Life, As Experienced Through Your Fingers

Gold-Snitcher

Chapter Five: Sensations of Warmth

Draco was relieved that Harry still had his keys on him from last weekend. Somehow having to detour up to the art floor would have ruined the spontaneity of it all, and Draco found that right now, the sense of throwing everything to the wind was exactly what was needed.

He had snatched the keys from Harry as they exited the school and Draco had dragged the willing boy to the parking lot where Harry had made another half-hearted attempt to find-out their destination. Draco had, of course, withheld all information but managed to get Harry into the car without difficulty and they had been cruising down the quiet country road in silence for about twenty minutes when they reached their destination.

Draco pulled the truck to the curb and turned the engine off, smiling a little at Harry before gesturing with his head that they were there. It was a small forest that Draco had found on one of his walks at the beginning of November and, with the snow still clinging to the branches, it looked like a winter wonderland. Harry shut his door and breathed deeply, a soft smile settling on his face before the expression disappeared and he glanced nervously at Draco. "Come on," Draco murmured, conscious of the need for quiet. Harry didn't say anything, but started walking.

They were well ensconced in the wood when Harry turned and looked at him with a resigned expression. Draco caught it out of the corner of his eye but said nothing. They walked a bit further when Harry looked sideways at him again and sighed. "I suppose you want to hear about it?" Harry asked, and it was Draco's turn to look sideways.

"Do you want to tell me?" Draco countered, and there was a pause where they just walked, listening to the snow crunching under their feet before Harry whispered.

"I just want to forget it."

Draco looked over at him again and sighed. "It's impossible to forget completely, but sometimes, if you talk about it, it heals the memory."

"Yes, into another scar." This was said bitterly, and Draco was startled by it. Harry stopped walking and looked up at the canopy of skeletal trees bearing the heavy weight of snow. Draco just watched him, not wanting to pester him or push him too far. Whatever Harry had to say, Draco was willing to hear. "It was last year. It lasted almost the entire year." Draco watched as Harry fidgeted a bit before turning and looking at him. "Tom had roomed with us before. You probably realized the entire section has been together pretty much since the beginning. The Headmaster is big on friendships and things forming within residence so, so long as there are no complaints, he doesn't shift people around."

Harry sighed and walked over to the tree, leaning up against the bark and running a hand through his hair. "It wasn't anything, at first. Tom was always a prat when it came to music and he'd always be teasing or tossing little barbs at me. That's what it was, just banter. But then, last year it became a lot more. I don't know why, the attacks became personal. Suddenly it wasn't just about people always saying I was good. He brought my parents into it, and the banter became full-out attacks on me and everything that meant anything to me. Not physical. Not at first."

"What did he say?" Draco asked, his voice was a bit choked but he was satisfied to note that it wasn't too obvious.

"It progressed. I mean, at first it was mainly that I was a spoiled little orphan. He'd make cracks about my parents, saying they were worthless. He would bring my brother into it. That always got to me. We'd end up in detentions together and that only made it worse. He'd pass notes and things so that, even when I was in class he could still get to me. Of course, I would never open the notes when they were obviously from him, so he started having the office deliver stuff to me under the pretense that it was from my uncle. Once it happened enough I went to McGonagall and showed her the messages, but since there was no proof tying him to the notes she really couldn't help, but I sorted out with Sirius a way to avoid Riddle as much as possible." He snorted and tilted his head back, closing his eyes tightly as if he were snagged in a memory. "Of course, I would still have to travel to class. And we still shared a room.

"I have a lot more spares, because of my curriculum, and he would skip classes with the specific purpose of finding me wherever I was in the school, and harassing me. When he was with his group, it would be verbal attacks, those were considerably easier, but not at all pleasant. Later it escalated to fights where they would see how many hits I could take before I couldn't fight back, or fell and couldn't get up on my own anymore. When he was alone, or with Peter, they were threats. He pinned me against a wall once, sometime in March, and by this point I was so upset with everything that he would say to me, and I actually believed some of it and it didn't matter what Ron told me because Ron was my friend and he was supposed to say things like that. So when he pinned me up against the wall, he reminded me that I was a slut because I needed contact. You know, touch just ... I don't know how to explain it but ..."

"You're a tactile person, I understand," Draco said and Harry smiled a little before he looked away.

"Yeah. I wasn't like that with him. Not ever. But he said that he was going to make it official. He was going to rape me right there, with Peter watching, but by that point I had taken to working in the Pit, just so that there was someone to keep track of me because I hated being alone by then, and Sirius, since I didn't show up, was looking for me. They ran away before they could be caught, but when I explained it to him he told the Headmaster, but there wasn't much to be done. I was going to be moved to a new room. I was set to move in the next day, but of course, Riddle was always a step ahead."

"What happened?"

"That night at the beginning of supper he got mashed potatoes on my shirt. I ran back to the res to change and he followed. He locked the door to the room and attacked me. I tried to fight back but he was really built and I really couldn't do much. I kept yelling at him to stop and pounding him with my fists and clawing at him but he got me onto the bed and ... and he got most of my clothes off and was ... doing things ... He sat back to take off my boxers and I got my leg free and I kicked him as hard as I could. He flew back and hit the wall and he was out. Blaise and Ron were there by that point, they didn't have a key but they had been pounding on the door and when I got the lock free they had called for the professors and the Headmaster and they came and Riddle was sent to the hospital. And that," Harry added, with a quirked eyebrow, turning to look at Draco directly, "Is why we all know how to pick locks."

Draco recalled the day Neville had been moping about his upcoming test and Harry had managed to get his way in to the room to comfort him. "What happened to Riddle?"

"I dunno. Once he was expelled, I was pretty certain that was the end of it, but it wasn't. He stalked me for a bit. He was able to do it because McLain was still at school so the little messages always got to me somehow. I saw him once more, but I was with Ron and he couldn't do anything. By that point the charges I made went through and he was sentenced. He was supposed to serve time somewhere. I don't really remember ... I don't really care," Harry said and Draco nodded. They stayed silent for a while and then Draco asked the question he had been wondering about since the day he had heard Harry and Ron arguing over a handshake three months ago.

"What about the violin? What else did McLain do?"

Harry looked at him darkly and sighed. "For being completely sloshed, Seamus managed to cover the key points," he muttered, and then, after another moment, "Riddle started it. Messages, little threats he would leave for me to find. One of them was my violin. He had smashed it and left the pieces in the case. The bow was snapped as well, and he'd put paint on it so it looked like blood. A stupid bloody rose on top of the whole mess, and a little reminder of what I was written on sheet music. The piece I'd been composing. McLain was Riddle's closest friend and he essentially felt the same way towards me. At least, he acted the same. He still tries to cause trouble but after Riddle, he can't do much on his own."

"I'm sorry I ever shook that bastard's hand," Draco muttered and Harry looked at him with surprise, and then he smiled. Draco was stunned by the sincerity and happiness that the smile radiated. He wondered how Harry could possibly be happy but brushed it aside. This, after all, was Harry. "Come on," Draco said, extending his hand. "I know the perfect cure to wash away the rest of these memories."

Harry rolled his eyes, but accepted the hand tentatively. "It better not be something Seamus would recommend," he mumbled with a grin.

"Where were you?" Blaise asked without looking up from the book he was reading.

"I was posting a letter," Ron said, sounding a bit defensive.

"The lovely Hermione?" Ron flushed and Blaise had his answer. "How doth the lady fair?" Blaise said in a pompous voice, lowering the book and smirking at Ron.

"Fine."

Blaise chuckled. "Well, say hello to her for me." Ron nodded and took a seat on one of the armchairs. They sat in silence for a bit and then Blaise lowered his book again. "Christmas break is coming up. I'm looking for an easy escape from my home-life. Care to offer me an escape route?" Ron turned red and Blaise found this reaction rather interesting.

"Sorry, my mum has gone especially sentimental this year. She's called-back all my brothers to celebrate. I don't think she'd look too well on my bringing a friend. It would distract me from all the family re-bonding we're expected to be doing."

Blaise laughed then sighed. "Nothing for it, then. I'll just have to brave the depths of hell."

"You're being a little over-dramatic."

"You've never met my parents."

"True."

Draco pulled in to the small parking lot and quirked an eyebrow at the quiet boy who sat next to him. The drive had been full of comfortable conversation. Draco realized that he wanted now, more than ever, to let Harry know how he felt but he wondered if it would be too much all at once. He sighed quietly to himself and glanced over at Harry, pleased to see a small smile creeping on to his face as he looked at the familiar building. "On a school night?" Harry asked with a hint of teasing that made Draco even more relieved.

"Yes, Harry. A wise man once told me that there was very little that couldn't be cured with a night out and some dancing."

"I believe that 'Wise Man' said alcohol and a very tall glass."

"True, well. I don't think Seamus can be trusted too thoroughly," Draco said flippantly, and Harry grinned. They were at the same club that they had visited with Hermione. They got out of the car, trudged through the snow and breathed a shared sigh of relief when the warmth of the club washed over them.

Since it was early there were not many people there, but there were enough to make the atmosphere comfortable and Draco found a booth and they slipped in to it. They sat quietly, just listening to the music and sipping their drinks, Harry with a Coke and Draco with an Iced Tea that had already been refilled once. He was trying to figure-out what he should be doing, what the best approach was, but it all seemed too complicated and his head had started spinning.

"What are you thinking?" Harry asked, seeing the confused expression on Draco's face.

"I don't know, actually. My head is spinning." Harry looked at him curiously, then nodded, as if he knew exactly how that felt. Draco suddenly remembered something that Harry had said earlier and he felt a little more dizzy. He wondered if perhaps he was being a bit crazy, but brushed it off. A bit of crazy was essential in everyone's life. "Do you want to dance?" he asked, and Harry sat back in surprise before his eyes darted out to the dance floor where he scanned the people.

"Er." Draco smiled at the hesitant look. It was the most hopeful thing he had seen in a long while. He extended his hand over the table top, grinning inwardly when Glenn Miller's Moonlight Serenade began to play, the perfect song, he couldn't have dreamed of one better.

"Come on," he said, and Harry tentatively accepted the hand.

Moving out onto the dance floor, Draco wasn't at all concerned with the people around him. They weren't bothering them, and for that he was grateful, it made them easier to ignore. He let Harry stand a bit apart from him, though he desperately wanted to pull him closer. He felt Harry relax a little and smiled to himself. "You're nervous about being near people because of what he said, aren't you?" he whispered, and Harry tensed slightly before sighing and relaxing again before looking up at him.

"Yes, that and the memories."

"Why not me, then?" Draco asked, and Harry frowned, he blushed lightly and Draco discovered that when Harry blushed the bridge of his nose coloured slightly as well. He found it quite endearing.

"I never felt nervous around you ... I don't know why," Harry whispered thickly, as if his throat were constricted. Draco couldn't help pulling Harry right up against him and grinning.

"I'm glad."

Draco rushed into the common room and tossed his bag on the sofa. He was still tired from last night, he and Harry had not gotten back until late, but it was a contented sort of exhaustion that was oddly pleasing. He had actually been able to concentrate in class and the tapping had long been forgotten and replaced with a distracted look that would flit across his face, or sometimes settle for a few moments.

It was his break and he was eager to complete the history paper that kept being put-off amidst the little drama that was his life. He plunked-down onto the couch and pulled out his notes and a pen and was just about to start some serious cramming when the door opened again. It was Blaise. "You have class."

"I skipped it," Blaise said with a shrug.

"Slacker," Draco muttered and Blaise laughed and sat down on one of the armchairs.

"I'm not the one frantically trying to complete a paper for a class. I'm the one who is so on-top of things that I can ignore class."

"Right," Draco said, and tried to concentrate, when Blaise kept shifting around and smirking at him Draco decided that he wasn't going to make any progress until he humored Blaise. "How was your date?"

"Fabulous. We're going out again. She said I have very lovely eyes."

"Charming," Draco muttered sarcastically. Blaise was still smirking at him and he wondered what his problem was.

"How was yours?"

"My what?"

"Your date. Last-night. With Harry. Was it that memorable?"

Draco cursed his fair complexion as a blush was creeping on to his cheeks. "It wasn't a date. I spoke with him, which, I will remind you, you asked me to do."

And?" Blaise prompted.

"And it went fine."

Blaise looked at him closely and Draco stopped himself from shifting in discomfort. "You should tell him, Draco."

Draco sighed. "I know, but it seemed a bit much to say, "Well, I'm happy you didn't get molested and that bastard was put-away where he deserves to be but I'm sorry you had to go through all of that shit, and I'm sorry to hear about your violin but listen, I like you and wonder if you'd want to go out with me?" We had a nice night. That's enough, for now."

Blaise shrugged. "I'm just saying ..."

"I know. But really, it's fine."

"Fine. Where are you going for Christmas?"

"Nowhere."

"What?"

Draco shrugged. "I'm staying here. My father told me when I started here that he has a business trip going on and my mother was busy with something, so I'm staying here over the holidays."

Blaise grinned. "You better tell him before the holidays so you have three entire weeks to kiss him under the mistletoe."

"You're sick, you know that? You should seek some help."

Draco had set aside an hour each day, in between his last class, and dinner to play the piano. At the very least, it was a time to himself where he could think. At the moment, he was glaring at his music, the same Moonlight Sonata that he had played when Harry had left for his trip. He unconsciously played a few notes and sighed before a throat cleared from behind him and he startled, turning and looking behind him only to be greeted by Harry himself who had a thoughtful smile on his face. "You're doing it again," he scolded softly and Draco sighed.

"I don't know what else to do." Harry looked at him for a few moments before walking slowly over to the piano where Draco was seated. Draco was half-hoping that the boy would drop-down onto the bench beside him. Since their night-out, he and Harry had been a bit uncertain around each other. Draco knew it was up to him to make the next move, but since he had no idea what to do and when a good time to do it would be, he sometimes hoped that Harry would make a move and relieve the pressure.

Harry pulled up the rolling chair that Professor Snape used in lessons, and sighed. "Play a few lines," Harry said, his voice was quiet and Draco was thankful that he understood the need to preserve the surreal quality of the room. Draco liked to pretend that he was in another world, because he knew he would be safe there.

With a suspicious glance at Harry, Draco played a few bars and felt the familiar chill, something which turned into a slow burn when Harry picked-up his right hand and held it in both of his, carefully massaging it. "Where's your head when you're playing?"

"Where it should be. Always a few bars ahead of what I'm playing," Draco replied, remembering a piano lesson from long ago.

"It's on the music," Harry said, as if he were pointing out the problem. Draco knew that this was the problem, but he didn't know what to do about that. Right then, he was too preoccupied with his right hand to care about asking how to play properly, and heaved a contented sigh. "You told me before that this piece was brooding." Draco looked back at the music. Yes, it could indeed be that, but somehow he wasn't satisfied with this. Draco didn't voice his dissatisfaction, instead he shrugged. "Then play it and make me believe that it's true." He dropped Draco's hand and Draco was about to complain when he realized he was supposed to be playing.

His hand was still tingling but he began the piece anyway. He found that he wasn't thinking about the notes, he was too preoccupied trying to force some ounce of feeling into the keys he was playing. He wondered if it indeed sounded brooding. He stopped when he noticed that Harry was looking at him thoughtfully. "What?" he asked.

"That's not it, is it? Maybe it was, once, but it's not anymore ..." This was murmured almost to himself and Draco sighed, wondering where Harry was going with this. Wondering why his right hand still felt warm.

"You play it. I'll understand better if you show me."

Harry shook his head. "I won't let you play on borrowed emotions. Close your eyes, your going to play it again. This time I don't want you to tell me what you think about or what you feel, I'll tell you. All I want you to concentrate on is the sound you hear, nothing else, and anything that comes into your head, just let it be. Nothing can touch you in here." The shiver that ran through him was electric. He was, in this time and place, completely untouchable.

He closed his eyes, taking a deep breath, and began to play.

He was surprised when memories flashed through his head. When he was a child, two or three, sitting at the dining room table and being scolded for not sitting straight, being locked in his room for half the day because he had gotten grass-stains on his clothes when he was playing. Sitting at the piano, when he was ten, and playing with his eyes closed, smiling, worshiping the keys, and getting smacked because he had been making-up his own music.

When he was just a small child, walking into the large room and watching his father play the grand piano and feeling so incredibly dwarfed and insignificant.

He had been playing this song, hadn't he? This very song, and when he had finished, he had sneered at him and told him never to come in to that room again.

And he had locked the door. Locked that beautiful piano away. But that didn't stop Draco, he would sit on his bed at night and close his eyes, hear the piece in his head, and imagine that he was sitting at that piano. Playing this piece. This very same piece.

When he opened his eyes he turned slowly to see Harry smiling softly. There was a bright look in his jade eyes as if he was completely struck by something. "What did you feel?" Draco asked, wondering what was behind that soft sheen that may or may not be unshed tears.

"Trapped, like being held back when escape was so close it could be tasted. Lonely, but not isolated. Longing. Longing more than anything else." Draco looked away and turned his attention to his fingers. He was just realizing that for the first time in a long, long time, he had really played. "What did you feel?" Harry asked, voice dropping close to a whisper.

"Warm," Draco replied, and he felt like smiling.

The letter in itself was small and unthreatening, but Draco shivered when he picked it up nonetheless, and that was because he knew the handwriting, and he could guess what it meant. He didn't want to open it, he wanted to stay at the school over the holidays with Harry. He wanted to laugh and pretend he was normal and be warm when he played.

He opened the letter and read it through slowly before taking a deep breath and tossing it in to the trash.

He ran-out of the room, anxious to find Harry.

It being early on a Saturday morning, the halls were completely empty, but Draco knew Harry was out there somewhere since he had not been in his room or the common room. He made it to the piano room when he heard it, the opening strands of the Allegro movement of Vivaldi's Concerto 6 in A minor.

He grinned, he had found Harry.

He made his way quickly over to the concert hall and opened the doors, immediately warmth flooded him and he shivered. The music was jarring in its lightness, the notes seemed to have taken on a physical form, hanging in the air like heady perfume. Draco felt disoriented, he seemed to forget what had shaken him. He walked slowly down to the stage, eyes half-closed watching as Harry swayed with the music. The music was so light and energetic and joyous that Draco stood there letting it wash over him. He somehow felt like crying but knew that was ridiculous.

He watched Harry play. How the slender fingers danced over the fingerboard, how he bent at the hips and rocked as his bow moved expertly over the strings. How he breathed, slow and with the music. He seemed to live for the music, everything moving in synch with it. He noticed the small smile on Harry's lips and was struck with sudden realization.

He stood, almost gaping when the piece ended and Harry opened his eyes and lowered his bow and violin to his side. Still smiling, he turned towards the aisle where Draco was standing. "Draco! I didn't see you there."

Draco blinked. Harry's mouth was moving but he didn't hear the words, he was still attempting to comprehend the sudden realization. "Draco?" Draco slowly raised his eyes to meet the concerned green pools. Harry was wearing contacts, he'd been doing that more often lately. Draco took a deep breath and was surprised that it was difficult to do. "Are you alright?"

Draco shook his head in dazed amazement. "I love you," he whispered and heard the sound of Harry's bow clattering to the floor.

It was snowing outside and Seamus was watching the flakes fall. He had always liked snowfalls, though he found the cold rather irritating, though it did supply a good reason to drink so it could not be completely bad. He sighed and looked over to Ron who had just come out of his room. Ron still hadn't forgiven yet, though Harry had. Seamus nodded, not wanting to risk dialogue only to find his polite 'hello' being used as a jumpstart to another argument.

"Seamus," Ron said, and Seamus smiled at him.

"Heya, Ron.""

"Look, I just want to say that I don't trust you, but ... but I forgive you."

"Really, Ron. If you're going to forgive me, you've got to do it all the way."

"No, I don't. You betrayed your promise. I can't trust you until you prove that you won't do it again. That you've learned. But I forgive you for hurting Harry because, well, it doesn't make much sense to hold the grudge when Harry's already forgiven you."

"Thanks Ron." Ron nodded and turned to go.

Blaise frowned and pushed the beans around on his plate. He was concentrating. Something had changed and he couldn't figure-out what. Harry had a small wistful smile on his face and he was talking animatedly with Ron and Neville. Draco was talking to Seamus and Dean and was laughing. But there was something ... "Hey, what's wrong, Blaise?"

"Nothing." He turned back to his meal, ignoring Dean's curious look and tried to figure-out what was different. He looked over at Draco again and nearly choked, Draco had an eyebrow quirked at him in a superior way and was smirking and then, without any reason, his body jerked to the left as if he had been hit and he looked sheepishly to his right where Harry was still engaged in conversation with Ron. Then Harry looked-up and smiled at Blaise and Draco sighed, turning back to Seamus with his usual expression on his face. What the hell was going on?

"Draco!" he called as everyone headed back up to res. Draco stopped and looked back at him. "Can I talk to you?" Blaise asked when he had caught-up to the blond. Draco shrugged. "Look," he asked as they started walking. "What's going on?" Draco looked at him with a blank expression, but his eyes were glittering. "I know something has changed, I want to know what." Draco looked up at the group ahead of them. Seamus was hiding behind Ron as Dean tried to chase him, probably to get revenge for something the Irish boy had just done. Neville and Harry were laughing and talking. "What's going on?" Blaise asked again, and Harry turned back to look at them. Draco turned to face Blaise, a small smirk on his face.

"Nothing," he said, and hurried to catch-up with the group.

"Bastard," Blaise muttered.

"Who's your favorite composer?" Draco asked, and Harry sighed, shifting against him so that his head could lie more comfortably on Draco's shoulder. It was midnight but neither of them had been able to sleep.

"Vivaldi."

Draco quirked an eyebrow. "Really? I wouldn't have thought." Harry shrugged and Draco rapped his arms more tightly around the boy's waist.

"Who's yours?"

Draco bit his lip. He had been conditioned to reply with Mozart, or Beethoven, but really, Draco had never really liked them that much. "Grieg."

Harry laughed. "I've always loved the Pyr Gynt Suite. What's your favorite piano piece?"

"I don't really have one. What about you?"

"Hm. I would have to say Claire de Lune."

"Debussy?"

Harry nodded. "I don't know, I've always liked it.."

Draco shrugged. "Favorite violin piece, then."

"Vivaldi's Concerto 6 in A Minor. The Allegro movement was what made me go in to violin."

Draco quirked an eyebrow. "Really?"

Harry nodded. "When I was really little my mum, for Christmas, bought me a tape, "Vivaldi's Ring of Mystery"." Draco laughed. "Shut up, I loved that tape. It was about a child, a violinist, who was orphaned and went to Venice to stay in an orphanage. She played the Allegro at one point, and right then I wanted to be able to play that piece. My mum noticed that I kept listening to that section of the tape all the time, and got me the cd that had that piece on it, along with the music and told me that this would be my goal. My dad booked me lessons and I started to learn the violin. Of course, I had to start on Twinkle Twinkle Little Star. God, that would drive me crazy because it was nothing like Vivaldi."

Draco laughed, picturing a young Harry playing Twinkle Twinkle with an intensity reserved for serious musicians. "What's your favorite piece?" Harry's question snapped him out of his thoughts.

"I've never really had one. Though, I think I do now."

"Really? Which is that?" Harry lifted his head to look Draco in the eye.

Draco grinned. "The same as yours, but for a different reason." Harry blushed and Draco took the opportunity to give him a kiss on his nose. They lay there for a while, sprawled-out on the couch in much the same way as they had in November. Draco had just begun to think that Harry was asleep when the boy sighed and spoke.

"We should tell Ron soon. He may pitch a fit but I don't see any reason to keep us secret. Unless you do?" Draco heard the nervous tone and lifted a hand, running it through the soft dark hair. He smiled to himself because this is exactly what he had been wanting to do for a very long time.

"No, I don't see any reason whatsoever." Harry let out a quiet breath and Draco kissed his head. "Do you want me to be with you when you tell him?"

"I don't know. Yeah, if you want. For all the banter you exchange, he does like you. He's just ..."

"Protective."

Harry nodded and then yawned. "Today was a good day." Draco laughed at this and they snuggled down in to the couch.

"I knew it!" Came a triumphant shout, and Draco opened an eye blearily. He was immediately confronted by a row of white teeth. He blinked again and the teeth moved back, allowing him to see Blaise's entire face.

"You have horrible morning breath," Draco whined, but Blaise still grinned. "Knew what?" Draco asked, when the words that had woken him sunk-in.

"That something was going on. You're doing it again." Blaise smirked.

"Doing what?" He shifted and realized it was difficult to do. He looked down and noticed that Harry was, once again, curled on top of him. He grinned. "Oh."

"Oh? That's all you have to say?" Blaise looked at the grinning boy and was dumbfounded. "When did this happen?" He tried to stop himself from shouting.

"Yesterday morning," Draco mumbled. "And stop shouting, he's still asleep." He lifted a hand and began to run his fingers through the ruffled hair. Blaise's shocked expression slowly turned into a huge grin.

"About bloody time. Were you planning on telling us anytime soon, or was this supposed to slip-by our notice?"

"We wanted to tell Ron first, since he's going to have the most difficulty."

Blaise nodded. "It won't be because he doesn't like you. He's just worried that Harry will get hurt or ..."

"WHAT THE HELL?!" Blaise and Draco winced and Harry sat bolt-upright looking around and catching sight of Ron immediately. "Harry? What happened?" Harry looked around as if he was trying to find the cause for Ron's outburst and immediately caught-sight of Draco who was looking at him calmly, waiting for a response.

Harry slowly smiled. "Morning," Harry whispered, and Draco smiled back, relief flooding him. If there had been an opportunity for Harry to back-down that had been it, and he hadn't.

"Morning."

"Harry!" Harry looked-up at Ron, and Blaise took the opportunity to slip-out of the common room, retreating to his bedroom where he pressed his ear against his door.

"Ron, morning." Harry smiled, and Ron just looked dumbfounded. "Want some coffee?" Ron blinked owlishly at him but nodded and Harry hopped up, making three coffees. "I'm sure you have a lot of questions but, well, I have something to tell you, first," Harry said with a small smile. Draco sat-up and watched as Harry poured the coffee and brought it over. Ron was waiting expectantly for Harry's news. "Draco and I are together. And before you get mad at me, it only happened yesterday morning, and I was going to tell you but, well, you were talking about Hermione all-day and there wasn't an opportunity for me to slip it in to the conversation. You're the first to know, though." Harry bit his lip, and Draco quirked an eyebrow in amusement. "Actually, I think Blaise was here earlier." He turned to Draco. "Does Blaise know?"

"Yes, he figured it out."

"I told you all those looks you were giving him at dinner would tip him off. Okay then, Ron, you're the second. But that's not through a choice of mine." Ron blinked again. He had not taken a sip of his coffee yet. "I know you're going to be upset, and that's fine, but ..."

"Don't tell me what I should feel!" Ron suddenly broke in. "Look, Harry, I don't know how you cant trust him so suddenly! He shook McLain's hand, remember?" Harry's mouth dropped open and Draco quickly took his mug away before he dropped it. He set both mugs on the table and was glad he did when Harry's hands suddenly clenched in to fists.

"I can't believe you! You were the one who was defending him before! And now you're throwing it back at him? He didn't know. You yourself said so! I can't ... it's just ... oh fuck it! You're unbelievable, Ron! How can you change on a dime like that?! No, just leave it!" Harry snapped when Ron tried to speak to him again. Instead, Harry stomped to his bedroom.

Draco looked at Ron. He knew he should be angry, but he wasn't. He understood Ron's protectiveness, understood it quite well because he felt the same way. Which was why he wasn't angry, he was too preoccupied with wanting to make sure Harry was okay. He stood and left, knocking quietly on Harry's door before opening it and stepping in.

"You're an idiot, you know that, right?" Ron's head shot up and he glared at Blaise.

"What?"

"You. Are. An. Idiot."

Ron nodded. "I thought that was what you'd said."

"It is. And it's true. Of all the things you could have said, you couldn't have been rational, could you?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean," Blaise said, sitting on the other armchair and taking Harry's mug that had been abandoned on the table. "That you couldn't just say that you were worried about him and wanted him to be happy, you had to launch a personal attack on Draco. Not even a well-founded one. You threw-back at them exactly what you had once defended Draco from at the beginning of the year."

"I don't know what I was thinking. It's just ... well, after Tom Harry's kept himself so distant and it just seemed so ..."

"If you're going to say sudden, I could smack you."

"Why not? He hasn't calmed down any? You remember how he used to be? He hasn't relaxed any about being around people."

"And he won't, Ron. But he has around Draco, and that's something. He needs someone who he can trust who can reach-out and touch him, and maybe after he gets hugged enough without a demand for something else, he'll ease-up a bit."

Ron sighed. "Do we even know that Draco won't demand something else?"

"If you saw how Draco looks at him, you'd trust him."

"How does he look at him?"

Blaise smirked. "Well, there are a lot of looks. Mostly he looks at Harry the same way Harry looks at him." Ron quirked an eyebrow. "With love, Ron."

Ron snorted, and then looked away. "I'd like to brush that off but, you know, I think I've seen it."

Blaise nodded. "And then there are the times when Draco looks at Harry the same way you do."

"How's that?" Ron asked, a bit defensively.

"Like you're going to rip the throat out of the next person who breaths in a way you don't approve of around Harry."

Ron grinned suddenly. "Draco does that?"

"Yes, he does."

"Good." He stood and, still grinning, looked back at Blaise. "I think I'll go give them my blessing then."

"Harry?" Harry looked up and rolled his eyes. "Harry, come on."

"I don't believe him." Draco was taken aback by the snarl. "How can he do that? When you first came, I said that exact same thing!" He stopped and bit his lip, turning back to Draco sheepishly. "Sorry, I mean, I didn't know you that well and ... well I trusted you and that scared me so I used whatever excuse I could find."

Draco nodded. "I understand."

"But he defended you. He has no right to say those things when he defended you!" Draco nodded and Harry, who had gotten dressed, fumbled with his shoe. "I know he worries about me. I told him to stop, but he won't. But now he's protecting me from something I need!" Draco sighed and walked over, kneeling down by Harry who was perched on the bed and took the shoe that Harry was attempting to wedge on to his foot. He slipped the shoe on and tied it up.

"Harry, calm down. You have to remember that to Ron, it is a shock. He didn't see us that day on the couch." Draco noticed that Harry blushed a bit. "And it's not as if we've been flirting or anything."

"How hypocritical. He and Hermione hadn't been either, but they've been corresponding as if they've been in a three year relationship. I never said anything about it."

"You, thankfully, are not Ron."

Harry snorted, and then laughed. "Unwanted mental imagine of you and Ron snogging."

Draco cringed. "That's taking my friendship with Ron a bit too far, thanks." But he laughed just the same. They were rolling on the floor in hysterics when the door opened.

"Harry?" Harry stopped laughing abruptly and sat up. "Harry, I just want to apologize for saying that stuff. It was stupid and I only did it 'cause," he caught sight of Draco and frowned. "Well, I was worried about you."

Draco looked at Harry for a reaction and Harry relaxed and smiled a bit. "I know."

"Good. Well, then. I'm happy for you, just ... be careful."

Harry nodded. "Thanks, Ron." He got up and gave Ron a hug which Ron returned before turning to leave. He suddenly turned back and glared at Draco.

"And if you hurt him in any way, I'll find you." Draco nodded solemnly and then, when the door shut was confronted by a grinning Harry.

"Believe it, Draco. If you hurt me, I'll find you, too."

Draco snorted. "I have no intention of hurting you." Harry nodded in satisfaction. "But I do intend to tickle you senseless." Harry squeaked before he was tackled, and then became to laugh hysterically as Draco proved he was as good as his word.

"When are you leaving, then?" Neville asked and Draco looked-up. It had been a three days since he and Harry had gotten together. And they had told the rest of their section-mates the same day they had told Ron. No one was very surprised and Harry had been momentarily flustered by this.

"On the sixteenth. My father's coming to pick me up."

Harry looked-up sharply. "Your father? You said you were staying here for Christmas."

Draco sighed. "I was, but then my father decided to change his mind. I'm going home, now." Harry frowned darkly and Draco knew this meant a serious conversation when they were alone. He sighed. He loved spending time with Harry but he had realized in the short amount of time they had been together, that Harry could be just as fierce and protective as Draco could be.

Sure enough, Harry stood and, after a tense look at Draco, retreated to his room. Draco stayed and spoke a bit more to Neville before walking down the short hallway and knocking lightly. There was no response, but Draco opened the door, knowing he was expected. No sooner had he stepped into the room and closed the door behind him did Harry turn to look at him. It was not the reaction he was expecting. Draco had been expecting Harry to yell at him for not telling him sooner. To complain that Draco had promised that they would have Christmas together. He was not expecting this concerned look.

"You said you were staying here."

"I know, I just found out on Saturday. That's why I was looking for you but then ..." Harry smiled softly and then the concern was back.

"Are you going to be okay?"

Draco frowned. No one had ever asked him that. "What do you mean?" Harry shifted awkwardly and then looked away completely.

"I just ... I know music, Draco. I really do. And I heard you play ..." This was Harry's explanation and Draco caught-on right away.

"I'll be fine, Harry. I promise."

Harry bit his lip and Draco was momentarily distracted. He wished that he could kiss Harry but he reminded himself that they were moving slowly. "I want to believe you but ... can't you stay?"

"He's my father ..." Harry sighed, still avoiding his eyes. "Harry? Can I ask you a favor?" Harry looked back at him, startled. "Will you ... will you help me remember how to play?"

Harry smiled and then lunged forward rapping his arms tightly around Draco and Draco could only hold the boy close. "Yes." Draco sighed and rested his head on Harry's shoulder.

"It will be okay, I promise." But Draco wondered who he was trying to convince.

TBC

I HOPE YOU ENJOYED!!!

This chapter dedicated to Nil-Blaze who inspired me to get cracking on the next chapter right about the time that I posted the edited version of the last one. And for the marvelous review. Thanks, the Goddess-Muse was with me on this one, and Shaye (my niece) appreciates the dragon plushie It's never too early to start educating the children in the fine art of Draco-luvin. Hee hee. Notice that I did note the 'desperately'. Thanks bunches!

AND

To Julia, aka JJ, who is my Beta reader! YAY!! And also because of that fabulous review I got. And it was the first one in five years that you actually reviewed. I am really thankful that you chose my fic to review!! Especially such a long one. It made my day.

TEASER:

Snogging

Yelling

Parting of Ways