When The Stars Fall...

“Come on Harry, please?”

“NO! For the last bloody time, I’m NOT GOING!”

Harry ran his hands through his hair for the five hundredth time. He was very annoyed-couldn’t Hermione see that he didn’t want to go to the Yule Ball? Last month, he had been happily planning what he would do tonight, what he would wear, how he would tame his hair…but now, that was over. It was all over.

“But Harry,” pleaded Hermione, looking desperate. “It’s your last year at Hogwarts! This is your last Yule Ball, and there’s no way you’ll go to any others, unless you come to teach. What about all of your friends? What about me and Ron?”

“You two have fun,” said Harry, turning away. Hermione and Ron had been going out for almost two years now, and Harry wished them the best. He really did. But he couldn’t help feeling…jealous…of Ron. Hermione would die before cheating on Ron. Harry could only wish for someone like that, because just when he thought he had the world, it always slipped away in between his fingertips. Hermione sighed, and then motioned for Ron.

“Harry…” said Ron. Harry groaned slightly. He knew that neither of them would have any fun unless he went. So, he tried to smile and said, “Oh, alright then.”

Hermione instantly cheered. “Oh good, Harry! Come on then, let’s go!”

Harry let himself be dragged out of the Gryffindor common room and down into the Great Hall. The Entrance Hall was packed with students, all of them wearing beautiful dresses or robes and laughing and talking to their partners. Harry slouched, attempting to go unnoticed. Hermione and Ron didn’t notice, as they were too busy smiling at each other. They were wrapped in their own world of love, into which Harry could never penetrate. Ron’s head then went up and he waved at someone across the room. Harry looked up and linked eyes with her.

Her. The girl that had broken his heart into tiny pieces, and then had ground the pieces into dust on the floor of the fortress that was his soul. After her, he had sworn that the next time he would be so foolish as to love someone would be when the stars fell from their seats in heaven. Her red curls danced around her shoulders merrily, but her mahogany eyes were burning with hatred. She was arm in arm with the boy that had caused Harry many sleepless nights. The blonde Irish prat that Harry had swore up and down never to speak to again. Ginny and Seamus.

As soon as he saw them, he dashed in the opposite direction. He found himself in the middle of the Yule Ball, people drinking butterbeer and dancing everywhere. His eyes quickly roved the crowd, searching for the one person he always looked for first in a room. And then, the crowd parted slightly, and there he was.

He was sitting on a couch with Pansy Parkinson and Blaise Zabini, both of whom were flirting with him. He looked perfectly indifferent, tossing off their compliments with an elegant shrug of his shoulder. His silver hair rustled as he turned restlessly, looking around the room. His gray eyes flashed in Harry’s direction, and the two locked gazes before the crowd broke the contact. Harry shivered, and then shook himself. He had liked Draco Malfoy for long enough to know that nothing would ever happen between them. Nothing ever could.

Harry made his way over to the doors, and walked outside into the gardens. As usual, people were making good use of the rosebushes. Harry walked a while before he got to an unoccupied bench. He sat down, and put his head in his hands. It had started out so well…

Harry could still remember every detail from that day. It had been at midnight on November 1st, and the common room was empty except for himself and Ginny. They had been sitting, talking, and when the grandfather clock struck midnight, they had lapsed into silence, gazing into the fire. Harry had then looked at her tenderly. “Ginny,” he had started, but never finished his sentence. Before he could do anything, she had kissed him.

The next month had been paradise. But then…she had cheated. Seamus. How could she do this to him? How could either of them be so cruel? He had found out the hard way, and now…she was gone. Forever. He knew that he would never get her back.

A hand suddenly gripped his shoulder. “Harry?” came a deep voice from above him. “Are you all right?”

Harry’s head shot up, and he looked straight up into the concerned face of Draco Malfoy. “Dr---Malfoy!” said Harry. “What are you doing here?”

Draco gave his usual one-shoulder shrug, and then sat down beside Harry. Harry felt his nerves tingle from the closeness of their bodies. “I saw you leave,” he said quietly. “You looked…sad.”

Harry nodded. “I was just thinking about…about Ginny.”

“Git,” Draco said with meaning. “Her, I mean. I would swear more colourfully, but I have reason to believe that the rosebush fairies are actually spies for Dumbledore.”

Harry grinned. Draco gazed at him. “What she did to you…that was totally uncalled for and cruel. You deserve better.”

Harry’s grin faded. What did he mean? “I…I do?”

“Of course you do, Harry. I mean, come on, you are this amazing person, and someone like her dumps you? You need to move on, honey.”

Honey?? Harry’s mind exploded. Did…did Draco Malfoy just call him honey?? Before he could say anything though, Draco had put his arm around him.

“You’re shivering, Harry,” said Draco, his voice full of concern. “Are you all right?”

“I…I’m just…thinking,” Harry finished lamely. “Draco, I…I need to tell you something.”

Draco shook his head. “I already know,” he said, looking at Harry in the eyes. “You don’t need to tell me.” And suddenly, Harry realized. Draco did know.

“About this?” asked Harry, tilting his head up and kissing him. Draco kissed him back, leaning in and pulling him into his embrace. The kiss was explosive, amazing, and yet tender at the same time. Harry had never been kissed like this before. Ginny’s tentative kisses were stupid and lame by comparison. It was a kiss to melt solid metal, a kiss that could bring snow to a clear sky in midsummer. Harry shivered, arching towards Draco, towards the warmth his body promised.

"Harry?" whispered Draco, pulling back, and touching his cheek with one long pale finger.

"Yes?" asked Harry, smiling up at him.

"Merry Christmas."

And of all the couples in the rosebushes that night, none were so happy as the two sitting on the bench, watching the stars fall.