Author's notes: I do not own Harry Potter nor associates. Explanations for new terms/spells/magical items are at post-fic author's notes. Please review.

Thanks Miss Lesley for review. Will keep that mind for future work. Tried to salvage the situation in this chapter, wondering if it worked.

That night, Draco concocted the potion meant for Lucius and contained it in a vial. The next morning, he would send it home for his father. He found it hard to contain the excitement, and at the same time, worried about the potency of the potion. Draco could not fall asleep, hence decided to consult the accostrome.

"Will Lucius Malfoy survive?" Draco was not sure if he could address Lucius as Father, fearing that the accostrome would not know who he was referring about.

"Do you want him to?" The words flashed across the molten metal, and pierced straight into Draco's heart. The accostrome did not lie, as far as anything is concerned. Draco was truly torn between praying for his father's recovery and the chance to be detached from Voldemort. He knew that once his father recovered, the Dark Lord would request for Draco to receive the dark mark. If his father resumed work under Voldemort, the latter would most definitely come to know about Draco's new powers and the change in him, and the consequences would be dire.

"What will happen to Harry and me if he recovers?" Convinced by the all-knowing of the accostrome, Draco put complete trust in the prophetic abilities of the accostrome.

"There is a time for everything; there is a place for everyone. No two can share the same niche." Draco was dumbfounded. What did the accostrome mean?

"Harry. Are you awake?" Draco asked, he needed an answer.

"Yes. Why?" The Gryffindor had not been able to sleep either. Not after the revelation of his impending death this morning.

"The accostrome. It just told me, 'there is a time for everything; there is a place for everyone. No two can share the same niche.' Do you have any idea what it means?" Draco asked, his mind boggling with questions that needed to be answered.

A long pause came after that, for Harry had a hard time rationalizing himself. He was clueless if he should tell Draco about the Rose of Miztgral, and his dream.

"Harry? Are you there?" Draco's voice broke Harry's chain of thoughts.

"Yes, yes," Harry hemmed. "Draco. Listen to me, I think... I think that one of us will die."

A dead silence was observed next, Harry could hear the soft snores from Ron, and Draco, the crickets' noise. Both found it hard to accept this, the accostrome had just reassured Harry of his doubts, and Harry had just answered Draco's burning question. The two were overwhelmed with unspoken emotions.

"You knew this long ago, right?" Draco questioned.

"Yes." Harry gave what would have like a mutter in a real spoken dialogue.

"Why didn't you tell me? Why did you have to lie to me?" Draco, evidently worked up, shouted, both using his mind as well as his mouth. Draco drove his fist hard into the wall, flaring up at the thought of Harry lying to him.

"Draco, listen, I'm sorry. I didn't want you to know, I didn't want you to get worried." Harry seemed to mutter again, for he was guilt-ridden. He hated it when people lied to him, yet he himself committed that very grave mistake. Harry's world seem to be collapsing; he has the weight of the world on his shoulders, his life is coming to an end and even by then, he might not have killed Voldemort, and now, he has lied to the person that mattered most to him. Harry broke down, weeping into his pillow to muffle his cries.

Upon hearing Harry's bleak excuse, Draco's grey eyes widened with anger, scowling at random furniture in his room. "Get worried? And let me die without knowing what exactly happened?" Draco shouted. Flopping down on a green velvet couch, Draco tried hard to bring down his heart rate, for his heart pounded hard in his chest, threatening to force its way out. Draco could not understand why Harry had to keep a matter of such importance from him. Was it because Harry did not trust him? Or was it because Harry did not regard him as a soul mate that he can share secrets with? At such thoughts, Draco doubled over from a pain in his middle. A deep, throbbing pain radiated through his midriff, causing him to groan uncontrollably.

"Draco. Because it is me. I am the one who is meant to die." Gathering his thoughts, Harry had trouble putting across this to Draco. He was clueless about how he should put the idea across, his tactlessness had already caused the rift between the two.

"What?" Draco would have wanted to respond more vehemently to what Harry said, but his pain caused him to blackout.

"Draco? Draco? Are you there? Are you all right?" Harry evidently sensed Draco's plight, and without a second of delay, Harry left the Gryffindor dormitory under his invisibility cloak and fled for the Slytherin dungeon. He burst into the dungeon and headed for Draco's room.

"Alohomora!" Harry unlocked Draco's door and darted straight in. Seeing the blonde fallen and stationery on the ground, Harry felt a rush of emotions through him. Blinking through his bleary eyes, Harry picked up the blonde, hugging him. At that split second, Harry wished that time could turn and he could have continued lying to Draco- betray it might be, but at least ignorance is bliss. Then, it would be even better if he could turn time back to the first day their lives were change- the day Draco caught him wandering in the castle to meet at Hagrid's. Harry's shaky hands held his wand, as he was about to attempt a waking charm on Draco. Tears streamed down his cheeks, just as how the Slytherin's blonde hair spilled over his face. "Draco... you cannot die... at least hold out while I bring you to the hospital wing," Harry pleaded, his voice croaky from the tears. "Please Draco... you cannot die... it's all my fault. Wake up so that you can hit me. Wake up so that you can continue torturing me. Torment me if you want, just wake up! I can't possibly go on without you... I need you badly, please..." This time, Harry's world had really crushed down on him. Whether he could defeat Voldemort did not matter anymore, for Draco IS his world. Throwing Draco's arm over his shoulder, Harry helped Draco up onto his feet and tried to bring them both to the door when he felt a hand grab his neck. Not a powerful grip, but one significant enough to stun Harry.

"I could strangle you for betraying my trust," Draco whispered with much effort, his eyelashes a thick matt that covered his partly opened eyes.

Harry brought the weak Draco to his bed and lay him down. Still in pain, Draco groaned and rolled over. He was breaking out in cold sweat, his lips parched and pale. The last time Draco was so sick was the time Hermione cast a morbus affero spell on him. It hurt Harry to see Draco in such state, his lips trembling once more, as tears rolled down.

"Silly you, why are you crying instead of trying to help?" Draco groaned, this time a little more audibly. That struck Harry, who at once did a medicorious charm, hoping fervently that it would work. Fortunately, Draco was suffering from an acute attack of gastritis, on top of his anger, which worsened the situation. His pallor gradually regained a pinkish glow, and Harry heaved a sigh of relief.

The two stared at each other for a moment, not moving. Their stare conveyed the same message- profess of their love for each other. The love shared between them needed no more affirmation- that night told everything. As Harry reach to help smoothen Draco's hair, Draco made a grab for his arm. Draco used Harry's muscular arm to help pull himself to a sitting position and continued to look him in the eyes.

"Were you serious when you said you needed me in your life?" Draco asked, the moving of his now luscious lips so enticing to Harry.

"Yes, and I love you." Harry, embarrassed of saying that aloud, forced the thought into Draco's mind. Harry cupped Draco's cheeks in his hand and brought himself nearer to the boy. Grazing his lips over Draco's, the two locked in a kiss, one that the two will never forget. The passion danced between them, as they embraced, pressing their bodies together. They remained in each other's arms till morning came, both smitten with pure love.

This is plain romantic chapter. More action and adventure in next chapter.
Thanks for support and please review.