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"And so we're almost at the end. One or two more chapters left. I wanted to thank you all for your incredible love and support…for all your encouragement…for all your wonderful reviews. You guys kept me going through it all and if it weren't for them, I would have given up long ago. You guys are truly amazing. Love you all a lot."
Right when Harry was about to give up, right when he was about to let go of the dwindling ray of hope that flickered dangerously inside him, the blanket of pure black despair was replaced by bursts of light that pierced through it. Tom's eyelids fluttered, and he stirred. It was like the heavens had given him another chance. His heart soared, mending itself once more. Tom was saved! Waves of happiness and relief washed over him, and he felt it soak right into his bones. Dizzy with exaltation, he closed his eyes and savoured the felicity that fizzled in his heart.
Harry let out a high-pitched squeal of joy, the happiness was too overwhelming. It started as a tingle in his fingers and toes, much like the feeling he'd had when he'd been anxious, but instead of worrisome it was warm and oh so magical. He felt it pass through him like an ocean wave, washing away the despair and the misery…. washing away everything he'd been through up to this point and left him refreshed inside.
Tom's eyelids lifted revealing his beautiful brown eyes and Harry stared at them with utter wonder as his heart overflowed with joy. The colour of Tom's eyes was as breath-taking, as what was inside them. They were bright. Oh, how bright they were, shining with the tears that had yet to fall in trickling lines, streaking down his cheeks. Finally, he spoke, a slight crack in his melodic voice.
"Why are you looking at me like that?"
It was the sweetest symphony…so different from Voldemort's. He smiled slightly,
"Because you are the most beautiful thing I know."
A flush crept up Tom's pale cheeks and Harry leaned over and cupped his face,
"We won…"
Tom's soft lips curved up into a smile of their own and it was as if the world had brightened up to a new extreme,
"We won."
Harry pressed a kiss to Tom's cheek and helped him sit up straight. He couldn't contain the joy that he was feeling. It was too much. It was irrepressible. Tom looked slightly disoriented and Harry helped him to his feet. Tom's eyes grew sad as soon as he saw the marks and bruises covering his skin,Tom's lips par
"I did that."
It wasn't a question, just a statement. Tom held his hands up in front of his face and stared at them distastefully. Harry instantly grabbed them in his and kissed them,
"It wasn't you… You didn't do anything… All these marks mean nothing now that you're back."
Harry watched as Tom pulled him into a tight embrace and buried his face in his shoulder. Harry felt his tears on his bare skin and smoothed his fingers over his back,
"Its okay, Tom…It's okay… Everything's going to be fine."
Tom held him tight but there was a cautiousness in his manner. It was almost as if he was scared that he was made of glass and would shatter with the slightest bit of pressure. He pressed himself closer to Tom and spoke,
"If I was breakable…I would have shattered days ago…maybe months ago…"
Tom pressed a kiss to his neck and Harry melted into it. Tom's lips felt absolutely heavenly against his skin. This was all so new….so beautiful…so absolutely miraculous…
Miraculous…Yes…That was the perfect word to describe them…this bond…their relationship… Everything about this was a miracle…Tom could have been gone today…He could have lost him forever today.
He mentally shook his head as he tightened his hold on him. No…Tom hadn't left him. Nothing had gone wrong. They were both still alive…They both had their entire lives ahead of them. They both had so much happiness in store for them and Harry couldn't wait to get started. Tom finally voiced the question,
"Am I truly a monster… a beast?"
Harry shook his head as he ran his fingers through Tom's silky black hair,
"No…You're not…You're not a monster, Tom. You were born with perfect love in your soul and that love is what kept you alive and well…that love is what made you strong enough to defeat Dumbledore."
Tom let out an anguished cry as he clung to him and Harry let him cry. He knew Tom needed it. All those years of entrapment and suppressed emotions…all those years of physical and emotional suffocation… all the torture Dumbledore must have put Tom's soul through…It was over… all over…
He lost track of time in between Tom's sobs and finally regained it when they stopped, and Tom just held on to him like his life depended on it. Harry coaxed him to walk and led him to the bedroom. He sat him down on the bed and then swung his legs on the mattress before settling down beside him. Tom wrapped his arms around him again and Harry imagined how lonely Tom must have been all these years. How starved he'd been for the simplest and briefest affectionate contact. He hugged him tight and Tom nuzzled his head into his chest. Harry couldn't help but smooth his fingers over Tom's back,
"I love you, Tom."
Tom's reply was muffled but it was enough for Harry. He pressed a kiss to the top of his head. How long had he waited for this day? How long had he waited for these moments? Even now, when they were here, there was tiny part of him that feared that it was too good to be true. It kept whispering that he would wake up and all of this would be over.
He pinched himself slowly and winced. Nope…This wasn't a dream. Tom was really here, in his arms. They had really won. There was an explosion in his brain... the good sort... the type that carried more possibilities than he could be conscious of... but there were hundreds of ideas there in that buzz of electricity... he could feel it. It was the calling card of adventure, of paths awaiting his feet… their feet… Whatever was ahead would be a great challenge, and there could be tears, but it was his adventure to take…his and Tom's and so he smiled.