DISCLAIMER: If you've ever heard of it before, I don't own it, so don't sue me.

A/N I really am sorry about the wait…really I am. This one wasn't just my usual procrastination either. I hope you guys appreciate this chapter, because it was hell to write. The slash truly starts to kick in in this chapter, so now would be the time to turn back if you don't like that stuff. Oh, and as an FYI, ------------ means change in the POV. Hope you enjoy!

Dumbledore sighed, leaning back in his chair. He knew he shouldn't be surprised, he knew that he should have come to expect things like this to happen when Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy interacted.

But this was still a shock. He hadn't really known what to expect when Ron and Hermione had shown up at his office, both breathing hard from a run, telling him that Madame Pomfrey needed him in the hospital wing. All he could get out of them was that Malfoy had done something horrible to Harry. That in its self had surprised him, considering how well the boys had been getting along lately.

So he had followed Ron and Hermione, curious, but not terribly worried. Until he had seen the look on Pomfrey's face. The usually bustling and cheerful witch's face was pale and her lips tight with fear.

He had politely asked Ron and Hermione to leave, and delicately requested to speak with Harry and Draco alone.

And now, sitting the quiet of his office, he could reflect back and say that he hadn't, not even in his wildest ponderings imagined that what had happened.

Bonded. That was how Harry and Draco had phrased it. Linked. It was useful, no denying that. The order now had a fool-proof way to communicate with Draco, and would know immediately if anything went wrong. Normally, Dumbledore would turn his full attention to the two boys and their problems, and he would in a couple of days, but at that moment, it just wasn't possible.

Dumbledore sighed in exhaustion. This was what he hated most about war-times; the waiting. He knew an attack was going to be launched, and thanks so Draco had had time to prepare, but didn't make the waiting any easier.

He had just started to make himself relax when Fawkes gave a powerful cry. The battle had begun.

Lord Voldemort leaned back in his chair, smiling as he spoke into the tip of his wand, sending his words to Lucius Malfoy.

"Begin the attack. You know my rules, I want Potter alive or…" he trailed off menacingly.

"Yes master," Lucius's voice rung from his wand, "It will be done as you wish it."

Voldemort vanquished the spell that connected him to Lucius. 'It will be done as you wish it…'

The first wave of death eaters crept silently forward. This would be the easiest siege in history, their master had informed them. There was no way the enemy would see it coming, all they had to do was get in, get Potter, kill a few, and get out.

Until they hit the first line of the order's defenses.

Harry and Draco had been confined to the hospital wing by Dumbledore, for which they were very grateful.

Telling Dumbledore hadn't been nearly as hard as Draco had thought it would be, but that might have been because all he had to do was nod in appropriate places as Harry did all the talking. Dumbledore had taken the news well, showing none of the surprise he was bound to have been feeling.

And now they were alone. That meant that there was nothing to keep Draco occupied but Harry, whose full concentration was on a potions essay, and his herbology homework. Hands down Harry was more interesting.

Harry was actually sort of handsome, his black hair contrasted his green eyes in a way that was just plain beautiful. Draco continued to study the boy in front of him, figuring he was safe from being caught staring, the potions essay was pretty involving.

He'd made it all the way down to Harry's chest, and had started to wonder if straight men were allowed to have crushes on other boys, when his forehead lit up with red hot pain. He clasped his hand to it, noticing distractedly that Harry was doing the same. Flashes of a vision interposed itself with his normal vision.

Spells flying….mouths open with screams…black cloaked death-eaters…chaos and confusion reign…

One of the death-eaters stands out among the others; he's shouting orders to his comrades, though Draco can't hear what he's saying. Occasionally he shoots a spell at the enemy, but mostly he lets the others do the dirty work, he's the one in charge here after all. He's surrounded by black robed guards.

His dismay is visible even through his hood as his mouth screams more orders and conjures more spells. Things aren't going as planned. Somehow, a jet of red light gets through his guards, catching him on the side of the face. He tears down his hood, obviously cursing. Long blonde hair streams down his back as Lucius Malfoy continues to direct a failing battle…

"Draco, come back! I know you can here me!" A clear voice pierced through the vision, and he wanted desperately to go to it, but wasn't enough to jerk him out of the horror.

More spells, but this time he can hear faint echoes of the screams…

"DRACO!" This time the voice was more persistent, more frightened. He struggled to free himself from the vision, to reach the comfort, of that beautiful voice.

But he still couldn't, and the scenes from the battle outside continued to rage in his mind. Then he felt warm arms encircle him, and it felt wonderful, safe. With a burst of strength he didn't even know he had, he threw the vision from his mind, coming fully back to himself.

To find himself being held tight by Harry Potter. And even scarier, finding that he wouldn't be willing to move from his current position for the world.

But unfortunately, he knew that life didn't work that way.

"What the hell just happened?" He asked violently, but didn't move an inch.

"I—I can't explain. We've got to go to Dumbledore." Harry said, his voice shaking slightly. He seemed reluctant to give up his hold on Draco, but did so anyways.

"Come on!" He said violently, grabbing Draco's hand and yanking him along behind him. They ran, hand in hand, through the empty halls and past the full classrooms until they reached the stone griffons.

"Pepper imps," Harry said, causing the spiral staircase to appear.

"Harry please tell me what's going on!" Draco begged desperately as they sprinted up the stairs.

"I'm not sure myself. It's something that's always happened to me, and now it's happening to you too." Draco was on the verge of asking what exactly 'it' was, but they had made it to Dumbledore's office.

"What do you need boys?" Dumbledore asked distractedly.

"Dumbledore, you know how I see things when Voldemort's feeling strongly? It happened again! There's a battle outside, I managed to shut it off, but I saw a battle, and there are death eaters and—" Dumbledore cut him off.

"I know Harry. And don't worry; we've got everything under control. The order was prepared, thanks to Mr.Malfoy, and we'll be able to hold the death eaters off." Dumbledore sounded calm, but Draco could tell it was a façade. He was scared.

"Dumbledore sir, I saw it too." Draco stated, forcing outer calm.

Dumbledore nodded, taking the information well.

"Not surprising. It just shows that the bond you two share is deeper than we anticipated. Has Mr. Potter explained to you what you experienced?" Draco shook his head. "It's quite simple really, you see when Dumbledore is experiencing strong emotions, Harry feels it, or in this case sees it, through the bond that they share. Apparently it then echoes down through your bond, into you."

To his credit, Draco didn't stare blankly, he nodded and pretended understand.

"Why don't you two head back to the hospital wing and catch up on the classes you've missed," Dumbledore said as a clear dismissal.

"Thank you sir." Harry intoned, leaving the office with Draco in tow.

Soon they were back in the hospital wing, though this time neither of them could concentrate on school-work, which left them with each other.

"Draco…" Harry started to say something, but trailed off.

"What is it?"

"Your dad's out there." It wasn't a question.

"I saw him, do you know? After you shut it out, I kept seeing things. He was surrounded by guards and people were shooting and screaming…I could see it all." Draco sounded haunted.

"It'll be ok. Dumbledore said things're under control. I know it's scary…It's been happening to me for over a year now, and it still scares me," Harry said comfortingly.

Draco curled up against himself on the hospital bed he was sitting on. Harry got up to sit by him.

"I know, and it's not really the vision that's scaring me, well ok the vision's adding to it, but it's mostly my father." He knew that with Harry he didn't have to explain. Draco instinctually slid himself towards Harry until they were huddled up together.

Harry shivered at the feeling of Draco's body so close to his. Harry had long since began to wonder about his sexuality, and was yet to come to a conclusion. All he knew was that he loved the way Draco's body felt against his. And that in it's self scared him.

"We'll have to tell everyone we got into a fight, you know." Draco said sadly.

"Yes. Everyone'll be impressed. We managed to hurt each other so badly we're both in the hospital wing over night." Harry answered sardonically.

Draco laughed, curling even closer to Harry, who shivered happily again.

"What time is it?" Draco asked. Harry contorted slightly to look at his watch without moving away from Draco.

"10:00 already."

"I guess we should probably go to bed." Draco suggested with little to no conviction.

"Yeah. Madame Pomfrey'll kill us if she finds out we're still awake."

Harry ruefully unfolded himself from the blonde. He went over to his stuff, (Ron and Hermione had brought them both clothes and their school-work), pulled out some pajamas and changed into them. Draco politely didn't look while he changed into his own.

They both climbed into their respective beds. Harry flicked his wand, turning off the torches. He curled up under his blankets, though they did nothing for the chilling cold that immersed him whenever he thought of the battle that was raging just outside the castle.

Not to mention the fact that he wasn't fighting in it. Even though he understood why, it did nothing for the guilt that was eating at him.

He knew perfectly well he wasn't going to be able to sleep that night; there was too much going on for him to relax at all.

Then a warm body slid up next to his, and arms curled around him. It was heaven.

(Don't say a word.)

Harry smiled contentedly at the voice in his head and the body next to him. On second thought, maybe he would sleep that night.

The last thought to cross his mind was how he really shouldn't be enjoying falling asleep in Draco Malfoy's arms. And that he didn't care because of how safe and wonderful it was.

For the first time in a long time, he was happy.

A/N and look, no cliffie! A nice, sweet, slightly slashy ending… (Review)