Title: Having Your Cake
Author: Marks (baracct@yahoo.com)
Summary: An aggressive Neville lets Harry know his feelings, but wants to hide their relationship. Something's not quite right.
Pairings: Harry/Neville, Harry/?
Rating: R
Categories: Fluff, Humour, Slash
Notes: Originally for the Polyjuice Challenge (#18) on 30 minute fics.

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Hiding under his Invisibility Cloak and clutching the note in his sweaty hand, Harry rushed towards the greenhouses. The secret meeting place couldn't mean anything but trouble and he was nervous about the purpose of the meeting.

Harry,

Can you meet me in Greenhouse Three at ten o'clock tonight? I have something to ask you and since Professor Sprout has given me permission to work there, it seems like it'd give us the most privacy.

Neville

When Harry reached the door, Neville was already inside, pacing back and forth. He nervously ran a hand through his hair. "Y-You're here. Good, great, I was beginning to worry."

Harry was puzzled. It wasn't even ten yet. "What's all this about, Neville?" he asked curiously. "Is there something wrong? Did something happen?"

"Wrong? What? Oh. Oh, no, nothing like that. I...I just have something I want to tell you." Neville's posture was quite formal and he smoothed out his robes.

"Go ahead, Neville. You can tell me anything." Still confused, Harry tried smiling encouragingly.

At that, Neville's face softened a bit and he cleared his throat. "I wanted to tell you I like you. I mean, I know you like me, too. That's not what I mean. I just can't get you out of my head and I didn't know how to go about acting on it."

Harry felt his cheeks flush and saw his expression matched Neville's. "Oh! I don't know wh-what to say to that, Neville," he stammered. "I've never had anyone say that to me before."

Taking two steps forward, Neville asked, "Harry, can I kiss you?"

Still recovering from shock, Harry shakily nodded. Neville nervously licked his lips before leaning in. When their lips met, Harry felt warmth spread through him and he closed his eyes. A moment later when Neville's lips opened slightly, Harry responded by tentatively darting his tongue inside. He was further encouraged when Neville moaned softly.

Thirty minutes later, Harry and Neville emerged, Harry's hair more dishevelled than usual. Neville reached over and picked a leaf off Harry's robes and said, "You go on ahead. I have to lock up here or Professor Sprout will kill me. And... I want to meet you again, but maybe we shouldn't tell anyone about this, just yet. I don't know what other people will think."

Harry nodded quickly, throwing the cloak over his head again and headed over to Hagrid's hut in order to make himself presentable. He couldn't stop smiling the entire walk over.

The next week was a thrilling one for Harry. He met Neville in the greenhouse twice more, once in the Astronomy Tower and once in the Room of Requirement, each time engaging in more activity than really was proper in any classroom setting, but he'd decided it was time to end their secrecy. As the Sixth Year NEWT Charms class spilled into the hall, Harry tapped on Neville's shoulder.

Neville looked a bit surprised but smiled warmly. "Yes, Harry?"

Harry kissed Neville squarely on the mouth, tangling his hands in Neville's robes. A moment later, he broke away, ignoring Ron and Hermione's gaping faces, the indignant calls of Professor McGonagall regarding proper school conduct, and the sneering Slytherins that had witnessed the entire event.

That night, when Neville and Harry met in Flitwick's classroom, Neville looked angry. Really angry. More angry than Harry had ever seen Neville. Harry asked, "What's wrong, love?"

"I don't like public displays of affection, that's what, Harry!" ranted Neville. "Everyone saw us and I thought we'd agreed to keep this secret!"

"You don't like to kiss me in public, Neville?" Harry sneered. "Then, why exactly, did you snog the hell out of me in the Gryffindor Common Room not twenty minutes ago and thank me for the excellent kiss earlier that day?"

Not-Neville looked scared. "I...I..."

Harry pushed Not-Neville into a chair. With a flick of his wand and a quickly muttered incantation, tiny ropes shot out, binding Not-Neville.

Pulling up a chair of his own, Harry sat and stared at the impostor. "Now we wait," he said.

"I could just tell you who I am," Not-Neville said miserably.

"This is more fun. More dramatic, wouldn't you say?"

Not-Neville sighed.

The minutes ticked by and fifty minutes after Harry's arrival, Neville's wavy hair straightened and lightened considerably. Brown eyes changed to grey. The boy shrunk a few inches, giving way to the slight form of Draco Malfoy. Harry narrowed his eyes dangerously. "Malfoy," he spat. "What are you playing at, exactly?"

Sighing again, Draco said, "I told you the truth the first day. I've been appreciating your form for quite awhile. I knew you'd never do anything with me and took a chance on Longbottom. Seems like I guessed correctly."

"So, this isn't some evil plot?"

Draco scoffed, "Getting into Harry Potter's pants is an evil plot! Using Polyjuice for the purpose is completely nefarious! And Slytherin," he added.

Harry stood up and released Draco's binds. "I'd be lying if I said I'd never, uhm, 'appreciated your form' before. But, I don't know. You're Malfoy and it looks like the real Neville might actually be interested."

Pulling himself off the chair, Draco stood inches from Harry. "I can't speak for Longbottom, but I'm willing to share." After a beat, he added, "Preferably at the same time."

At that, much of Harry's bloodflow travelled in a direction far from his head. He didn't stop Draco as the other boy leaned in for a kiss. Softly, Harry asked, "Can you, uhm, do that thing you did in the Room of Requirement?"

Draco looked confused. "Harry, I've never been in the Room of Requirement."

Harry's eyebrows nearly flew off his head. Just how many Neville Longbottoms were running around Hogwarts, anyway?

 

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