After All These Years

After All These Years - Silverchair

Breathe in the night...

Draco sat up against the middle of the three Quidditch poles that, at the top, had a round opening for the Quidditch players to score through. He had been there for most of the night. It was now nearing the end of the night, and soon he would walk into the Great Hall for breakfast.

But Draco had not been out on the Hogwart's Quidditch pitch all night alone. He was there with the person who he thought was the most beautiful, perfect person in the whole school. Harry Potter.

The night had been perfect. There was not a cloud in the June sky. Draco sat looking up at the stars while the cool summer breeze blew softly over his clean, pale face. The air outside was peaceful. Just like Harry who was curled up next to Draco, with his head resting in Draco's lap.

That crushed a tired sunrise...

Draco woke Harry as the sun was just start to make its appearance over the horizon. This is what they had waited for. They wanted to spend the entire night together, and then at the end of the night, watch the sun rise over the lake.

They walked hand in hand over to the lake, where they sat at the edge of it and just watched. Occasionally Draco would look over at Harry and see his beautiful face lit up a golden colour from the morning sun. This gave his face a golden glow around the edges, which made him look like an angel to Draco.

Born again the day

Brings young naivety.

It surely was a brand new day. A brand new day to start a brand new chapter in the adventure that was Harry and Draco's relationship. For with the new day, they had decided that they didn't care what the other students and staff of Hogwarts thought about them. After all they were probably the two most powerful or popular people in the school. This morning they would walk into the Great Hall hand in hand, instead of the usual fist against temple that the school had grown used to.

The sun had now risen over the tops of the trees and it was 8:05am. Breakfast would be on now. Draco looked over at Harry again, and Harry was still looking at the still lake, which now was reflecting the sun rising over the trees. This time, Harry turned his head and looked back at Draco. Draco was smiling. Harry couldn't help but smile back. Draco lent over and gave Harry a quick, but loving kiss on his lips.

A laptop souvenir is worth its weight

In silver a golden son...

The two of them got up and walked in towards the Great Oak doors, which led them into the Great Hall. They walked hand in hand again up to the entrance of the hall, where they walked through and were met by hundreds of eyes upon them. They smiled at each other and Harry placed something in Draco's hand. They smiled at each other again and then walked to their house's tables.

The hall had grown silent for a few seconds when the exchange of smiles and gifts had taken place. But then idle chitchat had returned. Most were probably talking about what had just happened a few moments ago. Harry walked up and sat next to a still silent Ron, Hermoine and Ginny.

Draco went and sat next to Crabbe and Goyle like he always did. They were too busy eating to notice what had just happened. Marcus Flint came over to Draco and said, "Are you in love with that Potter?"

"Well yes I am. Got a problem with that? Because if you do, then I am sure that my father will have a problem with you!" Draco retorted.

This quieted down the Slytherin table at once. Draco then proceeded to open the small box that Harry had given him. It contained a small rock with 'Quidditch Pitch' scribbled on it. Also inside it was another rock. This one was smooth, and on it read 'The Lake'. This was obviously a small souvenir to allow Draco to remember the fantastic night that they had just spent together.

You'll be home again

And I'll be home again.

The school year was drawing to a close, and soon Harry and Draco would be separated for the first time since they became a couple. Draco had written home and told his father that he was a now friend with the famous Harry Potter. His father had told him that Harry was more than welcome to stay with them this summer. Harry had also written home to tell his Aunt and Uncle that he would not be returning home this summer as he was spending it with a new friend. But he had to put his letter in an envelope and tell Hedwig that he would have to put it through the mail slot. Otherwise the Dursleys would probably kill Hedwig for flying into their home.

So when it finally came time to go home for the summer, Harry headed off with Draco and his father from Platform 9¾. He said goodbye to Ron and Hermoine; who ha eventually gotten over Harry's relationship with Draco. He promised them that he would write all the time and that they would meet up some time in the holidays in Diagon Alley.

Draco's father led them to black Mercedes Benz in which they got in and drove off towards the Malfoy manor. All the way to the Malfoy manor, Draco's father, Lucius, was asking Harry all these questions about his scar, and how his life is affected by Voldemort, and if it would be alright if he taught Harry some Dark Arts stuff. That lasted nearly the entire trip. It did stop when Draco started talking to his father about all the gossip that had been going on at Hogwarts these past few weeks, since the last time that Draco had filled his father in.

They arrived at the house, which was a massive castle. It had 36 rooms according to Lucius, and it was about the size of 12 soccer pitches. It was 4 stories high, and was shaped like the letter L. Draco then spoke out and said, "Well this is home."

Harry replied, "It sure is."

Mend in my sleep...

What a day it had been. Harry was now at home with his lover and friend Draco Malfoy. Today they had traveled together from Hogwarts, and then traveled across half the country to the Malfoy manor. And to finish it off, Draco had taken Harry on a tour of the castle. By the end of the day, they were both exhausted, and ready for a good nights sleep.

Draco showed Harry to his bedroom where he would be spending the summer. It was right next to Draco's. There was a door that joined the two bedrooms together. Harry's room had been done up nicely. In it stood a massive King's size bed, which was surrounded by massive Oak posts. From these posts hung dark red hangings. The bed had a thick matching quilt over the top of it. This was it, Harry's dream bedroom. And quickly enough Harry had fallen asleep, while Draco was still pointing things out in the room. Draco went over and pulled the black silk sheets over Harry and left him there to sleep off the day's events.

I'm boxing under water

Waddle on the wake

Waking on a summer day.

Over the summer, Draco and Harry grew closer and closer. The Malfoy family decided to take a trip to the south of France, where they could spend some time swimming, and wining and dining. And boy did they love it. Draco and Harry were water logged by the time they got home. They tried everything there was on offer. They went surfing, water skiing, parasailing, scuba diving, and all these other Muggle activities that were way better than anything in the Wizarding world. All day Draco and Harry would be in the water. They would play fight with each other in the shallows, jump off the jetty, and have competitions to see who could carry a rock the furthest under the water.

But one morning, someone who wanted Draco and Harry to go and water ski with them for some prize money, woke the group. They said that they had been watching them during the week, and said that they had some good talent. So Draco and Harry straight away got up on this beautiful summer morning, and headed out to the beach. They jumped into some wetsuits, and headed out in the massive V8 powered jet boat. The guy told them that he wanted them to ski together out on the lake. So both of them jumped out and waited for the boat to take off. As it did, they were pulled out of the water and soon they were walking along the wake trailing from the boat. They weaved in out of each other, and had the time if their lives. All this time they were being watched from the shore by some judges.

At the end of the day, they had won the skiing competition, which earned them _1000 each. What a way to end a great holiday together in the south of France.

After all these years

Forget about all the troubled times.

The night that they had returned from their trip to France, Draco and Harry got to talking. They talked about what they had been doing in those four years that they had absolutely loathed each other. Harry started. He talked about how it seemed that Draco walked around like he was Voldemort's son. He said that it seemed to Hermoine, Ron and himself, that Draco wanted to kill everyone in the school, bar a select few in Slytherin. That was basically the reason that Harry had hated him so much. Of course, through this hate, everything between the two of them turned into a competition. Who was the best Seeker? Who would come up with the best insult? Who could get the other into the most amount of trouble?

Draco took what Harry had to say very well. He said that that was basically what he had expected. Harry was now expecting to say that Draco had hated him just because he had survived Voldemort's attack, and then become really famous for it - even more famous than the Malfoy name. So when Harry had turned down Draco's offer for friendship on the first day at Hogwarts, that was what had made him hate Harry ever since.

Draco had something to say though. He said that he had looked up to Harry every since he learnt about him at an early age. Draco had always wanted to be friends with the Harry Potter, and then to go on and do big things with him. Become powerful wizards, and go out and help bring down Dark Wizards. Do special talks with school children about the dangers of Dark Wizards, and make them aware of all these dangers. Draco wanted them to do all these things, but when Harry had td him that he thought he was a Dark Wizard himself, he was truly devastated. So he decided that from then on, he would live up to Malfoy name, and try bring Harry Potter down, so that Draco Malfoy would be the name on the little kids lips. Malfoy - The One Who Brought Down Potter!

But after Harry had pulled through the Tri-Wizard Tournament, and after he had fully beaten up Draco on the train, Draco was now so fully in love with Harry, that he had to tell him, and try and start things fresh - which they did. They had forgotten about all those dark years behind them, and started new.

And every father's pain

Casts a shadow over a broken son...

Draco and Harry thought that everything was going extremely well. They had now discussed their past history, and had decided that none of that mattered anymore. Draco and Harry finished their bedtime discussion in a passionate kiss. Their lips met and they slowly explored the others. Draco smoothly opened Harry's mouth with his own. He slipped his tongue into Harry's and started to taste the sweet taste that was uniquely Harry.

Just at that moment Lucius burst in. He stood there shocked. What he had been hearing outside of Draco's door had been correct. His son was in love with Harry Potter! This would just not be accepted. Harry and Draco were sitting on Draco's bed staring back at Lucius. They could see the anger in Lucius's eyes. Lucius could see fear in Draco and Harry's. That was just what Lucius wanted. Now he could take advantage of Draco and Harry.

Lucius moved slowly over to where the boys sat on the bed. He leaned over and spoke softly at them.

"Is what I heard outside the door true? Is my only son, Draco, in love with the world famous, Harry Potter?"

There was no reply from either of the boys.

"So what should I do with you two? Should I allow this to go on with no one else knowing about it? That way the Malfoy name would keep it's credibility. Or I could let this go public. That way, the Malfoy name would be associated with the Potter name. But that could be taken the wrong way. That all Malfoys are queer. Now you know, Draco that I wouldn't want that. Don't you?"

"Yes father," was Draco quiet response.

"Well we can't let that happen then. So I think that maybe we should just let everyone know that Potter here has turned Dark, and that Draco Malfoy has turned him that way. Yes! That is what we shall do. That way you can keep up your queer behaviour, and the Malfoy name is once again up there with the best of them. But you know now, Draco that you will no longer be able to live in the Malfoy manor. Don't you? You will have to take Potter with you to your little house that we have put aside for you. We will give you some basic food supplies, but you will have to get the rest yourself. You are no longer welcome in the Malfoy manor, unless you come back a single man, or a man with a powerful woman. We do not accept this type of behaviour in the house. Now, hurry up and leave please."

"Yes father. But can I say one last goodbye to mother?" Draco asked bravely.

"You may have two minutes with your mother before you depart. Now get packing." Lucius turned and left.

You'll be whole again

And I'll be whole again.

Draco told Harry to quickly pack and to meet him in five minutes downstairs, and to not ask any questions until they were in the new house. Harry did just as he was told. He only had a few things out of his Hogwarts bags, so he was done in a matter of seconds. He went into Draco's room where Draco was sitting on his bed crying. Harry went over to him and told him to hurry up and pack or else he would only have to the clothes on his back to wear. Draco pulled out his wand and muttered "Propel". Suddenly all his items began to move from around his room and place themselves in a number of trunks open on the floor.

Harry picked up Draco, and moved him over to the door and took him downstairs. There his father was waiting for them. Lucius yelled, "PICK YOURSELF UP BOY!" and quickly smacked him across the face. Draco let out a cry. Lucius grabbed Draco and dragged him into another room, and told Harry to stay exactly where he was. Harry did just that. He didn't move. After exactly two minutes they returned and Lucius showed them to the fireplace. He lit the fire and through in some sort of powder. He yelled "JACKSON HOUSE!" and pushed Harry and Draco into the fire. Before they disappeared up the chimney, he told them that he would send their trunks over in a minute.

Draco and Harry landed in another fireplace in an old house. The fire went out behind them. They stumbled from the fireplace crying and hugging each other. This was it. Their home until they would go back to Hogwarts in a few days time. Their bags and trunks came hurtling out of the fireplace and stopped just before where Draco and Harry were standing. Harry took Draco over to a bed, and placed him on it. Draco was mentally exhausted. He had just been through a massive ordeal of losing his family. But at least he still had Harry. Draco lay on the bed with tears pouring out of his eyes. They were like a leaking tap, a constant stream of salty tears.

Harry went outside to look at the house and to try and recognize where they were. The house was about as big as the Dursley's. But it was out in the middle of a farm paddock. They must be out in the countryside of Surrey. Harry went back inside and lay down next to Draco. They got into the bed and cried themselves to sleep. It was just like the two of them were one. They shared the same rejection, and they were both in the same situation. Out on their own, with just themselves. They were now one.

All those years

I was hurting to feel

Something more than life.

Draco and Harry woke the next morning still in a very depressed mood. They walked outside and the last of summer was now escaping them. It was starting to feel cold again, the wind was freezing cold, and leaves were blowing around everywhere. Draco turned and looked at Harry. Harry could see the hurt in Draco's eyes. He didn't want any of this anymore. He couldn't bear to see Draco in so much pain. Draco could see that Harry was also in pain.

Harry said to Draco, "Draco, I can't stand to see you in so much pain. Come on and let's do something about. After all these years of trouble between us, we finally become good, and happy. Now it all turns and backfires on us. We said that we needed to feel something more. Let's do that. Let's go somewhere we can be alone. In a happy place. It will be summer all year round. We can what we want by our selves and no one can tell us what we can and can't do. Let's go to that place, Draco."

Draco started to cry half way through the speech. So did Harry when he saw Draco crying. They hugged each other for what seemed like an hour. Then Draco broke away and said, "Yes, Harry. Let's go to that place. Let's go together. Let's go now!"

So Draco and Harry joined hands, and with the other hands grabbed their wands and pointed them at themselves. "AVADA KEDAVRA" they spoke together. And with that, their bodies hit the ground together and the world was silent.

They were now together, forever, in a place that was something more than life.

After all these years

Forget about the troubled times

All those years

I was hurting to feel

Something more than life.

The End.