A/N: First, my apologies to all my readers for disappearing for a few months. I'm back now and will be jumping right back into the swing of things, including a change to one of my stories. Secondly, I did manage to get up my New Year fic for this year and am continuing the tradition this year. It's a bit late as I hoped to get this finished before midnight yesterday, but it's up now and I will have to be satisfied with that. As you might have noticed, I've switched to H/D. They will be the sole pairing for all my New Year fics now and probably for most of my fics, though some other pairings might show up as well. Anyway, enjoy!

Draco stood in the corner attempting to discreetly keep an eye on the dark-haired, green-eyed Gryffindor Golden Boy across the room. Unfortunately, Pansy was currently making this extremely difficult by directly blocking Potter from his view. If he hadn't known better, Draco would have thought she knew what he was trying to do and purposefully taking steps to prevent him from engaging in his favorite pastime of Potter Watching.

Besides, Pansy was currently too pissed to be plotting anything quite so devious. No, from what little Draco had managed to gather from only pretending to pay attention to her, she wanted to experiment with some Muggle New Year tradition. Since the war had ended half a year ago Draco had admitted to himself, if not to anyone else, that he didn't really mind Muggles and such, so long as he wasn't bothered with it on a constant basis. He may not mind the Muggles from a distance, but he did not appreciate it being shoved in his face. Needless to say, if he would be trying any Muggle traditions tonight, it would not be with Pansy Parkinson, the most annoying girl in Slytherin.

"If you'll excuse me, Pansy," Draco interrupted smoothly, finally irritated beyond endurance by her constant prattling. "I find myself in need of another drink. I'll be right back."

The blond Slytherin slipped past his housemate and made his way to the refreshment table set up in the abandoned classroom on the second floor the returning Eighth Years were using for the New Year's Eve party that had to be some Gryffindor's idea. McGonagall had certainly approved the idea quickly enough. Apparently, she thought all the students needed some time to relax and have fun within their own years. Draco supposed it made sense, but at the moment he could care less. Not many people looked kindly upon Slytherin students these days, and even less people could manage to look at him in particular with anything less than loathing.

And the one person he would have welcomed attention from could never be caught dead talking to him. Draco glanced at Potter out of the corner of his eye, then turned back to the bottles of Butterbeer and Firewhiskey arranged neatly on the table. A sudden presence behind him startled Draco into spinning around so he could place his back to the table and face the person who would surely have nothing but poisonous words and accusatory stares to bestow upon him. Attempting to look casual after his embarrassing reaction failed miserably as his jaw dropped in surprise when he saw who was behind him.

Harry stood with his two friends, but, honestly, Ron and Hermione had gotten all sappy and romantic with each other and Harry felt that there just wasn't enough room for him there anymore. He knew his friends cared for him and would follow him into any danger, as they had proven many times in the past, but this was an entirely new journey in which he simply could not take part.

He couldn't lie, not even to himself. It hurt to know that his friends would be leaving him behind. They were a couple now and, while Harry was happy for them, he still couldn't help feeling a bit left out. That was the only reason he could think of for why he had suddenly found himself watching his former rival when they came back for their final year.

Malfoy was as calm and cool as ever, still acting superior, but Harry had noticed a certain wariness about the Slytherin's actions this year. Well, Harry could understand that. Not many people, especially the students, at Hogwarts would be very accepting of a former Death Eater. And, for Malfoy, it would probably be even worse since he had let the Death Eaters into the school and his father was Voldemort's right-hand man. Harry, however, knew how horrible it must have been to have that evil bastard in your home.

So, that was how Harry came to notice that Malfoy was watching him too. Well, at least he was tonight. Harry could just make out white blond hair in a shadowy corner across the room. Ron and Hermione were murmuring to each other next to him, so Harry thought he could get away with watching Malfoy out of the corner of his eye. Fortunately, Malfoy didn't seem to notice the attention he was receiving if the way he kept glancing over Parkinson's shoulder to stare at him was any indication.

Finally, Malfoy moved away from Parkinson, his gracefulness even showed when he was escaping a friend, and sauntered over to the refreshment table. It was exactly at this moment when Ron and Hermione started getting all touchy-feely and Harry felt he could excuse himself from his friends' presence. Muttering a quick excuse he was sure they didn't hear, Harry ambled over to the blond Slytherin. Malfoy seemed to sense Harry's presence, for he spun around quickly, almost as if he were startled. A look of surprise crossed his face when he saw who it was before the Slytherin was able to draw that indifferent Malfoy mask back into place.

"What do you want, Potter?" Malfoy spat, trying to act like his usual self, but Harry noticed a lack of his former venom.

"I'm only grabbing another drink, Malfoy," Harry replied calmly, reaching around the Slytherin while leaning closer to grab a random bottle from behind him. "No need to be aggressive."

"Of course," Malfoy ground out, turning his back on Harry and started to walk away before Harry said something that made him stop completely.

"Why were you watching me earlier, Malfoy?"

The Slytherin froze at the question, the muscles in his shoulders stiffening. He refused to turn around and meet Harry's gaze, though. Preferring to direct his answer to the floor at his feet.

"Who says I was watching you?"

"No one," Harry shrugged. "I just noticed is all. You don't have to answer or anything. I was only curious."

Malfoy said nothing, so Harry sighed and left, muttering a faint farewell as he left the room, Butterbeer in hand, for the nearest courtyard.

Draco couldn't believe his ears. Harry Potter stopping to have a civilized chat with a Death Eater? Then came the question and the world suddenly righted itself again. No, Saint Potter wasn't here to chat. He only wanted to know why Draco had been watching him, not that Draco would ever admit to that. Never. Well, maybe he would... Someday...

Potter left with a whispered goodbye. He didn't bother to press Draco for any more information. Was it just his imagination or did Potter's parting words sound a bit... disappointed? Draco thought so and, as he turned to watch Potter leave, purely out of his own self-interest of course, saw the Savior of the Wizarding World leave the party alone. The set of his shoulders seemed lonely and depressed to Draco's hopeful eye. Could shoulders even look lonely and depressed? He didn't know, but if anyone could manage it, Potter could.

So, Draco decided to take a chance. It was unusual for him, but there was only about an hour left before midnight. If this turned out to be a mistake then he wouldn't have to endure the shame and embarrassment for long. The new year would wipe his slate clean and he could start over. Draco turned back to the table and swiped a bottle of Firewhiskey from the selection before slipping quietly out of the room and after Potter.

Draco found him in one of the smaller courtyards. The raucous noise and sparks of multicolored lights from an open window above told him the courtyard was directly below the party they had just left. Shaking his head in an effort to clear it, Draco focused on Potter again and crept quietly, though he would never admit that, to the dark-haired Gryffindor and cleared his throat.

Potter turned to look at him, seemingly not surprised that Draco had followed him out here, and smiled. Draco stood in shock for a moment until a raised eyebrow, which looked suspiciously like his own gesture, jarred him back into the present. Deciding Potter was waiting on him do actually do something, Draco took a seat on the bench beside the Gryffindor.

"Why?" Potter asked and, somehow, Draco understood he wanted an explanation for the Slytherin following him to the courtyard, not a continuation of their previous conversation.

"I was simply curious."

"About?"

Draco gave him a look. "What else?" He paused, hoping he wouldn't have to say anything more, but Harry stared waiting him out. "Very well. It is, after all, the end of the old year. I have little to lose by admitting the truth." Steel gray eyes focused on emerald green, the world shrinking to just the two of them. "You. I was curious about you, Harry."

Draco sat still, frozen by the honesty he had shown. And also the sneakiness of a certain Gryffindor sitting beside him. The Slytherin silently berated himself for falling into Potter's subtle trap, for the response he had given was not only the answer to the other boy's question, but also the answer to his earlier one. Draco could feel the steady gaze boring into the side of his face. It annoyed him enough to make him forget his embarrassment for a moment and grimly meet the Gryffindor's emerald orbs.

"You were curious about me. Why?" Harry asked, Draco simply couldn't force himself to keep referring to him as "Potter" in his mind after the vulnerability obvious in the Gryffindor's eyes and voice.

"Who wouldn't be?" The Slytherin replied, falling back into the old defense of misdirection, hoping to persuade Harry into dropping the topic. Unfortunately, the Gryffindor would not be deterred.

"It seems everyone is curious about me, but they usually read Witch Weekly or the Daily Prophet. They don't suddenly follow me out to a lonely courtyard and start a conversation with me after spending years doing nothing but flinging insults and generally acting like a prat."

Draco shot him a glare, but refused to allow the truth to sour his attempt to make nice with the object of his seven-year long obsession. "There is only so much one can learn from the media and I, for one, am tired of hearing about the 'Savior' and his 'vanquishing of the Dark Lord'."

Harry cracked a smile, a low snort of derision. "I couldn't agree more. It gets irritating after the first couple headlines."

Draco found himself following Harry's example and snorting, though his was in amusement. He had never believed the Gryffindor could be funny when he wanted to be, though that was not to say Draco hadn't hoped and imagined him to be. The Slytherin was even more surprised when his companion actually laughed out loud with him, reveling in Draco's own good humor. It was a pleasant feeling. A connection Draco had longed for since that first day aboard the Hogwarts Express. He smiled, a small smile to himself, but it was the first true smile to grace his face in years.

Harry caught the small smile curve the blond's lips. It softened his features and made him seem younger, despite the war. His heart skipped a beat at the sight and his breath hitched. To cover his reaction, he tried for a light, joking tone and a teasing jab.

"Do I amuse you?" He asked.

Draco looked startled, for it was "Draco" now, not "Malfoy", at Harry's question. He probably hadn't thought Harry would notice, but of course he did. He had been watching the Slytherin for months now. How could he not notice something that made the blond object of his every thought look so beautiful? Then Draco startled him with the simplest, most open answer he had ever heard.

"Yes."

Harry stared for a moment, shocked by the seemingly simple admission. Then he smiled. It was a wide, brilliant smile, one he had not had reason to use since before Fifth Year. Now it came easily for the first time in ages and it was because of his formal rival. Harry found that fact didn't bother him as he thought it should have. Instead, he felt wonder at how the drastically the world had changed for the better. At least, he hoped this was an indicator of how much better the Wizarding world would be now that Voldemort was dead.

Draco smiled back at him, eyes shining like the edge of a storm cloud. Harry felt like he was floating. That smile, directed at him and so much more sincere than the ones the blond usually gave, did strange things to his insides. His entire body felt tingly and all he wanted to do was grab the blond Slytherin and hold him close, clinging to the tortured angel beside him, sheltering him from the pain he must have suffered and will suffer in the future.

The Slytherin must have seen the look in his eyes since his grin grew positively predatory, the glitter in his eyes eager. Both boys sat captivated by each other when a sudden cacophony from above yanked them back into the present. The countdown to midnight had begun and Harry was struck with the desperate urge to participate in the New Year's tradition he had been hearing all the Gryffindor girls giggling about since Christmas. At this moment, he wanted very badly to kiss Draco Malfoy.

"I was wondering. Would you care to join me in a most ancient New Year's tradition?" Harry asked, taking the plunge before he could convince himself not to as his year mates loudly counted down the seconds until the new year.

"9!"

Draco smirked at him. "What tradition might that be?"

"8!"

"You'll see," Harry smirked back. "That is, if you agree."

"7!"

The blond Slytherin seemed to consider the request for a moment. "Is it dangerous?"

"6!"

"Not physically, no," Harry replied, the smirk still on his face daring the Slytherin to accept the challenge.

"5!"

"That would mean it is dangerous in another way."

"4!"

"Maybe, but, then again, maybe not."

"3!"

"Very well. It would be my pleasure," Draco acquiesced.

"2!"

Harry grinned, his heart beating faster in his excitement. He was transfixed by the quicksilver gaze of his companion as the countdown finally reached its inevitably end and cries of excited joy filled the night air.

"1! Happy New Year!"

"Happy New Year, Draco," Harry whispered as he leaned in.

Draco waited with bated breath as the countdown finally reached one and cries of "Happy New Year!" erupted from the sky. Mesmerized by Harry's emerald eyes and low, sultry voice, Draco could do nothing more than sit and wait for Harry to make his move. He didn't have long to wait before Harry was wishing him a happy New Year and leaning closer. Draco couldn't stop himself from doing the same, not that he wanted to.

"Happy New Year," the blond just barely managed to murmur before the Gryffindor's lips were pressing gently against his own.

Harry kissed him chastely, just barely a brush of lips, but, luckily, he didn't stop there. Draco leaned closer as Harry began to apply more pressure. A Quidditch roughened hand slipped into silky blond hair, gently caressing his scalp. Draco gave a little moan of pleasure and allowed his own pale hand to slide along Harry's raised arm and around to rest on his back. His fingers flexed idly as the second hand moved to join the first, pulling Harry closer.

The Gryffindor had no objection, eagerly wrapping his free arm around Draco's waist and holding him against that lithe body. Though they pulled at each other until their bodies were plastered together, the kiss never went beyond sweet and tender. Draco was surprised by how little Harry's stubborn chivalry annoyed him, especially now. He had always thought the first time they kissed would be wild and Draco himself would be eager to let his strict control go, but he wasn't. At this point in time, the kiss was perfect and Draco was a bit disappointed when Harry finally pulled back.

"Draco, would you go out with me?" Harry asked him as soon as their lips parted and they had both regained their breath.

Draco stared at him for a moment until the messy-haired Gryffindor started fidgeting. "Do you mean...?" He asked, unable to form the words for what he secretly hoped would happen.

"Yes, flowers, chocolates, romantic dinners, walks by the lake, all that and more," Harry spouted, desperate to convince the Slytherin. "I want all of that... With you. Draco, will you agree to date me?"

Draco couldn't believe his ears. The very thing he had fantasized about for the past two years, the only dream that could chase away the darkness that had been Draco's entire world during the war, was playing out in front of him and it wasn't a dream. He knew it wasn't because he would usually wake up to the screams of tortured men and women long before this would happen. No, it was real and Draco couldn't find it in himself to refuse the very dream he had hoped for for so long. So he gave in easily, smiling at Harry, his response quiet but strong.

"Yes, Harry. I will."

Harry smiled back and kissed him again.