I am so unbelievably sorry that I am such a horrible updater. Never fear though! I have returned, and I have brought SHEER FLUFFINESS. This is a first for this story, wouldn't you say??

Anyway, please enjoy, and drop me a review when you're finished, whether you liked it or not!


Chapter 15: Making Progress

Harry and Draco walked along the grounds of the castle. They didn't speak. They didn't have to. Harry sighed and grabbed his boyfriend's hand. Draco smirked briefly, and led Harry towards the Black Lake.

"Dray…" Harry began. Draco looked at him, surprised when the silence was broken. "Do you think we can… go somewhere else besides the lake? I'm not really ready to see everyone since my outburst last night. Besides…" he pulled Draco into a hug, "I want to have you to myself for a while."

Draco smiled and pulled away. "You lead the way then."

The two quickly found themselves sitting on a patch of grass shaded by a beautiful oak tree. Neither had ever noticed the beauty or privacy of this secluded spot before.

"I was a wreck." Harry began as he leaned against the tree and pulled Draco to lean against him.

"You're always a wreck." Draco joked.

"I was more of a wreck than usual." Harry retorted stubbornly. "When it hit you… it didn't sound good."

"Quick reflexes though. Thanks for saving my life… again." He laughed.

"It was weird," Harry said, ignoring Draco's sarcasm. "It was like it happened in slow motion. It was like the ball hit you, and everything went silent and you floated towards the ground. All I could hear was the blood rushing through my head."

"Well thank you for that recap, Superman."

"How in Merlin's name do you know about Superman?"

"I'm a pureblood, Harry. I'm not stupid. Who doesn't know about Superman?"

"We're both talking about the guy in the spandex with unnaturally big pecks and biceps, a red cape, and an allergy to kryptonite, right?"

"No, Harry. I'm talking about the skinny, clumsy flamboyant guy with long flowing blond hair with unnatural good luck and an allergy to peanuts." Draco turned around and looked seriously into Harry's eyes. "Have people been lying to me about him?"

Harry tried not to laugh. "…Seriously?"

This earned him a smack in the arm. "Of course not, jackass. Yes, we're talking about the same Superman."

And the conversation ended there as they laid back and enjoyed the silence and the occasional small fits of laughter.

"Can I ask you something, Harry?"

"Of course you can."

"Was your life a lot less stressful before?"

"Before what?"

"Before me."

"Less stressful? Slightly. With more stress comes more love, though. And with more love comes more happiness. So I'm thankful for the stress you inflict on my life, even if it potentially causes me to die of a heart attack by age thirty." This earned him another smack. "Two smacks in less than two hours? You've got to be kidding me!" With that, he shoved Draco off of him, pinned him to the ground, and tickled every inch of skin he could get his fingers on.

Hearing Draco laugh was by far the most beautiful thing Harry had ever heard. It was contagious, and soon they were red in the face and gasping for air, but neither would give up.

"Okay, okay! Truce! TRUCE!" Draco finally said, and put his hands up in the air in defeat. Harry laughed and rested his hands where they were, one on Draco's chest and the other on his side. He couldn't help himself anymore. He leaned down and placed a gentle kiss on Draco's lips.

Slowly the kiss became deeper. Harry's hand came to cup Draco's cheek while the other one rubbed his side. Moans were let out occasionally when neither one could hold them in anymore. Harry could feel his pants becoming slightly tighter as the hand on Draco's side slid up the blond's shirt slightly to test the water. Draco gave neither sound nor look of protest. Harry's lips left Draco's and Draco's sound of protest turned into a moan when Harry began placing small kisses up and down Draco's neck, and finally his lips came to rest on the blond's collarbone. He nibbled and sucked playfully on it, and Draco's back arched into Harry's kisses.

One hand came to rest on the top button of Draco's shirt. With a quick look to see how Draco would react, he gently pulled the button loose. Draco didn't flinch. He simply lay there with his eyes closed, using one hand to play with Harry's hair. Slowly, three more came undone, and after what seemed like centuries, the blond's shirt was completely open. Harry looked down at the new area of territory that he had yet to explore. His groin was becoming painful at this point.

Harry placed more kisses along Draco's chest and stomach, and quickly found that he had taken a particular liking to the reaction that Draco gave to having his nipples sucked on. Harry did it in an almost teasing manner. The blond's back would arch every time he did it, and a soft moan would escape his lips. By the third time this had been done, however, Harry thought he was going to explode.

He decided to take a chance. Coming back up to kiss Draco on the lips, Harry shifted his weight slightly and felt that Draco was as turned on as he was. He began grinding against the smaller boy as he continued to kiss him, exploring every centimeter of the boy's mouth. He removed a hand from Draco's side and slid it down towards the blond's groin. He adjusted his own weight on the other boy and rested his hand on the other's erection.

Draco's eyes opened. Harry kissed his forehead.

"Will you let me show you what it's like when someone loves you?"

Draco's eyes filled with tears, and Harry's heart broke. Then Draco smiled and nodded.

"Please."