Chapter 7

Returning to the Gryffindor Common Room, Draco could hardly stop himself from freezing upon seeing James and began to cry, now knowing that he would never see him again. That he would return back to his peaceful, stupid world where he was dead, where he would never be able to return too from beyond the grave. To return back to a world where he'll never feel his arms around him again, to feel his kisses, to smell his scent after a shower, to gaze up into his beautiful hazel eyes and see the same emotions shining back down at him.

"Draco? What is it? What's wrong?" James instantly began asking, holding his lover to him, gently bringing him down to sit in his lap as he, with Remus and Sirius, each casted a strong silencing and privacy charm to repel the others from hearing their conversation or reading their lips.

"I..I..."

"You what?" Remus gently spoke out, coaxing Draco to continue, hoping against hope that he wasn't going to say what he thought.

"I...I have to go home."

And there it was. The very sentence that Remus prayed Draco would never have to say. Especially with the Christmas Hols just around the corner.

"You-You have to go home?" James uttered.

"Yes. *sniff* Dumbledore said that he finally made the right potion to take me back home in the future and I am happy but...but I..."

"You want to stay here." Sirius finished for his cousin, slowly getting angry that Dumbledore could do this to Draco, to James, to them all right when the Christmas Hols was just around the corner and they each had all picked out presents for each other.

"Ye-yes. But I can't. I have to go home before I mess up the future any further than I may have already. He said that I have to leave tonight after dinner."

"We understand Draco." Remus softly said before lighting the mood up a little with a marvelous idea "Which is why we're going to exchange our Christmas presents early. Right Sirius? James?"

"Huh? Y-Yeah! Of course. That's a brilliant idea Remus!" Sirius exclaimed.

"Yeah, thanks Remus." James stated before sighing heavily and closing his eyes, feeling his own heart deep inside of himself slowly begin to break, with the knowledge that he won't get to see his young lover again for over twenty years. When he's old enough to be his own father and that his own son will be Draco's age.

Going upstairs and each getting their three gifts for one another, Remus opened his up first.

From James, he got a book of Myths and Legends About Dark Creatures and Opinionated Cures for their kind. From Sirius, he got a wooden wolf sculpture that howls when a friend is in life or death danger. And from Draco, he received a one of a kind full moon necklace with a paw shape of a wolf inside. When worn on the night of a full moon, it'll help keep the wolf inside of the man tamed and easier to control.

Understanding the meaning behind the necklace, Remus thanked Draco with tears of joy in his eyes.

Sirius, was next.

From James, he received a catalogue of coupons on him to the Three Broomsticks for all the Firewhiskey he could get. From Remus, he got a figurine of a dog that would bark when he's in a life threatening situation. And from Draco, he received a special volume of spells and curses from his family that Sirius knew he'd never seen before inside his mother's house.

After thanking each of them, James was next.

From Sirius, he got a wooden stag that would prance around and reeve back on its hind legs whenever he was in a life threatening situation. From Remus, he recieved a book Quidditch Through the Ages that updated itself with every professionally won Quidditch match naming the winner and it's team as well as the team they played against. And finally, from Draco, he received the very necklace that a member of the Meliflua family had given him a couple of days ago.

"Draco...I can't-"

"James please. Just accept it. I'm giving it to you. It'll protect you as best as it can until...whenever we see each other again."

"Draco..."

James leaned over and soundely kissed his lips. Smiling tenderly at his love, James then thanked Remus and Sirius for their gifts before turning towards Draco and announcing that it was now his turn.

Opening his gift from Remus, Draco smiled upon seeing a beautiful figurine of his animagus form.

( albums/vv24/ luna_kanzaki/ Decorated%20images/ ) Take out the spaces and kid that resembles Draco if he was drawn in anime-likeness.

After thanking him, Sirius then handed over his present with a smile of complete mirth on his face.

Opening it up, Draco tenderly gazed down at an intricate design and beauty that made up a small dagger that was his Christmas present.

"It's to help protect you incase you happen to lose your wand and need to get out of a jam. It'll be visible to you alone unless you want others to see it, then they must be cut by it on their finger willingly and you must consent verbally for them to be able to see it or else it won't work."

"Amazing. Thank you cousin."

"You're welcome Draco. I sure am going to miss ya kid."

"Me too. I just wish that we had met earlier. Maybe I wouldn't have made such mistakes as I did back home and the war would've ended a lot sooner than it did and people that died wouldn't have died."

"Hey, hey, none of that now! Cheer up! James hasn't given you his gift yet. Right James?"

"Yeah, well, here Draco. I hope you like it."

Unwrapping his gift and opening it up, Draco was stunned to see a small ring box inside his hand. Then, with a slight unsteady hand, Draco slowly opened up the ring box to discover a beautiful platinum band shining in the light, three stones of an assortment of color shined out from the top. Each representing something.

"The first stone, represents our first meeting. The middle stone represents our time spent together. And the last stone, represents the time that we'll share in the future whenever we see each other again."

"James-"

"Now it is my turn to talk Draco. I am giving you this ring, as a promise from my very soul, that whenever we meet again be it when we're old or dead, we will always be together. I will always cherish our time here and come to look for you in the future. Whether your father likes it or not, I will make you mine. I promise you this Draco, whenever we meet each other again, children or not, married or not, your heart...your very soul...is forever as much mine as my own is yours. I will make you mine one day Draco. Be it in a private ceremony or a public one. I will make you mine. And I never break a promise to those I love."

"James...you...you stupid fool." Draco tearfully muttered, hating how emotional he was getting, like a true heart-sleeve wearing Gryffindor.

"I know that I am. But...I can't help what my heart wants. And it wants you love. Not some other girl out there, or a guy that thinks that he's got a chance with me, no one else but you. I promise you...my love...right here infront of our friends...that one day...I will come and find you and make you mine. I'll make you mine for all the world to see and never forget. Even if it takes until my dying breath."

"I...you idiotic Gryffindor."

"Hehe...yeah, I guess I am. I mean it Draco, whole-heartedly. One day I WILL find you. And when I do, I will make you mine, forever. One day, I will come and you, my darling Dragon, will be my husband."

"Hus-...Oh James...I would love to be your husband. Whenever that day comes...but...but you'll...you'll have..."

"I know. But that doesn't mean that I won't still love you any less than I do now."

"James..."

Before Draco could say anymore, Peter suddenly showed up and shouted out that it was dinner time. Slipping on the ring that James gave to him as a token of their time and love spent together, Draco then gently shrunk and tucked away the dagger and dragon figurine that he got from Remus and Sirius before leaving the circle and walking with the others out of the Gryffindor Common Room and into the Great Hall for dinner.

Although dinner was a talkative affair, everybody was soon silenced as the Headmaster stood up to make an announcement.

"Thank you all for your patience. I have but one announcement this evening but sadly it partains to our new transfer student. You see, last night, Mr. Meliflua's mother passed away. As conditioned in her will, Mr. Meliflua will be transfered to a school oversea's where he will finish his education and go out into the world as future esteemed member of our world. Now, please join me in thanking Mr. Meliflua for his short time being here with us and wish him a safe and pleasant journey."

Students around Draco gave him their condolences, congradulations, and farewells.

As the meal finally came to an end, Draco slowly made his way towards the Headmaster's office one last time, hoping deep down in his heart that he would see his friends and lover once more before he had to return home.

"Draco! Draco wait!" he heard his cousin Sirius shout out, turning around to see not just him but Remus and James along with him, running up to his side.

"Hey, I was hoping to see you all one last time."

"Yeah, we were too." Remus replied before walking forwards and hugging Draco. Wishing him well and to not give up in getting what his heart truly desired for if he fought for it hard enough his patience would be worth the reward in the end.

Thanking Remus, Draco then fiercely hugged Sirius back as he hugged him, wishing him well and warning him to watch out for filthy rats and crazy shrieking women in the future. Letting go, understanding Sirius' confusion to his warning, Draco only prayed that he understood it in time.

Meeting James' eyes, Draco felt his own tear up once again, swiftly walking forward and hugging him like never before; Draco took in James' scent as best as he could before slowly backing away. Caressing his face, running his hand through his hair, feeling James reciprocate, Draco kissed him before hugging him again and warning him to NEVER take off his necklace. That he could bloody well shower with the damn thing if he had too but he was to NEVER take it off. Not even for his future bride.

Stepping back, Draco then kissed James once more before turning back to the gargoyle and giving the password.

Opening the door to the Headmaster's office moments later, Draco greeted Albus Dumbledore cooly before following him through a secret passage down towards the dungeons where the deserted Potions classroom was held.

Walking in and standing directly where he left back in his own time, Draco glanced up at the Headmaster one last time before apologizing to him, for not taking his offer sooner and for getting him killed; even if his own godfather had to be the one to do it.

"It's alright Draco. I forgive you and I just know that my future self does as well. Now then, take your potion and return home."

"Y-Yes sir."

Swallowing it down in one gulp, Draco felt himself slowly get dizzy before the same pain and sucking motion as before with a portkey began to take effect. Fiercely swirling around Draco faster and faster until he felt himself black out.