Can Love Survive...

Harry and Draco returned to their bodies with a start. Everything they had been though, all the scanning of past memories, had taken almost no time at all in the waking world to their surprize. The position of the moonlight showed perhaps an hour at best had gone by, yet for them it had felt like days. Now would begin their new lives, with new changes and chances, even if it would take more then a bit of doing.

Harry however still had alot of questions running through his mind, and maybe now he would get some answers. Dropping Draco's arm which he realized he had still been holding since before they left, he looked Draco in the eyes, forming his questions.

"What is it Harry, you're looking a bit odd." Draco said keeping his gaze on Harry.

"I just...it's just that...Why did you pull up at the match? Why didn't you go for the snitch? You had the chance to show you're father how good you are, and you through it away..." Harry said.

Draco looked at Harry a moment, as if debating what his answer would be. Finally with a sigh, he gave into his internal debating. "It's because of my father that I did that Harry."

Harry looked at Draco very perplexed now, that didn't make sense to him. "I dont understand, you deliberately threw you're chance away?"

Draco broke eye contact and walked over to the altar, turning his back to Harry. "No, I suppose you wouldn't understand, it was hard for me even to understand it back then." he said quietly, almost too quietly.

"Try me Draco, maybe I would." Harry said walking over to Draco and standing right behind him, putting a hand on his shoulder.

Draco turned round and faced Harry once again, emotions thick within his eyes. He searched Harry's eyes then, and what he found was the final thing to convince him this was all real, all meant to be. Harry's eyes showed something Draco Malfoy had never had in his life, understanding. Compassion. Caring and truth. And more importantly, hope. Draco had never had any of those things..or atleast, not since those days long ago when he had a few shortlived weeks of pure happiness with a boy named "Harry".

With a sigh he began his story. "It was the end of 5th year when it all started Harry. My grades were hardly up to standard that year, and to my father it was a sign of weakness. Granger beat me out in everything, believe it or not, even potions. My father wasn't too happy needless to say, and when I got home, all hell broke loose."

"He didn't...." Harry began, but was cut off by a wave of Draco's hand.

"He didn't hurt me no, not in the physical sense persay. Nothing that I hadn't already been used to in my life at any rate. Mentally though, he played mind games with me. Dragging me down so deep I thought I'd never know my own name again. I'm pretty sure he used the Cruciatus Curse a few times to control me, and Imperio when I wasn't trying hard enough."

Harry didn't interject, but he did shudder at that. He himself of course having been subjected more then a few times to both curses, and personally had seen the effects of what can happen when used too much.

Draco saw Harry's shiver and nodded to him, and continued. "By the end of the summer I thought I'd be lost. I thought he wasn't going to allow me to return to Hogwarts, and send me to Durmstrang or something. Now that Voldemort was back and in command, he wanted me to take the mark, but through some grace I was able to stall him. Told him it would be better if I waited till I was out of school, and could devote my time towards learning the dark arts without problems. He bought it thank Merlin."

Draco started to get restless, so began pacing the room, thoughts all the while, running through his head. "When I returned to school I wasn't myself persay. I'd even stopped antagonizing you and the others to the point that Dumbledore even noticed. One day he called me into this office, and as I followed him I felt like a lamb being led to the slaughter."

"I remember that was when you did stop being you're usual annoying self to me, I didn't realize why though." Harry said softly.

Draco looked at him, but only nodded. "I figured you of all people would notice, but honestly I didn't care. When Dumbledore took me into his office that day, my life changed forever. When I left...I wasn't my old self, and I certainly felt different."

"What happened? That is...if you want to tell me...." Harry said.

Draco gave a choked chuckle. "I suppose after all this, you have to know Harry. It's all really simple. I was a given a choice, and I took it, and gladly so."

"A choice? To do what?"

"When I got to Dumbledore's office I was surprized, I wasn't the only one there. Severus Snape and Remus Lupin were there too, and that day I found out alot more bout some things then I ever thought I would." Draco said reflectively.

"S-Severus and Remus? Wh-what things?" Harry said suddenly.

Draco actually grinned now. "I think on that, you allready know Harry. Oh dont look so startled, they had to tell me...for a very good reason."

"And you kept that secret all this time?" Harry said astonished.

"Believe it or not, yes I have. Because....because they saved my life Harry, if for no other reason." Draco said softly. "Please, let me finish and you'll understand why."

Harry nodded. "Sorry, though I have to say it's kind of nice to hear the word please from you of all people." he said grinning.

Draco grinned back and continued. "As I sat there, listening to everyone say their sickles worth, I hardly could believe it. Here were two people least suited for one another, one a death eater, one a werewolf, yet they had found a happiness in each other that was unmatched. As I saw how protective Severus was over Remus Lupin, I realized that maybe, just maybe, houses didn't matter, that bloodlines didn't matter. Nothing mattered to the two of them but finding peace with each other."

"In the end, Severus told me the truth, that he had been playing a 'game', that he was really a spy for Dumbledore, working against Voldemort. He knew what my father had done to me over the summer, how I had been basically brought down into the submission state I was at that point, and how I was ready to throw it all in and maybe even do something very stupid with my life."

"Sounds like Severus, I've heard that speech from him myself at times." Harry said with a wry grin.

"It's no wonder then you turned out as you did, he can be more severe and harsh then even my father at times." Draco said with exasperation. "In the end though, it worked. They brought me back from the depths of despair and torture I was in, and offered me the choice that Severus himself was given...to die a coward and a killer, or to redeem myself with hope, and become one of them...a spy in a sense. I took the latter."

"How though? You dont have the dark mark...." Harry said puzzled.

Draco shoulders seemed to slump, and he gave a soft groan. "But you're wrong Harry...so very wrong...."

"Drake? Draco tell me....tell me you didn't...." Harry said stepping back away from him now.

"It was the only way. Dont you see? If I didn't...if I didn't play the 'game' the way I had to...they would have killed me for fighting them. A betrayer to my own family, to their master....I would have been dead before I could scream Harry..." he said softly.

"Oh Drake....I...I do understand...I want to anyway...." Harry said stepping back towards Draco, but Draco moved away from him.

"Some 'spy' I turned out to be though. I dont think my own father really trusted me. I suppose now looking back I seemed a bit too eager to take the mordesmordre...after trying to avoid it all summer, not 2 months later I'm owling my father that I'm ready for it, accepting of it..." Draco said bitterness in his voice.

Harry suddenly thought of something then. "It was you..wasn't it. When Severus got captured, you're were the anonymous tipoff..."

Draco sighed and nodded. "Yes, it was me. I found out though almost too late. I was too young yet to attend that meeting, and my father never owled me what he had planned until after they captured him. He met me in Hogsmeade a few days later, and told me that Severus was a traitor, and the school was well rid of such scum like him. He told me he would make arraignments to get me out of school or something or another so I could come witness what happens to traitors and spies. As if he was telling me something..." Draco said vehemently this time.

"But you did save him Draco...you did. He's alive and here, that should mean something." Harry said softly, going over to stand infront of Draco now.

"You saved him Harry, not me. It's you he owes his life to..." Draco said the anger seeping out of him now.

"You're wrong. It was both of us. If you hadn't warned Dumbledore, I wouldn't have been there in the first place. It doesn't matter though, he's here, alive, and personally I think better for the worst...atleast he doesn't take points off Gryffindor anymore for just anything." Harry grinned trying to lighten the mood.

Draco looked at him then grinned as well. "That's true, he is a bit better these days, but I really think Lupin has alot to do with that dont you?" he said a bit coyly now.

Harry laughed. "I think you're right there. Remus was really the one who told me to look for Severus you know, I didn't even know why until I overheard them in Hospital Wing later on, and let me tell you, that was a revelation. But Drake, what are you going to do now? About the mark I mean?"

Draco shrugged, "I dont know Harry. I"m turning my back on it all though, I even told Dumbledore that. I'll be 18 this year, my father can't make me go back with him, and I'll make up some excuse not to go home for Yule Holidays as well. I dont know where I can go, but I do know I wont go home. If possible, not ever again. Lucius will never make me submit to him or Voldemort again!" Draco said determined.

"I"ll do what I can too Drake, believe me. I never go home for the holidays, the muggles cant stand me during the summers let alone any other holidays, so we'll just be here together." Harry said.

"To...together. Sounds strange doesn't it." Draco said thoughtfully looking at Harry.

"I think...together...sounds awfully nice actually Drake. Remember what you said..back then in the park all those years ago?" Harry said bridging the gap between them suddenly.

Draco furrowed his brow, then shook his head. For some reason all of a sudden with Harry standing so close, it was hard to think. "No, what did I say?"

Harry took Draco's chin in his hand, gazing deep into his eyes. "You said...I could have grown up to love you Harry...I'm sure I could have....do you think now you could?" he said almost in a whisper.

Draco searched Harry's eyes, eyes that showed so much expression in them, and he knew that this was what he wanted. What he secretly had hoped for all those years ago, what his namesake must have felt for Harric Gryffindor...defying everyone and everything for what he needed...what he loved. This was what Severus and Remus showed him, what he could have if he gave himself over completely to the side of light, and truth.

"No Harry...I dont think I could..." Draco said breathlessly now and before Harry could interject he said, "I know I could. Can...can you ever feel that way for me?"

Harry didn't say anything, instead very gently, he drew Draco to him, and placed a kiss on his lips. He was amazed at how soft Draco's lips were, and not surprizingly, unlike with Cho or Lisa, this felt like he had come home. This was where he belonged, where he'd always belonged. He felt Draco respond to the kiss, and intensified it, wrapping his arms round Draco's body, warmth spreading through him like lightning.

When they finally broke apart, lips trembling, bodies shaking with feelings of raw emotion, their eyes sparkled now with a newfound emotion. Suddenly everything made sense, who they had been, what they had done....had all led up to this moment, this moment that was pure magic. The magic that was called love.

Draco looked at Harry with such love, amazed at the fact that Harry was returning that same love, and he knew that he had made the right choice when he had joined the side of good and light. He felt that there was nothing that could stand in their way now, that they would win because they had to win. Because love always wins.

Harry looked at the man in his arms, his mind a swirling vortex of emotions he couldn't believe were real. He had lied to himself for so long, tried to be what everyone expected him to be, but no longer. From now on he would live for one thing only, Draco's love, nothing else would ever be as important as that to him.

As the two boys gazed at each other, passion swirling in their bodies, words seemed to be whispered from their lips at the same time. Then the only sounds after that were murmurs of happiness, of finding out what they should have long ago. They didn't know that those very same words had been whispered before, 1000 years in the past, by two who had also found solace and fulfillment in each others arms. Only this time, those words wouldn't be just a sacrifice, and they would hold true.

"For all eternity our souls will intertwine, for I am yours and you are mine. We are joined by body and heart, we are one that none shall part."

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I just realized that there's not been one snog nearly through out the whole fic :groans: so this just had to be written. I cant believe I totally bypassed a good snog for plot this fic oi! Ah well, all's well that ends well I hope...I know it's not quite the 'passionate' type thing I've been writing persay, but I hope for the moment it will suffice. :)

2002-03-17 2:07:26 AM