Harry was shocked when he walked outside, to realize that it was still winter. Everything that had happened—had changed his life, his mind, and his world—had happened in less than a week. Closing his eyes he twirled around once, reveling in the cold air. Opening them again he saw Draco regarding him warily. Harry knew that they needed to have a conversation, but it would have to wait until after the pyre.

On a cliff by the lake his godfather's awaited his, and a large chunk of the wizarding population's, arrival—in order to begin their final send-off. For a moment Harry mused on the unlikely-hood of such a turn out. Who were his godfathers that so many people would know them? After all, Remus had been shunned in life, and Sirius was an escaped convict. The thought flickered into his mind that they must be showing up because of their connection to him, the savior, and Harry was instantly ashamed. Many people loved and admired his godfathers; he didn't have the monopoly on it. His grief was threatening his reason.

Beside him Draco silently offered as much of himself as he could in his unsure state, and Harry was grateful for him. He reached out and took his hand, silently asking approval to announce them to the world. Draco ducked his head and smiled wickedly, giving a slight nod.

Harry would be lighting the pyre. For a minute, as they crested the hill on which it stood, a monument of broken tree limbs and broken bodies—Harry thought that it might already be on fire. But no, it was just the Weasley family; he grinned broadly—how had he ever thought that without Remus he would be alone in the world? He gave Draco's hand a squeeze, and led them towards the group.

"Good morning, Harry." Mrs. Weasley said.

Harry nodded in greeting, and hugged each of the surviving Weasley children, Ron last of all. Harry and Ron hugged for a long time, and when they pulled back Ron glanced over to Draco.

"Hey, Malfoy," Ron said mildly. The rest of his family raised eyebrows in surprise; they had done no more than nod to Draco.

Draco smiled softly. "'Lo, Weasley," he said.

Ron grinned and enveloped Draco in a crushing hug that took care not to crush the wrong part of his back. Draco sighed into the hug, and Harry felt a small spark of jealousy that made him smile at himself.

"Oi," Harry said, "give that back, Weasel."

Mrs. Weasley burst into laughter, and her children regarded her worriedly. She chuckled and gathered Harry and Draco into an enormous hug. Draco sighed again; how had he ever thought all this hugging was pansy-ish? It was wonderful.

Words were said, remembrances noted, smiles smiled, laughs enjoyed, and a fire was lit.

Harry chose to do it his way, as would befit a wizard of his power. He grasped Draco's hand; wordlessly saying he would not hide things again. Draco smiled, but extricated his hand from Harry's. He kissed him on the cheek and pushed him towards the pyre. Harry nodded, he understood that he needed to stand alone. He walked up to Sirius' body and kissed its cheek, then to Remus' and did the same. Then he stood in front of the pyre and willed it to burn; it listened.

The flames warmed them all in the cold air, and Harry barely felt the snow melting around his knees from where he'd fallen to the ground. What he did feel was the warmth of Draco on his right, the warmth of Ron on his left, and the comfort of Crabbe standing guard behind them. Had he ever not wanted to know these boys? Had there ever been a time when he didn't feel like he did now?

From the castle, two sets of eyes watched the scene on the hill.

Harry had the strength to stand and he knew it. When he finally convinced his mind that he wanted to stand and walk away, he was stiff and he had dried tear tracks on his face, but he felt good—wonderful, peaceful. He spotted Snape standing in the back of the crowd and made his way through the cautiously parting throng to speak to him. Snape stared down a little disdainfully when Harry approached, but seemed to reel himself in and the look disappeared. Harry wordlessly nodded at Snape, and Snape returned the gesture. A small wicked crinkle began at the corner of Harry's eye, and before Snape knew it, he had an armful of Harry Potter; with a long-suffering sigh, he accepted it. That is, before the other three hooligans joined in.

The crowds dispersed as the hug went on and on, until they were the only people left on the bluff. Giggling madly, they let Snape go. On the way back to the castle the four boys walked together, following the irate potion's master who was mumbling snarkily as he adjusted his clothes. When they reached the castle steps they were greeted with a howl.

"Who knew, Moony? I ask you. Who knew that all we had to do was die to get Snape into an or-gy!"

"I know, I know, I've been biting myself. If only we'd known."

The two marauders gave each other commiserating looks, and burst into laughter.

"Oh god," Snape breathed. "Say this isn't happening to me."

Sirius grinned. "Say it isn't so, Snivy? I thought you loved me?"

Snape snorted.

Draco was watching Harry carefully. Harry was taking in the sight of his milky white, transparent (or was it opaque?), godfathers. A sound, something like a cough or a sob, escaped him—then another, and another, until he was laughing and crying at the same time. Ron hit him on the upper back as Draco rubbed circles on his lower back. They exchanged a glance, behind said back, that read clearly—if you ever speak of our teamwork on this matter I will be forced to torture you indefinitely—both nodded.

The ghosts looked concerned.

"We're sorry, Harry." Remus said. "I know this must be some shock, but there was really no good way to tell you. Sirius thought that surprise would be easiest—you know, like hiccups? I should have known better than to listen."

"Oh puh-lease," Sirius said. "As if your idea to write him a note was any better!"

Remus looked affronted. "At least that way he would have had time to adjust before seeing us!"

"We can't hold a bloody quill!"

"Shut-up!"

"Make me, Moo-ny."

"Oh, I'll make you, you little dog-faced-shit-breathed-ball-licking—"

Harry stopped his snorting/coughing/sobbing and was silent for a full two seconds before he laughed so hard that he passed out. Snape rolled his eyes and levitated him, taking him to the infirmary. The boys and the ghosts, followed after.

Harry woke halfway there and screamed like a tiny monkey when he found himself floating in mid-air surrounded by people and ghosts.

"Did I die?" Harry asked.

No one had ever heard Snape laugh so heartily.

"No, Harry," Draco said calmly. "You just passed out like a corseted girly-man."

Harry smacked in Draco's general direction, ineffectually.

"Uhm, Snape?" he said, "could you possibly put me down?"

Snape grinned, shrugged, and lowered his wand; Harry hit the floor.

Ghost Sirius and ghost Remus leaned over him.

"That wasn't a hallucination then?" Harry asked them.

Remus shook his head sadly. "No, I'm afraid we're here to stay."

"You're not sorry we made this decision, are you Harry?" Sirius asked.

"Sorry? What? No," Harry said. "I just—are you two gonna be happy? You'll be—I mean, won't you be—stuck here?"

Sirius' grin had a devious edge. "We've got Sevy here to entertain us, plus all the kids, plus most important—you," he said.

"And you know," Remus said. "A ghost can always free themselves of their confinement on earth. It's just a matter of letting go, Harry. We're here for as long as we are here, simply by choice."

Harry nodded. "Can I get up off the floor? It's very hard and cold and…surprisingly? cobblestones are uncomfortable."

"No?" Sirius gasped. "But the brochure said it would be the best sleep you ever had!"

"What has happened to truth in advertising?" Remus lamented.

The three men, (well two ghosts and one sort of man) grinned at each other as Harry struggled to his feet.

"You're ok then?" Sirius asked.

"I'm ok," Harry confirmed.

Remus shifted anxiously. It was interesting to see a ghost do that. "Well, it turns out that ghosts have a surprising amount of nervous energy. So, if you don't mind Harry," he said, "Siri and I will just be…around."

Harry saw the horny look they exchanged and smiled, amused.

"Are you sure you won't stay for some tea?" Harry asked. "We should talk about everything right away, all those years we missed. I can't wait another minute to hear everything about you two."

Sirius and Remus exchanged a weary glance. Harry chuckled.

"Go you two horn-dogs. I'll see you later."

The ghosts laughed with relief and Sirius changed into a ghostly dog form and took off down the hall and around a corner; Remus floated after him.

After a minute, Sirius' head appeared back around the corner (in his human form) and said, "Sev darling, you don't mind if we use your room do you? No? Good show old man," and quickly disappeared from sight.

Snape made a choking sound that might have been horror and might have been interest, and quickly ran after them.

Ron looked a little like he might be sick, but he held it back. "Harry," he said. "I should get going. You know I'd planned to—go visit—today."

"Visit who?" Crabbe asked.

Ron's gaze dropped to the floor. "Hermione," he said shortly.

"May I come?" Crabbe asked.

Ron's head jerked up, "Why?" he asked.

"Crabbe's had a mad crush on her for ages," Draco said.

"Thanks a bloody lot, Malfoy," Crabbe said. "I'm sure he's dying to have me go with him now."

But Ron looked thoughtful. "No," he said. "You should come."

Crabbe smiled slightly. "Thanks mate," he said.

Ron nodded and turned around and walked off. Crabbe followed him.

"Well," Draco said when they were alone again. "Those were hasty and suspicious exits, weren't they?"

"Yes," Harry said. "It was rather as if someone was trying to get us alone."

Draco grinned, wrapping one arm around Harry's waist and pulling his body against his own. "Now who would want to do something like that?" he asked.

Harry grinned, but a troubled look crossed his face. "Perhaps someone who knew that we needed to have a talk."

Draco sighed and rolled his eyes. "Can we at least go back to the fun room with the lube?" he asked.

Harry nodded enthusiastically.

Draco stamped his foot when he saw the interior of the room of requirement. "Where's our bed?" he demanded.

There was in fact, a couch, a rug, a table, and a fireplace—but no bed.

"Wow," Harry said. "That's the first time this room has betrayed me."

Both boys flopped down on the couch, Draco naturally falling into the curve of Harry's arm as he lifted it up for him. They slouched against the side of the couch and Harry ran his fingers through Draco's stiff hair, working out the gel. Both were reluctant to say anything.

"Perhaps the room should have come with a strange man, equipped with a cattle prod, in order to make us talk," Draco mused.

Harry sighed. "I had so much to say to you this morning. I'm not sure where it went."

"Well, obviously the arrival of your godghosts canceled out the need for some of it," Draco said, a tiny moue of displeasure crossing his features.

"No, they didn't have anything to do with it. I mean, they did, but not really."

"Uh huh," Draco said. "I'm getting that message—yes sir, loud-and-clear."

Harry grunted and considered a round of torture/tickling but decided against it. "I just wanted to tell you that you were enough now, that I didn't feel alone, but also that I didn't need you."

Draco considered walking out in a huff, or even sitting up, but discarded that idea. "Thanks," he said.

"But it's wrong," Harry said. "I do need you. I thought that if I lost Remus, after losing everyone else—that I'd have to learn to be on my own. I knew that I could do it, but the thought of it was terrifying."

Draco hmm'd.

"But," Harry said. "I realize now that I'm not built for it. I don't want to be alone, and I was just forcing myself into believing I had to be. I'm a sad sack, woe-is-me, whining little pity party."

Draco laughed a bit.

"I'm surrounded by people," Harry said, awe in his voice.

"Yes," Draco said smoothly. "And how does that make you feel, Mr. Potter? Anxious? Claustrophobic?"

Harry placed a kiss on the top of Draco's head. "A little of both," he said, "except when I'm with you—then it feels right."

Draco sighed and settled further into Harry's arms. "I want to be with you for a very long time, Harry."

"I want to—there's so much I want to do for you Draco."

Both boys tightened their arms, Harry's around Draco, and Draco's around Harry's arms.

"Harry?" Draco asked after awhile. "Can you make me feel like that as well?"

"Like what?" Harry asked.

"Like I'm surrounded by people who love me."

Harry smiled, and let some of his magic flow into the air around them. It crackled and pulsed with his emotions. "You are," he said.

Draco snorted. "Sap," he said, luxuriating in the ambient magic. "Thank you."