A/N:Setting the stage for future. Important chap tho short.

The summer was hot, much hotter than Tom could remember; the past few weeks had been eye opening and he was almost happy he would be gone by tomorrow. Almost.

Since the discovery of Billy Stubbs' rabbit; all eyes had been fixed firmly on Tom and by connection on Harry. Both were watched throughout the day, only alone in the solitude of their shared room. Things had gotten much worse since they had gone to the beach and the visit from Dumbledore.

The children had continued to cause them trouble and the staff were happy to turn a blind eye much more after that.

Dumbledore had not taken them from this place, he had only given more fuel for the fire with his arrival and left them with the news that Tom would have to leave Harry at the mercy of these people. At the thought his eyes went to Harry who lay in his own bed, his right eye a deep purple, the bruise fading ever so slowly, contrasting the startling green of the boys now closed eyes.

They were wizards. The simple statement explained everything and now it meant that he had to leave Harry.

Their gazes locked suddenly and Harry smiled sadly at his friend before sitting up. Distantly Tom wondered how Harry always knew what he needed in moments like these before dismissing it for now. He could ponder on that later.

There was the sound of sheets rustling and of weight shifting on the mattress before feet met the solid wood of the floor with a light thump. Moving aside his blanket Tom moved over, his back meeting the wall.

"Thanks, Tom." Harry whispered into the silence as he made his way to the other side of the room.

Tom turned slightly, a hint smile on his pale features, "It's cold so hurry." was his only reply as the younger of the two got into the bed; Tom soon pulling the covers over them as Harry wiggled to get comfy.

There was silence for awhile, the sound of their breathing the only thing to be heard. Tom's hand was laid against Harry's back, bringing them closer; the green eyed boy's nose buried in the crook of the others neck. It was comforting to both being so close to the other. In a few hours Tom would be on his way to Hogwarts where they wouldn't see each other until the winter holidays.

Tom sighed, his warm breath tickling Harry out of his thoughts.

"Tom...?"Harry whispered into the boys shoulder.

"Mmm?"

"When you go, I'll miss you."

Tom's hold tightened and he simply held him, his cheek pressing into the boy's unruly dark locks. Harry chuckled at his friends silence before he shivered at the cold.

They lay in silence once more and once more it was Harry who spoke first, "You'll make loads of friends there, with people like us. I'm glad."

"No-one's like us, Harry."The elder told him nonchalantly, "The professor said it himself; what we can do is rare, even amongst wizards."

"Just promise you'll definitely come back for Christmas."

"I'll always come back to you, .You're mine."

Harry grinned at the words. Since the very first day,Tom had claimed he was his and his alone. They were linked,special was what Tom called them. They would never again be alone and forgotten. Never again.

"And you're mine? Right, Tom?"

A smile was pressed into Harry's dark hair as Tom spoke, "That would be fair wouldn't it? So, of course. I'll come back in winter and when we're older I'll take us away from this place. I'll always be yours and you'll always be mine."

"You promise?"

"I swear it on my magic."The boy said in a serious tone, having nothing else to swear upon.

"Then I swear on my magic too."Harry sighed sleepily while; unknown to them, both's eyes glowed eerily in the darkness, an oath of magic struck between them.

As sleep came upon them, dreams of leaving the orphanage together put them into a joyous mood uncommon to them, both unaware of just what fate had in store for both them and the rest of the wizarding world.