A New Year to Last Forever

A New Year to Last Forever

Where is he? Harry thought idly glancing up at the clock above the bar in the Leaky Cauldron. Eleven-thirty p.m. Only half an hour to go until the New Year.

"Don't worry, Harry. He'll show up," Hermione said, taking in his look of distress. She smiled at him reassuringly. Ron came back from the bar to the table the trio was sitting at with an armful of butterbeers. He handed each to Harry and Hermione, set an extra mug aside, and took a seat next to Hermione.

"Can you believe it? A new year already. I'm still stuck back at Hogwarts!" he laughed, sipping his drink merrily.

"I know! It doesn't seem like its been a whole year already since we've been there. Sometimes I still feel sixteen," Harry admitted.

"Agreed. But a lot has changed since we were sixteen," Hermione informed them with that air of responsibility she always seemed to hold. "You two are Aurors now and I'm an Unspeakable," she added with a sly grin. Ron huffed.

"I hate it that you can't tell me what it is exactly you do. I mean, you could get into trouble or be hurt and I wouldn't even know it!" he exclaimed.

"Oh, Ron, you know I can handle myself," she said smiling at Ron's concern.

"I know, but I don't know what I'd do if I lost you. Do you know how much you mean to me, Mione?"

"I have a faint idea," she said softly as she lightly kissed the redhead. Ron accepted her answer and returned the favour.

"Ugh, guys, not in front of me. I'd like to keep my dinner down. Thanks," Harry groaned, pretending to be sick.

"Oh shut it, mate. I'm more than allowed to kiss my fiance," Ron said, staring dreamily at Hermione.

"And besides," he added, "we have to see you snog Draco all the time!" He moaned with disgust.

"And that's another thing," Hermione continued with the first topic of conversation. "Who would have thought that Harry and Draco would ever have ended up together? I mean, for the first six years they absolutely hated each other. And then one day, after a Quidditch match in our seventh year, I walk behind the stands looking for Harry when I see him snogging Draco like mad." She blushed at the memory. Harry's eyes glazed over as he thought back to that day.

He and Draco had been arguing again about Harry catching the snitch for the umpteenth time. It was becoming a pretty heated argument and Draco was right up in Harrys face. When, all of a sudden, Draco kissed him. Harry hadn't known what to do, so he stood there.

Draco had pulled back and said, "Lord, Potter, you're like kissing a tree!" Harry shook off the confusion and decided to throw caution to the wind.

"And do trees kiss like this?" he asked slyly before forcing his lips onto Draco's. Harry had kissed before. There was Cho in his fifth year and Parvati in his sixth, but he had never experienced a kiss like this.

They were tangled around each other, tongues battling for dominance when they heard a slight cough. They broke apart, red-faced and gasping for air. Harry looked towards the source of the sound and saw Hermione standing there, a look of complete shock on her face.

"Hermione," Harry had tried to explain. But how could he? How could he have possibly explained how one second he was fighting with his arch rival and the next kissing him?

"I was just looking for you, but I see that you're busy. I'll just go now," Hermione had said in a monotone voice, the look of shock never leaving her face. With that she had turned and briskly walked away. Harry sighed and ran a hand through his dishevelled raven locks.

"What that bloody hell was that?" he asked more to himself.

"I'm not sure," came the soft reply. Harry turned towards Draco who was scuffing his shoe in the ground, his lips still slightly swollen.

"But I'd like to do it again," he said with more confidence, bringing his crystal silver eyes up to meet Harry's sparkling emerald ones. And the rest was history.

"But what about his father? About being a Death Eater? About You-Know-Who for Gods sake!" Ron shouted, bringing Harry back to the present time.

"I told you Ron," Harry tried to explain calmly, "Draco never wanted to be a Death Eater. He was simply acting by his fathers commands because that was all he knew. He was raised to hate Muggles and Muggle-borns. He was raised to believe that Voldemort was the superior wizard and that all else were just enemies. It wasn't until his seventh year that he started to look at things differently. He realized he wasn't like his father in any way. He realized that Voldemort was a murderer of innocent victims," he finished softly, thinking back to his parents.

"But he's changed now. He left his father for good towards the end of Hogwarts. Dumbledore offered him protection if he'd work for the side of the Light. He agreed, and after Hogwarts, took a job as the Head of the Department of Mysteries. He's not the slimy git he used to be. He's different now," Harry explained, smiling slightly.

"Yeah, well, you know that the first time he hurts you I'm going to turn him back into a ferret and bounce his arse to China," Ron promised.

Harry smiled and replied, "I know, Ron. I know!"

"All right everybody! One minute until New Years!" someone shouted from across the room. Everyone stood up and began counting down. Harry reluctantly stood but didn't join the others. Draco had promised he'd be here. He said he had to work late tonight at the Department, but he promised he'd be here with him.

"Ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four," came the excited chorus from the bar's patrons. Harry tried to get excited. Just then he felt strong arms grab him from his middle and gently turn him around. He turned anxiously and looked into gentle silver orbs.

"Happy New Year, love," Draco whispered.

"Three, two, one. HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!" everyone screamed. But Harry couldn't hear them. All he could do was focus on this amazing person holding him. Draco slowly brought his lips down onto Harry's is a sweet, chaste kiss. Harry wrapped his arms around the other man and returned the kiss with all his vigor. They reluctantly parted and gazed into each other's eyes.

"Finally! Where have you been, Draco?" Hermione questioned.

Then, not waiting for a response, she said, "Never mind. It doesn't matter. All that matters is that you're here now." She smiled. Ron picked up the Butterbeers and passed them out.

"Here's to another year of being with those closest to you," Ron cheered. The quartet raised their glasses together with a clink. Ron downed his drink in one go, while Hermione simply sipped hers. Harry and Draco turned away from the couple and raised their glasses in a solute together.

"Here's to starting a new year together," Draco said grinning.

"Forever," Harry added. They sipped their drinks and set them aside.

"Forever," Draco answered, clasping Harry's hand in his own. The couple turned to their friends and joined them in a rendition of Auld Lang Syne.