Two: The Potion
"2 stalks wolves bane 2 worm roots 2 arrow roots 2 cups swamp water 2/1-6 blood 1/1-6 swamp water 1 teaspoon powdered young dracling scales pinch of pixi dust stripings of one red phenix feather one unicorn hair pinch of crystal dust"

Harry was re-reading the instructions; to save his life he couldn't figure out what any of this was for. Draco wrapped his arms around Harry's shoulders and kissed his temple.

"You look so sweet when your thinking hard" Draco told him.

"I just can't figure out what this is supposed to be. Granted it looks like it will be really cool, but I can't find a use for it." Draco shrugged elegantly and set his lips to Harry's shoulder. Harry had gotten used to these shows of affection, but at first they had confused him; he'd never had a lover quite like Draco, so in need of assurance and attention. He liked it.

"I'm sure there's a probable use for." Draco said into Harry's neck. "But we really should get to work on it." Harry agreed and Draco reluctantly untangled himself to give the both more room to move. "Can you read the instructions out-loud?" He asked, momentairly distracted by Hawk who was fanning his wings, Hedwig curled up against his side. /Great...now were going to have little owletts!/

"Okay, it says we have to make the potion first, so we may as well start there. We need wolves bane-which you already cut-worm root, pixi dust, swamp water, bood, arrow root, powdered young dracling scales, unicorn hair, a phenix feather, and crystal dust. " As Harry spoke, Draco identified each ingrediant in the candle light (the small room actually lit up well under the light of twenty-two candles, six of which being bewiched to let off more light than their size would normally allow) and set them in a neat row. "Got that all?"

"Except the blood of course" he said and looked over to Harry for further instruction.

"Alright, we need to make two potions, so we need both cauldrons and both burners." Draco sat up on his knees and collected the requested iteams, lighting the burner with a simple spell. "Draco...." Draco rolled his eyes; Snape didn't allow them to light the burners with spells any more because Nevill had blown up a total of three in his first three months.

"Have I ever blown a burner open?" Harry did shake his head, but still looked at Draco with a slight dissaproving frown.

"Fine. Back to the potions." He was hovering over his own cauldron, reading the list at the same time. "Bring two cups swamp water to simmer." Draco surveyed the ornate bottle of greenish water before picking up a measuring cup and carefully filling it exactly to the two cup mark before pouring it in and handing the bottle to Harry who did the same.

"Is there anything we can do while it simmers?"

"Well you cut the Wolfs bane....did you cut two stalks or four?"

"Four."

"Okay...well, how about you dice the arrow root and I'll take care of the worm root?"

"How many?" He asked, looking into the bag of the slender roots.

"Two. Keep the portions seperate." Harry said distractedly, grimicing at the squirming root between his fingers. They sat in a comfortable silence while Draco expertly diced the arrow root into miniture cubes and Harry wrestled the slimy worm root into strips where it finally subsided and stopped moving.

"Okay, what's next..." Harry asked himself, glarring at the root and just daring it to start moving again. Draco laughed a little.

"You want to see a trick?" He asked, pulling out another of the squirming roots, Harry lifted a brow and watched in disbelief as Draco ran his finger lightly down it's length and it stopped moving completely. "The rougher you are, the harder they fight." He explained, tossing the still root back into it's box were it sprung to life again.

"You couldn't have shown me that five minutes ago?"

"I thought it was cute." Harry rolled his eyes but turned them back to the instructions.

"Right, add the strippings of a red phenix feather." He took the bright red feather-a wing feather to be exact- and closed his nails around the tip before stripping it expertly, watching the thin fibers drift into the potion. "A teaspoon of powdered young dracling scales...and let that boil until the feather dissolves. This will take approximately an hour and should emmitt a pleasent smell smiliar to that of a flower. Do not drink or smell purposefully." Draco sat back on his hunches and watched his potion silently for a moment as it slowly came to a boil.

"What are we going to do for an hour?" Harry was also sitting back, his hands resting lightly on his thighs. Suddenly his face lit into a smile and he pulled Draco to his feet.

"Lay down." He whispered, but he didn't have that tone in his voice he got when he wanted to lay down with Draco. Confused but curious, Draco lay on his side and watched Harry go through his chest. After a minute he emerged with a sketch pad and an art set. Draco started to laugh, but adjusted himself into a more picture worthy pose.

"I can't believe you're going to draw me of all people."

"I could draw the gohst in the corner if you think it would come out better." Harry suggested, but he was already scribbling across the paper madly, his eyes darting in between his paper and his object. "You're beautiful, Draco." Harry told him, stopping and smiling up at the blonde before flipping the sheet and setting the pencil down again. "Just keep your nose out for the potion." He said, smiling in approval as Draco shifted posistion slightly, giving Harry a better angle. Harry filled the pad quickly and his hand was smeared in dark back when Draco finally pointed out that it smelled like roses.

"Go wash, quickly!" Harry scrambled into the bathroom and scrubbed the thick black coating off his fingers.

"Stir until smell dissapates-yes it was roses by the way-and add wolves bane." Draco was reading when Harry emerged again. Harry hurried to get back to his boiling cauldron and stirred it slowly for about two minutes while the smell of roses faded and the potion turned a shade of blue.

"Potion should turn light blue if done properly thus far." Harry read, calming the panick raising in his chest. "Okay, next. Mix sliced worm root and diced arrow root well and add to the potion simultanously." They each dumped their own portions into a bowl and tossed it like a salad before dumping it into the steaming blue liquid. It puffed in protest and sputtered for a moment before turning a brownish-orange shade. "Color should change to a brown/orange shade. Wait until sputtering subsides and add a pinch of pixi-dust and two unicorn hairs. Stir until potion becomes sluggish and turns pink, allow to boil over night in a protected place." Harry glarred at the potion for a long time while Draco added his ingrediants. "That was too easy." He said suddenly.

"If I know Snape, the last step will be hardest. At least it doesn't have a foul smell." Draco seemed unconcerned and knowing that his lover did pay more attention in potions than he did, Harry pushed his mistrust aside and added the pixi dust and unicorn hairs. The potion boiled admently while Harry stirred it, but twenty minutes later it slowed and an hour later it turned pink. "I think the hardest part about this potion is the patients required. Not many of our classmates-except maybe Hermione-have the patients to stirr something for over an hour." Draco commented, messaging his sore forearm. Harry agreed, making a wall out of their chests and pushing the potions catiously into the make-shift shelter.

"You go shower. I'll make 'dinner'." Draco suggested, making a face at the shelves containing their food supply. Harry laughed and gave Draco a mock lecture on cullenary skills until the blonde snapped at him. He laughed, but collected his towel and bed clothes and crawled into the bathroom.

When Harry woke the next morning Draco was laying agianst his chest and the closet smelled pleasently of something sweet but musky. He took a deep breath and lay still, looking down at his lover with wondering eyes.

/If I'm not back next year, remember me kindly./ Boy would Ron be suprised when-if?- he found out that Harry was sleeping with the very person he had charged with his non-exsistant murder? He smiled.

"What's so funny?" Draco asked suddenly, stretching linguidly.

"How did you know anything was funny? I didn't even make a sound!"

"You tip your head when you smile." Draco told him through a yawn. Now Harry did laugh, amazed that Draco noticed such things. "We should check on that potion. Your turn to 'cook' by the way." Harry reluctantly released his blonde angel and watch him stretch, giving into the urge to get up on his knees and fold his arms around Draco's waist. Draco moaned and leaned back into him.

"How can you put up with this? Being here all by yourself for months? I'm going crazy enough as it is and I have you to keep my company." Harry shrugged and took Draco's earlobe inbetween his lips.

"I don't know how I've ever survived anywere without you." Harry whispered relishing the smile and blush that crept onto Draco's face. He was still amazed at how this confident, arrogant, self-assured, cocky, haughty person he had thought he had hated could be such a responsive, affectionate, gentle lover. Could be someone he could love. But could he really love Draco when they tested this relationship born of lonliness and bordom? How would it take the world's pressure?

"What are you thinking about?"

"Nothing. You're right, we best check that potion." Draco could tell that Harry was lying, but he knew what it was like to be probed and decided that if it was anything important, Harry would come to him. With this thought, he stood and dressed avidly, watching Harry's daily rutine of mixing of their freeze-dried foods with water.

"Okay...lets finish this shall we?"

"How much longer do we have in here?" Draco asked with a sigh looking at Harry's scribblings on one wall. Harry looked at it too.

"About a month an a half." Draco looked in between the markings and Harry; Harry made one of the odd marks everyday but Draco still couldn't make heads or tails of it. He sighed again and turned back to his potion. It had turned a translucent shade of pink over night and had thined so it was boiling gently.

"Potion should be clear tinted with pink and the rose smell should have returned if done properly. Now the hard part. Locate the needles and viles in the chest. Poke a finger-no other part of the anatomy-at the tip on the pad, deep enough to creat a stream. Let it drip until it reaches the 2/1-6 mark. Let NONE of the blood drip into the potion. Check vile for cracks or chips before beginning. Allow potion to continue simmering." Harry groaned. The 2/1-6 mark was half way up the vile. "God, this guy is evil!" He hissed, but excepted the sterilized needle from Draco and closed his eyes before plunging it into the pad of his index finger. Draco however, shoved the needle into his finger without even wincing. The blood dripped slowly and Draco could do nothing but watch it slide into the vile steadily but sluggishly. Harry looked elsewhere, reading instructions or his seventh course potions text.

"See, it's all patients." Draco told him, holding his vile up triumphantly, the crimson liquid at exactly 2/1-6. Drawn out of his stupor by Draco's voice, Harry noticed that his own was at the proper markings at well. Sighing in relief, he removed his finger and set the vile down on his chest, glarring at it as if to say 'move and your going down the drain'. Draco was looking at his still bleeding finger with a mild interest while Harry bound his own with the provided strip of adhesive cloth. Smiling, Harry pulled Draco's finger out from infront of the other boy's face and caught the bead on his lips tasting the sweet copper of Draco's being. He drew the digit out of his mouth slowly and replaced it with a bandage. Draco caught his lips in a kiss and smiled, admiring Harry's eyes through the boy's black rimmed glasses. Harry smiled back and moved back to the instructions.

"Add 1/1-6 swamp water (Liquid level will be raised to 3/1-6 mark for those of you that don't know how to add) Cap vile securely and shake until completely mixed....I feel like we're making some really weird milk-shake!" Harry commented carefull pouring the swamp water into the vile and watched it contact with the pool of blood, causing it to ripple.

"Now what?"

"Allow set for six hours undisturbed in a dark area...that'll be real hard to find." Harry rolled his eyes and suggested that they store them in the small cupboard by the door. "I'm glad this thing is good for something." It was just tall enough and wide enough to house the viles without them touching. Draco was steppling his fingers against the wood floor, humming to himself.

"And...okay....six hours....what the hell are we going to do for six hours in this goddamned closet?"

"I've got an idea...if you're up for it."

Harry starred at the chess pieces, ignoring the way his queen was beginning to tap her foot and twitch her dress.

"So...every move we ask a question and any captures we get a question and an action or a request? Anything?" Harry nodded, still contemplated where to move his first piece. Draco laughed softly, fingering his pencil. This was actually just a fancy way to get information for the report, but it beat questions and answers. Harry picked up his pawn and slid it up two squares. It turned and glarred at him and Harry was once again glad that the peices didn't talk any more.

"What's your favorite color." He asked

"Do I have to answer truthfully?"

"Why wouldn't you? It's your favorite color, Draco!" Draco laughed.

"I know...just for future referance."

"Yes, you do!" Draco laughed that much harder, looking up at Harry who was perched up on the bed.

"Alright. Green."

"Really?" Harry asked skeptically, but wrote the answer down anyway.

"Honest to god." Draco sweared, moving his own piece.

"And your favorite color, Harry dear?"

"Black." Through the course of the next four moves Draco learned that Harry was far from being a virgin, and his favorite food was roast beef. Likewise Harry learned that Draco's favorite pass time was Quidditch-which he had no trouble believing-and his favorite subject was potions-yet again, no surprise.

"Byebye little pawn." Draco said smugly as his pawn-shapped like a pikemen-cocked his pike back and knocked his oppionent across the face. "Alright...what's your favorite subject?"

"Defense Against the Dark Arts."

"Well...since you've lost a piece...maybe you should lose some of that stuffy clothing?" Harry rolled his eyes, but pulled off a sock.

"As you put it so eleoquently: byebye...little bishop." Draco's eyes grew wide as he watched the knight gallop across the bord and strike his bishob down with the pommel of his sword before smugly settling into the defeated bishop's place. Draco glarred at the offending piece, but looked up to Harry for instruction.

"Alright....your one major pet-peeve?" Draco tipped his head to one side, as he thought about the question.

"Leaving doors open." Harry started to laugh.

"Leaving doors open? That's your major pet-peeve?" Draco shrugged, his eyes already turned back to the chess game while Harry wrote. The hours passed swiftly and both boys had lost most of-and in Harry's case all-their clothing as well as gained several pages of question and answers.

"Think that will be enough to write a paper?" Draco asked, flipping through the pages.

"It had better be."

"Why?"

"Because...check...and mate." Draco's eyebrows drew together. For most of the game they had been at a stalemate, but as Draco now saw, Harry had indeed beaten him. He glarred up at the other boy, but moved his legs gratefully, stretching them until they creaked. "Draco?" Harry pulled Draco onto the bed. "I want my victory prize..." He whispered, pressing his lips to Draco's. Draco arranged himself on Harry's lap and ran his hands up his back.

"What kind of prize is that...?" He asked suductively, raising his hips suggestively to strip his boxers. He was carefully lowering himself.

"No, Draco...that'll hurt..." Harry complained, stilling the blonde's downward motion. Draco was touched by Harry's tenderness.

"Shhh...love, I know what I'm doing..." Draco whispered kissing Harry softly and continuing his former motion, impaling himself slowly. It was easy, almost second nature and he knew that he was tearing nothing with his current pace. Harry bit his lip and tossed his head backwards.

"God...Draco...." Draco smiled; it barely hurt anymore, but even if it did he would be willing to suffer it anyway for his beautiful green-eyed heaven. Stilling himself, he balanced expertly on Harry's lap and removed the other boy's glasses, placing them on the shelf behind them.

"Be still...let me work." He whispered, burying his face in Harry's neck for a moment, teasing his lover sweetly. Taking a deep breath, he lifted up on his knees slowly, then dropped down quickly angling himself so Harry hit his prostrate squarely. Harry's jaw was clentched so tightly that Draco was sure he would break his teeth. Draco smiled at Harry's sweet torture before rising again, faster this time; then falling and rising, gaining speed and angle until Harry was sweating, barly holding in his screams, kissing the sight in front of him fervently. Draco knew he was close, but by the tears squeezing out of Harry's eyes, so was he.

"Come, Harry..." Draco whispered, contracting his muscles around Harry's length as he rose up. Harry pulled Draco into a hard kiss and screamed into his mouth as his world exploded into a thousand colors. He was vaguely aware that Draco was in a similar state but was too lost in his own ecstacy to pay any attention to the hot fluid spilling across his chest. With a sigh, Harry fell onto the bed, pulling Draco with him. Draco slid off Harry's softening member and curled up next to him.

"Why don't we take a shower together tonight?" Draco suggested, running a finger down Harry's slick chest.

"What, don't want another cold spunge bath?"

"No." Suddenly the air was alive with soft buzzes.

"God can't it wait ten minutes?" Harry hissed, not appreciating his six hour alarm ringing at that exact moment.

"At least it wasn't ten minutes earlier." Draco pointed out, padding across the room, completely ignoring his clothesless state.

"Thank god for small favours." Harry said sarcastically, but he found his glasses and got up anyway. "Now what?" He retrieved the instructions and read them silently, before raising one eyebrow. "Alright. Blood should have become thick and dark." Draco held up the viles; the liquid almost black and when tilted moved sluggishly. "Well, at least we did that right. Uncork viles and heat blood in vile until it turns bright red...do we have any more burners?"

"No. But we do have a vile heater." They each uncorked the viles and set them in the slots of the burners. "Make sure you remember who's is who's. Any potion that involves a person's blood is pretty strict in everything." Draco warned him before locating a pair of already soiled pants.

"Why don't we go shower? This could take a while."

"Yes, but it could also potentially take only a few seconds." Draco pointed out. Much to Harry's relief, Draco was right. As soon as the blood began to boil it turned bright red.

"Remove blood from heat immediatly and add straight to simmering potion." Using tongs, the viles were removed and carefully poured into the potion. The concoction turned black and began to boil insistantly. "While potion is boiling-in result to addition of blood-blow a pinch of crystal dust into the cauldron. Be careful not to get it on clothing, floor, etc." Shielding his small potion with one hand, Harry delicately blew the pinch of fine incandescent dust into his potion. It sparked and sent up a plume of multi-colored smoke and when Harry looked again, the formally black potion was clear as water but had a slightly irridecsent sheen and sparkled in the light. A quick look at Draco's showed that the other had done the same. Draco yawned and rubbed his eye.

"Is there anything else we have to do right now?" Harry checked the instructions.

"Cover potion and place in a protected place for further use. Keep on burner on very low heat; potion should be luke-warm to the touch in two hours and shouldn't get any hotter at this point. Keep away from direct sunlight, but do NOT store in a dark place-as in, don't put in a window, but don't put in a closet either. (Note: if you chose to keep in a closet or cupboard for safe keeping, keep a candle or two lit at all times) Common sense warning: Keet burner and potion away from flammable materials such as curtains, paper, hair spray, etc." Harry sighed in relief. "I guess not. You want to go take that shower now?" Draco nearly jummped at the suggestion and was up gathering night cloths while Harry covered the cauldrons and set them up on the self with his charmed black candle.

Author's note: Thank you everyone for the wonderful comments. Keep 'em comming! ^_^ Closet is not my first HP fanfiction, but close to it. I'll be posting the other stories when I get the hang of this fanfiction.net thing...(I'm writting everything in HTML so bare with me while I find out which commands do and do not work.) Thank you for the time, I'll post another chapter soon!
~Lady Shadow~