering if you could play a song for me.”
“Sure thing Professor, what song is it?”
“'Superstar' by the Carpenters.”
“The Carpenters?” Harry asked, his face dropping.
0000
“How are we meant to portray anti-conformism and all things to do with anarchy if we play Carpenter songs?” Draco spat as they exited Dumbledore’s office ten minutes later.
“Aren’t we meant to portray happiness and love?” asked Goyle.
“I thought we were portraying happiness and the freedom to love,” Harry said earnestly.
“That weird, I always we thought we were portraying the happiness one gets when they play round with a funnel.”
“Blaise! What did I say about stealing funnels form the potions lab?” Pansy scowled angrily. “You never know where Snapes put them!”
“Ew! Teachers indulging in sexual actives! Yuk!” cried Draco, clapping his hands over his ears.
“I don’t know,” said Blaise with a glazed sort of look. “Some teachers I wouldn’t mind indulging with.”
Harry remembered the look Blaise was giving Dumbledore’s objects and shuddered in disgust.
“Who cares anyway, I kind of like the Carpenters,” said Goyle heading toward the Great Hall for dinner. “They make me happy on the inside.”
“She starved her self to death, are you still happy?” asked Draco sourly.
“Well, still happy and kind of hungry.”
0000
“Harry, I need a word with you,” Pansy smirked to Harry during a Magical Creature’s class on Monday. She ignored Hermione and Ron as usual.
“Always a pleasure, Pansy,” Harry smiled. Hagrid had taken Dean Thomas to the Hospital Wing, because the legless Leprechaun they where trying to subdue had bitten off his finger. Leprechaun, Dean and Hagrid had disappeared to the hospital wing to try and recover the absent finger from the Leprechaun’s belly.
“Darling, you must have noticed since the last performance, our personal lives have become quite…. observed.”
Harry nodded. He caught Colin Creevy watching him shower that very morning.
“Yes, people have been a bit more fascinated in us lately,” Harry said shrugging. “It’s not that different from normal.”
“Maybe for you it’s the same, Harry, but Blaise was nearly raped yesterday!”
“What?’ Harry cried. “Is he okay? I saw him at breakfast!”
“Don’t worry Harry, he is quite alright; he raped Terry Boot back so there no harm done. But Draco-- he’s had twelve marriage proposals. Not good for his ego.”
Harry glanced over to Draco, who, by the looks of it, was desperately trying to get away from Lavender Brown.
“Goyle is being stalked, and Harry, in the Girl's Bathroom before class, I heard Ginny Weasley tell a group of girls about yours and mine little adventure.”
“What did she say?”
“How I had tricked you into believing you're in love with me.”
“I don’t love you!” Harry said shocked glancing over Pansy shoulder to see if Lavender had backed off.
“Way to make a girl feel appreciated,” Pansy growled.
“Well, I do love you, Pansy, just not like that!”
“Off course Harry, I love you as well, but not like that. I know it was Blaise’s crazy idea for you to sing to someone and I think it has worked, all girls can talk about your secret lover. Most think it's me, I’ll clear that up some how.”
“But wouldn’t it be better if I was single?”
“No, its better if girls think you are in love.”
“Why?”
“Because they will think you love them; secretly you’re pinning over them.”
“No one is dumb enough to believe you can fall for some one with out even talking to them...”
“You don’t understand girls, Harry. They suck up romantic crap like Dementors do happiness.”
“So are you worried about the stalking and stuff?” Harry asked, concerned.
“Nah!” Pansy said. “Its good advertising.”
Harry laughed, until they saw Lavender kneel down on one knee. “Honestly!” he declared storming over to the frightened Draco and love declaring Lavender. Harry dragged her away by your long blonde hair.
“Hey! I was thinking about accepting that!” Draco joked to Harry. “We would have had perfect blonde children!”
“She dyes her hair. She’s really Ron’s cousin, bright ginger roots, I swear!” Harry said angrily.
Draco pulled a face. “That’s absolutely disgusting!”
0000
That night, when Harry was sitting with the Gryffindors, enjoying a nice dinner of wild rice, mushrooms and tofu, the conversation about Quidditch he was sharing with Ron was interrupted by none other the Dumbledore himself.
“Students!” Dumbledore said, his old voice crackling like a warm fire. “A student wishes to speak to you about an upcoming event at Hogwarts. Please give Miss Parkinson a warm round of applause."
The school (mainly the boys) broke out into cat calls and wolf whistles, as Pansy (whose skirt had shrunk a good inch) made her way on stage.
“Thank you, Albus,” said Pansy smoothly.
Goyle had to restrain Blaise in his seat.
“My name is Pansy Parkinson,” Pansy smirked, her bright red lipstick shining right around the hall, making boys of all ages shudder in delight. “And I manage a little band named Ostentatious by Nature!”
The hall went hysteric, girls fainting and boys clapping. Harry never noticed how wild the school was going over the band. He had been too busy with school work and practise to be bothered what his class mates found cool.
“Well, they shall be performing for our wonderful school, this Friday night!” The school was screaming with pleasure. “And…” The school was silenced in suspense. “Everyone who turns up goes in the draw to be the special lady or gentleman who captured our young Harry’s heart and will win a special date with him, in the Astronomy Tower." She breathed the last part making the entire school uproarious again. Goyle had to restrain Draco.
“Thank you all! I hope to see you all then!” she shouted before turning over and bending down to speak with Albus.
“Wow! That Pansy is fit!” Dean (finger reattached) said loudly over the ruckus.
“Yeah, Harry you were so lucky to have a ride on that little slut,” Seamus crooned.
“Please retain from calling Pansy names in my presence,” said Harry angrily. “She is a really good friend.”
“I heard Lavender tell Susan Bones that Pansy’s is your soul mate,” Hermione said, ignoring the girls who were standing up to get a better look at Harry.
“Pansy isn’t my soul mate,” said Harry angrily, glancing over to make sure no one had tried jumping Draco over at Slytherin. “She is just a really good friend.”
“Who is this secret girl anyway Harry?” Ron asked, leaning forward. “You can tell me, I’m your best mate.”
“Who says it’s a girl?” said Seamus (who had been listening) loudly.
“Yeah, well that thing with Zabini was just a one time thing, right Harry?” Ron asked.
“I can’t mention their gender or their name,” said Harry, trying not to think about Draco Malfoys long pale fingers.
“So it’s a boy?” asked Ronald in shock. “You can’t love a boy?”
“I didn’t say it was a boy,” Harry said through gritted teeth. “And if it was, I don’t see any reason why I can’t be their soul mate! Soul mates go deeper then houses and social standings and hair colour! You can’t choose your soul mate!”
“You’re not a poof, are you Harry?” Ron asked, disgusted.
“Who cares if I am or I aren’t,” Harry said angrily standing up.
“Harry, where are you going?” Hermione asked desperately. “You haven’t finished your tofu!”
0000
Harry stormed out of the Great Hall; he felt many eyes staring at the back of his head, and staring at another thing below his back (his bum). He couldn’t deal with Ron and Hermione, or his numerous fans right now.
Harry sat angrily down on a desk at the back of an unused class room. So many things had changed-- his relationship with Hermione and Ron was on the rocks, Voldermort was still out there, he didn’t even know if he wanted to be an Auror anymore.
“A Knut for your thoughts,” said Draco Malfoy, taking a seat next to Harry on the desk. Harry hadn’t even noticed him walked in.
“You followed me,” Harry whispered.
Draco watched Harry for a moment. “I saw you fight with the Gryffindors.”
“You and the entire Hogwarts student body,” Harry growled.
“What happened” asked Draco gently.
“Ron thinks no boy could ever love me,” said Harry, not looking Draco in the eyes.
“Oh Harry,” Draco crooned. “More boys love you then anyone would ever love Ron!”
Harry smiled weakly, still not looking Draco in the eyes. “I better be going, lots of homework to do.” Harry stood up and went to leave.
“Harry,” said Draco, suddenly grabbing Harry’s arm. “I’m right here.”
“I know you’re there, Draco,” Harry said, frantically trying to pull his arm away-- and the feeling that was growing in his chest.
“Then why don’t you look at me?” shouted Draco.
“I can’t,” Harry whined looking at his shoes.
“I’m right here, Harry!” Draco shouted again, grabbing Harry by the shoulders. “Why is it so hard to choose? What do you want?”
Harry stared at Draco’s feet, “You have,” said Harry softly, “little smiley faces on your shoe laces.” And he looked up into Draco eyes and kissed him hard on the lips.
Draco pulled back quickly. “Blaise had little mushrooms on his shoe laces, are you sure you wouldn’t prefer him?”
Harry laughed and shook his head; he went to kiss Draco again.
“What about Pansy? Her shoe laces are pink.”
“Nope,” said Harry laughing.
“Goyle has normal white shoe laces, are you sure you don’t want him?”
“Draco,” Harry breathed. “I want you.” He kissed Draco again.
0000
“Pansy won’t be happy,” Draco said tiredly. He and Harry were sitting under a big tree by the Quidditch Pitch on Wednesday afternoon.
“We will have to tell her sometime, though it will ruin her advertising plan.”
“That stupid thing about finding your soul mate,” Draco spat. “If any girl touches you I’ll rip out their finger nails.”
“Draco, that’s a tiny bit harsh,” Harry laughed.
“No one touches my bitch.”
“Bitch?” aaid Harry, raising an eyebrow.
Draco looked sheepish. “Sex slave, then?”
“Draco,” Harry said in a warning voice.
“Fine! Fuck servant,” Draco smiled.
“Don’t think you flashy words can fool me, Draco Malfoy, that’s the same thing! I was thinking boyfriends has a nice ring to it.”
“Oh, but, Harry!” whined Draco. “That’s so cliché! Why don’t we be affectionate love bunnies?”
“Draco! Really, can you imagine saying, Hello nice to meet you; this is my affectionate love bunny Harry.”
“Sounds better then boyfriends,” Draco grumbled. “What about lovers?”
“Or partners.”
“Or crazed underwater mammals.”
“Draco!” Harry warned again.
“Don’t lie and say you don’t find my humour absolutely charming!” Draco smirked, resting his head in Harry’s lap.
“Why do I put up with you?” Harry asked.
“Because of my delightful shoe laces.” Draco smiled, closing his eyes.
“Yeah and that’s about it,” Harry joked.
Draco opened his eyes. “Is that it? I’ll show you, Harry Potter!” His saddled Harry very quickly, and attached him self to Harry’s neck. Harry moaning as Draco teeth bruised his skin.
“Say you want me,” hissed Draco into Harry’s ear.
“Draco,” hissed Harry back. “I want you.”
Draco smirked a started lightly kissing Harry’s collar bone.
“Draco!” Harry whispered urgently. “I can hear some one coming.”
“Yeah, you.”
“No, Draco, seriously, I hear foot steps. Get off quickly.”
“Who cares? Let them, watch me, ravish you!” Draco purred biting on Harry’s neck again.
“Oh my god! Would you two please stop eating each other?” cried Goyle, coming around the tree.
“Goyle!” squealed Harry, doing up his shirt buttons.
“You better have a really good reason for disrupting us!” said Draco angrily, getting off Harry’s lap.
“Pansy called a practise session. You two have obviously started one on your own. Pansy is going to be angry, how long has this been going on?”
“Three days,” Harry smiled, he was glad to finally tell some one about his and Draco secret.
“And you better not tell anyone, Goyle,” Draco said, helping Harry to his feet. “We want to keep it secret from the fans.”
Goyle looked angry. “And when were you planning on telling us?”
“Today,” said Harry quickly. “We were going to tell you first, because we know we can trust you!”
Goyle smiled. “You’re right, you can trust me, but you better tell Pansy, she get it out of me anyway!”
0000
When Harry and Draco told Pansy and Blaise about their new relationship, they had two very different reactions. Blaise burst into tears and gave them both hugs and sloppy kisses, demanding to have children named after him. Pansy looked thoughtful for about a minute before laughing hysterically.
“Hey!” said Draco, quite irritated. “It’s not that funny.”
“Yes it is!” howled Pansy. “Your father works for You Know Who! And Harry has to kill You Know Who! It’s all crazy and ironic!”
“Still not that funny,” said Draco.
“Oh, come on, darling, don’t be mad. I think you and Harry make a wonderful couple, like yen and yang, but you have to admit the odds are against you.”
“I think we are very lucky,” Harry smiled giving Draco a peck on the cheek. Draco saw in his eyes that he to looked a bit scared.
0000
“We didn’t think about that, did we?” asked Harry as Draco walked him up to Gryffindor tower that night. “Voldermort is a bit of a pain.”
“You're right, we didn’t think about it,” Draco said. He banged shoulders with Harry. “We’ll get through it though.”
“What if you get hurt?” asked Harry, nervousness clear in his voice. “I don’t want you to get hurt because of me, maybe…”
“No, Harry,” said Draco, taking Harry’s face in his hand. “Don’t do that, don’t break up with me because of him!”
Harry suddenly released how much he did like Draco Malfoy-- his smile and his humour and his courage. Harry felt a sensation climb up inside him.
He hugged Draco with an amazing force, their arms grabbing at each other.
“Have breakfast at Gryffindor tomorrow?” Harry asked Draco.
Draco nodded and turned to leave. He whispered Lumos and headed down the dark corridor towards Slytherin.
0000
The next couple of days pasted extremely quickly for Harry, a blur of meetings in broom closets and extra band practises.
His relationship with Draco blossomed; Harry wanted to spend all his time with the good looking Slytherin, but he felt that Hermione was getting a bit suspicious. Of course Harry’s life at the moment was too frantic to reassure her and on Friday morning, the day of the big performance Harry was feeling quite sick.
“Harry, are you okay?” Hermione asked at the breakfast table. “You’re a bit pale.”
“You're right, Granger, I think Harry should have some of my no-more-nerves treatment,” Draco, who had joined Harry at Gryffindor table, said. Harry kicked him underneath it.
“What’s your no-more-nerves treatment?” asked Hermione, raising an eyebrow. Harry hadn’t told the Gryffindors about his new relationship.
“Well…” said Draco, smirking.
“It’s nothing,” said Harry quickly. “He’s just being stupid.”
“Apparently, from what I heard in the girl’s bathroom,” Hermione said carefully. “The girl who gets to have dinner tonight with Harry after the show also gets a kiss.”
Draco choked on his oatmeal.
“And, if you buy ‘Ostentatious by Nature’ merchandise you get your name put in the draw again,” Hermione continued.
“Merchandise?” Harry asked shocked. “I’ve seen the T-shirts and wrist bands, what else is there?.”
Hermione flashed a brief smirk. “Pansy actually asked me to help.”
“Hermione, you didn’t!” Harry asked, shocked.
“If this is how I can become a better friend for you Harry, I’ll do it; I used to help you defeat evil, now it’s making sure your Harry Potter action figure walks in a straight line!”
“You and Pansy made action figures!”
“And ‘Ostentatious by Nature’ bath soaps, and socks and hats, badges, underwear, my favourite is the ‘Ostentatious by nature’ book bags!”
“You are joking right?” Draco asked, shocked.
“Oh no, Pansy’s making heaps, she sells them in the girls bathroom. I’ve got a set of the dolls, if you want to see them,” Hermione said, rummaging through her bag, she produced five dolls.
“This is Pansy doll, she demanded one herself,” Hermione showed them the figure, about the same size and the muggle Barbie dolls. She put Pansy doll on the table; it walked and winked seductively past the toast. She was wearing a black corset and bright green mini skirt, her short black hair bounced as she walked.
“Comes with five changeable outfits, including naughty school girl and nurses uniform,” Hermione said.
Then Hermione showed them Goyle’s doll, he looked exactly like the shrunken boy, wearing his uniform. He came with a drum kit, which he sat quickly down at and start playing Dammit by Blink 182, over and over again.
Hermione showed them Blaise’s doll, both Draco and Harry laughed loudly, the figure lent against the juice jug and smiled jadedly. Hermione held her wand to his head. “Hey, fancy a shag” aaid the doll, in Blaise’s exact voice. Pansy doll seemed to hear and bounded over to Blaise to give him a smack around the head.
“This is your's, Malfoy.” Hermione put the blonde doll on the table. Malfoy doll looked sulkily around the table as if he was searching for something. His pale face and eyebrows the exact same as the real counterpart who was peered down at him.
“And Harry’s, now we don’t know why it does this, we’re still trying to fix it before tonight.” Hermione placed Harry doll by the frantically searching Draco doll’s side. Draco doll stopped searching immediately and launched him self on to Harry Doll, they started to do unmentionables on Hermione’s toast.
Harry grabbed his doll by the scruff of his jersey; Draco did the same to his. The two dolls struggled to get free.
“Bloody hell, Harry, can’t keep you hands off me can you!” daid the real Draco, with an awkward laugh.
“Anyone could see,” aaid Harry trying to cover himself. “That your doll was clearing forcing mine into it.”
They both laughed and Hermione looked cross.
“Do you know any reason why they might do that?” She asked in a foul mood. “Its understandable that Pansy doll would tell off you lot, and that Goyle doll would sometimes follow the Pansy doll round, but for your dolls to try to … At every possible moment, it doesn’t make sense.”
“Would you look at this, my doll is wearing the exact same underpants as I’m wearing!” Draco laughed as he glared down the dolls pants.
“Malfoy please, I need to get to the bottom of this, we have five hundred pairs of these dolls locked in Pansy’s dormitory going at it all over the floor,” Hermione whined.
Draco whispered in his dolls ear, which immediately stopped struggling. Draco put him on the table, and Harry put his on as well, they approached each other carefully, under Hermione’s sharp eye. Doll Draco whispered in Harry doll’s ear. Harry doll smirked and winked at real Harry.
Hermione put her wand above their heads.
“Bloody Hell, Potter, you’re such a dweeb,” Draco doll said friendly.
“I‘m not the dweeb, you’re the dweeb!” aaid doll Harry lamely.
Real Draco laughed. “You are such a dweeb Potter.”
“No, I’m not, you’re the dweeb,” Real Harry said before he could think of a better come back.
“How did you stop them from… indulging in… those activities?” asked Hermione.
“I told him I would rip off his little plastic penis if he didn’t keep his hands to him self,” said Draco, having a spoon of oat meal.
“Little penis,” Harry whispered so only Draco could hear him.
“You know I was only lying, so Granger wouldn’t try ravishing me under the table,” Draco joked smirking.
Harry slid his hand onto Draco thigh, making sure none of the Gryffindors had noticed. “I just remembered I forgot my transfiguration book,” he announced quickly.
Hermione looked at him suspiciously. “See you in class then.”
Harry turned his head as he exited the great hall; he winked at Draco before leaving the hall.
“I’ve forgotten my Viking hat,” Draco said, obviously distracted, to Hermione before running out of the Hall.
0000
Harry sat in the small room behind the teachers table. The last time he was in here he had been selected for the Tri Wizard Tournament. The room now held a makeshift changing room, mirrors leant against the walls, Harry peered into one, not really liking what he was seeing. His hair, once again streaked with green hung heavily round his pale face, his eyes bright green framed in dark thick eye liner, and there was his newest accessory, one Pansy had to pleaded him to get, a small silver bar protruded over his eye brow, Pansy had pieced it. Harry was having second thoughts about every thing. What would his parents say if they could see him now, leather pants shining like the night, heavy wrist bands covered in spikes a piercing through his brow.
A gentle hand was placed on the small of Harry’s back.
“How did you get into your leather pants with out me?” asked the smooth voice of Draco Malfoy.
Harry suddenly realised his parents weren’t here, Draco was, and he was where he wanted to be. Draco’s pale face smiled at him, his blonde hair, as soft as silver fell over his face; his grey eyes were lined with heavy black eye liner as well.
“I took your advice finally,” Harry smiled
Draco raised an eyebrow. “Commando?” He drawled.
Harry nodded, feeling himself go very red.
“You two are like twins!” Blaise said happily bounding over, his dark soft black hair bouncing up and down.
“Twincest never felt this good,” laughed Draco, kissing Harry on the cheek.
Blaise smiled, “I once tried that with my brother Basal, didn’t got down that well with my mother.”
Harry spat the pumpkin juice he was drinking out. Draco winced.
“You’re lying right?” Harry asked pleadingly. “You don’t have a brother.”
“Oh, I do have a twin brother,” said Blaise leaning over Harry to put eye liner on. “Basal, he goes to that silly school in France, looks exactly like me, thought he is awfully ridiculous.”
“More mad then you?” Harry asked shocked.
“Way more silly, I was lying about the twincest thing by the way, Basal is too clingy to start a relationship with.”
Goyle enter the room, dressed in his band gear of baggy jeans and a tee. “What’s up?” he asked noticing Harry look of horror.
“Blaise is talking about his brother Basal.”
“Oh,” said Goyle, putting on a wrist band. “The silly one?”
“How many brothers do you have?” Harry asked .
“6 brothers and 3 sisters,” said Blaise happily. “Basal and I are the oldest, then Benedict, Benito, Barnabas, Belden, Beau and my sisters, Beryl, Bona and Bibiana.”
“All their names start with B,” Harry said, rising an eyebrow.
“Hey, what do you know, I never realised!” said Blaise without a trace of sarcasm.
Pansy then bustled into the room, looking more like a manager then every before, she wore a crisp white shirt with a long red tie, (matching red nail polish and lips) and a short grey skirt with long white socks. A very skanky manager.
“I just welcomed him,” she said breathlessly. “The entire hall is packed, this is the night boys, this is the night.”
“What is going on with the whole ‘win a date with Harry Potter’ thing?” Draco asked bitterly.
“Don’t worry,” hushed Pansy. “I’ve got every thing sorted! I’ve got the sorting hat filled with names at the side of the stage, after your performance, I’ll rock on out and then lead Harry and the lucky boy or girl to the tower where a dinner is waiting.”
Draco grumbled.
“Oh, but Harry,” Pansy said. “You’ll have to kiss her on the stage.”
“On the stage?” Harry asked, bewildered. “In front of people.”
“You don’t mind hooking up with Draco in front of us,” Goyle complained.
“Where do I have to kiss them?” Harry asked, ignoring Goyle.
“On the lips,” Pansy said, not looking Draco in the eye. “Now I’ll go out and introduce you. Dumbledore turned the teacher table into a stage it looks quite nice.”
As she opened the door to leave, the band heard the hundreds of school children screaming out their names.
They couldn’t hear what Pansy was saying, but the cheering got louder.
“Draco,” Harry said quietly as he waited with the others. “You know I don’t want to kiss them right?”
“I know, Harry,” Draco sighed.
“Draco,” Harry said, quietly again. “I think I’ve lost my voice again.”
Draco looked at Harry, and smiled an affectionate grin; he kissed Harry gently on the lips, his tongue sweeping at Harry’s bottom lip.
“We have to go out,” said Blaise awkwardly.
The boys broke apart, the strapped on their guitars and headed onto the stage.
Roars meet their ears; the crowd was going crazy, a giant mosh pit was formed at the base of the make shift stage. Harry noticed a fat little man sitting at the back, was he the man from the label?
“Hello,” said Harry, grabbing the magic mic. “Our first song tonight is a classic." Here you go Dumbledore, he thought bitterly. “And, it was inspired by your shoe laces.”
Draco fingers started to work on his guitar, a soft beat silenced the crowd.
“Long ago, and oh so far away, I fall in love with you before the second show!” Harry sung into the microphone, his voice dripping with unhappiness. His own fingers, teasing the guitar strings.
“Your guitar,” Harry sung as Draco’s fingers worked. “Sounds so sweet and clear, but your not really there it’s just the radio!”
Goyle came in with a soft drum beat; Blaise produced a saxophone he had been practising on for the past few weeks.
“Don’t you remember you told me you loved me baby,” the song becoming stronger. “You said you would be coming back this way again baby!”
Harry felt the need to look over his shoulder at Draco, but fought hard against it.
“Baby, baby, baby, baby, ohh baby, I love you I really do!”
When the song had finished, and the crowd had finished applauding with a crazed pack of elephants, Harry asked the crowd.
“So, who is your favourite band?” he asked, smiling.
“OSTENTIOUS BY NATURE!” cried the hall.
“And who want us to play a song one of our members wrote them selves?”
The crowd screamed and inaudible reply.
“This song, is called ‘Your Absinthe Kisses’, and it is written by Mr. Draco Malfoy, I believe a round of applause are in order.”
The crowd was going so wild; Harry was almost scared for his life.
The drums started first, raw and empty, the hollow noise filled the great hall, it echoed off the walls, like it was the only thing in being. Then the bass, its sullenly deep tone rolling around the room like smoke. Draco and Harry’s guitars sung together, crying of passion and burning nights, hot bodies pressed against glass or Absinthe sliding down a dry throat.
“Your eyes, like poison ivy, wrap around my soul,” Harry knew very well who Draco wrote this song about, he felt Draco grey eyes glare tenderly at his back. “Your eyes, my candles in the darkness, lead me on my wicked way.”
The song was haunting; it fitted cold grey Hogwarts perfectly, like a ghost wandering down the empty corridors, or an owl flying over head.
“You mouth, dripping with Absinthe,” Harry screamed each syllable rolling off this tongue. “A placebo for my nightmares and you’re my only cure.”
Harry felt prickles down his back; Draco’s guitar was screaming, louder and louder, its extraordinary desire filling the hall. The crowd was jumping up and down in the mosh pit, their arms flung in the sky. Blaise was swinging around with his bass, Goyle sweated profoundly.
When the music came to an end and Harry’s throat felt like he had drunk an entire bottle of Absinthe, the crowd was oddly silent. Then like an explosion had happened they returned to their crazed behavior.
Harry took a deep breath, he finally glanced over his shoulder, Grey eyes locked on his, and they both smiled. Harry was so temped to rush over and give him an Absinthe kiss.
“Wonderful,” Pansy smiled, stepping up to the stage. She took the microphone off Harry, though she held his hand. “Now hags and zombies, we are going to see who the winner of our little competition is! Harry, if you don’t mind, will you pull a name out of the hat.”
Harry smiled nervously, he saw many girls in the audience cross their fingers. He reached his hand into the sorting hat, Pansy held it high above his head. He pulled out a long strip of white paper. He read it silently, his face become very red. He locked eyes with Draco as he read the name.
“Draco Malfoy.”
“Damn,” said Blaise quite loudly. “I wanted to win.” A few people laughed, most were staring in awe and the eyes locked Harry and Draco.
Pansy looked quite shocked, she hadn’t expected that. “Ahhh … I guess Mr. Malfoy will be enjoying a dinner with Harry tonight” she still looked thoughtful but she continued, she glanced over at a guilty looking Goyle, who had been sitting close to where the hat was kept. “Harry, why don’t you give Draco that kiss?”
Harry went very red. He could feel every Gryffindor eye on his in the hall, willing him to say no.
Harry strolled causally over and Draco, who was looking quite scared him self. Harry swooped, before he lost his nerve, he kissed Draco, his hands coming up to his pale face. The hall had gone silent again.