DISCLAIMER: I don't own anything to do with Harry Potter

Wow this is chapter 21 already. Craziness. Let's celebrate with some reviewing!! Please? Pretty please? It would make me ever so happy. And you know happy writers = quicker updates! Soooo REVIEW!!!

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Choose.

I don't have to choose anymore. He's gone.

Open your eyes.

I don't want to see him.

You will have to choose.

But he's dead!

Wake up, Harry. Wake up and choose.

Harry woke with a start, flinching in bed. He kept his eyes closed and groaned. His whole body ached but his insides felt numb. The throbbing pain in his eyes reminded him that he had cried himself to sleep. That's all he wanted to do; go to sleep and never wake up. He didn't want to deal with what his eyelids prevented him from seeing. The muscles in one of his hands twitched and he realized that he had fallen asleep holding Draco's hand. The thought tightened his throat, but he didn't feel any tears. There weren't any more he could cry.

He moved himself closer to Draco's body, resting his head on his chest through the blankets. Curling up beside him, Harry tried to will himself back to sleep. It was hard though, his heart beating so loudly and distracting him. He pulled his eyebrows together in slight confusion.

People can't hear their own heartbeats…

His eyes snapped open and his body froze. It was almost pitch black in the room, save for the light from the moon that barely illuminated the room through the thin curtains. He could feel his heart beating wildly, not matching the steady beat he heard. It was a different beat. A separate beat.

Harry bit his lip, debating whether he should allow himself to hope that is was not his heart beat he was hearing. Maybe it was just his subconscious. Maybe he was just hearing things. Still, the possibility for hope got the best of him. He gradually picked his head up and turned to look at Draco. The moonlit image of his pale face sent a wave of hurt through Harry and he dropped his eyes to his chest. Staring at where the blankets met his shoulders, Harry swore he could see them moving; rising and falling in a steady motion. The thought saddened him.

Am I really making myself see these things just to keep holding on to false hope? It's so dark. The moon is just playing tricks on me. I can't start thinking like this. He's gone and that's it.

Even thinking this to himself, curiosity got the best of him. He had to know for sure. Leaning over Draco, he hovered his cheek directly above his mouth and nose. He held his own breath and waited in silence. For a few minutes he stayed like this. A few times he thought he felt something wisp across his skin, but he couldn't really tell.

Could have been the wind, or it could have been nothing at all.

After not feeling anything for several more minutes, Harry exhaled sadly, broken. It really was just his imagination. A lump formed in his throat as he raised his body to kiss Draco's forehead. As his lips came in contact with Draco's cold skin, he heard a sigh that wasn't his own. Harry sat straight up and backed away from the still body in surprise. His eyes were wide, almost fearful. They moved rapidly over Draco's body, trying to figure out if the sound came from him. He looked down at the stone-like hand he held. Gently he squeezed it. It tightened in response. Harry's breath hitched sharply.

"DRACO!!"

Draco's body jumped at the sudden outburst and his dark grey eyes fluttered open. He looked over at Harry in a confused stupor. Harry's hand flew over his open mouth as his jaw dropped. Seconds went by as he processed what just happened, and then he cried out and tackled Draco in a vice-like embrace that sent them tumbling to the ground.

Through newly released tears, Harry started kissing every inch of Draco's face, cupping it in his hands and stroking the skin with his thumbs. He sobbed with every breath he took. Draco just lay on the floor, stroking Harry's hair and caressing his back, letting him continue with his ministrations.

"Shh, love, it's ok," he murmured hoarsely in Harry's ear, "I'm here, it's ok. I'm not going anywhere. Shh, you're alright, I'm not leaving, I'm right here. It's ok, love."

Harry paused in his feverish kisses to fix his eyes on Draco's face. It had completely healed and was just as gorgeous as ever.

"How do I know you're really here? How do I know this isn't just a dream?" Harry couldn't help but ask, his voice cracking. If he did wake up and Draco was still as motionless as before, he didn't think he would be able to handle it.

Draco seemed to understand and placed a hand over Harry's heart, the other resting on the back of his neck. His eyes shone as they stared intensely into the emerald green before him.

"This is real" he said fiercely, putting pressure where his hand covered Harry's heart. Then he pulled him closer and sealed his lips over Harry's.

The second they connected, all doubt and question disappeared in Harry's mind. He really was here with him. The overload of joy and pure happiness exploded within him and he put all his force behind the contact. Their lips moved together with all the passion of a first kiss. Harry's hand lost itself in his partner's hair, clutching him closer to his body. Draco ran his tongue over Harry's bottom lip causing him to open his mouth and accept Draco's tongue eagerly. They deepened the kiss as their tongues joined, gripping each other with hands afraid to let go. Around them, time seemed to stand still. Harry felt like he could stay like this forever, if he didn't have to breathe.

A whimper escaped Harry's lips as Draco pulled away from him. The two lay on the floor together, staring into each other's eyes, panting as they tried to catch their breath. Between them passed a thousand silent words of longing, love and how much they missed being in each others arms. Suddenly Draco shivered violently and Harry remembered that he only had the blankets to keep him warm. He quickly scooped up a weak Draco from the floor and laid him back on the bed, bringing all the blankets he could find to drape over him. Then he climbed into bed with him, joining him under the blankets and pressing his body flush up against Draco's naked form. He started kissing him again, down his jaw and around his neck. When he pressed his mouth against his collarbone, Draco flinched back. Harry worriedly searched his face that was briefly contorted in pain.

"What's wrong?" he demanded. Draco just shook his head.

"I'm fine."

Harry's expression went soft. "Drake…" he pleaded.

Draco sighed. "Just hurts a little to move, is all."

Harry immediately made to move away from him, but he gripped Harry's arms tightly. "Don't even think about it" he grinned.

"But –"

Draco silenced Harry's protest with his thumb, gliding it over his mouth. Harry kissed it and Draco smirked. "No amount of discomfort is going to keep me from you right now."

Harry responded with a firm kiss, repositioning himself to hover over his boyfriend's figure. Draco's hands snaked around Harry's chest to his back, stroking his spine and causing Harry to shiver happily. For a brief moment, Draco felt the frustration of not being in the position to take control, but it quickly passed as Harry started biting gently at his neck. He didn't care at this point. Too much exhaustion mixed with physical weakness and the intense need to be close to Harry overruled his dominating thoughts. As long as Harry was here with him again, nothing else mattered. He gasped and groaned when Harry's tongue found the spot where his collarbone met his shoulder. It was especially sensitive since there had been a huge bruise there earlier this morning. Harry nipped lightly at it before continuing down his chest.

Draco tangled his fingers in Harry's messy black hair as it traveled further down his body. Heavy breaths of air forced themselves between Draco's lips as Harry left lingering heated kisses over his ribs and stomach. He ran his hands over Draco's waist, caressing and gently massaging his hips. One spot on his hip was particularly sensitive and Draco gasped more in pain than in pleasure. It was the same spot where he had been kicked repeatedly. Harry looked up at him, questioning if he should keep going. Draco met his gaze with lust filled eyes.

"Don't stop" he pleaded. Harry hesitated before running his tongue around the area and trailing kisses across the previously bruised hip bone. Draco's head fell back on the pillow, exhaling a breathy moan.

The air escaping his parted lips grew steadily faster and shallower as Harry's mouth traveled down his hip and across the lower region of his stomach. He bucked his hips in reaction but groaned when it caused him more pain than he expected. Harry instantly moved up his body and started gently nibbling and sucking at his neck.

"Maybe –"

"No" Draco exhaled quickly, cutting off Harry's suggestion to stop. He turned his head to whisper in Harry's ear. "I'm not waiting until I heal. I want you so fucking bad."

Hearing the longing in Draco's husky voice caused Harry to groan into his neck. He couldn't help the fear of hurting him though. After all, he hadn't even fully healed, and he had been through so much. He wanted to, of course, but his worry overtook his sex drive.

"Drake, I don't think I can…"

Draco propped himself up by his elbows, clearly annoyed. "And just why the hell not?"

A smile found itself across Harry's face. "Because you were so close to death just a few hours ago I thought you were dead! You don't just come back to life so I can fuck your brains out! I'd probably end up killing you anyway!"

Draco sighed loudly in frustration, falling back on the bed and throwing an arm over his face. "At least I'd die happy." He snapped, turning on his side away from Harry. In all honesty, he felt very sick and very weak. The excitement he felt with Harry brought him to a high his body wasn't ready for. This made him even angrier.

Harry saw him pout and he chuckled, spooning up against Draco from behind. He wrapped his arms around his chest and rested his chin on his shoulder. Draco turned his head around to meet his lips in a slow but passionate kiss. Harry grinned.

"We'll try again in the morning, alright?"

Draco rolled his eyes. "You know how long it's been since we've had sex?"

Harry laughed. "Yes, it was the night before our anniversary. It's only been a few days, Drake. I think you'll live."

Draco smirked. It amused him how Harry could turn off his horniness instantly when the welfare of others was involved. Although extremely irritating, it was a part of Harry's personality that Draco treasured. He always knew he would be taken care of with Harry around.

His face turned serious as he traced a pale finger around the contour of his boyfriend's face. Steel grey stared lovingly into bright green. Harry returned the gesture, stroking the side of Draco's face where the gash had been. Closing his eyes, Draco leaned in to Harry's warm hand.

"Harry…I don't know how I will ever be able to show or tell you just how thankful I am. I owe you my life and –"

"Don't be ridiculous, Draco. I wasn't about to let you suffer in there."

"That's what I mean, though. You could have. You could have left me but you didn't. I'll never be able to express in any words or actions just how much you mean to me, Harry."

Harry cocked his head to the side. "Yes, you can." Draco blinked and stared blankly at him. "Tell me you love me and kiss me."

Draco turned over to face Harry and he took his face between his palms so he could look directly into Harry's eyes. He spoke with all the love and power he could muster.

"Harry Potter, you are my heart and soul. My life is not complete unless you are there beside me every single day. I have never felt for anyone else what I feel for you. Without you, it feels like half of me has been torn away. I love you, Harry, with every fiber of my being."

With that, Draco leaned in and brushed his lips lightly over Harry's. He softly pressed his mouth against his with increasing pressure. Wrapping his arms around Harry's neck, he brought him closer, keeping his lips firmly against his own. The electricity he felt between them was like nothing he had every felt before. It sparked a fire within both of them as they yanked each other closer to keep the feeling going. They both closed their eyes, letting the adrenaline wash over them and heighten their emotions to a fever pitch. They broke the kiss gasping for air, each red in the face.

"Wow" Harry grinned breathlessly. Draco smiled in return and lay back down on the bed, staring up at the ceiling. Harry snuggled next to him, nuzzling into his neck. Wrapping an arm around him, Draco pulled Harry closer. They lay like this in silence.

"Drake?" Harry whispered.

"Yeah?"

"You're everything to me."

The corners of Draco's mouth pulled up slightly as sleep began to overtake him.

"I know, love, I know."

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