The common room was pretty quiet when Harry opened the entrance even though there were at least fifteen people in it doing various things. The gentle chatter, however, went from a low companionable level to completely nothing when Harry stepped into the room. He had thinned his mental barriers slightly just in case and the room was awash with metallic silvers and golds, as well as a blue haze of shock. He had not yet pinned on his prefect's badge and he held it tightly in one hand using the sharp edges to distract him from how nervous he felt.

"Harry," Ron greeted in surprise and stood up from where he was playing chess with Neville, "we didn't expect you back yet."

Once again Harry was incredibly glad that he had a friend like Ron.

"We thought you'd like an explanation," was the only thing he could come up with to say in response to the question.

At that, someone disappeared up the stairs to the girls' rooms and someone disappeared up the stairs to the boys' rooms; Harry had no doubt every member of Gryffindor house in the tower would be in the room in seconds.

"We?" Ron really was a fantastic friend.

Harry looked over his shoulder at the shadowed, still open door.

[You're going to have to come in some time,] he said silently.

[I'd rather be drunk first,] Draco replied and did not even attempt to hide his nervousness.

[I won't let anyone curse you,] Harry said, trying to make light of the situation.

[Easy for you to say,] his lover shot back, [it hasn't been your mission in life to make every Gryffindor hate you.]

[Draco, please come in,] Harry gave up trying to be funny, [I love you and I want you here for this.]

Finally his soulmate appeared in the doorway and a disgruntled murmur went round the room, even Ron looked surprised.

"What's he doing here?" someone asked from the back of the room.

"He's with me," Harry said very firmly and fixed the speaker with a glare, "and he's going to be living upstairs so get used to the idea."

That brought a stunned silence to the entire assembly and several mouths were hanging open.

"Way to go breaking it to them gently, Harry," Draco commented sarcastically, "maybe you should tell them Voldemort will be joining us next."

"Draco, shut up," Harry said pointedly, "you're not helping."

It had become quite obvious even before Harry ended up in Draco's head that the Slytherin used sarcasm as a defence mechanism; right now it wasn't particularly useful.

"Since when have you two been on first name terms?" surprisingly it was Neville who spoke up.

"Oh we're on more than first..." Harry turned around and fixed Draco with a glare before his other half could finish his sentence.

"Will you please let me do this?" he said firmly and after a moment or so Draco nodded.

[Sorry,] came the mental apology.

[It's okay,] Harry replied in kind, [I'm scared too.]

At that moment Hermione came down the stairs with a couple of other girls.

"Harry, Draco," she greeted with surprise in her voice, "I heard, but I thought someone was pulling my leg."

[I wish,] Draco muttered in Harry's head.

"We came to explain," Harry said aloud.

"Oh," was Hermione's response, "good for you."

Then like the jewel she was she made her way across the room and placed herself right next to Draco pledging her support so that no one could mistake it.

"Okay, Harry," Colin Creevey said in a reasonable tone, "we're listening."

At the invitation all his prepared speeches fled and Harry was left feeling awkward and at a loss. Then Draco's fingers brushed his arm lightly and he tried to pull himself together.

"Ever heard of Hecatemae?" he finally started.

There were mostly blank stares looking back at him and a couple of faces that thought they knew, but didn't appear sure. Harry considered giving them the explanation as he saw it, but, since he had help, he decided to use it.

"Hermione, would you mind, you probably have it memorised?" he requested hopefully.

"No problem," she replied with a smile and then proceeded to rattle off the dictionary definition of exactly what a Hecatema was.

Some of the faces in the crowd looked no clearer when she had finished, but the majority had cottoned on.

"So how did you get mixed up with a Hecatema," one of the fourth years asked once Hermione had finished, "and what does it have to do with Malfoy."

"I didn't get mixed up with one," Harry said with a resigned sigh, "I'm a Hecatemus."

"Hecatema are all female," one bright spark put in and there were murmurs of agreement, "there's no such thing as a Hecatemus."

Hermione's definition had woken up a few memories.

"That's what everyone thought," Harry said honestly, "but someone forgot to mention it to me. Someone always forgets to mention these things to me."

[Maybe being gay counts,] Draco offered in his mind.

[You're the first male I've ever been attracted to,] Harry replied trying to figure out what to say next, [I'm not sure that makes me gay, I'll give you bi though.]

"So you can sense what we're feeling, and the raw magic and things like that?" another voice chipped in.

Harry nodded.

"Sort of," he admitted, not sure he could quite explain exactly what it was he could see. "I can put barriers up to stop it all or I'd end up crazier than I already am."

That earned him a little laugh from some of those that knew him well.

"And you needed a bond mate to help..." someone else started and then paused. "Oh my god, you're saying your soulmate is Malfoy?"

The room exploded with sound and Harry shoved his barriers up to full strength to keep out the emotions that began flying around. There was no way anyone could hear anything sensible with the number of questions soaring around the room. Draco moved closer to Harry and slipped his hand into his. It was Ron who came to the rescue with the rest of the room. His ginger haired friend climbed up onto the common room table and yelled at the top of his lungs.

"Quiet!"

The sound in the room fell to a gentle muttering.

"But Malfoy is a Death Eater," an anonymous voice said as a semblance of quiet fell.

"You're thinking of my father," was Draco's succinct reply.

"Draco has been on our side since the beginning of the year," Harry said pointedly, "which is why we attempted the charade at the feast yesterday. He's been our eyes in their camp since term started."

[You make me sound like a full-fledged spy,] Draco commented wryly.

Several of the older pupils were now looking at the Slytherin as if he had grown another head and Harry had to admit that if asked who would turn out to be a good guy a last year, Draco would not have even made the list.

"So you and he ..." someone began and then realised that there were youngsters in the room.

"Draco and I will be sharing what used to be the junk room above the seventh year dorms," Harry said as calmly as he could manage, saving the commentator from herself. "It was that or the Slytherin dungeon and both of us fancied living until the end of the year."

There was another titter of laughter from the younger members of the house, only the older ones knew that Harry's light tone belied the fact he was serious.

"Look, guys," Harry said as the laughter died, "I know this is strange, trust me it's even stranger from this angle, but I would really like not to have to stay in the hospital wing for the rest of the year."

There was muttering from around the room and Harry just prayed.

"Come on, Gryffindor," it was Seamus' voice that broke through the low rumble, "this is Harry Potter: he's saved our arses loads of times."

There was a moment's silence and then the room erupted in a distinct yes. Total astonishment came from Draco's direction when he found himself patted on the back by a Gryffindor he was sure he'd terrorised for at least three years.

[You are aware your housemates are insane,] he commented as Harry turned to him and beamed.