Harry lay with his head on the hard stone floor of the showers, ice cold water hitting his exposed flesh. He tried to stop panting. All he could think was…no I cannot think about him like that.

Harry and Draco had always loathed each other. But when Draco returned to Hogwarts for their seventh year, Harry realized he no longer felt quite the same about the blonde. But Harry not only had stopped hating Draco, he felt something rather deeper than indifference for his new-found ally. Said something rather resembled…

Oh God! What am I thinking? Not Draco, Not Draco… it worked with the Sorting Hat.

From his position on the floor, Harry could see the entrance to the prefects' bathroom. It was more shadowed than Harry remembered, making the rest of the room appear brighter than normal as well. Looking away from the darkness, Harry found himself temporarily blinded. Returning his eyes to the ceiling, Harry's thoughts left the mysterious shadows and returned to his…predicament.

Why Draco? I mean there isn't all that much too special about him…What the hell am I talking about? Everything about him is special…his eyes, silver pools that seem to look into my soul when they meet mine, his luscious blond hair framing his wonderfully beautiful face, his graceful hands, his rare but magically luminous smile… How can I deal with this?

Harry could tell that what he was feeling wasn't "true love" but he could feel more than just a childhood crush. He couldn't figure out how loathing of six years could suddenly turn into more than infatuation. I can NOT like Draco. However being with Draco made Harry feel, he could not, after so many years of hate, accept his…his feelings for Draco, nor could he deny that they were there.

Harry new he was gay. He had known for two years. "But Draco?"

"Yes?" came the smug reply from the mystic darkness near the entryway.

Oh crap!! Oh crap!!

"Thinking fondly of me Potter?" drawled the shadows.

NO!!!!! He can not be here! He…He can't have heard me say his name in way that does not imply detest! NNNNNOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Immediately assuming a calm façade and sitting up, Harry responded as sarcastically as he could pull off, "Well of course, dear Draco!" The sniggering he then added was a purposeful distraction which, in Harry's mind, would tear Draco away from any belief in these words.

"Wow Potter, for a moment there you almost sounded sincere. I couldn't have done it better myself. Well…maybe I could've,"Malfoy said stepping into the light of the room. Harry hastened to pull his legs up to cover his…himself.

"What are you doing here anyway…Malfoy?" Harry spat the name with hatred that would convince anyone, even Hermione, that he meant it…even if he didn't.

"Ouch, that hurts me deep Potter, hurts real deep…" Draco broke off into an obviously fake sob.

"Shut up you self-centered, spoiled, soulless prat!" Harry shot back.

At this, Draco genuinely winced and Harry felt a twinge of guilt and a desire to run over to him and pull Draco into a comforting embrace. But in as long as it took for the thought to cross his mind, the cold look returned to Draco's face and his emotional shell was shielding him from any further feelings.

"Malfoy…I didn't mean…I shouldn't have…"Harry was interrupted by the swishing of robes and the sound of the portrait closing behind Draco as he left with a speed Harry had not thought possible.