Chapter Twenty-Four

The Worried

After finding the information about Tyr and his Talisman, everyone was slightly on edge about Draco's predicament. Harry was worried about Draco, and made sure all the time that the tattoo-like talisman was still marking the pale chest. The last day of the year dawned and Harry checked again for the marks of the talisman.

Still there. Good. Harry looked at the pale face of his still-sleeping boyfriend. He is beautiful. Harry put out a hand and pushed the soft hair from Draco's face. Draco stirred and leaned into the touch. The sparkling sapphires were again uncovered as Draco woke. Smiles lit the faces of the two prefects as their eyes met for the first time that day.

"Morning, Dray."

"Mmm." Draco slid his arms around Harry and pulled him close. Harry snuggled in happily and smiled into Draco's neck.

"You know," he said. "We should get out of bed and down to breakfast."

Draco grumbled, closing his eyes again. He pulled Harry closer with one hand and tugged the Gryffindor's sheets over his head with the other. Harry chuckled.

"Ah ah ah. Nope. I saw your eyes open. That means you're awake. So get your lazy bum out of bed. Or else." Harry poked at Draco's ribs to emphasize and grinned. The blonde grumbled again and snuggled further under the sheets. Harry slid out of the Slytherin's grasp and off the bed. He walked to the end of the bed and did the one thing he knew would get Draco up.

Draco yelped as the blankets and sheets were torn off his body and he was left laying on the bed in his boxer shorts. Harry smirked as he watched Draco curl into the fetal position and shivered. "Up," he cried cheerfully.

Draco's eyes opened again and he turned to Harry. Harry almost cringed at the sight of the Malfoy sneer. He was so used to seeing a smiling Draco that he all but forgot how angry those eyes could be.

Harry recovered from the look and grinned again at his boyfriend. "I warned you. This," said Harry, holding up the blankets that were now draped across his arms. "This is the 'or else' we discussed."

Draco grumbled yet again and rolled himself to the edge of the bed.

"There's a good boy," said Harry. He dropped the bed clothes at the foot of the bed and moved to stand in front of Draco. He placed a soft kiss on the cranky teen's nose.

Draco looked up at Harry groggily. "You are an evil bastard. It's a wonder you weren't sorted to Slytherin." Harry looked away. "What?" asked Draco.

"I almost was," whispered Harry, still not looking at Draco.

"What did you say?" Harry could feel Draco's eyes burning into his cheek. Harry cursed himself for saying anything.

"Never mind." Harry turned away from Draco to get ready for the day. But Draco caught his hand.

"No, you're not getting out of this so easy, Harry. You've got too many secrets holed up in that pretty little head of yours." Draco forced Harry to turn back to him and pushed the Gryffindor's face up so they could be eye to eye. Harry kept his eyes averted. "Harry, look at me." Harry finally turned his eyes on Draco. "Out with it. What did you mean when you said you almost were a Slytherin?"

Harry took a deep breath. He stared at Draco, and knew that there was no way he was going to get out of this. He launched into the story of their sorting and how he begged the Sorting Hat not to sort him into Slytherin. He explained how he'd heard only bad things about the wizards that came from Slytherin. "And then you were sorted into Slytherin. And you had been such a bastard in the robes shop before school, and that day on the train. So I asked the Sorting Hat to put me anywhere but Slytherin."

The entire time Harry was speaking, Draco's eyes were getting wider and wider. "I can't believe you were almost a Slytherin," he said finally. "Damn."

"Yeah." Harry turned away from Draco and walked to his wardrobe. "I never told anyone that. Except for Dumbledore, that is."

When Harry turned back to the bed, Draco was sitting on the edge again. He was shaking his head. "What?" asked Harry.

"I'm just thinking." Draco looked at Harry. "Life would have been a lot different if you and I were in the same house." The blonde shook his head again, tiny wisps of hair falling into his face. "So many ways life could have been different." Draco looked up at Harry. "We could have been friends all this time. We could have had things so much differently. It's simply amazing."

Harry crossed to Draco and plopped the clothes he'd picked for the day on the bed next to Draco. Draco's hands landed on Harry's hips.

"Life is amazing." Harry smiled. "Life is just a jumble of choices we make. It is simply a series of moments. And it can change within seconds."

Harry sighed and continued. "There's an old muggle saying. 'Third time's a charm.' We muddled up the first two tries. Then we got our third try and look where it's taking us. This is our third chance." Emeralds caught sapphires and held them in an passionate gaze. A tan hand reached up and rested on a pale cheek. "Two and a half months ago, my entire world was flipped on its end. And Draco, I thank all the gods in the heavens for that night. Because now that I have you, I am complete. I am whole. And I am happy, truly happy, for the first time in my life. And it is because my life has changed. Again."

Emeralds smiled at sapphires. "If life were different when we were younger, this," Harry motioned to the two of them. "This may have never happened. You and I may have never come to this point. We might have never known this happiness." Harry's other hand came up and rested on the vacant cheek.

"Draco, I have had a lot of shit happen to me in my life. But that shit has made me who I am." Harry sent Draco his lopsided smile. "Hell, half the shit was from you." Draco looked away for a second, guilty. But then Harry retrieved his attention. "But Draco, you have helped shape my life. And I am grateful. I like who I am. And I love who you are. And life is really amazing. Because of you."

A single tear broke free from its prison in Draco's eye, and tried to escape down his cheek. Harry caught it with his thumb and brushed it away. "Yes, life could have been different. But I like the way things have turned out. I wouldn't change a thing."

Harry then closed the distance between them and placed a soft kiss on Draco's waiting lips. They were so involved in the kiss that they didn't hear the door open.

"Oh come on, guys. Would you two get dressed already!" Ron shook his head as he walked to his own wardrobe. "You'd think you hadn't seen each other all ruddy night!"

Harry and Draco broke apart and looked at each other, matching smirks on their lips. Well there goes that Kodak moment, thought Harry. They rolled their eyes at the redhead. Harry grabbed the clothes he'd set down on the bed and Draco walked over to Harry's wardrobe. After grabbing some of his own clothes out, Draco closed the doors. "I think," said Draco, "that it is time for a bath."

"Indeed," agreed Harry. "Prefects' bathroom?"

Draco nodded and, after they each pulled on a big terrycloth robe and slipped on matching slippers, they started off to the bathroom. As Harry was at the door, he stopped and looked over his shoulder at his best friend.

"Ron, we may be a bit late to breakfast."

"Ugh, Harry. Please!" groaned Ron, looking disgusted. "I just don't want to know. Make sure you're out before lunch, alright? I don't want to have to witness a couple of prunes eating."

Harry winked. "I'll see what I can do."


~*~*~*~

Draco plopped down next to Vin and grinned. "G'morning."

"Draco, it's twelve thirty-seven. It's not morning anymore," said Greg, from across the table. "You look quite cheery, though."

Vin nodded in agreement. "Everything is alright with the, um." He gestured to his own chest at about the same place as the talisman had been implanted in Draco. "You know."

"Yes," replied Draco. "Everything is fine. And I owled Dumbledore about everything we found yesterday."

"Good," said Vin. "So I suppose we don't want to know where you and Harry were for breakfast."

"Unless you want all the exhilarating details of our snogging session, then no." Draco grinned at the pair of grossed-out Slytherins sitting next to him. "So how was your morning?"

"Oh, same old thing." Greg shrugged. "But Ol' Man Dumbly said he was going to make an announcement after lunch was over."

Draco raised an eyebrow and looked past Harry, who was sitting on his other side, to the wrinkled and fuzzy face of the headmaster. I wonder what this is all about… Draco shrugged and moved to grab a sandwich off the plate in front of him.

Hermione leaned toward Draco from Harry's other side. "Everything's alright, Draco?"

"Yeah, are you feelin' okay?" asked Ron, sitting across from Draco.

Draco swallowed the bite of ham and cheese still in his mouth. "Yes, guys. I'm okay. Ask Harry. He did a thorough inspection of me this morning." Draco winked at Harry, who turned a brilliant shade of red.

"He's fine, guys," said Harry, elbowing Draco.

"Ow!" cried Draco. He poked Harry back. "It's not they didn't know where we were this morning."

Harry blushed again. "There's no need to flaunt it, Dray."

"Why not?" Draco slipped a hand into Harry's lap. "I am qoute proud of the fact that we're together! I want to flaunt it as much as possible while I still have the chance!"

Harry put his hand on top of Draco's to prevent Draco from getting a case of the 'Roman Hands.' "Well, fine. You're right. Flaunt while we can, I guess."

Before Draco knew what was happening, Harry grabbed his face and pulled him in to a kiss. Draco was extremely surprised, but happily returned the gesture, slipping his tongue between Harry's lips. Unbeknownst to them, all eyes had turned to them and were watching intently. They enjoyed the kiss for a few moments until a shadow fell on them and they heard a throat clearing. They seperated reluctantly and looked up.

There was Professor Snape with his arms crossed tightly over his chest. Draco and Harry exchanged a half-amused, half-worried look before looking back up at the professor.

"Will you two boys kindly keep that to non-mealtimes? I don't believe everyone enjoys seeing a pair of boys snogging during their lunch," sneered Snape. The couple blushed.

"Yes sir," they mumbled together. They turned back to their meals. So did the Great Hall's patrons.

When everyone had their fill of the food on the table, and enjoyed their desserts, the food vanished as always. Dumbledore stood and faced the small gathering.

"Well, ladies and gentlemen. Today is the last day of the year, as you all know. I have decided that it would be fun to have a New Year's Eve party for all of us." The small group looked at each other, grinning. "I believe it would be nice for us to bond a bit and enjoy the company of each other in a relaxed fashion. It will start tonight at ten o'clock. I hope you all attend, as it should be great fun. That is all for now. Have a nice day, everyone."

Everyone stood then and started to chat about the party. Draco turned to his housemates. "I wonder what 'fun' Dumbledore has in store for us."

"We'll just have to wait and see." Harry leaned over Draco's shoulder and placed a kiss on his cheek. Draco smiled back. This is going to be interesting.

~*~TBC~*~