UchiSays: I do believe this is the longest chapter I have ever written for this story I really do hope you enjoy. And I can't even tell you what happened in it because I don't remember my self. You'll find out a bit or about Draco and Harry before they met but that's about all I can recall.

UchiReplies: I had received a review asking rather Harry acted like a little kid or not I couldn't reply to the review so I'll answer here, yes Harry acts very childish and immature, but only because he never got to act that way in childhood. I believe his childishness is really shown in this chapter. And to the questions about Ron, you all just have to wait and see what happens with him but here's a hint, if you ever read my story The Sharpest Lives, he's pretty much the same here as he was there.

UchiBegs: I'm not too proud to beg when it comes to reviews, I need them, they keep me going. So pretty please with sugar on top review, I'll even take flames if they are reasonable. I don't care if they're just simple "i like it" or "i don't like it" anything is better than nothing, though I would like it if you point out specifics.

Tiss is all


Seventh Snow

By the time they left the mall Draco had bought more clothes than Harry even long and he had charged it all to his father's name. Harry eyed the number of bags the older male was holding, not even counting the bags he'd given to Harry to carry, "Are you sure your father won't mind you charging all of this to him?" Harry couldn't help but ask, worrying his lower lip. They were walking down the street almost to the apartment, each of them carrying at least five bags, Draco might have carried more but Harry didn't bother counting passed the fingers in one hand.

"Of course not," Draco replied in a bored tone, "He's the one who told me to do it. He said I could buy whatever I need."

"Why don't you live with him?" Harry's curiosity was getting away with him.

"He kicked me out." Draco stated coolly.

"What? Why? You're a great guy, why would he kick you out?"

The smile that played Draco's place could seduce the devil, "He found out that I'm gay. He was pretty hilarious actually."

Harry paled, he wasn't sure if it was because Draco had just admitted to being gay without a second thought of if it was because Draco's father had kicked him out for such a superficial reason, "That's stupid!" Harry finally found his voice to declare, "Being gay doesn't make you any different from the person that he'd raised. He's a right git for that."

If Draco's smile was seducing the devil then his devious chuckles was seducing the angels right out of heaven, "I'm glad you feel so passionate about this, but you must understand. I'm my father's only son and heir. I'm inline to take over his business once he deems I'm fitting, and not just his law firm, father owns and runs various fortune 500 companies all over the world, and when the time comes all of that will be mind. But father says he has not intentions of letting the Malfoy line die out with my generation all because I'm too much of a pouf to knock up some chit to carry on the name. He couldn't careless that I'm gay; he actually had a male lover before he got together with my mother. He just said that I'm not allowed back into his house until I swallow my pride and produce an heir."

"Oh," Harry said stupidly, "That's still a stupid reason to kick you out. Why can't you just adopt someone to be you heir?"

"Because father wants them to be of actual blood relation, and seeing that I have no little cousins or the like and more is now infertile, I'm the last to carry on the line."

"Oh," was Harry's rather articulate reply. By this time they had reached the apartment and Draco was opening the door.

Harry entered and kicked off his shoes before stepping any further, "Why do you always do that?" Draco asked.

"Do what?" Harry inquired, setting down the bags he'd been carrying.

"Take off your shoes when you enter the house. You seem to have no problem with other people keeping their shoes on, but yours never make it farther than the front door."

Harry blushed scarlet, "Habit, I guess." He mumbled, "M aunt was very anal about keeping her house clean she didn't respond well to me tracking dirt on her floor. I learned to take my shoes off the same way I was potty trained, with a belt."

Harry missed the look that flashed across Draco's face as he'd had cast his eyes down and was tugging at he hem of his sweater, "Your aunt and uncle sound like pleasant company." The blond's voice was oozing sarcasm like venom.

Harry shrugged, "I learned my lesson, stay on their good side and survive, I wasn't living until I got out of their house."

"Why'd you wait for them to kick you out, why not just leave on your own if they were so cruel?"

Harry shrugged again, "I had no where else to go." He stated, "Aunt Petunia is the only family I have left. I suppose I could have gone to live with Ron and his family, but there's so many of them and I didn't want to be a burden. At least those of the excuses I always used. I suppose the real reason I never left was because I was scared."

"Scared of what? Seems like all your fears were living in the house with you."

"I was scared that if I left, I would journey out into the big old world alone and it would swallow me up, scared that I would loose myself among the mass of people, for get who I am and where I come from without having any place to go, scared that the world would eat me whole and I would never find myself again. The Dursleys were pretty bad people, but at least with them I knew who I was and where I belonged, I had a lot of things to fear in that house, but I never feared loosing myself."

Draco sighed and ran a hand through his platinum colored hair, "Oh." He borrowed Harry's rather articulate reply. Neither seemed to know what to say as the silence hung between them. Finally Draco decided to change the subject, "I'd better go hang these clothes up in my room." He said, grabbing the bags both he and Harry had been carrying and took them to the empty room down the hall. Despite the fact that Draco had been staying there for about a week and he had ordered his bed the first day it had yet to arrive because the snow kept putting of the delivery. Harry didn't really mind surrendering his bed to Draco, even before his roommate had moved Harry rarely slept in it, more often than not the would end up curled up fast asleep in the bay window.

Harry shrugged off his coat and hung it in the closet before making his way to the living room, pausing to hit the answering machine button when he saw the flashing red light, "Hey Harry its Ron, I'm just calling to make sure you made it home ok. And I wanted to apologize for how I acted today. Sorry please don't be mad at me, I know I was acting stupid. Well I got to go, see you at school tomorrow."

"That your little friend from earlier?" Draco's voice came from the living room doorway.

Harry nodded, "I'll have to tell him at school tomorrow that I'm not mad at him."

"Why not call him now?"

"Because I'm still talking to you."

"I don't see what's left to be said between us, you're better off calling your little Weasel."

"Draco, you stupid jerk, why are you so mean?" He pouted childishly.

"Why are you acting like an annoying kid?"

"If I'm such an annoying kid then why the bloody hell did you kiss me?"

Draco was silent for a moment as if wondering himself about the answer to that question, "Because you wanted me to." He finally said, "I have a problem with giving kids whatever they want, a cute pout is all it take s to walk all over me."

Harry could feel the tears forming in his eyes, "So you kissed me because I'm a kid! You really are a stupid jerk!" He stormed out of the living and into his bedroom, slamming the door loudly behind him.

::-::-::

Harry fell asleep with his face buried in a pillow because it had Draco's scent, by the time the alarm had went off in the morning his anger at the blond had completely melted away. Now that he'd thought about it, he figured it didn't really matter why Draco had kissed him as long as he kissed him again. Draco's soft lips and the gently caresses of his tongue had stared in Harry's dreams and all the brunet wanted was to feel them again, to feel those lips and that tongue and the sweet burn of the act that was as good as sin.

Harry got dressed in the bedroom before heading to the bathroom to brush his teeth. As he passed the living room he found Draco sleeping on the floor by the bay window and Harry vaguely recalled telling the blond that he didn't allow feet on his couch so the position made sense. Draco looked so peaceful in sleep, more like an angel than the demon that he really was.

Harry silently went and brushed his teeth and then headed to the kitchen to grab a few sticks of Pocky before tiptoeing over to Draco's sleeping form and gently touched his shoulder to rouse his from his slumber, "Draco, I'm going to school now, you can go get in the bed."

Draco cracked open his stormy grey eyes, "OK, see you after school, kid." He said in a sleep laced voice, "Be safe."

"Yeah whatever," Harry said with a small smile on he face, "See ya."

::-::-::

Harry didn't get a chance to talk to Ron before class started. The two of them were in different classes and Eon wasn't in any of his usual places that morning, so Harry had to run to class before he got a tardy and put off talking to his best friend until lunch time. Harry had just slipped into his seat when the bell rang and the teacher came entered in her usual excited manner, "ok everyone get out your scripts, we're going to spend the entire class rehearsing for the play." Harry groaned as he pulled out his script. He was really enjoying the play, it was a really beautiful piece he just wish he had some other role, any other role.

::-::-::-::

Harry found Ron during lunch on the shelf. The shelf was an are above that overlooked the gym that many students had taken to eating lunch at when the weather was too cold was eat outside and the lunch room was too full for comfort. Harry and Ron ate there everyday along with Ron's little sister Ginny, Fred and George, and Harry's other best friend Hermione when you could drag her away from the library. Today both Ginny and Hermione was MIA and the twins had detention, leaving just Harry and Ron on the shelf surrounded by a bunch of other students.

"Hey Ron," Harry greeted his friend, "I got your message and I wanted to let you know you're forgiven. I would have called you last night but Draco and I got into a fight and I ended up going to bed early."

'You don't look like you got in a fight," Ron commented, "In fact you look downright giddy. What did the stupid jerk do anyway?"

Harry grinned mischievously, "He said something, I can't remember, but I forgave him this morning. He just doesn't know it yet." He laughed and since laughing is so contagious Ron started to laugh as well. "So what were you two fighting about in the food court yesterday?" Harry asked once their laughter ceased.

"He said something, I can't remember, but I haven't forgiven him yet." Ron's tone of voice said this was no laughing matter.

"Now Ron," Harry chastised, "what have I told you about holding a grudge?"

"But this is different, he said something completely absurd and when I told him to take it back he just laughed in my face."

"So you do remember what he said." Harry's face lit up like an excitable child, "Tell me! Tell me! Tell me!" He was practically bouncing up and down with his want to know, acting more like a five year old than a sixteen year old.

"No." Ron cut through his giddiness like a blade.

"Pretty, pretty please." Harry stuck out his lower lip and gave Ron his best puppy dog eyes, "I'm begging you."

"Nope, that won't work." Ron said turning away from Harry before does emerald doe eyes could work their magic on him.

Harry pouted, before an evil grin spread across his childish face, "I know what will work." He said hopping to his feet and grabbing Ron's gym bag.

"Harry, you wouldn't." Ron growled.

Harry's grin only grew as an evil glint reflected in his gemstone eyes, "Hey everybody!" He raised his voice loud enough to gain the attention of the rest of the students eating their lunch up on the shelf, "Guess what our star basketball player keeps in his gym bag!"

"Harry don't! Give that back right now!" Harry dodged away as Ron made to grab him, "Give that back right now you little punk!" Ron yelled chasing the smaller male around the shelf as Harry expertly dodged his every attempt at grabbing him.

"Tell me what he said or the whole school will know your secret!" Harry called in a singsong voice as he ducked around other students in his attempt to flee Ron. He hid behind an underclassmen girl as Ron attempted to snatch him again.

"You bastard," the red head growled, "I told you that secret in the utmost confidence that you would keep it."

"And I promised to keep that secret in the utmost confidence that you would tell me everything." Harry retorted, no longer running from Ron but standing his ground and staring him down.

"So you're going to let a bloody prat like Draco Malfoy come between us."

"Just like you let petty jealousies spoil our day out yesterday." Harry spat before thinking, he froze in shock at his own words.

Ron froze too and a seeming eternity of silence hung between them before the red head finally spoke, "I won't tell you the first thing he said, but when I demanded he take it back he asked if I was really about to be eighteen, when I said yes he said I'm not a kid then so he's not obligated to do as I say. I was in the process of asking him what the bloody hell that supposed to mean when you came back to the table. Instead of answering me he turned his attention to you. I admit to being a little jealous of how close to you two seemed to have gotten in such a short amount of time, so I left." Ron shrugged as he stuffed his hands into his pockets, "I felt bad about it afterwards so I called and left you message."

"I envy you." Harry said in a soft sheltered voice, "He doesn't think of you as a kid. He won't do anything because you want, but because he wants tp. You're lucky."

"Harry what are you not telling me?" Harry didn't reply, "You love him, don't you?" Ron seemed to be working hard to keep his emotions from his voice.

The bell rang, "I have to get to class." Harry said before leaving Ron on the shelf and returning to class.

The rest of the day passed in a blur and the next thing Harry knew he was walking into his apartment. He called out a greeting and when no one answered he figured it meant Draco wasn't home. Heading towards the kitchen, he out of habit glanced at the table where the answering machine set The red light was not flashing, but there was a piece of paper sitting on the table that hadn't been there. Harry read the not written in slanting elegant script, "My mom called, she's taking me out to dinner. See you when I get home, kid. Love Draco."

"Love Draco," Harry repeated aloud. Did he love Draco? He knew he loved his smile, and his voice, and his laugh and his smell. He loved having him around to talk to and yell at and joke around with. He loved the feel of Draco's lips against his own. The image of Draco pulling him close and pressing those succulent soft lips against his played through Harry's head; his lips tingled from the memory, "No! No! No!" Harry shook his head to forcefully expel the thoughts, "I haven't even known him that long. I can't love him." He told himself though his mind was already arguing that it was love at first sight, "No love at first sight is something for fairy tales and children's books. Just because I love part of him doesn't mean I love all of him. He's a stupid." A stupid jerk with dreamy eyes that could make Harry just melt and hair that made you want to run your fingers through it and a voice that oozed sex… "No, got to stop thinking about him."

Harry grabbed his back pack and pulled out his homework. The work was a good distraction until he heard a key in the door, "I'm home." Draco called in greeting.

"Hey," Harry smiled, tucking away his assignments.

"Have you eaten yet, kid?" Draco inquired.

"Not yet, why?"

"I brought you something from the restaurant."

"Really, thanks," Harry gave a small smile.

Draco studied him for a second, "Is something wrong?"

"What makes you think something is wrong?"

"Because I expected you to be giddy right but now, but instead you look kind of frustrated."

"I'm fine really, just have a lot on my mind."

"You want to talk about it?"

"Not right now," Harry said softly, "Some other time, promise. I just need to get my thoughts straight first, before I chare them." He paused and then grinned childishly, "What did you bring me to eat?"

"Oh, um Shrimp Fettuccini Alfredo with garlic bread, and cake for dessert."

Harry eyes lit up at the mention of cake, "I'm not that hungry, put the pasta in the fridge but can I have the cake now?"

Draco looked like he wanted to argue, but Harry was giving him doe eyes and he couldn't deny such a cute face, "Fine."

Harry smiled and took a seat at the island as Draco slid him of slice of decadent four layer turtle cake with enough chocolate, caramel, and pecans to send someone into a diabetic coma, "Mmm," Harry moaned approvingly at the first bite. He had to will himself to slow down and not eat it too fast, he want to savor the flavor.

"Hey Draco," he said after about his fifth bite of the delicious dessert, "Are you doing anything next Thursday, the day before Halloween?"

Draco seemed to think about it for a moment, "Nothing important really. Why do you ask?"

"My school is having a festival that day and I was wondering if you would come."

"With you?" Draco quirked one eyebrow.

Harry blushed and turned his attention to his cake, "Only if you have nothing better to do. I thought it might be fun and I have to be there anyway so you would be here alone and, yeah."

"Why do you have to be there?"

"My class is putting on a play and I have a pretty big part."

"Really, what play is it."

"The Moon's Curse,"

"A love story," Draco drawled, stealing Harry's fork and taking a bite of the chocolate cake, "What role did you get?" He started listing off some of the leading male roles.

Harry blushed and squirmed in his seat,"None of those." He mumbled softly.

"Then who?" Draco inquired, stealing another bite of Harry's cake.

"Mackintosh," Harry mumbled.

Draco nearly choked on his mouth full of cake as he laughed, "Lady Victoria Mackintosh! That's the second leading female role! She's caught up in wicked love triangle that leads to her being murdered by her own best friend, but not before she kisses the leading male."

"I know!" Harry yelled in forced aggravation as an attempt to cover his embarrassment, "Do you think I chose this role? It was bloody luck of the draw! And it's not like I haven't learned to stage kiss. My lips don't even have to touch his. So are you coming or not?"

"Of course I'll be there, if only to see you in a dress."