Harry tenderly brushed a stray hair off her face and tucked it behind her ear. “You know, Ginny, there’s a chance that I might not survive this war.” The tears in Ginny’s eyes mirrored his own. He took a deep breath and continued, “If I die, I don’t want you to mourn for me…I want you to live life to its fullest. Smile. Laugh...love.” Now the tears fell freely down Ginny’s cheeks. “Harry, please don’t--” “--if I die, Gin, I want you to find someone who makes you happy. I want you to love again!”

Upon receiving some very disturbing news, Draco's life as an aristocratic pureblood starts to unravel before his eyes...and the only person he can turn to is the Boy Who Lived.

Draco continued staring into the fire, avoiding Harry's gaze as he whispered, "My own father is going to kill me, and there's not a damn thing I can do to stop him."

It pained Harry to see Draco feeling so helpless, and he decided then and there that he would do everything in his power to stop Lucius. Harry's voice was full of strength and determination as he replied, "Yes, there is! But I need you to trust me."

As the term progresses, Harry and Draco find it increasingly difficult to deny their growing attraction to each other. How much longer can they go on before they're forced to face the truth?

Ron and Hermione become suspicious as Harry sneaks off every night to spend time with Draco. Harry's happy with Draco, but starts to wonder if he was wrong to move on so soon after Ginny's passing.

Harry looked back at the sad, lonely boy in the full length mirror. Who was he kidding? Harry's time alone made him come to grips with what he really wanted...and that something was Draco. Slytherin or not, Harry loved Draco and wanted him just the way he was...but could he really leave the past behind and start afresh without Ginny?

Draco became aware once again of the heart beating within his chest, and his brow furrowed with a sudden bout of guilt. The girl who'd saved his life that night--one year ago--was the same one who brought the love of his life back to him...and he'd never told Harry that the heart of his first love was what now kept him alive. After all that Ginny had done for the Slytherin, he decided it was time to come clean to Harry; he owed it to Ginny.

Lucius gave Draco a malicious sneer and took obvious pleasure in his son's emotional pain. Enjoying the attention from all of the onlookers, he raised his voice loud enough for all of Hogwarts to hear. "I told you I would make you pay for dragging the Malfoy name through the mud, you filthy blood traitor!"

Leave Harry alone, you sick bastard! A tear trickled down Draco's cheek; this would probably be the last time he would see his Harry alive.

The Epilogue