A/N: Sorry about the delay, readers! Anyway, I think most of you just might like this chapter. You'll have to read it to find out why. MAKE SURE YOU READ THE AUTHOR'S NOTE AT THE END OF THIS CHAPTER!

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Chapter Twenty Two

"Want I want from this world, what I want to resolve

Well, I want you to stay, so I want you away

I don't want to be bold

I don't want to be cold"

"Home," Breaking Benjamin

"What the hell was wrong with you today?" Hermione asked, storming into the common room.

Harry raised an eyebrow. "Huh?"

"Let me refresh your memory then," she said, sitting down on the couch next to him. "Talking back to Snape, storming out of the classroom?" She set her books down on the floor with a loud thud. "Ringing any bells?"

Harry sighed. "I'm sorry, 'Mione," he apologized. "I just... I don't know. Stress?" He waved his hand dismissively. "I can't come up with a better excuse than that because there really isn't a good one to begin with. I was just a jackass today."

"Yeah, you know what? You really were," Hermione agreed. After a few minutes, she turned so she was facing Harry directly. "You want to talk about it?" she asked.

Harry shook his head slowly. "Not particularly."

Hermione nodded. "Just one thing, though," she said. "Is it Malfoy that's bothering you?"

Harry stared down at his shoes for a long time, not replying until Hermione was sure he wasn't going to answer at all. "Yes and no," he said finally, making Hermione jump a little.

Hermione's eyebrow raised questioningly. "You mind explaining?" She shrugged, a half-grin playing at her featuers. "Even geniuses like me don't understand everything."

Harry laughed, but the sound was slightly hollow, grating. "Yeah. That's sort of a good thing though. If you knew everything, people would just be afraid of you." He stretched his legs out and rubbed his eyes with his hands. "Malfoy's bothering me, but he's not meaning to." He frowned slightly. "At least I don't think he is."

"Okay, now I'm just more confused."

"Huh. Me, too," Harry said ruefully. He glanced at Hermione out of the corners of his eyes. "Look, I don't think I should talk to you about... things... until I'm more sure about what's going on myself, okay?" At Hermione's nod, he blew his hair out of his eyes and stood up. "I'm gonna go upstairs."

"Okay." Hermione lifted her legs up onto the couch. "I'm gonna stay here and finish my homework." She smiled and waved him off.

Harry returned the smile, but it didn't quite reach his eyes. He trudged up to his dorm and flopped down on his bed, staring up at the canopy above him. After five minutes of gazing blankly at nothing in particular, Harry realized that he wasn't quite as tired as he had thought, so he stood up, went back down to the common room, then hurried out into the hall before Hermione could make fun of him for changing his mind. He wasn't sure what he was going to do with his time, but he was pretty sure he couldn't go see Malfoy after the way he had treated him.

Of course, Malfoy just had to bump into him at that moment. "Watch where you're... um, Potter," Malfoy said clumsily.

Harry raised an eyebrow. "Up here? On the same floor as the Gryffindors? At night?"

Malfoy shrugged. "You and I both know there's only one reason that could possibly be."

"Actually, there're two," Harry informed him. Malfoy merely looked at him inquisitively. "You know. Torture, pranks, stuff like that," Harry explained. "The other one we can't discuss in public company."

"We're not exactly in public company right now, Potter," Malfoy pointed out.

"Yeah. But portraits talk. And people listen." Harry looked down at the floor awkwardly for a few seconds, then returned his gaze to Malfoy's. "So, which reason are you going with tonight?"

"I can't tell you right now since the information cannot be released upon the ears of public company," Malfoy replied. "Thus, I suggest we go... somewhere else," he finished, looking around. Then he hurried down the corridor, motioning for Harry to follow him, and they turned the corner and slipped into one of Filch's supply closets.

"Um... Malfoy..." Harry started, wanting to apologize for his earlier behavior.

"It's all right, Potter," Malfoy cut in. "You've been having a bad week. That's understandable. You're the fucking Golden Boy." At Harry's sigh, Malfoy smirked. "You really do hate it when I call you that, don't you?"

"Yes," Harry hissed, kicking off his pants.

"Good," Malfoy said simply, wriggling out of his tight sweater. "Someone's gotta get under your skin once in awhile."

Harry growled and lunged at Malfoy, kissing him deeply. Malfoy moaned and returned the kiss heatedly, lifting Harry up and pinning him against the wall. Harry wrapped his legs around Malfoy's waist and clamped one arm around his back, burying the other hand in his white-blonde hair. "You're..." Harry gasped, closing his eyes when Malfoy began to suck on his neck, "just... an annoying... little git."

"Who are you calling little?" Malfoy murmured, bucking against Harry and shoving him into the wall in the process.

Harry groaned. "Fuck." Malfoy nipped the hollow of his neck andHarry tightened the hold his legs had on Malfoy. "Fuck me."

Malfoy promptly pulled away from the wall and they both dropped to the floor. Malfoy dove back on top of Harry and pinned his arms over his head, kissing him roughly. "You gonna stay with me tonight?" he asked, rubbing against Harry slowly, creating friction. Harry's only response was to moan and jerk up against Malfoy eagerly. "Good," Malfoy whispered before sitting up and straddling Harry. "Time to pay up, Potter."

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"Jesus fucking Christ on a crutch," Harry gasped, sprawled out on top of Malfoy.

Malfoy nodded, panting. "I think that was some of the best sex we've ever had."

"It gets better and better," Harry agreed, breathing softly into the crook of Malfoy's neck. "You've ruined me for everyone else, Malfoy," he joked. At that, Malfoy stiffened, then gently pushed Harry off of him, sitting up. Harry just stared at Malfoy, a puzzled look on his face.

Malfoy sighed and shook his head. "No, you wouldn't get it, would you?" he muttered.

"What?" Harry asked, not quite hearing him.

"Nothing," Malfoy replied, rising to his feet slowly. "We might end up killing each other from the pain," he said, grinning.

Harry saw that the humor went no further than Malfoy's mouth itself, makinghim look strained, as if the smile were pasted on. "Malfoy," he said slowly, tentatively, "are you sure everything's..."

"Potter, we're fine, okay?" Malfoy interrupted him. "Now, I have finals to study for. You know, those annoying tests we take at the end of each term? I'll see you tomorrow." And with that, he left.

Harry stared at the door for several minutes, still sitting on the floor. "What the hell just happened?" he asked no one in particular. One moment, Malfoy was as hot as... well, he was hot. And then the next, he was giving Harry the cold shoulder. Not that Harry could blame him. He'd left Malfoy plenty of times. Too many, in fact. And Malfoy kept forgiving him. Maybe things were really drawing to a close after all. Which would make sense, since the end of the term was only a few weeks away. Harry hadn't even been thinking about the exams because he'd been too fixated on his own problems. Namely the problems that involved one Draco Malfoy. Who he was supposed to be forgetting about at the end of Hogwarts anyway. Go figure.

Harry stood up, sighing. Life was just too confusing to ponder at the moment. Besides, he had just had extremely intense sex, and now he just wanted to lie down and pray that he didn't feel like he'd been ripped apart, beaten with a sledgehammer, and squashed by a steamroller when he woke up.

Pulling on his clothes and wincing in pain every few seconds, Harry went over the events of the past month or so. Okay, it wasn't life that was confusing. It was Malfoy. More like his relationship with Malfoy... did they even have a relationship? Harry shook his head, then cringed when he threw himself into a temporary fit of dizziness. Turned out you shouldn't smack your head against a stone floor while in the throws of passion. The throws of passion? What was he, a bloody poet? A romance novelist? Ugh. He shuddered and picked up his school robes, exiting the closet cautiously.

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"Harry. Harry! Harry!"

"Whungh?" Harry groaned incoherently, swatting at Ron's arm. "Gerroff!"

"Class, mate. We've gotta get going or we're going to miss it." Ron sat down on Harry's bed. "You know, that hellhole where you sit on a bloody hard chair all day and listen to some adult go on and on about something you forget about by the time you go to sleep at night?" He yanked Harry's covers off. "Come on, let's go... oh, shit! What happened to you?" he exclaimed, standing up.

Harry's eyes snapped open. "What?" he asked, attempting to look over his shoulder at his back. He winced when the action shot a jolt of pain up his spine. "What's wrong?" he groaned, massaging his neck and shoulders.

"You've got some major bruises," Ron said, studying Harry intently. "On the front, too. And teeth marks... oh. That's right. You were gone last night."

Harry couldn't stand the tonelessness of Ron's voice. "Ron, I'm sorry. I really am. But if our friendship is going to survive... and I really want it to... then we're both going to have to be honest. Okay?"

"Fine. Harry, due to your fucking your boyfriend last night, you look like shit," Ron said bluntly, "and I really think you should forget about classes today because you'll definitely draw attention to yourself."

Harry closed his eyes and inhaled deeply. "Okay, that was cruel. Not honest."

"What did you expect, mate?" Ron asked, crossing his arms. "You're with Malfoy."

"Look, I know you hate him and all..."

"It's not that I hate him, Harry," Ron interrupted, holding up his hand for silence. He sat down on the bed next to Harry and sighed. "I could get over that... I could, so don't look at me like that. I could accept your relationship if you didn't feel that you had to hide it from everyone, and if it made you happy." He looked pointedly at Harry. "However, since I didn't find out about you and Malfoy until a bit ago... rude awakening, by the way... and you've been noticeably miserable for awhile, I'm having a bit of trouble."

"It's just com..."

"Don't you dare tell me it's complicated. Of course it's complicated. It's Malfoy, for Merlin's sake!" Ron laughed humorlessly and ran his hands through his hair. "But if it's too complicated for you to work out, then..."

"Ron?" Harry said quietly, fingering his bedspread. "I'm sorry."

Ron shook his head. "Don't be. Seriously. The way I reacted... I know why you were afraid to tell me. I mean, I can say over and over that I'll always understand, and then I pull something like that..." he laughed softly. "I sent Dean through a window."

"Well, technically he went voluntarily," Harry pointed out, a smile tugging at his lips.

"Yeah. But he sort of wasn't thinking clearly at the time, what with the panic and all." Ron rose to his feet. "How about we both just conveniently forget about classes today?" he suggested. At Harry's shocked look, he shrugged. "I figured we have some catching up to do. Wouldn't look good if your best friend didn't know a damned thing about your life, would it?"

"Thanks, Ron," Harry said sincerely.

"Hey. I'm telling you I'm your best friend, mate." Ron scratched the back of his neck. "Now, that may not mean I'll always agree with you. Bloody hell, we're bound to get in some major brawls in the future. But I'll always at least try to understand where you're coming from, okay? Just give me some time. Won't take me forever either, I promise."

Harry stood up. "Same here."

Ron raised an eyebrow. "And what have I done that you don't like? Besides my accidentally hitting you and trying to kill your boyfriend, that is." At Harry's wince, Ron nodded his head. "Not exactly a boyfriend?"

Harry shrugged. "We'll talk about it later, okay?"

Ron threw his arm across his best friend's shoulders. "We've got all day. How about we just make fun of Lavender and her posse for an hour or so? We can sneak into the girls' dorm and go through their stuff..."

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"Oh, shit... Harry...?" Ron turned to Harry, an apologetic look on his face.

"Go talk to her," Harry ordered, pointing at Willow. "No better time than the present. Besides, she looks like she wants you to."

Ron risked a glance at his girlfriend. "You think? 'Cause what Malfoy said was pretty cruel..."

"Ron," Harry said calmly, "Malfoy said it."

Ron nodded. "Right. See you... er... after dinner?"

Harry laughed. "If then. Now, go get your girl." When Ron hurried off to talk to Willow, Harry shook his head and sat down in a nearby chair. He had been spending a lot more time in the library in the past month than he had in his entire stay at Hogwarts. He grinned, opening the book he'd need for his Potions homework. If Snape would even accept it after what he had done. Harry shrugged and began to read the book, having to go back over the information presented in it several times, due to lack of focus.

Ron had brought up an interesting point that morning; if things were so complicated with Malfoy, then why was he still... er... with him...? Harry wasn't sure if he could really say he was with Malfoy. Because they weren't a couple or anything. They just shagged. A lot. It was meaningless. Right?

Then Harry knew he was not going to be able to get any homework done whatsoever, so he slammed the book shut and let it drop down onto the table noisily, drawing many angry glares and a few "shushes." He just rolled his eyes and sulked in his chair. When the hell had everything between him and Malfoy become so... multi-dimensional? Before the deal, they had just fought. And quarreled. And fought some more. There'd been no connections. They hadn't talked. They'd just bickered. And they'd just hit each other. The sex was definitely a new aspect of their relationship as well.

Harry sighed in frustration and rose to his feet, almost tipping the chair over as he did so. He grabbed all of the books he'd retrieved from the libary's shelves, then set about returning them. He had just reached a bookcase near the back, more secluded part of library, when a finger tapped his shoulder. "Huh?" he asked, whirling around.

"What's bothering you?" Malfoy asked.

"What's it to you?" Harry retorted before he could stop himself. He shook his head and sighed. "Never mind. I don't want to drag anybody else into this pit of insanity with me."

"What, the Golden Boy is going insane? Should we alert the presses?" Malfoy asked, feigning alarm. When Harry tried to swipe at him, Malfoy ducked away. "Not that that would affect your chances against Voldemort or anything," he continued, grinning as he dodged another of Harry's attacks. "He's loopy, too."

"Shut it, Malfoy," Harry said, no real malice in his tone. "What are you doing back here, anyway?"

"You know, I could give a sarcastic reply," Malfoy said, leaning forward, "but I figure you've got enough on your plate right now. So," he spread his arms dramatically, "I'm back here because I need to find a book for my Potions homework."

"This one?" Harry asked, holding up the book he'd been trying to read earlier.

"Yep," Malfoy replied. "You done with it?"

"Nope. But I'm not going to be using it anytime soon, either." At Malfoy's look, he waved the book around. "Can't understand a damned thing in it."

Malfoy shook his head. "Potter, you'd better hope that Voldemort doesn't find out how terrible you are at Potions or he'll have a foolproof plan for world domination for sure."

Harry raised an eyebrow and held out the book for Malfoy to take. "Well, as long as you keep your mouth shut..." he said, a half-grin twisting his face.

Malfoy took the book from Harry. "Hm. I don't know..." he murmured, pursing his lips and squinting his eyes as if he were in deep thought. "I just might need a bit of pursuading..."

Harry groaned. "There's no way I'm going to be able to have sex... now. I mean, I was bruised so badly this morning that Ron..." he shook his head ruefully.

"Ron what?" Malfoy asked, tension evident in his tone.

"Oh, he just got concerned is all."

"Concerned as in, I'd better hide until school's over?" Malfoy asked, folding his arms against his chest. "Because I recall the last time..."

"He walked in on us having sex, and we hadn't even so much as warned him prior to the event," Harry said. "He won't kill you. Promise."

"So he'll just seriously maim me, then?" Malfoy asked. He snorted. "There's a relief."

"Malfoy," Harry said softly, "Ron said he's trying to understand." When Malfoy opened his mouth to say something sarcastic, Harry cut him off. "He says that as long as I'm getting along okay, he accepts what we are."

There were several long seconds of silence, then Malfoy asked, "What are we, exactly?"

Harry exhaled heavily, shaking his head. "I honestly have no idea." He looked up. "Do you?"

Malfoy was suddenly intent on the title of the book in his hand. "Potter... we're not going to see each other at the end of the term, right?"

"Um..." Harry blinked a few times. "I guess so...?"

"Right. It was silly of me to ask. Of course we won't be seeing each other anymore." Malfoy was coming dangerously close to babbling. "It's absurd."

Harry felt his hackles rise slightly. Why would that statement bother him? "How is it absurd?" he asked before he could stop himself.

Malfoy just looked at him, wide-eyed, for a moment. "I... isn't it?"

Harry caught himself. Right, scare him away. Brilliant. "You're right. Stupid to think of anything past this." Wait, was that hurt that just flashed through Malfoy's eyes? "I mean, what with your parents, and Voldemort, and the press..." Harry trailed off, knowing those reasons were extremely lame. "Er... well, I'd better let you work on that assignment."

"Right. Lots to do with... um... this thing."

They stood awkwardly for a bit, then they both whirled around and walked away from each other, eyes downcast.

Harry cast a timid glance over his shoulder. Was it really all that ridiculous? Probably. But what they had now... it really wasn't all that bad. At least... he didn't think so. Did Malfoy? Harry's head was screaming. If only he had the ability to read minds... but then things wouldn't be as fun anymore. Fun. Ha, bloody, ha.

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"Harry?" Ron asked quietly.

Harry opened the bedcurtains, beckoning for Ron to join him. "How'd things go with Willow?" he asked.

Ron grinned. "We're okay." He shook his head in bemusement. "Can you believe that she actually thought I was consideringgetting back togetherwith Hermione?"

Harry laughed. "Hermione wouldn't have wanted you anyway." At Ron's indignant look, Harry hastily added, "Because she's with Dean now."

Ron's eyebrows shot up. "Since when is she with Dean?"

"Oops. Um... since a little while ago," Harry replied. "Happened very recently though, honestly."

Ron sighed. "I've been pretty oblivious lately, haven't I?"

"It's okay, Ron. Everybody's had their own problems." Harry leaned back against the headboard.

"Yeah. And how are those working outfor you?" Ron asked.

"Ron... do you honestly not have a problem with...?"

"It's not something I expected to see ever," Ron admitted, "but if you want it, then I want you to have it."

"Okay, who are you and what have you done with Ron Weasley?" Harry joked. Then he took on a more serious tone. "You've made it clear over the past seven years that you hate Malfoy."

"To be honest, I still do," Ron said, ducking his head and scratching the back of his neck. "But, see, you seem to see something in him, so I guess, as your best friend, I should at least attempt to see it, too." He punched Harry's shoulder lightly. "Don't think this means I'll be nice to him. I just won't try to kill him anymore."

Harry nodded. "I can live with that."

"But something's still wrong, right?"

Harry sighed. "Yeah. Yeah, something's still wrong."

"Want to talk about it?"

"Well, I sort of told Hermione that I wasn't going to talk to anyone about my problems until I had them sorted out myself."

Ron laughed softly. "You're supposed to talk to people so they can help you sort out your problems. If you talk to them afterward, it's sort of like leaving them in the dark until you can slap 'em in the face with something and they can't do anything about it except complain."

"Well, when you put it that way..." Harry half-grinned. "Okay, well, it is about..."

Ron blew his hair out of his eyes. "Yeah. I'll just resort to ripping up the sheets, okay?"

"Um. Right." Harry looked around the room before letting his eyes rest on his shoes. "For the past couple of weeks I've been giving Malfoy some serious hell," he said honestly. "And while I've been making things so hard for him... he's seemed to have been genuinely... concerned about me." He shook his head. "I mean, it was like he was actually worried about what I was going through... and he really did seem interested about what we were going to do about... us... after Hogwarts is over and done with."

"You mean you haven't talked about it yet?" Ron asked.

"Well, our relationship isn't exactly... conventional," Harry replied. "And if you say anything about gay relationships not being conventional in the first place, I swear I'll hex you."

"I wasn't going to say a thing," Ron retorted. "I'm just curious about what you mean by your relationship not being 'exactly conventional.'"

"You really want to know?" When Ron nodded, Harry sighed. "Remember the winter formal? How I sort of disappeared after awhile? Well, Malfoy found me." He ran a hand through his hair shakily. "He proposed a sort of... deal... in which we have meaningless sex whenever we need to relieve... er... tension."

"Uh," was all Ron said.

Harry continued nervously. "I turned him down at first. Emphatically, actually. But then, that night while I was in bed, I got to thinking about the opportunity to just... I don't know... forget about things for awhile. And the idea appealed to me." At Ron's expression, Harry nodded. "Yeah, I know, not the best grounds for a lasting relationship. But... it's like something's been... oh, I don't know... growing... between us. Ron, even though you're my best friend, I haven't been able to talk to you about some things."

"But you've been able to talk to Malfoy about them," Ron said slowly.

"Yeah," Harry said. "It's like... he's the complete opposite of everything about me, but at the same time... we're exactly the same."

"That's called a soul mate, Harry," Ron said quietly. At Harry's shocked expression, Ron chuckled softly. "It's what I feel with Willow." He smiled a little sadly and shook his head at Harry bemusedly. "Why did you have to go and find out that your soul mate was Malfoy?" Harry looked guilty until Ron laughed and shoved him off the bed. Then he just looked baffled. "Go talk to him, Harry," Ron ordered, pointing at the door. "You're miserable, and I won't let you back into the dorm until you've at least told Malfoy everything you've told me." When Harry didn't move, Ron lifted him up off the floor by the arms and shoved him out of the dorm. "Good luck," he said before he closed the door in Harry's face.

"Um... thanks...?" Harry said before descending the steps and making his way out to the corridor, moving mechanically. What had just happened?

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Harry was still confused when he reached out and knocked on the portrait that guarded the entrance to Slytherin. When Pansy opened it, he couldn't quite form anything coherent, so Pansy just pointed in the general direction of what must have been Malfoy's dorm. Harry nodded in thanks, then hurried off to find Malfoy.

When Harry reached the door to Malfoy's dorm, he hesitated. But then the door opened anyway. "Potter?" Malfoy asked, eyebrow raised.

"Er... hey," Harry said stupidly. "How are you?"

Malfoy's brows furrowed together, then he opened the door further and stepped aside so Harry could enter. "Come in," he said, waving his arm.

Harry stepped inside the dorm and looked around. It looked almost exactly the same, except the personal belongings were obviously different, and the bedding was green instead of red. And the room was darker. And definitely colder.

Suddenly, Harry was enveloped in a warm comforter. He looked at Malfoy in surprise, but the blonde just rolled his eyes. "Come on, like I haven't been with you long enough to know you're extremely sensitive to the cold?" He led Harry to a bed that probably belonged to him and they both sat down on it. "So... what do you want?" Malfoy asked. After a few seconds, he laughed. "Of course. Silly of me."

But when he began to remove his shirt, Harry reached out and stopped him, shaking his head. Malfoy looked at him questioningly, and Harry cleared his throat nervously. "I came down here to sort of... talk to you."

"Sort of?" Malfoy asked. Harry just looked down and bit his lip. Malfoy began to rub Harry's back slowly. "What did you want to talk about?"

"Um... actually, now that I'm here, I'm notreally sure," Harry replied.

"Yeah, well, take your time. Don't have anything else to do except study," Malfoy said tiredly, "and I really don't feel like doing that right now, anyway."

"Right." Harry and Malfoy sat in silence for a few more minutes before Harry finally spoke up. "Ron said something interesting today."

"The Weasel?" Malfoy asked, snorting. "Huh. How shocking."

Harry just rolled his eyes. "He said he could live with the whole you and me thing."

"You and me thing?"

"Yeah, this deal and stuff." Harry still didn't look up, studying his hands intently.

"Right. And?"

"And... um... he said something else, too..." Harry faltered, not wanting to face humiliation.

"Yeah?" Malfoy prompted, edging a little closer to Harry.

"Yeah... he said that..." Harry cut himself off abruptly. "Actually, it was probably just stupid, you know?" When Malfoy looked like he wanted to press the issue, Harry interrupted him quickly, talking fast so he wouldn't lose his nerve. "What's going to happen after Hogwarts? 'Cause I know your family's pretty much saved a spot for you among the Death Eaters, but that doesn't mean you have to take it... er... not that I'm telling you not to, of course..."

"What are you going on about, Potter?" Malfoy asked in his usual drawl. Except it wasn't his usual drawl because his voice was soft, as if he were slightly afraid of the answer, but also eager to hear it.

"Er... that is... we're not going to see each other anymore when school's over, right? Because Ron said..."

"Forget what Weasley said," Malfoy said impatiently, turning so he was facing Harry directly. "I want to hear what you have to say about it."

"Well, I... I thought that... um..." Harry began to pick at the comforter. "I... oh, God, I can't do this," he said, making to stand up.

Malfoy caught his wrist, keeping him in place. "No," he commanded. "You've been running forever, Potter," he said. "It's time to stop."

"Running?" Harry asked incredulously. "Running? I've been standing up to the fucking Dark Lord since I was ten years old!"

"Yes. Right. You're the Golden Boy. You're courageous. You're brave. According to the rest of the wizarding world, you aren't afraid of a damned thing," Malfoy said in a calm monotone. Then he grasped Harry's other wrist and leaned in close, his eyes blazing. And then he spoke again, continuing to keep his voice soft, but with a quiet intensity burning beneath the low tones. "So why are you afraid to show the world who you really are? Why do you bend over backwards to help everyone you know and then some, but at the end of the day you don't even know where to begin when it comes to saving yourself? Why are you afraid to let yourself have something you want? Why won't you let someone save you for once?" he asked, his voice breaking slightly. "Why won't you let me reach you? I know I touch you somehow. I know that I'm the only one that can reach you..." he released one of Harry's wrists so he could cup his cheek, then brushed his lips against his, "this way. Get under your skin. Make you want. Make you take. Make you..." he moved his hand from Harry's cheek to slide up under his T-shirt, "feel."

Harry shivered and leaned into the light touch, even as he pulled away. "Stop," he whispered, closing his eyes.

"No," Malfoy said simply. "You want to know why? Because, deep down in that place you try to keep buried and hidden away, you want me to keep touching you like this. And I'm not just talking about my hand on you." Malfoy moved so he was partially straddling Harry. "You need me to antagonize you everyday. You need me to get under your skin and make you feel alive. Because that's just it. You feel dead without me, Harry Potter, and don't you dare try to deny it."

Harry stared into Malfoy's grey eyes, which were somehow managing to be fiery and icy at the same time. "I... I..." he gulped. "I don't want to," he murmured, leaning forward to kiss Malfoy gently. "Jesus Christ, I don't want to."

Malfoy pulled away, his expression slightly shocked. "You... don't?"

Harry closed his eyes, inhaling deeply, then opened them and slowly shook his head, keeping eye contact with Malfoy as he did so. "That's actually why I came here tonight," he said. "I've been a real bastard these past few weeks because I didn't want to get close. I didn't want it to hurt when we end the deal." He swallowed. "But I know that, right now, sitting here with you on this bed, that if we still end whatever the hell we have at the end of this term, I'm going to hurt more than I've ever hurt before." He glared at Malfoy. "And don't you dare treat me like scum right now, Draco Malfoy, or I swear to God I'll..."

Malfoy interrupted Harry with a kiss. He pulled away slowly, brushing a lock of Harry's hair out of his green eyes. "I know how you feel."

"Seriously?" Harry asked, his voice almost imperceptible.

Malfoy chuckled softly. "I came to terms with my feelings a little while ago. I just wasn't sure whether or not you felt the same way."

Harry took another shaky breath and placed his hands on Malfoy's shoulders. "You know that, deep down, I've known it for awhile, too," he said quietly. "I just haven't been able to admit it because, like you said, I can't seem to let myself have anything I really want." He lowered his hands and encircled Malfoy's waist with his arms. "But... I... I want you..." he said softly but decisively. "I'm just wondering if you're going to let me have you."

Malfoy smirked. "A Malfoy comes at a high price, you know," he warned.

"Stop with the family crap," Harry said. "It's no fair."

"You aren't brooding, are you?" Malfoy asked, running his index finger along Harry's eyebrows.

Harry shuddered. "No. Just saying I can't say some of my little quirks are hereditary."

"They're just you, Harry."

"Say that again," Harry demanded.

"Say what?" Malfoy asked, confused.

"My name."

Malfoy grinned. "Harry," he whispered, his lips close to Harry's ear. "Harry?"

"Draco?" Harry murmured, nuzzling Malfoy's neck.

Draco shivered. "You make my name sound sexy."

"Draco," Harry said, nipping at the hollow of Draco's throat.

"Yeah. Yeah, that's... wait. Stop for a second." Draco pulled away with a considerable amount of effort. "So, now that we've established how we feel, what's going to happen?"

"Well," Harry said, pushing against Draco, "first, we're going to have sex. Then we're going to have to take those stupid finals." He pressed Draco back until he was leaning against the pillows, then began unbuttoning his shirt. "And, finally, we're going to take a good look at everyone who will disapprove of our being together and tell them to go fuck themselves."

Draco reached up and began to undo Harry's jeans. "That sounds like a good plan," he said huskily. "So... this deal...?"

"Has been extended."

"Now, there is the question of how long this extension will be," Draco said matter-of-factly, tugging down on Harry's pants and boxers. "And I move for its being indefinite."

"And I second that motion," Harry replied before kissing Draco deeply.

0000

A/N: Yeah. That's the end of this chapter. I just... I wasn't quite ready to extend the fluff yet. Don't worry; that's coming. The next chapter is the final part of this story, and it will be in Draco's perspective. Okay, now, here's why I wanted you to read this author's note. I know I mentioned an epilogue, and I'm going to give you one. But see... I didn't want to limit myself to one chapter, so I decided to make the epilogue a series of one-shots. Each fic will take place on a holiday (the first one will be on New Year's Eve/Day, the second will be on Valentine's Day, third is St. Patrick's Day, etc.). So, don't worry. I have more Draco/Harry fics in the works! However, I am working on two different Angel/Spike (Buffy The Vampire Slayer and Angel fandoms) fics, and I'm now a beta reader (love you, mana!), which is why this chapter was so long in coming. Well, there were other contributing factors, too. Now I must go, because my best friend is here and we're going to go out and get icecream and not come back home until sun-up. I love my life.