Kylia: I would like to take this chance to thank everyone for all the wonderful reviews!! Thank you so much! Raei and myself have been working almost non-stop for almost six days now to write this fic, and we still have loads more to write, so keep the comments. They are what keep us writing!! =)

Raei: Also – so this story has 'Mary-Sues'... if you don't like them, then stop reading this fanfic. Also, I don't want to hear any "Ughaa! Mary-Sues! Liek You ruined a good story by adding Mary-Sues!11!one!" comments. Remember dears, this is OUR fanfic – not yours. It will go as planned in our minds. Sank-you.

It was three days later, and Draco groaned as he stretched his pale graceful arms above his head, the morning sun hitting him straight in the eyes. Blinking his eyes and rubbing them to clear the sleep, Draco noticed a small piece of folded paper lying on the pillow beside him. Harry's writing was scrawled over the top, spelling Draco's name.

Smiling sleepily, Draco pushed back the tangled covers of his bed and reached out to take the note, which read:

"Draco,

I was called into work this morning, and though I hate to leave you at home all by yourself, I'm afraid that I won't be back until tonight. Sorry. There's food in the fridge and pantry – take whatever you want and make yourself at home.

See you soon, Harry"

Draco frowned as he finished reading the note, then after a moment of thought, grinned like a madman. Throwing back the covers, which momentarily fought back and tangled around Draco's legs causing him to curse loudly, he fell promptly off the mattress. Ignoring that incident, Draco sat up and reached for his discarded pajama shirt (which he didn't remember losing...) for a thought had just occurred to him.

Harry wasn't here. That meant he could look through his possessions.

Draco quickly slipped on his shirt as he scrambled off the floor. He made a run for the door slipping on the hardwood floor in his socks gripping onto the doorframe to keep him upright. After he had regained his balance – he shot off down the hallway to Harry's room. As he made to turn the doorknob to Harry's bedroom, he felt a magical barrier shoot him backwards. Slamming into the wall, he fell to his butt.

"Owwie! Fuck Harry! Can't even trust me enough to leave your door unlocked?! Jesus!" Draco rubbed the back of his head then a thought struck him, "Well... I do suppose that since I just did that... and so quickly – that his actions have been justified," Draco stopped suddenly. "I'm talking to myself."

Just then, the doorbell rang. Draco groaned as he stood up, his head was pounding from being slammed into the wall so hard. Walking swiftly towards the door, he forgot that his shirt wasn't done up. Upon opening the door, he was greeted by a very happy man.

"Draco! Ohh what a wonderful surprise! I didn't know you lived with Harry!" Cole chirped as he was pushed aside.

"Morning Draco... is Harry here?" Luke spoke as he smacked Cole's hand away from Draco's naked torso.

"Err... I don't exactly live with him... and no he isn't here."

"So you stayed the night!?" Cole laughed.

"Well... I've been living here for a few days and I – wait... what are you doing?" Draco looked down as Cole pushed the door open, staring into Draco's eyes.

"Why, coming in of course." Cole smiled. "If he isn't here, we'll just hang out with you for a while."

"Yeah, I hope you don't mind?" Luke smiled as Draco closed the door behind them.

"Since when have you had an accent?" Draco narrowed his eyes at Luke, who Draco had just realized was speaking in a Spanish accent.

"Err... since forever?" Luke replied raising an eyebrow and tilting his head to the side, "Where have you been?"

"Umm..." the blond replied as his eyes and train of thought was now focused on Cole, who had all but skipped into the kitchen and was now reaching for the fridge. "What are you doing in there?" he called out to the tall spiky haired man.

Cole's head popped out from behind the wall, a cookie in his mouth and a glass of milk in his hand. "Brefas," he mumbled, "wos' it look ike?"

Luke laid a hand on Draco's shoulder, "As Mr. ADHD's translator, I feel the need to help." He started, "Cole needs a certain amount of sugar in the morning, and since Harry has given him a key to his house, and has stocked said house with many treats, Cole feels the need to raid said pantry and fridge."

Draco frowned and walked into the kitchen, where the ever-bouncing man had disappeared. Crossing his arms as he watched Cole go to yet another cabinet, Draco cleared his throat and spoke. "Are you having fun raiding my kitchen?"

Cole set down his glass of milk and placed the cookie gently on the counter beside it. Walking towards Draco, his eyes flickering from his bare torso to his face, "Yes... and are you going to do something to stop me big boy?" Grinning he closed the distance between them until they stood just a foot apart. "Hmm...?" He let his hands rest on his slender hips.

Luke rolled his eyes and let out a hard breath. "Give it a rest, Cole."

The pink haired boy turned his head to face Luke. "Why, are you jealous?"

"... Just leave him alone. He's obviously taken by Harry." He walked towards the cupboard taking out a glass. Looking back over to Cole, who still hadn't backed off, he spoke again. "Seriously Cole... back off."

"Oh fine, fine." He crossed his arms and backed away a few steps. "Sorry."

"...Yeah." Draco said absentmindedly as he stared down at the ring Harry had given him. "How did you..." He glanced back at Luke who was filling up his cup with orange juice.

"Harry doesn't let just anyone stay at his house. It took him months to let me even come over once – and that was just for a visit. You obviously mean something to him. It's only natural that you would feel the same way."

"Believe me Draco, you're one lucky guy to have Harry on your side." Cole smiled as he took a small bite of his cookie glancing at the clock hanging on the wall. "What do you want to do?"

Laughing, Luke took a swig of his juice. "Wow... that was a random change of thought."

"I can see what you mean when you said ADHD..." Draco smiled as he buttoned up his shirt, noticing that Cole was openly staring at his abdomen. "We should really think about getting him neutered..."

"...Yeah." Luke agreed.

"What?! Hey! You weren't complaining last night Luke!"

Luke flushed an alarming shade of crimson and looked down, fiddling with his studded leather bracelet, "Ehem... I thought that we were going to keep that a secret?"

Cole shrugged, "When you're with someone who's absolutely fabulous in bed, you want to scream it from the roof tops." He replied walking towards that bathroom, sighing slightly, "I have to pee now, be good."

"Everything he just said was way more than I needed to know..." Draco muttered as he closed the fridge door. "So... you're gay? Bisexual? What?"

"Blunt, beautiful and stupid enough to be half naked in front of Cole." Luke replied grinning slightly as he set his drink down, "you'd better be careful if you want to keep your virtue in tact."

"Harry told me the same thing at the club," Draco said, and then added, "now answer the question."

Brushing his long black hair from his face, Luke sighed, "Well, bisexual I guess. I like both men and women, but as of lately, I've been more attracted to men. A certain man is more like it..." he trailed off.

Draco grinned knowingly, "Is said man currently peeing?"

"Umm... well, I erm... yes. Yes he is." Luke replied, now staring Draco straight in the eye, as if challenging Draco to say something about it.

"Well other than the slight mental disorder, I think that Cole is a really nice guy Luke." Draco said smiling with open easiness, knowing that Luke was going to be a close friend. "You deserve someone who'll love you."

"How can you tell he lov...?"

"The way that he looks at you, and acts around you. The way that he pretty much does what ever you want him to." Draco interrupted, "that's how I know."

Returning from the bathroom, Cole walked towards Luke smiling. Grasping his hand he leaned in and kissed his cheek. "Mum phoned me while I was washing my hands, I have to head to her house... she wants me to clean out the attic – I'm hoping to find a few nice bustier's."

Luke laughed and shook his head. "Find one in my size if you can."

"Will do." Cole smiled again and lent forward, kissing Luke on the lips tenderly. "See you soon." He then turned to Draco. "Sorry for before-"

"Yeah. It's alright." Draco smiled quickly as Cole slightly skipped past him. Draco turned to see that Cole swung his hips with a certain air of femininity. As he heard the door close, he faced Luke once more. "I take it he's on the bottom."

"Most of the time, yes." He smiled, and then added. "He likes it that way. But watch out if he gets a hold of vast amounts of coffee – I still have a hard time sitting sometimes..."

"Whooaahhh..." Draco cried as he raised his hands to his ears and closed his eyes, walking towards the living room wishing he had never heard that last comment.

"Well... you know how it works. You've been with Harry." He spoke as he sat on the couch.

"Actually... I've never..."

"With Harry?"

Draco's voice dropped dramatically and his cheeks turned a bright red as he spoke. "...With anyone."

Luke's mouth dropped as Draco slumped on the couch beside him. "How old are you?"

"Shut-up." Draco growled as he narrowed his eyes at the boy sitting across from him, feeling his trademark Malfoy sneer coming to his lips.

"No... I didn't mean it like that..." Luke reached out a hand to calm him down, placing it on his knee in a companionable manor. "I just... I've never..."

"I'm 21."

"I commend you on that... seriously, I do." Luke removed his hand from Draco's knee and ran it through his hair. "I didn't get the choice."

"Choice?"

"To decide when I lost my virginity and to whom." Luke's gaze dropped to his hands. "I've never told anyone... not even Harry or Cole about-"

"Don't tell me if you're not comfortable about it..." Draco offered, noticing the pain in Luke's eyes.

"I was raped when I was 16. Just after I figured out that I was bisexual, and I made the mistake of going to a club that I wasn't ready to go to. Then some guy I met there ended up following me to my car and well..." Luke spoke softly, fighting to keep back tears. "Last thing I heard he was in prison for multiple counts of molestation, and faces the death sentence for raping and killing a 15 year old girl."

Draco let out the breath that he had been holding, and reached out to put his hand on Luke's, "You really needed to get that off your chest huh?" he said quietly, and Luke nodded, "I'm glad that you trusted me enough to tell me."

Luke sniffed and forced a smile, "Yeah... considering I've only known you for what? Four days? If that?" he replied, "I've known Harry and Cole for going on two years now and I would never think about telling them."

"Why not?"

Luke shrugged, "I don't want their opinions of me to change. You though, you're different. There's just something about you that makes me want to confide everything to you."

Draco laughed suddenly, and seeing the hurt in Luke's eyes explained, "If you had known me when I was younger, you would NOT have just said that!"

"What? Why? Were you a little bastard?" the Spanish man asked, now smiling himself.

"Yeah, I was horrible to Harry and his friends, mostly Harry though. Back when we were at Ho..." he broke off, realizing he almost revealed something that he shouldn't, "school. When we were at boarding school."

"Harry went to boarding school? Wait... school? How long have you known Harry?"

"Erm... going on 10 years this coming September."

"10 years? Holy shit! And here I thought you had just met."

Draco grinned, suddenly remembering a day in a Care of Magical Creatures class during their third year, when he had said something to Granger, and Harry had told him to shut it. At that time, Draco had stalked up to Harry and stared at him before saying there was a dementor behind him; a creature that Harry was afraid of. It had been on that day that Draco had first noticed how green Harry's eyes really were. "Yeah, 10 years is a long time to know someone." He said.

"On the plus side though, I bet you know all the dirt on Harry huh?" Luke asked, leaning forwards in eagerness.

"Well, to tell you the truth..." Draco began, "Harry and I weren't all that close when we went to school. In fact you would have been more likely to find us trying to beat the bloody pulp out of one another than sitting to a cup of tea and having an actual conversation."

"Huh... Then how come you're so close now?"

Draco shrugged, "Things change. People change, and Harry is the last person that I have that knows me for who I really am."

Twirling a strand of black hair in his fingers, Luke asked, "And who is the real you?"

"The real me...?" Draco spoke slowly, thinking. "The real me is a guy who's unsure about himself and the world and people around him. The real me... is complicated."

"That sounds like everyone I know." Luke took a sip of his drink. "How does the real you feel about Harry, now that things have changed...?"

Draco frowned in thought for a second before speaking. "The real me wants to love him, but is too scared to allow that to happen. I was raised to believe that love was a weak emotion – and that I should never trust it."

"Your parents must have sucked."

"It doesn't matter now, because they are both dead. I'm the last in a long line of people who were void of all emotions."

"Wow... so you have no family left?" Luke set his cup down, staring at Draco.

"I do have a family... Harry is my family now." Draco smiled, admitting to himself for the first time what he had been feeling for a while now. "He cares about me more than anyone I've ever known."

Luke grinned and put his hands in his lap, "Is there any room in that family for a emotionally unstable guy who loves a hyper-active bomb?"

Draco felt his heart lift. It wasn't often that he found someone that wanted to be close to him, and now he had three. "I would like nothing better than that," he paused in thought, then grinned, "just as long as I don't get attacked by Cole..."

"After what he did in the kitchen, I don't suspect that it will be a problem."

They spent the rest of the day down at the beach. Draco had forgotten his sunscreen and his shirt, coming back to the house hours later with a nasty burn all down his shoulders, neck, and back. He whimpered every time anything brushed against his sensitive skin, so he opted to leave his shirt off. Luke had left, and Harry had arrived home late that night, to find Draco sprawled face down on his own bed, lying in only the light of the small lamp in the far corner of the room.

Almost walking past the bedroom door, Harry dropped his messenger bag and walked quickly over to Draco. "Jesus what happened?"

"Sun. Burn. Oww..." Draco whined into his pillow. "Stupid sun..."

"You're so red... does it hurt?"

"No. No it doesn't hurt Harry. It feels just peachy." Draco rolled slightly, facing Harry. "What do you think it feels like?!"

"Well I don't know, I've never been burned before... I tan – I don't burn."

"Lucky you... now make yourself useful and get the aloe-vera lotion." Draco said softly as he laid his head back on the pillow, cringing as he moved.

Harry returned moments later holding the bottle of lotion, which he set on the beside table as he rolled up his shirtsleeves. Straddling Draco's narrow hips, he muttered before Draco could speak. "This is the easiest way to do it, now be quiet."

Draco had no intention of complaining when Harry had literally sat on him. Feeling the light contact of cold lotion on his back, he jumped slightly, then relaxing as Harry's feather light touch roamed over his inflamed skin.

"Does this hurt?"

"Mmmm..."

"Guess not..." Harry grinned slightly as his hands traveled closer to Draco's waist, covering the skin with the green lotion. As he reached Draco's hips – Draco let out a rather loud yelp.

"Ticklish?"

Suppressing laughter Draco shook his head. "Not in the least."

"Is that so? So... you're not going to squirm, laugh, or move if I do this..." Harry's fingers found the same place they had been when Draco yelped. He poked lightly at the skin, causing Draco to twitch, laugh, and kick Harry on the small of his back. Harry fell hard onto Draco's back, causing both of the boys to be winded. Gasping for air Harry sat back up again. Panting, he heard Draco pathetic high pitched half whimper.

"Well if you hadn't of lied, you wouldn't be in additional pain would you?" Harry spoke softly as he lightly rubbed more lotion along Draco's back. "Your heels are bloody pointy."

"I'm sorry." Draco replied rather breathlessly.

Harry smiled and lent forward, kissing the top of Draco's spinal cord just under his hairline, his hands under Draco's armpits holding him up. "Your awfully cute when you whimper. You should do it more often."

Draco blushed furiously, and was grateful that the pillow hid his face. "Shut-up." He retorted, lacking the will to think of a better comeback as he felt another searing kiss on his shoulder.

"Mmm... you taste good, even when you're burnt." His lips brushed past Draco's ear as he spoke.

Draco was unable to reply before he felt Harry's lips on his cheek. Draco let out a cry of protest, which was promptly ignored as he was rolled onto his back very gently. Wincing slightly as his back touched the soft fabric underneath him, Draco saw the look that Harry was giving him, and immediately forgot the pain. It was a look of love, not lust, or passion. The look made Harry more desirable, for he had discarded his glasses, and there was nothing to hide his eyes.

Harry lent forward and kissed Draco again, this time on the lips. As the kiss began to deepen, Draco heard something ring in the far distance. He felt Harry's tongue pause, and then the kiss end. Draco looked up to see Harry sitting up and reaching into his back pocket – retrieving a small flip phone. Smiling apologetically, he slightly rolled off of Draco, but still left one of his legs resting on Draco's thigh, the rest of Harry's his leg between Draco's legs. His torso was touching Draco's rib cage, his fingers roaming quietly over Draco's torso as he spoke on the phone. Draco looked towards the ceiling and enjoyed the comforting touch just over his belly button as Harry's hand stilled, just sitting there.

Draco reached up and began to run his hand through Harry's hair as he waited for the phone call to end. As Harry closed the flip phone and lay down, his head resting on Draco's arm, he spoke softly.

"Sorry about that."

"It's alright."

"It was the school."

"...Er... school?" Draco questioned.

"Yeah... Oh, I haven't told you have I?"

"No, I don't remember anything about a school." Draco spoke softly as he watched Harry prop himself up on his elbow, his leg still resting in the same spot, as well as his hand.

"I work as an English teacher... teaching a few of the locals how to speak English."

"Well... Saint Potter."

"Shut-up! It was pretty much the only job I could get without some degree, considering I went to a magical school." He rolled his eyes sarcastically. "You can't exactly teach muggles or squibs how to levitate objects or fight cave trolls you know."

"Well I suppose... but how can you afford all these nice things?" Draco asked as he began to twirl a small piece of Harry's hair between his fingers.

"My parents left me some money... so I wouldn't have to worry."

"Just how much money did they leave you? This teaching job can't pay that much."

"...Enough." He grinned as he had a slight flashback of the vault in Gringotts, the gold literally in mountainous piles around the room.

"Mmm... I see." He lent up carefully and kissed Harry's cheek. He lay quietly for a moment before venturing to ask a question, "Stay with me tonight?"

"What... you mean... like...."

"For God's sake Potter! If I wanted sex you'd know. I want you to just sleep in the damn bed with me. NO sex."

"...Oh..." Harry laughed nervously. "Sure, I'll stay."

Harry sat up and took off his shirt; he then pulled off his pants and threw them to the floor with his shirt. Lying down again, he helped Draco get into the blankets and onto his stomach.

"...The light."

"Right..." Looking towards the lamp, Harry stared at it for a moment before they both heard the gentle click of the lamp turning off. Smiling, he turned to Draco. "Better?"

"Mhm." Draco smiled as he snuggled closer to Harry, resting his head on his shoulder. "God my back hurts so much..."

Smiling to himself in the darkness, Harry began to run his hand lightly up and down Draco's back, letting the magic he had used earlier on Draco's forehead to seep into his back.

"Mmmm... that feels better."

"Yeah? Good..." Running his fingers over Draco's shoulders, he smiled again as he watched the red skin slowly change back to porcelain.

There was a moment of stilled silence, and then Draco asked in a tired voice, "Luke and Cole came over today." Harry grunted in acknowledgement, and Draco continued, "Luke said something strange. He said that you never let anyone stay at your house, that it took you months just to let him visit," he paused, half fearing and half hoping for the answer to his next question, "why are you letting me stay here?"

Harry's hand paused mid-stroke on his back, and then continued, "I let you stay because I need you here."

Draco thought about this, smiling to himself and sniffing. He felt Harry prop himself up on his elbow again, "Are you crying?" he asked, concern entering his voice, "did I say something wrong?"

Draco shook his head against Harry, "No. You didn't say anything wrong," he sniffed again and laughed weakly, "it's just that no one has ever said they needed me. It was nice to hear it."

Harry yawned suddenly, his jaw popping slightly as he lay back down, "I'm... so...tired!"

Draco grinned and nestled closer to Harry's warmth, "Mmm..." he started then added as he hugged the taller man's body to him, "thank-you for staying with me Harry."

"...My pleasure, Draco." Came the sleep filled response as Harry kissed Draco's forehead.

Draco soon found himself in the familiar blackness of sleep, but something was different this time. It felt cold.

He was walking in a park, cherry blossoms falling all around him and Harry. The wind was warm and comforting, as was the hand holding his. Draco smiled as he turned, looking into Harry's eyes. He broke eye contact and looked up at the floating cherry blossoms. Looking down again – he spoke with assurance.

'...I love you, Harry.'

Before Harry was able to reply, Draco found himself being thrown into a cold darkness. He felt himself travel down a dank corridor, and into a small room. As he looked around he heard a scream of pain and terror, turning to his right – he saw Harry's prone body lying on the floor covered in blood and gashes. His heart jolted as he looked at the person standing over him. The person's hands were completely covered in blood – it was even dripping off of the person's fingertips, but before Draco's eyes could travel up the person's body to find his or her identity – he was shaken awake.

The morning light was now shining through the balcony window, and Draco squinted his eyes as he looked out to the sea. His body was drenched with sweat; his heart was pounding loudly and furiously as Draco listened to the rhythmic sound of the waves.

"Draco?" Harry spoke, his hand on the side of Draco's face, "are you okay?"

"Wha...?"

"Draco, you were having a nightmare," Harry replied, now sitting up in bed and stroking Draco's arm lightly, "a pretty nasty-ass one it seemed."

Draco frowned, for he couldn't really remember what he had dreamed about, though he did know that it was enough to scare the shit out of him. Curling onto his side and burrowing his head into the pillow, Draco sighed and mumbled, "I don't know what happened..."

Harry's touch traveled up Draco's arm to the back of his neck where he caressed the exposed skin, "It's okay, I'm here. You don't have to be afraid now."

Draco suppressed the urge to cry, 'but for how long will you be here...?'
Raei: That chapter was pretty much self-explanatory... and stuff. So... comments really aren't needed are they?

Kylia: Nope. Just reviews are needed. So... yeah.

Harry and Draco: We like that chapter. It was good.

Raei and Kylia: (smile happily) fade to black!

-FADES TO BLACK-