The Road Home

A/N: I dedicate this chapter to Jen, the Magic Gerbil, for giving the idea for the pun with Strut's name. Thanks to my beta Lucinda K.; you're the best!

TALL, DARK, HANDSOME STRANGER (part 3)

Even though Harry reassured Draco every ten seconds that Hagrid wasn't going to be there and they would have the place all to themselves, Draco entered Hagrid's hut a little bit uncertain and cautious of what to expect. He grinned widely as he saw its interior all cozy and full of floating candle-lights. Harry had prepared all that for him and he couldn't be happier.

"Where's Fang?" Draco couldn't help but ask where the enormous dog was.

"Erin took him to the castle. You should see Filch's face! He was furious!" Harry smiled.

"I can imagine."

Draco scrutinized the whole place carefully, taking in every little detail. He only looked disgusted when he saw a pot full of Hagrid's infamous chocolate cookies, but when he spotted the big red rose and the little card written 'SORRY' on it that was meant to be a present for him, he smiled and took it in his hands very delicately. Harry was torn between amusement and irritation.

"Does your Royal Highness approve of the arrangements?" he joked.

Draco placed the rose on the table and turned around to face him with his characteristic smirk playing on his lips.

"I think they are rather... suitable."

"Suitable? You're such a snob," Harry shook his head.

Draco just shrugged his shoulder, not denying it, but they both knew that that wasn't totally true. Draco never complained about the precarious cleanliness of the places they chose to meet each other almost every night. Well, sometimes he did but it wasn't anything Harry couldn't handle.

"Are you sure that goofy, I mean, Hagrid isn't going to pop out of nowhere and catch us in the act?" Draco still seemed suspicious.

"Yes, I'm a hundred percent sure! I told you a thousand times already! Hagrid is under a mission for the Order. He's not going to show up here. Not today, at least."

"What if he does?"

"Relax, Malfoy, or I'll think you're scared of Hagrid and this fear is the reason why you hate him so much," Harry said, taking a step forward and enlacing Draco in his arms.

"Don't be ridiculous. I don't hate him, Potter, and I definitely don't fear him. Malfoys fear nothing and nobody." Harry muttered something that resembled 'Yeah, right' and Draco made a face. "I'm serious! The problem is that he's a half-giant and we all know that giants are not the most reliable people in the world," Draco attacked. "I'm just being cautious."

"Hagrid is great, Malfoy! He's the kindest person I know."

"You think that because you're his favorite... everything." Draco frowned as his eyes came across a picture of Hagrid, Harry, Ron and Hermione. "See? How many Hogwarts teachers do you know that have pictures of their students in their houses? Besides, did you bring me here to discuss Hagrid?"

"No. You were the one that brought the subject up." Harry started to feel irritated.

"Why did you bring me here? I thought the song was the only surprise."

"I decided to pay my bet," Harry said in a low tone of voice that indicated his shyness.

The silence fell upon the room. Harry stared deeply into Draco's eyes and saw them glowing with malice.

"Why! It's about time. I thought that you were never doing it." Draco got closer to Harry, his mouth brushing slightly Harry's lips.

Harry's eyelashes closed and he sighed with pleasure. He felt a hand sliding down his back and a cold tongue entering his well receptive mouth. Everything was so delightfully slow he was almost literally melting. Every bone of his body was jellying; every pore was sensitive to Draco's touch.

When Draco pulled away, Harry's body was the one that complained the most. He watched Draco lying down on the bed and crossing his arms at the back of his head.

"Come on, Potter. Strip," he ordered, amused by the way Harry's face reddened.

"Ok." Harry took a deep breath to see if he could breathe not only air but courage as well.

Draco kept staring at him with a mischievous look on his face, making Harry more and more uncomfortable.

"Don't worry, Potter. We have all - night - long."

"Close your eyes," Harry muttered timidly.

"What!?" Draco sat on the bed immediately. "Do you even know what a striptease is, Potter?"

"Of course I know!" he answered, offended.

"Then why are you telling me to close my eyes!?" Draco was bemused.

"Because I'm shy, that's why!" Harry crossed his arms. "We don't even have music."

"Do you want me to sing?"

"No! I want you to turn around and not look until I say so."

Draco arched an eyebrow. "That's not going to happen."

"Ok, then I won't take off my clothes."

Draco looked stunned and he bit his lip to prevent himself from laughing. "I never thought I would live to see the day that Harry Potter chickened out," he pointed out, knowing that Harry would be so furious by the comment he would probably take off his clothes right away.

Indeed, he was right. Harry made such an offended face that Draco couldn't help but laugh. He watched Harry unbuttoning his cloak with fury and tossing it onto the floor careless. He was about to unbuttoned his shirt as well when Draco stopped him by holding his hand.

"Stop, silly! You're doing it all wrong," Draco spoke softly inside his ear, biting his earlobe and making Harry's annoyance soften. "Do you want me to show you how it's supposed to be done?"

Harry's voice failed when he stuttered a very low yes. Draco kissed him slightly on the lips and then stepped back a little. Unhurriedly, he opened his cloak and let it slid till it reached the floor. Without taking his eyes off Harry, who had a hungry and voracious look on his face, he unbuttoned his shirt one by one and discarded it. He moved his hips in a sensual way, smiling at Harry's intent and hypnotized gaze. He removed his belt as well, enlacing Harry's waist with it and pulling him closer. Their bodies aligned and danced, following an imaginary sensual song. Harry ran his fingers on Draco's naked torso and the blond nuzzled in his messy black hair before pulling away again.

Draco unzipped his trousers and in a second he was wearing nothing but silk underwear. He sat on the bed and stared at Harry. "It's your turn now."

Harry accepted the challenge he read in Draco's eyes. Slowly, he opened up his shirt, never taking his eyes off the silver-blue ones. Bit by bit, Harry discarded the rest of his outfits till he was completely naked in front of his lover. Draco swallowed hard. Who ever said Harry was skinny was so wrong. Quidditch training had done wonderful things to his body.

Harry looked so incredibly cute with his face flushed and his eyes full with mischief that Draco was having tremendous difficulty breathing.

Draco cleared his throat and whispered, "Come here."

Harry stopped in front of him, uncertain of what to do next. He closed his eyes and his head fell back the moment Draco's hand ran down his chest. The hand was replaced by Draco's wet mouth and tongue, and Harry moaned loudly as he buried his hands in the silk blond hair. Draco touched, licked and bit his body gently, as if he was a piece of the finest art.

"I want you so much, Harry," Draco whispered.

"Draco...," it was all Harry could say since he couldn't trust his voice to speak.

"Are you ready for this, Harry?"

"Yes. Are you?"

"Yes. We don't have to do this if you don't want to."

"Oh, but I do. I wouldn't have brought you here if I didn't want this to happen."

They lay down on the bed side by side and Draco removed Harry's glasses, putting them on the bedside table. They just stared at each other for a long time, wanting to memorize every single second of that special night. Harry was the first one to break the eye contact. He was so eager to touch, smell and satisfy his needs and Draco's that he couldn't wait any longer.

He kissed Draco fervently, their tongues entwining and making both of them moan. Harry's hands slid all the way through Draco's torso and got rid of his boxers. Draco heard a noise of his expensive silk underwear being ripped apart but his protest was silenced by Harry's lips, which were all over his body again, intoxicating him.

"Harry...," he moaned softly, "I want you inside me."

Harry rested his forehead on Draco's. "What if I hurt you?"

"You won't."

Harry's eyes were highly erotic. Draco almost came just by looking at him. Little by little, their bodies found a movement of their own.

Draco mumbled incoherently and the only thing Harry could distinguish was the word yes! being repeated over and over again. There was this other voice that was filling the heated atmosphere of the cabin, and he vaguely recognized it as his own. Draco was his poem, his fantasy, his everything. In each and every cadence of their bodies he found his peace of mind but also its ruin. He was falling and he never wanted to rise again. They fitted perfectly in each other's arms. In their synchronized movements rested his entire destiny, his hope, his illusion, his pain, joy, greatness and misery. Harry cried the name of his lover all the way through ecstasy and back. Draco also came shouting his name a few seconds later.

"Harry, Harry... I love you," Draco confessed in the heat of the moment.

Harry, whose eyes had been shut, opened them right away as he heard the affirmation. They waited for their hearts and breathing to calm down before facing the new reality. Draco didn't have the courage to look into Harry's eyes. He was afraid of what he would read in them. There was no doubt about Harry's desire for him. But did he love him? He opened his eyes to stare at Harry and saw his eyes sparkling in a way he never saw before.

"Did you know," Harry whispered, "that fingers can taste?" His fingers stroked Draco's lips. "I can taste your mouth through my fingertips."

Draco cleared his throat before speaking softly, "What does it taste like?" His eyes were lost in a daze.

"A mix of peppermint, butterbeer and let's not forget the most important of all: danger."

Draco smiled lazily, "You wouldn't want to forget that."

"I definitely shouldn't forget about that. But I think it's the most attractive taste of all."

"Why doesn't your mouth check it out for sure?" Draco teased, pulling him closer and biting his swollen lower lip.

Harry took Draco's mouth in his own in a deep and deliberate sensual kiss.

"Yours taste like... marzipan," Draco said against Harry's mouth, his eyes closed. "And a little bit of strawberry. It's also hot and sweet and luscious. And sexy as hell."

Harry giggled and his fingers continued their sensual journey along Draco's jaw line and then his torso. "I can taste your body, too." The tip of his tongue met the space between the nipples.

"Oh?"

A delicious shiver of desire went through Draco's body.

"What does it taste like?" he didn't know how he found the strength to ask.

"Tastes just like..." Harry traced a path of fire through his neck, running down his chest.

Draco groaned as Harry adjusted himself inside him one more time. "What?"

"Vanilla." Harry thrust inside him, his body fully awake.

"Oh, yes..." Draco threw his head back.

"Your body tastes so good. It's so tempting and hot..."

"That's because I'm burning..."

"...so fucking good..."

"...yes..." Draco looked deeply into Harry's eyes and saw them darkening, lost in desire.

Harry gripped Draco's wrists on the bed and speeded his movements. "...intoxicating..."

"...not fair..." Draco tried to set his wrists free.

"Don't struggle, just surrender ..." And Draco did. "...so warm..."

"...fuck..."

"...spicy..." Their mouths met for a second, enough for their tongues to entwine.

"...oh, so good...," Draco cried.

"...do you think if I melt now..." Harry kept moving.

"..." Draco was trying hard not to close his eyes but they kept getting heavier and heavier.

"...and you melt, too..."

"...yes?" He closed his eyes and let his spirit travel through a world full of sensations.

"...we can liquefy and turn into one?"

Draco grinned. That was so... Harry. He was almost melting for real. The levels of pleasure and satisfaction they were achieving together were extremely high and Draco felt himself being knocked off his feet at every deep thrust. Soon the words were replaced by jumbled loud moans.

"...harder...," Harry heard Draco pleading.

"...yes..."

"...faster..."

"...Drake..."

"...Harry..." Their forehead's touched.

They gave in. Harry whispered something inside his ear before nuzzling against his body.

A few minutes later, vastly satisfied and cuddled in each other's arms, they both fell asleep, but Harry's words could still be heard echoing inside Draco's mind long after he lost himself in the land of dreams.

"I love you, too."

----------------

Hermione had been staring at the lake for so long, lost in her own thoughts, that she didn't hear the steps coming from behind her, and when Ron's harsh voice echoed through her ears she nearly jumped out of her skin with fright.

"You two are dating!!!" he said, angered.

She turned around and made a disagreeable face. "Oh, please. Not now."

Ron seemed paralyzed by her beauty for a moment. She never looked so beautiful, not even at the Yule Ball from last year. That time she still had the features of a girl but now with all the make-up, the dress and the hair - oh, how much he wanted to touch that hair - he at last was seeing her as a woman. A stunning young woman.

"Where's the prince charming?" he asked ironically.

"Oh, he's... Well, he's not here, is he?"

"After all that show he left you alone?" Ron transferred his anger towards Harry.

"The song wasn't meant for me, Ron."

He looked at her confused. "No? Then who?"

"This is something Harry has to tell you himself."

"But you know who this mysterious person is, don't you?"

"Yes, I do."

"It's not you then," he muttered to himself.

"NO! How many times do I have to say it? Do you want me to write magically that Harry and I are not together through the skies of Hogwarts? Do you want me to amplify my voice with Sonorous and announce it to everyone at the Ball?" she lost her temper. "Why are you so stubborn and stupid and, and... Oh, just leave me alone!"

She crossed her arms and turned to face the window again. Ron stood beside her, his hands shoved inside his pockets.

"Why did you kiss him?"

She noticed the slight irritation behind the question, but in general he was just curious.

"I was just helping him so no one would suspect who the real person he's in love with is."

"Help? I wish you help me like that!" he declared and she stared at him stunned.

"What!?"

He didn't say anything. He didn't even look at her. He just kept staring into the ground as if it was the most interesting thing in the hallway. She sighed. The silence that fell upon them was so oppressive that she felt like screaming.

"Do you wanna dance?" he asked all of a sudden, making her heart skip a beat.

There was a romantic and sad song coming from the doors of the Great Hall. It was a weak sound but they could still hear it a little. She felt her hands trembling when she took his.

"Sure. What about Slut, I mean, Strut?"

Ron laughed at her spontaneous lapse. "She can wait."

He pulled her closer to his body and she rested her head on his shoulder.

"You look beautiful," he said as their bodies moved through the sound of the music.

"Oh, it's not me," she said bitterly, "It's Veela's aroma."

"Veela's aroma?" Ron raised an eyebrow. "What's that?"

"It's a component of some kind of a seductive shampoo. Its effects are almost similar to the ones Fleur has on boys. I wasn't happy when I found out but by then I had already put it on my hair. It's kind of nice to have such a power over a boy, you know?"

He made a face. "Let me see if I'm getting this right. It's a perfume that seduces men?"

"Kind of." She looked guilty.

He frowned. "And how is that different from Celeste's amulet?"

"Oh, it's totally different. She is using dark magic."

"And how did you know this Veela thing isn't dark?"

"I'm sure it isn't."

But since the Veela's aroma belonged to Malfoy, she couldn't be so sure.

"Well, I never heard of it. Where did you get it?"

"Oh, it's a long story."

"It seems we're filled up with stories we don't share with each other anymore. I don't like that. I wish things could go back to be the way they were," he said with a sad tone of voice.

"Things can never go back, Ron," she stated. "Only video tapes." Then she smiled to herself.

"Tapes?"

"Never mind. It was a stupid and graceless joke. I think only Harry would laugh at it to be polite. The rest of the people would throw tomatoes at me! Video tapes are a muggle device. It's almost like wizard's photos."

"My father would like to see a tape."

"Yeah. Harry said to me once that-" she stopped talking when he made a disagreeable face. "What's wrong?"

"Can't you talk about something other than Harry?"

"Oh, Ron, aren't you a little tired of this grudge for Harry?" she asked, tired.

"I'm sorry. Harry is not the one bothering me. Now, you and Harry, that's another story."

He looked straight into her eyes and she held her breath in expectation.

"Did you bring the thing I asked you for?" he asked.

"Yes." She sighed, for it was obvious he wouldn't declare his unconditional love for her.

"Where is it?"

She took a small vial full with Sleeping potion out of her little purse and gave it to him.

"It wasn't easy to steal it from Snape's office so I had to steal from Madam Pomfrey. I feel so bad about it," she complained. "It's better be worth it."

"It'll be worth it. Celeste will sleep all through the night and I'll steal her amulet."

"You two sleep together!?"

"Well..." He reddened.

"Forget it. I don't wanna know." She took a step back but he pulled her against his body.

"I'm tired of this game, Hermione. Do you like me?" he asked, his face deadly serious.

She intended to sound firmer in her answer but all that came out was a feeble yes.

"In a friendly way or more than that?"

"Much more than that," she whispered, "What about you?"

He grinned. "I thought it was obvious by now. I'm not here because of the Veela's aroma."

The moment she waited for so long arrived when he leant over to kiss her. His vacillating lips met hers slowly and clumsily at first because he was afraid of her reaction, but when he realized she was impatiently kissing him back, he deepened the kiss and brought her even closer to his body. Celeste would have to wait.

----------------

Zabini had been wandering around the grounds of Hogwarts and kicking stones when he saw the two love birds heading for Hagrid's hut with their hands intertwined and he let out a growl of disgust. Why did Draco like the Gryffindor moron so much? He couldn't possibly be in love with him. It would be totally against his beliefs. Slytherins didn't believe in love, only lust. Love was so Gryffindor. Slytherins should be cold and restrained. Gryffindors, on the other hand, had a passionate and wild spirit he didn't understand. They were too deep into their own silly emotions. Just like Harry Potter. Or Seamus Finnegan.

He sighed as he thought about the sandy-haired Gryffindor. Seamus was the typical example of how emotional Gryffindors were. He was so wild and unpredictable. Seamus was the one who tempted him from the beginning. Blaise didn't want to be involved with him but at the end he couldn't resist. Damn Gryffindor and his annoying persistence! If only Malfoy hadn't declined his offer that day...

***Blaise's Flashback***

Blaise had been walking down the hallway pissed off at Malfoy and his rejection when he bumped into Seamus Finnegan. The boy had been stalking him for weeks and he was just so tired of it.

"Leave me the hell alone, Finnegan! I'm not in the mood for you right now."

"Temper, temper. You look cute when you're angry," Seamus said grinning.

"Fuck. You. I'm not like you. How many times do I have to repeat myself?"

Seamus just shook his head. "I think you're lying to yourself."

"I'm not a puff."

"Maybe. There's only one way to find out." And before Blaise knew, Seamus had pushed him into an empty classroom and ravished him into a kiss that took his breath away.

When Seamus pulled away, he stared at a confused and dazzled Blaise Zabini and he laughed.

"See? At least there's one thing we have in common. Or are you still in denial?"

Blaise didn't say anything. Instead, he shoved Seamus against the wall and continued the snog session all through the afternoon.

***End flashback***

After that, their encounters occurred on daily basis. Seamus knew exactly how to set him on fire. The bastard! At every kiss it felt more and more difficult to let him go. It was so hard to deny his body's need. Their first time together had been inside the Slytherin Quidditch changing room. If he shut his eyes and allowed his mind to drift away he could still experience the sensations he felt on that day. His body had burned in a soft but insistent gemlike flame. His entire being had craved for Finnegan and Blaise felt really ashamed of himself afterwards.

Even with Seamus Finnigan's scent impregnated in every inch of his body, he still pursued Malfoy. It was a question of principle, actually. He couldn't let Harry Potter dominate Draco Malfoy. The blond Slytherin was the soul of his house; he represented a legend. If he allowed Draco and Harry to be together, it would be a disaster. Draco had no idea...

Blaise sat down on a rock near the lake and sighed. He closed his eyes and Seamus crossed his mind. He was late. They were supposed to meet there but he still hadn't show up. What was holding him back? What was keeping his sexy Irish lover away from him?

He heard footsteps behind him and turned to see who it was but he saw no one. A howl came from inside the forest and he felt chills down his spine. He hated that place at night. He wondered if the sound of footsteps were from the same person that had been following Malfoy everywhere he went for the past few months. The same person that was trying so hard to incriminate Zabini. If only he could see his face... He only saw the mysterious hooded person once. He had run after him but had lost the track.

"Zabini?" he heard Seamus calling.

His heart thumped fast. He turned around and stared into Seamus's eyes.

"What took you so long?" Blaise asked walking towards him.

"I was talking to the guys about our final Quidditch game against your team that will take place next week."

"Oh, what a waste of time. We both know your team will lose," Blaise smirked.

Seamus's eyes flickered with rage. "No, we won't. We have Harry and-"

Blaise burst out laughing like a maniac. "Potter? That's so funny! Potter is Malfoy's slave. I'm convinced that if Malfoy asked him to jump into the abyss he would actually do it. You can't trust Potter. He's blinded by something the fools call love."

"I'm glad you bring the subject up. I want you to stop bothering them."

Blaise sneered, "You can't be serious!"

"I am."

Blaise made a face. "Why are we wasting our time talking about them when we can be fucking?"

Blaise pulled him by the hair and tried to kiss him but Seamus turned his head away.

"I'm sick of this, Zabini," he said with a sad tone of voice. "And I'm sick of you."

Blaise drew back as if he was hit by a Bludger. "What are you talking about?"

"I thought I could have just a part of you and still be satisfied but I was wrong. I want what Draco and Harry have. I want to love and to be loved in the same proportion. I want all the silly things that come along."

"Tell me this is some kind of a stupid joke."

"It's not a joke. I just realized that our relationship has no future. You don't love me."

Deep down Seamus' heart was screaming for him to deny it but Blaise didn't say anything.

"Love? It's ridiculous!" Blaise said.

"Well, not everyone thinks like you. Justin was more than willing to be with me tonight."

"Justin? Who the fuck is Justin?"

"Justin Finch-Fletchley. He's a Hufflepuff."

A stab of jealousy crossed Blaise's heart. He didn't love Seamus. He couldn't love Seamus. It was lust in its purest state. Lust was the only L word he felt for him. And maybe if he kept repeating that to himself over and over it would turn out to be the truth eventually.

"A Hufflepuff? You're turning me down for a... Hufflepuff?" his voice was full of contempt.

"Yes. I deserve better than you."

"Who said that? Harry Potter?"

"Goodbye, Blaise."

Seamus turned around to leave but Blaise held him and kissed him hard on the lips. He lost himself for a moment but then he backed away.

"I never lied to you, Finnegan. Not once!" Blaise said, clenching his teeth. "I told you from the beginning I wasn't interested in love and you said - no, you guaranteed - to me that you were ok with that."

"I changed my mind!" Seamus yelled, opening his arms.

"Well, fuck you then!" Blaise shouted back.

"Whatever." Seamus turned his back on him and started walking again. Walking away from him. Blaise couldn't let that happen. No one walked away from him and lived to tell the tale.

"Stop right there, Finnegan!"

Seamus did, mostly because he didn't really want to leave, but he knew Blaise wouldn't say any of the things he wanted to hear. Justin was waiting for him. Why couldn't he move as far away from there as possible?

"What?" he asked without turning around.

"You can't do this to me. You were the one that put me up into this in the first place!"

"Yeah, I know." Seamus sighed. "And I'm the one calling the whole thing off."

"But..."

"Do you have anything else to say?" Please, say you do.

"Yes. I hate you with all my guts."

Seamus closed his eyes and ordered his feet to move. This time they obeyed and he walked away from Zabini's life.

Blaise didn't do anything to stop him. He just kept standing there until Seamus' slender figure was out of his sight. Blaise wished to break down and cry but he didn't know how to do it. When Draco Malfoy had refused him, his pride had been hurt. Now, he could feel something shattering inside him. As he stared into the darkness where Seamus had disappeared, what hurt the most was his heart.

--------------

Harry gasped as he stared at the scene playing in front of him. Draco, his Draco, was right by the Dark Lord's side, laughing at something the evil man whispered to him. He looked so different. His blond hair was a little longer, his features were darker and more sinister and in his right wrist he bore the dark mark. At his side there was a faceless girl and she had her arms around his waist.

'Are you ready, my dear pupil?' Voldemort asked, 'Are you ready to marry her?'

'Yes, I am.'

'And together you shall rule my reign of terror.' Voldemort laughed evilly.

''I dreamed of this moment for my entire life. I couldn't be happier,' the girl said.

"Good. Draco, you better take a good care of her. She's really precious to me.'

'I know, my Lord.'

'What about Harry Potter? Is he being taken care of?'

Harry held his breath.

'He's locked up inside one of the Malfoy Manor's cells. The bloody twit fell for our trap. He actually thought he could defeat you all by himself, the poor stupid soul.'

They laughed at the 'poor stupid soul' mercilessly.

'Do you want to do the honors and destroy him yourself?' Voldemort asked.

'Can I?' Draco's eyes glittered with excitement.

Harry felt chills running down his spine.

'Of course.' Voldemort patted him on the back. 'You can finish him off in your wedding reception. It'll be my wedding present for you.'

'How can I thank you, my Lord?' Draco asked bowing before him and kissing the hem of his robe.

'By showing up at the reception! And by not disappointing my precious girl, ever.'

'That will be easy.' Draco smiled at the unknown girl. 'I love her.'

Voldemort seemed thrilled with this. Harry's heart pulverized.

'Can I see him, my Lord?' Draco asked, his face hardening. 'I want to have the pleasure to torture that bastard first and make him pay for every damned humiliation our fellows suffered in his hands.'

'You can go, Draco. Just don't lose your temper and kill him before the right time. I want to have a little chat with him myself later.'

Draco nodded. He kissed the girl softly and Apparated to his mansion. Harry did the same, although he didn't know how he was able to do it. They were now at the grounds of Malfoy Manor, and Draco was talking animatedly to his father.

'So, the wedding will finally take place!' Lucius said grinning. 'I'm glad you've come to your senses, Draco. I'm really proud of you.'

Draco's eyes flickered as he heard the word 'proud' but Harry didn't know if it was of happiness or something else altogether.

'I'm going to see him. What's his cell number?' asked Draco coldly.

'Draco...' It was clear by Lucius' tone of voice that he didn't approve the idea.

'Lord Voldemort gave me his permission.'

'I don't think it's a good idea.'

'I don't bloody care of what you think. Harry Potter is my wedding gift. I'll get to kill him at the reception. I just want to see if the package isn't too damaged, that's all. We don't want him to die sooner than he's supposed to.' Draco smirked.

"It's number 13.'

Draco turned around to leave but his father's voice stopped him for a moment.

'You know, you shouldn't go there.'

'You're not going to stop me.' There was a hidden threat behind his words.

"No, I'm not,' Lucius Malfoy said, tired.

Draco walked away from there and headed for the number 13 cell. He muttered the password and a wall opened up. He entered and went down a spiral staircase. All this time Harry was right beside him, his mind completely lost, his heart destroyed. Suddenly Draco stopped and took something from his pocket. Harry took a step closer and gasped at what he saw. It was a picture of himself. He cursed the darkness, for it was preventing him from seeing Draco's face properly.

Draco shoved the picture back in his pocket and sighed. Then he walked towards the cell and opened it. There he found Harry - who seemed a little taller than he was now but had the same messy hair. Harry saw himself looking at Draco with loathing.

'Potter. It's such an honor to have you here. I hope you approve of your accommodations.'

Taller Harry didn't say anything.

'What's wrong? Cat got your tongue?' Draco provoked him, 'You don't look so tough without your wand, Potter. Aren't you trying something to escape? I left the door open. You can try passing by me if you want. Of course, I have my wand with me, which gives me an advantage over you. But it would be fun, you know?'

Harry just kept staring at him without opening his mouth. Draco came closer and stopped in front of him, his mouth only a few inches away from Harry's mouth.

'Why did you let them get you, you moron?'

This time Harry smiled maliciously. 'I thought I should drop by to say hi.'

'You shouldn't be here.'

'I had to be here. I couldn't miss your wedding,' Harry sneered.

Draco shook his head in disbelief. 'You're fucking insane, Potter. Does Dumbledore know about this?'

'No.'

'Well, I can't save your ass. As far as I'm concerned, you can rot in here. I couldn't care less. In fact, I told Dumbledore a thousand times that I could finish the Dark Lord myself.'

'Why don't you?'

'Because you're the hope of the entire wizarding world and I'm just a Death Eater.'

Harry smiled.

'Stop smiling, you idiot!' Draco shouted, 'This is not a bloody game! I'm supposed to kill you at my wedding reception!'

'I'm your gift then. Interesting.'

'Fuck you, Potter. I don't know why I bother...' Draco turned his back to him.

'Did you remember?' Harry asked.

'Remember what?' Draco turned around again to face him.

'About us.'

'Please, not this conversation again. No, I didn't. Because there's nothing to remember except that I hate you.'

Harry shook his head and got near him. 'I could kill you right now. A dark side of me wants to kill you so badly. But I won't.'

'Why did you let them catch you?' Draco asked filled with suspicion.

'Because I came here to rescue you.'

'What!?' Draco burst out laughing. 'Please, be serious!'

'I'm being deadly serious.' And he seemed serious, too.

Draco stopped laughing and looked at him astonished. 'Tell me you're joking.'

'I'm not.'

Draco blanched for a second and backed away but Harry caught him and pulled him closer to his body.

'Fuck, Potter. Let me go.' Draco struggled for freedom.

'I'm sorry but I can't. I miss you too much.' Harry kissed him harshly and then he whispered again Draco's mouth. 'Why, Draco? Why did you have to do this? I never asked you to do this!'

'I don't know what you're talking about. Just let me go!'

'NO!' Harry shouted and his hands gripped Draco's arms firmly. 'Hermione told me the whole thing. I know you don't remember me because you asked Dumbledore to cast a memory charm on you. You asked him to erase the feelings you had for me so you could spy for him without any problems. Because you thought you were protecting me. How stupid is that? I don't need protection from anybody! But I need YOU!'

Draco opened his eyes widely. 'I didn't do that! You're lying!'

'I wish I was,' Harry said, sad. 'Are you going to marry her?'

'Yes.'

Harry let himself stumble onto the floor. 'You have to remember, Draco.'

'Don't call me that. You're not my friend.'

'I used to be your lover.'

'Oh, please.' Draco shoved his trembling hands inside his pockets. 'Why are you saying these things when you know they're not truth?'

Harry took the snake silver ring off his finger and tossed it to Draco.

'What's this?' Draco asked looking at the ring with curiosity.

'It was yours. I gave it to you once.'

'Are you on something, Potter? Did they give you something odd to drink? Because I think you are delusional. It's pretty though. It's a snake. And it has your eyes.'

The last sentence was said in such a way that Harry raised himself from the floor and cupped Draco's face with his hands.

'Hermione said something else. She said that memory charms can take away the memory but it can't take away the feelings. She said you were counting on that because you loved me long before we got together. Is it true? Do you love me?'

'STOP THIS MADNESS!'

'NO! She said you only became a spy to protect me and that was way before we got together. I want the truth!'

'I HATE YOU! That's the bloody truth!'

'Then why are you still spying for Dumbledore?'

'Because...Because...' Draco licked his dry lips. 'I don't love you. I can't love you. It's sick and wrong and it would never work out.'

Harry let go of him and closed his eyes. 'Then leave.'

Draco didn't move from the spot.

'LEAVE!' Harry ordered.

'You're losing your mind. You're not in the position to give me orders, Potter. You're the prisoner, in case you don't remember.'

'My head is just fine, Malfoy, but yours is screwed up!'

Draco smirked but his eyes were flickering with sadness. He looked at the ring again and it glowed strongly through the room. A green light surrounded him and when it faded away he lost consciousness.

'Draco!' Harry leaned against him, trying to wake him up.

Draco opened his eyes slowly and stared at him as if he was seeing Harry for the first time.

'I... my father... he said that... he said...,' Draco stuttered.

'What?'

'He said you would never love me. Just like...'

'Did you remember?' asked Harry hopefully.

'Only flashes... nothing consistent. I...'

'I love you.'

Draco closed his eyes. 'Don't.'

'Yes, Harry Potter, don't! Stay away from my son!'

Lucius raised his wand and muttered something.

'No!' shouted Draco pushing Harry away and receiving the curse in Harry's place.

'Draco!'

Harry's scar throbbed and he yelled with pain as he woke up all covered in sweat from the most disturbing bad dream he had ever had. He turned to the side to look for Draco and his heart stopped. Draco wasn't there.