The Brave Ambition

by Alli97nomel

Maybe they just need each other, maybe they were meant to be even though everyone might think differently. Maybe they're just in love and maybe they just want to be together forever and is that really too much to ask? "I have always loved you, I never stopped! And I never will!" Harry said before taking a step forward and closing the gap between them that he decided would never be

13. First Love

Happy Valentine's Day for yesterday! I hope you all shared the LOVE Thank you to everyone who reviewed, thank you to my beautiful BETA and a special thank you to my friends, and all others, who seriously helped me with ideas. I know that this is a short chapter and I'm so sorry that it's taken me three million years to do this chapter but I've been doing this, year nine, class captain speech, netball, Italian school, dancing, homework, tampons, other stories and sleep deprivation at the same time…gaaahhh. I hope you all like this chapter as I made it as romantic as possible. To those reviews I haven't replied to yet, I still love you and I will get around to you all one at a time. Oh and everyone PANIC….my mum knows the name of this story O.O that could be potentially grave digging/headstone engraving stuff. It's 11:45pm so I better get to bed now (school photos tomorrow) hope you like the chapter!

CHAPTER 13 – FIRST LOVE

Hogwarts was a school that was home to numerous students of various different talents. Some students were academic, some were good at sport, some were social, some were organized, some were leaders and some were a mixture of many of those things. However one thing that every Hogwarts student was adept at was distributing news without teacher detection. This was why the word that the sixth year's monthly gathering was spread so quickly. At the end of January all the sixth year students that were permanently interested signed their names down. Pansy Parkinson in all of her, in Draco's words, 'skill to throw an undetected party' decided that she would quite like to break tradition just this once – and with good reason of course. Therefore the group of sixth years immediately came to know that there would be no gathering on the first of February.

"We're meeting on Valentine's day," Pansy said to Blaise and Draco as she sat on the couch of the Slytherin common room "before you both bitch in let me finish. Everyone will have the day to themselves, though we'll all meet for dinner. Everyone gets to bring their valentine. And yes, I mean everyone, even if they aren't in the sixth year. I know that is breaking tradition but I think it's for a worthy cause. Shocking or rocking?"

Draco and Blaise considered this. It would be breaking tradition. A very big tradition in fact.

"I think," Draco said slowly "that it's a definite possibility."

Blaise shrugged. "I'm good with that." Pansy clapped her hands excitedly.

"Right," she beamed "I have a heap to do."

So it was there forth known that the gathering would be on the fourteenth of February. Everyone was incredibly excited. However Draco and Harry were left wondering what to do…

o - O - o - O - o - O - o - O - o - O - o

The fourteenth of February. It was a day of many meanings. Some wrote it in red and pink ink in their calendars whilst others did not write it in at all. Around the castle there were a variety of smiles – bashful smiles, happy smiles, excited smiles, lovely smiles, small smiles, big smiles, adoring smiles, unrequited smiles, grins, kind smiles, naughty smiles and even unseen smiles. Some felt that this was merely just another day in the year. Others despised it because they, yet again, had no one to share it with and others had been counting the days leading up to it. It was also a day of reflection – what you had, what you wanted, what you planned to have and what you should be thankful for.

It was also a day spent in many different ways. With friends, with the one you loved, with family – in private, in a group, in secret, in public, the library, the Three Broomsticks, the lake, the corridors, the room of requirement, an empty classroom, the forest, the great hall.

For professor Snape it was a Saturday of glaring at students and taking house points for proximity between students. For Lavender it was a day for brooding.

"It's cruel to love in front of the loveless," she said to an absentminded Parvati after seeing Dean Thomas and Ginny Weasley kiss under the tree by the lake.

"Mmm," Parvati said her mind anywhere but with Lavender. Lavender snapped her fingers in front of Parvati's glazed over and dreamy expression. "Sorry Lav, I've gotta go."

"What?" Lavender exclaimed "Where?"

"Meeting someone," Parvati called out as she raced towards the castle. Lavender huffed.

Hermione and Ron sat on the grass of the Quidditch pitch. To Hermione today was a meaningful day, meaningful as well as enthralling.

"Valentine's day was originally called Lupercalia," Hermione told Ron. Ron simply sat back and watched Hermione's expressions change as she passionately retold history. "In France and England Valentine's day was chosen on the fourteenth of February because that was when the bird mating season began supposedly. Lupercalia was a muggle religion, Christianity, festival for the Order of Roman Priests. However the muggle Valentine's Day is entwined with the Wizarding world's Valentine's Day because Valentine was actually a wizard. In the third century in Rome the muggle emperor at the time, Claudius II, created a law saying that young men were not allowed to get married as he decided that single men made better soldiers. However that was the muggle law and not the wizards' law. Therefore Valentine, who was a qualified Bonder, continued to bond magical couples. He was found performing the Bonding ceremony and even though it was alien to muggles they still knew it was a type of marriage and for that reason his wand was snatched from him as were his other possessions and he was killed."

Ron smiled dreamily as he watched Hermione. "Fascinating," Ron smiled.

At the lake which had frozen over, Ginny and Dean knew that people could see them but in Ginny didn't really mind. She made it her responsibility to make sure no part of Dean's face and neck was untouched by her lips. "You're really great you know," she told him as she smothering his lips in kisses.

"You're really perfect you know," he replied. He placed his hand on her cheek, he loved the way there skin contrasted each other – so different and yet so much the same.

Ginny stopped and grinned. "I am?"

"You are," he told her placing a kiss on her nose "you're perfect for me."

"Good," she said and then promptly snogged him until they were desperate for air.

While they were recovering their breaths Dean said, "You're going to love tonight." And he knew she would – she was Ginny.

They both glanced over at the other side of the large tree were people were magically carving love quotes.

I love you more than words can say

If you love somebody, let them go. If they return they are always yours. If they don't they never were.

A loving heart is the beginning of all knowledge

At the touch of love everyone becomes a poet

Come live in my heart and pay no rent

One of the hardest things in life is watching the person you love, love someone else

Do all things with love

For it was not into my ear you whispered, but into my heart. It was not my lips that you kissed but my soul

I can live without many things but not love

I like not only to be loved, but to be told that I am loved, and to tell that I love

If you want to be loved, be lovable

Love is like music, it can be understood no matter what language

Without you I am nothing

The love that lasts the longest is the love that is never returned

Love is just a word until somebody comes along and gives it meaning.

Love is just love, it can never be explained.

o - O - o - O - o - O - o - O - o - O - o

Harry could see his breath as he exhaled into the icy air. He had wrapped his scarf tightly around his neck and tucked it into his jumper. He had to admit he was cold, it was snowing. But he wasn't as cold as Draco.

"How are you continuously warm?" Draco shivered. Harry just smirked as he kissed Draco's red nose. They finally climbed over the hill and Harry realised where Draco was taking him. In the distance there was a small brown shack. It was dusted with snow and looked very humble as it sat all shabby in the cold. Harry entwined his fingers with Draco's.

"Quite fitting don't you think?" Draco asked quietly. Harry nodded and he closed his eyes and remembered. "I don't know about you but I'm freezing…"

Harry nodded hastily, "Right, sorry. Let's go."

They trailed up the Shrieking Shack leaving footprints in the white snow as they walked. They cleared some of the snow away from the small door so that they could creep in.

"Ladies first," Harry said gesturing towards the door.

"I would show you what I think about that with the fitting hand gesture except I can't feel my fingers," Draco grumbled. Harry followed him into the shack and his breath was rapidly taken away. The dusty old room actually showed faded colours as the layer of dust had been cleaned off. The ancient wooden table that was usually pushed up against the wall had been brought into the centre of the room. On it were a set of plates and cutlery. There was a candle in the middle, the flame flickering with the wind that the boys had brought with them upon their entrance. Lunch had been prepared.

"We keep saying that we're hopeless at being romantic," Harry said once he was able to speak again "but I think we do a pretty good job."

Draco wrapped his arms around Harry's stomach, pressing the Gryffindor's back to his chest. "Do you like it?"

Harry turned his head to the side and kissed Draco on the lips. "I love it."

As they walked over to the small table and sat down on its connected benches Harry's eyes found the mauve bed in the corner. The curtains had been hoisted up; it was just as Harry remembered. Draco flicked his wand to light the fireplace, warm flames flickered to life.

"I haven't been back," Harry said to Draco as he looked around the room. He poured the hot soup into his bowl and it steamed up is glasses.

"I came back the day after," Draco said. He brought the spoon up to his frozen lips, shivering as the hot liquid ran down his throat.

"You did?"

Draco nodded.

Harry didn't know that Draco had come back. Harry didn't want to come back unless Draco was with him. It was their place together. Harry noticed that Draco scooped his soup up with his spoon backwards. He scooped his towards the back. Draco finally noticed that Harry was watching him interestedly.

"Yes I know," he huffed "I'm weird."

Harry smiled. "I think it's adorable," he disagreed.

"Somehow that's worse," Draco rolled his eyes but smiled. He didn't truly mean that though, in fact quite the opposite. He had found the person that thought his weird habits were adorable – Harry was perfect for him. He had known this for a long time however it was reminders like these that he treasured.

Once they had finished their lunch Draco vanished everything and said, "I want to show you something." He gestured towards the bed and they both sat on the yielding mattress. Harry felt the covers between his fingers – everything was as he remembered.

Draco pulled out a small box and handed it to Harry. It was made of a dark wood. Harry opened it. At first he was taken away but then he became confused as to what it was. He picked it up gently. It was a gold pocket watch. The chain was simple. It used yellow and white gold through its chain. The clock itself was gold plated with a white face. However instead of showing the time, in the middle of the white face was a number etched it cursive gold writing 317.

"It's beautiful," Harry said feeling awestruck.

"Do you know what it is?" Draco asked with a knowing smile. Harry smiled timidly and shook his head. "It counts the days."

"Of the year?" Harry frowned.

"No," Draco shook his head and looked into Harry green eyes "it counts the days that I've loved you. I've loved you for three hundred and seventeen days."

Harry didn't know what to say. He didn't know what to think. It was the most beautiful thing in the entire world. It meant everything to him. It was as if those three digits were the answer to all of his questions, it was as simple as 317.

"Harry Potter, I promise that that number will increase as each day passes until the end of forever because I will never stop loving you."

Harry's throat constricted.

"You made that promise to me right here and now I'm making mine in the same place," Draco told him. The thing that was so special about kissing was that it was something that was used when there were no words to describe. And Harry kissed Draco passionately. They lay there together simply holding each other close. Together, they remembered why this place was so cherished to them…

They had only used the invisibility cloak for good measure, the darkness of the night sufficed perfectly for hiding them. They took it off as soon as they entered the tunnel. They climbed through it, knowing where it led to. The night was fresh it felt like spring should feel – new, alive, refreshing, crisp. The smell of the grass long followed them into the tunnel. As they hoisted themselves through the small entrance they realised just how alone they were. Outside of the castle, no one knew they were here. There was no need to take precautions, no need to cast concealing charms, no need to hide. They had both changed out of their robes and put on their casual clothes.

With a swish of his wand Draco vanished the layer of dust that covered the old room. Not that he was counting, but tonight was a month and four days since Draco had finally given in and agreed to legitimately go out with Harry. Twelve days before that they had shared their first kiss. Fourteen days after they had decided to begin their relationship Harry had told Draco that he loved him.

They hadn't seen each other for a week and a half privately. They had come here to be alone for a while. It was a Friday night and whilst everyone was preoccupied with celebrations of the week being over Harry and Draco both snuck out of their common rooms undetected.

Now that they were safely away they let their masks drop.

"Hi," Harry said stepping in closer.

"Hello," Draco said.

"I've missed you a lot," Harry told him. Draco didn't respond, he knew that by now Harry knew that when it came to each other their emotions were quite impressively in sync. He stepped in and kissed the Gryffindor eagerly. Harry wanted to touch him however he wasn't sure if he should. By now Harry knew he shouldn't hesitate when it came to showing his physical affection however he was still apprehensive about some things. Draco felt Harry's hesitation. He took Harry's hands and guided them up to the sides of his face, then Draco too put his hands on either side of Harry's face locking them in to a kiss where they pressed their lips together. Holding each other brought a sense of control to both of them. It was like having better control over a quill therefore your writing was neater.

They had recently been together where, for the first time, they removed all of their clothing. They hadn't had sex but they had touched each other. Afterwards Harry had still burned in the places Draco had touched him; he had still felt the electricity running through his body. Harry tried not to think about it too much to avoid becoming aroused.

Draco's pulse sped up in his chest. For once in his life he was feeling warm. He took of his jumper and placed it on the chest in front of the bed. He unwillingly removed himself from Harry's lips and walked over to the bed. He sat in the middle where Harry joined him.

"Kiss me," Draco asked almost inaudibly, and Harry did. The way he felt when he was with Harry was something celestial, something that couldn't be found anywhere on this planet, something out of this world.

That was the moment he knew.

Draco not only loved Harry for who he was, but for how he was when he was with Harry. Harry had uncovered a different person inside of Draco, the real person.

He pulled away. "Harry?" he said. Harry ran a hand through his hair quickly knowing that his attempts to tame it were futile. He sat up.

"Even though I did everything that I did, the whole time I was afraid." Draco began. "When I saw you I was afraid to meet you. When I met you I was afraid to kiss you. When I kissed you I was afraid to love you. Now that I love you," he swallowed, looking into Harry's deep green eyes for assurance "I am afraid to lose you."

Harry ran his thumb down Draco's jaw. He looked at the person that he treasured in his life. "Don't be," he whispered "Draco Malfoy, I promise to love you every day until the end of forever. I will never stop loving you."

Draco ran his eyes over Harry's face.

"Make love to me?" he breathed.

Harry nodded.

No one else knew what was going to happen; no one else knew what was to be. Just them, as it should be. Slowly their clothing came off. For the second time Harry ran his hands across Draco smooth, pale chest. Touching him felt like touching something sacred. Harry didn't know what he was supposed to do though somehow he just knew. Draco felt Harry's hot breath on him as Harry kissed down Draco's chest. They didn't hold back but it was still incomparable to anything else. They lay next to each other. Draco took Harry's hand in his and kissed his fingers then slowly planted kisses up his arm and eventually his neck until he reached the raven's lips. There they stayed as the boys moved closer together.

There was so much to be rediscovered, so many places where they hadn't yet caressed. Harry ran his fingers up Draco's leg, trailing up his hip and then his stomach with a feather light touch. Draco shivered in response. The Slytherin intertwined his fingers into the Gryffindor's dark hair gradually pulling him closer so that they were face to face. Harry closed his eyes and Draco could feel Harry's breath millimetres from his lips. He tilted his head up slightly so that their lips barely touched. Then they pressed their lips together, they moved in harmony, joining. Both tilting their heads to the side, their mouths parted a little as they slipped their tongues inside. Their faces locked together in a fiery kiss.

Harry nervously and hesitantly moved his hand down in between them. He stopped just before his hands touched Draco's erection. Draco kissed him fervently – urging him. Harry gripped him, feeling him. Draco's back arched up and he moaned in Harry's mouth. He pulled back slightly from Harry's lips, panting.

"You're so beautiful," Harry said, his breaths were heavy.

Draco had had sex many times, with a variety of girls. However nothing compared to this – no one had ever made him feel like this. Harry rendered him powerless, he seemed to melt under the raven's touch, something that nothing or no one had managed to do to him before. Therefore he had no choice other than to give himself to Harry. It was uncomplicated; the choice was as easy as breathing – natural, as if he was created for the other boy.

Harry sensed the decision and he pulled away a fraction. As they looked deeply into each other's eyes Draco wondered how people made love to each other when they weren't in love at all. He couldn't understand it for when he looked into Harry's eyes, into Harry's soul, he knew that his would shatter if Harry didn't truly love him. And Harry did love him, loved him with every part of his being. He didn't want there to be anyone else except for Harry, he wanted it to be like this always. A shudder rippled through him as Harry cast a charm on him.

Harry was ready, he was finally ready to share himself with Draco. Harry wanted to give his virginity to him. The thought surprised him, not because it was new but because it hadn't entered his mind throughout the time they had been here. It was their first time together, but it was also Harry's first time ever. And in his belief, it couldn't have been anymore perfect.

Harry pressed himself against Draco. "Are you nervous?" he asked quietly.

"No," Draco shook his head and gazed up at Harry adoringly "I'm with you." Draco brought his hand to Harry's and held it. "Are you?"

"A bit," Harry disclosed.

"Don't be, I trust you." Draco kissed him lightly on the lips.

Harry closed his eyes and when he opened them he whispered, "Teach me how to love you."

Draco lay on his back with his knees up and his feet flat on the bed. He parted his legs slightly further apart. He took Harry's hand and placed it around his erection and the other on his hip. Draco then rested his own hand beside his and the other he entwined with Harry's hand that was on his hip. He lay back and let Harry take everything that he was, everything that weighted him, everything that hurt him, everything that was him. For the first time in his life…he shared it all.

Harry moved slowly. He caressed Draco's face with kisses. He whispered that he loved him in his ear. He rubbed his hand soothing along Draco's stomach and chest. The air around them was heated and the two boys were sure that if there were windows they would have been fogging. When the pain became too much Harry kissed him, stroking him with his hands. And then their bodies came together and all of a sudden, they felt love.

The world seemed to stop turning for an instant, like the world wanted to wait and watch them. Suddenly, Harry realised that the both of them, the power of their love, could really make mountains move, oceans part and the skies fall. Their love was the beginning of time, right in this moment was when they became alive, their life started now – together. It was like a dance, they moved together as one. Their love was endless, their love was immortal and their love was eternal.

That night Draco realized that that was what he needed to heal - love. He'd had a hole in his chest for such a long time and he didn't let anyone in. Harry took care of him that night and kissed his tears when they escaped his eyes and drifted down his cheeks. Draco told Harry that he loved him over and over and whispered it like a prayer. When he touched him the way he did, he knew he was eternally his.

They could heal, they knew that now. Draco never thought he could let go of all those things he had witnessed and the pain he had felt. But he had found love, and he would nurture it. That night was something that they would treasure with them forever. Neither Harry nor Draco was going anywhere and they would never leave each other now that they had found one another. They didn't care that what they felt for each other was something only partially accepted, what they had was real and it was sincere and powerful. They told each other that that was all that mattered. They made love twice that night and when they came they called out each other's names. And what they said they would never forget, what they said made them erupt, their love was breaking all the rules, and when they were connected, then they truly knew how great their love was and that they loved each other to the depths of their very souls…

"I love you…"

o - O - o - O - o - O - o - O - o - O - o

They left the Shrieking Shack together and stepped into the cold fluffy snow. They walked through the forest towards the castle. Just as they were at the forest's edge where they were still concealed by the tree trunks Harry stopped. He hugged Draco from behind and whispered, "Look."

"What am I looking at?" Draco asked, not understand. All he saw were the trees, the castle, the sky and the landscape.

"Life," Harry told him "it moves pretty fast. If we don't stop and look around once in a while we could miss it."

"Sometimes I find it difficult to attain the time to look around," Draco said.

"There's time for everything," Harry said to him, he then reconsidered this and added "except homework."

Draco smirked. "Except homework," he agreed. He started to think and immediately regretted it as his thoughts formed words that he would have rather not pondered on at the present. "What do you think lies ahead?"

"For us?"

"In general," Draco shrugged.

"What lies beyond us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us," Harry said.

"Who said that?"

"Some Minister of Magic in the sixteenth century," Harry smiled. Hermione had basically branded that quote in his head for their History of Magic test. "I think that every day we do something that brings a closer to a better tomorrow. Life is important and I don't want to waste it living someone else's life; time's too limited. One of my goals has always been to be happy." He squeezed Draco's hand.

"Happiness isn't a goal," Draco told him "it is a by-product."

"So then I suppose my achieving my dreams will bring me happiness," Harry decided.

"Is this the part where I tell you to follow your dreams?" Draco kissed his ear.

"No," Harry said "this is the part where you tell me to chase them."

"You'll soar to them," Draco whispered.

"Like a bird?"

"Like a bird," Draco nodded.

"You know, I've always wondered why the birds choose to stay in the same place when they can fly anywhere in the world." Harry told Draco, he then added quietly, "Then I ask myself the same question."

Harry took Draco's hands in his and stretched his arms out wide so that if they weren't on the ground they could have been flying. "If you don't like how things are, change them." Harry said simply. He gestured with his head to the three next to them, "You're not a tree."

Draco smiled. "I'm much prettier."

"Yes," Harry grinned "yes you are." He lowered their arms and pecked Draco on the lips lightly. "Sometimes, the questions are complicated but the answers are simple."

"And what's the answer?"

"I love you."

"I love you too."

They began to walk towards the castle. "Life isn't about finding yourself, it's about creating yourself." Draco pressed his cold fingers up to Harry's cheek "I have had the time of my life creating myself with you."

"And can I say what an amazing creation you are," Harry smiled.

"If you put your heart, mind and soul into everything, you will create something amazing," Draco said honestly.

"See," Harry said "change your thoughts and you can change your world."

"Accomplishments start with the decision to try I guess," he looked at Harry "and I will try. I'll try for us, just not yet."

"I know," Harry said "it's a steep hill and we've got to go at a slow pace at first."

Draco smiled. "What?" Harry asked.

"The good advice I always hated," Draco shrugged as he thought back to those times "but looking back it made me stronger – it made me who I am. And as I said before," he smiled at Harry "you've helped to make me who I am."

Harry felt touched. "So you hate my advice?" he asked teasingly.

"Sometimes," Draco replied in the same humorous tone. Harry gave him a playful push but they ended up falling on top of each other in the snow. They began laughing. Harry brushed the snow off Draco's blonde hair. Draco caught his hand, bringing it down to cup his cheek. Harry leaned in and they met halfway in a kiss.

Harry walked back to Gryffindor with a glowing feeling inside of him. He jumped in surprise as the loud shouting jolted him out of his cloud.

"Screw you!"

"Well I'm trying to but you won't let me!"

"Well you know what?" Katie yelled.

"What?" Parvati yelled back.

"For a lesbian you're acting like a pretty big dick," Katie shouted. With that Parvati stormed off down the corridor. Katie turned around with teary eyes and her hand slapped over her mouth when she realised that Harry had been standing right there.

"I –" Harry started to say but Katie cut him off.

"Harry, not even you can pretend you didn't see anything this time." She said with a constricted voice.

"You okay?" Harry asked her gently.

"Yeah I guess so," she replied, obviously lying. "I just…" she couldn't finish as she began crying. Harry and Katie knew all about going with gut feelings as they both played Quidditch. So Harry followed his instincts and stepped in hugged Katie. She cried into his shoulder. It was odd hugging someone with long dark hair, Harry thought.

"Sorry," Katie sniffed as she pulled back, wiping her eyes. "I'm not usually this sappy."

"Don't worry about it," Harry smiled kindly "if you wanted to talk I'd be happy to unlock the broom shed and we could fly for a bit?"

"Thanks," Katie said "but its Valentine's Day and you don't need to be worrying about my relationship issues."

"If you're sure?"

"Yeah, of course."

"Hiding makes it harder doesn't it?" Harry asked softly.

"Yeah," Katie said quietly "and so does–" she stopped "it doesn't even matter anyway. Thanks Harry, you're a great friend." She leaned in and gave him a hug.

"Katie Bell?" a shocked voice said from behind them. Harry turned around and saw Ron and Hermione standing there. "Katie Bell is the girl you've been seeing?"

"What? No!" Katie and Harry said at the same time.

"But why...how...then…I don't understand," Ron stuttered confusedly.

"I'm not going out with Harry," Katie said "I'm seeing someone else." she turned to Harry, "I'll see you later Harry. Bye." She said to Ron and Hermione.

"See you," Harry said with a sympathetic smile. Katie walked into Gryffindor no doubt to her dorm.

o - O - o - O - o - O - o - O - o - O - o

"– mad, absurd, ludicrous, crazy, preposterous, ridiculous, insane!" they all walked through the underground passage to Hogsmeade "Somebody tell her she is insane!"

Draco had just about had it. "Granger, do us all a favour and shut up." He snapped.

"She is insane!" Hermione repeated. "We are all sneaking out of the castle on a day where teachers are on the prowl and we're mostly likely all going to get caught!"

"'Teachers are on the prowl'," Blaise snorted "do you listen to yourself Granger?"

"She must because no one else does," Draco sneered.

Hermione ignored them. Turning her focus back to Pansy she exclaimed, "Do you not know that there are school rules?"

"I do actually," Pansy replied to Hermione's surprise "a smart person knows all the rules so she can break them wisely." Draco and Blaise laughed, the rest of the group couldn't help chuckling along too. "Granger let me tell you what my aunt Felicia always tells me – Well behaved woman hardly ever make history."

"Merlin, I go to school with a future criminal," Hermione moaned. Pansy laughed.

As they turned down the tunnel they passed Honeydukes and reached the exit. "Everyone follow me, don't make a sound, do not get yourselves scene. If anyone gets caught tonight they were here alone, if you're going to snitch then beat it now." Pansy warned them all. Nobody left so she climbed outside first. Blaise, Draco, Harry, Hermione, Ron, Dean, Ginny, Neville, Luna, Padma, Hannah, Parvati and Lavender all followed her.

They all walked up to The Three Broomsticks. Hermione gasped. "Pansy this is too far, we'll get caught if we go in there!"

"Granger look at me, I'm not a gallivanting Gryffindor, an unexciting Ravenclaw or a brainless Hufflepuff – I'm a Slytherin. I know what I'm doing; it's part of being a snake." She turned around and knocked on the door. A witch with dirty blonde hair opened the door. "Hi Aunt Felicia," Pansy beamed.

Hermione's mouth dropped open. "Aunt Felicia works here. Unfortunately the manager came down with some dire illness, suddenly ill and all. So Felicia will be taking care of this place tonight. We have it all to ourselves." Pansy grinned at everyone's astonished faces. Hermione did not like the way Pansy's voice had a sly note to it when she mentioned the manager becoming 'suddenly ill'. Aunt Felicia looked a few years older than seventeen year old Pansy. Hermione didn't like that either.

They were all seated at a long table. On one side there was Harry, Hanna, Ginny, Dean, Lavender, Padma and Parvati. On the other side was Draco, Blaise, Pansy, Hermione, Ron, Neville and Luna. Ron had made sure to sit across from his sister so he could keep an eye on Dean. Harry and Draco sat across from each other also. The doors to the Three Broomsticks were locked.

"Where's Katie?" Padma whispered into her sister's ear.

Parvati's face hardened. "We had a fight," she said bluntly.

Padma sighed. "What did you do?"

Parvati's head snapped to her right and she scowled. "Why am I the one who's done something?"

"So she started it did she?" Padma questioned sceptically with raised eyebrows, she knew that it would have been her sister.

"No, it was me." Parvati said reluctantly. Padma rolled her eyes.

"What did you do?" Padma asked again.

"Well I…want to…and she doesn't," Parvati said awkwardly. Padma nodded calmly, she was determined to keep her personal emotions in check for her sister's sake. She simply responded how she would have.

"Do I even need to say anything?" Padma sighed. "You know that you've done the wrong thing, you know what the right thing to do is and you know how to fix it. Why do you need someone else to tell you that when you already know it?"

"You sound like mum," Parvati pointed out.

"And you act like dad," Padma retorted but she couldn't help but smile.

"I guess you're right."

"Of course I am," Padma said teasingly as Parvati rested her head on her twin's shoulder.

On the other end of the table Harry looked across with a repulsed expression. "Are they serious?" he asked Draco with a grimace. Pansy and Blaise were feeding each other. Harry thought it couldn't have gotten any worse but he was proved wrong when they gave each other chocolate with their moves.

Draco looked at Harry. "I refuse to look," he said in an appalled voice looking sickened.

Harry looked at Ron and Hermione. "If you two ever do that," he gestured to Pansy and Blaise. He needn't finish that sentence because Ron and Hermione looked liked they agreed with him.

Pansy detached her lips from Blaise. "You two are just jealous," she said in an irritating smug voice.

"About what?" Draco asked disgusted "that I don't look like that when I snog? I'm fine the way I am thank you."

"Well I wouldn't know would I? Where is she? I told you to bring her. I told you I wanted to meet her tonight. You spent half the day with her and how much time have I spent with her? That's right, none. Draco you are so mean to me, what have I ever done to you? I've been a good friend haven't I? I've done assignments with you, I've made you laugh, I've even had sex with you. Why can't you give me this satisfaction? Why are you doing this to me? Why–" Pansy's mouth was covered by Draco's hand.

"Do you ever stop talking?" Draco asked her. "Go stick your tongue back inside of Blaise." He looked over a Blaise who was ready to receive, "And Blaise close your mouth before I vomit."

Further down the table Ginny still hadn't forgotten that Harry had beaten her in 'having sex in the most exciting places'. She walked her fingers over Dean's thigh and they stopped on his–

Dean chocked on the vegetables he was eating. He reached for his glass of Butterbeer.

"Dean are you okay?" Hermione asked looking concerned.

Dean swallowed and tried to concentrate. "I'm fine," he assured her "I just swallowed too early."

"You really ought to be more careful," Ginny told him feigning worry. She blinked innocently. Dean gulped, he didn't stand a chance. Harry's eyes from Dean to Ginny and then back between them again. A grin crept up on his face as he realised what she was doing…and he thought it was a great idea. As Dean chewed his food painfully slow to avoid choking in case Ginny decided to apply extra pressure where were fingers, Harry slipped one of his shoes off and outstretched his foot across the table so that it prodded in between Draco's leg.

Draco's legs snapped together reflexively. His eyes widened as he looked up at Harry. Harry's face was calm and he raised his eyebrows questioningly as if he had no idea what was going on. The Slytherin didn't know much else in that moment other than how unbelievably incredible his boyfriend was. His food was unsurprisingly unappealing when compared to what Harry was doing to him.

"Are you going to finish your food?" Pansy asked Draco.

Draco muttered something about being on a special diet. Pansy gave him a sceptical look.

"You feeling okay Dray?" she asked him.

"I've just got a headache is all," he mumbled "I'm fine honestly…sitting across from these Gryffindors makes me want to explode on the inside."

Harry had great trouble with containing his grin.

"I know what you mean," Pansy nodded "have some water."

"Seventy five percent of headaches are caused by dehydration," Hermione added.

"Not now Granger," Draco complained "your voice makes my head throb."

With his foot Harry made sure Draco's head wasn't the only thing that was throbbing. Harry felt Draco's cock harden under his foot and in truth Harry was loving it. Draco wriggled forward on his chair so that if anyone looked down they wouldn't see Harry's foot pushing on Draco's erection. Harry moved his foot applying pressure on Draco's hardness. He squirmed his toes. Harry rubbed his foot vigorously. He started with a slow pace at first but seeing Draco's looks of pleading he sped up. This made Draco bury his head in his hands. He re-emerged looking flushed. To avoid detection Harry looked elsewhere. Dean and Draco were two complete opposites and Harry believed that right now would be the only time they would both look remotely similar. Their expressions were identical. Harry did not want to know what Ginny was doing right now. A grin spread on his face – if only Ron knew what his sister was doing. He realised how similar he and Ginny were, perhaps somewhere in another life they could have worked if not for his immense love for Draco and of course for the fact that he was indeed gay.

His attention went back to Draco whose head was back and he was looking at the ceiling. He was being incredibly careless; Harry didn't recall people throwing their heads back when they had headaches. Harry's foot massage Draco's rock hard cock. Draco skilfully moved his hips without it showing from his upper body. Harry stroked his making the blonde bite down on his lip and look away. Suddenly Draco shot him a look and Harry immediately stopped and dropped his foot.

"I think I'm going to be sick," Draco said. Pansy turned to him looking alarmed. In one fluid movement Draco stood up, turned away from the table and walked off to the bathroom with haste. Harry was actually quite impressed, thought he expected nothing less of the Slytherin.

Draco quickly walked through the bathroom door and into a cubicle shutting the door behind him in case Blaise decided to come in and check on him via Pansy's instructions. He unzipped his pants, setting his pulsating cock free. He put his left hand up against the wall to lean on and reached down with his right hand to grab his erection. He ran his thumb over the head and then he squeezed the base, pumping his hand along his shaft. He was oozing precum. His mind raced back to all the memories, all the walls Harry had pushed his up against, all the times he had thrust himself inside of Harry and of course when the impish Gryffindor had rubbed his toes on his jean clad cock. He began to then stroke it slowly as he imagined the time in the empty potions classroom and how amazing it had felt to fuck Harry for the first time. Draco then began stroking faster and quicker, he bit his lip to keep himself from moaning. He remembered Harry's lips moving up and down his cock, licking he underside of his head whilst massaging his balls. Draco's thoughts shifted to the time in the bathroom and how remarkable Harry had sounded when he had taken control.

Draco felt his balls tighten and his cock twitch. He readied himself for the release that would soon course through him. Still biting down on his bottom lip, his left hand on the wall clenched into a fist as he felt his orgasm rip through his body.

"I'm so glad you we're having a panic attack over my health," Draco said wryly as he sat back down at the table. Pansy, who was occupied with Blaise's lips, looked up at Draco.

To anyone who didn't know what he was truly up to, Draco actually looked unwell. His face had a slight flush and he looked tired. He looked, in Harry's opinion, exactly the way he did after Harry had had his way with him. It made Harry smirk when he thought of what he could do to the Slytherin.

"In case you were wondering I feel much better," Draco said to her. For good measure Draco crossed his legs. Harry didn't miss this and he couldn't hold back a laugh.

"Something funny Potter?" Draco asked coldly with a raised eyebrow.

"No," Harry shook his head, still grinning.

"I'm going to the bathroom," Dean said. He got up and walked upstairs. Draco frowned, he had just been to the bathroom and it was on the ground level, upstairs were the guests' rooms. He didn't know how or when, but he would get his revenge on Harry. The thought made him grin internally as he counted the ways to punish the Gryffindor for his mischievous behaviour.

"…what about you Harry?" Ron asked.

Harry's looked up at the mention of his name. "Sorry?"

"How would you describe your relationship?" Hermione asked him.

"Oh," Harry was taken by surprise. He wasn't the philosophical one that was an expert with words – that was Draco. "Well," he reminded himself not to look at Draco and give them away as he knew that when he thought his eyes wandered "we sort of find parts in each other that neither of us knew existed. We find emotions that we never thought we'd find. More or less I realised that whatever souls are made out of ours are the same."

Truer words had never been spoken in Draco's opinion. They did discover parts of themselves, they did discover emotions. Their souls did fit each other so well, as if they were in fact made the same. It was possibly the deepest and most reflective thing Harry had ever said about them. It made Draco's heart swell with love and pride and joy.

"Harry that's beautiful," Ginny said placing her hand over her heart. She got up off her chair, "Just going to the loo." She walked off and went up the stairs to the second floor.

"Tell me that this hasn't been a good night Granger," Pansy teased.

Hermione had her hand entwined with Ron's. "It has," she said reluctantly "reckless and dangerous, but still good. Pansy how do you constantly live so rashly?"

"Granger," Pansy sighed "life is a big canvas – throw all the paint on it you can."

"I think Hermione prefers to paint with a brush," Luna said reflectively.

Pansy snorted, "And there lies your problem."

"I don't think that is a bad thing," Luna disagreed "you have to be unique, and different, and shine in your own way. She will go far."

Hermione blushed. "Thank you Luna," she said with a small smile. Ron squeezed her hand.

"And how do you figure that?" Pansy asked with a bit of a scoff in her voice.

"The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you'll go." Luna said happily.

Pansy raised her eyebrow and looked at Blaise. "Loonyville," she murmured to Blaise who snorted in response. Hermione beamed at Luna. Harry decided that a stronger friendship could blossom between them.

"Draco?" Pansy asked sweetly "what about you?"

"What about me?" Draco asked.

"How would you describe your relationship?"

"No," Draco told her.

Pansy glared at him. "Draco Malfoy if you don't spit it out I'll do what I did in third year and that wasn't pleasant," she warned him.

What happened in third year was obviously enough to persuade Draco to talk. He sighed, "We always strive after what is forbidden, and desire things that are refused us."

"You're fucking a Mudblood?" Pansy exclaimed. Hermione frowned.

"No!" Draco cried in disgust.

"You're fucking a Hufflepuff?" Pansy exclaimed again.

"No!" Draco said to her.

"You're fucking a teacher?" Pansy asked with wide eyes. Hannah flushed and looked witheringly at Pansy.

"You're fucking not normal!" Draco exclaimed.

Hermione turned to Parvati, "What about y–"

"Hang on," Ron cut across; he looked around and frowned "where are Ginny and Dean?"

Padma, true to her house, hadn't missed anything. "Dean went to the bathroom and so did Ginny," she informed them "interesting thought how they both went upstairs however the bathroom is on the other side of the room."

Everyone went quite as they realised. Everyone turned to Ron to see his reaction. Ron's mouth was opening and closing wordlessly like a stunned fish. His face was rapidly changing to scarlet.

"That's and instant twenty points," Harry grinned.

"You're still in front if my memory is correct," Hermione told him. Ron seemed to snap out of his state.

"Merlin's pants! Are you two serious?" Ron exclaimed "My sister is upstairs…doing stuff with her boyfriend and you two are working out scores?"

"Ron's right," Pansy said immediately taking everyone by surprise. She grabbed Blaise by the arm and stood up, "We'll go and break it up." Still holding on to Blaise's arm she marched them both upstairs. Draco groaned.

"If you're hoping they'll send Weaslette and boyfriend down," Draco said to Ron in a drawling tone "the only thing they'll be sending down is the sound of their activities."

Ron paled.

As dinner came to an end everyone left and went back to the castle in discretion. Hermione had almost had a panic attack when Professor Snape had come round a corner, heading in their direction. Everyone had waved their hands around madly and sprinted off to hide in the nearest classroom chanting shit! Shit! Shit! Everyone made sure that everyone else headed back to their common rooms safely without detection.

Harry and Draco knew that the Room of Requirement was bound to be occupied as it was Valentine's Day therefore they met in the library. The library was dark and quiet. They had gone there with the invisibility cloak and charmed the library door so that no one could enter. When they were settled down the back in the large upholstered chairs they lit the fireplace with their wands to create some warmth.

Harry handed Draco his gift. It was a shiny, black, metal tube. Its ends were not sealed off. Draco took it from Harry's palm curiously. He brought it up to his eye to look through it. It was slightly shorter than the length from of the tip of his middle finger to the beginning of his wrist. The hole was wide enough comfortably fit his thumb through. He'd seen something similar before, however he couldn't quite put his finger on it as to where…

Harry explained. "It's called a Soul Whisperer."

Draco put it up to his eye squeezing the other shut and looking through the tube. The middle looked like it had liquid mirror shimmering in it but he could still see Harry through it. Draco inserted his index finger into the tube. He turned it around so that he would be able to see his finger coming out of the other side. As soon as his finger touched the cold middle he gasped. Not only did his finger not come through the other side but he felt a sharp cold feeling inside his chest. His heart felt icy. But it wasn't his heart…it was something…deeper.

Draco yanked his finger out.

Harry smiled. "You're not supposed to shove things in there," he told Draco "but I suppose it is your soul to do what you please with. But do take care of it…I'm sort of in love with it." Harry ran a hand through Draco's blonde hair as he explained how it functioned. "A Soul Whisperer isn't actually a person's soul but it is a one of few ways we can get close to it. They are very, very rare objects. They help you to resolve any confliction that you might be having. It picks up your conflictions sort of like a signal but only when your soul is at its most undisturbed – when you're sleeping. Then it hints at what you most subconsciously think about that certain confliction. I know that your mind is sometimes a never ending thought process so I thought that this might help."

Draco carefully placed it on the desk next to them and brought his vision back to Harry. "It's perfect," Draco told him. He then engaged in what he liked to label as a good, hard eye fuck. They lapsed into a comfortable silence that was made possible by the forest in Harry's eyes and the storm in Draco's.

"If it's okay, I'd like to show you something?" Draco asked quietly. He then added quickly, "It's not a gift, it's just something I'd like for you to see." He pulled out a crumpled piece of paper and unfolded it. "You know that I like to write," he began.

"I know that you are an amazing writer, yes," Harry said looking at Draco lovingly.

Draco smiled and continued, "At the start, when I was confused about my feelings for you I got into a habit of writing down how I felt through….well," Draco blushed "poems. There was this particular poem that I wanted to share with you, if that's okay?"

Harry was speechless. "I'd be honoured to hear it," Harry said. Draco's eyes found the words on the page and he read it out loud.

"I fell for a boy

Hard and fast and thoughtlessly –

Unrequitedly

With everything to give

I tasted only his rare words

Then found myself stuck

Around the idea of him

And time brought me change

So into longing I grew

For a boy I loved so hard

And I hardly knew

He, the one, made my heart swoon

But to him I was unseen

Widowed to music"

Harry was wordless, he was astonished. Words left him. It was so beautiful, so perfect in every way. They made him sad, they made him happy. Draco was describing how he, Harry, had felt about Draco. That's why it was so touching – it was personal.

"You have such a gift Draco," Harry told him brushing Draco's cheek with his thumb "those words…they're amazing. You have this ability to make words come to life. But I did see you, I was always looking, it was hard not to. I'm so lucky."

"Lucky?" Draco asked.

Harry got up and sat on Draco's lap. The chair was big enough for the both of them so to save Draco the discomfort Harry sat on the chair and put his legs over Draco's lap.

"To be in love in every way," Harry replied. He kissed Draco on the lips. Its intention was light but Draco captured them and it turned into a lovely long kiss between them. "I'd go with you to countries I've never seen before," Harry whispered as he kissed up Draco's jaw "I'd go with you on ships that cross seas because there's magic between you and I."

"If I had to live without…" Draco closed his eyes and exhaled, Harry pecked his lips "You're original to me, you could never be replaced. There's no light when you're not with me. You enclose me with your light."

"One day we'll fly," Harry told him "I'll pick you up and fly you into the night and we'll make love that's never ever been made before."

"I used to want to sleep because it was so much better than when I was awake. Then when you came into my reality it was so much better than my dreams. Now when I dream, I dream of you, and words fail me." Draco brought Harry closer to him so that they could rest their hands on each others' chest and feel their heart beats together.

They pressed their foreheads together, caressing their faces. "Your eyes make the stars invisible you know," Harry said "I love you just the way you are."

"Once upon a time," Draco murmured "I felt like one more blow and I'd cave in. Then you came a built me strong again. You showed me how to set alight my heart."

"There was already a fire within you, I just showed you how to ignite it." Harry told him. He ran his hands down Draco's neck feeling the smooth skin. "You're so beautiful to me."

Draco kissed him hungrily. He didn't know where it came from. He just had to prove to himself that Harry was there with him, prove to himself that it wasn't some dream, prove to himself that this fantasy was a part of reality. Draco held onto the Gryffindor tightly as if he were going to slip away.

Harry pulled away for air. "Where did that come from?" he asked.

"I want this breath, this chance," Draco told him "just in case there's just one left."

"Look at me," Harry whispered. He brushed a strand of Draco's blonde hair behind the Slytherin's ear. Draco's eyes looked deeply into Harry's. "I'm not going anywhere," he promised.

Draco would break his love's promise to him. The knowledge of that gnawed on him. He only had a few short months left before time would trickle out. He wanted to stay this way forever – Harry in his arms, their love bulletproof, promises of declared love. He knew, as much as he tried to forget, he knew. He knew that something would have to give way, there would be sacrifices made. He wished that his task would disappear; he wished that the weight of it would vanish. As much as he tried to push it from his mind it was still there, he was unable to be liberated of it for even a short time as its blackness crept up on him without warning at anytime.

"I love you," Draco said softly.

o - O - o - O - o - O - o - O - o - O - o

Draco tossed and turned. Finally he woke up. His head hurt legitimately now. Quietly, expertly, he peeled the covers off him and walked silently out of his door. He briskly left Slytherin and was welcomed by a rush of cold air as he stepped into the corridor. It was early morning, still early enough for everything and everyone to be sound asleep. His hand slowly reached into his pyjama pocket and he pulled out a long metal tube – the Soul Whisperer. He brought it up to his ear. He heard an echo of a voice, like a vibration.

The voice was silvery. It was spine-chillingly familiar though he had never heard it before in his life. The voice made him feel unjudged and accepted. It made feel safe. He felt like he had heard it before, listened to it before, talked to it before. He felt like the voice knew all of his secrets. He had expected it to sound like smoke; faint and distant. However this voice was the opposite; it was real and imperative. He liked the voice, he understood its sound. He felt like perhaps if it weren't him they would have gotten along in another life maybe. That was when Draco realised just that – the voice was him. His subconscious, his inner voice, his conscience. It knew him, it knew his morals and his ethics, every thought and feeling he'd ever had, it knew all of his secrets and memories, it knew him, it knew him better than he knew himself. All this, and the voice hadn't even spoken a true word yet. He was suddenly desperate to know the thoughts that he didn't know that he had been having. He was suddenly desperate to know his conflictions, suddenly desperate to know the words that he knew but didn't. Then he heard the clear voice, the silvery voice, the voice from the liquid mirror.

"If there ever comes a day when we can't be together, keep me in your heart, and I'll stay there forever."

Thank you all for reading

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Alli97nomel xxx