"Remind me again why we're out here in the Forbidden Forest in the middle of the night?"

"Because you don't know how to keep your mouth shut."

Harry grumbled a bit at Draco's snarky reply but didn't offer up any protest. It was, after all, his fault that they were out there in the first place. Harry couldn't help himself. The new Transfiguration teacher, Professor Drumpf, was a pureblood elitist dipshit that had the gal to insult Muggleborns in front of the whole class. Harry was only standing up for his friends and all other Muggleborns.

"He was insinuating that Dean was having trouble with the spell because of his 'unfortunate' upbringing. So I only told him the truth. That the only 'unfortunate' thing was his backward attitude and his Merlin awful hairstyle. You're the one who laughed."

Draco rolled his eyes. "Yes, Harry, you're such a comedian. My laugh was only a byproduct of you, so this is your fault."

Harry still hadn't quite gotten over the fact that he was on a first name basis with his once archenemy. Since Eighth Year started, Harry and Draco had decided to put aside their differences and become something close to friends. Acquaintances? No, it was more than that. Maybe more than friends too, not in that way. Harry could only dream. He still didn't know how to define their relationship, but he most definitely preferred it to where they were before. Now they studied together twice a week and hung out regularly, which still boggled Ron's mind. But Harry didn't care what his friends thought. Don't get him wrong, he cared about his friends' opinions; there was just something unique about his relationship with Draco.

Now here they were, walking through the forest in the middle of the night in search of an important plant for potion making. They had been walking for about 30 minutes now with no sign of said plant. Not that Harry knew what they were looking for. Harry had zoned out as Draco and he were torn a new one by McGonagall. Of course, McGonagall secretly awarded him house points for standing up against Drumpf, but she had to keep up appearances as Headmistress. Hence the detention.

"What are we looking for again?" Harry asked, turning to look at Draco. The other boy had slight bags under his eyes from lack of sleep and Harry felt a pang of guilt at the sight. At Harry's question, Draco sighed, looking upward for guidance.

"Were you listen to a word McGonagall said? Of course you weren't. Your heads only filled with Quidditch and girls."

Harry laughed unconvincingly, bringing up a hand to run through his hair.

"Girls, right. I just love boobs and their...squishiness?"

Draco looked at him like he sprouted a second head before shaking his own head as he continued trudging through the forest.

"Right...Whatever you say Harry."

There was an awkward silence for a moment before Draco finally answered Harry's question.

"We're looking for the plant called Verita. It is an integral ingredient in brewing Veritaserum, hence the name. It can only be harvested during the full moon and only during the height of the night, or as close as you can get to it. That's why we're out here so late instead of earlier in the evening. It glows at night so it shouldn't be hard to miss."

"Is it that plant over there?" Harry pointed to a plant a few strides ahead of them.

Draco groaned in relief. "Finally. And we almost missed it because you didn't pay attention when McGonagall explained earlier."

Harry stuck out his tongue out at him before jogging ahead to take a closer look at the plant. It was beautiful up close. The petals were a gradient from deep purple to a bright white with a faint yellow glow surrounding it. Harry stroked one of the petals, noting how soft they were.

"What in Merin's name did you just do?!" Draco yelled in distress.

"What?" Harry asked, slow on the uptake.

Draco gestured to Harry's hand, the one he stroked the petal with. Bringing up his hand to his face, Harry noticed his skin taking on a purple hue, one that was quickly spreading to his wrist and forearm.

"Oh no oh no oh no," Harry repeated.

"You absolute idiot! Verita can only be handled with gloves. Skin contact contaminates the host." Draco had come over now and was holding Harry's arm with gloved hands.

"What does that even mean?" Harry half-yelled, quickly losing his cool.

Draco dropped his arm to pinch the bridge of his nose with his thumb and forefinger.

"It means that we have to get you to Pomfrey as quickly as possible."

"I hate going to the hospital wing. It reminds me of when I was sent there as a child."

Harry didn't mean to blurt that out. Draco looked at him oddly.

"Did you go to the hospital a lot?"

"Only when the beatings got too bad."

Harry quickly clamped a hand over his mouth. Now he really didn't mean to say that. Draco looked stricken before a determined look took over his face.

"We really need to get you to Pomfrey. Right now you can stop yourself from talking but soon you won't be able to stop blurting truth after truth." Draco almost looked apologetic.

Now Harry was really freaking out. His breath quickened. There were a million things he never wanted to tell anyone; especially Draco. There was one in particular, however, that Harry wanted to keep locked away in the deep recesses of his mind.

"I'm scared. Really scared. There are so many things I don't want people to know about me and I don't know what would happen if they found out. My mouth wants me to blurt them out but I need a distraction. Your face is distracting but not enough."

Draco stared at him for a moment, not understanding the last statement but a worried crease formed between his brows.

"The blurting of truths has already decided. We really need to head back."

Harry nodded his head rapidly. "Yes, Hogwarts. I love Hogwarts. Hogwarts is my home. The only home I've ever known. I've never been happy anywhere else. My family is here. I don't know what I'm going to do once I leave this place"

Harry tried clamping a hand over his mouth but the words kept spilling out.

"Oh Merlin. Help me Draco. Cast a Patronus so Pomfrey can find us faster. Hurry, before I tell you that I—"

"Silencio."

Harry could have cried in relief. He almost just gave away the biggest secret of them all. Draco looked at his wand for a moment before crying out, "Expecto Patronum!"

A faint wisp of white was the only thing that escaped his wand.

"Fuck," Draco exclaimed in frustration. "Fuck!"

Suddenly, Harry had his voice back.

"The Patronus is hard. I learned it in Third Year from Lupin. I miss Lupin. And Tonks. And Fred. And—"

"Shut up for a moment please," Draco pleaded. But Harry couldn't listen even though he wanted to.

"I couldn't think of a happy memory either. I don't have one strong enough. That's why I made one up. Why do I have my voice back? You cast the Silencing Charm on me. I shouldn't be able to talk. I—"

Draco interrupted him again, "Verita contains powerful magic. It will overpower a simple charm like Silencio in no time. Now what did you mean by making it up?"

They were making their way through the forest quickly now, but they were still a while away from reaching the castle.

"I mean I invented my own memory. One with my parents and me. We weren't doing anything, just talking. That's enough. My Patronus is a stag. Like my father's animagus. I've always wanted to become an animagus. Sirius was one as well. A dog. If I had to choose any animal to be I would choose a—"

"Silencio. I know the spell won't hold for long but I need a moment of silence to think."

They stopped walking. Draco's eyes were closed and he looked to be in deep concentration. When he opened them again, Harry was taken aback by the soft look in his eyes and the smile to match.

"Expecto Patronum," he said softly. Slowly, wisps of white flowed out of his wand, solidifying into the form of a raven.

Harry patted Draco on the back, smiling all the while, mouthing words Draco couldn't hear—until all of the sudden he could.

"You're absolutely amazing, Draco. No one else could pick up the spell that quickly. Not even Dumbledore, I imagine—"

"Silencio. Sorry, Harry, but I have to send a message to McGonagall."

He gave a quick summary to the raven, explaining what happened and to expect them in the next 15 minutes. They started walking at a fast pace again as Harry dreaded when the spell would wear off.

"Listen, Harry," Draco said in an oddly soothing voice, "when the spell wears off, I'm going to ask you some mundane questions until we get back to the castle so you can keep your secrets. I know you would help me in the same way if the situation was reversed."

True to his word, Draco only asked about simple things the rest of the way back. Once Hogwarts's lights were in view, Draco stopped Harry with a hand on his shoulder, turning him to face the other boy.

"I know you might get mad at me later, but I need to know. What do you think of me?"

Harry's eyes widened at the question before clamping a hand over his mouth again. But it was no use. Soon the words came spilling out.

"I think in love with you."

Draco's eyes widened but before he could respond there was a voice coming from the direction of the castle. It was Pomfrey and McGonagall, both with haphazardly put-on day clothing.

"There you boys are!" McGonagall said in relief. "We got your message. Mr. Malfoy, I didn't know you could perform a Patronus. 20 points to Slytherin. And another 30 for bringing back safely."

"Come, come, Mr. Potter. Take this potion quickly. It will negate the effects of the plant but also make you very drowsy."

Harry downed it quickly before he started spouting out more of his life story. Someone could probably write seven books on his life if he kept talking. The effect was almost instantaneous. He no longer felt the urge to spill everything he thought. His eyes became droopy and he swayed on the spot. Out of nowhere, there was an arm around his waist, supporting him to stand upright. Going by the smell of sandalwood and mint, Harry knew Draco was the one keeping him standing. If he was any less sleepy he would want to be as far away from Draco as possible because of his confession, but now he couldn't care less. And in all honesty, it felt like a dream come true to be held in Draco's arms.

Pomfrey and McGonagall shared a Look before turning back to the two boys. Pompfrey spoke up, "If is okay with it, I will allow him to guide to the hospital wing instead of levitating him there myself."

Harry felt the motion of Draco's nod next to him. "I wouldn't have it any other way," Draco answered.

Pomfrey and McGonagall shared another Look, both smiling slightly. "Let's make our way back, then," McGonagall said.

The walk wasn't too far and Harry barely noticed the time it took to reach the castle. Once they were at the infirmary, Pomfrey tried to take Harry from Draco.

"I have it from here, Mr. Malfoy. Why don't you go back to your dorm and get some sleep?"

Harry almost whined, not wanting to lose the warmth of Draco.

"Actually, Madame Pomfrey, if you would allow me, I wanted to stay here the night, just to make sure Harry is alright."

Both Pomfrey and McGonagall looked like they wanted to squeal in delight but they reigned themselves in just as quickly.

"I suppose I can allow it this one time, as long as you let rest," Pomfrey said, trying to keep a stern expression on her face.

"Well, if everything is settled here, I'm going back to bed. Feel better, Mr. Potter," McGonagall said as a parting remark. She then walked out of the infirmary, the doors closing behind her.

Pomfrey turned back to the two boys. "Well, there's no one else here so feel free to choose any beds. If you need anything, I'll just be in the other room."

With that, she walked into her office and sleeping quarters in the back of the infirmary, leaving Draco and Harry alone. Quickly, Draco set Harry on a nearby bed, taking the one to it's right for himself. There was silence for a while, until Harry spoke up, his words slightly slurred from drowsiness.

"Draco?"

There was no answer for a moment and Harry was worried Draco had already fallen asleep. But soon, there was a reply.

"Yeah, Harry?"

Draco turned to face Harry, both of them now laying on their sides and looking at one another.

"You asked me a personal question so I think you should answer mine. What memory fueled your Patronus?"

Draco was silent for a moment, looking down at the floor between them. Slowly, he reached out and gently took Harry's hand. Harry's breath caught in his throat.

"I was imagining a world where you loved me as much as I love you."

Harry fell asleep with a smile on his face, his hand still intertwined with Draco's.

A/N:

Pomfrey took a picture as soon as she found the boys the next morning :)

I hope you guys like this little one-shot! I wrote it in one sitting and now I'm posting it right away because I'm an impatient bitch. So sorry if it's not super editef. If you enjoyed please leave a fave and review, I love them!