Title: Just a little clarity
Author: Snake79
Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters, so don't sue me.
Pairing: DM/BZ, NL/DM
Rating: Soft R
Summary: Neville and Draco create a clarity potion, but the results aren't quite what they had in mind.
A/N: Inspired by FalconWings14's discontinued, 'A Snake Among The Lions', (.net/s/2449476/1/A_Snake_Among_The_Lions). 'Just a little clarity' picks up where FalconWings14 left off, but can be read as a free-standing one-shot.

Just a little clarity

They had tested the first batch of their clarity potion that evening, to very unsatisfactory results - neither of them had felt any change at all. But right now, lying completed satiated in Blaise's arms, drifting slowly off into sleep, was hardly the time to worry about it; they still had two weeks left to perfect it, two weeks left before they publicly and disastrously failed Snape's assignment.

Blaise held him tighter, and Draco twisted uncomfortably, for a fleeting moment frustrated by the other boys constant need to dominate him, even in his sleep. It may have been a short-lived thought, but it was one that struck him with such unexpected force, like a bolt of lightening, that he pulled away from Blaise entirely and wondered into the bathroom.

He was happy with Blaise. Happy for the first time in a long time.

He splashed cold water into his face.

And Blaise was happy with him. Blaise wanted him.

He climbed back into the bed that they now shared (to the disapproval of the others in the dorm), and quickly fell to sleep...

They were kissing, like they'd been doing a lot lately. Kissing and rutting, his back to the wall, Blaise's warm hands on his chest, tweaking his nipples - it felt so good, he moaned, and Blaise chuckled. Desperately rubbing against each other, trying to relieve the tension, fighting to get release.

"Oh, Draco." softly whispered.

Not Blaise. Not anymore.

The change had been so quick, instantaneous.

And now it was Neville with his back to the wall, Draco's warm hands on his chest, feeling his heart beat.

"Draco," the need in Neville's voice making Draco practically vibrate with desire.

...Draco only realised he was no longer asleep, when he blinked; he didn't know how long he'd been staring blankly at the wall, fearfully trying to make sense of his dream. He turned gently to face Blaise, noting his beauty in a way an artist would appraise a landscape; his perfect lips, and high cheekbones, the glowing radiance of his skin. He was lucky that someone like Blaise, would want someone like him.

Blaise made him feel things he'd never felt before; Blaise taught him things he'd never even dreamed of.

But now it seemed his treacherous mind wanted to take what he'd learned and try it all out on Neville. The sharp thrill of desire surged through him again at the mere thought of doing to Neville what had been done to him. To help clear his mind, he kissed Blaise and Blaise slowly woke up, deepening the kiss the more conscious he became, and soon Draco no longer had the capacity to think about Neville.

Soon his world dissolved into panting, moaning, needing, groaning.

And everything was good.

Neville was tossing and turning in his own bed, deep asleep, eyelids twitching, an occasional moan leaving his lips...

"Can't you see that I need you," Draco breathed. "I can be someone different with you...someone better,"

"But,"

Draco tentatively pressed his lips to Neville's, and Neville let him.

...

"Nev, mate, you ok? You're doing an awful lot of moaning." Ron's voice woke him immediately, and he sat up straight in bed, pulling the covers off him.

"Yes, sorry. Just a nightmare,"

It was then that the alarm clocks began to ring, and the dorm started to wake up. Neville quickly jumped out of bed, and ran into the bathroom, locking himself in a cubicle before anyone could notice his hard-on. He didn't understand at all how this could happen; he could only put it down to the hours they'd spent working on the potion, hours spent together closed in a small, confined space. He knew of course that Draco had once wanted him, but he'd been too scared, and too shy, to do anything about it, and now Draco was with Blaise and everyone knew he was with Blaise.

Breakfast was quiet, he eat very little, and refused to look anywhere in the direction of the Slytherin table.

"He's staring over here again," Harry suddenly said to Ron, and Neville looked up to find them both looking at him questioningly.

"What?" he asked, uncertainly.

"He hasn't stared over here since getting with that git, and all of a sudden he's at it again." Ron challenged.

"Who?" Neville asked, feigning ignorance.

Harry pointed over at the Slytherin table, and Neville followed the line of his finger, his gaze eventually coming to rest on Draco's; he smiled timidly, a slight fleeting thing, and then let his gaze drop back down to the plate in front of him.

"So?" Harry prompted.

"I don't know," was all Neville could offer, and they all sat in an unsatisfied silence.

"Maybe the potion worked better then we thought," they both said at the same time.

"What do you mean?" they both asked together.

They fell silent, staring at each other uncomfortably.

"You go first," Neville said after a short time. "Please,"

Draco slowly walked over to the workbench and stared down into the viscous liquid that was their clarity potion.

"I dreamed about you last night,"

"Me too,"

Draco looked up at him quickly, catching him like a rabbit in the headlights.

"You dreamed about me," he asked quietly. "Really?"

Neville nodded, afraid to speak, feeling the blush work its way up his neck and onto his cheeks.

"What does it mean, do you think?"

Draco watched the blush blossom on Neville's cheeks and thought it had to be one of the most beautiful things he'd seen; Neville was blushing for him, blushing because of a dream about him.

"Does it really matter now?" Neville countered. "You're with Blaise."

Purposefully Draco took the few steps back to him, stopping directly in front of him.

"But I want you," he whispered.

And it was so much like his dream, that first Neville shivered with anticipation and then backed away quickly.

"I'm sorry,"

Draco felt his words like a physical blow, for a brief moment he had almost had him, and now he was losing him again.

"You want me too,"

Neville looked at him, the confusion clear to see in his eyes.

"I didn't," he stammered. "I don't,"

"You do," Draco persisted. "Otherwise you wouldn't be dreaming about me."

"But you're with Blaise now," Neville exclaimed.

And that was the end of the conversation as far as Neville saw it.

"The potion seems to work fine, so I don't think we need to work on it anymore. I guess I'll be seeing you,"

The hurt in Draco's eyes made him feel bad, made him feel like backing down, he didn't want to see Draco upset because of him, but with the very last of his resolve, he turned and ran out of the classroom.

And that's really when the furtive glances began, the secret touch of fingers as they passed in the corridor. It was insane, Neville knew it was insane, but at the same time he just couldn't help himself. A few times he thought that perhaps they hadn't created a clarity potion, but some kind of mind altering potion; a potion that turned everything on it head and made the impossible, possible.

But one thing he couldn't deny was that he wanted Draco with a burning intensity that terrified him. His dreams were becoming more erotic, and his animosity towards Blaise, an animosity born of jealousy, was getting worse. And he was practically seething right at that moment, as he watched Blaise paw him, watched them kissing; but he felt a small gem of satisfaction in the knowledge that the whole time, Draco was staring intently at him.

Draco couldn't help it, even with Blaise's dexterous tongue as a distraction, he still found himself staring at Neville. In almost everyway now, Draco wished that Blaise was Neville, but at the same time, he didn't want to end his relationship with Blaise. Blaise was safe, and everyone knew he was with Blaise; Neville was an unknown, and people would probably be far less accepting of the Slytherin and the Gryffindor.

But he wanted Neville so much now that it was like a physical pain; an itch that he just couldn't scratch.

One thing was certain, something had to be done, or he was going to go mad.

The note had been short and sweet: meet me tonight, in the astronomy tower.

Neville didn't say a word when Draco entered the room, but the look in his eyes spoke volumes - fear, uncertainly, excitement. Draco suspected that he was the more experienced of the two of them, and that he would have to take the lead if he wanted anything to happen. Neville shrank away from him a little as he stepped closer, but didn't resist when Draco placed his hands on either side of his face, and pulled him into a passionate kiss.

The moment their lips touched, Neville's world became no more than the soft feel of Draco's mouth on his, the eager demanding of his tongue; he hurt with the need for more, but he was afraid of what 'more' would be. Draco's hand was on his hip, pulling Neville tight against him, grinding into him; there was a wall against his back and Draco's warm hands were on his chest.

"Just like my dream," Draco muttered, kissing him again.

"Oh, Draco." he whispered.

But when Draco reached down into his trousers, Neville froze.

"It's ok, sweetheart." Draco breathed into his ear, before gently sucking and licking the lobe. "It's ok, just trust me. I need you so much."

And the truth of that need was now throbbing painfully in his pants, but he wanted Neville's first time to be slow, slow and easy; not like his own, which had left him aching for days afterwards. Tonight would be about Neville, about what he could do to Neville, about what Neville would let him do.

"I'm not going to hurt you,"

Neville moaned as Draco took him in hand and his legs buckled a little, but Draco held him steady and smiled at him. Draco's smile was beautiful, he'd never seen it before, not a genuine smile, just the sneer, the cruel twist of his lips; but his smile lit up his face, transformed him, and Neville couldn't believe this was happening.

He bit his lip and tried not to cry out, tried not to come too soon, but Draco's finger tip had just slid up under his foreskin, and oh my god...Neville's brain starburst. Draco chuckled as he slowly dropped down to his knees, pulling Neville's trousers down as he went. And he wasn't disappointed by what he found waiting for him.

It seemed he'd found where Neville excelled over Blaise.

"Draco," Neville whimpered.

"It's ok," Draco smiled up at him. "You're gonna love this."

"Draco," Neville murmured as they lay among their discarded school uniforms, on the hard floor of the astronomy tower.

"Hmm," Draco breathed, not even bothering to raise his head from where it rested on Neville's chest.

"Do you ever do this with Blaise?"

Now Draco did raise his head, a confused look on his face.

"I mean do you ever...you know...fuck him?"

Draco's look of confusion turned slowly to look a amusement. It still took him by surprise whenever he heard Neville swear.

"No, we're quite one-track really,"

"Would you like to though?"

Draco wasn't sure were this line of questioning had come from, but talking about Blaise was making him uneasy.

"Would you like to fuck me?" he asked by way of changing the subject.

Neville balked at the question, his cheeks instantly flushing. He should have known that Draco would guess why the was asking.

"Maybe,"

And Draco smiled, resting his head back down and snuggling closer.

"I'll think about it,"

That had been unexpected, but the idea sent a thrill through him; there was no reason why they couldn't swap depended on mood, or circumstance - just because he and Blaise didn't, shouldn't mean he and Neville couldn't. And it would be fun; especially if Neville was always such a quick learner.

They had been meeting like this for the past many weeks, always in the small hours, when everyone else was asleep. Neville didn't know how Draco got away from Blaise without getting caught, but he never seemed to have any trouble. Not that he thought Blaise would do anything, even if he did find out - there'd probably be a few fireworks but then it'd all fizzle out and come to nothing.

Neville couldn't remember a time when he'd been this exhausted, and yet this contented.

"You must really think I'm dumb," Blaise said, as he sat down on the edge of the bed. "Do you think I haven't noticed you creeping out of bed when you think I'm asleep?"

Draco put down his quill and sat back against the pillows.

"Are you going to him?" Blaise all but purred. "That pathetic accuse for a Gryffindor,"

"I don't know what you talking about," Draco intoned, and gave him what he hoped was a winning smile, despite his confidence being shaken. "You've been getting more and more paranoid, Blaise."

"It's not paranoia if it's true, Draco." Blaise replied lightly, returning his smile. "If you try to leave me, I will break your neck."

Draco laughed, "A bit harsh, don't you think?"

But the look in Blaise's eyes told him that the other boy wasn't joking.

"I waited for you, Draco." Blaise muttered, staring at the bedcover. "I watched you fawn over Longbottom, and I hated you for it, because you should have been mine. And now you are mine. I don't care if you slither off to him, if you let him fuck you like a little whore that can't get enough."

Draco recoiled as if he'd been physically slapped, and he felt the hairs on the back of his neck begin to rise.

"But you will come back to me, because I need you, and I love you, and you are mine now."

"No, I'm not." Draco said calmly. "And I can leave you if I want to."

And now Blaise did slap him; a hard blow to the side of his face.

His ears rang with the shock of it.

Blaise had hit him.

Draco jumped off the bed, the adrenalin coursing through his veins: "You can't do that," he shouted. "You can't hit me,"

Blaise was now standing in front of him, holding onto his shoulders: "Relax," he breathed. "Calm down, baby. I'm sorry."

"You shouldn't have,"

"I'm sorry, I don't know what came over me." Blaise pleaded. "You just drive me so crazy sometimes. I won't ever do it again, Draco."

Draco was shaking with both anger and disbelief.

"I promise, I won't ever do it again" Blaise was now stroking his hair, cuddling him like a mother would her crying child. "I love you so much,"

"What happened to your face?" Neville asked, instantly concerned as he jumped up from where he'd been waiting and all but ran over to him.

"Nothing," Draco replied nonchalantly. "A stupid Quidditch accident."

Neville frowned.

"Does it look too awful?" Draco asked, when Neville didn't speak.

"No, just a little bruised."

Neville knew that something was wrong, in all the years they'd been at school together Draco had never once had a 'Quidditch accident', and there was something about his casual manner that just didn't ring true.

"Are you sure that's all it is?"

"Of course," Draco turned away from him.

He didn't want to talk about it, he didn't want to have to explain what had happened, he just wanted to kiss, and be kissed; he just wanted to be held and know that everything would be ok.

"You would tell me if there was anything else, wouldn't you?"

"Yes, but there isn't anything, so can we just get on with it now?"

He hadn't meant to be so harsh.

Neville blinked at him and licked his lips, his face thoughtful for a moment, and then he turned away, shrugging off his robe and letting it fall forgotten to the floor.

But the bruises kept on coming.

And Draco kept on refusing to talk about it.

Neville was angry and frustrated and if he could, he would have made Blaise very, very sorry for what he was doing. Draco was becoming more and more withdrawn with each passing day, and tonight he'd barely said more than two words. He'd come straight into Neville's arms, and held on to him as if his life depended on it, and that was how they'd remained.

Neville stretched a little, and stifled a yawn; waking Draco in the process.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to wake you."

Draco looked up at him, saw the worry on his face, and felt the walls he'd been meticulously building for the last few weeks beginning to crumble. It happened so quickly and so unexpectedly that he didn't have time to hide it away, and from the look on Neville's face it was now too late to lie.

"Draco, just tell me what's wrong, please?" Neville implored. "I know it's Blaise; he's hurting you, isn't he?"

"He loves me," Draco muttered. "It's my fault, I just make him so angry sometimes." And now Draco laughed, a little self-conscious and totally heart-breaking.

Neville's anger up'd a notch and he had to bite his tongue so as not to berate Draco for being so...naive.

"It's not your fault if he hurts you, Draco." Neville replied. "It's his fault."

"I don't know what to do,"

Draco had never felt so helpless in his entire life, he'd always known where he was going, what he was doing, nobody told him what to do; he was Draco Malfoy, and he was in control. But somewhere along the line all that had changed, and he wasn't even all that clear on how it had happened.

It had started with an insult and a slap, and had escalated into something completely out of his control.

"He loves me, that's the problem." Draco explained. "He's just scared he's going to lose me."

"I love you," Neville breathed, kissing him lightly on the forehead. "And I'd never hit you."

And it was that simple.

"Do you really love me?" Draco asked suddenly from behind him, and Neville spun around almost dropping the seedling he'd been re-potting. He could tell it was a serious question from the look on Draco's face, so he knew he had to be careful how he answered. He put the plant down on the table, pulled off his gloves, and gave Draco his full, and undivided attention.

"I think I could, given a little more time," Neville said. "I care for you very, very much and I want you even more; I'm just not really sure what love is, Draco, but I think I could be in it with you, eventually."

Neville shrugged his shoulders a little and gave him a small awkward smile.

Draco sighed. If Neville had said yes he wouldn't have believed him, after all they'd only been seeing each other for six months, and he was pretty sure it took a bit longer than that to fall in love, but this answer was the perfect, confused and convoluted truth, and mirrored his own feelings to a tee.

"I don't think Blaise loves you," Neville continued, with anger tinged words. "I think he just says that to make you stay."

"I think you're probably right," Draco muttered, stepping closer and giving Neville a light kiss on the lips. "Thank you,"

And with that he disappeared as quickly and quietly as he'd appeared. Neville stared after him for a short time, his forehead creased into a deep frown; he didn't know what Draco was planning, he just hoped nothing bad came of it.

When neither Draco or Blaise were present in the Great Hall for dinner, Neville's worry shot into overdrive. He knew he wasn't usually the one for grand heroic gestures, but he also knew that now something had to done. And if Draco wasn't able to do it, then he'd damn well do it.

Blaise literally had Draco pinned against the wall, his arm twisted painfully behind his back, his cheek grazing the cold stone, and Neville saw red. He took a deep breath, taking a moment to think rationally, rather then just running straight in and doing something stupid. He could see only one way that this was going to end.

"Zabini," he called, and both sets of eyes shot to him.

"What do you want?" Blaise intoned. "Can't you see this between me and my boyfriend?"

The emphasis on the word 'my', and the tightened grip on Draco's wrist drove the point home.

Draco had never seen Neville look so angry, he practically sparked and bristled; but now was not the time for grand heroic gestures. Blaise would crucify him, and anyway, Draco was more than capable of handling this on his own. He struggled once again to free the hold Blaise had on him, but Blaise twisted his arm further up his back and he gasped in pain.

"Let him go," Neville demanded.

And Blaise did, turning to face Neville instead.

"You're a long way from your friends now, Longbottom."

The threat was obvious, and they both glared at each other.

"I want you to leave Draco alone,"

"But he's my boyfriend," Blaise wheedled. "Just ask anybody,"

"Why don't we ask Draco?" Neville's voice was calm, but his shaking hands gave him away.

Blaise looked confused, and then indignant.

They all knew what he would say, if they asked him.

"And what are you going to do if I refuse?" Blaise laughed. "Are you going to fight me, curse me perhaps?"

Draco winced a little at the remark, recognising the insult as one of his own. He really hoped that wasn't what Neville had planned.

"I think we all know who'd win if I tried that, don't we? I'm very aware of my shortcomings, Zabini."

Neville was completely unfazed; he'd had all manner of insults thrown at him, from just about all manner of people, for as long as he could remember, he certainly wasn't about to rise to it now. In fact, about the only times he did ever really react was with Draco. The idea made him smile a little at just how quickly and unexpectedly things could change, and your enemy could become your lover almost overnight.

"What are you smiling at?" Blaise barked. "If you're not doing to fight me, then what exactly are you doing to do? Talk at me? I can tell you now, Longbottom, that won't work. Draco is mine."

"No, he's not."

"No, I'm not."

"Shut up, you." Blaise turned on him, and he flinched at the anticipated pain.

But Neville was between them in an instant and he shoved Blaise away so hard, that he stumbled and fell backwards into the wall.

Blaise pulled his wand.

Neville stood his ground.

"I'll tell you what I'm going to do, Zabini." Neville said, his voice now shaking with anger. "It's something I should have done from the start."

"Oh, please enlighten me." Blaise droned.

"I'm going to go to my Head of House, you might know her: she's also deputy Headmistress of this school?" Neville tone was sarcastic and full of loathing. "I'm going to tell her everything that's been going on,"

"It'll be your word against mine,"

"Actually it'll be mine and Draco's, because Draco is coming with me."

And for the first time Blaise looking unsure, they all knew the implications for him if Draco did side with Neville.

"Are you going with him?" Blaise asked.

Draco stared at him, vaguely recalling the feelings of happiness and love that he'd once had for the other boy, feelings that had slowly been replaced by pain and fear. He turned to look at Neville and the fear went away. Neville had just shown him that he held the power now, that he could destroy Blaise with a word.

"Yes,"

"But I love you," Blaise implored. "You're my boyfriend and I love you."

"He was your boyfriend," Neville cut in. "Now he's mine."

And Draco smiled, because he really didn't mind being Neville's; because with Neville they were equal.

"I mean it, Zabini, if you so much as look at Draco again, I'll have you expelled from this school so fast, you won't even see it coming."

"Fine," Blaise shook his head in disbelief. "You've got some balls, Gryffindor."

"You have no idea," Draco quipped, and smiled again at the blush that he knew would appear on Neville's cheeks.

Blaise glared at him first and then at Neville, before turning on his heel and storming away: "I hope you both die young and painful deaths," he shot back over his shoulder and then was gone.

"Are you ok?" Neville asked quietly, once again the placid boy Draco had come to know; the lion now sleeping until next it was needed - and boy but this lion could certainly roar.

"I am now,"

"I hope you don't mind, guys, but I've brought someone with me," Neville said nervously to his friends; it was the last Hogsmeade visit of the year and they'd all agreed to meet for one final drink in the Three Broomsticks.

"No, that's great, Neville." Hermione replied, beaming at him. "Who is it?"

"Oh, you know him." Neville said, his anxiety now kicking into gear.

"Him?" Ron asked.

And a few of them exchanged glances.

"Yes, it turns out I'm gay, who knew." He was suddenly aware that he was now talking in a high-speed and somewhat high-pitched voice.

"Oh, that's great, Neville." Hermione said again, and Neville couldn't help but laugh. Pretty soon they were all laughing, and the tension was broken.

"I'll just go and get him," Neville said. "Please be nice," he added, ignoring the questioning looks around the table.

Draco was standing outside, in a small patch of sunshine, the rays playing magnificently on his silver hair, and Neville took a moment to simply stare at him.

"Are you ready?"

Draco opened his eyes and frowned at him.

"I don't think I'll ever be ready for this," he griped. "I cannot believe you're making me do this."

"You made me sit through dinner with your parents, considering, I think this should be a walk in the park." Neville countered.

"You think?"

Draco still had a quiet laugh to himself over the evening he introduced Neville to dearest mum and dad; but Neville has right, this was only fair, and just how bad could an afternoon with Potter and cronies possibly be?

Neville pushed the door open and reached for his hand.

They entered the pub together.

End