Chapter 12 Holidays

The end of term passed like a dream for Seamus. Even with exams, just being able to see Draco made things seem more controllable. It was the last day of school and he was going to meet Draco that evening. He couldn't have felt happier and was looking forward to their meeting. Sure, they were going to be separated for a while, but the summer holidays weren't that long. Soon enough they would be back at school, and they could see each other again.

Seamus sat in his usual spot at the Gryffindor table at lunch. He looked across the hall at Draco, gave the other blond a heartfelt grin then returned his attention to his meal. His stomach was complaining because it needed food.

The end of term passed like a dream for Draco. Even with exams, just being able to see Seamus made things seem more controllable. It was the last day of school and he was going to meet Draco that evening. He couldn't have felt less happy and was dreading their meeting. They were going to be separated for a while, the summer holidays were long, and there was no guarantee that he would be back at school, or that they would ever see each other again.

Draco sat in his usual spot at the Slytherin table at lunch. He looked across the hall at Seamus, gave the other blond a false smile then returned his attention to his meal. He stood and left the room. His stomach was complaining because it couldn't handle any food.

That night Seamus could barely contain his excitement about their meeting. He had a surprise for Draco and he was sure the other boy would love it. He couldn't wait to see the other boy's response. He was so excited he even had to remind himself to eat. Seamus stayed at dinner for only as long as he thought he must in order to prevent anyone noticing his absence.

From across the hall Draco watched as the blond Gryffindor left and sighed. He was reluctant to leave. What if this were to be the last time that he would ever speak to Seamus? What if after they left Kings Cross Station tomorrow he never saw Seamus again? Draco couldn't bare the thought of it. He hated good-byes, and this one would be painful. As he stood he tried to drive the thought from his mind. He would go meet Seamus and if this were to be their last night together, then he would make it memorable.

Draco detoured via the Slytherin dormitories on his way to meet Seamus. He didn't want to arouse suspicion and he didn't want anyone to follow him. He removed Harry's invisibility cloak from his trunk and put in on for what he suspected would be the last time. He closed the curtains on his bed and hoped earnestly that no one would come looking for him. He turned and left.

Draco made his way to the room of requirement where he had arranged to meet Seamus. He walked in to find Seamus lying on a rug, reading. The Gryffindor hadn't heard the door open upon his entrance. Draco stood in the doorway watching his boyfriend for a moment. He smiled to himself. Seamus looked so peaceful lying there. He was so happy. This was exactly how Draco wanted to remember the other boy. He just hoped Seamus could stay that way.

/Don't think like that./ he berated himself /Live in the now. If this is the last time we are going to be together, then make the most of it./ Draco gathered his resolve and removed the invisibility cloak. Seamus glimpsing the movement looked up and offered a welcoming smile.

"Hi." Seamus greeted coyly as he rolled onto his side. He patted an empty space on the rug next to him.

"Hi." Draco whispered back. He walked over to Seamus and sat next to him. He handed the invisibility cloak to Seamus. "Here. You'd better take this. Harry might want it over the holidays."

Seamus took the cloak and set it aside. He sat up and wrapped his arms around the other boy's waist.

"I'm going to miss you." Draco whispered into his ear.

"Sssshh." Seamus hushed "Don't think about it. I'm not. Besides, it's not such a long time."

But Draco feared that it might be. He felt guilty. He couldn't bring himself to voice the thought that he might not be coming back. He didn't want to hurt Seamus. He didn't want to take away the peaceful happiness that was radiating from Seamus. Draco's chain of pessimistic thought was broken when he felt Seamus' grip tighten around his waist.

"You are very quiet." Seamus said gently "Are you alright?" In response Draco smiled and kissed Seamus' forehead.

"I love you." he sighed "You are the most important person in my life. I don't think that I could live without you." Seamus looked up into Draco's eyes to see they were full of emotion.

"You make it sound as though I'm never going to see you again. Cheer up. It's only the summer holidays." Draco sighed and snuggled closer to Seamus.

"What if my father keeps me home? What if I am not allowed to return to Hogwarts next term?" Seamus could sense Draco's fear. What worried him the most was the thought that these fears were not groundless. Seamus gently kissed Draco's lips calmly.

"Don't worry about it. We will sort out that problem if it comes. Amongst muggles there is this saying; 'love conquers all.' I believe everything will turn out alright." Seamus observed that Draco was sinking further into thought and decided to lighten the mood. He grinned cheekily "If you don't come back to school, I will go to your house, abduct you, and we can runaway to live in a cardboard box together."

Draco laughed. "I love you Seamus. You mean more to me than anyone in the world. You are the only person who has ever truly loved me for who I am, and I can't begin to thank you for that."

"I love you too Draco." Seamus removed two identical two-toned bracelets from a pocket within his robes. He gave one to Draco and fastened the other around his own wrist.

As Draco accepted the bracelet he inspected it closely. It consisted of a series of alternating gold and silver charms. The gold charms were stylised lions, and the silver charms were snakes. Both images were a match for the boys' house crests. Between each charm was a small, red heart shaped stone.

"What's this?" Draco looked at Seamus, his expression unreadable.

"It is just a little present." Seamus replied as he took the bracelet and fastened it around Draco's wrist. "The snakes represent you because you are a Slytherin. The lions…"

"…the lions are for you. Because you are a Gryffindor." Draco continued.

"The heart is he most important part. Without it the rest would not be held together." Seamus concluded. He had put a lot of thought into designing this present. Then it had taken him a long time to find someone who could make it for him. It had been expensive, but he thought it was worth every Knut. Draco sat staring at the bracelet. Seamus began to feel nervous. "Do you like it?"

Draco looked up and smiled. "I love it. The amount of thought you put into this is one of the reasons why I love you so much."

Seamus lent towards Draco. Their lips met and they both felt the chemistry course through their bodies like electricity. It was a long time before the pair broke apart. When they did, Seamus rested his forehead against Draco's.

"Draco." Seamus whispered "I want to make love with you."

"Are you sure?" Seamus unbuttoned Draco's shirt in response.

Draco woke the next morning at dawn. He looked down at his boyfriend who lay asleep, snuggled close to the warmth of Draco's body. Draco kissed the other blond on the forehead. Seamus' eyes fluttered open and he looked up at Draco and smiled.

"We had better get up." Draco stated reluctantly. He made no attempt to move. He did not want the moment to end.

"Come on. If you don't you will miss breakfast." Seamus ordered as he stood. He dragged Draco to his feet after him.

You know it will look a little suspicious if we both arrive in the Great Hall at the same time."

"Well then I'll take Harry's cloak back to my dorm first and see you there. But what about you? Won't someone have noticed your absence last night?" Seamus was flooded with a sudden concern for the safety of his boyfriend.

"No. I used a spell to seal the curtains on my bed last night. If anyone came in they would have assumed I was asleep. If I go straight to the Great Hall they will just think I got up before them."

Seamus smiled and kissed the other boy passionately in farewell. The spirit of both boys and all their unspoken words were poured into that one kiss. They both knew that this would be the last time they could be near each other before they left. When they broke apart Seamus lightly brushed a stray wisp of hair away from Draco's eyes. He then turned, picked up the almost forgotten Invisibility Cloak, and walked from the room.

Draco watched Seamus leave and smiled. The blond Gryffindor's enthusiasm and bubbly personality were infectious. As Draco walked down to breakfast it took every ounce of self-control to stop him from skipping.

When Seamus walked into the common room Harry was already up.

"Where were you last night?" Harry demanded. Seamus only smiled. "Okay. You don't need to answer that. I think I can guess."

"Here." Seamus handed Harry the Invisibility Cloak and explained that Draco thought he would need it over the holidays. Seamus didn't know how to thank Harry for everything he had done. Without Harry, the other two boys would never have been able to see each other. Harry seemed to understand.

"So how was it?" Harry asked. Seamus closed his eyes, held his arms out horizontally and allowed himself to fall back into the chair opposite Harry. There were no words to describe how complete Seamus felt. "That good huh?"

Seamus opened his eyes and sighed. "I love him so much. I am going to miss him over the holidays." His expression darkened "Draco is afraid that his father will not allow him to return to Hogwarts next term."

"Don't worry about him." Harry reassured the other boy "Dumbledore will watch out for him. He would not let anything happen to Draco." Seamus smiled.

"You know, I don't think I've heard you call him 'Malfoy' for ages." Harry had also noticed this. He didn't think it would ever happen, but lately he had been seeing Draco in a new light. He had begun to understand what it was that attracted Seamus to him. Seamus misinterpreted Harry's contemplative mood. "It is a good thing. Now come on, let's go down to breakfast. I'm starving." Harry laughed and followed his friend.

As the students piled onto the train latter that day, there were only two students who were dreading the coming school break. One was becoming increasing concerned about the other, who in turn was gradually being consumed by fear.

Seamus followed Harry and Ron onto the train. He paused in the carriage doorway and looked down the platform to see Draco standing alone, his trunk levitating in front of him. The blond Gryffindor couldn't help but wonder if perhaps his boyfriend was right. What would happen to Draco if his father so much as suspected he was seeing Seamus again? If Draco wasn't to return to Hogwarts, what kind of horrors would he be forced to endure instead?

"Hurry up Seamus!"

Harry's beckoning broke Seamus' chain of thought. Seamus moved out of the doorway. All he could do was wait. He wouldn't know anything for sure until he returned to school in September. Draco would either be there, or he wouldn't.

Draco walked along behind his case and shut himself inside an empty compartment. He knew he would remain alone for the rest of the journey. By the beginning of first year he had successful isolated himself from the other houses. More recently he had become detached from his own housemates. The only person he knew would be willing to sit with him Draco knew would be endangering himself by doing so. No. Draco knew he was going to have to remain alone. Draco had never been religious, but as the train pulled away from the station he found himself praying to any deity willing to listen, asking for them to ensure he would be able to return to Hogwarts. He hoped more than anything that his father would not find out about him and Seamus.

As the train pulled away from the almost empty station, two pairs of eyes watched. Deep within his gut, Snape felt an ominous feeling develop.

"Well there they go." he muttered forebodingly.

"I am not any happier about this situation than you are." Professor McGonagal replied flatly. "But you know what Albus said."

" 'It's just a waiting game.' " Snape quoted morbidly "What I fear is that if we wait, it will be too late."

"Well that is a risk we are just going to have to take."