Author's Note: No I do not own the characters, as everyone here should know. Plot is my own though ^..^. Do not know when it takes place, since I'm just going with it. Lol, anyways, yeah, it's HPxDM.



The Cold of Autumn.

Wind blew in through the cracks of the windows, filling the corridors with a comforting chill. Soft breathing, occasional murmurs between portraits, it was, familiar. The only thing that Harry knew as he creeped under his cloak, the gentle clack of his shoes the sole echo in the emptiness of Hogwarts.

Everyone slept soundly tonight, oblivious of the dangers that awaited them outside. The dangers that he himself faced.

Secrecy. It was a way of life really, and the one thing Harry was learning to master. Sneaking out, finding comfort in the least expected place, it was all new, and he hoped it would stay hidden. Students wouldn't understand, and neither would the teachers. He could almost bet that Dumbledore would be the same.

Climbing to the tallest tower seemed like an easy feat tonight, as it had been for months now.

Harry's breath became short, ragged. Nerves threatened to burst his heart. How long?

How long could this be kept up?

His heart ached suddenly, his mind reeled. Slumping against the wall, he felt his body begin to fall to the floor. He pulled his legs against him, burying his face in between his knees. It wasn't fair.

~_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_~

The door creacked as he closed it behind him. The cool autumn breeze blew his hair in two different directions as he shook the cloak unto the balcony floor. He shivered slightly, pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose unintentionally.

He's not here yet. . .

The prospect of leaving flooded his mind, leaving hims uneasy.

Sure, it had been easy for him to do this before. Before all the emotions kicked in, and before he had allowed his control to drop.

Before he had kissed the only person in the whole school that really knew him.

Harry traced his lips reflectively, unaware of his own actions. The feel of them against his own, the pounding against his chest from both their hearts. The way those icy blue eyes had stared at him, unknowing of what to do, what to say. The confusion in them as he covered his mouth with his knuckles.

Draco had been there for him. Every Saturday night had brought about a new meeting between them; one which would leave them both at ease. They had opened themselves to each other, and Harry had taken it to the next extent. He doubted if Draco would even show up this time around.

He missed the little notes he would find under his desk before class began, or even in the bottom of his cauldron. He missed the amusing smirk Draco would pass to him across the Great Hall.

He missed the comfort of knowing that Draco wouldn't leave him.

He leaned his crossed arms on the balcony railing, letting his body loosen up.

He felt stupid, imcompetent. He was the perfect example of the failure of a person that Snape always claimed him to be, and he could feel the sting of a tear roll down his cheek.

Having let his emotions take hold had been too much, and letting himself kiss Draco had been the icing on the cake of a horrible life. His horrible life.

Draco had ran. Ran, and never once had looked back, and it seemed that that had been what had hurt the most. Thinking that he would've understood had been Harry's mistake, and now he was paying for it dearly.

He ran a hand through his hair, deciding on going back. It hurt too much to be up there, knowing that he won't show.

Sighing, Harry turned, only to freeze at the sight of a figure by the doorway. He hadn't heard the creak, and how he wished he had.

Draco's silvery blond hair blew out of place in the night breeze, his eyes downcast as a light pink brushed his cheeks, his lips light rose and in the middle of a smile and frown. His eyes lifted and met Harry's, an unsure smile growing on the sides of his mouth. "Hey." he whispered over the whistle of the air.

"Hey. . ."