Title: Amoris Vinculum

Disclaimer: This story is based entirely on the story J.K. Rowling has written. She owns all of the characters, ideas, credit and copyright. This story is made simply for enjoyment and no money is being made from this. No offence intended. No copyright infringement intended.

Warnings: Slash, angst

Pairings: Harry/Draco

Summary: Harry and Draco get together against all odds, but the coming war is destined to tear them apart.

Author's Note: I am very new to writing fanfiction, and constructive criticism and suggestions are welcome. I have quite a few stories I'm working on, most of them Drarry-related. If you're a Drarry shipper, take the time to check out some of my other works and tell me what you think.

PROLOGUE

HARRY

The tension between him and Malfoy seemed to have abated over the Easter vacation, Harry thought. They were certainly not hexing each other whenever they passed in the corridors, nor were they throwing insults at one another every few minutes. The two of them seemed to have reached an unspoken agreement not to fight anymore.

Harry really wasn't sure what he should feel. Excitement that they were no longer rivals? Despair that it meant the two of them might never speak to each other again? For in the four years that they had been enemies, Harry had started liking Malfoy. No, not friendly-I-wanna-be-pals-with-you like. It was more man-you're-hot-I-wanna-kiss-you-now kind of like. The problem was, he wasn't really sure Malfoy felt that way about him. Sure, Malfoy hadn't hexed him or sworn revenge when Harry knocked him off his broom last week (It had been an accident). Nor had he reacted to Ron's snide comment during lunch the other day (Ron didn't know about Harry's crush on him).

Most of all, Harry was worried about what other people might think if word got out that the famous Harry Potter was gay. His fan club would be disappointed alright. Ginny would be disappointed, too. Harry hated the idea of hurting her, he thought of her as his sister, after all. And one does not normally start an affair with his own sister. Harry wondered how he should break the news to Ginny. They weren't exactly dating, and they hadn't even kissed yet, though Ginny was hinting heavily that she wanted to.

Harry didn't really like the idea of walking up to her and saying, "Hey what's up, Ginny? I'm gay, so I can't kiss you." Harry also wondered how and when he should ask Malfoy whether he liked Harry or not. Of course, he still had to find out if Malfoy was gay. The only comfort Harry had was knowing that Malfoy had broken up with Pansy a week ago. If Harry didn't make a move soon, someone else was sure to get him. Someone as hot as Malfoy didn't stay single for long.

Harry was snapped back into reality as Ron kicked him hard beneath the table. They were in Potions class, and the whole class was staring at them. Snape was standing over them, an unpleasant smile on his ugly face.

"Well, well, well…" Snape said softly but menacingly. "Mr Potter, I see you weren't listening to what I was saying as usual. I asked you, whether or not you respected me enough to pay attention in class."

Harry knew he was expected to say yes, but his mouth would not obey him. "No," he heard himself say, "I don't respect you enough, Professor." The entire class gasped. Harry saw Seamus and Dean both giving him a thumbs-up. But as soon as Harry had said the words, he knew he was in trouble.

Snape looked livid. His eyes were flashing malevolently, "If that's the way it is, Potter, then I won't respect you either." Snape leered at Harry, showing yellow teeth. "I notice you're always sitting with Weaseley and Miss Granger, why don't you sit elsewhere from now on? How about that spot over there by Mr Malfoy?" Snape gestured toward an empty seat on the far side of the dungeon.

Harry pretended to glower at Snape, knowing full well Snape thought he and Malfoy hated each other, and was no doubt set on tormenting Harry for talking back. But he was secretly pleased to have an excuse to sit next to Malfoy.

Harry packed his bag and switched seats, the entire class watching him. As he was setting up his cauldron, Malfoy hissed, "Potter! Can I borrow your eel's eyes? I'm all out."

"Yeah, sure," Harry shrugged, trying to sound and act nonchalant as he grabbed a handful of eel's eyes and passed them to Malfoy. Their hands touched briefly, Harry felt a jolt of electricity shoot up his arm, and he drew back his hand quickly.

Harry pretended to chop up his newt tail, giving him an excuse to avert his eyes from Malfoy. As it was, he kept glancing sideways at Malfoy, at his pale blonde hair gleaming in the darkness of the dungeon, at his perfect face, at his slim and slender build. Malfoy happened to glace up at that moment, "What, Potter?"

Harry hesitated, his mind going through a million excuses before he settled on the lamest one. "Can I borrow you knife?"

Malfoy handed it to him with the hilt towards Harry, which further encouraged Harry to the fact that Malfoy no longer hated him. It wasn't much, but considering that they had been enemies for the better part of four years, it was a start.

The rest of Potions passed by relatively quickly, due to the fact that Harry was sitting next to Malfoy. In no time at all, it seemed, it was time for lunch. As Harry passed Snape on the way out of the dungeon, he purposefully glared daggers at him, as if he hated the idea of sitting with Malfoy. Snape's lip curled upward in a satisfied smirk.

Harry breathed a sigh of relief. Knowing Snape, he would make Harry sit with Malfoy for the rest of the year, hoping to make Harry's life miserable. Harry was actually sad to leave the dungeon for the first time. He wondered when he'd get to see Malfoy again.

When Harry joined Ron and Hermione for lunch in the Great Hall, he was in high spirits. They noticed this but didn't comment. "What have we got this afternoon?" Harry asked, ladling beef casserole onto his plate.

"Care of Magical Creatures with the Slytherins," Hermione replied, not taking her eyes off her book, Why Muggles Need Electricity.

Harry felt his heart lift. At least he would be able to see Malfoy again.

The trio headed down to Hagrid's hut, where the Slytherins were congregated. "Hurry up, yeh lot!" Hagrid said, looking impatient. "We gotta lot o' work ter do! We're gonna milk venom from the Skrewts today!" Hagrid announced happily, like it was a real treat.

The class exchanged worried looks. It had been bad enough to take the Skrewts for a walk. Now they had to milk the venom from their poisonous suckers and stings, too. The class shuffled forward reluctantly, and in groups of three, proceeded to milk the Skrewts' venom.

Harry, Ron and Hermion were working on one of the larger Skrewts. Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle were working on another nearby. After a quarter of an hour, Harry, Ron and Hermion had gotten a pint of Skrewt venom. Next to them, Malfoy and his cronies were having trouble with their Skrewt.

It was advancing on them, its pincers raised menacingly. Crabbe and Goyle quickly scrambled out of the way, knocking Malfoy down in the process. Malfoy tried backing away, but the Skrewt was bearing down on him with its sting arched, ready to pounce. Harry reacted instinctively; just a second before the Skrewt pounced, he flung himself at Malfoy, knocking him out of harm's way.

Unfortunately, they were at the top of a slope, and Harry's momentum carried them over the edge. They went tumbling and rolling down the slope, one on top of the other, gaining speed all the time. Both of them were yelling and clinging to each other as they barreled down the steep slope. By the time they rolled to a stop, both of them were badly scratched and bruised, each of them having broken at least a few bones. They came to stop at the foot of a maple tree, Harry sprawled on top of Malfoy.

Harry looked down into Malfoy's slate blue eyes, both piercing and enchanting at the same time, and was momentarily captivated as his pain faded away. And their lips, so close they were almost touching. Oh, how Harry would like to feel what those soft lips felt like pressed against his own. Then those pale blue sapphires narrowed and stared spitefully up at him. Harry remembered where he was and what was happening. He got off Malfoy, wincing at the sharp pain in his arm and ankle, and stood.

Malfoy got to his feet, wincing as he did so; he was a mess. His robes were ripped and torn, his face and arms were covered all over with scratches from their trip down the slope, and his pale blonde hair that was always slicked back now stuck up at odd angles. Somehow, that only made Malfoy hotter than ever, from Harry's point of view. Malfoy was still glowering at him, and Harry instinctively backed away, raising his hands in defense. "Look, Malfoy, I'm sorry, okay?" he said.

Malfoy continued the death glare until Harry felt his eyes water from the strain of trying not to blink. Out-staring Malfoy was harder than getting a dozen Hippogriffs to bow to him. When Harry was on the verge of giving in and risking a blink, Malfoy shocked him by muttering resentfully, "Thanks, Potter."

Harry was dumbfounded. He wanted to ask, "For what? Trying to save you from being squashed by a Skrewt, and ending up sending you rolling down a slope at thirty miles an hour?" But he kept his mouth shut and merely nodded in acknowledgement.

By the time they'd hobbled back up to Hagrid's hut, it was the end of the lesson. The whole class had been needed in capturing and subduing the Skrewt that had tried to attack Malfoy. The entire class applauded when Harry and Malfoy turned up, and everyone patted Harry on the back and congratulated him on being alive.

Ron and Hermione rushed over, a look of concern on their faces. "Harry!" Hermione squealed, her bushy brown hair engulfing him as she hugged him, "Are you alright?" she pulled back and studied him, assessing the damage.

"Hey mate, glad to see you decided to rejoin the living," Ron said, grinning at Harry. "I knew you wouldn't leave me alone with Hermione!" said Ron jokingly, and then ducked as Hermione swung her book bag at him, narrowly missing him.

"Harry! Good ter see yeh alive!" Hagrid exclaimed, clapping Harry on the back so hard his knees buckled and he would have collapsed on the floor had Malfoy not grabbed him by the back of his robes.

"Th-thanks," Harry mumbled, feeling his cheeks reddening.

"Off ter the hospital wing, then, you two," Hagrid told them, and grabbing them by the scruffs of their necks, hauled them up to the castle and hospital wing.

Madam Pomfrey seemed exasperated to see the two of them. "Potter! What did you and Malfoy do this time? Jump off a cliff?" she cried, wringing her hands in frustration.

"Um, yeah, something like that," Harry and Malfoy said in unison. They looked at each other, surprised, and then just as quickly looked away.

"You'll have to stay the night, the both of you," Madam Pomfrey said briskly, pulling back the curtains to reveal two unoccupied beds. "Get behind those and get dressed," she said, indicating the curtains, "The pajamas are on the beds."

Harry and Malfoy limped over to the curtains and undressed. As Malfoy slipped off his robes, Harry couldn't help admiring the smooth planes of his lean, muscular back, bruised and scratched as it was. Harry mentally shook himself, tried hard not to look at Malfoy's bare back, and changed into the pajamas laid out for him.

"Ah, excellent," Madam Pomfrey bustled over as soon as they were done, "Potter, sit down, I said SIT! Now, let's see…You broke two ribs, an arm and you've got a sprained ankle. You should be fine after one night." She waved her wand, and immediately Harry felt better.

Madam Pomfrey moved on to Malfoy next. "Malfoy, you've got three broken ribs, a few broken fingers, and about two dozen cuts and scratches." She twirled her wand once more, and healed Malfoy.

"Now the two of you will stay here for the night and rest, and in the morning you may leave," Madam Pomfrey said, bustling back into her office.

Harry was about to sleep when he heard Malfoy say softly, "Potter?"

"Yeah?"

"Thanks for saving me from the Skrewt."

"My pleasure."

"Night."

"Night."

Harry glanced over at Malfoy's bed and could have sworn he saw Malfoy turn away, as if he'd been staring at Harry moments before. Harry thought about their conversation and decided it was the nicest one the two of them had ever shared. Harry lay back and closed his eyes.

As he did, he committed the entire conversation to memory, so he would never forget about the day he'd saved Malfoy from a Skrewt and sent them both down a slope to their possible deaths.

Harry went to sleep that night with a huge grin on his face. If he was right, things really were working out with him and Malfoy. At least they were on speaking terms now, not insulting terms.

Harry wondered when he'd have the guts to do something about his crush on Malfoy…Then they would finally be together, and live happily ever after.

TO BE CONTINUED…