Disclaimer: All the characters you recognize (and that would be all of them) belong to J.K. Rowling. Out of the goodness of her heart she lets us write our own versions of her reality. THANKS, J.K.!

Warning: For this chapter: Language

Authors Note: And now the end. Thank you all for being here with me through this, and I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it! (P.S.: It's got a title because I wanted it to, not for any specific reason).

Title: The Sides of the Story

3: Hello, Angel... You DO NOT have to read this chapter to complete the fic.

(I kinda want Teal'c's voice to say "And now, the conclusion," but I'll restrain myself).

Minerva McGonagall, Severus Snape, and Albus Dumbledore


Minerva's sharp eyes picked up on the fact that Harry Potter was in a bad mood the second he walked in her classroom doors. She sighed- she didn't really want to deal with the emotional Wizard right now. She had enough on her plate worrying about the recent increase in attacks, and her missions for the Order.

The class was going fine until Harry turned the kitten that he was supposed to be turning into a pillow into a raging bull instead. Without a wand, no less. Once she had gotten over her immediate shock, she had taken care of the problem, not missing the glare he sent her.

Well, she thought resignedly as she continued the lesson, he's going to have to get over it sometime.

Finally the class period was over and she could relax for ten minutes before her next class came in. Shutting her door and pouring herself a cup of tea, she closed her eyes and tried to relax.

It was going well, too, when the pounding on the door and the cries of "Professor, Professor!" had disturbed her.

Opening the door she was faced with the scared face of Hermione Granger and knew immediately that something was seriously wrong. The girl was never this upset. Hermione started talking as soon as the teacher opened the door.

"They're going to kill each other this time, Professor! I swear! There's blood everywhere and they won't stop!"

Minerva pushed past the girl without so much as a 'Pardon me,' thinking (quite accurately) that in this case the girl wouldn't mind.

When she came around the corner, what she saw blew Minerva's mind.

Draco and Harry were standing in the center of the hallway surrounded by a ring of scared students. At the moment, Draco was wiping blood off of his eye, and Minerva noted that as Harry and Draco lunged at each other one of the Slytherins was tearing down the hall with Professor Snape hot on his heels.

As Severus came to a halt, Draco and Harry were gripping each other again, neither holding back as they beat the shit out of each other. It shocked Minerva that the Hope of the Wizarding World would act in such a way, and as the two tore at each other and inflicted more pain and agony the two teachers acted as one and shouted "IMMOBILUS!"

The boys froze, and each Head of House went to retrieve their student. Minerva grabbed Harry by the ear and dragged him away with as much force as she could, noting that Severus had to wrap his arms around Draco to keep the Malfoy heir from collapsing.

"What is the problem with the two of you!?" Minerva yelled at both boys, thinking correctly that Severus would rather make sure his Godson wasn't going to die. "Have you no common sense!? Do you wish to kill each other!? How many warnings are you going to have to get before this nonsense ends!?" Minerva was rather grateful her voice could hit such high pitches most of the time, but nothing seemed to be getting through to these two.

"Severus, shall we bring them to Poppy first so they don't bleed all over the Headmaster's carpet?"

Severus nodded his agreement, but gave a shout of surprise as Draco wrenched himself free and met Harry halfway as Harry slipped free of Minerva's grasp as she talked to Severus.

They immediately began fighting again, and even as Minerva cast another Immobilus, a corner of her brain wondered that neither boy had made a sound so far.

Separating the teens again, this time it was Severus who did the yelling. "Are you both fools!? Do you have a Death Wish!?"

The students moved out of the teachers way, scattering immediately to spread the news that this time Potter and Malfoy had gone too far.

Minerva tightened her grasp on Harry's ear as she dragged him up the three flights of stairs to the Hospital Wing, the entire way berating the two boys for their actions. She thought she heard a muffled snort from Malfoy, but even as she looked back, Severus was glaring at his Godson and Draco had turned it into a cough.

Poppy was… displeased… to say the least, when she found out she had to Heal both of the students. She did so- and muttered angrily the entire time about letting the stupid fighting children recover Muggle-style so they remembered not to fight.

Minerva agreed, but didn't say anything.

A short while later and the four people were closeted with the Headmaster. Minerva told Dumbledore what had happened, Severus adding in what he thought needed to be added.

"It's disgraceful, Albus, They need to stop this."

"Well what do you suppose we do, Minerva? Lock them in a room and see who comes out alive?" Though amusing to himself, Severus' suggestion was met with a stony glare from Minerva.

"They were fine for more than a month! Then one day they just start fighting with no provocation from either side? After other times when the insults are flying back and forth and they just walk away? What is wrong with them, Albus?"

The Headmaster made as if to reply but stopped, his gaze focused on the two boys. Behind their teachers backs their eyes were locked in a stare that was reminiscent of two dogs determining the Alpha, and Severus and Minerva both stiffened, ready to break up another fight.

But Draco looked away and smirked at the assembled teachers, Harry following suit, minus the smirk.

Dumbledore coughed, and both boys looked at him. "Alright. We are going to figure this out, but until that time, I wish for you to each apologize to each other."

The incredulous stares he got from not just Harry and Draco but Severus and Minerva made Albus shrug. It might work.

But they held their breath as Harry swung his head back to Draco, and Severus saw an unholy light come into his eyes.

"Malfoy." the boy said, his voice rough from disuse, and all three teachers saw the way Draco tensed as a result.

Maybe this wasn't such a good idea?

But Draco was already opening his mouth to reply, and as he said, "Potter," the teachers tensed again as Harry leaned forward in his seat and stared at Draco, hate clear in his eyes.

Minerva- not wanting to chance the uneasy truce- grabbed Harry by the back of the neck and yanked him back into his seat. Severus did much the same.

"Detention, Mr. Potter, Mr. Malfoy. Mr. Malfoy with Professor Snape, Mr. Potter with Filch. Both at eight. Until then, you are confined to your rooms." Dumbledore sighed as gestured for everyone to leave. "We'll deal with this later."

Minerva grabbed Harry by his upper arm and dragged him through the hallways, past startled ghosts and students, to his room in silence, too angry with him to speak. As he shared it with the other Seventh Year Gryffindor boys, she waved her wand and his bed became its own room, and she shut him inside.

As she did so Harry turned and smiled at her, leaving her to wonder what exactly was going on. But she finished locking him in, and went back to her classes, making a note to get a house elf to bring both boys food.

Severus was silent until they were in the dungeons, then he spoke. "I thought I had already told you to stay away from the Potter brat if all you were going to do was fight. There is no reason to get expelled simply because you cannot stand the boy."

Severus looked at his Godson and noticed the unnaturally bright light in his eyes. "Why can't you just work out your differences?" No answer from the boy.

Severus sighed as he stopped in front of Draco's Head Boy room, and searched his eyes. Severus frowned as he saw a… green? tinge in his Godson's silver eyes. But Draco just smirked and slid into his room, closing the door on Severus' puzzled and angry face.

Both boys were led out of their rooms at a quarter to eight and brought to their respective detentions. When they finished, they were told to go right back to their rooms, and when the boys nodded and looked away, everyone involved just assumed they looked away with remorse.

No one actually checked to make sure they were in their beds until the next morning, though.

Severus charged up the stairs to the Headmaster's office in a panic and burst through the door. "Draco's not in his room!" he didn't notice Minerva until the older woman raised her head and spoke.

"Neither is Harry."

Silence reigned in the office for a long while, and Severus dropped into a chair and placed his head in his hands as he thought of where Draco might be and Minerva did the same.

"I have a class to teach," Minerva said as she picked her body slowly up out of the chair. She nodded to Severus and Albus. "I'll see you both later."

After a minute, Severus did the same. "Headmaster," he said on the way out, inclining his head to the old man. Albus just looked out the window, and Severus left, trying not to feel like the world had just ended.

It was three hours later before Draco showed up, immaculate in his school robes and pressed black trousers with a charcoal grey knit top. When Severus heard the commotion at the back of his classroom, he frowned and was about to re-teach the meaning of the word 'respect' to the children in his class when he saw why they were so excited.

Draco was standing there with his school bag, his expression saying 'why is there a problem?' and his mask firmly in place. Severus could have grinned- trust Draco to appear right before the start of Potions.

But Harry had yet to materialize even when classes were let out for lunch, and Hermione was hysterical. Ron was not doing a very good job of comforting her, but was at least keeping her from breaking down in tears whenever she heard his name.

As lunch was about to let out and the students were milling around and chatting, a figure lurched into the Entrance Hall, splattered with blood and grime. He walked quickly towards the Great Hall where he knew most of the students would be, and pushed open the doors.

For a second, no one noticed him, but a silence started from his location and spread as the students stared in shock and horror. All but one blonde looked up- and he hadn't acknowledged anything other than his studies since he had appeared. Eventually even the teachers noticed.

And they stared.

Harry Potter, blood and gore speckled, stood in the doorway with an intense look on his face. Minerva was the first one to react.

"Harry Potter! What happened to you?"

But, as was usual of late, Harry just ignored her and continued scanning the Great Hall. Minerva, by now fed up with being ignored, marched down the Hall until she was right in front of him.

"What do you think you're doing, young man? Where were you that you're covered in that-" she gestured at his clothing- "muck? Do you realize Voldemort wants to kill you?"

The entire Hall cringed at her use of the name, but Harry just shrugged as he found his prey and muttered, "Voldemort isn't a problem anymore," as he pushed past her.

As she and the students around her stood stiff with shock, Harry walked towards the Slytherin Table and called loudly, "Draco!"

That caught everyone's attention again, and Minerva briefly wondered why Harry needed to fight with the Slytherin right off the bat.

The Slytherin in question stood as his name was called, and his eyes went glassy as he took in Harry's appearance, backing up until he was pressed against the wall. As Severus and Minerva again made their way over to break up the impending fight, Harry moved closer to Draco.

Everything seemed to slow down as the blood- coated Gryffindor came face-to-face with the shocked blonde. Harry's hand reached out to tenderly cup Draco's cheek, and whispered in a hoarse voice that seemed to fill the Hall, "Hello, Angel."

Then Harry Potter leaned in to kiss Draco Malfoy, and time restarted again. As the teachers froze in shock, along with the entire student body, Harry slid his arms under Draco's hips and raised the other boy so that his legs could twine around Harry's waist, and his arms could go around Harry's shoulders.

The Entire Hall watched as the boys kissed, and Minerva's faint thought was, That is not a first kiss.

(ORIGINALLY I WAS GOING TO CUT IT OFF HERE BUT MY SISTER (rightly) TOLD ME IT WAS TOO INCONCLUSIVE. EVERYTHING BELOW THIS IS AN ADD-ON, AND I DON'T THINK IT QUITE FOLLOWS THE FLOW OF THE PREVIOUS CHAPTERS. BUT IT IS THE CORRECT BACKGROUND INFORMATION. YOU CAN STOP READING HERE, THOUGH, IF YOU WANT. THE STORY IS MOSTLY OVER.)

Draco broke the kiss and buried his face in Harry's neck. "I thought you'd left me," he mumbled against Harry's skin, and the brunette tenderly raised Draco's face to meet his eyes.

"Why would you think that?" he asked, bewildered, and Draco averted his eyes, suddenly finding the fact that the entire Hall was staring at them very fascinating.

After a second of trying to evade Harry's gaze, Draco gave in. "You just left. You didn't say good-bye, you didn't wake me up, and you didn't tell me beforehand!" By the time he was done speaking, everyone could hear.

"I thought you were sleeping, I didn't want to wake you up, and if I'd told you before hand, you would have worried!"

Both boys forgot about their incredulous audience as they glared at each other. Dumbledore, deciding that this was enough gossip- fodder, quickly stood to his feet and caught the attention of the rest of the student body.

"Please, leave this to the staff to sort out, and classes for the rest of the day are cancelled in celebration."

With a cheer, the other students left, but some tried to stay behind. Hermione, Ron, Blaise, and Pansy, to name a few. But they were all quickly and efficiently removed by Professor Snape, and the Great Hall was left empty but for Dumbledore, Minerva, Severus, Poppy, and Sprout.

The two boys were still glaring at each other, and Severus cleared his throat to get their attention. Surprisingly, it worked, and both boys swung their heads around to face their teachers.

"What?" Harry asked curiously as five faces stared at them in more shock.

"How long has this-" and here Poppy waved her hands between the two boys- "been going on?"

Draco shrugs. "November of Fourth Year."

There was silence from the teachers as they processes this information.

"Do you mean to tell me," Severus said very calmly, "that you have been sleeping with the Potter brat since you were fourteen?"

Draco was shaking his head before the question was completed, though, and said, "No- we've only been shagging since Fifth Year."

"AND THAT'S ANY BETTER!?" Severus couldn't contain himself anymore, and Minerva, although she agreed with the sentiment, placed her hand on the Potion's Masters arm before he hurt someone. It did not go unnoticed that Harry immediately wrapped his arms around Draco and glared at Professor Snape.

"Why on Earth would you get into so many fights, then?" Dumbledore asked, and Harry and Draco both blushed.

"Actually, if we could discuss that with you in private, sir, that would be great." Harry's heartfelt request was considered by the Headmaster and accepted.

"Follow me please, boys." Albus turned to look at the other teachers. "I will let you know as soon as I can what has happened." As he spoke, Harry disengaged Draco from his waist and neck. Dumbledore waited for them to get settled before leading them out of the Great Hall, and leaving four very annoyed teachers in his wake.

Upon entering his office, Dumbledore offered seats to the two boys, and quickly hid his smile as Draco immediately sat on Harry's lap. It seemed that now that their relationship was in he open, they didn't wish to hide anymore.

"So. What do you want to tell me?"

Well, that seemed to be the correct word choice, because the next thing Harry knew he was spilling the secrets of the last three years with no compunctions whatsoever.

"So November of Fourth Year I started not being able to control my magic. It would do weird things, and sometimes it felt like it had left me entirely. So I was walking around on one of the nights when my magic was gone, researching things that would do that to you, and I met up with Draco. Needless to say, we go in a fight. And whenever I touched him I could feel my magic inside of him. And I wanted it back. So we were beating the crap out of each other and the next thing I know I'm kissing him and he's kissing me back and my magic was back inside of me again.

We tried to never speak about it again, and we thought we were well clear until the next time it happened. And it kept happening. But it always seemed to start with a fight. So that's what's basically been happening- and we don't know why. It's not exactly something I wanted to ask Hermione to look up for me, ya know?"

Dumbledore smiled at the flustered teens, and sat back in his chair as he thought. After a moment, he offered them a weary smile.

"I have an inkling of what might be the problem." When they perked up and watched him, he added, "I do not know if it's the correct answer, but I'll try it. I believe, that you, Mr. Potter, are a one of the few very powerful wizards in the world. And I believe that you, Mr. Malfoy, are his channel."

Draco straightened. He'd heard of that before. "Wasn't that what Merlin and Nimue were? The powerful one and his channel?" He just shrugged at the look on Harry's face- the black-haired boy hadn't grown up in a Wizarding home, and they had different Fairy Tales.

"Yes," Dumbledore congratulated, "Exactly like. The one thing is, there haven't been Wizards powerful enough to warrant a channel since Nimue and Merlin. At least, none recorded." He paused for a second. "Harry? How exactly did you kill Lord Voldemort?"

Harry blushed, and shifted in his seat. "I- um, I wished him…dead. And then he was."

Draco stared at him in shock. "And what made that time any different from all the other times you've wished him dead?"

The blush grew. "Well, before, I had never really considered him as the reason behind us having to hide our relationship."

The Headmaster interrupted as Draco smiled at Harry. "Mr. Malfoy-"

"Draco, please, Headmaster. Mr. Malfoy is my father."

"Alright. Draco. How exactly does it feel when Harry's magic enters you?"

"Like a thunderstorm is right over my head and a pounding headache at the same time." Draco answered promptly, having told Harry multiple times before what it felt like.

Albus chuckled at the display of normalcy and nodded. "Yes, you are Harry's channel, Draco. Congratulations. You now control the magic of the most powerful Wizard in the world."

A devious smile lit Draco's face, but Harry was onto him and pulled him down for a kiss before anything Draco would regret came out of his mouth.

The Headmaster smiled in contentment as he watched the boys in front of him. Yes, everything was well now. As soon as he told his teachers the wonderful news that Voldemort was gone and that Mr. Malfoy was Harry's channel, they would know how to treat the pair. And with any luck, now that their relationship was out in the open, Harry and Draco wouldn't have to fight anymore as an excuse to control Harry's magic.

Albus sighed as he watched the kiss get deeper and calmer, the boys totally forgetting their whereabouts as they soaked in each other's presence.

Yes, everything would be fine.


And that's that. I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did, and thank you for reading.

If you wish to sample some more of my work, all you have to do is scroll to the top of the page and click on my name. Shameless-self-promotion, anyone?

Netrixie

And if any one is interested, I'll be posting starting today my Tale-In-Six-Parts version of Lucius and Narcissa's relationship called "I Swore." Lucius P.O.V. And back to the shameless self promotions, shall we?