Draco Malfoy and his Unknown Fate:

Author's Notes: This is definitely one of my favorite chapters. And it's hot of the presses so to speak, so if there's any mistakes that have slipped by me make sure to let me know. Oh and the phrase 'Look at a gift broom's twigs' is my own creation and the wizarding version of 'Look a gift horse in the mouth'. And if you think anyone's out of character keep in mind the fact they're very weary and then tell me why, because I'm curious like that.

Warnings for this chapter: Language probably. And a bit sap.

Disclaimer: The characters in this story belong to J.K. Rowling. I'm merely borrowing them for the time being. This is slash. (Whoops, about time I fixed that!) Don't like it? Don't read it. Otherwise, enjoy.

After making themselves suitable for public (or as suitable as possible in any case), Draco called the Knight Bus. He let Harry deal with the driver who seemed fairly familiar with the Boy Who Lived and went in search of a soft bed. Draco had no desire to converse with a bus driver, but the Gryffindor seemed happy enough doing it, though to be honest Harry didn't make much sense with the effects of his recent orgasm still influencing him. Harry's voice drifted up to Draco and the blonde was amused to note the driver didn't understand much of what Harry was going on about either.

After a few minutes Harry abandoned the rather disjointed conversation in favor of locating Draco. He found the other boy reclining in a bed on the top story of the double-decker bus and joined him, curling around Draco's lax body. He pressed a kiss to the corner of Draco's mouth and laid his head against the Slytherin's shoulder. The tousled hair tickled Draco's skin, but he paid it no mind.

"Mmm." Harry sighed, tucking his head under Draco's chin casually. "What exactly are we now?" The Gryffindor asked quietly, musing out loud.

Draco stroked the back of Harry's neck, petting the soft skin and wild hair at the nape of his neck. He was startled that Harry was suddenly so affectionate, but no doubt the endorphins racing through his blood stream helped. At any rate, Draco was not one to look at a gift broom's twigs. "What do you mean?"

"Well. What should I call you? My boyfriend?" The Slytherin snorted his amusement.

"If you want. Though it sounds a bit ridiculous. Draco Malfoy is Harry Potter's boyfriend." He tried it out, finding that the words fit awkwardly on his tongue. The very idea was ludicrous. It brought to mind images of Draco proffering flowers and chocolates and generally making a fool of himself. "I prefer the term lover, I think."

"Oh." Harry was quiet for a moment. "But we aren't yet, are we? Lovers. I mean." And Draco could practically feel the heat from Harry's blush as the Gryffindor's words faltered. "We've fooled around, but we haven't had sex."

"Sure we have. Oral sex is still sex, isn't it? We haven't had intercourse is what you mean. But we will." Draco said complacently, still caressing the back of Harry's neck.

Harry's voice was choked when he spoke. "If I wasn't so very, very tired I'd probably take that as an offer, but as it is…" He shook his head, his cheek rubbing against Draco's collar bone. "I don't know how you do that. The things your voice can do to me - it's so unfair. And you weren't even trying that time!"

"It's a gift." Draco thought for a moment and smirked. "Well, that and you're a horny little bugger."

"Draco!" The Slytherin was delighted that he could still provoke that scandalized tone from the other boy and he snickered, tangling his legs with Harry's.

"Oh, don't give me that. The rest of the world might buy that innocent act, but really. You just had my cock in your mouth. Think about that for a moment."

Harry did. "Grphmunkle."

Draco leaned back and looked at Harry incredulously, raising one eyebrow. The other boy seemed to be beyond verbal communication at the moment from the memory. "Right. Just this once I'll give you the benefit of the doubt and chalk it up to sleep deprivation and not to you being a twit again."

"You always say the sweetest things." Harry joked, flashing Draco a lopsided smile.

The Slytherin smirked back. "Don't I though?"

There was a moment of comfortable silence between them, the gentle puttering of the Knight Bus' engine a soothing backdrop. Finally, the dark haired boy spoke up. "So, now that we have the time you can tell me how you can speak to snakes. I'm almost dying of curiosity."

Draco brandished his left hand, displaying the snake ring. "This is how. It gives the wearer the ability to speak Parseltongue. It only works for a true Slytherin, though. It was a Christmas gift from Zabini." Harry shifted a bit, his brow furrowed.

"Speaking of which… are you going to tell your Slytherin friends? About us, I mean."

"Yes. Why wouldn't I?"

Harry looked concerned. "I just don't know if that's a good idea. Crabbe and Goyle… Well, they don't seem to be the sort who would take it well." Draco was amused. Apparently, even the Boy Wonder of the wizarding world couldn't see through the larger boys' carefully crafted façade of complete stupidity.

"They may not seem like the sort, but they are. They've tolerated our friendship, haven't they? And they've known about my sexual preference for a long time. Personally, I'm more worried about Zabini. The smug git will be telling me 'I told you so' for the next three months. And Pansy. Merlin, she'll be laughing her arse off for years about this."

"I don't think I'll ever understand Slytherins." Harry said, shaking his head with looking baffled.

Draco had to laugh. "You're not supposed to Harry. That's the point of being a Slytherin."

"I'll take your word for it." The Gryffindor laid his head back down on Draco's shoulder once more. Apparently, Harry was one for cuddling. Not that Draco minded. Harry was always so warm, having the Gryffindor curled up against his side wasn't only enjoyable, it was comfortable too.

"What about you? Are you going to tell Granger and the Weasel? Weasley I mean." Draco corrected himself with a roll of the eyes when the other boy shot him a look.

Harry lifted his head again and bit his lip. "I probably should tell Hermione. She'll figure it out soon enough and she'll just be angry with me for not telling her when she does. Ron though. I want to wait a bit before I tell him about us. Let him get used to the idea we're friends first. I mean, yeah. That's how it's been for a while, but he thinks you're just messing with my head. I want Ron to understand the fact you're not trying to trick me or anything like that before I let him know that we're more than friends. You're okay with that aren't you?" Harry asked anxiously. "I'm not ashamed of you or anything, you know that right? I'm going to tell him, just not yet is all."

Draco was pleased that the Gryffindor was making an effort to ensure that Draco was all right with the situation. Evidently, Harry had learned his lesson from his last big mistake and was attempting to forestall any future ones. His concern was not only flattering, it was heartwarming. "That's fine. I think a bit of discretion is called for at the moment, anyway. Eventually, people will have to know, but for now it's probably not a good idea to announce it to the world. I can just see the headlines it would make. 'Harry Poofter - the Boy Who Loves Cock.' What do you think? Catchy, isn't it?"

Harry glared. "I think you're having far too much fun with this."

Draco leaned in and nuzzled against Harry's cheek, letting his lips brush Harry's ear. "You know you love it. Don't you? You like to be teased." He took the opportunity to tease at the lobe of Harry's ear with his tongue before whispering again. "And taunted. And played with." He bit down gently, gratified at the soft noise Harry made when he did so. "Can I play with you, Harry?"

"Sure. Anything… You want. Mmmm." Harry's breathless voice was wavered before turning into a wordless murmur when Draco began making his way down Harry's jaw with gentle love bites. The Gryffindor turned his head and they kissed slowly, languidly moving their mouths as if they had all the time in the world. It wasn't rushed and urgent, like their previous kisses had been, but almost lazy with an underlying tenderness Draco hadn't though himself capable of.

He mapped out the other boy's mouth, taking careful note of Harry's reactions to everything he did and caressing the back of one broad shoulder with his free hand. The other was cupping the back of Harry's head, his fingers tangled in untamed locks of black hair. Draco grew drunk on the rich, slow kisses, letting Harry take the lead and soaking up each caress and every bit of affection lavished on him. It was nice, kissing for the sake of kissing and Draco suddenly realized it was an art in and of itself. One that Harry seemed to have mastered.

Sometimes it seemed as if the two of them were pieces of the same puzzle and the world only made sense when they were together. And the way they fit together so easily seemed to reflect that. The kisses grew shorter and then stopped altogether, though their cheeks stayed pressed together. Draco moved his head slightly, rubbing his cheek against the soft skin of Harry's and relishing the sensation. His eyelashes fluttered and closed slowly as exhaustion finally got the better of him. With a tiny yawn he burrowed down next to Harry and let himself slip into slumber, feeling safe and precious in a way he had not for a very long time.

To be Continued

Comments and constructive criticism are more than welcome.