DISCLAIMER: THE BOOK BELONGS TO J. I HAVE ONLY BORROWED BOTH CHARACTERS AND PLOTLINE.

CHAPTER 70

Harry emerged from the opening in the statue of the one eyed witch and stumbled towards the great hall when he heard a loud shriek and turned around to see a tiny first year girl pointing dumbly at him before he collapsed.

Groggily waking up he heard soft mumbling voices around him and when he finally came to, on opening his eyes he saw that he was the hospital ward surrounded by a ctowd of his family and friends.

"He's…he's awake mum!" Darren said with a tremble in his voice and Harry felt him gently take his hand into his own feeling the weight and soreness of it as it was lifted up.

Trying to block the sudden upsurge in the volume of voices around him, Harry tried not to flinch when was being patted and held by everyone around him finally being subjected to the warm wet tears of his mother on him at the very end.

"Give him some space people" Madame Pomhprey said crisply when she saw the overwhelmed look on Harrys face. "I'll call you back when he's ready" she said, and gently ushered everyone out until only Ginny remained standing beside him looking at him through relieved tears.

"I have something important to tell him" she told her mentor quietly "it will only take a minute."

Madame Pomphrey looked at her searchingly and then nodded "A minute then, Miss Weasley" she said and left them alone, walking away primly.

"Harry, I won't ask you what happened but there's something you should know. Draco said he'd wait for you in the Astronomy Tower when you were ready to see him and that he's very sorry."

"What for?" Harry croaked.

"I don't know Harry, all I know is that when you disappeared from the grounds he collapsed and had a sort of seizure and when he came to he looked so pale and afraid but he wouldn't tell me what happened and he wouldn't let me help him."

"Is…is he okay?" Harry asked worriedly.

And Ginny smiled gently at him "He's fine Harry, and stop worrying about others. God knows what you saw and what you've been through yourself!"

Harry felt a wave of nausea hit him when he remembered the evening and shivered under the warm blanket.

Ginny just looked sadly at him gripping his hand for a minute and then letting go abruptly she walked out of the room herself.

Knowing that he was too stiff to move, Harry decided to rest a little more before going to see Dray.

000000000000

Waking up after a few hours from a nightmare of blood and snakes, Harry saw Darren sitting at the side of his bed sleeping soundly while happily drooling away suddenly snorting and waking up abruptly with a grunt when he heard Harry shift on his bed.

"Harry you awake?" he asked, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes.

"Yeah Darren I'm awake."

There was a small silence when Darren said softly "Thank you."

"For what Darr?"

"For coming back" Darren said choking down a sob.

"For saving my life, for everything."

Harry smiled softly and said "I got my strength from you Darr!"

Darren just looked miserably at him and then completely folded, crying softly.

"I'm sorry, God I'm so sorry Harry!"

"What for?" Harry asked in bewilderment.

"For being such an ass to you this entire year. For giving you a hard time and for not being there for you."

"It's okay Darr we were just angry with each other."

"Yes" Darren suddenly said sitting up again a new resolve in his voice "Yes Harry I was angry, I was angry at you all of last year even when you just disappeared with Malfoy and didn't even bother telling me. I was angry that you were not there when I needed you most. You know, you demand that I tell you everything but you never say anything yourself!"

"You have no idea how alone I felt all of last year, don't even try lying anymore to me Harry. I know something weird happened to you guys last year. You've changed somehow. I've never seen anyone fight like you and I know you have secrets that I don't know about and that's so frustrating. But, I shouldn't have hurt you I know, you and Malfoy, and I should have been there when the others were ragging on you."

Harry felt so light all of a sudden that he smiled broadly for the first time in a long time and felt a heavy burden lift from his shoulders, "I do like him like that Darren" he said quietly but surely.

"Wh…what?"

"Dray. I think I like him more than just a friend" he said softly looking almost beseechingly at his brother for some understanding. "But don't worry, I'm not sure were in the same boat right now, I don't think he likes me like that!"

"I…I think I knew that" Darren said turning red "I don't understand it at all Harry, but…but I'm here for you if you need to talk" he said earnestly.

Harry nodded satisfied and closed his eyes in relief.

"I still want to know what you did last year and don't lie please, if you're not ready to tell me, then I'll wait but I want the truth."

Harry nodded and opened his eyes looking at his brother and seeing the weariness in his eyes "I promise" he whispered and let Darren hug him.

"I thought I lost you, I've never felt that kind of pain in my life before. I wanted to strangle you for saving me and I wanted to come there and kill everyone who touched you."

"I know Darren, I just saw an opportunity to help you and I took it. At least one of us had to live."

"You know all that training I underwent Harry? Nothing prepared me for reality, I was scared witless" Darren said and sighed sounding utterly discouraged.

"As someone said to me brother, fear only makes you a man, and I saw real courage in you Darren it's what made me act the way I did."

"Thank you" Darren whispered and gently let go of his brother "Mum and dad left this evening said they'll call you later" he said and walked away silently beyond the door.

00000000000000000000

Harry touched the snake tattoo on his inner wrist and saw that Draco was still in the Astronomy Tower probably waiting for him. Getting out bed slowly he tried to stifle a groan so as not to disturb the other occupants of the room who were Cedric, now free of the spear, Hermione and Ron. He left the room trudging slowly and painstakingly towards the tower hoping that no one was lurking about.

When he reached the top of the tower he stopped at the entrance to the room and peered inside immediately spotting Draco who was sitting on the hard, cold floor facing the huge window with his knees drawn up to his chest just silently watching the silver strains of the moon.

Clearing his throat almost self-consciously, Harry stepped into the room and waited for Draco to turn around feeling as if he was intruding on what felt like an intensely private moment for him.

Not missing a single action Harry saw a tiny, barely visible shiver snake down Draco's spine and watched with fascination as his white gold hair trembled when he jerked at the noise. For some absurd reason Harry held his breath in anticipation as he slowly turned around to face him.

Draco let out a soft unintelligent sound when he saw Harry and tried to scramble up with haste. His beautiful, luminous grey eyes held pain, sorrow and fear but more dominantly now it held great relief and gratitude.

"Harry?" he called out softly, almost disbelievingly, facing him while looking somehow lost and bereft so much so that Harry wanted to reassure him or hold him or do something but suddenly found himself unable to move against the force of Draco's turbulent emotions and so he just stood watching helplessly as his best friend walked unsteadily towards him.

He felt the oppressive silence and pressure in the room grow heavy between them and press down on his chest almost suffocating him as Draco drew closer and closer to him until he had literally stopped breathing standing at a hairbreadths distance from those silver eyes.

Frozen, he watched mesmerized as Draco slowly lifted his hand and caressed his face, feeling it as softly as a whispering sigh and then so naturally, so simply, he felt his soft lips brush against his own flooding him with wonderful warmth for that single moment but almost immediately plunging him into a well of loss when he drew away from Harry.

Out of what felt like desperation, Harry wrapped his arms around Draco tightly and drew him towards his own body placing a gentle kiss on the hollow of his throat while breathing in his the warmth, loving the shudder that passed through Draco, before raising his head to kiss him on his lips again drawing a ragged breath out of Draco who closed his eyes and almost instinctively opened his mouth to run his tongue over Harry's bottom lip making him moan softly at the ticklish sensation.

Responding in kind Harry touched Draco's tongue tentatively with his own and the burning fire became a blazing inferno, as his want became an all consuming need making him lose control completely as he proceeded to kiss him deeply and harshly like he was trying to touch Draco's soul itself.

They came up for breath after sometime breathing in each others air as they rested their foreheads against one another smiling at each other happily, smiling at what was inevitable, smiling, because they had both felt such an immense joy together.

Sitting down near the window, Harry reclined against the wall dragging Draco down with him to sit securely between his legs with his back to his chest in comfortable silence unwilling to give up their closeness just yet.

"I'm sorry Harry" Draco whispered after sometime, fidgeting in Harry's arms.

"Why?"

"I…I couldn't get to you on time, when I saw those closed doors I… " Draco swallowed loudly and stopped talking.

"Dray…."

"I had a vision when you…you disappeared" Draco cut in not ready to be consoled, his voice breaking a bit on the last word.

"I know he's back for real. I saw the sky become blood red sky covered by the dark mark completely and I heard Darren and you screaming. I…I saw the death eaters too" Draco said and then turning his head to look into Harry's green eyes he asked softly, resignedly, "Was he there? Was my father there?"

"Yes" Harry said sadly, knowing that there was no way he could sugar coat it. "I'm sorry Dray, I know how much you wanted it to be different this time. But funnily enough I understand even though I don't approve of your father's choice, I don't think he really has a say in the matter. Volde…Voldemort is so frighteningly powerful it would be hard saying no to him I guess."

Draco simply nodded, burrowing deeper into Harry's chest and fell silent, his shoulders hunching a bit as he let Harry tighten his hold over him.

They sat in that manner for a while when Harry started to drop soft kisses over his neck while nuzzling his ear gently as Draco closed his eyes, cocooning him in a world that for that moment was their own, for that moment was safe.

They held no illusion that they were children any longer. In fact they knew that the two of them hadn't been for a long time now. Even so, for today, they both understood the need for a well-earned reprieve, time that they needed to cherish their happiness. So they stayed that way until Draco drifted off into sleep while Harry continued staring sightlessly outside the window all the while holding on to Draco tightly in his arms.

Today they would rest and leave the talking for tomorrow.

000000000000000