Dark Mystic Lover - No need to apologize for being enthusiastic! Thank you, I think it's cute and adorable as well, and I want to hear about your excitement and what you think! :) I hope you'll LOVE this next chapter as much as I do! Enjoy! :)

LostInYourThoughts - Awww... Thank you! I think it's damn cute as well! :) I'd really like to hug them as well! Probably more... ;) I really think you'll like this chapter, plus, it's quite long! The next long one is VERY long, because that's their first date, as well as the first time that they make love! ;) Anyway, enjoy!

dracorox418 -Thank you for your review! :) I think it's Awwww-Worthy as well! :)

Mika the Dark princess - *grins* Thank you! I'm glad that you love it! I do, to! :)

animelvr32 - I'm glad that you like it! :) Huh? In which chapter?...

A Being Of Violet Fire - *smiles, giggling happily* Awww... Thank you! I appreciate all your reviews! It's amazing how much attention this fic is getting... :) I certainly will! :)

chaos queen0703 - Thank you! I LOVE their relationship, too! It's beautiful, and I try to write things that I would like to read as well! :) I shall, and I'm certain that you'll LOVE this one!

*woooos, grinning, looking tired after answering all those reviews, but also very pleased*

And, FINALLY, a big HUG to all of the people who Reviewed, Favorited, Story-Alerted, or did anything else involving my story or me! THANK YOU ALL, and enjoy this (marvelous) chapter!

~Sweet-Hearted SilverEars~

Chapter 12 The Shower

Harry woke the next morning in Draco's arms, squirming in protest when the Slytherin pushed the covers off of them both.

"Mmm, Draco!" he complained, burrowing himself closer against him unconsciously. "It's cold!"

"I know, but if you want to get to breakfast before your friends leave, then we should get up. Everyone else is gone already, so we can shower together. If you want to."

Harry gasped softly, his face flaming at his suggestion. "I… I don't know if I'm ready for that yet. I do trust you, truly, but it just makes me feel so venerable. I don't like feeling powerless, Dray. It scares me.."

"Oh, Harry. You know that I would never hurt you, right?"

"Yes, but…"

"Let's just try, okay? If you get scared and decide that you want to stop, then we will, I promise."

"A-Alright."

Draco smiled, his eyes lighting up like Christmas had come early, standing up and walking around to Harry's side of the bed on silent, bare feet. He slid one arm under the Gryffindor's shoulders, the other one under his knees, lifting him up into his arms carefully. Harry tensed against him with a soft cry, startled by his actions, his arms twining around the blonde's neck nervously.

"D-Draco, what are you doing?"

"I thought that I'd carry you so that your feet don't get cold, but I can put you down if you want me to."

Harry shivered at the thought of his bare feet touching the cold stone floor, shaking his head quickly. "No! I mean, Merlin, don't let me go."

"Trust me, Potter," Draco drawled teasingly, seductively. "I have no intention of ever letting you go."

Harry blushed at his words, smiling, gasping when Draco grabbed his wand for a moment and vanished their clothes so that they were both naked. Draco blinked, concerned when he realized that the Gryffindor was shaking against him.

"Harry, calm down, baby, please. I promise that I won't touch you in any sexual way at all unless you ask it of me first."

"Really?" Harry asked almost timidly, burying his face against his neck in embarrassment.

"Yes. I'm just going to wash you, that's all. Unless you change your mind. I won't lose you, Harry. I love you."

"I love you, too," Harry said, turning on the shower and watching the Slytherin check and adjust the temperature while keeping a firm hold on him with his free arm.

"Draco…" Harry spoke softly. "Thank you for being so understanding. I know that most of the students in our year are probably far from virginity, but I'm truly glad that I saved myself for you, and, well, I hope that you are, too."

Draco froze with his hand still on the shower's temperature dial, his gray eyes widening at Harry's confession. "You're a virgin? That's why you've been acting so nervous and jumpy when your not purring like a kitten?"

"Um, yes." Harry answered him, biting his bottom lip between his teeth unconsciously and nodding against his chest.

"You saved yourself for me?"

"Yes. Does… Does that bother you? Oh, Merlin, I hope that doesn't bother you. I just… I just wanted to be pure for you. I want you to be my first, Draco, and my last," Harry stammered, blushing and staring at the tiled floor as the blonde finally set him down on his feet. "You're everything to me. The only person that truly matters. That I can't live without. You're like air to me, Draco. When you're not with me, I can't breathe. I'm just… dying inside…"

"No, it doesn't bother me," Draco promised firmly, putting a gentle hand under his chin to lift his head up so that he was staring into his eyes. "I think it's sweet that you care about me that much. That you love me that much. I'll be honored to be your first. And you never have to be without me if you don't want to be. We have nearly all the same classes, and we can take turns at both tables sitting together at meal times and going to each other's common rooms to do homework together, or just talk. This, us, can be whatever you want it to be, Harry. I just want you to be happy. I can't stand seeing you so distraught like you were before I noticed your depression. I don't ever want to see that again. I couldn't bear it…"

"I am happy, I promise, but that would be nice," Harry said, smiling at him as he stepped into the shower stall finally.

Draco watched the water move down his body, catching him when he stumbled as the transformation took place, lowering Harry down to the tiles gently since he could no longer stand. Harry trembled in his arms, feeling nervous at being vulnerable, but the glazed over, almost adoring look of desire in the Slytherin's gray eyes as he looked at him helped him relax. Draco smiled at him, leaning closer to kiss his lips, one hand moving to twine itself through his waist length black hair unconsciously, stroking the silken strands as he pulled back reluctantly.

"You are so beautiful, Harry," he whispered reverently as his other hand stroked the webbed fingers of the Gryffindor's hand tenderly.

Harry blushed, his larger-then-normal emerald green eyes shining. "So are you, Dray."

They smiled at each other again, Draco reaching behind Harry to grab his shampoo, pouring some into his own hand and motioning for the other boy to turn around. When he did, his fin sliding and slapping against the tiles wetly, he spread the clear gel over his hair, the smell of seawater and warm sand filling the air as he washed his long hair, his fingers massaging it into his scalp thoroughly. Draco's lips curved into a slightly smug smile as he heard Harry start to purr at his actions, pleasantly surprised when he tilted his head back into his touch and closed his eyes, his face looking blissful.

"Mmm," the Gryffindor moaned loudly. "Oh gods, Draco… That feels sooo wonderful… Ohhh… I could get used to this…"

"Go right ahead," Draco said seriously, starting to rinse the shampoo out of his tresses carefully. "I'd wash your hair everyday if you'd let me."

"Sounds like someone has a hair fetish," Harry panted, gasping as the Slytherin tugged on his hair gently. "Ohhhh, Dray… Merlin…"

"So what if I do? It's not like it's all hair, just yours. Anyway, you're one to talk, baby, moaning like that."

"I can't help it. Everything's more sensitive when I'm in this form. I don't know why. I just am."

"Is that so?" Draco teased playfully. "How about we test that?"

Harry struggled to turn around again, but he motioned Draco away when he held out a hand to help him.

"No offense intended, Draco, but I need to figure out how this body works by myself. Just in case I were to be ambushed. After we bond I wouldn't have to fight for long, because the bond would take me to you automatically when I was in danger. But for now I have to handle it on my own, okay?" Draco nodded, reaching out to him again once he was turned toward him. "I understand, love."

Harry smiled, trembling as the Slytherin started to wash his chest and stomach, moving around him and brushing his long hair forward over his shoulder so that he could get to his back. Once he finished there, he started to wash Harry's greenish-gold tail gently and thoroughly, motioning for him to lie down on his stomach on the tiles. Harry blinked, looking nervous, but he did lie beside him, laying his head down on his crossed arms. Draco began washing the back of his fin; confused and concerned when he saw a darker green circle higher up on the tail.

"Did you hurt yourself, Harry?"

"No," he answered him, sounding surprised at his question. "Why?"

"Because there's a dark spot on your tail. I just thought that it might be a bruise."

"Where?"

"Here," Draco answered, reaching out and touching it gently.

Harry inhaled sharply, stiffening, his tail lifting up and slapping back down onto the tiles, sending up little sprays of water and making him jerk his hand back quickly.

"Did I hurt you? I'm so sorry."

"No, no, I'm okay. It was an involuntary reaction. It's… It's not a bruise, Dray."

"It's not?"

"No."

"Then what is it?"

Harry's cheeks were tinged with light pink as he twisted his upper body around to look back at him with a slightly nervous, embarrassed smile. "Look closer at where it is on my tail."

Draco blinked, studying the spot closer, his gray eyes widening with understanding, embarrassed color flooding his alabaster skin quickly. "Oh. Sorry, Harry, I didn't know…"

"It's okay, neither did I. I'm still getting used to this, and I can't exactly see back there very well."

"No, I suppose not."

Draco stood up, exiting the stall, his face still flushed with red as he wrapped a towel around his own hips, bending down to lift Harry up into his arms carefully before grabbing a second towel. He spread that one out on his bed, setting him down on top of it, kneeling beside the bed and starting to dry him off thoroughly. Once Harry was dry and had changed back, they both got dressed in black pants, Draco in an ice blue silk shirt and Harry in an emerald green one.

Draco ran his brush through his hair thoroughly, then through the Gryffindor's, and they linked hands and left for breakfast.