A/N: Thank-you all for the reviews and a big time thanks to my new beta MapleSandwich (also known as Eva!).

Warnings: This chapter contains small hints of abuse.

Chapter four:

The confusion of my new perfection

It was a very new feeling for Harry as he watched Draco, Hermione and Ron all chat comfortably in each other's presence. He and Draco had gotten to the castle rather early in the morning. Thus, both had spent quite an amount of time discussing the mirror, Harry had spent more time watching the Slytherin then actually paying attention to the teen's thoughts on the whole ordeal; the way Draco would lean against the red and gold couch, or how he would mindlessly put his feet on the coffee table, made the blond seem perfectly at ease.

Ron and Hermione had been very understanding of the whole situation, though it did take some convincing from both Harry and Draco to prove that Harry had not lost his memory from the accident. Harry told the couple bits and pieces of his 'other life' which had taken most of the morning. When Draco had showed Hermione the mirror, that had pretty much done it for the bushy haired girl. She had ran straight to the library with Harry, Ron and Draco on her heels.

So now here they where, back of the library, surrounded by mounds and mounds of books, while they all drowned in the written word.

It was getting fairly close to supper when Ron finally put down his book. "I'm bloody starving," the red head moaned.

Both Harry and Draco put down their books and voiced their agreement. They all turned to look at Hermione whom was still nose deep in a rather old brown leather book.

"Come on Herm, we haven't eaten anything all day. Why don't you take a break?" Ron suggested as he stood up with the other two boys.

Looking up from her book, Hermione sighed and lied it down gently onto the table. "Ok, but we're coming straight back here," she turned to Harry. " Harry I think you should get your cloak, there has bound to be more information in the restricted section, and without a note from a professor I won't be able to get in."

"Will do. Now let's go," Harry stated.

They made their way silently to the Great Hall as it was slowly began filling with students. Harry had been so caught up in his thoughts, that he hadn't even noticed when Draco sat down next to him at the Gryffindor table until the blond asked him to pass the mash.

Jumping slightly, Harry grabbed the mash and looked at Draco. "Do you always sit at the Gryffindor table?"

Dropping the spoon and placing the bowl heatedly onto the table the Slytherin turned to look at Harry. "If you're uncomfortable with me around, I can just go sit with the Slytherin's Harry." The hurt was far from evident in his tone.

"No its fine…it's just-"

"You're not use to it, yeah I know." Losing his appetite completely, Draco just stared mechanically down at his empty plate.

"I'm sorry Draco," Harry whispered.

"You can't help it, don't apologize. Things are different now, you don't know me and I don't know you," Draco said, still look intently at his plate.

"Well if you're not hungry, do you want to walk me to my dorm and we can get to know each other all over again?"

This time the blond did look up and his face brightened immediately, there was that perfectly innocent 'Harry' smile, reserved just for him, he thought. "Sounds like a lovely idea," Draco said standing up.

"Where are you two off to?" mumbled Ron through a mouthful of food.

"Where off to shag Weasley, honestly what a stupid question"

Two things happened at once, Ron spit his food across the table, and Harry just landed on the floor blushing a wonderful shade of crimson. Draco helped Harry to his feet, while smirking malevolently at Ron. He grabbed a very stunned Harry by the arm and tugged him out of the Great Hall.

Once outside the large oak doors, Harry pulled away from Draco with an opened mouth expression. "Draco when I said getting to know you I didn't mean…well I certainly didn't have…well you know that in mind," the Gryffindor stuttered.

Draco could no longer hold in his laughter and burst at the very embarrassed Harry Potter. "Harry I was just joking…come, let's go back to your dorm and get that invisibility cloak of yours."

They entered the library silently and made their way to the back. The walk to and from the dorm had been uncomfortably mute, and Draco was sure it had all been because of his comment to Weasley about shagging. 'Though I would have gladly obliged had Harry asked,' the blond thought.

Sitting down side by side, Harry finally spoke up. "So, um…what's your favorite color?"

Draco smiled at the raven-haired boy's oblivious innocence. "Silver. I imagine yours is still crimson, yes?"

Harry nodded sheepishly in reply. "Can you tell me what life is like here? How was it that we became friends?"

The blond paled instantly at the change of subject. There where two very opposite reasons why he didn't want Harry to yet know of there past. "It's a very touchy subject Harry, for both of us. So let's just say after the Chamber of Secrets incident, back in second year, was when we became close."

"Draco I already know about the whole Chamber of Secrets thing, remember what you saw in the mirror?"

"Bear in mind what I said Harry, the happenings of here and there is drastically different. I promise you, when the time is right, I'll tell you everything, but please not right now," the Slytherin whispered, averting his eyes away from Harry's dizzying green ones.

"Sorry. Well, um, what kind of things do we do together?"

Moving slightly in his chair and mindlessly putting his now socked feet on Harry's lap, the blond closed his eyes and smiled to himself remembering all the good times they had shared together over the years.

"We always sneak out to the Shrieking Shack, just me and you at least once a week. You are really busy all the time with your extra lessons and such from Dumbledore, McGonagall, and Lupin. Plus, you being Quidditch captain takes up loads more of your time, and me being a Slytherin Prefect- we hardly get to see each other.

"That's why every night me and you end up falling asleep on either Slytherin or Gryffindor's common room couch. We stay up almost every night just talking and lazing. Then of course, there's nights at the Shake where we stay up till dawn, either getting piss drunk or just chatting about life."

"Lupin is teaching here?" Harry asked wide eyed.

"Yes, wonderful teacher…even though I am not a fan of the werewolf side," Draco commented, and then rushed back into tales with he and Harry at the Shack.

Harry was watching Draco as he told about many fun nights up in the Shake, his face was dreamy, eyes shut and that wonderful, full of life smile that Harry had come to love was playing at his lips. Harry couldn't express how brilliant it was having Draco as a friend; it was odd and confusing yet completely and utterly perfect. And though Harry was sure Draco had no idea his feet where on his lap, the Gryffindor didn't mind the slightest, as he himself was too busy watching said blond to notice his own thumbs drawing circles on the teen's ankle.

"Do you still play Quidditch?" Harry questioned.

"Actually no, I love the game, I truly do, however-"

"Harry, Draco have you found anything yet?" Hermione cried as she and Ron entered the library.

Draco squirmed lightly in his seat, pulled his feet off Harry, and slid his chair a little further away-he looked slightly put out at the interruption Harry noticed.

Smiling to himself, the raven-haired boy leaned toward Draco's ear. "I know we went to the Shack last night, but I wouldn't mind finishing this conversation. Let's say we go again tonight? That way no one can disrupt us," Harry whispered.

Draco shivered at the closeness, but there was not a thing he could do to suppress his grin. The thought of spending another night with Harry, alone was just too overly wonderful for him. "I'm all for it," he murmured in reply.

Happy at the Slytherin's reaction, Harry turned back to his two friends, whom where now opposite he and Draco. "Guys, me and Draco are going back to the Shrieking Shake again tonight, hope you don't mind."

"That's fine Harry, now lets just get back to work," Hermione said, already putting on the invisibility cloak. Ron just scowled from behind his book.

"My, my it is not very often I catch all four of you buried nose deep in books." Dumbledore chuckled softly as he peered down at the young adults.

"Professor!" Hermione chocked, it was painfully obvious she was worried about getting detention for skiving classes.

"Good day all, sorry for startling you. I would just like to speak to Mr. Potter for a moment," the white-bearded man spoke, his blue eyes twinkling ever so lightly.

Harry followed the Headmaster from the library, looking back over his shoulder seeing his three friends give worried expressions. Once outside he waited patiently for the old man to speak. It was apparent that he wanted Harry to first.

"What is it, Sir?" Harry fidgeted with his robes, praying to what ever Gods there where that it wasn't about Voldemort. It was, after all, only October and frankly, right now he did not want to deal with the whole 'murder or be murdered' prophecy.

"I just wanted to remind you Harry, that your lessons with me shall be back on again starting next Monday, along with your other sessions with Professor McGonagall and Professor Lupin."

"Yes, of course, Sir. I wouldn't forget," Harry said silently, hoping that was all. As much as he loved his mentor, bad news was always a downer.

"Oh, yes, and this book should be of great help," Dumbledore said, twinkling even more at the Gryffindor's slacked jawed expression.

Taking the brittle, black book in his hands he looked up at his ever knowing Headmaster. "How…Sir…do you know everything?"

The old man just chuckled and turned toward his office. "Good day, Harry. Best of luck," and with that he was gone.

Once back in the library, Harry sat the book down in front of Hermione as she asked what the Professor had told him.

"He gave me this book," was all he could say, still amazed at the man's shrewdness.

They all waited silently while Hermione read the first few pages, she was practically bouncing in her seat with information.

"Well?" Ron groaned impatiently.

Hermione just glared at her boyfriend, then turned face Harry and Draco.

"Research has said the Mirror to be a myth, this book says otherwise. It's written in the old tongue, so you'll have to give me at least a day to make sense of all the information. But so far, the Mirror was believed to be hand crafted by a Witch named Madge. It was apparently so powerful that she called upon the Gods to curse it so that only the empty hearted could make it appear, but to generate its magic one must have a pure mind and a loving soul. So in other words, Harry, the Mirror deemed you worthy of happiness or as it says perfection."

"Ok, so the Mirror pretty much turned my life upside down, basically." Harry said rather irritated that the witch just couldn't make sense of it all now.

"Well, Harry, as I said it's loads more complicated than that, but give me at least till tomorrow night to get the facts correct. Why don't you and Draco have fun for tonight while Ron does our prefect rounds?" Hermione suggested, surprising the boys. It was not often, if not, ever, that Hermione Granger took time off her prefect obligations.

Ron just grumbled and made to leave the library saying a quick good night to the three of them, while Draco followed at his heel to tell Pansy that he would skiving of his prefect duties again.

As the two boys left silently, the busy haired girl looked toward her friend. "Harry for what it's worth, I'm sorry for the way me and Ron treated you there. When you go back-which I am sure you will eventually- please knock some sense into me. I don't want to hurt you", she said sincerely.

"Thanks Hermione, I will. I really missed you and Ron, and now that I have Draco…it's just been so amazing. As confusing as this is, I'm beginning to like it more and more." Harry smiled.

"Just be careful Harry, don't get too attached here incase you really do have to go back…there."

"I know, I will be."

"Harry, ready to go?" Draco asked from the front of the library a few minutes later.

No more was the silence uncomfortable between Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy as they now sat, chatting aimlessly on the horrid, yet relaxing bed in the Shrieking Shake. They had done their best at cleaning off the dust sticking shamelessly to the brown and grey sheets, and it had paid off wonderfully, for Draco had nothing left to overly complain about- not that he would anyway, considering he was wrapped underneath said unsoiled sheets with Harry as he watched the raven-haired boy talk about life at the Dursley's.

"They put you in a bloody broom cup board underneath the stairs?" Draco said, shocked at such vile treatment.

"Well, once they found out I was a Wizard they put me in Dudley's old bedroom, but that never stopped them from 'punishing' me and putting me back in the cup board. Honestly though, it's fine. I only ever had to stay there for a month and a bit," Harry stated as he turned to face the blond, there faces now only inches apart.

Sighing despite himself and gritting his teeth, Draco looked Harry dead in the eyes. "Harry I don't care if it would have only been for a week, that is absolutely horrid. What else have they done to you besides ignore you, treat you like a house elf and not feed you right?"

Draco regretted asking almost instantly as Harry turned away from him and onto his back, but he wanted to know the boy's hardships. Harry's pain was his pain as far as the Slytherin was concerned.

"Well, Dudley and his lackeys use to hit and torment me every chance they got, but that was nothing new. I guess the last two summers have been the worst of my life there. My uncle finally realized that I was…how do I say, venerable.

"After Cedric's death, and the whole return of Voldemort, I was suddenly locked in a trance; my uncle began beating me a little more…roughly than before, and I was practically starved most of the summer. Thank Gods for the treats Ron and Hermione sent me. But I was still in a rage, I was pissed that no one had even bothered to write me once and for that reason alone Vernon didn't use his fists too much.

"However, after fifth year, you know what happened?…A part of me died, and gone was the Harry that raged and ranted. I was numb, still am, in every way, and Vernon took advantage of that august," Harry choked out; he had almost forgotten the Dursley's.

Draco crawled over Harry's body so that he could see the boy's face, they where pressed close together now. The blond tenderly stroked messy raven locks and looked deeply into those tormented green eyes of Harry Potter.

"Tell me Harry," he asked gently as he continued to brush the thick strands.

"It was nothing torturous, his beatings where much like the ones I received from Dudley and his friends, but there was this one time when both my cousin and aunt where out shopping and it was just Vernon and I. He got into a terrible rage when I accidentally tripped over the carpet and spilled the tea all over his lap. All I can say is I have never been so scared in my life, than at that moment. Ha! And I am suppose to be the one to defeat Voldemort!

"Anyway, he picked me up by the scruff of my neck and said, 'you ingrate, how dare you. I'll show you the meaning of pain,' and next thing I know, he rips off my shirt and dumps the whole kettle of boiling water onto my torso. I couldn't leave the house, so I had to heal naturally. Thankfully, there aren't any scars, but it truly hurt, and needless to say I was extra careful for the next month," Harry stated mechanically.

Although Draco had seen much of his life, the Mirror seemed to skip bits and pieces-one of those pieces was the summers at the Dursley's.

"I wonder why I never saw that in the Mirror?" the blond pondered.

"I think it only showed you the important things, Draco. I never really considered life at Dursley's an important part of my life," Harry said moving over so Draco could have more room.

"Well since you shared perhaps I should too, yes?" Draco asked, though as more of a statement than a question.

"You don't have to if you're not comfortable; when you're ready to tell me I'll be there for you"

The Slytherin smiled at his friend as he then turned to lay on his back. "Despite all the years we have been good friends, I still never told you much about my childhood with my father…it was a difficult subject for me, but I am ready now. I've never talked to any one about it before."

And so it was that the blond told Harry Potter about the horrid events of his upbringing. He talked about the times way before Hogwarts when his father was never around and he was left in the care of his mother, which was wonderful, but he always wanted to please his father. Lucius had always called him filthy and had never once showed the support and love a father no doubt should; however, there was always that acing feeling inside Draco's heart to please his father. He was a disappointment to his father.

"It was when I turned ten that my father decided it was time for the Malfoy teachings," Draco stated.

The blond tuned on his side to recount the tales of his 'life with father' as he called it, he couldn't face Harry as he did so. Lucius had taught the youth many, many dark spells, but the boy had no idea at the time.

"My father treated it as if it where a game, and needless to say, I hated this game, but I would have been a fool to say so. Lucius was feared and respected by all. I soon learned, even before his training, to do so as well."

He said that while his father was teaching him to be a reputable Malfoy, he was no longer allowed to spend quantities of time with his mother- if any time at all. Gone was the playful little Dragon or the innocence of youthfulness. By the time he received his letter from Hogwarts, his face was a mask of indifference, his skills at dark magic including two very useful unforgivable curses, had reached epic proportions and he was given one specific job once he entered the school: befriend Harry James Potter.

"I remember the first day I met you, I didn't even know it was the famous Harry Potter. There, in the midst of a busying robe shop, was a little boy, full of beaming light and insensible innocence. Your hair was an inky mess of silky locks, your eyes where unknown galaxies, and I swear the world stopped when I saw you. You where pure and full of life, and I wanted to know everything about you, I wanted us to be the best of friends for as long as the Gods would allow it.

"Then I found out your name. You where my undoing Harry, I didn't understand why my father was so obsessed with you. All I knew was that it was absolutely necessary to befriend you if I wanted to please my father, or to live. I knew my father had a serious dislike for you, and I knew right then, in that moment, when my eyes met yours, that I would never allow my father to take away your beauty and youthfulness like he did mine. So I made you hate me in ever possible way. I regret hurting you and your friends…but I'll never regret my decision for choosing you over my father."

Draco wasn't aware of it until now. Strong tanned arms of a fabulous Quidditch Seeker where wrapped lovingly around him, Harry's hot breath was steaming lightly over his pale neck, and in this moment Draco was safe and in his most peaceful heaven: Harry Potter's arms.

He turned into his friends caressing embrace and looked deep into those emerald eyes, he felt so close, yet still to far away to touch. It was with all his will power that Draco closed his eyes and laid his head to rest on the puffy fabric of there pillow. What wouldn't he give to be just so much more closer.

"Someday soon, I'll finish that story, but like I said, the summer I came home after first year includes a full length story of the events of the Chamber of Secrets and I'm not quite ready for that part yet," the blond whispered.

Moving his thumb across the pale check, Harry erased the small track of tears on Draco's face. "Don't be ashamed by what your father made you do; it's over, he is gone and as I said before, I'll always be ready when you are."

"I know…Gods Malfoy's aren't supposed to cry," Draco chocked as he violently rubbed his eyes.

"You don't really believe in the Malfoy ways anyway, do you?" Harry smirked down at the teen in his arms, his heart skipping a beat as Draco opened his silver orbs and gave him a little grin.

"Yes, you're right…I don't"

The Gryffindor watched as Draco Malfoy feel into a deep sleep, cuddled close to his chest and Harry couldn't help but smile.

"You're beautiful too…Dragon," he whispered softy into the blond's ear, remembering the night in the hospital wing. In minutes both boys where in a silent slumber, Draco's hand resting on the Gryffindor's heart and Harry's fingers twirling ashen hair.

When Harry awoke the next morning, he found himself cold and alone. He turned to the side Draco had been sleeping on, and found a small note lying neatly on the pillow. He didn't take the note right away, but instead just gazed dreamily at the spot Draco had occupied that night. There was something so safe and content about sleeping with the blond like they had the past two nights; it almost made him feel like he could never sleep alone again. The warmth of another body molded perfectly into his, the soft breath of the one in his arms, legs intertwined intimately, and then there was the fact that Draco was positively painted with charm.

Harry groaned at his thoughts; no, he was not going to allow himself to have feelings for Draco Malfoy…who happened to be a really amazing person. However, it did make Harry wonder why he felt so comfortable having Draco in bed with him and in his arms, and they both knew a fair bit about one another… 'Gods I am not going to think about this, just push it to the back of you mind Harry otherwise you'll end up fucking everything up,' the Gryffindor thought.

Picking up the letter, Harry began to read.

Harry

I forgot to tell you last night, but I am suppose to see Severus this morning as he wishes for me to aid him in his potions. I know the git is going to make me his apprentice, honestly how draft does he think I am. I'm sorry I didn't wake you, but it was exceedingly early and you looked so peaceful. Thank you for last night, I never realized how good it felt to finally talk about that; I hope it was worth it for you as well. Anyway, I'll see you at breakfast and I will give you your list of 'things needed to be known, here.'

Draco

P.s. If you're curious as to why you woke up at 7:00am without an alarm clock, it would be because I cast a spell on you to make sure you woke two hours after I left.

Harry was not a morning person, he knew this, but he felt rejuvenated and full of life. Quickly pulling on his school robs, he picked up his book bag and folded the note neatly into his robe pocket. He couldn't wait to see Draco again, he fiddled with Draco's note al the way to the Great Hall, and ear to ear grin never left his face.

Harry happily entered the Great Hall for breakfast and glided toward the Gryffindor table. He spotted a head of ashen hair and wondered why Draco was sitting with the Slytherin's… 'Oh well, I guess we'll talk after breakfast,' Harry smiled at the thought. Ron and Hermione weren't at the table yet so Harry didn't rush his meal.

He was staring off into space when his bushy haired friend sat down across from him with a troubled look etched on her features.

"What?" Harry asked with a mouth full of eggs.

"Harry, didn't Draco tell you that you always sit at the Slytherin table for breakfast?" Hermione inquired as she too began to pile her plate.

"It's not like it matters Hermione, Harry doesn't always have to sit there," Ron countered.

Ignoring Ron's comment Hermione looked over the raven-haired boy's shoulder, "Harry I think you better make a mad dash for it, Draco is leaving and does not look overly happy."

Turning to head toward the hall doors, sure enough there was the Slytherin himself, his mask in place which Harry knew meant only one thing- he was hiding what he felt. "Oh shit!" Harry said, and without even so much as a good-bye, he did just as Hermione had instructed, dashed.

Ron glared after Harry, then slammed his goblet onto the table. "Well it's nice to know Malfoy has once again won…Harry is always running after him like a lost dog."

The bushy haired witch stood and frowned down at her boyfriend. "Ron, maybe if you actually took the time to understand Harry and Draco's relationship, you would see it for what it is- or at least what it should be. But no! All you can dwell on his the past…Draco Malfoy is not trying to win a contest nor is he trying to break your friendship with Harry. Jealously has clouded your mind, and frankly I'm just tired of it. I'll see you later."

In a flash Ron Weasley was alone, only more aggravated then before. 'First you have all the money in the world, then you take away my best friend, and now you have brainwashed my girlfriend into sticking up for you…I hate you Draco Malfoy, I really fucking hate you,' Ron mused violently as his face turned redder by the second. He was hardly even aware of his house mates slowly moving away from him.

Finally catching up to the blond as he leaned against a tree, Harry hunched over, hands on his knees as he caught his breath.

"Gods Draco, why didn't you stop when I called you?" Harry queried, looking side ways at the teen.

Draco just hung his head, those silky blond locks falling sensually over closed lids. "It's really hard sometimes…this morning when I saw you, it completely slipped my mind that you didn't know you always sit with me at the Slytherin table in the morning, and then you just walked to the Gryffindor side of the hall, you even had your back to me. I freaked, I…Gods this is hard."

"Just give me time Draco, I am sorry…this friendship really means a lot to me. There is still so much I don't know," Harry said as he leaned against the tree next to Draco.

"It's so much more than that for me Harry…so much more," he whispered, then looked up at those emerald orbs, the ones that made his knees go weak, the ones that held power and beauty like no other.

"What-"

"Nothing Harry, never mind. I have to get to class; I'll see you at lunch," Draco interrupted as he turned away leaving a confused Gryffindor in his tracks.

After watching the Slytherin disappear into the castle, Harry ripped his hands through his mop of raven locks. "Bloody fuck, this place…or whatever it is, is confusing as hell. It's just seems so…perfect at the same time," Harry muttered to himself as he headed back into the castle. He was not in the mood for classes and dealing with people at the moment, he was too caught up in Draco's words.

It's so much more than that for me Harry…so much more

"Well fuck…what is that supposes to mean anyway?" Harry roared loudly, stalking to Gryffindor tower.

Back in the tower, Harry was shocked to see one Hermione Granger sitting in the common room.

"I'll say, this place…this so called perfection, just keeps on bringing a whole lot of surprises. Never in all the years I have known you Hermione, have I seen you willingly skive classes on your own," Harry grinned as he took a seat at the opposite end of the couch from where his friend sat.

Hermione looked up from her book and set in on the table, of course it was the book Dumbledore had given them just yesterday Harry noticed. "Oh believe me Harry, surprise isn't even close to what's coming this weekend for Hogsmeade, and I, for one, am not skipping classes, they dismissed us."

"What's happening this weekend? Why did they dismiss you?" Harry questioned- if Draco wasn't enough of a surprise already he wondered what was.

"Well I wasn't actually suppose to give you any information on this weekend, it was Draco's idea. And as for why I'm not in Ancient Runes at the moment, is because a couple of Slytherin's got into a row which ended in both boys using muggle means to fight. Needless to say, the Professor had had quite enough and dismissed the entire class just to give the two boys a full day worth of detention," Hermione explained.

"I imagine that would have been a blast to watch," Harry stated.

"It was not a blast to watch, as you so eloquently put it. I am missing an entire two hours worth of class because of some idiot boys and there mindless quarrel I'll have you know."

The raven-hired boy couldn't help but laugh, Hermione was unreal, but he loved her just the same. He waved his hands in front of his face as she glared at him from across the couch, but he could see the corners of her lips twitching into a smile.

"So, Mr. Potter, why aren't you in class?" Hermione stated snottily, raising her nose in the hair.

"Well, actually it has something to do with what Draco said to me once I finally caught up to him after he left the Great Hall"

She raised a questioning eyebrow to her friend. "What did he say?"

As Harry recounted the story, he also gave Hermione a few little details about the night in the hospital wing, when Draco had thought him beautiful.

"Oh Harry, don't you get it?" Hermione sighed, her friend was seriously draft but she just hoped what she was about to reveal wouldn't spoil the two boys friendships. She had a suspicious feeling that it would only make things stronger for them, but it was after all just a feeling.

"No Hermione, I don't get it, unless Draco failed to mention something about our friendship…was it more than just friends?" Harry asked as he was finally catching on.

"Well, not really. I don't know what you felt or feel for Draco, but I know that for him it's more than just friends…that's why he said it was so much more. He has been holding his secret in for so long Harry, and ever since that night with you two being thrown into the mirror and him falling asleep in your arms…he is breaking," she said sadly.

"Well, why hasn't anything happened between us in the past. Why didn't he do anything?"

"For a few reasons Harry. One, he didn't want to lose you as a friend, and two because of Ron," Hermione affirmed. "Harry the only thing Draco doesn't know about you is that you're gay, and it's been a pain in the arse for me to keep that a secret when I see him hurting everyday."

There was a long moment of stunned silence in the room as Harry gaped at Hermione. He felt his head spinning again; it was like a railing hailstorm.

Both jumped out of there trance as they herd large clumps of hard snow thud against the castle wall and window. 'Funny how the weather seems to adjust perfectly to how I feel,' Harry mused.

"Hermione how did you know I was gay? I have never told anyone that secret," the Gryffindor whispered worriedly.

Hermione was still staring wide eyed outside the window when she heard her friend ask her the question a second time. 'Oh Harry, you have no idea what you're in for.'

She turned back to him and grinned. "Harry, here you trust me with most of your secrets. You told me you were gay back in fourth year."

"Oh…so um, what's this whole thing have to do with Ron?" Harry asked sheepishly, a blush forming on his cheeks…he couldn't believe she knew his most well kept secret.

The grin turned into a frown at the mention of one Ronald Weasley. "Well Harry, much like there, Ron despises Draco here too. He is jealous of Draco. First, the boy bests him at most things, second, he has riches that not even Ron could imagine, and he and you are much closer than Ron and yourself. Ronald thinks that Draco is trying to steal you away and because of this, Draco knows Ron will flip if you two ever became more than friends… so he has done nothing in order for you to have both there friendships. Ron as no idea how un-selfish Draco Malfoy really is."

Again, Harry's mind was reeling with an overload of information; he found it made him both oddly content and slightly aggravated. Ron was being a git, but he understood how the red head felt. At the same time, the news of Draco's feelings for him were making him almost giddy.

Hermione knew that look on Harry Potter's face all to well, it was that I'm-going-to-do-something-about-it-now-before-I-even-have-a-planlook. He was a Gryffindor to no end, always running head long into a dark cave with only a wand and no plan; however, his Slytherin tendencies did manage to slip through on occasion.

"What are you going to do Harry?"

"I have absolutely no idea, so I'll just let time handle this one...if the moment is right," he whispered as he stood from the couch. "Thanks for your help Hermione, I'll see you after supper in the library."

Sometimes Harry James Potter drove her mental, you never knew his plans till the last minute and even then, you still didn't know what was going on. "Don't do anything you'll regret, Harry" she warned.

Said boy just turned around and smiled ever so brightly. "No worries Hermione, I'm just going to lay in that hail storm out there and sock up the weather all to my lonesome." And with that, he was gone from sight as the portrait hole closed behind him.

"Oh no Harry, Draco will be joining you shortly…I'll make sure of that." Hermione smirked as she packed up her books and left the Gryffindor common room.

He honestly could not believe how calming it felt to be laying in the middle of the Quidditch pitch, face toward the heavens being rained on by heavy mounds of snow. It was odd that there would be a hail storm at this time of the year, but nonetheless, it was blissful…well almost.

Harry's mind was swimming with thoughts, or more like swimming with thoughts of Draco Malfoy. It was almost funny, even when he had disliked the git the blond was always on his mind anyway. In a strange way this was his perfection, he hadn't yet dreamed of Voldemort, or Sirius. Sleep was always peaceful. Then there where his friends, Hermione the ever knowing book worm and Ron- they truly cared for him here. However, Harry realized the most important thing that had transpired from this whole Mirror incident…

Draco.

"Harry?"

Jumping to his feet, wand in hand Harry rounded on the main focus of his thoughts and was momentarily stunned, but not just by the blonds presence, but by his utter flawless perfection.

"Harry, what are you doing out in this storm?"

But he couldn't answer. Draco's pallid locks where doused in wetness as it hung wildly from his head. His skin glittered like diamonds as the rain and hail poured around his toned and graceful bevy. His aristocratic facial features and raised cheekbones brought ultimate supremacy and stealth, and then there where those eyes. Harry had always assumed them to be a steel, cold grey… but this close, that assumption was not true at all-his orbs where a rainbow of the richest silver and small particles of faded blue could be seen dancing ever so slowly.

"Are you ok? Harry please answer me."

But still he could not. This angelic figure should have pure wings of heavenly white. But it was not just his beauty, it was his heart. The way Draco would embrace him like a lover. How, despite Harry's dense inability to see the blonds yearning love, Draco still never left his side. Was this the Draco behind the Malfoy mask? Was this what that poem had meant…?

"Harry?"

"Your name, it means Dragon right?" Harry whispered through the roaring wind.

"Yes…"

"You're so beautiful…can I kiss you, Dragon?"

A/N: Sorry this chapter took me so long to write, but I had writers block. Please review and let me know what you think so far.