A/N: So sad. This is the last chapter. I want to thank everyone who read, reviewed, or did whatever else you can do on this website to this story. It means a lot. After this I'm going to post the original one-shot and then (dun dun dun) the SEQUEL! Most of the story line is still being polished, and I may wait a while to post it. I want to do some work on my other stories (yes, there are more). Thank you bunches!
Responses: Too lazy, thank you all.
And special thanks to EricsLuv for being my 100th reviewer! Yeah! Never thought I'd have that many… ((sobs)) Thanks you, thank you all so much. I'd like to thank the academy… lol.
Here's to the day:
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Chapter 8: Seizing the Day
1 year and one month later…
(May)
"So, you're really going to do it this time, like, for real. You're not going to back down AGAIN?" Blaise Zabini, seventh year Slytherin and best of fellow seventh year Slytherin, and Head Boy, Draco Malfoy.
"Yes, yes," said Draco Malfoy replied. "I'm actually going to do it. And it will amazing. I told you, didn't I? That I was waiting for JUST the right time? Well, it will the perfect time to do it, and I will."
"You will what?" asked Harry Potter as he walked in and plopped himself down in Draco's lap. "Well?" He asked when neither seemed to be answering. "Uh-um-nothing." Draco finally settled on. "Nothing at all."
Harry just raised his eyebrow at him but let it go. Draco was such a bad liar. It was a good thing he had decided not to be a death eater. He wouldn't have lasted a day.
Harry just leaned down and kissed his boyfriend, thinking he had an idea about what they were talking about.
Llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll
Less than a month.
That was all the time Harry had left in the first place he had ever called home. The place where so many of his 'firsts' had happened. The first time he had friends. The first time he kissed a girl. The first time he kissed a boy. His first girlfriend, his first boyfriend. The list went on and on.
He thought about all that had happened as he leaned against the wall, looking out at the grounds before him. So much had happened.
Harry hugged himself and shivered. It was raining outside, which was why he was inside. He had wanted to go think. But he didn't want to get wet, for some reason. He usually loved the rain…
Rain.
If he thought about it, the rain was kind of like him. Clean, yet dirty at the same time. Pure, yet not really, not where it counted. It washed some things away, and clung to others…
He heard footsteps behind him. Thinking it was Draco, he didn't turn around. Which was why he was surprised when Hermione Granger leaned against the wall across from him.
After a while of watching the rain, she finally spoke. "It's been a while since it rained."
Harry just looked at her, and then went back to watching the rain, wishing he could wash himself away. He could feel her eyes on him, but he didn't turn.
"Look, Harry-"she started, but he cut her off. "Look what? I don't want to talk you now, or ever. Just go away," he told her firmly. "If you would just hear me out-" he cut her off again.
"Hear what out? There is nothing to hear from you. You of all people should have known better than to do what you did. But you didn't. I don't know if you knew this or not, but I never had any friends before I came here."
"Harry-"
"You and Ron were my first ones. My only true friends, in a sense. And then, what do you do? You ditch me, and for an extremely stupid reason. I thought you were smart, Hermione, but I guess I was really wrong."
"Harry, I never meant to hurt you-"
"Really? You didn't? That's a load of crap and we both know it. How could you do what you did and not hurt me? I don't even want to hear it."
"Harry," Hermione cried, tears falling down her face. "Harry, I'm sorry!"
"Yes, well, it's entirely too late now, isn't it? Now that I have people who are there for me. Where were you when I was alone and virtually friendless? Where were you when everyday I thought about killing myself just to be with people who loved me? Where were you when it mattered the most? Nowhere. And unless you can turn back time and fix your mistakes, then I don't, and won't, except your apology. Not now, and not ever."
And with that, Harry turned on his heel and walked out into the night, rain falling on his head, leaving a crying Hermione in his wake.
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"I thought I might find you out here." Draco came over and sat next to Harry against his favorite tree on the edge of the forest. Harry didn't answer.
"I saw Granger in the entry hall and she told me what happened." Draco tried. Harry looked up at him, his bloodshot eyes and red nose the only signs that he had sobbing his eyes out just moments earlier.
Harry just sniffed and laid his head on Draco's shoulder. Draco wrapped an arm around Harry's shoulder and they just sat there, watching the rain fall from the night sky and Draco rubbing Harry's back.
"Am I a bad person?" Harry finally asked in a small voice. Draco was taken aback. "What? Why would you be?" Harry sniffed again and hiccupped. "Because… because I won't forgive Hermione." Harry answered.
Draco smiled at him and pulled him closer. "Well, that would depend. In most cases, not forgiving someone for a past mistake would be a bad thing. Holding grudges isn't healthy. But this isn't most cases, Harry. What they did, in my point of view, is unforgivable. They really hurt you Harry. I mean really hurt you. She can't just apologize and except everything to be like it used to be."
"But-" said Harry. "I didn't even hear her out-"
"And you didn't have to." Draco told him, kissing the top of his head. "This is your life, Harry. You do what you think is best for you and don't let anyone else tell you differently."
This got a smile out of Harry. "I can't believe I was crying over this," he said, wiping his eyes. "Harry, you are a strong person, but everyone needs to cry sometimes."
Harry just rolled his eyes. Draco pulled him even closer, if that was possible, and kissed him soundly on the lips. "One day," he said. "You'll believe me when I say that." Harry laughed against his lips. "I love you." He said. "I love you too," Draco told him. "More than you will ever know."
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"So Harry, what are you planning on doing when you graduate?" asked Pansy Parkinson. Harry looked up from his book. He had been laying around Draco's room all day. There was only a week left at Hogwarts, a week left in his one true home. Since all the end of year exams were finally finished, he had nothing to do. Draco was nowhere to be found.
Harry thought about Pansy's question. "Well, not really. I used to want to be an Auror, you know, I'm the-boy-who-is-destined-to-defeat-all-evil-and-therefore-cannot-die and all that, so it was a natural option. But now… I feel like I've already given this world enough, I feel like I need to do something for myself for once. I don't know what I want to do."
"You're sure? I mean, you have to have some idea." said Pansy, smiling at him. "I personally want to work in the Ministry of Magic. I want to be the first female Minister of Magic. Wouldn't that be so cool!"
Harry laughed. "Sure Pans, whatever. And just so you know, Draco and I have already had this discussion about what I want to do with my life. If you think about it, I don't really have to do anything. With Draco's dad in Azkaban, he has access to all of his money. So we both have enough to hold us over for like, four lifetimes, and then another two for all the money I got from my parents, so that makes six lifetimes, in the bag."
"Harry," Pansy laughed, "You're sure you have NO idea what you want to do with your life? I mean, we graduate in a week. After that, there's no turning back."
"I know, I know. But for right now, I have no idea where I'm going or what I'm doing. And you know what? It feels great."
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Before any of the seventh years knew what hit them, it was graduation day. Harry was currently sitting next to some people he didn't know, as they were in alphabetical order, nervously wringing his hands in his lap. He felt a pang as he saw all the parents gathered in the Great Hall and wished his own were here to see him. Sirius and Remus were seated in the middle somewhere, lost in the crowd. Sirius had been freed sometime ago but still relished in getting to go out in public.
He saw Narcissa waving to him and gave her a nervous smile. He didn't know why he was so nervous. I mean really, it was just the most important day of his life and all. What was there to be nervous about?
He didn't even listen as Dumbledore asked everyone to be seated and made his speech. He still didn't listen as Draco, being head boy and all, got up to give his speech, seeing as Harry already knew the whole thing by heart from listening to Draco practice over and over… and he definitely didn't listen as Hermione Granger gave her speech. He didn't care.
Finally, Dumbledore starting calling people up to get their certificates, starting with Hannah Abbott. He listened now, clapping when someone he knew or was friends with went up. He kept his hands in his lap when his old 'friends' went up, looking away. As it got closer to his own name, he shifted in his seat so he could see Draco. He saw that Draco was looking at him as well, looking much more nervous than Harry felt, though he didn't know why. Draco smiled at him a little and gave him a 'thumbs up,' which Harry returned.
Then it was Draco's turn.
As Dumbledore called out "Draco Malfoy," Harry smiled so wide so thought his lips might fall off. When Draco finally got up on the stage that had been set up and received his certificate of graduation, a wizarding diploma if you will, Harry stood up in his seat, clapping so hard his hands turned red. As Draco the others already on the stage, he looked at Harry and winked. Harry thought he still looked nervous for some reason. Odd.
And then…
"Harry Potter…"
Harry took a deep breath and walked forward. 'This is it…' he thought. He climbed the stairs and realized that the whole hall was completely silent, everyone watching him. He just smiled.
Dumbledore held out his certificate and Harry took it gently. Dumbledore smiled at him, shaking his hand. "Well done, Harry, well done." he said. "I know you're parents would be proud of all you've done." And then he did something he had done to no other student. He hugged him. Harry grinned and hugged him back, in a really good mood now.
As they broke apart, Harry saw that everyone was now clapping and cheering for him, standing up as they did so. He grinned. Take it in stride.
Lllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll
As the last name was called and Blaise joined everyone else on the stage, the Hall broke out in thunderous applause, both from the audience and the graduates. Harry saw, from the corner of his eyes, Blaise raising an eyebrow at Draco, to which he received a nod.
Blaise, grinning broadly, proceeded to make a gun-shot sound emit from his wand, much like the one Draco had used over a year ago to announce his and Harry's relationship to the school. And, just like that occasion, everyone in the Hall fell silent.
Harry watched, still grinning broadly, as Draco walked over him, with all eyes on them. When Draco reached him, Harry threw his arms around Draco. "We did it," he whispered in his ear. Draco grinned as well. "Yes, Harry, we did."
He drew away and cleared his throat, all the attention still on Harry and himself. After a moments hesitation, he reached out and grabbed Harry's hands in his own. "Harry," he started. "Please, don't say anything until I'm done, okay? Just hear me out." Harry, feeling nervous yet again, nodded.
Draco cleared his throat again. "Harry, I love you. More than anything else in the world. I know I've said it before, but I could say it a million times and still want to tell you again. I love everything about you: your smile, the way you bite your lip when you're angry, the way you run your hand through your hair when you're frustrated; every little thing you do makes me love you more.
"Every time I look at you my heart feels like it might explode from all the ways you make me feel. Before I found you, and really got to know you, I never thought I could ever feel like this. You're amazing, Harry, and I could never imagine a single moment without you in my life; it would be unbearable.
"In these last two years, we've been through a lot, but each time we were able to get through it, and each awful thing, and each good thing, has brought us closer together. Now I know I could never live without you by my side."
At this point, Draco leaned forward and kissed Harry sweetly on his lips, both unaware that everyone was still watching them, and that most were currently wiping their eyes. "I love you too," Harry murmured against Draco's lips. Draco smiled. "I know."
He pulled back again and once again grabbed Harry's hands, this time drawing them up and kissing both of them. "You told me once that you never gave up hope, even when things were at their lowest for you. Carpe diem, you said. Seize the day. Well, that is exactly what I'm doing."
Still holding Harry's left hand, Draco sank down until he was on one knee. Harry couldn't breathe. His eyes were glued to Draco, who was currently extracting a small dark green velvet box from a pocket within his robes. Harry didn't even know he was crying until Draco reached up and gently brushed one away, and then kissed his left hand again.
"Harry James Potter, will you marry me?" Draco asked, looking Harry directly in his eyes.
The entire crowd held its breath as Harry was silent, tears streaming down his face. After a moment, Harry swallowed and gave Draco a teary smile. "Of course I will," he said softly, but his voice carried through the whole Hall somehow. "Nothing would make me happier," Harry finished.
Draco smiled so broadly he thought his face might split open from the strain, and amidst all the cheering from the crowd he slipped the beautiful ring on Harry's ring finger. Then he jumped to his feet and swung Harry around by his waist. As soon as he put Harry back down he pulled him close and they shared their first kiss as an engaged couple.
When they pulled apart, both were still grinning broadly and in a happy daze. "I love you," said Harry, grabbing Draco's hand. Draco grinned again.
"I love you more."
!THE END!
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Their you go, the ending that has been simmering in my probably since last November, since before I even started this story. It's kind of funny. I got the idea for this story in Band class, of all places. Ha ha. Please remember to review, it makes me happy! And keep a look out for the sequel!
Here's the title, so you know: Godsend.
Review!