There were only three days remaining until the ball, and Harry was getting more and more anxious as each day went by. He was supposed to open the ball with a partner, yet he still hadn't asked anyone, and honestly, he didn't want to. He hated the thought of dancing with anyone but Draco, even if it were a friend, like Ginny. He didn't even want to keep his relationship with Draco covered up (for it WAS a relationship….they had come to that decision together). He just wasn't sure if Draco felt the same. It was a question that needed an answer. He just wasn't certain how to go about asking it.

Draco was currently reading a copy of Ray Bradbury's 'Fahrenheit 451' (Harry had discovered with quite a shock that Draco had a great love for muggle literature). Harry was curled on the bed beside him, his head in Draco's lap. Well, no time like the present. "Draco?"

"Yes, love?" Those graceful fingers didn't stop running through Harry's messy hair.

"Are going to tell everyone that we're together?"

Draco's hand paused in its ministrations. Not a good sign. "….what?"

Harry sat up to face Draco. The blonde didn't appear upset, but there was a look of casually adopted calm to his face that Harry wasn't so crazy about. "Well, we're in a relationship. I'm just wondering if we're going to go public with it."

Draco was silent for a moment as if trying to think of the best way to phrase his answer. "…I'd like to…eventually. I mean, it's bound to be a huge shock. So I think we have to tread carefully."

Harry's heart had leapt at the initial words, only to fall at that one word "eventually". "…..oh."

Draco arched a brow. "Why? Why 'oh'?"

"…I was kind of hoping you'd go to the ball with me…." The words were mumbled, barely audible. Still, it was impossible to miss the sharp intake of Draco's breath.

"…..the ball? You want me to go to the ball with you?" Harry nodded meekly. "…..Harry…..you can't be serious."

"Why not?" Harry was defensive.

"Harry, two boys going to a dance together would be progressive for Hogwarts in any situation. For it to be us?"

Harry knew that Draco was right, but he couldn't find it in him to give a damn right now. "Why do you care what people think?!" But Draco had no answer, sitting there staring, shocked at the sudden snap to Harry's voice. "You're the one who said how during these years you were sleeping with so many people because you were looking for something to fill the hole. Well you know what? Here it is. This is it. You wanted a commitment. You wanted someone who would love you, someone you could love back. Here I am, and here you are, and you're too damned scared to do a thing about it."

"Harry—"

But Harry wasn't listening. Frustrated, he pushed his way out of the tent and out of the classroom, leaving Draco staring after him.

For a long time, Draco simply sat there in a daze, unmoving; finally, he began to silently cry.

Harry stormed through the hallway. He couldn't believe Draco. Didn't he want to go public? It wouldn't be a piece of cake but they would be together. Didn't he want that?

Harry slouched against the wall and slid to the floor, deep in thought. Sure, going to the ball together wouldn't be easy. Some people would be mean. There were bound to be those who would insult them.

A memory tickled at his brain, Lucius Malfoy's cruel eyes swimming before him, the way he had hurled insults at Draco, calling him a slut, a whore. The realization hit him with the force of a mack truck.

Draco had faced so many insults in his life. He had avoided touch like it was the plague. Now Harry was asking him to dance, something he clearly loved, in front of a group of people who might subsequently insult him and Harry, the person that he loved. Why would Draco want to risk adding yet another bad experience to his life, especially when it would taint two of the things he loved most?

Harry was on his feet in an instant, rushing back to the classroom. It was silent inside, but when he ducked into the tent, he was unsurprised to see that Draco had been crying. He sat beside the blonde, pulling Draco into his arms. Draco didn't resist.

"I'm sorry," Harry apologized. "I'm so sorry."

"No," Draco shook his head. "I am. I shouldn't be so uptight. I just….you're special. I don't want our first public experience to be a bad one."

Harry nodded. "I figured that out."

With a sigh, Draco leaned his head on Harry's shoulder. Harry gave him a gentle squeeze. "I'm sorry I pushed you," he said softly. "We'll do it whenever and however you want to."

Draco looked up at Harry, a bit of an evil twinkle in his eyes. "You just talking bout the coming out, or does this extend to all angles of our relationship?"

Harry swatted Draco's shoulder. "Pervert."

Draco merely laughed and snuggled closer. "Thanks, love. Really. It means a lot."

One hand beneath Draco's chin, Harry tilted his face up to claim a soft kiss. "Of course. You mean the world to me."

The blonde smiled. "I love you, Potter."

Harry smiled in return. "I love you too, Malfoy."

"I wish you would change your mind."

It was the night of the ball, and Harry was almost ready to go. The previous night, he had brought his dress robes to the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom, knowing that if he didn't get dressed there, Draco wouldn't get a chance to see him dressed up, since the Slytherin wasn't intending to attend the ball. He refused to give a reason why, but Harry knew: it was too painful to see Harry go with anyone else, even if that someone else had turned out to be Hermione who had never been anything more than a friend.

"I'm sorry," Draco said quietly, straightening Harry's bowtie. Harry reached out, fingers brushing Draco's pale cheek in a gentle caress. The Slytherin bit his lip, grey eyes filled with sadness as they regarded Harry.

"I love you." With that, Harry left the room without looking back, as if, if he did so, he would break.

Draco stared after Harry, unable to move. If someone had told him a month ago that he would be in this situation, he never would have believed them. From the first moment he had laid eyes on Harry Potter in Madame Malkin's Dress Shop, he had known the boy was special. And then he had tried to make friends with him on the train….

Dammit, the rejection still hurt. For years after that, Draco had been cruel to Harry and his friends at every chance he got, trying to convince himself and everyone around him that he hated the Gryffindor. It was better, he told himself repeatedly, than being rejected. But he had never been able to convince himself. Harry Potter was special, and Draco wanted to be his friend. Maybe even more, if that quivering feeling in his stomach was any indication.

Then came these dance lessons, and Draco had gotten his chance, a chance he had never thought to get. And then somehow, despite all the odds, Harry Potter had fallen in love with HIM.

So what in God's name are you doing hiding in this bloody tent?

Draco attempted to ignore that stupid little voice the same way that he had done for these past four years, but he never HAD been fully successful. He only lasted about five minutes before he cracked. "Oh, bloody hell."

Hold onto your knickers, Harry. I'm coming for you.

Harry stared at the great hall, filled with foreboding. Hermione could clearly sense it. "Hey." He looked to her. She gave him a reassuring smile. "It'll be okay."

He attempted to smile back. Honestly, Harry would wager that Hermione had a good guess that something was going on with him and Draco. He had been vanishing for great periods of time….far longer than dance lessons should take. It was easy to pull one over on Ron, but Hermione picked up on things like that, and she always had a slightly knowing look on her face these days.

The music began and, taking Hermione's arm in his, Harry led her into the ballroom. All of the students were gathered there, but for some reason, it wasn't as nerve-wracking as he remembered. He supposed that all of his experiences with Draco had given him more confidence than he had expected.

Draco…

An image of the boy floated through his mind, smile on his face and in those grey eyes, so beautiful that it made Harry's chest ache. He didn't want to be here. He wanted to be back in their tent, the other boy tight in his arms, running his fingers through those golden locks.

"Harry."

Harry stirred at the sound of his name. Hermione was looking at him meaningfully. He realized that Dumbledore and McGonagall were waiting for him to open the ball. At the same exact moment came the realization that he just couldn't do it.

"Sorry, Hermione," he said softly. "But I can't."

"Draco?" she whispered. He felt only the vaguest surprise.

"So you did suspect."

"Of course I did."

He couldn't help but smile. Hermione was always several steps ahead of the rest of them. He turned to Dumbledore and McGonagall. "I'm sorry, Professors, but I can't do it."

"Mr. Potter?"

Harry didn't answer, merely stepped up to the podium that Dumbledore usually spoke from, and faced the room. "So I'm supposed to dance," he began. Hundreds of eyes stared back at him. He flushed nervously. This was rather daunting without Draco by his side. "But I can't do that." Immediately a humming rose around the room as people began to whisper. "You see, I met someone this month—well, I guess more like got to know them—and we fell in love."

The soft hum immediately grew to a roar. Only a wave of Dumbledore's hand silenced it. But Harry was finished. "And….well, it wouldn't be right for me to open the ball with anyone else." He looked to Dumbledore. The man gave him a nod, and there was a twinkle of a knowing smile in those eyes.

Harry left the podium. Hermione was waiting for him. She was smiling as well, and looking rather proud. Harry offered his arm and she accepted, letting him lead her to the Gryffindor table. Then, his ears burning both from flushed embarrassment and from all the whispering he heard, whispers he knew were about him, Harry walked quickly towards the door, head down.

He was so focused on his feet that he didn't notice that his path was blocked until he nearly walked into the person. "Oh, I'm sorry—" but his eyes widened when he saw who it was. "…..Draco…"

The blonde was smiling. "I liked your speech."

Slowly, a smile spread across Harry's face. "You…" He took in Draco's form. The Slytherin was dressed to the nines in his own dress robes.

Harry thought he was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen.

"…you changed your mind?"

Draco nodded. "I decided it was ridiculous to let a little thing like prejudice stop me from dancing with the man I've loved since I set eyes on him in Madame Malkins'."

The Gryffindor began to laugh, then stopped as the words set in. "Madame…..Draco, that was our first year!"

The blonde was blushing. "I know."

Harry was stunned. "But….you've been so mean all these years."

Draco shrugged uncomfortably. "Rejection is a hard pill to swallow. I was bitter and immature." He smiled. "Forgive me?"

Harry thought he would melt; he shook his head. "There's nothing to forgive."

The words made Draco glow; he gestured with his head towards the great hall. "Shall we?"

The suggestion sent shock through Harry. "You really want to?"

"Most definitely." Draco took Harry's hand. "Come on, Harry. I didn't give you lessons just to have you wuss out."

If people had been chattering at Harry's impromptu speech, it was nothing on the noise they made when he reappeared holding Draco's hand. Chaos erupted, and both boys flushed.

"Hey." Draco looked up at the sound of Harry's voice. "You sure you're okay with this?"

Draco nodded. "Definitely." Stopping in the center of the makeshift dance floor, he extended a hand.

Harry looked from the hand to Draco, smiling. "I guess we're done with 'no touching'?"

Draco shrugged, small smile on his face. "I'm pretty sure that rule is no longer applicable in any part of our relationship." The words sent warmth fluttering through Harry.

Draco proffered the hand once more and, his smile growing, Harry took it. With one swift tug, Harry yanked Draco towards him, spinning the Slytherin in a full circle. Caught off his guard, Draco stumbled dizzily through the 360 degree turn and came face to face with Harry. Their chests collided and the two boys stared at one another from mere inches away.

Slowly, a smile curved across Draco's lips. "Not bad, Potter. Now show me what you've got."

By the end of the dance, Ron was forced to agree that Draco was a very good teacher indeed, even if he wasn't so crazy about the methods Draco seemed to have employed (if the way that the two kissed at the end of the dance was any indication). Still, Harry seemed happy, and that was all that truly mattered.

If people were yelling insults, it was impossible to hear them above the general roar of cheering. Harry grinned at Draco. "I'm happy you came."

"Mmm," Draco hummed, and brushed a kiss to Harry's lips. "So am I." He leaned his head on Harry's shoulder.

Harry's arm tightened slightly around Draco's waist, pulling the blonde closer to him; they danced together under the starlight and snowfall of the great hall's enchanted ceiling, completely oblivious to everyone around them, lost entirely in one another and the love they felt. In each other, they had found a love they had never known, and never expected to. With one another, they were complete.

~tbc~