Okay, so I'm going to just list the names of everyone who reviewed from now on and thank them, unless someone asks me a question, okay? It's faster, and I'm sure that you'll appreciate it, yes? :) Also, this chapter is very long, and I'm sure you'll be pleased by that! :)

THANK YOU :

Mika the Dark princess, littlesprout, Dark Mystic Lover, animelvr23, Sarahamanda, Kab-OldEnoughToDie, 13lorwig, Silvermane1, DoctorMarthaJones, as well as all those who have yet to review, but have supported my story in their own way!

I'm really glad that you all like my story, and that you still like it, and I hope that all of you LOVE reading this next chapter as much as I LOVED writing it. It's truly loving and beautiful as well as sexy, giving as well as taking mutually despite their different roles in the relationship. In my opinion, it's everything that a romantic, sexual encounter should be. :)

~Sweet-Hearted SilverEars~

Chapter 18 The First Date, The First Time For Us Both

"Well," Draco said brightly, linking his arm through the Gryffindor's, still holding that hand in his. "Shall we go?"

Harry grinned at him, nodding. "Please."

They headed off down the lane together, reaching Hogsmeade in about a half hour since they didn't really feel like stopping, just wanting to get there and start their date. They walked into town, entering The Three Broomsticks and ignoring the shocked looks and stares as the door swung shut behind them.

He led Harry over to the man who owned the place, looking at him with his best 'I'm a Malfoy, give me what I want or suffer the consequences' look as he spoke.

"I'd like a meal prepared for Harry and I and sent up to the Malfoy rooms as soon as possible, please. It doesn't have to be fancy, but I would prefer something nice." "Of course, Mr. Malfoy. I'll have it sent up right away for you."

Draco nodded, moving to ascend the stairs with Harry clinging to his arm, looking like a prince. He led the Gryffindor to his family's rooms, motioning him to sit down on the couch, lowering himself down beside him and frowning when he realized that he was trembling. He slid a slender hand under his chin, drawing his head up gently to look him in the eyes. "What's wrong, Harry? Why are you shaking?"

"I… Um, it's that… I don't like it when people stare at me. I never have, but since all this happened… My transformation I mean, it's just so much worse. I just… I just feel so vulnerable," he confessed, biting his bottom lip between his teeth as his hands lifted from where they rested on his lap to flutter in the air in front of him helplessly. "And I know that the book says it'll go away after the Bonding, because it's an instinctive fear that someone will try to force a Mating because of the protection they think it will gain them, but this is my life. The book doesn't understand that. The book doesn't understand my fear because it's only cold facts that someone wrote down on paper and got published. They were probably trying to help people like me, but that book can't help with this. I'm terrified, Draco. Of change, of everything. I love you, so much more then I could ever say, but I'm scared and I don't know what to do… The only thing that I have left are my feelings for you. I… I just want to be me again, but I know that I can't because who I was is gone. Harry Potter is lost and I need you to help me find him again. I'm honestly not sure how much of him is left, or if I'll ever find anything at all, but I have to try, and I know in my heart that you are the only one who can help me find out, who can… Who can fix me…"

Draco took his hands in his, stroking them gently, his gray eyes serious as he held the gaze of the green ones in front of him determinedly. "No, I can't 'fix you', Harry, because you don't need fixing. You're beautiful. You always have been. You may not be exactly the same as you once were, but you're still Harry. My Harry. Never doubt that, love. Promise me?"

Harry blushed, moisture filling his eyes and making them shine wetly as he looked back at him, smiling timidly. "Oh, Dray… I promise. I'm sorry that I'm ruining our date with my pointless worries."

"They're hardly pointless, Harry baby, and who said that you were ruining our date? We're just getting started. Come on."

Draco stood up and held out his hand, smiling when Harry took it without hesitation, their chocolate and vanilla fingers brushing each other as they clasped hands, leading him into one of the two adjoining rooms. It was a small study, complete with black-wood bookshelves, desk, and a large, cushioned office-chair that looked comfortable. Draco sat down in the chair, tugging Harry down with him to straddle his lap with the Gryffindor's legs fitting easily on either side of his.

"Hold onto me, love," he instructed him with a smile. Harry wrapped his arms around Draco's waist tightly, looking down at him with wide, green eyes, uncertain of his intent.

"Um, Draco? What are we doing?" he asked nervously.

"Relax, baby. I used to do this all the time when I was younger and my father would leave me in here while he had business meetings with people in the main room. It's great for relaxing."

Harry blinked, still looking confused, clutching Malfoy tighter instinctively when the Slytherin started to spin the chair in a circle slowly, slumping down against him a little when he started to pick up speed. Draco smiled when he felt Harry relax a little atop him, slipping his arms around him gently, feeling pleased when the brunette giggled quietly.

"What are you thinking, darling?"

Harry laughed again, shaking his head in amusement. "That Ron'll never believe me when I tell him about this. Or maybe I won't. It's so… wonderful, just being with you. Where nobody can bother us." Harry smiled, leaning up a little to press a kiss to his cheek, then his lips, enjoying the surprise in his soft gray eyes. "I love you, Draco. You're so beautiful. My gray eyed angel…"

Draco's pale skin flushed pink with pleasure, his hands lifting up to slide into Harry's hair, caressing the strands of black silk lovingly, pressing their lips together as the chair came to a slow stop, the world spinning around them for a moment, for eternity, before stabilizing. They leaned their foreheads together when the kiss ended, both of them panting and flushed from the contact.

"I love you, Harry," he said softly, still stroking his hair. "My gorgeous fish-boy…"

Harry smiled at him, his green eyes filled with joy and peace as he kissed him again briefly. Then they heard a knock on the door in the main-room announcing that their dinner had arrived.

"I'll handle it, baby," Draco said, kissing him on the cheek as the brunette climbed off of him so that he could stand. "You can just go and sit at the table if you want." "Okay."

They went back into the main room together, Harry wandering over to the table and sitting down in one of the four chairs while Malfoy went to open the door. He turned around to practically glide back to the table, taking the chair closest to Harry and reaching out to take his hand as a pair of small, brown skinned house-elves entered, each one carrying a tray.

They set them down and the female set the table while the male retrieved a bottle of wine and two crystal-goblets out of the cabinet that stood against the wall to the left of the table. He set the glasses by their plates, opening the wine and carefully pouring it, filling each of the glasses half full and leaving the bottle in the middle of the table after recorking it.

The elves bowed to Malfoy, picking up the trays when he nodded and gestured with his hand that they could go, leaving the room and shutting the door behind them. When he looked at Harry the Gryffindor was studying the food in front of him with wide, eager eyes.

Each setting had two plates of dark-green china, and a silver-knife, fork and spoon in that order on the plain, white-fabric napkins. On the larger plates were two pork-chops, green-bean casserole and cottage cheese. On the smaller plates was a thin slice of plain cheesecake and vanilla ice cream with tiny chips of chocolate mixed in it that had been charmed to stay cool and not melt while they ate their dinner.

Draco smiled as he watched Harry start to eat enthusiastically, turning his attention to his own meal reluctantly. Truthfully, all that he wanted to do was look at the Gryffindor all night. Kiss him. Touch him. So far since he found out about how the brunette wanted him, and how much, he had managed to restrain his desire. He would continue to do so, but he hoped that Harry would come to him soon. He wanted to make love to him so badly.

It was like the blade of a knife twisting in his chest in different places. Sometimes it made his heart hurt, and sometimes it affected his lungs, making him feel as though he couldn't breathe. Right now it was affecting his stomach, making it impossible for him to enjoy the food. He tried for Harry's sake, not wanting to upset him and ruin their date, but eventually he had to stop, setting his fork and knife down, his beautiful face twisting with pain as his stomach rebelled. Thankfully it settled so that he didn't have to get up and run to the bathroom, but not before Harry noticed his expression.

"What's wrong, Draco?" he asked in concern, setting down his fork and reaching out to touch his hand with his gently. "Don't you like the food?"

"I'm sure that it's more then satisfactory," he answered, wanting to be as honest with him as possible without telling the whole truth. He wanted him to be with him of his own free will, not out of pity. It had to happen when he was ready, not before. "It's just my stomach, that's all."

"Are you sick?"

"No, I… It's difficult to explain. I'm not sure how to tell you…"

"Just try."

"I feel this…pull to you. When I'm not touching you, when I'm not with you, it… it hurts… Sometimes even when I am with you, touching you. I don't know if it's just me, or if it's the bond trying to tell me to hurry and mate with you for some unknown reason. I didn't want to tell you because I won't bond with you until you're ready. It has to be your choice, Harry. I love you, and I would never force you. I just… I just want to love you so badly… It hurts so bad… Sometimes it's my stomach, or my heart, and sometimes I feel… like I can't breathe for needing you… I… I don't know what to do…"

Harry blinked, clearly thinking about what he had said as he finished his dinner, moving on to his dessert quickly. Then he set his spoon down, standing up and taking Draco's hand, taking him to the sofa and sitting down, tugging the blonde with him and putting his arms around him, staring into his eyes.

"I love you, too, Draco, and I'm sorry that you're in pain. I think… I think I'm ready. But I don't want to do it here. Not in rooms that have memories of your father."

"I can understand that," Draco said, nodding. "But we will soon, right? That's what you're saying, isn't it?"

"Yes, that's what I'm saying."

"When?"

Harry smiled at him, his green eyes shining with amusement and the beginnings of desire. He stood up abruptly, tugging Draco with him.

"Come on, Dray. Let's go for a walk."

"You mean, outside?"

"Mmmm, yeah."

"Why?"

"You'll see."

Draco followed him out of the room and down the stairs, grumbling under his breath when he couldn't get Harry to say anything more about it. "Come on, Harry," he nearly whined, wincing inwardly at the pathetic sound of his own voice, still following as the Gryffindor tugged on his hand gently, both of them uncaring about all the curious looks from those in the room. "Why can't you just tell me where you're taking me?"

"I could," he answered, smiling at him and making his heart stutter and then pound in his chest. "But that would ruin the surprise. Just exercise some of that formidable Malfoy patience that I know you have in abundance."

"My Malfoy patience doesn't work for you. You drive me insane."

"Is that so?" Harry teased him as he opened the door and they slipped out into the warm evening. "I'll take that as another compliment."

"It was."

The sky had darkened with the arrival of evening while they were inside, and Draco sighed and squeezed Harry's hand in his gently as they walked down the street, again ignoring the people that had stopped in their tracks to stare at them with shocked faces. Harry turned off the road when they reached the path that led to the Shrieking Shack, leading him to the left and away from the ramshackle building, walking up a small hill and down across the grass. Fireflies flew up out of the swaying blades as they walked together, dancing through the air around them and lighting up the darkness with soft, glowing spheres of golden light. Harry laughed, turning his head to smile at Draco, his green eyes lit with happiness as a firefly flew past his head, illuminating them in golden light for a brief instant as he tugged him closer by the hand and kissed him gently on the lips. Draco relaxed against him, sighing unhappily when he ended the kiss after only a few moments. Harry pecked his lips again reassuringly, keeping his arms around his shoulders as they kept going.

"It's only a little father, Draco," he promised, pointing with his hand as they reached the top of another small hill. "See?"

At the bottom of the hill, nestled in a small valley that wouldn't be visible from the village was a large gazebo made of white marble. They descended the hill toward it, both of them watching with wide eyes as the fireflies danced among the ivy wrapped pillars, making their light shine and sparkle over it's surfaces. Inside was a king sized bed with a soft mattress, bright white sheets, and a matching fluffy blanket that looked as comfortable as a cloud.

"Harry?" Draco asked in an awed-voice as they stepped inside together. "How on earth did you know that this was here?"

The brunette blinked, looking confused by the question. "I… I don't know," he began, sounding wary, but then his uncertainty was replaced with confidence. "I just knew that it was here. I don't think anyone else can see it. You can see it because you're with me. It belongs to my family. It's my birthright. I know that my parents died before they could tell me all this stuff, but now that I've come into my Inheritance, I can feel it. But I don't care how I found it, only that I did."

Harry took his other hand, holding both of his as he led him over to the bed, sitting down and guiding him down to sit beside him on the huge mattress that stretched out behind them like a calm, flat ocean of soft white. Harry released Draco's hands reluctantly, reaching down to untie his shoes, removing them, smiling at the muffled thump that they made as they landed on the marble. He peeled off his socks as well, tossing them beside the shoes before sliding off the bed and sinking to his knees on the floor in front of Draco. He looked up at the blonde with a smile, reaching out to remove the Slytherin's shoes and socks, admiring the bare, white feet.

"Even your feet are gorgeous," Harry breathed softly, causing Draco to shiver. Draco rolled his gray eyes at his compliment, but he was smiling and blushing. "Harry Potter has a foot fetish," he said in a teasing, sing song voice.

Harry gasped, blushing from the top of his head all the way to the tips of his bare toes. "I do not!"

"Hmmmm… I think thou doth protest to much, my lord."

"Dray!" Harry whined, pouting as he looked up at him.

"Oh, shhhh," Malfoy said soothingly, reaching out to take hold of his hands and draw him back up to sit beside him on the bed. "I'm only teasing, love. You know that."

"Yeah," he sighed, leaning closer to kiss him, twining his arms around his neck. "I know…"

Draco kissed him back, gasping in surprised pleasure when Harry whimpered against his mouth, burying his fingers in his ice blue silk shirt and pulling him closer. He relaxed against him, deepening the kiss gently when the brunette arched against him with a low moan. Harry shuddered, his hands shaking as he started to undo the buttons on Malfoy's shirt, pushing it back off his shoulders to fall to the bed as he kissed him, his hands running over his pale chest, clutching at him hungrily. "Draco… Dray, god… Please, I need you… I need you so much…"

Draco groaned at his words and the way that his hands touched him, his slender hands moving to unbutton Harry's shirt buttons quickly, slipping his hands inside and brushing his thumbs over his small, brown nipples gently, smiling when they hardened instantly at his touch. Harry gasped, whimpering softly in the back of his throat when he tugged on them, pinching them a little.

"Please, Dray!" he moaned, arching into his touch unconsciously. "I'm ready! I need you to make love to me…"

Draco nodded, drawing the shirt off of Harry's shoulders, placing his hands against his smooth chest, pressing him back gently to lay on his back on the bed, watching the fireflies dance around them both, circling the marble pillars in a beautiful show of golden light. Harry smiled up at him from the sea of white with soft, emerald green eyes, making his breath catch in his throat with awe at how beautiful he looked all spread out beneath him, relaxed and limp with desire.

He leaned down to kiss him, fastening their lips together and threading his fingers through his hair, tugging gently for a moment before reaching between their bodies to unfasten the Gryffindor's pants, removing them, followed by his undergarments, then he removed his own, tossing all of the clothing to the marble floor of the gazebo, hearing a soft rustling as the landed in a pile.

"Are you really sure you're ready, Harry love?"

"Yes," Harry answered him, nodding and placing his arms under his legs, lifting them up till they rested against his stomach, revealing his entrance to Draco's gaze, blushing a little even though he felt completely unashamed. "I'm more then ready. I need this. I need you…"

Draco shuddered as his gray eyes skimmed over his naked body with a heated gaze, reaching for his wand where it rested next to Harry's on the mattress, sliding his fingertips over the Gryffindor's hipbone in a brief caress, smiling when he quivered in response to the touch. He placed the tip of his wand over his palm, whispering the familiar charm so that his cupped hand was filled with a slick; oil-like substance, tossing his wand away and hearing it clatter against Harry's.

He glanced up at Harry's face as he moved closer to him. "Have you ever done this to yourself before?"

"No," he admitted, flushing at his question. "It's to easy to get caught in the Gryffindor dorms, and at the Dursley's… Getting caught there would result in my being locked in the cupboard under the stairs with no food for at least a month, if not longer. Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia hate anything that they consider abnormal, including homosexuals. Which is somewhat ironic since I have my suspicions about my cousin."

"That's terrible. Well, it might feel strange and uncomfortable at first. But the best thing to do is just try and relax until it feels better. I'll be careful, but you'll have to tell me if I'm doing it right, since I've only ever done it to myself before."

"Okay," Harry said simply, his green eyes trusting as he smiled up at him.

Draco nodded, reaching out to spread the liquid over his hole gently, feeling, and seeing, the Gryffindor's thighs and leg muscles tense in reaction as he slid a slippery finger inside his passage carefully.

"Are you okay?" he asked softly, his eyes moving up to study his face.

Harry nodded reassuringly. "Yeah. I'm alright, Dray. I promise."

Draco added a second finger, spreading his opening wider, feeling a shudder ripple through his insides as he made a soft, slightly pained sound at the invasion. "I'm sorry, baby. I promise it'll get better." "It's okay. It… It just feels weird, like you said. I'm trying not to over think this too much." "You know, Harry, despite your ideas to the contrary, it's okay to tell people who are close to you that you're in pain. And what do you mean, over think this?"

"I know that, Draco. I'm just trying to feel this. To experience it. To enjoy it. I don't want to think about the fact that your fingers are up my ass, or the fact that I want them to be there, or the fact that admitting that to you turns me on. I just want to feel it."

Draco's mouth fell open, his gray eyes wide at the Gryffindor's explanation, feeling a trail of heat travel down his spine as he shivered, his lower abdomen clenching with desire. "Devious Slytherin, Harry… Gods, you have no idea what that does to me…"

"I have a pretty good idea," he said, his voice and eyes unknowingly seductive as his red kiss swollen lips curved into a smile. "Do you think you can take more, love?"

"Yeah. I'll try. I mean I will."

"One more should do it," he said, trying to reassure him.

"Okay."

Draco added a third finger carefully, his heart twisting in his chest as Harry cried out, pain filling his green eyes as he panted loudly.

"Ahhhh! Fuck! Okay. That hurt…"

"I'm sorry, baby," Draco said, his gray eyes regretful as he reached up to curve the fingers of his other hand around Harry's cock.

It was soft, drooping because of the Gryffindor's pain, but if felt like velvet beneath his fingers, and Malfoy thought that it was the most beautiful thing that he had ever seen. He started to stroke it gently, skillfully, smiling when Harry shuddered and arched to his touch, relieved when he made a quiet mewing sound of pleasure. He knew that the purring wouldn't be far behind. Sure enough, he saw, and felt Harry relax as a tremor rippled through his muscles, the by now familiar soft purring filling the air in the gazebo with it's beautiful melody of gentle vibrations as his need recovered quickly.

Draco slid his fingers in further, wriggling them around inside him carefully as he kept stroking. The purring stopped, catching on an almost choked sounding whimper that turned into a loud moan. "Ohhhh, god, Dray!" Harry breathed as he lifted his hands to thread his fingers through his blonde, silken hair in an encouraging caress, tugging gently for a moment. "Please… I need you inside me! Claim me as yours!"

Draco closed his eyes, swallowing nervously, but then his eyes opened again, determination and love shining from the soft gray depths. He removed his fingers from Harry's hole reluctantly, slicking up his own pale, rose-flushed cock with the liquid still on his hand, moving so that his body was above his, staring down into the emerald green fields of his eyes. He leaned down to fasten their lips together, whispering against his mouth.

"Put your legs around my waist, baby."

Harry quivered, trembling beneath him, doing as he asked quickly. Malfoy inched closer, lifting Harry's hips up on a slight angle as he slid inside carefully, finally joining their bodies as one. He was stunned when the Gryffindor cried out, moaning and raking his nails across Draco's back unconsciously, his eyes dilated with his intense pleasure.

"Draco!" Harry unknowingly hissed in parseltongue, his voice reverting back to normal after that as he continued to speak. "Ahhhh! Godric… Yesssss! So good… Uhhhh! Please… Need you to move!"

Draco groaned, kissing him deeply, his slender hands clutching at his tan shoulders, his clean, white nails sinking into his skin as he started to move his hips, thrusting further into him. "Oh, Harry… Salazar, you're so tight…"

"I know. How does it feel?"

Draco blinked, surprised at his question, but he answered him with the first words that came to his mind as he continued to move inside him. "Like paradise."

Harry blushed, his eyes fixed on Draco's face as he clung to his Slytherin tightly. "Godric!" he gasped again when Malfoy slid in deeper, stopping when he could go no farther. "Please, Draco… Finish it!"

Draco shuddered at his lover's plea, panting as he started to move faster, the tension building inside both of them before exploding in a rainbow of colors before their eyes. Harry gasped again, arching up against him, feeling ecstasy coursing through his veins as Draco found release inside him, his red, swollen and wet lips parting as he whispered his name like a praise. Draco watched in awe, gray eyes wide as Harry came undone.

The Gryffindor's hair was damp with sweat and clinging to his forehead and neck, his eyes fluttering closed, his lips curving into a smile of complete peace and contentment, his hair starting to grow longer quickly as he climaxed, soon cascading down his bareback like a black waterfall to his waist. At the same time the small forest of trees near the gazebo faded away as though by magic, revealing a large manor house of white stone decorated with swirls of black, brown and gray marble. A wide path of black marble that hadn't been visible before led from the gazebo up the mile or so to the manor, and there was a large garden full of assorted flowers.

Harry opened his eyes reluctantly, looking up at Draco with a dazed smile, trembling when he pulled out of him and enfolded him in his arms, his left hand moving to stroke his hair, caressing the long, black silken strands gently.

"Wow. We did it," Harry said, shifting up onto his elbow to kiss him on the lips tenderly. "We are one."

Draco kissed him back, smiling as the kiss ended slowly. "Yes, we are, love. Was it everything that you had dreamed it would be?"

"Oh god, yes. There aren't words. For you?"

"Yes. It was beautiful…"

"Mmmm… Yes, it was. I love you, Dray."

"I love you, too, Harry. Can I ask you a question?"

"Mmmm?"

"Where are we? What is this place?"

"We're on my land. This is the grounds of Potter Manor. My family's home. The garden is my mother's. My parents married here. In this very gazebo, exactly."

"Really? I wonder what their reaction would be to this?"

"I'd rather not know that," Harry said, covering his mouth as he yawned. "Oh. I'm sorry, Draco. You wore me out. Do you mind if we sleep for now? We can go explore the Manor in the morning before we go back to Hogwarts if you want to."

"Of course we can sleep, baby, and of course I want to see the Manor. Don't you?"

"I don't honestly care either way. I've never lived here. This house may be mine, but it doesn't mean anything to me. At least emotionally, anyway. I'll never forget this gazebo, and I know that you won't either. But after Hogwarts this year, I go where you go. I won't go back to the Dursley's. I'd be safe there physically, because they can't touch me now that we're bonded, but verbal abuse is nearly as bad…"

Draco was stunned into silence by his words, for several reasons, and by the time he collected himself enough to say anything, Harry had fallen asleep in his embrace, his raven-haired head resting on his bare shoulder. He smiled down at him tenderly, drawing the blankets over them both, slipping their wands under the pillows before he closed his gray eyes and surrendered to sleep as well.