A/N: I am so good with cliffhangers… Just kidding ;) You should cross your fingers that I don't do it AGAIN for this chapter, too.

Thank you for the reviews!! :D Pretty Draco dolls for everyone!

I was called EVIL when I had that awful cliffhanger in the last chapter :-( That's not very nice :D –takes off the devil horns- See? I am perfectly human.

Warnings: Erm. Nothing? Harry being moody. Draco being moody.

God, I am so sorry that this chapter took a month! ;x


Chapter 9

Unforgettable

"I came back… because there was somebody I could not forget."

The lopsided smile disappeared from Harry's face. The hand that was toying around with one of the bags stopped. Green eyes bored into the pair of grey ones that stared at him, unblinking. Harry's heart clenched.

So there is someone… Draco's heart belongs to somebody else. Not mine. He was never mine… I don't even know if he likes men.

Draco gripped the armrests of his wheelchair. Harry had yet to let out one syllable. Did I scare Potter? Does he know something? Draco was snapped out from his stupor when Harry shifted his body on the bed.

"So… Who's the lucky lady?" There was a smile on Harry's face, Draco noticed, but it didn't quite reach his eyes.

"Lady? Harry, what are you talking about?" Draco asked. "I didn't say anything about—"

"It's none of my business. You don't have to tell me," Harry cut Draco off. He tore his eyes away from Draco's and stood up, a blank mask over his face. Draco felt dread pouring over his head. He had never seen Harry like this before…

"I'll leave you to your unpacking," Harry murmured and started for the door. "If you need me… I'll be around…"

The door closed behind him and Draco was alone with six bags of clothes in his room.

Draco was wheeling himself down the hall. Harry's winter coat was folded on his lap. An hour ago, when Harry told him to unpack, Draco did exactly that. He had never, since he had been staying with Harry, heard Harry's voice being so… cold. During the hour, while Draco placed his newly bought clothes into the appropriate places, his mind had been swirling.

Maybe it was something I said?

Maybe Harry knows I like him?

Maybe… he's homophobic?

Maybe…

There were many 'maybes' floating around in Draco's head. But the thing that scared him the most was that Harry was now disgusted with him. Draco hated himself at the moment.

I shouldn't have said anything! Me and my big mouth…

Draco stared at Harry's bedroom door for maybe two minutes before he finally made up his mind to knock. After two sharp raps on the painted white door, Draco lowered his hand.

"Harry? Is it alright for me to come in? You forgot to take your coat when you left."

The blond heard a faint "Oh… Yeah…" from the other side. He turned the doorknob and pushed the door open.

Harry was lying vertically on the bed; his left leg was draped over his bent right knee. Draco's eye twitched as he watched Harry's sock-covered foot swinging left and then right.

Left, right… Left, pause, right.

Draco wheeled his chair closer to the bed. Potter gave no signs that he heard Draco coming in as he was staring at the ceiling of his room.

"Harry, you didn't take your coat…"

"Just leave it at the foot of my bed, Draco. Thanks." The foot swung right, tapped the air, and it went back to the left side.

Grey eyes followed the path of Harry's foot. It was like a freaking pendulum.

"Harry, why are you…?"

"It's nothing, Draco. I'm just tired from shopping for five hours straight. I don't usually go out for such a long period of time," Harry muttered. He was still not looking at the blond.

Just let me sulk in peace, Draco…

"Well, you seemed perfectly fine until I told you about why I came back to England!" Draco said, his tone a bit harsher than he intended. Harry winced, but still didn't turn his head to look at Draco properly.

"The fatigue didn't catch up to me an hour ago… I'm dead tir—"

"Fuck you, Potter. You're acting like a prick right now and it's impossible to talk to you. Hell, you're not even looking at me! Am I that revolting to you? Is it because I don't like women?! Here I thought you weren't one of those people that would judge someone because of their sexual orientation! I guess I was wrong!" Draco spat; he growled and threw Harry's folded coat at the body on the bed. It landed right on Harry's chest. "Just lay there and mope, Potter, and see if I care!"

Harry stopped swinging his foot the second he heard Draco saying that he did not fancy women. He was wrong. Maybe there was a chance…?

"Draco… Wait…" Harry sat up slowly. The blond was already wheeling himself out of Harry's room. All Draco did was ignoring Harry and continued on his way out. "Draco, please… I'm sorry for being a jerk. You don't understand…"

Malfoy stopped pushing at the wheels and stopped but did not turn around to look at the man on the bed.

"I understand completely, Harry," Draco said coolly. "You think I'm some kind of a freak for liking men? Well, I'm sorry that I disgust you. I'm not perfect like you are."

"No! I'm not disgusted of you!" Harry yelled and then heard Draco scoff. He took a deep breath and got off the bed, the coat landed on his mattress. "If I say that I think you're a complete repulsion because males interest you, then I must think of myself as one as well. I am not perfect, Draco. Liking men doesn't make us imperfect. We're human, just like the rest of them. Things do not change because of that."

Draco slowly turned his wheelchair around and stared up at Harry. "You don't think it's…?"

"No, I don't. I think I just blurted out to you that I'm… gay. I have no right to tell you it's wrong." Harry took a step closer to Draco and knelt down. "When you told me you came back because there is someone you couldn't forget… I guess… I…"

"You what?" Draco pressed.

"The first thing that came to mind was that you have some girlfriend here… You never said you like men instead. I guess I was being stupid and… jealous at the same time." Harry met Draco's eyes and cupped the blond's face. "I don't want to scare you… But I want to know you. More than just friends… That night when you healed me on the battlefield… I've always wanted to find you but somehow you managed to remain hidden. Eight years, Draco… During these eight years I've never truly loved anybody romantically. Do you want to know why?"

"Are you going to tell me if I say yes?" Draco asked.

"I'll tell you. I know your heart belongs to some—"

"Why do you want to find me?" Draco asked, stopping Potter from completing that sentence. "Tell me now, Harry. I want to know." He placed his own hand over Harry's, pressing the tanned one down on his cheek.

"I… Because of you. I could never love some other man when the only one I ever loved is you."

"Me?" Draco squeaked. He couldn't believe what he just heard. Harry loves… me?

Potter sighed and slipped his hand away from under Draco's. "Yes. You're probably thinking I'm stupid for even falling in love with you all those years ago. I'm sure you don't even like me that way…"

Draco smiled softly and grabbed Harry's hand again, only this time he held it, their fingers curled around each other.

"… I left England because I was hiding from the remaining families of the Death Eaters. That was one reason. When I left, I knew I wouldn't see the person again, but I left anyway. Back then, I was scared. Leaving that person behind was hard, but I wanted to live."

"But you came back for him… You must love him very much," Harry said sadly. He had spilled his feelings out to Draco, but the blond obviously loved the mystery man very much. Maybe they'll be just friends…

"Yes, I love him," Draco replied. He could see Harry deflate in front of his eyes. "Seeing him hurt at the end of the battle… I had to help him. He was just laying there, his leg bleeding because of a dark curse cutting him. I had to pretend I didn't care about him, pretending I could care less. It pained me, seeing him lying there, hurt. He was the hero and he went through enough pain and sorrow already. I helped him."

"… What?" Harry looked bewildered.

"… I made him fall asleep so that he wouldn't be in pain. The healing procedure was excruciating. I made him sleep because I didn't want him to see me leave.

"I left him there, unconscious, not knowing I would see him again eight years later. Not knowing that he would be the one to help me this time. Yes, I came back to England but I never thought I would really see him again."

Harry swallowed the lump that had formed in his throat. He could see the unshed tears in Draco's eyes; could feel the cold of Draco's hand.

"Draco…"

"That person, no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't forget. Do you know how much I wanted to forget you?" Draco cried and Harry immediately pulled Draco closer.

"I just wanted to move on with my life…" the blond mumbled into Harry's shoulder.

"I couldn't stop thinking about you, Draco… Never. Even after all these years, I've hoped that one day I can see you again. You… You're the one I want to spend my life with…" Harry murmured into Draco's hair. The blond sobbed, his tears soaking Harry's sweater.

"If you'll let me… I can keep you safe, make you happy. Let me love you, Draco."

Draco nodded silently. "I never stopped, Harry. I never stopped…"

Eight years of wanting to forget because of thinking the other did not love back…

Eight years to hold such pain…

Eight years was such a long time.

"Stay with me tonight," Harry whispered to Draco, who was on the bed next to him.

After their heartfelt confessions, both Harry and Draco decided it was best to leave the room and continue to work on potions for Draco's spinal problem. Harry had thought it was a way to put his mind back on track. Harry had another potion all planned out but it didn't really work on Draco. All Draco felt was something like a hand kneading into his back muscles. That lasted about five minutes before Draco felt nothing again. At least this time he wasn't poisoned.

After he poured out his soul, Draco turned shy towards Harry. He asked the green-eyed man what they were now. Potter teased him, telling Draco that they could be lovers, partners, or boyfriends. Draco blushed when Harry mentioned 'lovers'. Technically, they weren't. Hell, they hadn't even kissed properly yet. When the blond pointed that out, a saucy smirk appeared on Harry's face and before Draco could utter a single word of protest, Harry's lips found Draco's.

And so, that was their first kiss. In the potions lab… With smelly fumes on their hair and clothes.

How romantic.

After that, Harry claimed that Draco was now officially his boyfriend.

"S-stay with you?" Draco asked. He felt his face heat up. Thank god the room was dark or else Harry would've made fun of him.

The brunet chuckled softly and turned his body halfway so that he would face the other man.

"I just want you to sleep next to me. I'm not asking you to do anything," Harry said, snickering. "What were you thinking in that dirty mind of yours?"

Draco spluttered and smacked Harry on his right thigh. "I do not have a dirty mind. If anything, I say that's what you have."

Draco turned his head so he could stare at Harry. He couldn't do much with his lower half of his body, but moving his head and arms were still possible. When Harry smiled softly at him, Draco couldn't help but smile back. Harry was finally his. Draco still couldn't believe it; it seemed like a dream.

"Why are you staring at me? Is there something on my face?" Harry frowned and threw an arm across Draco's waist.

"God, Potter! Have you notice that your room is dark? I can barely see two inches away from me," Draco muttered. "You're a narcissistic git, you know that?"

"Hey! I'm not the one that spends almost two hours in the bathroom every morning and night," Harry huffed, "you're the vain one."

Draco twisted his upper body and pinched Harry's bicep. "I have to make myself presentable. If I looked like a slob, would you love me then?"

Harry chortled and leaned in, kissing Draco on the tip of his nose. Draco scrunched up his face cutely before scowling at his boyfriend.

"I love you for you, Draco, not because you look beautiful," Harry told his boyfriend. "Even if you look like a man that hadn't taken a shower for weeks I'll still love you. But being pretty is an added bonus." Harry then pressed another kiss, this time on Draco's eyelid. Malfoy grinned in the dark, not caring if Harry saw or not.

Normally, Draco would've gagged at Harry's sappy words of love. But now that they're together, Draco's heart swelled. It surely didn't hurt to hear Harry telling him that he loved him every now and then.

"So, is that a yes?" Harry asked when Draco moved his head so that it rested underneath Harry's chin.

"Shut up, Potter, I'm trying to sleep here."

Harry sighed and wrapped his arm tighter around the blond. He smiled in the dark when Draco nuzzled against his chest. Before long, Harry could hear even breaths coming from the now asleep Draco.

"… Sweet dreams."

"You are sure you have this correctly?" Draco asked dubiously. He eyed the cup of steaming liquid in front of him.

He and Harry were back in the lab. Harry had woke up this morning and mumbled something about 'new potion, have to make it' before getting off the bed and going to the bathroom. Draco was left blinking owlishly at the bedroom door. The man had just woken up and had somehow thought of a new potion to make. Draco had wondered if Harry dreamt the potion ingredients… He didn't feel too good about drinking this potion.

"Of course I have everything right!" Harry pushed the cup closer to Draco. "Drink it before it cools. This works best when it is piping hot."

"What if I'm poisoned again? You just came up with this after you woke up! I have many reasons to not drink it," Draco sneered, "you probably just threw in whatever ingredient that came to you in your sleep-befuddled mind."

"I did not!" Harry protested. He rolled his eyes and pointed at the cup. "Just drink it, Draco."

Draco's lip curled and then he picked up the cup. The potion was extremely hot; taking just a small sip burned Draco's tongue.

"Fuck! I can't drink this! It's too hot, Harry," Draco stuck out his tongue and tried to look down at it. Harry chuckled and leaned down to kiss the blond on his cheek.

"Try your best, love. You'll feel something a minute after you finish with the potion. The effects will last for around five minutes since this potion is still a trial."

Draco sniffed and blew on the hot potion. After blowing it two more times, Draco finally drank, albeit slowly.

It was hot and tasted like soggy, overcooked cabbage.

Both men waited. After seemingly as if nothing changed, Draco let out a small yelp. He gritted his teeth and leant forward in his floating chair. Harry placed a hand gently onto Draco's lower back. Malfoy gasped again, but this time it was one of surprise.

"What is it?" Harry asked worriedly. His boyfriend was breaking out in sweat.

"I… I can feel…"

"You can feel what? Tell me, Draco," Harry demanded softly. Draco nodded.

"I can feel your fingers. Not too much, but I can feel it's on my lower back."

Harry's eyes widened and pressed down tentatively on the muscle. He felt the muscles there twitching beneath his palm.

"Can you feel that?"

"Only slightly… What does this mean, Harry?" Draco asked. He was happy that this potion worked, even though it was just a trial. However, Draco didn't want to get his hopes up, in case he couldn't feel once the effects were over.

"It means… Good thing I wrote it all down in the notebook. I can make it better, but for now let's wait until the five minutes are up."

It was the longest five minutes in Harry and Draco's lives. During those minutes Draco could feel Harry gently kneading into his back, near his damaged spine. His boyfriend continuously murmured soft words of encouragement. Harry knew how scared and happy Draco was. He knew the blond was happy that he could feel again and scared that it might all go away once the potion leaves the system.

When five minutes passed—Harry knew this because Draco's back muscles stopped twitching—the brunet pulled his hand away. Draco had been quiet but when Harry's hand left his back, the blond let out a small laugh.

"Draco, what's wrong? Don't scare me, love." Harry knelt down in front of the chair and looked at Draco nervously.

Draco smiled happily at the brunet; he cupped Harry's face lovingly and kissed Harry right on his lips.

"Harry… Harry, Harry… My beautiful healer…" Draco breathed. He pulled Harry closer and buried his face into Harry's neck.

"Uh… Draco, are you alright? The potion didn't affect your mind, did it?" Harry placed his hand behind Draco's head and patted the soft blond hair. "Fuck, I really shouldn't come up with things while I'm half awake…"

"No… Harry, I can feel. I felt it when your hand moved away. Touch my back."

Harry followed Draco's order and poked Draco's back, near his hips. Draco giggled and squirmed. Harry pulled back and stared at Draco, a small smile threatening to break free.

"Draco… Are you ticklish there? You felt that didn't you?!" Harry asked excitedly when Draco nodded shyly. "Oh sweet Merlin! You can feel! Well, it's only that portion of your back, but you felt it! Yes!" Harry kissed every inch of Draco's face.

Draco laughed as Harry peppered small kisses all over. Harry was even happier than he was!

"It's all thanks to you, Harry…"

"Nonsense! Oh gosh, I'm so happy! Draco, we should celebrate tonight! Let's go out and have dinner. Since we got together, I haven't taken you out properly." Harry grinned when Draco blushed prettily. "It's a date, Draco. Our first date."

"O-okay," Draco said shyly. God, he was blushing like a freaking virgin!

"Great! Let's go at seven. I know this really nice restaurant…" Harry whispered into Draco's ear; he nipped at the soft flesh of Draco's earlobe and enjoyed feeling Draco shiver against him.

When Harry moved back, he smirked evilly at Draco, who in turn narrowed his eyes at him.

"Now, about you being ticklish…" Harry's smirk grew wider.

Draco let out a mock gasp and pretended to be angry.

"Don't even think about it, Potter!"

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

A/N: I made Draco shy! :D I think it's cute that he blushes so easily ;P Do you think they are moving to fast as a couple. I thought they aren't... I dunno. :x

Thanks for reading! :D Cookies for you! As a bonus, a plushy Draco doll :)