He sat in the tower, as he did far too often lately, watching the storm forming over the horizon. He rarely slept anymore and was torn with all of the things that had gone unsaid for far too long. He wept for the loss of those he loved, but he also smiled for the loyalty for the cause that was so selfishly thrown upon him. No one knew of the turmoil that raged inside of his head, well that wasn't true at all anymore. There was someone. Someone who came to his home on Privet Drive looking for help. Someone who came into his life without warning, someone who entered his heart…and later his bed.

"You seem to be up here quite a lot lately, love." The young man's lover always seemed to know when he couldn't sleep and always came to comfort him.

"Yeah, but it is the only place I can think of to get some privacy, and no, I don't want you to leave." He added this last part mainly because their relationship was still so new and after all the time it took to actually happen, he didn't want to jeopardize this. Hell, he needed this.

"Then I will stay, Harry." Harry's lover crossed the room and wrapped to powerful pale arms around him, "I think that you should try to talk to your friends. As much as I love being the only person that close to you, you do need someone else to talk to."

"I know that Draco, but I don't know how. What will I tell them about us, what if they don't accept that you are a part of my life?" Harry held onto Draco as he looked out of the window, "It's coming. I can feel it. This storm will only be the beginning," Harry looked deep into Draco's eyes, "you are my soulmate, Draco. I love you with all my heart. Promise me that you will be here for me until the end."

Draco's heart leapt at the thought of being the only person Harry wanted to be with, "Always my love. I will never leave you."

When Harry returned to Gryffindor Tower that night he felt relieved that he was not alone in his fight, but still, Draco's words hit him hard and he planned on talking with his friends the first thing in the morning, they obviously had other plans because they were right there waiting for him when he returned to the commonroom.

"Harry, where have you been?!"

"Yeah, mate. We thought that you were a goner what with all the Slytherins running around like they own the bloody place. And with Malfoy being a prefect. Man it's amazing you made it back in one piece."

"Ron, Dra—Malfoy isn't really all that bad, and I was never in any danger, invisibility cloak and a marauder's map, do you really think I would've left here without them? And Hermione, I was off in my own hiding spot thinking and planning. Does that cover everything?"

"It would, Harry, if you did take the marauder's map with you, but you see I had taken it to make sure you were staying put like McGonagall said to." Hermione handed the map to Harry who knew that if she had been watching it then she would have known that something was desperately wrong. Well by hers and Ron's standards anyway.

"What do you want to know?" Harry resigned himself to one of the chairs in the commonroom and decided that if they were going to press him for answers he might as well be comfortable.

"Why did you sneak off?" Hermione started light, she would get to the heart of the matter later, preferably after Ron cooled off after seeing the names on the map so close.

"I needed some time by myself to work through some things." Harry wasn't lying, but he could play this game too.

"But you weren't alone the whole time, why didn't you tell him to leave?" Hermione put her hand on Harry's shoulder and silently begged him to confide in his two friends like he used to.

"I couldn't."

"So he jinxed you? We should go find that prat and give him what's for!"

"Ron, I don't mean it like that. I mean he was there to comfort me. He knows what I'm going through." Harry remained calm even though there was something inside him that wanted to throttle Ron in that instant.

"But why Harry? Do you really think you can trust him? The bloody wanker's probably sitting in his commonroom having a laugh at the expense of dumb Harry Potter!! He's nothing but a bloody pillock!!"

"Ron you will not talk about Draco like that!!" Harry's eyes seemed to glow with rage before he was able to reign in his temper and sit back down. "I'm sorry, that was out of line. But I will ask you to refrain from speaking like that in the future."

"But Harry, Ron does have a point. What brings you to trust him now?" Hermione was gentle as she approached this subject. She loved Harry like a brother and she was determined not to let anyone hurt him.

"Love. I love Draco. And I know that he loves me. We spent the summer growing close and healing together."

"But Harry why would he—wait did you just say you spent the summer together?"

"Yeah. He came to me seeking protection from his family. He was being hunted down for refusing the Dark Mark." Ron and Hermione were stunned; the Malfoy that they knew would never refuse such a thing. It was something that they had always assumed he wanted.

"How can you be sure that he didn't get the Mark Harry?"

"Because I know." Harry left it at that, he wasn't sure what they were ready to know and how much he actually wanted them to know.

"Alright we will take your word. But can you at least confide in us as well?"

"I was going to just that in the morning actually. Draco's idea. He didn't want me to be shutting out the people that care about me."

Ron who had been silent ever since Harry's outburst finally spoke. "You're gay?! And in love with MALFOY?! Blimey Harry, I thought I knew you."

"You do know me Ron. But I refuse to hide all of who I am just to appease your sense of right and wrong. For Pete's sake, Percy and Neville have been together since last term!!"

Ron blanched at that. He knew something was up but he didn't press Neville about it. Percy he could understand, but Neville seemed so normal.

"Look, can we talk about this in the morning? It's late and I just really want to get some sleep."

"Alright Harry. But we will talk."

Harry woke to find that while everyone else had vacated the room Ron stayed behind and leaned against the door. "Hermione's waiting. She says that we still have things to discuss." Ron looked away for a moment before looking back at Harry, "I'm sorry for what I said last night. If you're happy, I'm in no position to wreck that. But it'll still take some time to get used to the idea. And please, spare me the details."

Harry smiled brightly at Ron, "Thanks mate, and don't worry, those details are for me and Draco only."

They met Hermione in the commonroom after they got dressed but she quickly led them out into the hall. "Sorry it's a bit too crowded in there right now."

"You're right. I know a place where we will all be alone though." Harry led them down the path to the abandoned Astrology tower that he and Draco used to meet and find peace.

"Here we are. This is the place that I get all of the quiet I can stand so I can think." As they made their way into the room, they saw that they were not alone. Draco sit in the exact spot that Harry had occupied the night before. "Draco, I think that they are ready, love."

Draco slowly turned and Harry saw the bruises on his face that were not there the night before. "Harry. They found out. I don't know how, but they know about us and this summer. Harry they know everything."

Harry had wrapped his arms around Draco as the sobs began to wrack his body. "Go get Dumbledore. NOW!"

Ron and Hermione ran out of the room and to the headmaster's office as fast as they could while Harry sat holding Draco and stroking his beautiful hair. "Why didn't you fight back? Did they break your wand?"

"No Harry my wand is fine. But I didn't fight back because I didn't know if I could control myself. I didn't want to seriously mess up." The sobs began anew as Draco thought about what he could have done.

"They can't hurt you now. And if I have my way, they never will again. I swear this to you my love." Harry held Draco tighter and waited for the sobs to subside once more.

"Harry bring Draco to my office, hurry we haven't much time." The voice seemed to come from everywhere yet it only existed in his head.

"Draco, Dumbledore's told me to bring you to his office. Come quickly." Harry helped Draco to his feet and put the invisibility cloak that he always kept with him nowadays over him. "I think he might have a plan."

As soon as they entered Dumbledore's office Draco collapsed into Harry's arms and sank into unconsciousness. "Professor, what's going on? He was fine just a moment ago."

"Harry, please calm down. That is for his own safety. Voldemort's been tapping into his mind. That is how his fellow classmates knew about his defection." Dumbledore looked at Draco like he was a hurt infant that couldn't fight back. "Harry, why did Draco not fight back?"

"He said he didn't know if he would be able to control himself and he didn't want to take that risk."

"That is what I feared. Voldemort must have been planting those ideas in his head to keep him docile. I'm afraid that if he doesn't learn to decipher the difference and block out Voldemort, he may doom us all."

"But you can teach him occlumency, right?" Hermione finally spoke up on behalf of this new Malfoy that she had never before knew existed.

"Miss Granger, I wish it were that simple. But alas, it will take some time to figure out. I assure you all, though; we will find a way to help Mister Malfoy."

"What will happen until then? And after? He can't go back to Slytherin."

"You are quite right. I think that he should share a room with someone who could protect him from harm. What do you think Mister Potter, will you protect Draco from further harm?"

"With my very life. Nothing will ever harm him again." Harry looked down at Draco's form and began to make quiet vows to his lover.

"Well then, all is set. Harry you will follow Dobby to your new dormitory and I will be there shortly to help to restore his own voice in his mind."

"Thank you professor. Come on, love, you will be alright." Harry cradled Draco close to him as he made his way through the corridors until they stopped at a very large portrait of a rather silly-looking knight and horse.

"I've been expecting you. You will be able to set the password after the Headmaster leaves you today." The portrait swung open and revealed a very large suite. It wasn't posh, but that was what magic was for. Harry carried Draco into the bedroom which he noticed only had one rather large bed.

"Well at least he's open to the idea of us being together." Harry began to think back to the summer and how he and Draco became lovers.

"Draco, you never cease to amaze me."

"Why is that?"

"First, you come here waving the white flag and tell me that you've refused the Dark Mark. Then, you begin to consider us friends. Now, you've made me fall in love with you."

"Harry, you are my world now. Nothing will bring me away from you. If you'll have me that is."

"Forever and always." They moved to each other, their eyes locked and wrapped their arms around one another. Their lips met tentatively at first, but on contact became urgent and passionate. They began to caress each other's bodies through clothes and groaning as just the right spot was touched. They melted into the comfort of each other as they had for so many nights now. Their caresses grew more urgent and the need to feel skin was becoming unbearable.

Draco pushed Harry away from his lips and began to undress Harry in record time. Harry groaned as his shirt was ripped from his body and an eager mouth latched onto his collarbone and began to nibble. Draco's hands didn't stay still and soon Harry was wearing nothing but a look of pure bliss.

"You are gorgeous Harry." Draco looked hungrily up and down Harry's body before stripping his own clothes off and moving back into the circle of Harry's arms.

"You are as well, love." They began to kiss again and moved over to Harry's bed. As they lay down the emotions began to take over. There were no more words between them as their bodies began to come together with an intensity that neither had ever known before. The love was pulsing through them evoking an ancient magical rite that neither knew. Harry moved on top of Draco and grabbed his wand. He looked deeply into Draco's eyes yet saw no fear or doubt. Harry fell a little more in love at the trust that was exuded from those beautiful grey eyes. He placed his wand at Draco's entrance and muttered a small spell that lubricated Draco and began to press his fingers into him. Draco moaned and thrashed as Harry stretched his tight opening and began to move his erection to his entrance.

"Are you sure Draco?" The concern in Harry's eyes was enough to make Draco lose all of the fears he might have had.

"Yes, make love to me."

Harry pushed forward into Draco and reveled in the ecstasy that washed over both of their faces. As he began to move in and out of Draco he kept his eyes locked with the man under him. Harry didn't want to miss any of the looks of bliss that crossed over Draco's face. Too soon they both felt the need for release and fell over the edge together in a mess of tangled limbs and wonderful afterglow.

"That was amazing Harry."

"It truly was, I love you, Draco."

"And I love you, just promise me one thing."

Worry crossed Harry's face, "Anything."

"We need to do that again, and soon."

They smiled at each other and kissed before wrapping themselves in the covers and sleeping.

Harry was pulled out of his reverie by a voice from the doorway. "Are you ready to begin Mister Potter?"

"Yes Headmaster. Please can Draco wake up now?"

"Not just yet Harry. I need to enter his mind first. I need to see if Voldemort has been controlling him any longer than just last night."

"I don't think that it has been going on for too long, otherwise he would've found me already."

"That is true Harry, but what I meant was while he was back at the school."

Dumbledore shushed Harry so that he could pull Draco's memories to the forefront and put them into the pensieve. After what seemed like hours, Dumbledore put his wand away and put the bowl onto the desk that was on the opposite side of the room. "Come Harry, you will need to take this journey with me."

Harry gave one parting glance to his lover and crossed the room. They looked into the bowl and fell into the memories of Draco.

"Draco! How dare you! You refuse the Dark Mark! You are a disgrace to this family! I should have killed you before you had the chance to insult the Dark Lord like this! You weakling!"

Lucius pointed his wand at his son and let the rage take him over. "Avada-."

He was cut off by his son apparating out of sight.

"Search the grounds! He can't have gotten out."

They were at number 4 Privet Drive watching Draco beg Harry to grant him sanctuary.

"And why should I believe you. You hate me."

"No Harry, I was jealous. But I am telling you the truth. Use veratiserum I don't care just don't turn me away. You are my only hope."

They were in the commonroom of Slytherin. They saw that Draco had just been hit with some kind of spell. "Tell us what your relationship with Potter is!"

Goyle had his wand pointed at Draco's throat while Pansy sat in the corner, her eyes locked with Draco's. "I love him. We are together. We have been since this summer."

Draco's monotone was eerie and painful. Then the attack came and Pansy didn't move she just held Draco's gave mumbling something under her breath.

Harry and Dumbledore stood beside each other looking in shock that Dumbledore had been wrong about the encounter. Dumbledore waved his wand and Draco awoke from the sleep that Dumbledore had put him in.

"Harry, where are we?"

"We're in our new room, love. Just relax."

"Mister Malfoy, do you practice Occlumancy?"

"Of course. Lucius taught that to me when I was young and he was still wary of everyone right after the Dark Lord was defeated the first time. He thought that anyone with something to gain would be trying to hack into my mind."

"Draco, we know what happened to you last night." Harry launched into the explanation of what they had seen in the pensieve. "Draco, what kind of power does Pansy have?"

"Nothing that could overpower me like that, but I never really thought that any of them had what it took to best me. My old self was very confident in the training that Lucius instilled in me." Draco looked sheepish at that and lowered his eyes.

"Headmaster, what will you do about Draco's classes?"

"Well, Harry. I think that it would be best to simply move you into his classes or the other way around, whichever you two want to keep. We will meet with professors Snape and McGonagall to make the transition easier for the both of you. We will also need to make sure that there are security wards around your room. Harry, you will need to set a password for the door. I'll leave you two for the night."

"Goodnight professor."

As soon as Dumbledore had gone Harry turned to Draco, "What do you think the password should be?"

"I don't know, something that no one will think of. What about seirc."

"What does that mean?"

"It means love, in Gaelic."

"I think that is perfect."

Harry bent down and kissed Draco softly. "Sleep, love, you need your rest."

Draco wrapped himself around Harry and drifted off into a peaceful slumber. Harry lay awake though. He was thinking of how he was going to pay back those that damaged his lover. "So help me, no one will ever think about harming you again. They will die first."

That night was spent watching Draco sleep. "I vow that for as long as I live no one will ever be able to harm you again. No one will even be able to think of harming you without me stopping it."

Harry's anger was beginning to ebb away as light broke through their window. The new day brought with it a fire in Harry's eyes that would have frightened anyone who was able to see it, fortunately the only person that would have been able to see it was currently asleep.

As Draco began to stir Harry sat up and looked at the face of his peace. Love filled his eyes once again and he forgot all of the vengeance that had just filled his thoughts.

"Morning, love." Draco smiled at Harry and took a moment to memorize those features again.

"Morning. You didn't sleep." It wasn't a judgment but a statement. "What were you thinking of?"

"Just of how they are going to pay for what they did to you. No one will ever try that again if they know what's good for them."

Draco looked into Harry's eyes and saw the determination and anger that was hidden deep within the emerald depths. "Alright, Harry. We will do it together. We will do everything together."

Things would never be the same. Hogwarts' golden boy would see to it that everyone knew that what belonged to him was not to be marred. Yes, this was going to be the final turning point for everyone, and while it may seem as though the Slytherin would be changing him, it's all part of the master plan that he is a pawn in. This does not bode well for those who wish to use him for their own devices. There is power in his soul that none have tapped into before, and that power is soon to be unleashed.