A/N: Just a quickie to mention that this is the penultimate chapter, so yes, the next one is the end of this story. Again, I apologize for the short chapters and the clicheosity of the whole thing (though Dana assures me that it's the quality is more important than quantity and that as far as she's concerned, it's not all that cliche). bow Enjoy.
It had been exactly seven weeks, seven weeks and three days since what could only be called their fateful meeting. Since then, there had been many more. Hidden kisses beneath desks, passionate fumblings behind stairways, casual glances when no one was looking, this was what they lived for.
Sometimes, they talked and while this was far more rare than their (already rare) moments of passion, it was also much more fulfilling. In seven weeks and three days, they had each gotten to know things about the other that they had never dreamed of knowing or indeed, dreamed of wanting to know.
And now, when time seemed such a fleeting thing, something that not just slipped through their fingers but flew by them, Harry was afraid to call it what it was, so he didn't. He didn't call it anything. Sometimes, he let his kisses tell Draco, sometimes, it was said in a quiet look, because he knew that Draco knew it too so words weren't necessary.
They were afraid, both of them, though Draco would never admit it. They both knew there were consequences and that everything they had ever hoped for could fall apart around them, and yet they moved forward. Whether it was because Draco was addicted to the taste of Harry's skin or because Harry couldn't imagine not having Draco to go to when he was upset (and indeed, did not remember how he had gotten along so well without him), they found it simply wouldn't end.
Harry was the first one who said it.
"I love you."
They were in the midst of things when he said it so when Draco lifted his head from Harry's lap, eyes filled with lust and asked, "What?" Harry simply said, "Nothing, go on," and wriggled his hips eagerly.
But they had both heard it, the three words that had come from Harry's lips. So, a week later, they were yelling at each other behind a locked classroom door and Harry screamed, "Then why the fuck are you still here?"
And Draco screamed right back, "Because I love you!" before storming out.
They both cried that night and the next day, they returned to the same classroom and held each other tight, both of them whispering promises to never let go, to never fight again.
They did know, however, that this was ridiculous, now more so than ever. They had let it go too far. They weren't supposed to feel like this, they weren't supposed to fall in love.
But Harry was still afraid, so he said nothing. So it was Draco's turn to bring it up first.
"This can't go on."
And Harry replied, "I know."