A/N: Wow, it has been quite a long time since I've first published…more the reason to finish it! I wanted to put this up on New Year's Day but I couldn't come up with an ending D: So here it is at last! Happy Belated New Year's Day and best of luck for 2010 for every fanfic writer out there!

Chapter 10: Return to Black Manor

"What took you so long?!" Draco screamed over the howling effects of their transportation as he covered his ears.

Harry screamed back, "Who's fault is it that you followed a stranger?!"

"I was kidnapped!" Draco cried out furiously.

Everything suddenly stood still and Draco's feet met with solid ground. He felt a hand remove his own hands from his ears, then a dark face spoke. "Really, you acting so high and mighty, and then you go get yourself kidnapped. I thought you would know better, Malfoy." Harry said angrily as he turned around to hang his coat on a coat rack. Draco realized they were in the foyer back at the Black Manor.

"I thought he was you, you ass," Draco replied acidly. It was odd, Harry's image was used falsely but Draco had complete faith in the Snape in disguise. He never thought Harry would 'go against' him even though he should have considered that idea because of his situation.

Draco frowned in frustration and turned sharply away towards the winding stairs. He couldn't help voicing his angry thoughts as he stomped up, his dress soaked and his feet shoeless. "How could I have been so stupid?!!" he growled fiercely. "I was a fool for ever trusting him in the first place! And look where it got me – I might as well be dead by now. Fool…fool!"

Harry yanked Draco back, interrupting his train of thoughts. "If it weren't for me, you would be dead you, ungrateful brat."

"What? Do you expect me to thank you after you broke your promise?" Draco snapped jerking his body away, "I had the stupidity to trust you, but what can I say? You were the only damn person willing to stand me even though you hate me. I put my trust in you, unbelievable…you made me think it was conceivable that I would be safe," Draco ranted taking steps up, his hand moving in wild gestures, "you and the rest of this household, but specifically you. You really made me believe that there was–" He stopped.

Harry stared at him, "What?"

Draco stood midstep as he realized the source of his anger. He was let down and he felt childish. Nonetheless Draco continued up the steps quickly, pondering quietly, the silence between him and Harry, deathly.

Why was he so uptight on this promise situation? When did he so easily trust? It was this household – Ron, Hermione…Harry. They accepted him in a way, an unwanted stray; he actually began to grow used to them despite the many arguments that broke out. At least there was something going on.

"Malfoy…" Harry said dangerously as if he would crack if the man didn't answer him, but Draco walked on, deaf to the warning.

I haven't trusted anybody in a long while. I held my hopes high because of him, so why am I so hell bent on him not being there for me?

Draco stopped, voicing his thoughts once more, and turned around to face Harry, who continued to near him. Draco felt confused but perhaps if he focused on Harry, he would find an answer.

"This isn't the first time I was let down and I've been hurt, I am human after all, but you…" Draco waved his hand, "you manage to make things worse."

…Like ripping me into two.

Draco continued as Harry walked slowly up the staircase, but with each step that Harry took, Draco's eyes never left his face. He was beginning to understand.

"You've deceived me many times. I'm tired of it so leave me be. I've spoken," Draco said curtly and hastily climbed the stairs before Harry got to him. Each foot that pounded against the floor rang bells in his ears.

He knew now the factors of his anxiety. It was like peer pressure – he cared what Harry thought about him and yet, he didn't know what was going on in that man's mind.

Draco shivered, grasping the fact he was half naked and still a women. He opened his door and went in but as he attempted to close the door, he found Harry barring the way. "Potter – what do you want? I changed to a woman forcibly because of you, I went to the banquet with you, and I nearly died. So, get the fuck out right now. I'm changing."

Harry shrugged. "Go ahead."

Draco stared at him seriously. "Not with you here."

"Suck it up, this is my house and I'm not letting you out of my sight. Who knows, you might get kidnapped again, being the dolt you are."

Draco scowled. He perused through his drawers for something warm and took out a black sweater and loose pants.

When he face Harry once more, he frowned. Harry was still there standing by the doorway. Draco moved quickly in to his washroom and slammed the door close. He warned Harry not to Apparate into the bathroom because if he did, he can expect a beating will greet him.

Draco peeled the wet dress off and dried his body and hair with a towel. He looked at the naked body in the mirror and mused at himself for a second before he noticed he continued to wear the necklace Pansy gave him. He quickly pulled on the sweater and the pants. Women…his thoughts traced back to Pansy. A loose person she was, she was still loyal. He left the bathroom, forgetting that Harry could still be outside.

Clutching the pendant down by his side, Draco wondered why the pendant was ice cold. It was body warm up to the point where he realized the reason why he kept wearing it.

"Malfoy."

Draco looked up, startled then assumed an irritated face, "Oh. You're still here."

Warmth suddenly spread all through his hand. Surprised, Draco looked down to observe the pendent. It looked cold but it felt otherwise. He held it up by the string for Harry to see. "When you gave me this – are you sure Pansy didn't say a thing about its purpose?"

"I'm sure."

"Something's not right…" Draco muttered placing the pendent in his hand. "She was at the banquet. She saw me and…" Draco raised his head a bit, glaring at Harry, "she sure didn't look like she was ready to end things with me."

Harry's eyes were indifferent as he spoke. "You saw her? I should have known she'd be in there."

"That's beside the point," Draco said stalking towards Harry. "This came from her right? What did she really say to you?"

Harry was leaning against the wall and barely budged as Draco came to threaten him. "I lied back then."

"Obviously," Draco growled furiously. "So what's the truth?" he asked shoving the pendent in his face.

Harry glared at Draco with zero guilt on his face and stated, "She still loves you," he answered straightening himself, "but the fact is," Harry continued as he grabbed Draco's arm with the pendent, "you don't," he finished coldly, slamming Draco's body on to the wall beside him.

Shocked by the sudden turn of events, Draco gasped out. "What the bloody hell are you doing?! And how the hell would you know how I feel?" he questioned shoving Harry away, but his hand still gripped Draco's. The brunette didn't understand the other man's violent reaction, but nonetheless, it inspired Draco's cold demeanor. He felt himself becoming guarded against Harry's reaction.

"Let me go," Draco demanded in a low voice. Even as a woman, he still managed to sound vicious.

Although noting Draco's seriousness in his voice, Harry did not release Draco. Instead, he raised Draco's arm so that it was level with their eyes. Then he asked, "Haven't you noticed the pendent grows cold when you think about her? …And how it grows warm when I'm with you – like now?"

Breathing proved to be too difficult for Draco. His heart pounded against his chest, and questions plagued his mind, and he had no idea why yet, despite this, he retained his cool exterior. It was true, the pendent in his hand was burning hot, as if it was consuming his palm and fingers, but even so, it did not hurt him. What was Harry trying to get at?

"She makes it cold," Harry elaborated, "I make it hot. What do you make of that?"

Draco didn't want to think too much of it. "I'm just hearing the observations of a selfish and arrogant idiot. "

Harry released him. "You never did see what was in front of you."

"Neither have you." And even as Draco said this, he could not think of what Harry had meant, and only defended himself. However, as soon, as those words left his mouth, he felt regret settling at the bottom of his stomach.

"…Really…?" Harry asked quietly leaning forward. "That's funny 'cause the first time we met, I hated your guts and suspected you of many things," Harry continued as he pushed Draco's bangs back, "and it's no surprise that you weren't up to no good, every time."

Draco frowned with every word leaving Harry's mouth, and even more so when he felt his bangs being pulled back. Even though his past brought many unpleasant memories to Draco, and his pride was much too great to admit to anything, he could not deny the trouble he had caused, but he's grown since then.

"Quit touching me," Draco muttered, ducking away from Harry entirely. "But, how can I help what's in my blood? A Malfoy is a Malfoy." Draco continued as he walked towards his bed, realizing he was tired, "We will curse, deceive…murder and betray for life. How will I be any different? You've seen my works, I'm as dark as black."

"What's with this sudden confession? You're just going to admit everything? Where's your pride?" Harry mocked with a cruel voice. He stood where he was, keeping his distance.

Draco didn't turn around to face Harry as he sluggishly sat on the edge of the mattress of his bed. "It's the truth anyways. I'm not childish enough to deny that, but," Draco intertwined his fingers together as stared at the plush carpet, "… I also wonder where my pride is too? I can't find it since I've met you again, and this form I'm in doesn't help either."

There was a minor silence in between before Draco shivered in his clothes at the thought of what he had become and had always been.

"You look beautiful the way you are," Harry commented, who managed to walk closer to Draco without him knowing.

Sickened by the praise of his enemy, Draco tipped his head back and said through tight lips, "I don't want to hear that coming from a man-child like you, especially when I'm still in this kind of body."

When Draco expected Harry to retort against his name calling and return one with similar contempt, he was met with an unexpected response. Harry merely stared at Draco from above and his face, his manner, showed no remnants of a 'man-child;' the serious atmosphere that befell the room took Draco by surprise. So, at the first word spoken, Draco's ears pricked, feeling foolish for being relieved of the momentary silence. And then he shivered again without knowing why.

The words came out slow.

"Thanks to my excellent taste, the form you have taken tonight is of course, beautiful," Harry said standing not two feet away, "but you Draco…" Harry said in a low voice as he bent over with ease, his right arm just extending outwards until his fingers ran through Draco's hair, "you... are flawless."

Too concentrated on how Harry's mouth was moving and what they said, Draco didn't notice when Harry smoothly leaned forward, with a tilt to his head, and planted a small and chaste kiss against his lips. Draco no longer felt the chill but the pendent within his hand burned fiercely, and it seemed the warmth managed to reach his chest, for he no longer shivered. However, the moment wasn't to last, even though Draco could swear his heart stopped for a moment. Then after a heartbeat passed with nothing but light breathing, Harry withdrew, his hand now cupping the back of Draco's head, and as his thumb brushed the side of Draco's temple, Harry fixed his eyes on the other man and quietly asked, "Are you flattered now?"

A/N: I really hate endings like these but I sure love writing it :) but then again, it's just my sorry excuse for not knowing how to continue it. Please review :D