Dear Draco,

I love you, but how do you get yourself into these things? Seriously, I know its not your fault and its just like you, the real you, to go along with something like this when you know its going to make you miserable. I don’t like this. At all. I know you don’t want to be at Hogwarts and it kills me to know that your last year is turning out to be even worse. But you’re right. There is nothing you can do. I hope Pansy knows how lucky she is, though she’s no where near as lucky as me.

This Hermione Granger. Is she the same girl who was with Potter that night at the pub? I can’t believe she just came into your dorm and found you in bed! No girl would have gotten away with that at Durmstrang. All the important bits were covered right, or do I have to hex her? Those bits are only for me to see!

Now that I’m done being possessive, I thought I would let you know that the lyrics you sent were perfect. You definitely got it just right this time. Attached is a recording of the music we put together to go with it as well as a version with the lyrics in it. I think the entire thing just needs a couple of adjustments here and there. Let me know what you think.

There are a couple pubs near Hogsmeade that are interested in having us play fo them. I’ll be visiting them at the end of your second week of school, which is conveniently just in time for your first Hogsmeade weekend. I miss you so much Draco. I still wake up sometimes and wonder why you aren’t in bed with me before I remember that you’re at school. We will make it through this year Draco, we have to, but damn it! All I want to do is kiss you.

But speaking of making it through the year, I do expect you to make it without starving yourself. Ben wrote me about how you’re barely eating. I know things aren’t going very well, but you can’t let it interfere with your health. Don’t make me force feed you in Hogsmeade. You know I will.

Now that I’ve gotten myself all worked up, I had better go. Eric and Kayd just got here to practice. They’ve been making kissy noises at me since they realized I was writing to you. I guess that’s there way of asking me to give you a ‘hello’ from them. Take care of yourself and don’t forget that I love you.

Love,
Ian

I am so glad you will be coming next weekend. Its been a week f class and it feels like I haven’t seen you in a year. I want to kiss you too.

As much as I would be amusing by you hexing Granger, you can rest assured that my virtue has not been compromised. And possessive is right. Not that I have much room to talk. I plan on employing Eric and Kayd to make sure any rabid fan girls keep their filthy hands off when I’m not there. I am the only one who gets to put their filthy hands anywhere on you.

On a more serious note, I don’t like Pansy situation anymore than you do, though your evaluation of my character in this is clearly bias in my favor. I know what its like to have a, shall I say ‘questionable,’ family member (to put it mildly) and I feel for her, but if I thought for one moment that there was a way to make the entire school know the truth and consequently got off my back, I would do it. There have been no more actual confrontations but every time I enter a room heads turn...and not in a good way. Even my house mates are keeping their distance. All except for Blaise anyway. He seems to have replaced Crabbe and Goyle as my constant companions. I don’t know what I would do without his friendship, even if his sarcasm is included.

One interesting thing did happen today. I wasn’t feeling well in Ethics o f Wizarding and Muggle Relations and Black actually let me leave to go lay down. I could hardly believe it, but I think it had to do with what happened in the Headmaster’s office. He knows he was wrong and that was probably the only acknowledgment he’ll ever give of that.

I know you have probably been going crazy since you read the part my not feeling well. Relax. Its probably just a combination of stress and a stomach bug, though its really starting to piss me off the way It comes and goes. I’m sure I just need some rest. I’ll be fine and you’ll see for yourself next weekend.

Its almost time for evening meal so I had better wrap this up. I do hope you let Kayd and Eric know that payback will come the next time either of them brings a girlfriend around. We will have to plot some sort of suitable revenge. Until I see you, stop worrying about me. I’ll be fine and I love you too.

Love,
Draco

“I still says he’s up to something.”

Ben paused on the stairs as he heard the voices below him in the common room. He was lucky that most everyone else had already left the dorms so no one was likely to discover him eavesdropping. As long as he was quiet they wouldn’t know he was there and Ben was very good at being sneaky. He was a little brother after all.

“There’s something going on, that’s for sure,” the girls voice drifted up to him. Ben thought her name was Hermione, though Draco called her Granger.

“Maybe you’re both just being paranoid.”

“After everything you’ve been through, how can you say that Harry? By now I would think you would know enough to be cautious,” the girl spoke again.

“And this is Malfoy we’re talking about! What’s that saying? A leopard doesn’t change its clothes!”

Ben scowled as it was confirmed that they were talking about Draco, but managed to restrain himself from jumping out and telling the three Griffindors exactly what he thought of them.

“Ron, I think Hermione’s had you watching too much muggle TV and it’s ‘a leopard doesn’t change its spots’, not ‘its clothes’.”

“I suppose that makes more sense,” Weasley conceded. Ben rolled his eyes.

“Whether its correct or not, Ron has a point Harry. A person doesn’t change just like that. I know you probably feel sympathetic since he was forced to come out, but ...”

Potter cut her off, “Why does my sexuality have to have anything to do with it? You think that just because I’m gay too that must mean I can’t be objective? I’m not the one letting childhood squabbles run away with me!”

“Harry, did you just defend Malfoy?” Weasley asked after a moment of silence. Ben noticed how they didn’t bring up his sexuality again. Despite his automatic dislike for all three, he silently rooted Potter on.

There was an exasperated sigh, “No, I’m just saying that we shouldn’t see things that aren’t there just because we don’t care for the git. He hasn’t done anything to us and even if he had something planned he’d have a hell of a time pulling it off with the entire school already pissed at him because of Parkinson. Besides that, didn’t your parents go to a party at the Malfoy’s a few weeks ago, Ron? I doubt they are up to anything more than getting back into the good graces of the Ministry.”

“Even so Harry, there are still Death Eaters out there and I don’t think its being too unreasonable to ask for us all to be cautious,” Granger said primly.

“Besides mate,” Weasley added, “Doesn’t it worry you that Malfoy is being all chummy with those two first years in our house?”

There was a pause, “Maybe a little. The boy, the one Malfoy says is his brother or whatever, he’s been joining the pre-tryout Quidditch drills. I don’t know what to think, but the boy can handle himself on a broom, even if it is one of the school’s.”

Ben found himself smiling at the compliment. He’d have to tell Draco.

“Speaking of flying, have you noticed that Malfoy has barely been in the air during the Slytherin’s practice?” Weasley asked.

“No Ron,” Potter said sharply, “I don’t spy on the Slytherin’s practice.”

“That is interesting though. Malfoy hasn’t looked well recently and last week Sirius did let him leave class early,” Granger commented.

“And he’s been looking positively green at meals,” Weasley said happily.

Ben had had enough. Without making any noise he made his way down the last couple steps and turned the corner into the common room, “I didn’t know it was an honorable Gryffindor trait to take joy in another’s misery. No matter how much you dislike them.”

With that, the young Gryffindor turn on his heel and made his way out the portrait hole. The room was silent as he left. The look on their faces: priceless.

It had been another week of school and the strange sickness had still not left him. He had thrown up two more times and had come close on a few other occasions. Both times he had somehow managed to hide his illness from his house mates. Even so, Pansy was looking at him sadly every time they were in the same room and Blaise had started hovering around him, constantly dropping hints that maybe he should see Madame Pomfrey. Draco knew he really should, but for some reason he was reluctant. It was as if some part of him believed that if no one actually discovered what was wrong with him, then it would just go away.

Quidditch practice had begun, but the weightlessness that came with flying certainly didn’t make his nausea any better. He had taken to flying laps with the rest of his team at the beginning, but made the excuse that he wanted the chance to observe everyone as a reason to stay on the ground. Draco didn’t know what he was going to do when real practice started after the tryouts. He could only hope he was feeling better by then.

“Nice day for a Hogsmeade weekend,” came a voice from behind Draco. He turned to find Blaise standing behind him, observing him carefully. “You’re feeling better,” the other boy added.

“Yes,” Draco replied, agreeing on both points.

“I’m glad. I don’t like seeing you look so miserable,” Blaise went on.

Draco caught the odd tone in his friend’s voice and turned his own critical eye Blaise’s way.

“So, I guess if you’re feeling better maybe we should celebrate with a trip to Honeydukes and maybe a butterbeer,” Blaise suggested.

Trying to keep his expression neutral, Draco manages to reply, “Sorry, Blaise. That sounds great but I’m meeting someone in Hogsmeade and we’ll be spending the day together.”

Draco almost smacked himself in the head as he realized that he still hadn’t told Blaise about his relationship with Ian. He just wasn’t used to confiding in anyone but his lover, but now it appeared that his inability to trust had led to his hurting his friend’s feeling. Not only his friend, but the only one Draco felt he could talk to at school if he needed.

Blaise was a Slytherin and rarely let his guard down in front of others, but now the disappointment was clear on his face. He covered it quickly. “Oh, so that’s why you’re feeling so much better,” he replied jokingly.

“You could say that,” Draco said with a slight smile before he forced himself to become serious. “I’m really glad we’re friends Blaise.”

Their eyes met and Draco could see that Blaise had gotten the message.

“So am I,” he finally said.

“We’ll talk later,” Draco promised, “but I have to go. Eat lots of chocolate for me.”

“You don’t have to tell me twice!”

They were both smiling as Draco began to walk towards Hogsmead. He would have to tell Blaise about Ian and hope that their friendship remained intact. Blaise and his constant teasing tone had become a lifeline for him and there was no way he could willingly let that go.

These thoughts only put a slight damper on his mood as he walked briskly toward town. He made good time despite being so tired recently. He quickly located their agreed meeting place and stood out of the way beside a small side alley. He waited. And waited. It was five minutes past their planned meeting time when Draco started to worry that he had somehow gotten the location wrong. He was just about to take a walk up the road when he felt an arm go around his waist. A strangled sound came from his mouth as he was pulled into the alley.

A moment later, he felt hard brick against his back as he was lifted and held against the wall. He caught a glimpse of familiar auburn hair before a warm mouth was pressed against his own and he let his eyes close in pleasure. Draco pulled back slightly, “You’re an ass!”

Ian laughed, “But you still love me.”

A growl was the only reply Draco gave before he pulled Ian back to him and kissed him hard. The familiar movement of their lips pressing together had been missed greatly and they exchanged small kisses for several minutes as if they were both trying to memorize that simple sensation of their lips touching. They both groaned when Draco pressed his tongue into his lover’s mouth. Ian sucked on it gently, reminding Draco of how it felt to have other parts of his body serviced by that mouth. In the corner of his mind, the Slytherin knew that making out hot and heavy in an alleyway was not considered respectable behavior, but the raging hormones of a teenage boy could easily bypassed such pieces of logic, especially with Ian entering his mouth, lapping playfully at his tongue and lips.

Both of them seemed to have forgotten their surroundings as Ian pressed Draco harder against the wall and helped the blond wrap his legs around his hips. Gasping for air, Draco lightly nipped at the neck in front of him as Ian’s mouth worked to mark him. Teeth grazed the oversensitive spot on his neck and Draco groaned, his eyes half-lidded as he lay his head on Ian’s shoulder. A second later, his eyes opened wide as he met the gaze of someone across the street. They had been spotted.

The golden trio was across the street and while Granger and Weasley appeared to be arguing over where to go first, Harry Potter was staring straight into the alley, his eyes fairly popping out as he saw Draco Malfoy being ravaged against a brick wall. When they’re eyes met they just looked at each other in shock.

Ian felt the body in his arms stiffen, “Draco?”

At the same moment Draco watched as Granger and Weasley noticed their friend’s distracted gaze and started to look toward the alley when Potter fairly shouted something and drew their attention away. They talked briefly, then all three Gryffindors turned and made there way down the street.

“Draco?” Ian repeated as his lover finally relaxed in his arms.

“Let’s go somewhere else,” Draco suggested, finally finding his voice, “Potter just saw us.”

Ian cursed, “Shit Draco, I’m sorry. I got carried away.”

Draco just kissed Ian’s cheek and grinned, “We both did. Now take me somewhere. Preferably somewhere private.”

“Bossy,” Ian said taking his hand. “ I have my room from last night until noon.”

Draco discreetly adjusted himself, but Ian saw it and grinned. The Slytherin scowled, “Its your fault.”

“I didn’t hear you complaining.”

“No, but I will be if we don’t get to pick up where we left off within the next five minutes.”

Ian squeezed Draco’s hand. No more words were exchanged as they fairly raced out of the alley.