Drarry – Chapter 1: A Shore of New Horizons

*Present Day*

It was a cold December morning and the students of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry were waking up to the first morning of snow. Throughout the day many a snowball fight occurred in the courtyards and snowmen of all shapes and sizes were dotted around the castle it was a merry day indeed. Harry, Ron and Hermione however didn't join in the pre-holiday festivities and just sat in the Gryffindor Common Room all day in front of a crackling log fire.

"Harry, what were you doing yesterday? Me and Ron hardly saw you at all we look on the map and you didn't show so we've gathered you were in the Room of Requirement or went into Hogsmeade," Hermione enquired to Harry. Harry looked vacant for a few seconds trying to conjure up an excuse for him being absent from them.

"I was… erm… in the Room of Requirement. I thought that… I could use some more practise for our NEWTs after all they are in a few months and as you say Hermione we have to pass them to become Aurors." Hermione beamed at Harry.

"That's a great idea Harry! We can go there now and practise some more, you really do have some great ideas at times." Hermione exclaimed as if surprised that Harry could think for himself.

"That is, not a good idea. The fire is so warm and it's nearly dinner so we should head of for the Great Hall if we're going anywhere," Ron said in a hurry. Harry totally agreed and besides he couldn't risk them going into the Room of Requirement with the thoughts racing through his brain of what he was actually doing in there. It might accidentally look how it did yesterday and Harry couldn't bear them to see what he saw along with the person who accompanied him.

"Ron has a point Hermione, I mean it's so warm here and its like twenty minutes until food, so we can just wait here and then maybe go tomorrow or something, I mean its not like we're in a hurry to get it done, are we?" Harry replied just as quickly as Ron had. Hermione replied sighing with anguish,

"I guess you're right, we can go tomorrow and practise Diffindo and the Protean Charm, I know I did it when Umbridge was here but I just need to perfect it."

The trio went down to the Great Hall to start dinner, they passed a gaggle of first-year girls pointing and staring at Harry, he shot them a glance. All the girls there turned crimson and ran away emitting high pitched giggles. He was used to this, but due to the change in his life he was no longer interested in them. He and the others continued to the Hall. The Great Hall was astounding, with a ceiling that changed to what the weather was like outside, currently white snow was pouring down, long tables into the four Hogwarts Houses and floating candles. They mad their way to the Gryffindor table to eat when Harry caught sight of Draco Malfoy, the person who hated Harry the most. Draco looked over at Harry and their eyes met briefly, for only a second and then they turned away as if they couldn't bear looking at each other. He quickly went to sit with Ron and Hermione who were waiting for him to sit down with them.

"What does Malfoy want?" Ron asked Harry.

"What? Oh right, Malfoy, I have no idea ask him yourself. If you ask me I think he's just being his uptight self, acting up to his 'Pure-Blood' status," Harry said to him. Ron dropped the matter as soon as the food appeared from out of thin air. Ron asked no more questions and seemed entirely fixated on the platter of food in front of him, however Hermione had sensed something was up with Harry and asked him about it when they got back to the Common Room, after Ron had sneaked several Pumpkin Pasties out the Great Hall 'for later'.

Hermione got Harry on his own when Ron needed to go to the toilet as he felt sick from eating all that food from the Great Hall and that which he had taken from the Hall.

"Harry, I know something's wrong and it has something to do with Malfoy. I saw how you both reacted when you looked at each other, what is it?" Hermione enquired. Harry didn't know whether or not to say anything, but this was Hermione she wouldn't tell anybody, she was the person Harry trusted the most. So he decided to tell her.

"Don't call him Malfoy, his name's Draco, okay? And please don't tell Ron, or anybody for that matter what I'm going to tell you right now."

"I swear I won't tell a single person," she replied he voice sounding very honest and trustworthy.

"Okay then, so here's how and what it happened," Harry started.

*The day before*

It was a lunch time and Harry had just escaped Potions after not finishing the essay on Wolfsbane and it's Properties in Potion Making for Professor Snape. He then heard the familiar sound of Snape's voice filling the dungeon corridor he ran quicker, to avoid detection. He ran until he hit a dead end, this was it Snape would surely catch him now. He'd be in detention for the rest of the term. Suddenly the wall behind him opened and a hand reached out and tapped Harry on the back beckoning him to follow, Harry look cautious but didn't want to get caught by Snape he took the hand and ran through the gap with the mystery person leading the way. The secret entrance closed shut and Snape's voice could no longer be heard.

"Thanks," he said to the unknown person, "Who are you?"

"Me," said a very familiar voice.

"Malfoy?"

"Actually I would prefer it if you called me Draco, I've never really liked people calling me that Harry." That was the first time he had ever heard Draco call him Harry and it felt weird, almost comforting.

"Why did you not let Snape catch me? I mean you hate me so why did you do this?" Harry asked Draco.

"Well to be honest with you, there's never really been any problem with you I mean, okay you're half-blood but its better than being a Mudblood," Draco said. Harry flinched at this word. He remembered the first time Malfoy had called Hermione that, and the impact it had on other people, how hurtful it really was. "Sorry, I didn't mean to offend you, I know your friends with Granger."

"It's okay Draco, no harm done," Harry replied. That was the first time Harry had ever said Draco as well, today was the day of firsts.

"Harry, can I tell you something. Something I've been meaning to tell you for a long time but there's never been an opportunity for it. And now that we're alone, well it seems like the right time," Draco said in a hushed voice. Harry knew where this was heading and he put his finger upfront of Draco's lips. His eyes closed and Harry drew closer until they could feel each the other persons breath on their face. Harry also closed his eyes and Draco's opened and he whispered, "I lo-". But his sentence was cut short as Harry's lips touched Draco's. They wrapped each other's arms around each other in a tender embrace. Their kiss locked and unfaltering. They fit together like a jigsaw puzzle pieces. Draco broke away first but their hands were still tangled behind each other.

"I love you too, Draco," Harry said softly into Draco's ear. They then broke into a passionate kiss all over again.

*Back in the Gryffindor Common Room*

Hermione looked at Harry, her eyes filling with tears of joy for him at his new found love.

"Awww, I'm so happy for you Harry. Are you and Malfo-, Draco going to tell other people or…" Hermione asked Harry.

"Well at first, we're going to keep it low so nobody finds out and then if all goes alright, we will go public," Harry told her.

"Well I'm glad you've told me and I swear on everything I hold dear, I won't tell a single soul. Awww Harry, I'm so made up for you, well I'm glad you're happy and if you are I am."

"Thanks for understanding, that's where I was yesterday. The passage leads into the Room of Requirement and we were in there yesterday. The whole thing about practising for NEWTs wasn't true, I'm sorry," Harry confessed.

"That's okay, I'll tell Ron those lessons are a bad idea, and he'll believe me, because well… I'm his girlfriend!" Hermione said to Harry. The both of them started to laugh at this, after all it had been the Battle of Hogwarts in which they got together but it had also been the time he had split up with Ginny as he found out who he really was. That was also the time she left, and vowed she would never talk to Harry again but she would keep his secret. She now worked as a junior sales assistant in Fred and George's shop Weasley's Wizard Wheezes. Harry pushed all thoughts of Ginny out of his mind and focused on talking to Hermione.

"Yeah, tomorrow me and Draco are meeting again in Requirement so try to get Ron to stay with you," Harry asked Hermione. She agreed to that and then Ron re-entered looking very pale.

"You are glad you weren't there, there was loads!" Ron exclaimed obviously talking about how much vomit he had just got out of his system. "So did you two have a nice conversation?"

"Yes, it was most illuminating, very good. Wasn't it Harry?" Hermione asked Harry.

"Indeed it was," Harry looked over at Hermione they shared a glance and he turned away and a smile broke over his lips. It was indeed very good and it was only going to get better.