Losing Pain

Chapter Eleven

The N.E.W.T.S. had gone perfectly for both Harry and Draco. Well, that was the way they felt. Neither of them second guessed on any question. Each and every one of their examiners' faces held astonishment during their practical exams. Students glared at them on the way out.

"Do you think we'll pass, Draco?" Harry asked, just making himself sure, as the two were walking, hand in hand, towards Hogsmede after all of their exams were done.

"Don't worry yourself, Harry." Draco told him, squeezing his hand a little. "You probably did better than me on everything."

"Except for potions." Harry added. Draco laughed. "You've always been better than me at potions."

"Maybe that's because my godfather is the potions professor." Draco said. "Maybe it's because during the summer he teaches me too."

Harry made a face that looked like he was thinking about what Draco had said. Then he shook his head. "No, I don't think that's why."

Draco gave Harry a playful shove. "Then why am I better at potions?"

Harry grinned before he spoke. "You're better because I let you be better." He tried to run away, but Draco was able to keep Harry's hand in his.

Draco forced Harry to face him and looked at him with an eyebrow raised. "You let me be better than you?"

Harry nodded, a grin still on his face. "Yep. Aren't I nice?"

Draco laughed before he pushed the teen to the ground and straddled him. "So, how should I thank you? Should I cover you in kisses?" He asked as he quickly kissed every piece of visible skin from Harry's neck and up. "Or, should I give you a slow, sensual kiss?" He immediately stopped kissing Harry and looked down into the boy's emerald eyes. He never could get enough of them.

Harry was breathing heavily from being overtaken so swiftly. "I like both." He finally answered when he was able to gather enough oxygen to speak.

Draco smirked. "I'm sorry because I really only like one of those choices." He proceeded to lower his lips to Harry's. Ever so gently they kissed like Draco had said, slow and sensually. They explored each other's mouths like the action had never been done before. But it didn't take long for everything to up its pace. Hands roamed each other's bodies. Mouths placed themselves everywhere. Tongues examined every inch. The two rolled around on the ground, moaning into each other. The only time when one's mouth would part the other was for a quick breath, and even those were limited.

"Harry." Draco breathed, his eyes flinging open when Harry nipped at a tender part on his neck.

"Hmm?" Harry asked as he kept going.

"Harry, I need to ask you something." Draco tried to speak coolly, but every lick and bite Harry gave made Draco gasp in between words.

"Don't ask if I'm hungry, Draco." Harry growled into the nape of the blonde's neck. "I'm getting my fill right now."

"No. It's about something I want." Draco told him, still having trouble speaking. "I want to know if you want it too."

Harry stopped what he was doing and pushed himself up with his arms to face Draco better. Draco wondered for a short second how Harry got to be on top and why he was acting like Draco usually did. Draco was usually the one who had the control. He was the one who usually domineered. Now, Harry was the one who seemed to have the upper hand.

"Are we thinking the same thing?" Harry asked a little cautiously. He always knew the moment would come, but for some reason he didn't know what he really wanted.

"Does it require an empty room and a bed?" Draco asked.

Harry nodded. "I...I don't know, Draco." He was so unsure.

"It's alright if you don't, Harry. I understand that. I really do. I'm not trying to rush you into anything." Draco told him. Then, taking his control back, he flipped them around so he was on top, and kissed Harry passionately again.

Harry broke them apart. "It's not that I don't. I'm just stuck in the middle. Half of me wants it. Really badly actually." He let out a nervous laugh. "But the other half of me is saying we should wait, until school's done and it'll be just the two of us. There won't be anything in our way."

Draco was silent for a moment before he kissed Harry again and mumbled against his lips. "I'm actually thinking the second half of you is pretty smart."

***

Everyone felt the excitement in the air on the last day. All of the seventh years were in the Great Hall, getting ready for their ceremony, pictures, and all of the congratulations that they were going to receive. Girls were running around, fussing about their robes and hair. Draco wasn't unlike them.

"Are you sure everything is fine?" Draco looked at Harry, unsure. He wanted to look his best in front of his father. Especially since Lucius had never visited during the year. He had no reason to since Draco had quit Quidditch.

Harry laughed. "Yes, Draco. Now stop fussing like a girl. You're almost worse than they are."

Draco glared at Harry, but Harry changed his expression to a smile when he gave Draco a quick peck on the lips. "You're lucky that I like you so much. Otherwise, I wouldn't be as forgiving."

"I know." Harry grinned. "That's why I do it so much."

Draco shook his head, a smile still on his face. Neville then came over, his whole self in disarray. Draco got wide-eyed. "Neville, you look absolutely...horrendous!"

Neville smiled sheepishly. "I know. I woke up a little late because I was too stupid to wake up when Harry told me to. I was wondering if you could help a little bit."

Draco, who had become somewhat friends with the Gryffindor, quickly got to work. He tried his best at getting his robes to look the best and his hair to stay down. A bit of magic had to be used. When he was done, Neville thanked the blonde then went to find Luna. Draco turned back to Harry. "Do I still look fine?"

Harry rolled his eyes. "No, you look absolutely horrible."

Draco gasped and produced himself a mirror to look at himself. He smoothed down his already flattened hair and brushed away some imaginary dirt that wasn't even there. Harry wrapped his arms around Draco's waist and rested his head on his shoulder as he whispered into Draco's ear. "Don't worry. You look absolutely perfect to me, and that's all that matters."

Draco sighed and looked at Harry through the mirror that was still there. "I wish that was true, but my father is already going to have a field day as it is. I haven't exactly been the perfect child for him this year."

Harry lightly kissed Draco's neck. He knew what Draco was talking about. When Lucius had found out that Draco had quit Quidditch, he had sent a howler to him, threatening to take him out of Hogwarts, not letting him graduate. Luckily, Snape was able to persuade him to choose not to. Then, when everyone found out about Draco being with Harry, Lucius found out soon enough. Another howler was sent, and Snape once again went to calm down the senior Malfoy. Meeting him face to face was going to be interesting, especially with Harry by his side, but he wasn't going to do it without his Gryffindor. And Harry wasn't going to let his Slytherin do it alone anyways.

"Seventh years, may I please have your attention." Dumbledore appeared at the front of the room. All of the students quieted down to listen to their headmaster. "The graduating ceremony will begin in only a few minutes time. Before we leave to go outside, I wish to say a few words. This class has been one of the most interesting ones by far. Many have done things that no other would do in their lifetime. For this I am pleased to have been your headmaster. Now, go graduate!"

Harry and Draco both rolled their eyes. Dumbledore had stayed out of their way more after Draco had told him off in the hospital wing, but he still managed to annoy the two. No one else seemed to notice how deceitful the man was, but no one else had anything to make the man even more famous.

Girls and boys lined up like they had rehearsed the night before. Harry had been placed with the other Gryffindors at the front while Draco was stuck in the back with the other Slytherins. Neither one was too pleased with the arrangement, but it was only going to be for a short time.

A little nervous, Harry led his class with Hermione on his right. He didn't particularly enjoy having to walk with the girl, but it was only for a few short seconds in the beginning and a few short seconds at the end. He could live with it. Draco however got stuck with Pansy Parkinson. After dating her for a short while then breaking up with her after he realized he liked guys more than girls, she still didn't really understand that the two would never get back together. He didn't care if it was only a few seconds. Being with the girl at all made Draco want to die.

Harry and Hermione slowly walked passed all of the proud parents and friends on either side of them. He kept a fake smile on his face as he listened to everyone whisper, 'There's Harry Potter! I can't believe it's already been seventeen years.' 'I remember the first time I met him at the Leaky Cauldron!' 'My daughter, graduating with the greatest man alive. Just think how lucky we are.' Harry wanted to stop and yell at all of them. Not a single person seemed to care about him. They all cared about his fame. He was relieved when they reached the chairs they were to sit in. Even luckier for him, Hermione was on the other side, completely far away from him, as was Ron. Instead he got to sit by Lavender Brown.

The ceremony started out with a welcoming speech from Dumbledore. Then, each Head of House said a few words. Finally, the Head Boy and Girl spoke, which ended up being a Ravenclaw and a Hufflepuff. Neither Harry nor Draco really listened to any of it. They were too worried about how Lucius was going to react when they saw him. Finally, the end came and each student was called up to receive their diplomas. Both Harry and Draco waited impatiently for their names to be called. They wanted everything to be done and over with.

"Draco Lucius Malfoy." Snape called out. Draco practically leapt from his seat. He made his way up, took his diploma, shook Snape's and Dumbledore's hands, then went back down to his seat before anyone could even take a good picture.

A few more names were called before McGonagall said. "Harry James Potter." Trying to stay as calm as possible, Harry went through the same actions as Draco. The moment he finished shaking Dumbledore's hand though, Dumbledore wouldn't let go, lightly pushed Harry to face the camera, and told him to smile good. Harry instead did the opposite. He glared at the man, pulled his hand out of the headmaster's grasp, and told him coldly. "If you want some publicity, get it yourself. I am not some simple way to get your face in a newspaper. I'd recommend shoving your head up your arse. You'd probably get a few articles and a picture or too. Maybe if you're lucky you'll find the off switch to your selfishness."

Dumbledore kept his smile up, but his eyes said something completely different. Harry ignored him and the flashes from the cameras as he sat back down. No one had heard him, except maybe McGonagall, but, when Harry looked at Draco quickly, he saw that the blonde had a smirk on his face. Harry wanted to laugh.

The rest of the ceremony went by smoothly. Nothing went wrong unless you counted Dumbledore's little try for fame. Shortly after all of the graduates walked back the way they had come, even more pictures were taken.

Harry and Draco were once again separated as the whole class picture was taken since their houses were on complete opposite sides. Then each house's picture was taken separately. Harry reluctantly stayed the whole time Gryffindor's pictures were taken. But then, as they departed and Hufflepuff got together, Draco pulled him away from the rest of his house and towards the Slytherins.

"Draco, what are you doing?" Harry asked as the Draco made him stand beside him and Blaise.

"I'm making sure you get a picture with your house. We can't have you missing it." Draco explained simply. "You were already in the wrong spot for the whole class picture. I don't need you messing it all up again."

Harry laughed and shook his head. "I guess I'm supposed to say I'm sorry?"

"No time now!" Draco exclaimed. "We have to smile!" Quickly the two faced the camera with the brightest smiles of anyone else. Both of them for

got about the encounter they would have in only a short time.

A/N: Here's the eleventh chapter once again. I haven't really changed anything except for maybe a comma or two and Draco's middle name. But, I'm the type of person who likes everything the same throughout their story. It'd be sort of strange if I had his middle name as Scorpius in this chapter, but then Lucius in the next one. So I've fixed it. Thanks to everyone who's been reading!