SECRET ( Drarry fanfiction)

Chapter 43

Harry was unsurprised when he was ambushed upon arriving back at Grimmauld Place.

"Where have you been?"

"What have you been doing?"

"Apparently I've been giving all of you another reason to be pissed off at me," Harry answered dryly. He shrugged out of Draco's cloak and calmly hung it back on the rack. Winky would get it later and clean it.

"You went out dressed like that?"

"Yes, thanks for your concern. Sorry for worrying everyone, but I was rather busy indulging in an amazing bout of self-pity. Now, if you don't mind, I'm going upstairs to bed." He frowned down at his dirty feet. "After I wash up a bit. Then, in the morning, I'll pull some determination from somewhere and start another bloody day. Good night."

He nodded to them all before starting up the stairs. He was halfway up the second flight before anyone reacted.

"Well, that was rather unexpected," Narcissa said.

"That child will be the death of me yet," Severus retorted.

As he moved onto the third flight of stairs, he couldn't hear any further comments. He didn't change his pace as he heard someone pounding up the stairs behind him, fairly certain Draco had decided to follow him.

"Harry?" Draco said his name hesitantly.

"Yes, Draco?" Harry responded, stepping into their bathroom and stripping out of the pyjamas that were wet and dirty, and not in a good way. He turned the water on in the shower, but paused and looked over his shoulder as he realized Draco hadn't answered.

Draco was frowning deeply. "Are you all right?" he asked.

Harry smiled softly. "I'm perfectly fine," he said. "I just need to wash up."

Draco nodded in bemusement and leaned against the counter to wait.

Harry cleaned up quickly. Draco simply watched with narrowed eyes as Harry dried off then found a pair of Draco's pajamas to slip into.

"Are you still angry with me?" Harry asked.

"Yes," Draco answered, but he sounded more confused and hurt than angry.

Harry sat down on the edge of the bed, pulling Draco, unresisting, down with him.

"I learned something tonight," he said.

"What's that?" Draco asked warily.

"That you're a Slytherin," Harry said with a small smile.

Draco raised a brow disdainfully. "Great," he said sarcastically. "You've discovered something the rest of us have known for six years. Hell, I've known since I could talk that I was a Slytherin. The Sorting Hat was merely a formality."

Harry's smile widened. "Ah, yes, the Sorting Hat," he said. "Do you remember our 'talk'? The one where you compared all my Slytherin and Gryffindor tendencies?"

Draco nodded, his expression extremely suspicious.

Harry turned to sit comfortably on the bed, folding his legs underneath him and Draco followed suit until they were facing each other.

"I neglected to mention something to you that day," Harry admitted. "The Sorting Hat wanted to sort me into Slytherin, but I was rather vehemently opposed to that idea, so it put me in Gryffindor."

Draco closed his eyes, shaking his head. "This explains so much," he muttered.

"It does," Harry agreed. "And that's what I finally figured out tonight."