Author's Note: I think it's safe to say that I am a terrible person here for making you guys wait for so long again. I love you for sticking with my random writing whims and I. Or whatever. You get the picture. FORGIVE ME!

Chapter 14

Gods, this is a nightmare.

Draco glowered intensely at the white-bearded old man that stood in front of him, waving his hands around with the music in a ridiculous manner. What was the point of that, anyway? Nobody knew why Dumbledore was dancing around like an idiot, or at least Draco didn't and that was all that truly mattered. It was completely mad. He sighed. Why the hell was he still in this damn choir? It's not like he was still trying to impress Potter anymore or anything. Psh, no. He couldn't care less about what the git was or wasn't impressed by. No sir. Not one bit.

Draco purposely clamped his mouth shut and stared Dumbledore in the eye, challenging him to call him out for not singing along. He'd rather take a lecture than another minute of this shit, even if it meant detention or something, though Dumbledore was hardly known for giving out many of those. Still, Draco could dream. He didn't make a sound as the rest of the group sang three more songs, but if the old Headmaster had noticed Draco's lack of participation in them, he wasn't showing it.

Draco looked around at his fellow choir members and heaved a loud, irritated sigh. Seriously, how long did this practice have to be? It's not like anybody was getting any better. Honestly, he thought that perhaps they were getting worse. He sighed again and tapped on the arms of his chair, closing his eyes and letting his head loll back. But a sharp jab in his side caused him to sit back up again and whip around in search of the offender. His eyes met the steady gaze of Ginny Weasley, who was glaring at him like he'd just sat on her pet owl. Draco frowned. That was actually quite an unpleasant thought.

"Would you sit still and participate for once?" the girl hissed, her voice low compared to the jingling sounds of music in the background.

Draco snorted. "Yeah, why don't you make me, Weasel," he shot back dryly.

She narrowed her almond-shaped brown eyes. "If you hate this so much, why are you here?"

He stared back at her, not really knowing how to reply. Honestly, he didn't know what to say. Because really, why was he still here? It's not like he was waiting for Potter to come to practice for once, or was trying to please him by staying in the group. No way. Because it's not like Potter had given up on him much too quickly and Draco was upset by that or anything. He had wanted him to give up quickly. Obviously.

"And I know that you're all friends with Harry now and you probably don't like me at all, but you can un-bunch your bloody knickers, Malfoy. I'm not going to hang around you guys." The redhead's voice was particularly grating to his ears, so Draco just turned away from her to end the conversation. Yeah, thanks for telling me that now that it doesn't fucking matter anymore, he thought bitterly.

Finally, Dumbledore stopped motioning around like an idiot and the music stopped. "Thank you all for attending today's session. You were quite phenomenal, as usual."

The students began to pack up their things, and Draco was this close to dropping to his knees and thanking whichever deity had ended his suffering. He turned towards the door with impatience, wishing to get to the cafeteria as soon as possible. Not so that he could look for anyone in particular. Just because.

Before he could make it to the exit though, he felt a hand grip his shoulder and hold him back. "Wait, Mr. Malfoy," he heard Dumbledore's whistling voice say. Draco wanted to groan and stomp all over his face. What did the old coot want now? "I wanted to inquire the reason why you felt it was not necessary to make any sort of noise at all during our choir lesson," the professor continued, turning him around so that they were facing each other.

"I'm just feeling a bit off today," Draco mumbled, looking down at the floor.

Dumbledore 'hmm'-ed. "But you're such a talent, my boy," he praised. "It's such a shame to see one such as yours go to waste."

Draco shrugged, not really caring. He did enjoy music and on some occasions, singing. But it wasn't really all that fun to him anymore now that he didn't have a friend to do it with him, and it was sort of a lonely existence, standing there in the choir. Even in a group of people who were all doing the same exact thing that he was, Draco couldn't help but feel alone. And it was a terrible feeling that in no way made him want to sing.

Dumbledore looked at him through the half-moon spectacles perched daintily on the bridge of his nose. "And I must say that you and Mr. Potter have quite the musical chemistry. I suggest that you convince him to make a reappearance, and you might possibly find yourself somewhat more on track," he commented.

Draco glanced up sharply. "No, sir. With all due respect, I'd rather not."

"Oh? And why is that, may I ask?"

"You may not ask," Draco replied, before widening his eyes in worry. Maybe that was a bit too blunt of a response to a man who was supposed to be his instructor. "With all due respect, again," he amended.

Dumbledore chuckled and moved away to gather his lesson plans and whatever other teaching supplies he had lying around. "Well, if you change your mind, the choir and I would be delighted to hear you perform another duet. Or solo, if you wish."

Draco nodded noncommittally, heading towards the door. As he made his way to the mess hall building, he rubbed his forehead tiredly and thought about what Dumbledore had said. He did have a good time doing that song with Potter at that one game… and he wouldn't mind doing another one. But not with Potter, and that was the problem. Because even though the green-eyed boy was the only one that Draco didn't want to sing with, he was also the only one that he would ever consider to be his partner. So, in theory, he was kind of stuck going back and forth in his brain. He sighed. And it's not even like the question of duet partnership was the worst of his problems with Potter, anyways.

When he finally got into the cafeteria, the place was packed with students milling around and chatting with friends. He scowled with annoyance and went towards the massive food line in a huff. Damn Dumbledore. Making me deal with rush hour cafeteria lines. This was definitely a downside to Muggle schools, even the hoity-toity rich ones like Redmond. He casually glanced towards the tables, finding Granger and Weasley and Blaise and Scott and the rest of them all sitting there, laughing and eating as usual.

Draco frowned. Where was Potter? Not that he was specifically looking for him. It's just… it was very typical of the ex-Gryffindor to already be in the lunchroom at this point. The boy would have just gotten out of the Economics class, and Draco knew this because that was where he would be too if he hadn't been at choir. He sighed and backed out of the line, not wishing to eat anymore. Actually, he didn't wish to be in this room at all, anymore. He tried to ignore the nagging part of his brain that told him the real reason he wanted to leave was because Potter wasn't in here. Because that certainly wasn't it.

He walked out, letting his feet take him wherever they wanted to go, not really quite sure what he was doing anyways. He found himself heading off campus, towards the place where his mother and father had said they were staying. Draco hadn't visited them at all since he and Potter had split up, because he really didn't want to deal with their triumphant grins and I-Told-You-So's. Especially his father's. But now, he figured, it couldn't hurt. Besides, they were going to find out sometime, and Draco really didn't have anywhere else to go. He went straight up to their hotel room, not bothering to go to the receptionist to inform them of his presence. And it's not like his parents had anything better to do, anyways. Because really, what's more important than your only son?

Draco knocked firmly on their door and waited, tapping his foot on the floor with impatience. There was no answer. He frowned and pressed his ear to the door, distinctly hearing voices and laughter coming from inside. What the hell?

"Oh for Merlin's sake," he muttered, pulling his wand out of his sleeve. "I guess I have to do everything, as usual."

He whispered the unlocking charm swiftly and put his wand away, pushing the door as it clicked open. His parents better have a bloody good reason to ignore him, because this was preposterous.

And as his eyes found the occupants of the room, he realised that they certainly fucking did.

~x~

"What the hell are you doing here?"

Harry whipped around to find Draco standing in the doorway, mouth hanging open and eyes blazing with several mixtures of emotion. What was he doing here? Harry had thought that Draco would be having lunch by now. Narcissa had even said that they hadn't seen him for a few weeks now, and that it was highly unlikely that he'd show up. But here he was. Harry let his eyes run up and down the blond's tall, lean figure, realising that he hadn't been able to truly look at the boy for quite a while now. And Merlin, did he miss it.

Draco's gaze went to Harry to his parents and then back to Harry again. Then, he pulled his wand out. "I said, what the hell are you doing here!"

Harry stole a quick glance at the Malfoys and then looked up at Draco from his place on the couch. "Visiting," he replied simply. He didn't look the other boy in the eye now because his expression would give him away, since Harry had never been that good of a liar. But Draco wasn't stupid, and he obviously wasn't going to buy Harry's story of a quick friendly visit.

"Visiting," Draco repeated, his voice sounding a little hoarse. His eyes narrowed dangerously. "Bullshit."

Narcissa stood up from her seat across from Harry and put her hands up to calm her son. "Now Draco, that is no way to speak to a guest. Although it is lovely to see you again, dear."

Draco's steely glare shifted from Harry to her and he folded his arms across his chest in a way that scarily resembled his father's hostile stance. "I want to know why the hell you are conversing with my ex-boyfriend," he demanded.

She sighed and guided the boy to a chair beside Lucius who was looking quite uncomfortable with the situation. "It's just like he said. Visiting."

Draco looked up at his mother in disbelief. "Really? You're actually backing him up now?" he studied her for a few more moments, and then turned to Lucius. "What about you, Father? Do you have anything to add?"

Lucius glanced at Harry quickly before brushing a few strands of long, blond hair from his shoulder. "No, son. I have to agree with your mother... and Potter."

Draco pursed his lips at his father as Harry gaped in surprise. Lucius had actually sided with Harry over his own son... that would most likely never, ever happen again. He wasn't even sure it had happened now, the first time! Harry peeked over at Draco, watching as the boy's facial expressions changed rapidly from hurt to anger to remorse and back to hurt again. And it was understandable that he'd be upset. He had just walked in to find his parents and his ex-friend/ex-boyfriend having what seemed like a nice chat over tea. The boy was obviously confused and probably felt as though his parents were betraying him. And in a way, Harry thought, they sort of were by talking to him. But to be fair, it had taken Harry a lot of convincing and pleading and waiting for them to even consider speaking with him. Basically, he had discovered that Draco's parents made the youngest Malfoy's obstinacy look like a walk in the park.

"Well, I'm not sticking around to deal with this rubbish," the blond stated, looking defiant and somewhat lost. "Next time, let me know when you're going to meet up behind my back so I don't have to waste my energy coming here." He stomped away to leave and slammed the door behind him angrily, leaving a lasting feeling of discomfort and tension in his wake.

"He's not going to be easy to persuade," Narcissa remarked, leaning back in her chair. She rested a thin, elegant arm across the back of the seat. "And neither are we," she added.

Harry nodded in comprehension. "I know. And I know that it may be futile to even try and ask, but I wanted to. Even if we don't necessarily see eye-to-eye, I want to be able to get along with you because of the fact that you are both incredibly important to him."

Lucius leaned forward, his grey eyes so perfectly matched to Draco's in colour and frigidity that it left Harry rather disoriented for a moment. "Why should we let you try and win our son back? We never wanted you together in the first place."

Harry sighed, looking down at his fingers. That was true. But if he really wanted to get Draco back, it couldn't be just a half-arsed attempt. Like Zabini had said, that just wouldn't do. And if he was going to do something big, it was almost vital that Draco's parents were okay with it. He glanced up at the two of them staring at him with unreadable expressions on their angled faces. Yes, he was aware that this could be a major challenge. But even so, he was willing to go through it and work with what he got. Plus, it already seemed that they were beginning to warm up to him a little since they didn't shoot him disdainful looks quite as often as he would have thought, and also the fact that they didn't rat him out the second Draco entered the room had been a bit of a hope-booster.

"I know that I'm not your first pick for Draco," he began. "But I promise you, I genuinely care about your son. Just… you have to understand exactly how much I need him. You know that he's always been a part of my life, whether it was in a good way or not, it didn't really make a difference as long as he was there. And now that he's made a point to stay out of it, I don't know what to do with myself. You see, he's become a part of me. He's become every part of me that doesn't understand, doesn't truly know or wish to know anything that isn't him. Gods, it's like nothing I've ever experienced before. He makes me feel light and happy and smart and dumb and loved and special all at the same time, he makes me feel as though I'm worth something. Even when he is just looking at me, or smiling at me, or just being there around me, he just makes me feel. He's got this thing that makes me go crazy. And I don't honestly don't know if I make him the same way, but I liked to think that I did. I like to think that I made him happy, and I just want the opportunity to try for that again. I know that you don't think that I'm anywhere near good enough for him—and I'm probably not. But I will give him everything I've got. If you'll only let me."

Both Narcissa and Lucius stared at him without saying a word for a long time, and Harry was actually bit worried that he had unintentionally confessed way too much about his feelings for Draco to them. But as the silence wore on, he wondered whether or not they had just managed to tune him out or something. It seemed like that might be a rather Malfoy-ish thing to do.

Finally, after many more agonising minutes of quiet, Lucius nodded and spoke. "Well, then it's not up to us," he muttered gruffly.

Narcissa gazed at him questioningly. "Are you sure?"

"Yes," the older man said, turning and looking Harry straight in the eye. "If you legitimately have all of those feelings for my son, then it is neither my wife's nor my decision to make. It is Draco's."

Harry sighed in relief and Narcissa smiled softly at her husband. She then turned to Harry, her mouth still curved up a bit. "Judging by the way you've been standing outside our hotel room since 7 in the morning demanding to speak with us, you've got quite a bit of nerve, don't you? But I suppose that Draco does, as well. You two are perhaps the most stubborn, temperamental, twisted, determined pair of boys I have ever known." Then she laughed, a rarity to Harry's ears. Her ice-blue eyes twinkled with her laugh, a sound that he decided was quite lovely. "You're perfect for each other," she declared.

Harry couldn't help but reach out and squeeze her hand. Then he put his other hand on Lucius's shoulder, which made the man flinch slightly. "Thank you both. Really. I promise you won't regret it."

"I sincerely hope that we won't, either. Because we do wish for our son to be happy," Narcissa replied, shooting Lucius a quick look, "even if it does not seem as such sometimes. Honestly, if that were not the case, I would not have let that boy speak to me in such a brazen manner earlier."

Harry grinned. "You know, I was just thinking that. He's really going to pay for it later, isn't he?"

Lucius raised an eyebrow and smirked. "Wouldn't you like to know?" he drawled.

Harry shrugged and stood up from his seat, satisfied and pleased to know that the Malfoy parents were on his side—well, somewhat. He would take what he could get. "I better get going now. I've missed all my classes and I probably will have to deal with complaints from my roommates," he said.

Narcissa walked him to the door. "We hope that you find a way to make him happy again," she whispered, tucking a small tin in his palm. It was a box of Draco's favourite snacks, and he realised that she meant for him to leave it for her son when he got back to the dorm. "Because heaven knows that he deserves it." Harry nodded in acceptance and gratitude, then looked over her shoulder and nodded again at Lucius.

He stepped outside, feeling lighter than he had in weeks. Now that he had Draco's parents' blessings, he could go about with his plan to get Draco back without a stitch of doubt. Harry sighed and kicked at the pavement as he left the building. But what if Draco didn't want him back at all? He thought back to the way that the other boy had looked when he'd seen Harry with his parents. Bewildered. Angry. Disgusted. The expression made Harry's heart ache, and he knew that it would be the very one to haunt his dreams until he could make things right again. If he could make things right again.

And he sincerely hoped that he could, because he found it difficult to do practically anything nowadays, since all he could think about was Draco this and Draco that and blah, blah, blah. Harry knew that everybody was starting to get tired of him always moping around all the time. Hermione and Ron had tried being tolerant of his heartsick behaviour for a while, but now they were ragging on him to either do something, or don't. And even Scott and his obnoxious buddies were being a bit more reserved around him, so that was the real indication that everybody knew that he wasn't much fun to be around anymore and was uncomfortable with his glum attitude. Harry sighed. So essentially, he was useless.

As he made his way back to the school grounds, he suddenly realised that he had no idea what he was going to do next. Sure, the first part of his Get-Draco-Back plan had been successful, but he literally had nothing else. Scratching his head, he sat down on a bench outside one of the buildings and bit his lip. Well, this is brilliant.

Harry gazed out at the grey clouds over his head, the colour and consistency of them reminding him of Draco's eyes and making his heart ache all over again. He tried to imagine those eyes looking at him with that warmth and cheer that he hadn't seen in weeks now, but he couldn't quite get the right combination of light grey-ish blue flecks to the pure silver ones that surrounded darkened irises. Harry closed his own eyes and concentrated with all his might, wishing that his memory would provide him with a clearer vision of them. But that was the problem with memories. They faded altogether too quickly, so quickly that he didn't even get the chance to realise sooner that they were all he had left. Now he desperately needed the real thing.

Harry suddenly felt something clap over his face and his eyes snapped open, but all he could see was hot-pink shadows and he was confused. Frowning, he reached up and pulled a pink flyer off of him, then understanding that the wind had blown it there. He turned it over to read the writing on it and as his eyes scanned lower and lower, the grin on his face got wider and wider.

Because suddenly, he knew what he was going to do. Because suddenly, he knew how he was going to get his boyfriend back.

Author's Note: Okay guys! There we have it. I think I said before that I would try and fit this fic into two more chapters, but I'm actually not so sure at this point. I have a few more things planned, so it might be a bit more. Again, I apologize for the wait. You do know that I love you all, right? Because I truly, truly do. Hopefully my love will produce a faster update for next time. So... even though I MAY not deserve it, would you mind terribly to leave a review for me? Please?