DISCLAIMER: All these lovely people aren't mine. I wish they were. But they're not. I just play with them.

Author's Notes: This idea came to me in a dream. I swear. Weird thing, I must say. I hope I did the bunnies justice. There's slash at the end. If you don't like that, there's the back button. Love. Embrace. Review. Enjoy!

Saving Grace

By Katie of Gryffindor

Seventeen-year-old Draco Malfoy lay in his bed, a pocketknife in his hand. One blade was open, ready.

What is there to live for? he thought. What is stopping me from getting this hell called life over and done with?

Draco looked at the knife. Did he really want to leave this world forever? He certainly thought so. He settled his blonde locks into his pillows, still thinking.

All at once, he was in a whole new place. He didn't recognize it. He looked around himself. He was in the middle of a field, surrounded by high, browned grass. The grass was almost as tall as he. There were flames rising from a few feet away, and a shadowy figure was moving near them. Draco started moving toward the firelight, curious.

He drew up next to the flames and saw a young man, no more than seventeen, tending to the fire. Draco looked down at the teen, who had yet to notice his presence.

The boy had black hair, ending just below his ears and extremely pale skin. He was decked out in what looked like Hogwarts school robes. He's a Slytherin. Why don't I know him? The boy had a hooked nose that looked like it had been broken before. The hair, upon closer inspection, looked as though it was in dire need of a wash. Suddenly, as though he felt eyes upon him, the boy's head snapped up and Draco was met with almost black eyes. There was a sudden feeling like Draco knew this boy, although he couldn't quite place his connection.

"Who are you?" asked Draco quietly.

"Severus Snape. And you?"

Draco gasped. How could he be standing with his Head of House? This boy was the same age he was. Impossible.

"I am Draco Mal-." Draco stopped. He couldn't disclose his full name as Severus would surely know his father. "Draco Malegant." Close enough, Draco thought.

Severus inclined his head slightly, acknowledging the introduction. "Now, what are you doing here?"

"I-I don't know," said Draco truthfully. He really had no idea how he got here, twenty-five years in the past.

"Well if you wouldn't mind, I was in the middle of something, so-" Severus made a shooing motion. Draco backed away and started back along the path from whence he came. Then a sound behind him stopped him in his tracks.

A scream of pain.

Draco turned back and hurried back to the clearing. Severus was trying to climb into the fire. The edges of his robes were gaining a new fringe of fire. Draco ran to Severus, yanking him out of the flames and onto the ground.

"What the fuck do you think you're doing? Are you fucking crazy?" screamed Draco, who was now sitting on top of his future professor, batting out the flames.

Severus glared up at Draco. "I'm leaving," he said simply.

"What the fuck? Leaving?" It slowly dawned on Draco. Severus Snape was trying to kill himself. "No fucking way. You won't do it."

Severus narrowed his eyes at Draco. "How should you know? You've just met me. You know nothing about me."

Draco sneered at the teen below him. "Let's just say I know you better than you think I do. And you don't have the balls."

"I do so," said Severus childishly. "I have nothing to live for."

"That's where you're wrong, Sevvie."

The two boys looked up. A girl's voice came from the high grass before them. A redhead of the same age as Severus now stepped out of the grass and into the clearing. Green eyes flashed at the pair.

"Lily." Severus sat up, pushing Draco off his chest. Draco rolled off into the dirt. Lily? Lily who?

"Sevvie, why didn't you owl me? I would have come." Lily stepped forward and held out a hand for Severus. With her help, the dark-haired boy stood. She brushed the dust off his robes like a mother tending to her little boy.

"Lily, stop. Please. Just let me go." Severus pushed away the girl's hands.

"I can't do that, Sev." Lily took the pale face in her hands. "You are my family. I cannot let you go."

Draco tilted his head to the side. Lily? Family? There is no Lily Snape…

"Do it anyway. From tomorrow on, you will have one less cousin." Severus shook his head. "I have nothing to give this world, Lils." Severus turned back to stare into the fire.

Draco stood. "Severus, that's farther from the truth than you know."

Lily turned to Draco, as though she'd forgotten he was there. "Who are you?"

"Draco Malegant."

Lily held out a hand. "Lily Evans. The future Mrs. Lily Potter. Nice to meet you."

Draco took her hand and shook it briskly. "Likewise."

So that's who she is. I knew those eyes looked familiar. Draco turned back to his future mentor. "Severus. I have it on good authority that you will become a very powerful, respected man. You can't do this."

Severus looked at the blonde. "What are you, a Seer?"

Draco thought a moment. Well, that's the easiest way to get around the fact that I'm from the future. "Yes. And I see you becoming a professor. At Hogwarts."

Severus snorted. "I'm a teacher, huh? Right. And I bet you'll tell me next that the new Minister of Magic will be that bumbling idiot, Cornelius Fudge."

It was Draco's turn to snort. "Actually, yes."

Lily and Severus laughed quietly. "I highly doubt that, Draco." Severus shook his head and looked at the fire once more.

"Severus, if you do try this, you will be destroying something incredible. You have such amazing potential." Draco moved to stand between Severus and the fire. He could feel the heat licking at his back. He continued, undisturbed. "Severus, you will be a great man. You will help hundreds of students who, like yourself now, will contemplate heinous things. You are talented beyond what you seem to believe. You are destined to save a lot of people. Don't throw that away."

Lily stepped next to Draco. "He is right. You're brilliant. Even more than you've been able to comprehend. You are someone so special, people will remember you for a long time, even after you've gone. If you do this now, you will lose all that. If you do this, you'll prevent all the amazing things that could be, all the things that will be. Sevvie. Please. Reconsider. For me."

Through both their pleas, Draco watched as Severus' resolve melted to nothingness. When Lily was finished, he stared at her for a long time. Then he waved a hand. Draco instantly felt his back get cooler. The fire was gone.

Severus sank to his knees and covered his face with his hands. The broken teen's shoulders shook. The two still standing dropped too. Lily threw her arms around Severus' neck. Draco patted the boy on the back in what he hoped was a soothing fashion. After a few moments, Draco rose again. "I have to leave now."

Severus and Lily looked up at the blonde. "Where are you going?" asked Severus.

"I need to go home." Draco started to walk back to the path he'd arrived on. When he was on the edge of the clearing, he felt a hand on his arm. He turned and looked into brilliant green eyes.

Lily had her hands behind her neck. When she brought them forth again, she was holding either end of a silver chain. At the middle of the chain, there was the outline of a heart, also made of silver. Inside the line of metal, there was a cloudy mist swirling around, pink fading slowly to white. She held it out to Draco. "Here."

Draco stared back and forth between the girl and her outstretched hand. "What?"

Lily drew up in front of him. She turned him slowly, and put her arms around his shoulders. She put the necklace around his neck. "Take this."

Draco let her finish fastening the clasp at the base of his neck and then turned to face her again. "Why are you giving this to me?"

Lily smiled. She glanced over her shoulder at her cousin. "You were here. You helped my Sevvie. You're his saving grace."

Draco shook his head. "No, I just told him not to be stupid. That's all."

"But that saved him. And for that I will always be thankful." Lily smiled. Draco had seen that smile before. Rarely, but he'd seen it. Lily pointed to the heart that was now sitting on Draco's chest. "That pendant is special. When you are with someone you care about, it turns pink. And when you're with your one true love, it turns bright red. It's not much, but I don't need it anymore. I've found my soul mate." Lily grinned. "Consider it a thank you for saving my cousin."

Draco still stared at Lily. Finally, he said, "Thank you. I have to leave now."

Lily nodded. "It was a pleasure meeting you, Draco. I hope someday we meet again."

Draco forced a small smile. I doubt that will happen. "Me too." He turned and hurried down the lane he'd followed to come to this place. I hope I find my way home.

Draco sat straight up, chest heaving. He looked round himself. He was back in his bed, the curtains drawn, the sheets resting around his waist. It was only a dream. The pocketknife was now sitting beside him on top of the sheets, still open and at the ready. Draco picked it up. At the movement, something beside him stirred. Draco turned quickly and stared.

A shadowy figure sat up next to him, the sheets sliding down their chest.

"Draco? Are you alright?"

"Potter? How did- What are- Where did you come from?" Draco's eyes were now the size of dinner plates as he stared at his enemy-turned-bedmate.

Harry looked at the sheets sheepishly. "I snuck in." Draco raised an eyebrow, a silent gesture to make the boy continue. "I've been coming here to watch you sleep for the last month. I've never actually fallen asleep here before. But-" Harry stopped, and finally his eyes met Draco's. Harry took a deep breath. "You were laying here, asleep, and it looked like you were having a bad dream, tossing and turning. I covered you up, but that didn't seem to calm you down. You kept saying 'No. Don't.' So- Erm. I got under the covers with you and held you. After a while you calmed down. I must have fallen asleep here." Harry looked back down at the sheets, looking even more sheepish.

Draco gaped at Harry, bewildered. "You've been watching me sleep? For a month? Why? Why would you do that?"

"Draco, I'm going to tell you something, and I doubt you're going to like it, but I need to tell you, for my own sanity." Harry took another deep breath, obviously trying to calm himself. "Draco Malfoy, I think I'm in love with you."

Draco's jaw dropped. Harry Potter just told me that he is in love with me. What do I do? "Really?" he asked, stunned.

Harry nodded. "Really."

Draco stared down at his hands. He had no idea how to take it. Then he felt something inside himself tell him to look up. His eyes raised again and met the same green eyes he'd seen in his dream. That's when he knew. He knew that this moment was going to change his life. Harry was in love with him. And Draco, after thinking about it, realized that he loved Harry too. Draco leaned in and placed a soft kiss on Harry's lips.

After Draco pulled back again, he opened his mouth to speak, but Harry put one finger on Draco's lips. "Draco?"

"Yes?"

Harry smiled. "Can we go back to sleep now?"

Draco smiled back. A real smile. "Sure, Harry." Draco grabbed the pocketknife, and closed it. I won't need this anymore. He put it on the bookcase built into his headboard. He smiled again at Harry. My own saving grace.

The pair settled themselves back into the Slytherin's pillows. One of Harry's arms slid around Draco's waist and Draco snuggled in. When he moved, he felt something cold and metal slide across his chest. He reached under his tee shirt and pulled out something silver and glowing crimson. It was the same necklace that he had seen in his dream.

That was a dream…

Wasn't it?