Bel a/n: Awww, you guys! You make us sooo happy with your wonderful reviews! Thank you, thank you, thank you!!! ::squeeze::
Wyv a/n: The roll of honour! lore (yes, the guys at footy, especially the Bournemouth players, are quite worthy of Draco eyeing them up!); Nykto (ah, but then he lurrves Dra!); Just Silver (Thanks, I need all the luck I can get g glad u liked the karaoke!); Lelio (Hmm...you'll just have to wait and see :) ); ~~ prongs the animagi ~~ (Err, yes, they *are* meant to be gay, that's what 'Slash' is :) Got a problem with it? Don't read); Jillian, Prongs, ema lee, Cat Samwise and CrystalStarGuardian (Lol, just keep reading, be patient) and Raggona (glad you love it!)

Phew! On with the story!

Draco stared into Harry's gorgeous green eyes. He was tempted to take Harry back, ever so tempted. But a tiny little part of him just wanted to make Harry beg for just that little bit longer. It was strangely satisfying. He shook his head.

"I'm sorry, love, you know how I'm feeling right now." Harry nodded, got up and sat back down on his chair, still holding Draco's hand.
"Yeah, I know, it's just..."
"Have some patience, hon. It'll be worth it." Harry nodded again, then pulled his hand away from Draco's and gave his sole attention to the cocktail that Dean had placed in front of him.

Harry didn't say much for the rest of the night. He just sat there, nursing his drink, watching Draco. He felt miserable. He loved Draco, and would do anything for him, would wait until the end of time itself for him. Still...
...the wait was torture.

Harry also felt a pang of jealousy when he saw Seamus blatantly flirting with Draco. And sometimes, it seemed that Draco was flirting back. Don't be silly, he reasoned with himself, Draco wants you, he won't go off with anyone else.

That didn't stop him from slamming Seamus up against the wall by the scruff of Seamus' robes, threatening to push Seamus' face through the back of Seamus' head when Seamus accidentally-on-purpose 'fell' into Draco's lap, leaning in as if to kiss him. Dean and Draco had to physically prise them apart.

"What did you do that for?" demanded Dean as Seamus gulped in grateful intakes of air.
"I...I'm sorry, I just..."
"Yeah, well, you need to calm down, mate," gasped Seamus. "Stop being so possessive."
"Sorry, Seamus." Harry helped Seamus up, and offered to buy him a drink to make up for it.

Draco joined him at the bar. A kind of half-smile was playing on his lips.
"Fighting, Harry? I thought you grew out of that when we were at school."
"Yeah. Sorry, I don't know what came over me." Harry looked pretty embarrassed.
"Oh, it's perfectly obvious, Mr Potter, you came down with a bad attack of the Jealousies," laughed Draco, in his best 'patronising doctor' voice.
"Oh, no, Doctor! That sounds serious! What can I do?" giggled Harry, playing along.
"Oh, the best medicine for an attack of the Jealousies is...buying me a double Archers and lemonade!" Harry laughed and pushed Draco playfully.

"Seriously, though, Harry," said Draco as they were waiting for their drinks, "you shouldn't have done that. You know I won't go off with Seamus."
"I can't help being possessive," muttered Harry.
"Still, I'm not worth fighting over."
"I think you are," said Harry emphatically.

*

A week later, and Draco still had not taken Harry back, despite Harry's numerous declarations of undying love and begging. He was having too much fun. It seems cruel, Draco mused as he made his way to the Quidditch field to watch Harry in action, but in a way it's his punishment for all the hurt he caused me. Although Draco could think of a number of different ways of punishing Harry, mainly involving the use of handcuffs and whips, this way seemed a lot more appropriate for now.

"Your nose is still peeling a bit," remarked Hermione as they took their seats in the stands for the game.
"I know. It's endless days spent on Australian beaches, Brighton beaches and shopping," sighed Draco.
"I hear you've got some pink leather trousers."
"Yes I have, and no you can't," laughed Draco. Hermione grinned and squeezed his arm.
"Oh, go on, can't I just..."
"No! I've only worn them once! You know the rules: no borrowing until they've been worn by me at least three times!" Hermione laughed, and then the game started, which meant all of their attention was taken up with watching their favourite men zoom around the pitch.

Later that evening, Hermione, Ron, Harry, Draco, Fred, George and Lorren were sat outside in Hermione and Ron's back garden, drinking iced lemonade. It was still really warm, which meant that Draco took his shirt off, meaning to tease Harry a little more. Lorren had climbed onto Draco's lap, and Harry just kept staring at him.

"I think she missed you," remarked Ron, nodding at Lorren, who had snuggled into Draco's chest.
"Yeah, and I missed her too," replied Dra, ruffling Lorren's hair.
"Well, missed you or not, it's her bedtime," ordered Hermione. Lorren looked up beseechingly at her mother.
"C'n Uncle Draco read me my bedtime story?" she asked. Hermione laughed and agreed, and Lorren jumped off Draco's lap, pulling him along with her, wanting to show him her story books.

"Damn him!" groaned Harry, when Draco had gone. "Why does he have to be so bloody cute in everything he does!" Fred grinned.
"He'll come around soon!" George announced cheerfully.
"Yeah, he'd better, or I'll have to beat some sense into him!" growled Harry. "What can I do? I've begged as much as I can!"
"The great Harry Potter? Beg?" gasped Fred in mock-horror. "This I have to see!" Harry shook his head, smiling.
"Well, it's the last time I'm going to beg tonight. After that..."
"You'll just have to beg some more," finished Ron. "Come on, mate, I know you too well. You won't give up on Draco that easily."

Fifteen minutes later, Draco rejoined the group.
"I had to sing 'Baa Baa Black Sheep' fifty times!" he groaned.
"Oh, yes, that's her favourite," said Hermione. "Do you guys want anything more to drink?"
"Got anything stronger than lemonade?" asked Fred. Hermione went to fetch some bitter to make up a few shandies. Ron followed her. Fred and George moved over to the other side of the garden, seemingly admiring the pond. Harry turned to Draco.

"You know what I'm going to say." Draco nodded. The past week or so had been fun, watching Harry beg, but Draco had decided that he couldn't hold out much longer. The pleading look in those eyes was almost too much to bear.

Harry got down onto his knees again and took Draco's hand in his.
"Draco, I know I've said this before, and I'm going to say it again, simply because it's true. I love you with all my heart, with all my soul. I'm not going to lose you, Draco, I can't let you get away from me again. I'm begging you, please come back to me." Draco remained silent for a while, then began speaking at the same time as Harry.
"Harry, I..."
"I got you this." Harry reached into his pocket and brought out a jewellery box which he gave to Draco. "Open it." Draco did so. Inside was a beautiful silver ring in the shape of a lightning bolt. Draco stared at it for a few moments, speechless. His eyes filled with tears. Then he pulled Harry into a hug.
"You soppy fool!" he whispered, and kissed Harry lightly on the lips. Then something seemed to dawn on him.

"Harry, was that....was that a proposal?"
"It is if you want it to be." Harry and Draco grinned at each other for a few moments, then Harry slipped the ring onto Draco's finger. Then Draco pulled Harry into a fierce embrace, kissing him hungrily.

Cheers erupted from the watching Weasleys, causing them to break apart.
"At long bloody last!" exclaimed George. "We thought you two were never going to get back together!"
"Ron, I owe you twenty Galleons!" called Fred.
"Twenty Galleons, what for...hang on, did you have a sweepstake going on when we were going to get back together?" demanded Harry. Fred and George just smiled at him.
"Here, have some champagne," said Ron, thrusting a glass into each of their hands.
"Champagne? What for?" asked Draco.
"What for? You moose, you've just got engaged! We need to celebrate!"

Harry and Draco clinked glasses and took a sip before Draco kissed Harry again, a kiss full of passion and love, and it seemed in that precious moment as if the past three months had never happened.


To Be Continued.