Chapter 15

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter nor am I profiting from this.

"When I am with you, there is nowhere else I'd rather be. And I am a person who always wants to be somewhere else." -David Levithan

On Christmas Eve he got to come home, but with strict instructions that he should have plenty of rest. Mrs. Weasley was practically waiting on Draco's doorstep for him, and fussed over him the entire morning and kept hinting that maybe he should have come home with them until he was better, but he just reassured her he would be fine. Severus had been the same at the hospital, asking him if he would be more comfortable at his home, but Draco made it known that he was coming home to their house.

In the few days at the hospital he had learned that Rita had died, the details were still a bit foggy, and no one had gone on to explain to him how. He worried that Tom had a hand in it, or even worse him. No one could or would tell him a thing. It was frustrating, but he was trying to let it go for now. Even stranger no one from the police had done anything more than question him. It was all very fishy, but he wasn't sure what he could even do now, he worried if he spoke up everyone he cared about would find themselves in trouble. They had all broken the law at some point because of Rita Skeeter.

Christmas Eve came and with it the end of he and Tom's relationship. Tom had showed up particularly early, and he suspected that the man had wanted to avoid Severus on some level. Harry sat up and bed and smiled when he came into his room with Draco tailing him. He nodded to Draco that it was alright, that he didn't mind.

"Hiya, Harry," Tom smiled softly and kissed the top of his head. "How are you feeling ?"

"Tired, a bit sore," He half shrugged.

"I'm glad. How's Severus doing?" Tom asked and Harry knew what this was about. Severus had been so insistent on being around through all of this, and Tom was probably feeling the burn. He felt terrible about it, but there was history there and he just couldn't bring himself to tell either of them no.

"He's fine," Harry said eying him suspiciously.

"I've come to give you my gift," Tom smiled sadly. "I'm bringing us, to an end. I'm ending this relationship and not because I don't want to be in it, but because I do. I want it to be just you and me, but there's always been a third person, and before he was just an itch, and you can scratch an itch for relief. Now he's like this permanent buzzing sound, and it's not something I can live with. You should be with whoever makes you happy."

"You do make me happy," Harry started to protest, but Tom held up his hand to stop him.

"You should be with whoever makes you happiest," he amended. "So this is my gift to you, this is me letting go so you don't feel like you have an obligation to see this through with me. It wouldn't be fair to us to keep up this charade."

And with that the man was up and out the door before Harry could even register what had happened. It was horrible, but a relief at the same time. He knew it was the right thing to do and that Tom was just the one to do it first, but it still hurt, but nothing like Severus had. Tom was a pinprick and Severus was like having his chest cave in.

Severus had came that night and the pair of them had set there in Draco's old room for what seemed like hours without speaking.

"Tom finished with me," Harry said breaking the silence that had settled around the room.

"I love you," Severus said quickly.

"I love you too," Harry said after a moment.

"I'm not saying it to hear you say it back," Severus said with a soft smile. "I'm saying it to make sure you know. Because I do love you with everything in me. I love you more than I have ever loved anything or anyone or will love anyone or anything. You deserve so much more than me."

"You're what, no, who I want."

"You deserve so much better than me. I want to be able to make things up to you after all the hurt I've managed to put you through. I don't want to be someone who is just good at saying they're sorry. I want to show you."

"Then show me," he smiled softly.

"I intend to forevermore, if you'll have me for that long."

"For then and longer," he smiled once again.

Everything wasn't all forgiven with Severus, but he wasn't a fool and knew that he would be a 100% happier with the man than if he chose to walk away now. He knew what it felt like without the man and he knew that being with Severus, in spite of everything was the thing he wanted most in the world. Of course it was going to be work, and it wasn't all going to ever magically disappear, but they were going to make a future together despite their past. He was happy to get his A levels done and study and work in a fucking office if it meant that he could be happy with Severus. Okay, so he would probably never work in an office, but that wasn't the point.

He knew for a fact that no matter what his escorting career was over. People didn't pay for a high class escort to see gunshot wounds. They wanted perfection and that was something he just couldn't offer anymore. He was fairly certain that he had outgrown the entire sex trade at this point and was ready for a life of domesticity; Draco would vomit if he ever heard Harry utter those words. The him before he had met Severus would probably as well. It's not like he was planning on retiring and becoming a domestic goddess, he was just going to become a normal part of society. As if Draco had any room at all to speak, he was practically married to Neville.

The night before Christmas was one filled with nightmares. It was as if the same nightmare was on a loop inside his head and he couldn't shake it. It was always of that night in his flat when Rita shot him. It was like he was being shot over and over each time he woke up with this ringing in his ears and covered in sweat. It was awful, and he tried clearing his thoughts and going back to sleep, but each time he still woke up from the same nightmare.

Sometime in the early hours of the morning he gave up on getting any sleep that didn't end with a nightmare and rolled over in bed and grabbed his phone. There were various texts wishing him a Merry Christmas, there was even one from Severus. He smiled to himself knowing how the man had thought enough to send him the text. It wasn't much, but it made him happy.

Severus was there bright and early that morning, and he was carrying a small black gift bag in his hand. Harry suddenly remembered that all of his gifts were in his flat and that he hadn't gotten Severus anything.

"Happy Christmas," Harry smiled and pushed himself up in bed.

"Merry Christmas," Severus said returning his smile and sat the bag down on the bed next to him. "For you."

"Severus...I didn't even get to finish my shopping, I haven't gotten you anything," he grimaced.

"It doesn't matter. Open it."

He slowly took the bag and fumbled with the tape that was holding it shut and pulled out a small leather box. Harry looked up at him in confusion and Severus just encouraged him to open it. He pulled the lid to the box off and inside were two tickets to Sydney. Harry shot his head up and looked at him confused.

"Will you go on holiday with me?" Severus asked.

"When?" Harry asked again.

"We leave on New Years Day, well that is if you want to come."

"Of course I want to come," he grinned brightly. "You're amazing," Harry said throwing his arms around Severus and hugging the man tightly. "This is properly amazing, thank you so much."

"You're welcome," Severus nodded. "I intend to make the most of every second with you. I know it's a bit soon to be gallivanting off across the globe, but I thought getting out of London would do you a world of good. Both of us really."

He didn't like how fragile everyone thought him to be since he'd come home. He was fine, for the most part, he was still trying to figure out how to handle everything, but he wasn't going to break. Whenever he got up to go to the kitchen for a new drink or to use the loo Severus was on his feet and helping him to wherever he needed to go despite his protests. Mrs. Weasley would have probably smothered him if she wasn't wary of infringing on Severus's personal space. He was really thankful for that he didn't know that he could handle it.

Everyone was really forgiving over his lack of presents to offer and he promised to retrieve them soon and have them all delivered. He felt bad accepting their gifts, but they all kept telling him it was all about giving not receiving, and he tried to argue that he didn't have his things to give, so it wasn't the same. After dinner he was exhausted and made his way up the stairs to have a kip, and there was Severus right behind him, pulling the bed covers back and helping him in.

"I know I did it," he said after a moment.

"Did what exactly?" Severus asked taking a seat in the chair by his window.

"I killed her. I killed Rita Skeeter didn't I? I mean that has to be the reason no one will speak to me about it. I don't remember all that much about it, and everything's foggy, but I know I shot her. I didn't mean for it to happen, but it did. I killed her."

"Sometimes these things are unavoidable. When our lives are in danger we do what we must. Our survival instincts begin to kick in and we tend to not go down without a fight. You did what any of us would have done."

"I guess we are the same now," Harry smiled weakly.

"We are hardly the same. You're too good of a person to ever be compared to me, remember that. What I did was foolish, what you did was life or death." Harry started to protest, but Severus held up a hand to stop him. "We just have more in common now," he conceded and Harry smiled weakly.

"I really do feel terrible about it," Harry said after a moment.

"As any rational, caring person might. She took things further than she could handle and things did not work out in her favor. None of this is your fault. It was all unfortunate circumstances, but it's over now, and we can only move forward," Severus said.

"Thank you, Severus."

"Whatever for?" The man asked taken aback.

"For making everything okay. Despite how terrible I feel, you're there telling me how wrong I am to feel terrible or bad or whatever else."

"That's how you make me feel everyday I'm with you," he admitted and Harry shot him a goofy grin.

New Years Eve came and Harry once again found himself in attendance of a famous Malfoy party. He and Severus had come and decided to stay only until midnight, then they were off to get a good night of sleep and flying off to Australia to start the New Year in the warm Australian summer. They were starting this New Year together just as they had done the last, he could only hope that this time they'd spend the entire year together and not in the twisted mess this last year had brought with it. He was optimistic though and he knew this year would bring with it many great things. He was going to finally get his qualifications and go to a proper university and be a normal functioning member of society. No more secrets and no more blackmail. There was so much for them to look forward to and he couldn't wait to see what the year was going to hold.

"Happy New Year, Severus," he smiled.

"Happy New Year, Harry," he said and leaned down and kissed him as the clock struck midnight.

A/N: I'm really sorry this took forever to get up. I got a new job, and it's just been crazy getting used to schedule. I hope you like this ending. I'm thinking I might do a third installment on life after Rita, so keep your eyes peeled for that!