*Rating: this feels like a Pg:13
*Pairing: yup HARRY/ DRACO all the way baby *sticks out tongue* they're not underage, so there. It *is* slash ppl I cant make that any clearer. Plz if u don't like it – don't read it.
*Summary: it's 7th year and two people are in love, but neither know it. They both have one last chance. Will they take it?
*Feedback: plz plz plz plz plz plz plz if you read it tell me what you think???? I REALLY need the encouragement =P thanx muchly
*Thanks to: Fanny_chan (that is *so* sweet omg, thank-you), eMJay (lmao you'll find out), silverhair (MEEP! Scary lady with knife . . .i'll finish!! I'll finish!! Promise!! MEEP), Aezy (hehehe merry xmas *hugs*)
*In general – I love all my reviewers =D you cant no how much ur reviews brighten my day, really, ppl tend to look at me a little strangely when I dance around the room huggin myself . . but its worth it =D MERRRRRRRY XMAS!!
A/N – tis the night before Christmas!!!! Woop and I have 2 chapters to write *faints* oh dear.
- um these two chapters are probably gonna b pretty long coz I cant work out where to break them up and this seemed the easiest way.
- I hope you all enjoyed this story, I did. I love writing so dw there will b more from me. I have one story to finish then im starting a Hermione/Draco story called Mistaken Identities. Then a few other ideas I have *grins evilly*
- Im not very happy coz fanfiction.net is messing with my formatting gggggrrrrrllllll and *Y* are the spaces between the paragraphs so very big? Hmmmmmm . . . lmao
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~ A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words ~
Golden sunlight spilled through the window, bathing Harry's sleeping form in warmth, the bright light tickling behind his closed eyelids, gradually pulling him from a deep sleep, back to the reality of another morning. Yawning hugely, Harry rolled his head from side to side, wincing and then sighing in pleasure at the clicking sounds as he worked out all the knots in his neck and shoulders. He rubbed his eyes and blinked blearily, staring out the window at the clear blue sky. Harry wriggled around a little beneath the warm covers, making sleepy, contented noises as he battled the urge to fall asleep again. When he found his movement restricted Harry opened curious eyes to find the covers in disarray, hopelessly tangled, wrapped tight around him and pinning his over heated limbs to the bed.
"What the . . ."
Harry was usually a deep sleeper, he never usually moved much in his sleep, wasn't really one of those people who spoke and acted out their dreams . . . or at least he *hadn't been* . . . making confused, disapproving noises, he straightened out the mess of covers, lying back down to rest his head on the soft pillow, wondering what on earth he had dreamed that night.
Searching through muddled memories, he recognised and put aside the dull throb of pain, was accosted by a flash of black stone and then . . . huh, strange. Where there had only been a lonely void yesterday, now there was . . . Peace. Contentment. Happiness. Surety. Security. Love – all those things he had never really felt, never believed he could, and more. A strange mixture of so many emotions, comforting reassuring him, so many emotions, so few he could identify, but all he welcomed. Even this excess of unexplained emotion was better than the void he had had. The emotions he had almost drowned in before that void, the pain, the loss, the fear, the anger, they were all subdued now, barely there, just . . . memories.
Why did he have memories of the pain and yet was totally mystified as to how he had come by these new emotions? But, as he often did, Harry simply accepted the peaceful sensation. Why question a good thing, a little good luck? If he looked too deep they might disappear and Harry sorely needed a little peace right now. For some reason Harry knew that something had changed, knew that he had changed as well. Something had happened last night, and though he was certain it was not a *bad* thing, he wished to the gods he knew what it was.
Realising that he had been pondering a little too long, and was now running late for breakfast, Harry threw off the covers and swung his feet off the bed. He dressed quickly and bounded down the stairs to the common room, gracing the students gathered there with a brilliant grin. Continuing on unfazed, probably not even noticing the surprised murmurs from his housemates, Harry walked out the portal and down to the great hall, humming a little tune, ready for a hearty breakfast – he was suddenly starving.
Left behind in the Gryffindor common room, Hermione stood with a satisfied smile next to Ron, who was doing a passable imitation of a landed fish, looking bemusedly from Hermione's grin to the portal through which Harry had just exited. What had got into Harry . . . or *who* had got into Harry? . . . gods, no one told him anything these days.
"Well good. I was wondering when he would get back to normal again." Announced Hermione with a relieved little laugh.
Ron continued to look back and forth, shaking his head "Wha - . . .how . . .who- . .what . . euh?"
Hermione simply smiled pityingly at her friend, grabbed his arm and led them out of the common room, saying soothingly - " Its alright Ron, don't worry . . . hmmmm what about waffles for breakfast?" And thankfully that was enough to distract the redhead who started in on a discussion of the merits of waffles verses eggs with passion.
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Draco awoke that same morning in a slightly different manner. Deep in the bowls of the school, there were no windows and accordingly no bright, warm morning sunshine, just the grating buzz of an alarm clock and the darkness of a stone room as the lamp had blown a globe sometime that night. Cursing softly under his breath, Draco scrambled for his wand calling forth a glowing light. Climbing out of bed, he began to gather his clothes, dressing in his usual efficient manner but something was bothering him, it was niggling at the back of his mind, tickling annoyingly. Something just seemed - off - there was something different and damn if he knew what it was. Abandoning his efforts at dressing when he ended up with his shirt buttoned up one button down all the way along, Draco threw himself back onto the bed, landing with a soft "Oof!", spread out on the messy covers.
Resignedly, he closed his eyes, clearing his mind and trying to focus on the strange sensation just on the edge of his consciousness. Disbelievingly, Draco gave what he found there a mental prod and it flared to vibrant life, flooding his mind with unknown emotions. A tingling warmth spread out from the top of his head to the tips of his toes, cocooning him in feelings of peace and safety like a warm blanket. This new sensation was totally unfamiliar but definitely not unwelcome. It was how he had always imagined being loved would feel, like being embraced in caring arms, like connecting with someone on the deepest level, like having someone watching out for you.
Thank the gods for self-delusion!
Shaking his head at himself and his fanciful thoughts, Draco got back of the bed and finished dressing, properly this time. Determined just to accept this wonderful feeling without asking to many questions, Draco ignored the strange flashes he had of something huge crushing him, and instead held onto on the "happy thoughts" and mockingly prayed he wouldn't go flying off somewhere. Smiling at his twin in the mirror, Draco noted the twinkle in his eye and the rare, genuine warmth to his smile and shrugged it aside, gods damn it he was allowed to be happy sometimes. Finally running a hand through his hair, Draco prowled down the stairs, winking at the few people who remained in the Slytherin common room.
It didn't mean anything to Draco, that little wink, he barely even noticed himself doing it, he just thought of it as a slight variation of his morning greeting. Actually there normally was a morning greeting, just a glare or at best a cold smirk, so he could probably understand why his housemates stood there stunned, struck dumb in . . .fear? . . . of this shocking little wink and the cocky little grin that followed it, they probably thought he had lost his mind. But Draco could care less. Mentally shrugging, he turned on his heel and prowled out of the portal, heading for the Great Hall.
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The hall was alive and buzzing with early morning talking, the sounds of young men and women enjoying a good meal and good company resonating through the enormous stone room. All the students present in the Great Hall that day were amazed, stunned, seeing stars, or at least heavenly bodies, as they watched in awe, the sun and moon entered though separate doors converging on the helpless crowd, lighting up the room with their presences. The usual inane chatter ground to a halt, the sound of dropped cutlery ringing loud in the silence as everyone turned to stare first one way, as the sun shone down upon them, and then another, as the moon glided in, romantic and magnetic.
Harry was bright and warm as the sun, tanned skin glowing with happiness, wide emerald eyes alight with love, smile soft and sensual. Each gaze that met his own fell in love just a little bit, mesmerized by his almost magical beauty. Though he never noticed, every man and woman in that hall stopped what they were doing, drawn to him, instantly attracted even though they knew that they could never have him as his love obviously belonged to another. The girls almost swooned while the boys simply stared in confusion and in unexplainable attraction. Both females and males experienced pangs of jealousy, of Harry and of whoever had his love.
Although the reactions were varied, they were all strong, but perhaps not as strong as they might have been because they all had thought of Harry a warm, open, friendly type of person . . . just never to quite this extent. When Harry moved to sit down, gracing the Gryffindor table with an affectionate grin, the spell was broken, and the shocked and excited whisperings started up, swelling in a great rising tide – what had happened to Potter? The murmurings grew louder and more far-fetched until suddenly - silence - reined once more, the whole student body turned as one to stare fixedly at the entrance to the great hall. Draco Malfoy . . . or was it?
Draco was as hauntingly beautiful as the moon, pale skin glowing with happiness, eyes a liquid, mesmerising silver instead of the usual distant ice-blue, his hair shone like pale, spun gold in the light of the hall, like solid moon beams. He prowled into the hall, power and grace evident in every move and the crowd caught its breath at his seductive beauty. His soft smile enticed them, beckoned them to love him, to worship him, to discover his secrets and promising everything in return. He was the ultimate temptation and they were helpless against him. This transformation was even more shocking than Harry's because Draco had always been hidden from them - a mystery wrapped in an enigma, surrounded by secrets - and now he walked among them, all fluid grace an ethereal beauty, a walking dream.
And abruptly, something clicked in the minds of all the students gathered in the hall. The moon and the sun, complete opposites and yet each unable to exist without the other, two parts of a whole, powerful, magical, perfect – perfect for each other. And just like that, the students looked away, each and every one, they knew now that they belonged to each other, even if they didn't know it yet, and they had no business interfering. True love would take its course and they would all be there to congratulate the two when they finally got a clue.
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Harry sat down at the table, his happiness still imbuing him with a warm glow, his smile not even dimming at the strange looks he got. They didn't look disgusted or angry, so Harry really didn't care what they thought - for the first time in a long while he was happy and he was going to keep it that way. Harry absently looked around at the mounds of delicious food around him, tuning out the buzz of conversation to concentrate on the growl in his belly. Gods he was starving! Deciding to start with some fruit, Harry froze in mid reach, looking around at his housemates. Every single person at the table had fallen silent, all simultaneously turning to stare at something behind Harry.
Curiously, Harry turned to see what they were all gawking at . . . and then quickly turned away at the fresh stab of pain. He resolutely stared at his plate, wondering why everyone was staring at Draco, wondering what they were seeing. To him, Draco looked exactly as he always did. Perfect. Beautiful. *Incredibly* sexy. Sighing, Harry admitted to himself that though he was happy and at peace, he was obviously not over Draco, not that he had ever really thought he was but . . .life goes on, and so apparently did his love. Though it saddened him that he would have to live his life in love with someone who hated him, Harry cherished his love – he shuddered to imagine a world where he did *not* love Draco . . .what kind of cruel existence would that be?
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Draco stalked into the hall, the sense of peaceful contentment loosening his muscles and joints, making him seem to glide across the stone floors. Feeling generous, he let loose a genuine smile, languid and sensual, he moved forward to the Slytherin table, absently wondering what everyone was staring at, discreetly checking his face for any nasty sticky things . . . or strange growths . . . strange growths were always a worry when surrounded by so much magic . . . but he found nothing, so shrugging, he sat down and took a good look at his options for breakfast. His mouth watering he took in the mountains of every kind of food imaginable: eggs, muffins, toast, waffles, bacon, sausages, strawberries and mangoes and other delicious fruits, cordials and pumpkin juice, hot coffee and tea . . . a feast for kings – or kings in the making.
Licking his lips, juicy apple in hand, Draco took a moment to glance around the room, or at least that's what he told himself, but honestly he was not surprised as his gaze automatically travelled to the Gryffindor table and a particular raven-haired Adonis. Gods but he was beautiful, powerful and intelligent, exuding confidence and charm, so enticing, delectable, positively edible and Draco suddenly found his appetite – for apples – fading. Draco had to forcibly restrain himself from following the example set by Dobby the house-elf and punishing himself, hitting his head against the table or some such, for his thoughts and for the realisation that he was still madly in love with Harry Potter.
With a possessive surge, he told himself that he didn't care that Harry had a lover, Draco was in love and he was a *very* determined person and he would have Harry no matter what, to have and to hold, to love and cherish for all their days on earth. It might have been sentimental, it might have been hopeless, but it was true, it was how he felt and from now on Draco was only going to be honest with himself. It was a step in the right direction . . . a step in Harry's direction and he would take it gladly.
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WOOP TBC soz I had to break this up but ill get the next chap up in like an hour so lol not much to wait . . theres only the next chapter and then . . .ONE MORE and they will both be up within the next day or 2
MERRRRRYYY CHRISTMAS
Lots of love, plz R/R and ill love u more =D have a happy and safe holiday!