Chapter Fourteen:
I'll Follow You Into The Dark
A/N: Read, Review, Enjoy!! Slight fluffiness, woot!
I'll Follow You Into The Dark - Death Cab For Cutie
Love of mine, someday you will die
But I'll be close behind,
I'll follow you into the dark.
No blinding light or tunnels to gates of white,
Just our hands clasped so tight
Waiting for the hint of the spark.
If heaven and hell decide that they both are satisfied
Illuminate the no's on their vacancy signs
If there's no one beside you when your soul embarks
Then I'll follow you into the dark.
*
Draco had been listening to Harry's music for about two hours now. It was then that he decided he had done enough waiting and now was the time to act. He felt more than confident about his plan. He had to show Harry that he truly cared for the boy and he felt he knew how to do it. How to show Harry that he did, indeed, deserve all the love he could get.
So the Slytherin started off on his mission, hoping to the dearest of gods that all the Gryffindor's had gone to bed by now. It was almost midnight, afterall! Draco made his way through the castle and up to the Tower, he muttered the password and slipped in through the portrait hole. Inside of the Common Room, thankfully nobody was around.
With a sigh of relief, Draco tip-toed up the stairs that led to the dormitory. He creaked open the door slowly, poking his head inside. It was pure darkness in the room and not a voice disturbed it, although a total of four snores did. Draco grinned, knowing that this meant his plan could continue on without interuption.
He slipped into the Sixth Year boys dormitory and over towards Harry's four-poster bed. The curtains were drawn and Draco quickly cast a Silencio on the bed, just in case Harry hadn't. Draco proceeded to rumage through the boys trunk as quietly as possible until he retrieved the hidden Invisibility Cloak. He slipped it over himself, feeling much more comfortable and confident underneath its protection.
Draco slowly opened one of Harry's bed curtains and saw the bespectacled boy fast asleep, heavy with breathing. 'He looks so...peaceful, and beautiful,' the blonde thought in awe. He wanted so bad to reach out and touch him, but he didn't dare do it for disturbing the boys slumber. Draco slipped away from the bed and sat cross-legged on the floor, staring intently at the curtains. As soon as there was any slight movement inside of them, he was going to make his move.
He tapped his fingers idly on his leg, pondering whether or not the reception to what he was gonig to do would be received well. Draco smirked at this, of course it was. Harry had kissed him in the Room of Requirments, he had even pulled Draco ontop of him and wanted more! He was the one who initially deepened their kiss. It was so blatantly obvious to Draco now just exactly what was wrong with Harry.
Harry liked Draco, this much the Slytherin was sure of or else he wouldn't have continued the kiss. It was just his past events that were stopping him from going any further. He was bloody terrified that he would just taint and ruin Draco, but that wasn't the scenrio at all.
Draco knew that he needed Harry in his life from that moment on, and that he wasn't going to accept 'No' for an answer when he knew that Harry indeed needed him in return.
'And I thought that this morning was the last time I was going to be in these terribly decorated dorms...ha...' he laughed to himself, his smirk still held on his face.
It took twenty hole minutes of silent waiting and Draco keeping himself as wide awake as possible until the curtains on Harry's bed began to move. At first it was only a slight movement, but Draco had jumped up immediately alert. And then, there was the thrashing. Draco quickly pulled open the curtains and climbed on the bed with the sleeping boy who was groaning now. Draco closed the curtains and magically locked them shut before grasping Harry's sweaty shoulders with his own two hands firmly.
"Wake up! Wake up, Harry!" Draco whispered, but it wasn't working though Harry's thrashing began calming down. Draco then found himself lying down beside Harry, wrapping his arms around the boy and pulling his face towards his chest. He rocked him gently, Draco's one hand firmly holding Harry's lower back and his other entwined in the messy brunette hair.
"Shh, it is okay, I am here, I am not going anywhere," Draco whispered soothinly, slowly rocking away all the trembles in Harry's body.
And then, Harry awoke. He poked his head up from Draco's chest and he found himself curled quite closely to the Slytherin. Blushing madly, Harry looked anywhere but at Draco, which was an entirely difficult task considering he was being nearly smothered by him. "Erm...I...what are you doing?"
"I knew you had no more Dreamless Sleep, and I could not let you have those nightmares again. I just couldn't," Draco said with a small, reassuring smile that melted Harry.
"But-but you can't be here!" Harry said worriedly, his breathing was still heavy as he spoke and he realized that those strong arms around his body comforted him much more than anything else ever had.
"I can and I will be," Draco stated firmly. He pushed Harry slightly away from him so he could get a better look at his face, he released the boy and pulled his face up to his own and stared him intently, unblinkingly in the eye. "Harry, I'm here for you. I know you want me to be, and you cannot stop it. Everything that has ever happened to you, I have felt it too. I want it to all go away and I will make it all go away, and that is my promise to you. I promise to make you happy, however I can do that. I promise, Harry, I need you with me," Draco was beginning to sound desperate, but his gaze never faltered and Harry felt himself growing hotter by the moment.
"But-I'm so filthy, Draco, you deserve so much more than me," Harry whispered, ashamed as he finally broke their eye contact.
"Potter, you are not filthy and if I ever hear you utter those words again so help me Merlin...I will murder this entire school, do you understand?" Draco growled angrily, the grip on Harry's face tightening slightly before his hands slackened altogether and he released the confused boy.
"But why?"
Draco took a deep breath, he had been thinking about this for the past few weeks, going it over and over in his head like crazy. "Because I love you, Harry. I love you," he whispered, it was his own turn to blush now as he pulled the shocked brunette to him, he buried his face in the messy hair. "I think in someway, I have always loved you," he admitted with a smile.
Harry was stiff and silent. 'He loves me? Like....loves me? He can't be seriously...how could anybody love me? I'm dirty filthy and...'
"I know what you are thinking right now and I want you to stop it this instance," Draco snapped. Harry blushed and nodded his head slowly in accordance. "Now you listen here, Harry, I'm here and I will never let those bastards come near you again. Nobody will ever harm you and you are never going back to that foresaken house! Do you understand?" Harry nodded again slowly, "Good," and then that silence came again, the same silence that always uneased Draco as he held a slightly shivering Harry in his arms, unresisting to his embrace but not complying either. "Why did you ever let them do that to you?"
Harry shifted under his sheets, he found himself craving to get closer to Draco and he allowed himself that much. He pushed his head onto the others chest, he laid his hand on Draco's waist and felt the other smile against his head. He smiled in response, though he knew Draco couldn't see it. "I-I don't know...I couldn't stop them..."
"You could have. You could have killed them," Draco growled, tightening his grip on the boy. "They will pay, Harry. But do not worry, you will never have to see them again,"
"Kill them? Coming from you! Why did you let your Father do that to you? Why didn't you kill him?" Harry protested, slightly upset that Draco was so quick to judge his situation.
"Who in the hell said I did not kill him?" Draco responded quietly, though Harry could fully hear the venom in his voice. But he still held him, and Harry understood then that neither of them were mad at one another, just mad at their situation in general. But the statement, had sent Harry in for a confusing thought bubble.
"Draco did..."
"Not now, love. For now, do you not think you should get some sleep?" Draco said softly, absently stroking Harry's back now which calmed the other boy.
"Mmm, that feels nice," Harry mumbled, he felt himself yawn as well and he knew his curiousity would have to wait another day. "But you can't..."
"I can and I am staying here. I have locked the curtains, and the Cloak is right beside the bed if we need it. I am staying with you tonight Harry, because I am afraid that without me your nightmares will come back. And without you, my nightmares will haunt my sleep, too," Draco admitted quietly, there was just a good of a possibility of himself being out of Dreamless Sleep Drought down in his own room.
Harry looked up at Draco slowly, the blonde had his eyes closed lightly and when he felt Harry's gaze on him he smiled. 'He looks like an angel,' Harry thought breathlessly, and with that he reached up and pressed his lips gently to Draco's. The blonde wrapped his arms more tightly around Harry. "Draco?"
"Yes, Harry?" 'And his voice...how is Draco's voice so soft? So loving? So...everything I've ever wanted?'
"Is it okay if...uhm...erm...is it alright if..." Harry stuttered nervously. There he was, looking up at his once school rival as they held each other.
"What is it, love?" Draco smiled, he stroked the fringe away from Harry's eyes and slowly slipped off his glasses. "Ah, there you are," he grinned, he loved Harry's great emerald eyes, shining up at him like there was no tomorrow. He folded the glasses and put them on the nightstand as Harry adjusted slowly to the difference in sight.
"Is it alright if I, kinda said I kinda liked you to?" he mumbled, blushing furiously.
Draco laughed lightly at this, making Harry blush even more. "You do not have to say what I said to you, Harry. I know you like it, and if that is all I get then trust me - I am more than happy to be with you," he leaned down and ghosted his lips on Harry's lightning bolt scar, Harry shivered and found that this shot electricity to his groin. He panicked for a moment.
"Is that...are we...together?"
"If you would like to be,"
Harry thought for a second. 'What about Ron and Hermione? I can't just go and tell them...Oh yeah, I'm dating Draco Malfoy, forget to let you know!'
"We needn't tell a soul, love" Draco whispered, kissing Harry's forehead once again enjoying the reaction he had recieved the first time.
"Then yes, I'd...like that, yeah," Harry smiled, finally feeling at ease as he pulled Draco closer to himself. "And thanks, for erm, going to Pomfrey. I do feel loads better,"
"Even if that means having to talk to Lupin?"
"Yeah...he deserves to know anyway," Harry frowned, he shouldn't have kept it a secret from the Professor for so long. Remus would be constantly worrying himself sick over Harry.
"Sleep now, love," Draco whispered soothingly.
"Goodnight Draco,"
"Goodnight, Harry," Both boys fell asleep soundly and happily for the first time in what felt like ever.
*
In catholic school, as vicious as Roman rule,
I got my knuckles bruised by a lady in black
And I held my tongue as she told me "Son fear is the heart of love"
So I never went back.
If heaven and hell decide that they both are satisfied
Illuminate the No's on their vacancy signs
If there's no one beside you when your soul embarks
Then I'll follow you into the dark.
*
Harry came to slowly that morning, and as soon as he stretched his arms over his head he felt fully rested for the first time in awhile. But then a thought struck the brunette, 'Did I just imagine all of that? I don't feel Draco's arms around me anymore...Gods, I must have!' he sighed heavily, unwilling to open his eyes to the truth, unwilling to see himself in an empty bed with no Draco present.
'Don't open your eyes. Don't open your eyes. Do not open your eyes,' he repeated to himself continuously, but he was sourly interupted by Ron who ripped open his curtains, jumping Harry into action in case the blonde still HAD been in his bed.
"Wha-?!" Harry began, he looked wildly around and saw that he indeed was alone.
"Hey, mate! Get up already, would yah? You're about to miss breakfast and 'Mione and I aren't waiting any longer..." Ron said chiperly, pulling the bed coverings off of his friend who groaned.
"Alright, alright. Just gimmie a minute, I'll be down," Harry promised, Ron left with a quick wink and Harry rolled his eyes. Gods, that redhead was always so oblivious to everything.
As Harry rolled off his bed and reached out for his glasses, he found a piece of parchment lying folded underneath them. He curiously opened it up and read;
'Dear Harry,
Sorry I could not be there when you awoke, I wanted to get out of there before it became too difficult to do so. I hope that is alright with you. This parchment has been charmed so only you can read it, so no need to worry about that. I just wanted to write you so you would not get your knickers in a twist.
Meet me in our Room tomorrow night after dinner, I have got Qudditch try-outs tonight.
Love, Yours Truly,
Draco.
Harry verbally sighed with happiness as his cheeks redened at the sweet incentive of the note. He folded it carefully and as he got changed into his comfortable clothing for the last day of the weekend, he stuffed it into his pants pockets in case the mood striked him to read it over again.
As he joined Hermione and Ron in the Common Room, they were surprised to see a bright smile on his face. "Mmm, wonder what's for breakfast today! Hope it's not porridge...again!" Harry grinned as Hermione gave him a lopsided expression but Ron went along with the happy morning.
They ate breakfast quickly, except for the witch who was curiously paying close attention to her best friend. 'What's with the sudden mood swing?' is the question that wouldn't leave her mind. Harry was joking around with Dean and Seamus, poking fun of Ron when he would turn to Hermione and suck-up. He read the Daily Prophet and didn't snarl once at its ridiculous acquisations or even talk about the recent news of Death Eater sightings in Northern Britain.
This worried Hermione - what could get Harry so distracted from, everything, that it actually made him happy? 'Should I really even be worried about this? Shouldn't I just be glad that he seems genuinly happy for once?'
"Alright mates, what's up for today? Wizard's Chess tournament? Some Exploding Snap? Ron, your brothers send any new product our way to be test dummies for?" Harry chiperly pushed aside his plate. He couldn't help the smile that bedazzled those around him, he couldn't hold back his joy. He had spent last night with Draco Malfoy holding him lovingly, making all of his nightmares go away. And he was happy for it, and he couldn't wait until tomorrow night when they'd be holding each other again. Harry was happy, and there was no stopping it as his eyes would periodically flicker over to the Slytherin Table where Draco sat sending him sly smirks every once and awhile. 'Those are mine,' Harry thought triumphantly, 'Those little smiles...they're just for me,' and these thoughts just made his smiler widen.
Now Hermione wasn't a fool. She hadn't be named the Witch of her age for no reason. She was quick on her feet, observant, and somebody to reckon with. Her gaze was steadily fixed upon Harry for most of their early morning meal, for once his happiness seemed genuine but she knew there was more to it. Somebody just doesn't change like that overnight, it's nearly impossible.
"I'd be up for some Exploding Snap," Ron said thoughtfully, obviously having enough of the Wizard's Chess tournaments where he was still undeafeted.
"What say we go spy on the Slytherin Qudditch try-outs later, too?" Seamus suggested with a wink and a grin. It was always custom for Slytherin's and Gryffindor's to spy on one another's Qudditch practice, beneath the safety of the stands and snickering quietly. They also used Harry's Invisibility Cloak to ensure their presence was unknown.
"Oh right, I'd forgotten about those! I hope Malfoy falls straight on his arse, 'eh?" Ron nudged Harry who had suddenly gone pale, he twitched the corners of his mouth into a smile but somehow it didn't reach his eyes this time. When the conversation lent away from Qudditch try-outs, Harry glanced up solemnly across the Great Hall as he had many times by now.
Hermione followed his gaze and suddenly the light bulb over her head lit up.
*
You and me
Have seen everything to see
From Bangkok to Calgary
And the soles of your shoes
Are all worn down, the time for sleep is now
But it's nothing to cry about 'cause we'll hold each other soon
In the blackest of rooms.
If heaven and hell decide that they both are satisfied
Illuminate the no's on their vacancy signs
If there's no one beside you when your soul embarks
Then I'll follow you into the dark.