"What are you so happy about?" Ron asked.

They were sitting in the common room of Gryffindor Tower, Ron and Hermione stretched and tangled across the couch, with Harry lounging in the plush chair closest to the fire. Harry pulled his gaze from the fire to look up at his friends.

"Nothing, had a good morning, is all."

"Mmhmm. Right." Ron smiled, "how is the ferret?"

Harry laughed, "don't call him that. He'd hex you in a minute."

"But really, is it serious between you?"

"I think so? I'm not sure. We certainly defined it as more than friends . . . I think we're taking it slow. I don't know. I like being with him."

"That is so sweet." Hermione commented from behind her text book.

"If he says yes, can he eat lunch with us?"

Ron groaned.

Hermione closed her book and slapped him in the leg.

"I mean, of course he can. I'd love nothing more. I've been dreaming of this day." Ron dramatized.

Harry jumped from his seat, "great, I'll see you at lunch."

Harry grabbed his bag and bolted out the portrait hole. He threw the cloak over him and got out his map. He found Draco in defense on the third floor. He checked his pocket watch, he saw they were just about to be let out. He sprinted to the third floor classroom and waited outside the door. Students started shuffling around packing up their things. They started to file out into the corridor, Harry had to move to avoid being pushed. Draco was the last one out, he had his muggle book in his hand and was reading as he was walking. Harry easily came up behind him and pinched his butt again.

"Hey!" Draco yelled, fumbling and nearly dropping his book.

Harry quickly pulled the cloak around him so they both sat, hidden, underneath.

"Oh. Hi." Draco said.

"Hi." Harry breathed, happy to be in his presence again.

"Do you want to have lunch with me today?"

"On the tower again?"

"No, I was thinking in the Hall. Ron and Hermione already said they were okay with it."

Draco was quiet, fiddling with his book.

Harry waited patiently for an answer, but Draco gave no indication of giving one.

"It's okay, it was just an idea." Harry whispered.

"I'm just not -"

"No. It's okay. Really. I'll see you later."

Harry pulled the cloak off Draco and turned to leave.

"Wait, Harry." Draco had no idea if he was still there, but he spoke in a loud whisper, "This is very . . . new, to both of us. You just broke up with the Weasley girl and not everyone is going to be as understanding as Blaise or your mates. I like you, a lot, and having time with you friends or more than, is something I honestly never, ever, thought I would have in my grasp. Just for a little while, I'd like to savor what I have with you." Draco didn't hear any movement and assumed that he'd just confessed to the empty hall. He made to leave for his next class, an invisible hand grabbed onto his. He pulled Draco behind a tapestry and took the cloak off.

"I like you too, I want to show you off, to let people know that you're mine." he laced his fingers through Draco's "Forget Ginny, she doesn't get it. Whatever I have with you, however fleeting or permanent, is worth it. I understand if you aren't ready to be open about it, I won't pressure you."

Draco closed his eyes and let out a sigh of relief, pressing his forehead to Harry's, "say that again?"

"Which part?" Harry smiled.

"Say that I'm yours," Draco pleaded.

"You're mine," He kissed Draco's cheek, "I want people to know that you're mine." He kissed Draco's jaw, "I want people's jaws to drop and all those girls that drool over you to be pissed, knowing that they will never have you. Because you're mine." Harry opened Draco's mouth with his own, letting his tongue dance for just a moment with his. He licked Draco's bottom lip and sucked on it gently, until he heard Draco whimper. He pulled away.

"I've never been anyone's before." Draco whispered, "is this what it feels like?"

"Yeah. Isn't it great?" Harry laughed quietly. Draco nodded.

Harry and Draco ended up eating lunch together in Draco's dorm. Harry had took a platter of sandwiches, an apple, and a jug of pumpkin juice from the nearest table and followed Draco to his room. Luckily, they did not run into Jax and they were able to sneak up with no interruption.

They sat cross legged on the bed with the food between them, music played in the background.

"What do you want to do, when you're done here?" Draco asked between bites of his apple.

Harry was easily distracted by the quiet slurps he made to avoid the juice dripping on his bed.

'What I wouldn't give . . .'

"I've been planning on becoming an auror, that's the career path I'm on anyway. You?"

"I don't have a plan for a career."

"Well, your family's rich. I get that."

"It's not just that. I have my mother, who's been struggling since my father was sentenced to life in Azkaban, she expects me to take over all the family businesses that he ran."

"Right, but what do you want?"

"I don't know. I'm excellent at potions, maybe I'd open my own apothecary, in a world where I can do what I want. Or maybe a privatized potions master. That'd be cool." He looked into the distance a bit, imagining a time where he might not have to manage all his father's businesses. Most were corrupt anyway.

"That sounds very cool." Harry agreed, reaching for another sandwich, "After Ron's announcement about working with George, I'm not sure if I want to be an auror, we were supposed to do it together."

"You could get a job anywhere, no one's going to turn down Harry Potter."

"Yeah, that's part of the problem though, innit? I'll never know if I've been hired because I'm good at what I do or if it's because I'm me."

"Well you can come work at my apothecary." Draco jokes.

"Well, that will absolutely be a pity hire."

"That's true, you're rubbish at potions. Never mind, offer rescinded." Draco laughed.

Harry adored his laugh. It rasped gently with each breath, and it was quiet. Harry couldn't remember seeing Draco laugh before, unless it was a cruel laugh, which isn't the same. This laugh is his true laugh.

He was staring at Draco as he sucked another bite from his apple, licking the running juice from his fingers. Draco saw him staring and his cheeks flushed, but continued to do it without breaking eye contact, licking more slowly up his hand and around his finger. Harry felt that hot stirring in his lower gut and looked away.

He heard Draco chuckle, it was Harry's turn to blush.

"Does that turn you on, Potter?" Draco spoke in a low voice, barely audible over the music.

Draco's voice turned Harry on, "yes." he whispered, staring into his hands.

"Would you be scared?" he quietly vanished all the food from his bed, crawling over to Harry.

"Yes." Harry admitted. Neither of them spoke for a minute, Harry wondered if that sounded weak.

"Me too," Draco finally said. He kissed Harry on the cheek and rolled over to lay his head on Harry's lap. "But also, not." he looked into Harry's bright eyes.

"But also, not." Harry smiled.

"Hey," Harry spoke, "can I take you on a date this weekend? Like a proper date, in the muggle world? We'll both be unrecognizable and we can just be . . . us."

Draco smiled, "yeah, why not?"

Harry laid back, his legs dangling over the edge of the bed. Draco's head was still in his lap, one arm propped under his head, the other combing through Draco's blonde locks.

They sat like that for a long time in comfortable silence. It didn't bother Harry anymore. Before, it was like their silence was screaming at them to touch and be together; now that they were, the silence was welcoming. Draco's breathing changed, it was deeper, his eyes were closed, he'd fallen asleep on Harry. He smiled and continued to lightly play with Draco's hair.

Once again, Blaise came into the room to find Harry and Draco in bed. He started to speak, Harry put his finger to his lips to hush him. Blaise silently gathered his books and left. Harry was due in class, but had no intention of leaving this room while Draco still slept on him. Harry drifted off into a sleep after a while. He woke when Draco suddenly sat up, reaching for his wand. Harry sat up a bit, the windows were dark, "Draco, you okay?"

He sat still, his hand white with grip on his wand.

"Draco?"

He took a shuddering breath and turned to look at Harry, "yeah. Yeah, I'm okay." His wand slipped from his hand back onto his bed, "bad dream."

Harry rubbed his back a bit, he knew all too well how real those nightmares could feel. He checked his watch. "It's nearly dinner. Do you want to go and get something to eat?"

Draco shook his head, "are you hungry?"

"No." He moved to lay on Draco's bed pulling Draco with him. Draco rested into the crook of Harry's arm, laying on his side with his face in Harry's chest. He breathed deeply, loving the smell of autumn and wood polish that lingered on him. Draco closed his eyes and was asleep again in minutes. Harry was close behind.

Blaise returned a few hours later, he stood at the end of the bed and looked at his friend. He hadn't seen him sleep this peacefully in a long time. He carefully removed both their shoes and covered them up before closing the hangings around them.