A/N: I want to thank my friend silvershadowwolf for helpin' me when I got stuck here!

Disclaimer: I own it not. I therefore don't claim any rights, except the right for having fun! XD

Chapter 11

Draco observed a subtle change in Harry that surprised him. Harry seemed to become more and more reclusive than usual, increasingly preoccupied with thoughts that must have troubled him greatly.

Despite himself, Draco was worried. The month wore on, and still Harry hadn't changed these new mannerisms. He cut himself off from everyone around him even more, never speaking unless spoken to.

Draco didn't understand it, but then again, he couldn't delude himself enough to believe that he understood Harry at all.

The new day had dawned dark and dreary, a stark contrast to the day before, which had been sunny, if cold. But it had held nothing of the gloom this day contained, and Draco shivered as the thrill of a premonition slithered down his spine.

It was a Friday, and lessons passed quickly, the classes but moments in time that seemed to Draco irrelevant all of a sudden. Draco knew that study was important for his future; he understood the worth of knowledge and its relationship to power, to authority and wealth. Despite this, Draco had found himself less and less preoccupied with the more studious pursuits he should pursue in place of a deep contemplation that seemed infinitely more important.

His dragonhide boots echoed his footsteps around the corridor as he walked; his bag slung over one shoulder, head bowed slightly as if the weight of his thoughts pulled him inexorably down.

He didn't notice how dark the corridor had become.

What was it that he truly wanted? Draco asked himself. He did not care for his father's views, his beliefs. The Dark Lord's path was not his, though he carried the Mark, and would for the rest of his life. But being bound by magic was not the same as being bound by free will. Draco believed that the right course would lead him to his salvation. And he believed that the path lay with the errant vampire that so plagued his thoughts.

How could a vampire be the one to save him, and the rest of the world? Draco pondered. Despite the absurdity of the notion, Draco could not help but lay all his faith in it; he simply knew it to be fact.

This faith, this belief, was a turning point for him, but he would be lying to himself if he said that that was all, that there was nothing else about the Gryffindor that drew Draco to him.

Because for all Draco's anger, for all his bravado and fake bravery, he was firmly and irrevocably in the brunette's power. This fact only served to irk him further.

Being attracted to Harry Potter was the last thing Draco had ever considered. Having genuine feelings for him was more than he could ever have comprehended.

The shadows fluttered, and Draco shivered, as though an icy breeze had flittered over his skin. But he was in a corridor with no windows, and he was wearing his warmest cloak. While the castle was drafty, and cold, the breeze had not felt right. No, there had been no natural breeze.

Creasing his brow, Draco turned around. But no one was there – not that he'd expected anyone. He had realised, belatedly, that he was surrounded by impenetrable darkness.

Annoyed for the interruption in his thought process, Draco hurried on his way a little faster, thinking that he could get through the bulk of his homework before dinner and leave the rest of his weekend free from work. But there was that breeze again.

"Who's there?" he demanded in his most haughty voice, hiding his anxiety with ease.

Not a breath stirred.

Dismissing his ridiculous fears, Draco moved to leave the immediate vicinity once more, but something held him back.

Unable to stop the odd instinct, Draco found himself walking towards the wall. Upon reaching the stone, he pressed his hands against it, as though sensing vibrations through the palms of his hands. But, Draco only moved along the wall, feeling like he had to find something.

His nimble fingers found all the cracks and crevices that marked the large stones, but nothing was forthcoming. Still, he was spurned on, and soon he was presented with a long fissure carved by human hands into the stone. Feeling triumph well within him, Draco moved his hand along the line, feeling every nook and cranny, and with a satisfied smirk, the secret door opened with the pull of a lever.

The deeper darkness of the passageway seemed to almost leak out of the opening, spilling into the corridor to merge with the shadows. A deep sense of disquiet settled over Draco, but he merely shifted his bag off of his shoulder. Taking out his wand, he cast Lumos.

Bathed in the magical light, Draco could now make out the doorway, but little else. Once more unable to deny his instinct, something that he would be very suspicious of had he been in any normal frame of mind, Draco ventured into the secret passageway.

It led him steeply upwards, and after fifteen minutes of working steadily up the slope, Draco thought that it might lead towards one of the towers at the top of the school.

Unconcerned, Draco kept his wand aloft, and let his mind drift free of thought.

The passage ended eventually, though, and Draco left the confined, dusty space with some relief. Draco was quite impressed with his own nerve. He hated small, compact spaces.

He looked around him, and was interested to note that he had come to the Astronomy Tower, on the complete opposite side of the school to where he had been previously.

The stars were shining through the clouds strongly, and tonight Draco was impressed with their beauty. The moon was obscured by the clouds yet, but Draco found that he didn't mind.

Extinguishing his wand, Draco crept closer to the large windows that opened up to invite the stars in. As he approached the ledge, however, he spied a foot dangling from the roof. Incensed, thinking some reckless student had climbed up on top of the roof in some silly prank, Draco climbed out to get a better look (not stopping to reflect on the sheer foolhardiness of what he was doing).

"Hey!" he called, finding hand holds as he climbed up further. "Just what do you think you're doing?!"

Green eyes glittered down at him, filled with the same surprise Draco felt. "Harry?"

"Draco?"

They stared at one another for a few long moments, before Draco began to question what he should do next. But any choice was taken from him as the rock he had been resting most of his weight on began to slip from its mortar.

Giving Harry one panicked look, Draco felt the stone loosen further, until it slipped entirely, and all grip he had was released.

He closed his eyes tightly, thinking that soon he would feel the earth crushing him to death. Air whooshed past his face, fluttering his hair about his face, forcing a chill through his bones.

He opened his eyes.

The ground stared back at him, but he wasn't plummeting to his death. Confused, Draco twisted his neck to see that Harry was holding him firmly by the waist. He had been so swift, so sudden in his movements that Draco hadn't even processed them until that moment.

Perceiving that Draco was okay, Harry moved them back to the Astronomy Tower roof. He touched down on the tiles gently, still holding tightly to Draco.

Harry's green eyes searched Draco's for any sign of distress, but Draco was too fascinated by the wings sprouting from Harry's shoulder blades to feel any fear.

"Draco?" the concern in Harry's voice broke through Draco's awe, and he snapped his attention back to Harry.

"Yes?"

"Are you alright?" the question was one of those innocuous questions, asked everyday, so much so that they had lost all meaning. But, from Harry's lips, they were sincere, and they meant more than Draco could say.

"I'm fine," He replied, and he meant it.

Harry smiled. "Good."

His hand gently traced Draco's jaw, and caressed his lips with a loving touch. Draco let himself melt into the intimate gestures, loving the warm feeling they made, which spread through his body to warm his cold limbs.

"Harry?" Draco murmured. He wanted to talk with the brunette, to thank him. Draco wanted, now more than ever, to know all about Harry, however cliché that sounded.

"Yes, Draco?"

Draco smiled, loving the way his name rolled off of Harry's tongue so seductively, but he pushed those thoughts aside to focus.

"Thank you."

"For what?" Harry said absently, ready to fall into Draco's eyes.

"For saving me just now,"

Harry smiled, and it was a soft, loving smile that made you forget all about what Harry was and what he could do to you – this was a side of Harry that was private to everyone but those who he was most intimate with, those who he trusted above all else.

"You don't need to thank me," Harry whispered. Draco suddenly noticed just how close they were, less than an inch separating them. "For doing something that makes me so joyous."

He paused, and Draco waited silently for what Harry had to say, his breath uneven and his heartbeat erratic.

"Though I would never wish any harm to you, Draco, I relish any and all the time I am blessed with in your company, with you in my arms."

Draco blushed at his strongly convicted words, but they warmed his heart.

"I thank you anyway, Harry." Draco whispered, lightly brushing his fingers over Harry's brow.

"Then you are welcome." Harry pressed their foreheads together, revelling in their closeness, wishing it would last forever.

Then, both drawn by desire and the unavoidable need, their lips touched. The pure want, the need to touch and be touched was overwhelming. Draco's skin was suddenly on fire, his nerves begging for friction, for contact. He threaded his fingers through Harry's hair as he parted his lips for a deeper, more satisfying kiss.

Harry moaned into his mouth, bringing their bodies closer at the same time. He couldn't believe Draco was acting of his own accord, without coercion. He took in every sensation, every taste Draco's mouth had to offer, but he needed more, wanted more.

Still standing atop the Astronomy Tower, the boys scrambled to undo buttons, reveal skin and feel its pressure against their own. They couldn't explain their lust in so many words, but actions spoke more than words ever could.

Hermione flipped a page in her book about vampires (one of many), her expression changing with every new fact she uncovered. One moment she would express excitement, the next fascination, before disgust would take over.

She struggled with all the facts, but she knew that it was better to be informed than to live in ignorance.

Pulling her eyes momentarily from the text, she glanced over at Ron, who was scowling moodily out of the seventh year boys' dorm window.

"What is the matter, Ron?" Hermione exploded in exasperation. He had been staring at the same spot with the same expression for nearly twenty minutes.

"Harry," he grunted after several moments. If possible, his frown deepened.

"Yes, what about him?" Hermione was wary of the subject. Ron was liable to explode these days, even at the mere mention of Harry's name.

The Gryffindor had not been spotted in the Common Room in weeks, and even less at meal times. In fact, the only time Hermione could recall seeing Harry was in class. To make matters worse, his absence seemed to anger Ron more, and he spent much of his time simmering is silent rage, still feeling betrayed and slighted.

They were all supposed to be friends, best mates. Not this… Acting like they did not even know each other.

Ron just didn't know what to do about it, and so he scowled.

Hermione sighed sadly, running her hand over the musky pages of her tome. It comforted her.

"What's with him and Draco?" Even apart, acting as though they were enemies, Ron still worried, and so wondered at the relationship that he could see had blossomed between his (ex) bestfriend and his so-called 'enemy'.

"I don't know, Ron." Hermione murmured, returning to her place in the tome. "That's something you'd have to ask them."

Ron's expression did not change, but his eyes flashed. He didn't like what he saw between the blonde and the brunette, and he planned to do something about it.

He just needed to wait for the perfect opportunity.

"Harry," Draco moaned, panting for breath. Some time ago they had moved from the roof of the Astronomy Tower to a private room that was not in use nearby. Draco didn't remember the move much, but he didn't think it mattered.

Harry's cool breath was on his fevered neck, sensing the blood beneath, smelling it, and the arousal that laced through the already blissful scent, to create a whole other enticement that had Harry feeling light-headed with lust.

Pressing the length of his body against Draco's, Harry tilted that pale neck beautifully, until Draco's head rested against the wall and his pulse lay exposed for Harry's leisure.

"Draco," Harry breathed out his name, caressed it with his tongue, made it sound so raw and lustful that Draco felt a shiver run up his spine.

"Harry… please…" Draco begged, without knowing what he was begging for. His pants were unbearably tight against his erection, and he could feel Harry's through the fabric. The heat from his body seemed almost as unbearable as his need for more, but he wanted Harry to make the first move.

Harry seemed to know what he needed, for his fangs had already elongated. Draco shuddered, but he was no longer afraid. He did not find it repulsive - in fact, he invited the sting, the piercing of his skin, the rush that sped through his body in a wave as his blood was sucked through the wound. He groaned, his knees going weak as Harry fed.

When he'd taken his fill, Harry licked the wound clean, repressing the shudders of delight and lust that pulsed through him along with Draco's blood. It was too much for thought.

Needing that final release, Harry pulled away from Draco slightly, ignoring the way the boy arched back for his touch with the removal of such close proximity. Without any trouble he undid both their zippers, freeing their erections so that they lightly touched each other.

Shuddering at the slight brush, Harry wrapped his hand around the both of them, and stroked them simultaneously, slowly at first, but quickly upping the pace when that proved unbearable.

"Gods," Draco gasped as Harry fingered the slit of his cock. Unable to prevent himself, he slipped one hand up Harry's neck, to grip the hair at the base of his neck, the other going down to replace Harry's hand with his own.

His firm grip was unwavering, and Harry quickly placed one hand on the wall to steady himself, the other gripping Draco's hip. The legs wrapped around him were tight, but Harry needed to hold onto the blonde's flesh, to feel their closeness even more.

Draco's hand worked fast, and already close to completion, they were soon crying out their orgasm as their pleasure peaked. Breathing harshly, the boys rested against each other and the wall, trying not to fall in a heap on the dusty floor.

"Fuck, Draco." Harry growled possessively, nipping at the still fresh wound on his neck, but playfully. He licked up the side of the Slytherin's neck, before placing a kiss on his lips.

Draco grinned, and took Harry's lower lip between his teeth, sucking on it before releasing it, placing a last kiss on those lips as he withdrew.

Harry play growled once more, kissing Draco until his breath was once more ragged, but pulled away before it could turn into anything more. "Naughty, Draco."

Draco only smirked, casting a quick cleaning spell before dropping his legs back to the ground. "You love it."

Smirking, and doing up the button on his trousers, Harry agreed. "You're right."

But once they had straightened themselves out, and their post-orgasmic haze had lifted, Harry's expression turned serious.

"How can you tell?" he asked Draco, watching as Draco did up the last buttons on his shirt (there were an awful lot of buttons).

Draco didn't look up, unaware of the change in atmosphere. "Tell what?"

Harry shrugged, trying to hide his insecurity. "What I'm feeling, my thoughts, and know just what to do to make me feel better?"

Finally, Draco looked up. He was confused. What had he done, really? Other than follow a mysterious tunnel that took him straight to Harry, and then thrown himself from the Astronomy Tower? Everything else was Harry, Draco just let Harry express himself through him.

By the look in Harry's eyes, he had read the look in Draco's own, and needed no response, but Draco made light of the situation anyway. "I'm just that spectacular, I guess."

Harry laughed, and Draco wished he would do it more often as he laughed, too.

But then the moment was interrupted as the sound of an explosion crashed through the air, making the foundations of the castle itself shake.