Forever
A one shot dedicated to those who have stuck by me and my fic, STM. Loves and hugs to all of you.
x.x.x.x
Draco ran down the hallways of Hogwarts with immense speed. His hair was disheveled to the point where it ran down his forehead landing untidily at his eyes. With an irritated groan he pushed his silvery blonde locks from his vision and continued to run as fast as his legs would carry him.
Finally reaching the North Tower, Draco let himself slump into a panting heap on the floor. With a deep breath he noticed with relief that it was empty. Completely empty… Not an emerald-eyed seventh year any where in sight.
Leaning his head on the wall behind him, Draco exhaled the breath he was holding and relaxed for the first time that day.
I want this to last forever…
x.x.x.x
Harry closed his eyes as he shuddered under the invisibility cloak, his fists clenched. When he finally opened them he found himself staring at a portrait of a scene where the sun was just setting, casting a pink glow across the barren land.
With a frustrated moan, Harry dug in his pocket looking for the small glass figurine he had kept near and dear to him for almost a year now. Feeling his anger heighten, he pulled back his hand and flung the glass at the calm, peaceful portrait.
The small serpent hit the wall at an incredibly fast speed.
The sound of shattering glass was heard throughout the deserted corridors.
The sound of my heart breaking…
x.x.x.x
"Lets make this night last forever."
Harry grinned up at Draco's sincere eyes before reaching up, gripping onto the smooth collar of the blonde's school uniform. His grin was soon replaced with a content smile as Draco stroked his cheek, the soft, silky fingers caressing Harry's warm skin.
"Forever?"
Draco sighed, closing his eyes at Harry's response before nodding slightly. They fluttered back open and watched as Harry's free hand reached over to entwine their fingers.
"Forever is a long time, Draco." Harry said softly, as Draco leaned closer to him. Very slowly, the Slytherin let his lips skim across Harry's cheek before kissing his lips gently.
Feeling his heart beat steadily and his chest quiver with excited nerves, Harry returned the kiss. Draco's gentle movements soon became more needy and Harry felt his fingers lace between short, silky hair. Pulling Draco's face closer to his, Harry welcomed the weight as Draco slowly leaned over him.
Breaking the kiss, Draco smiled. "No, Harry. Forever isn't long enough."
x.x.x.x
Panting, Harry felt the rush of adrenaline leave his body as he stared down at the floor, his eyes shining with hurt.
As he stood, he let the invisibility cloak slither around his body as he began to walk up the seventh floor stairs.
We're not going to live forever…
The glass glittered on the floor abandoned.
x.x.x.x
"We're not going to live forever."
Draco stopped walking and frowned. Turning around slightly, he saw Harry standing there, the arm he had extended only a few minutes ago still sticking out determinedly. A look of understanding fluttered across Harry's face and he smiled.
"I know we're not going to live forever. No matter your status as the boy-who-lived, it'd be foolish to think you're immortal, Potter."
Harry laughed slightly and nodded. "So why spend the rest of our life fighting. We don't have forever, right? Let's live our life as friends not enemies."
Letting his eyes rest on the hand that was being offered to him so openly - so earnestly- Draco felt his eyes brighten just slightly.
"We're not going to live forever." Draco repeated.
"So what are you waiting for?" Harry asked lightly, walking towards the boy.
x.x.x.x
After what seemed like hours of useless brooding, Draco heaved himself off the floor. He had been exceptionally good at hiding in the shadows and began to run down the stairs at a quick pace, completely unnoticed.
Hearing his own footsteps hammer against the hard floor of the hallways, Draco slowed down in case anyone heard. With a soft sigh, he felt his chest constrict with pain as he regained his usual rate of breathing.
His hair was still as unkempt as ever, the blonde strands slinking down to the tips of his ears. Though, for once, Draco could care less. Letting his hand fall to his side, Draco rolled the sleeves of his school shirt up, letting the cool breezes of the castle flicker against his bare flesh.
Quickening his pace to a light jog, Draco lifted his hand to swipe against his moist eyes. Then he began to run.
You promised me forever.
Run away from his problems.
x.x.x.x
"We'll be together forever."
Harry leaned his head against the cool sand near the Hogwarts Lake. With a soft sigh, he closed his eyes, reaching up to pull Draco closer to him. The blonde slowly let his head rest on Harry's chest, hearing the steady rhythm of his heart.
A slow mumble broke through the peaceful silence. Draco's eyes looked worried as he raised his head to meet Harry's worried gaze.
"Forever." Draco confirmed. "I promise you, forever."
Harry smiled slightly and felt himself pulled into an affectionate embrace.
"But what if you're right?" Harry's voice said softly. "What if forever isn't long enough?"
x.x.x.x
Harry stopped suddenly as the sound of footsteps reached his ears. Pulling the invisibility cloak tighter around him, he pushed himself towards the wall, feeling his breath quicken.
As the footsteps neared, Harry looked towards the hallway they were coming from. With a short gasp, he saw himself staring at fair hair and pale skin. Time seemed to stand still as the Gryffindor stared longingly at the blonde.
Longingly, but filled with an infinite hatred.
Time will stop for us. Forever.
x.x.x.x
"I can't, Draco, I'm running late."
A hand pulled Harry towards a warm body and the Gryffindor sighed, before meeting Draco's stormy eyes.
"I haven't seen you for a week, Potter. I don't care how late you're running; your first priority should be me."
Frustrated, Harry pulled away from the embrace to look up at the watch behind his lover. But before his eyes could reach the polished wood of the clock, he met Draco's eyes, which looked almost lost and insecure.
And hurt. So very hurt.
Feeling his chest tighten, Harry walked towards Draco and stroked his hair softly. Leaning in towards his ears, he softly whispered, "You're right, you're my first priority," before kissing the side of his neck gently. "Time will stop for us, for you, forever."
Draco sighed, wrapping his arms around the raven-haired boy.
x.x.x.x
Draco stopped abruptly as something sparkled in the corner of his eye. Turning his head, he saw, his heart stopping momentarily, the pieces of what used to be a delicate glass figurine. Slowly, Draco bent down fingering the sharp pieces of glass fondly, his throat closing.
And then, very quietly, he began to sob. Wrapping his arms around himself, he let out a soft whisper.
So I'll be with you. Forever.
x.x.x.x
"The war's almost here, Draco." Harry screamed out, frustrated.
There was a long pause before Draco slowly stood up off the bed. Turning his back to the love of his life, he dug in his pocket before finding what he was looking for. Slowly he gripped his wand in his hand, summoning his own trunk.
"I know, Harry." Draco replied, just as irritated.
There was another pause only broken when Harry slammed the lid of his trunk down. Then, with a deep breath, he looked towards Draco who still had his back to him.
"So then, what's this mean?"
Draco felt his throat tighten as he stared at the trunk that landed gracefully on the bed.
"I don't know."
"Right, you don't know." Harry said back in an accusing voice.
"Look, Potter. I told you just because we have a relationship, I'm not about to change my views on anything."
Harry nodded, but in a small voice replied,
"But that was before you told me you'd do anything for me."
Draco swallowed, Harry's words marking the start of another long silence. However, this time the sound of the door shutting was the noise that broke it.
Turning around, Draco saw he was alone in the room. Using his sleeve to wipe at his eyes, he quickly began to pack his trunk, getting ready to spend the holidays at the Malfoy Manor.
x.x.x.x
The sight of Draco sobbing was almost too much to handle, and Harry looked away, his own eyes pooling with tears. The relationship they once had with each other was risky, not only for their lives, but for their hearts as well. He knew Draco's fate the moment he met him, and it was foolish to think something as tired as love would change anything…
A choked sob brought Harry out of his reverie, and the brunette watched as the boy he loved began to slowly talk to himself, his words whispered at first but gradually getting louder. Emerald eyes closed briefly, wanting nothing more to comfort the hurting Slytherin.
But he couldn't…
Not after what Draco had done.
And our love was never strong enough…
x.x.x.x
Soft, needy touches crawled over Harry's skin as his robes were carelessly thrown to the side and careful fingertips brushed at the warm flesh underneath his shirt. Letting out a shuddering moan, Harry exposed his neck, feeling a warm mouth comply with his request, slowly kissing the sensitive area with fiery touches.
Arching his body against the wall behind him, Harry's fingers entwined in Draco's hair, the scorching flames of lust settled in his stomach slowly streaming to every part of his body, boiling his blood. Desperate lips descended onto Harry's, and he felt his tongue meet another in a blinding flash of pleasure.
"Harry." A soft voice whispered in his ear while a roaming hand slithered down his back. "Oh, did I ever miss you."
Turning his head slightly and opening bleary eyes to stare at passionate gray ones, Harry smiled slightly. "I never got to ask how your Christmas Holiday was." He said in a husky voice, breathing harshly.
Draco's face was unreadable for a moment before he kissed Harry softly and leaned against him. "You know how the manor is." He said in a guarded voice.
Looking at Draco uncertainly for a moment, Harry sighed. "Let's not talk about this now…"
With a short nod Draco grinned, "What would you rather we do?"
Harry's eyes watched the other boy mischievously before slipping the robe off his shoulders. "I have a few ideas…"
Another kiss… A few more touches… Soft moans and loving words…
And a large, black, ugly mark.
Yelling… Shouting… Hurtful insults…
Crying. The feeling of betrayal.
The door slamming shut.
Alone and aching.
x.x.x.x
Draco's eyes screwed shut as he remembered what he had done. There were no excuses; he should never have cowered down to his father…
"You always told me to not let him control my life," he said softly, his hands brushing across the shards of glass on the floor. "I never listened. I was too stubborn."
There was a soft gasp as Draco sucked in a large breath. "And now I've lost you, left only with the reminder of whom I serve.
"I've lost the one thing that was pure in my life."
"We didn't know what were getting into…"
Draco's eyes widened, but he refused to turn around. Refused to let himself hope that he had heard Harry's soft voice.
"We thought our love could conquer everything life threw in our way. But we were foolish to think that; love doesn't make anything easier. In fact, it only makes things more complicated."
Closing his eyes, Draco felt a presence settle itself beside him.
"I still love you, Draco. And I always will."
The voice was barely above a whisper, but it rang in Draco's ears as loud as a drum. Finally turning around, Draco watched as emerald eyes stared at him, taking in every detail. Harry wasn't supposed to see him like this, with his red-rimmed eyes and unguarded emotions.
"I hate crying." He said finally, after a long silence. It was never him that cried.
Finding himself pulled into an embrace; Draco couldn't help but start to sob again, his arms wrapped around the Gryffindor's middle.
"I've ruined our lives," he said dejectedly, after the weeping had subsided.
And our love was never strong enough…
"We've always overestimated our love for each other; we blocked out reality and lived in a fantasy with one another." Harry said slowly, his fingers running down Draco's back. "Although I'll never be fond of your mark, I'll never stop loving you."
"I wish we could still have forever, Harry, I really do."
Harry felt his hand grab Draco's and he kissed the corner of the blonde's mouth. "We still can."
Draco looked at the Gryffindor stunned. Then with a watery smile, he let himself be kissed by the only person he had ever learned to love.
x.x.x.x
Let's make this last forever.
Let's make our love last forever.
Let's live in the moment,
The moment that time has stopped for us,
Because tomorrow is unpredictable…
Forever isn't long enough.
x.x.x.x