Chapter IV – Cinematic

The sun rose as the light made a slight dew of sweat visible on the back of Harry's neck. Draco was awake for hours, but didn't want to move, in case he woke up Harry. He tried to go back to sleep a few times, but that never seemed to work. Harry seemed fairly cranky last night, but Draco was still upset that he never got to tell Harry what he really saw, that night in front of the Mirror of Erised. He wondered if Harry already knew. Or maybe the opposite—maybe Harry just didn't care and didn't want to know.

"Morning," Harry said was he rubbed his eyes and reached for his glasses.

"Good Morning," Draco said with a bright and early smile. Harry sat up,

"What time is it?" He said quickly.

"It's eight o'clock. Why?" Draco asked, trying to pick a speck of dust of his watch.

"Crap!" Harry jumped out of the bed he made, and started putting on his pants. "I have my potions test today!" Harry tried to straighten out the wrinkles on his shirt, "Why didn't you wake me up!"

Draco started folding the blanket that he and Harry slept on.

"Well, you didn't ask me to," Draco said, trying not to sound to annoyed.

"I did. I told you last night that Slughorn was doing the review yesterday."

"I don't remember that." Draco said defending himself. Harry exhaled in disappointment,

"You don't remember anything." Harry said as he fastened his belt.

"I don't remember anything? I don't remember anything!" Draco got louder. "So why don't you remind me when our three-year's was?" Harry froze. "Yeah, that's right. Because YOU forgot."

"Draco…I'm s—"

"Why do you think I suddenly re-appeared after two months?" Draco stood up and walked toward Harry. "That's the only reason why I would have escaped from…" Harry turned around.

"Escape?" Harry was puzzled. "Where on earth would you have to escape from?" There was a long pause between the two.

"Home." Draco said quietly.

"Why would you need to escape from there?" Draco looked up and took a deep breath.

"I'll tell you after school. I guess I'll meet you here," Draco said softly, "Go! Don't be late for your test because of me."

Harry closed the door behind him quietly, as he didn't want to draw any attention. He managed to make it to class without any prefixes noticing him wandering the halls after class began. He walked into Slughorn's class, and several students turned their heads and stared at Harry.

"Harry! Nice of you to join us!" Slughorn smiled as he handed Harry his test. "Since you're late, you'll only have forty-five minutes to write it. Unfortunately, I can't give you any extra time, because I...er…have things to attend to." Slughorn smiled again.

"That's alright, sir." Harry said as he took his seat next to Ron.

"Blimey, Harry. Thought you weren't going to show for a sec!" Ron whispered.

"Harry, where in heavens name have you been?" Hermione asked sounding slightly upset.

"You know…?" Harry nudged Hermione and grinned.

"You found him?" Hermione sounded surprised. Ron looked at the two, having no idea what, or who, they were talking about.

"Who ar—"

"No talking, Mr. Weasley!" Slughorn interrupted.

Ron put his head down and resumed writing his test. He turned his head and looked at Hermione with a strange, confused look.

"I can't tell you." Hermione whispered. Harry wrote his name at the top of his test and flipped the page. When he saw the questions, he stomach sank. He recognized the questions; he just...didn't know the answers. Luckily, the majority of the test was multiple choice, so Harry was confident he at least passed. When he got to the "short" answers portion of the test, he stared at it blankly. He looked at Hermione, who was ferociously writing away. Why don't you put dragon nails into opaque mixtures? Harry stared at the question as he noticed a few students already begin to hand in their tests. The word "dragon" made Harry thing of Draco again. His mind lingered off the test, and be began to get frustrated.

"Merlin's beard! Is that the time!" Slughorn announced. "Alright everyone, hand in your tests and get to your next class before you're late!" Harry put his test on Slughorn's desk and left the class, pushing a few students aside. Right behind him followed Ron, and beside Ron walked Hermione.

"Harry! Harry! Wait up!" Ron called. Harry turned around and waited for Ron. "Who is this he you and Hermione were talking about earlier?" Hermione looked at Harry concerned.

"Well if he wanted you to know, he would have told you by now!" Hermione scolded Ron. "You don't have to poke your nose in other peoples' business all the time!" Hermione passed a think and worn-down text book across Ron's head.

"Alright, sorry." Ron said as he rubbed his head.

"No, it's alright, Hermione. He deserves to know." Harry began.

"Thank you. You don't see many people hiding secrets from their best friends, now, do ya?" Ron joked.

"This is me," Harry said, pointing down another hall. "I'll tell you at lunch, Ron," Ron looked disappointed as Harry separated from Ron and Hermione to his next class.

Harry walked briskly to his next class. He barely paid attention with so much on his mind. Lunch began, and he made his way to lunch, reluctantly.

"So what exactly is going on?" Ron asked as he took a large handful of chicken strips.

Harry looked at Hermione unsure of where to start. "Well…" he began, "Hermione, you tell him, I don't know where to start."

"It's not my place to say, Harry" she replied firmly.

"Alright then. I'll just say it." Harry said as he loosened his tie. "It's me and Draco"

Ron looked at Harry, not sure if he heard correctly.

"Did I just hear correctly?" Ron asked. There was an awkward silence between the three, as the hall was full of indistinct noise. "You two are…" Ron said as he swallowed a wad of food. Harry nodded. Hermione sat quietly. "For how long?" Ron asked as he was processing what he'd just found out.

"Three years," Harry said proudly, "As of yesterday, in fact."

"Three years? Three years! And you couldn't tell your best friend?" Ron stopped eating. "But you could tell Hermione, that's all right."

"I didn't tell her…" Harry said as he pushed around the food on his plate with his fork.

"I sort of just… found out by accident," Hermione sat up straight. Ron looked at her with an upset and angry face, still unsure of just about anything. "I was bringing some jars of strawberry jam, that my parents sent me, to my room, when I heard Harry and Draco in the boys' dormitory. I wanted to get a look, because I thought I was just hearing things, so I peeked in." Harry looked away and put his hand over his face. Hermione continued, "They were fooling around and then…Harry leaning into Draco. They…well…kissed and then I accidently dropped my jars. That's how Harry found out that I'd found out." Ron looked a little bit more at ease, as he continued eating.

"So why didn't you tell Hermione, or me?" he asked.

"It's Draco," Harry said as he let out a big breath of disappointment, "He doesn't want anyone to find out about us. Every time someone sees us together, he acts all insecure," Harry began to sound annoyed, "He gets dodgy when I hold his hand, or even look at him a certain way in public."

"I can see how that could be frustrating," Ron said as he stuffed his face.

"I really don't understand, he never used to be like that," Harry said as he poured himself a glass of water and nearly spilled it all over himself as he took a sip, "Shoot! I nearly forgot!"

"What!" Ron and Hermione said.

"I forgot that I forgot our three year anniversary!" Harry said as he began to get out from the bench.

"Interesting relationship you two have," Ron laughed while handing Harry his books.

"Relationship?" Seamus asked in surprised, as he walked past. "Harry Potter in a relationship?" He announced. Ginny looked up from a few feet away. Several students began talking and looking up at Harry. Harry left while glaring at Ron.

"Sorry, Harry," Ron said humbling as he stared at his plate.

As Harry tried to leave, Seamus wouldn't stop following him.

"Who is it, Harry?" he nagged, "Come on, you can trust me!"

Harry stopped walking, and turned around, "Shove off, Seamus," he said siriusly.

"All right, all right. Jus' tell me who the lucky girl is," Seamus winked, "Is she pretty? Does she cook good?"

"I said shove off!" Harry stared at Seamus one last time before pulling out his wand.

"Sorry, mate." Seamus' mood completely changed, "I was just jokin' around."

"…"

"Just tell Malfoy I said 'Hello'," Seamus joked before walking back to the great hall.

"What?" Harry was in shock.

Seamus turned around, "I was only kiddin'. You haven't seen him, have you? He owes Snape like nine assignments!"

"No…"Harry said in relief, "I haven't."

"But seriously, who's the girlfriend?"

"It's no one!"

Seamus crossed his arms, "After everything we've been through?"

Harry was about to shoo Seamus away when his sleeve got caught on a shiny necklace tucked under his short. The necklace flew off just behind Seamus.

"Let me get that for you!" Seamus insisted.

"No, it's all right, real—"

By the time Harry got to Seamus, Seamus had already picked it up.

"Why would you be carrying around a necklace with Draco's name on it?" Seamus asked roughly.

"I was going to give it back to him; I found it on the ground." Harry said nervously, while, at the same time, not trying to sound nervous.

"So why would you put it around your neck?"

"It's so I won't forget it. Now give it back!"

"Oh, I'm sure you had all day to come up with that story." Seamus swung the necklace around in circles and chuckled under his breath. Harry lunged to reach for the necklace. Seamus laughed and leaned away.

"Wait 'til I tell the boys about this one. Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy: Secret Lovers!"

"You gonna tell Dean first?" Harry said, narrowing his eyes at Seamus.

Seamus stopped swinging the necklace, "You leave him out of this."

"So it is true!" Harry said moving in toward Seamus.

Seamus tried to stand his ground. He glared back at Harry in silence. "Alright fine." Seamus handed over the necklace. "But you best keep your mouth, or I will kill you myself, Harry Potter."

"You keep your mouth shut, and I'll do the same." Harry started walking away as he put the necklace back on.

"But how did you know? Have you been stalking us or something?" Seamus asked as he stood in disbelief.

"Just ask your mum, Seamus," Harry continued walking away while Seamus slowly made his way back to lunch humiliated. Harry looked at the ceiling as he laughed. He hadn't had that much fun in a really long time. He's never really got to have fun when he has to remember to keep Draco and him a secret in mind. And when he does forget, he only realizes that he's forgotten as is bitten by the bitter bite of memory.

Harry walked all the way to Hogsmeade to get something for Draco. He felt more obligated than simply happy to. He was window shopping past a few small shops when he saw a tattered Nimbus 2001. He faintly laughed as he remembered how Draco only joined the Quidditch team so he could be around Harry. After, he then remembered all the time they spent together, perfecting routines that Draco could never think of himself.

"All right! Let's run it one more time!" Harry said out of breath. He wiped of the sweat on his forhead with the back of his glove.

"Can't we take a break, we've been at it for hours!" Draco complained as he laid flat on the cold autumn ground.

"Hey. You asked for this. Do you really want to go into your fourth year at Hogwarts sucking at every sport?"

Draco closed his eyes as he let the sunlight warm is face, "Harry, what do you want to be when you're older?"

Harry paused for a bit, and then slipped off his sweaty gloves, "I'm not sure; I haven't really given it much thought."

"Well think of something now."

"Uh…" Harry lied down next to Draco.

"Okay…how would you like to be five years from now?" Draco asked, hoping to sprout some sort of conversation.

"I guess…"Harry wiped his glasses with the bottom end of his shirt, "I guess just happy."

"Everyone says that. Do you think any person in their right mind would want to grow up to be miserable and lonely?"

Harry laughed, "Well I supposed you do have a point." Harry rolled over on his stomach, barely pressing shoulders with Draco, "Well when I was younger," Harry began as he plucked single blades of grass, "but you gotta promise you won't laugh."

"Cross my heart" Draco said as he felt his heart beat faster. He'd never been this close to Harry. At least, when Harry was thinking "straight".

"When I was younger, like really young, I wanted to be a painter," Harry managed to pull off a convincing fake laugh.

"I don't think that's funny," Draco said as calmly as he could. He learned to not show any emotion, so people won't know what exactly he was thinking. "Do you still want to be a painter?"

"Naww! I'd rather be an architect or something." Harry said, trying to tie a blade of grass in a knot.

"So why didn't you say so earlier?"

"I don't know. People always said that you couldn't make a real living off it." Harry turned over to his back.

"Ah, forget what people say! I know this one guy— Lincoln, or the like— he's made a million dollars in only two years from designing boats and houses. Boats and houses!"

"Well not everyone can make it that big."

"I wouldn't mind. I mean, if I loved architecture, and I got a job sketching houses, or something, I'd be happy."

"I suppose you're right."

"I mean, you'd be getting PAID to do what you love!" Draco turned his head to Harry's and watched as a slight breeze blew his hair, exposing his scar.

"So what about you, then? What do you want to be?"

"A musician." Draco said casually.

Harry burst out in laughter, "Really? A musician!"

"I didn't laugh at you…" Draco said, still staring at Harry, who was staring at the clouds.

"Well do you have some sort of backup plan?"

"Well it's better than you! You don't even have a plan!" Draco said sarcastically as he watched the clouds blow in the wind.

"What about wrestling?"

"What?" Draco turned to look Harry in a flash.

Harry rolled over and sat on top of Draco, pinning him to the ground. Harry's hands were right next to Draco's ears. "It's never a bad idea!"

Draco concentrated as hard as he could to seem like he wasn't enjoying Harry on top of him. "Yeah, because there are soooooo many successful wrestlers out there!"

"You're crazy." Harry smiled, as he tried to catch his breath.

"Says the painter!" Draco laughed.

Draco smiled at Harry as their laughs slowly diffused into smiles. Harry slowly leaned down toward Draco, as his bangs blew in the wind. Draco's heart was going to beat out of his chest.

"Have you ever been kissed?" Harry whispered.

"I…" Draco croaked under his breath

Harry leaned down further and his bangs hit Draco's forehead. He stretched out his arms as he locked hands with Draco. Draco closed his eyes and slightly opened his mouth. He could feel as Harry's warm breath brush passed his cheeks and their lips touched. Draco moved his arms around Harry's back and slowly pulled him in closer. Draco then rolled over and put his arms on the ground. He slowly leaned back and smiled.

"You have no idea how long I've wanted that." He said while staring into Harry's eyes.

Harry simply smiled back, "So now what?"

Draco bit his lip as he tried not to smile too big. He could barely conjure up a single phrase to answer So now what, let alone try not to smile too big. His mind was racing with responses and sudden realizations that the dreams and scenarios he made up in his bed were potentially likely to occur. All the nights spent hugging pillows and crying over something that may not be have finally become irrelevant. Whenever he stared out a window, he knew that someone would, in fact, be thinking of him.

"I dunno." He shrugged.

The two sat in the perfectly mowed grass and listened to the leaves of distant trees rustle in the cool breeze.

"Come," Draco said as he stood up quickly, "I got to show you something!"

Harry felt Draco's necklace through his shirt. "Alright, help me bring this stuff in."

As Harry and Draco were walking back toward the school, Harry held Draco's hand.

Draco looked at their hands, "So I guess we're—"

Harry looked up and smiled, "Yeah."

"Excuse me," someone said in a hazy voice.

Harry was caught in a gaze.

"Excuse me!" The voice was clear, "Are you going to buy anything? You've been standing there for a while."

"Sorry, no." Harry said as he looked around the shop.

"Let me know if you need anything," the clerk said before returning to the cash register.

"Actually," Harry said as he turned around, "How much is this?" he asked as he held up a pair of pocket-sized Two-Way mirrors.

"Fifty-four galleons," the clerk responded.

"Fair enough. Do you have cards?"

"Birthday? Wedding? What do you need?"

"Actually," Harry blushed, "Do you have any anniversary card, or something?"

The store clerk leaned on her elbows, "So Harry Potter's celebrating an anniversary?" she asked teasingly. "How long's it been?"

"Three years," Harry responded, hoping the conversation would end.

"Three years?" the clerk sounded surprised

"Harry, you've been shopping here since you were a first year! I thought you would have at least told me!"

"Trust me, I would have loved to," Harry handed over the money.

"So who is she?" The clerk asked, pressing her hip against the counter.

"Look," Harry said as he put the bag the clerk gave him in his pocket. "I would have told you as soon as it happened, it's just…"

"Things are… complicated?"

"Yeah." Harry left the store as the chime on the door rang. He walked all the way back to Hogwarts, barely late for his last class. It was History, so Harry decided just not to go altogether. He thought that it was more important to worry about the future than dwell on the past. He returned to the empty room to find that it was just that— empty. On the floor was a note with mediocre handwriting.

Dear Harry,

I'm sorry I couldn't be here. A small class of second years came here to practice their defense against D.A. with their professor. I left to get some stuff for us to eat. I'll meet you in the room with the magical door. Which reminds me, we need a better name for that—it sounds pretty lame! By the way, I heard what happened with Seamus…and there's something else. I'd rather not tell you through a scrap piece of parchment. Besides, my handwriting probably isn't something to admire either.

Love,

Draco

P.S. Get rid of this letter. I don't want anyone else reading it.

Harry looked at the letter and sighed. He started planning out what he was going to say as he made his way to the Room of Requirement, also known as the Room with the Magical Door. By Draco's rules, Harry had to make sure that no one was following him. The door slowly appeared and Harry walked in as it faded back into the wall. Draco sat at a metal regal table, of which paint was falling off. The little table was set with a single candle in the large dark room.

"Happy Three Years, Harry,"