The crisp, chilled air of fall blanketed the castle in the following days. It was only November, but Draco could sense winter coming early. He wrapped his scarf around himself tightly as he entered the courtyard. A few meters ahead was Harry who was clearly trying to cram in some studying before his next class. Draco approached him anyway.

"Harry." Draco smiled wryly, taking a seat next to the boy.

"Draco," Harry took a moment to slide his hand beneath the billowing fabric of their robes to hold his hand. "How are you doing today, love?"

"I'm making it. Every day that gets closer I feel better, believe it or not."

"I can understand that." Harry nodded, letting the thought sink in.

"Of course you would. You've already faced him twice." Draco pushed Harry playfully, making light of the darkest situations. The truth was, they were both worried. It had already been a few days since Draco's meeting with his father, and time was ticking.

It was obvious what was going to happen. Draco couldn't, wouldn't kill Dumbledore. Their only choice at this point was resistance. Harry had almost become used to the terrorizing feeling that was waiting on Voldemort to strike. Draco, however, was new at this.

"What are you studying?" Draco peered over Harry's open text book, transfiguration diagrams dotted about the pages. "Oh. McGonagall's. That's some complicated wandwork."

Harry shut his book abruptly, turning his body to face Draco's. His cheeks were tinged pink from the bite of the wind, Gryffindor scarf bundled around his neck.

"I can't just do small talk with you, Draco. Two weeks. That's all we've been given, and we have no plan. I will fight for you until the end. But I can't afford to lose you, Draco. We have to figure out what we're going to do."

Draco's gaze was solid against Harry's. "I know." His face was calm and structured, but there was a hint of fear in those gray irises that only Harry could sense.

"I love you, Draco. I won't let him be the end of us." Harry's hand squeezed his own beneath their robes.

"I love you, as well. Nothing is going to change that. Especially Voldemort."

Harry smirked slightly. "Using his name now?"

"Eh. Someone very wise once said 'Fear of a name only increases fear of the thing itself.' Sounds like pretty good advice, to me." Harry smiled immediately, knowing exactly whom he'd quoted.

"Speaking of which," Harry replied. He waved to Hermione, who was approaching them from across the court yard. She appeared to have some type of parchment in hand, a serious expression hidden beneath the wild bushiness of her mane.

"Harry, Draco," she greeted, sitting some of her books down next to them. "I'm so glad I found you here. I just came back from Dumbledore's office. He asked me to give this to you both."

She handed over the parchment, which was clearly addressed to both "Mr. Potter" and "Mr. Malfoy." Glancing at each other curiously, Harry began to unfold the message. In the elegant hand of Albus Dumbledore were the words: "Please come to my office after each of your last classes. Arrive together."

"Do you think that Dumbledore has a plan for what's ahead?" Asked Hermione, who'd been filled in on the situation by both Harry and Draco the day after Lucius's meet. Harry shrugged.

"He always seems to pull through when it counts. I'm sure he has everything taken care of," he stated, confidence in the head master unwavering.

Draco nodded at them both. "I sure hope so."

The morning after the Death Eater meet found Severus Snape in the head master's office, explaining everything.

"What do you suppose we do, Albus? He's given the boy two weeks to find you dead. We both know that isn't going to happen."

"Hmm." Dumbledore stroked his beard, lost in thought. "I wonder what has caused him to shorten the time line as such?"

"I am unaware of this much. Lucius Malfoy had doubts in Draco, we know that. But he wouldn't dare tell the Dark Lord that lest he wanted to lose his own standing among the Death Eaters."

"This must be the decision of Tom himself. Tired of seeing me breathe, I daresay. Or tired of waiting on the boy to do what he longs to do himself." He fingered one of the gadgets upon his desk, lost in thought.

"Draco is safe here. My suspicion is that they will try to lure him from the castle. I doubt that they could penetrate our warding, so he will have to leave for their punishment to work." Severus leaned forward, resting his hands on the head master's desk.

"And how do you suppose they will try to lure him from us?" Dumbledore gazed at him from beneath half-moon spectacles.

"Potter. All they'd have to do is convince Potter that his precious friends are in danger and he'd leave. And unfortunately... Draco would follow."

"You have a point, Severus. But that only holds true if they cannot penetrate the warding."

"It has held this long, Albus. Even apparition isn't possible onto the grounds." Severus Snape pulled out his wand, flicking it in the direction of the window in a test to see if any holes had deteriorated the layer of magic surrounding the castle.

"Warding is intact." He confirmed, placing his wand back into his robes.

Albus rested his chin upon his right palm, gazing out of the window Snape had pointed toward.

"In any case, it seems that my intentions for both Mr. Malfoy and Mr. Potter require much faster action than I had originally planned on giving. I will need to push everything forward soon."

Professor Snape nodded, unsure of the head master's intentions but understanding the need for haste. "And sir?" He questioned, snapping Dumbledore from his daze. "What do you suppose we do when our time runs out?"

"Well, like you told the boy, Severus." Dumbledore leaned forward, adjusting his spectacles. "We fight."

"Come in, come in!" The head master's address echoed whimsically throughout the office. Harry and Draco ascended the last of the steps, approaching Dumbledore with a thousand questions in mind.

"Good afternoon, sir." Harry greeted, intertwining his and Draco's fingers beneath their robes.

"Ah, Yes! Good afternoon, boys. Would you like to take a seat?" Dumbledore smiled, no detail unnoticed. Draco's hand remained woven with Harry's as they moved into both chairs.

"I'm sure you're wondering why I've summoned you here today." The old wizard paused, scanning over the boys thoughtfully. Draco nodded subtly.

"I have something for you," he continued with that air of omnipotence that was trademark of Albus Dumbledore. He retrieved a small box from the pocket of his robe and placed it upon the desk, sliding it forward with a single finger.

"I think it wise that Harry hold onto this for now, although my intent is that you both protect it at all costs."

"What is it Professor?" Harry questioned curiously, eyeing the black velvet of the box before him.

"Go on, you can open it. It belongs to you now." Dumbledore nodded encouragingly.

Harry took the box into his hands, softly prying it open. Inside was what appeared to be a stone, ruby-like in appearance, a soft crimson reflecting off of its many surfaces. It was beautiful, and Harry was captivated. Draco peered curiously from the side, deducing and concluding what this gem could possibly be.

"What is it, sir?" Draco braved the question, having come up empty on his own.

"Ah, but what isn't it!" Dumbledore smiled, a riddle himself in some respect. "I can tell you what it isn't. It is no longer a piece of what keeps Tom Riddle alive."

Draco's brow furrowed curiously, wondering what in the bloody hell Dumbledore was speaking about.

"But what IS it?" He continued, "In due time you will know. I will leave the explanation for your own finding, or perhaps for another time. But I do advise that you protect it at all costs. And whatever you do, do not let it fall into the wrong hands."

Harry closed the box and placed the stone into his pocket. "Thank you, sir. We'll take great care of this."

"I have no doubt that you both will take excellent care to it. If something is to ever happen to Mr. Potter, I do expect you to take full responsibility of this stone, Draco.

Furthermore, you should both know that this stone holds great power. I advise that you do not use it for its intended purpose unless absolutely necessary."

"And what is its purpose, sir?" Draco was perched on the edge of his seat, intently listening to the head master's every word.

"In time, Draco. For the present moment, the less you know about this stone's power, the better you will be able to protect it." There was a seriousness in Dumbledore's voice that Draco had never heard before. Between his lines were hidden secrets, things that were meant to be discovered in private. Draco noted silently that even the most skilled Legilimens would find that Albus Dumbledore's mind was a brick wall.

Draco said nothing but nodded once in understanding. "Thank you, sir," he confirmed, but his mind was already whooshing forword to his next question.

"Headmaster," Draco began cautiously, "Professor Snape told me that he informed you of my father's recent proclamation."

"Ah, yes. He did. There is no reason to worry, my dear boys. When the time comes, we will handle Tom Riddle and anyone he throws our way." Dumbledore had a way of soothing the soul, of quelling your fears with the bat of an eye. It was no wonder he had come into such power; the only known wizard to defeat Grindelwald himself. And yet, his humility was charming and lovable. Draco wasn't used to power being handled so gracefully.

"Will we prepare for battle?" Harry asked, reflecting on memories of the DA from the previous term.

"I hope that circumstances will not require such tactics. But, if things are to result in such a manner, then yes. We will fight."

Draco's silver eyes pierced the icy blue of Albus Dumbledore's, and there was an intimate understanding that went without words. Yes, they would fight. Yes, things were about to get bloody and difficult. And, no, life would never be the same.

He felt Harry reach underneath to give his hand another squeeze.

Dumbledore smiled gleefully, body language alone enough to change the subject. "It warms my insides to see you two together. Life is too short to miss out on such a beautiful experience as is love."

Albus was the only being in the room whose face hadn't flushed a deep scarlett. The silence was overwhelming, and Harry let out a nervous giggle while fidgeting with the back of his neck. Draco remained solemn, earnest.

"Thank you, sir. I feel the same." Harry turned to Draco, shocked at the boy's words. Had he just admitted this... to Dumbledore? Things were getting woozy on his side of the room. Surprisingly, both Draco and the head master chuckled.

"I'm in love with you, Harry. We know it. Professor Dumbledore is obviously aware of our feelings. There's nothing to be ashamed of." Draco visibly took both of Harry's hands into his own, smiling that favorite smile that drove him insane.

"We're safe here, Harry. Remember, this is home." And Harry's cheeks turned just a shade darker before he leaned in to touch his forehead to Draco's.

A warm and fuzzy moment passed, eyelids fluttered shut, tips of noses barely brushing. Harry was aware of Dumbledore's presence but didn't hesitate to claim Draco as his own. Something within the seed of his gut told him that the headmaster could quite possibly be their biggest supporter. Harry felt Draco's head tilt forward, and he expected to sense the soft, pink lips pressed against his. Just as he opened his mouth to reciprocate, he heard an exceptionally deep throated cough from directly behind them.

"Ah, Severus! So glad to see that you were able to come and join us." Harry started, jumping backward in a panic. Heaving, Harry noticed the professor's expression: a grimace that was a cross between "what the bloody fuck" and "oh my god, why me, not again." Draco let out a chortle, matched by Harry's own exasperated laugh. As startled as he was, Snape's face was so fucking priceless that he found himself cackling uncontrollably alongside Draco. It was a moment he longed to share with Ron, and he wondered if he'd get to one day; when, or if, he changed his mind.

"Oh, shut it, you two." Snape crossed to Dumbledore's desk, composing himself whilst he walked. Dumbledore winked knowingly in their direction.

"If you will excuse us, Mr. Potter, Mr. Malfoy. I believe everything we've discussed is in order?"

"Yes, sir." The boys simultaneously rose from their respective seats and headed for the exit.

The entire walk back, Harry's hand never left the tiny box within his pocket.

"I have spoken with the staff, Albus. They are prepared for what is to come."

Severus Snape took a seat in front of the head master, the sound of Draco and Harry's giggling still echoing against the stone walls. He sighed, perking up at the sound of the gargoyle sliding back into place.

"For what might come, Severus. We cannot predict the advances of Tom Riddle, though we may try. Did you mention anything about the boy?"

"I left Draco's...innocence, out of the explanation. I only mentioned that the Dark Lord wants you dead within the next couple of weeks. That is his main motivation, after all."

"I see. Well, the truth will come to light. It always does. It seems to appear however that when his betrayal of the dark side becomes known, he will have plenty of allies to stand alongside him. And with that, there is hope."