This Is For Keeps

The streets are dark, my pulse is flat-lined as I'm running to you

Harry ran down endless streets, hardly aware of anything around him. He felt entirely free, and yet completely captive all at the same time. His mind was a post-mortem haze, and only one coherent thought penetrated the fog: Draco.

You sit completely unaware of what I'm about to do

Streetlamps passed in flickering blurs as black swirls of night cascaded all around his skeletal form. His jeans flipped against his legs as he ran faster than humanly possible. He wasn't even tired, and he'd been running like this for over thirty minutes. His legs didn't feel real, his furiously flailing arms didn't feel real, he didn't feel real...but he was. He was just...different.

The air is thick with tension much like when we are together

What if Draco didn't accept him? What if he didn't understand? What if he thought Harry was crazy for doing this? Hell, even Harry thought he was crazy for doing this; but he could think of no other way. He had defeated Voldemort, he was a hero, and Draco...well, Draco was the son of a Death Eater, and everyone wanted him dead. Harry couldn't let him die. He wouldn't.

My fangs are aching as I'm pondering about you and I forever

Harry replayed that moment over and over again in his mind. Pale skin, wild eyes, a flash of fangs, then blood, lots of blood...too much blood. From then on, the memory was hazy and half-formed. He remembered hearing something...voices. They were chanting. And there was light, an incredibly bright light that vanished just as quickly as it had appeared. The next thing he remembered was waking up. He was in exactly the same place as he had been when he was bitten, the only difference being that he was now lying down. He reasoned he must have blacked out and fallen to the ground. He was about to adjust his glasses when he caught sight of his hand. It was pale. Deathly pale. He was one of them.

As I round your corner, I am nervous that you won't be my lover

Harry had wondered if there was something sadistic about actually looking for vampires so you could be bitten. His entire body stung as he considered that Draco might be afraid of him. What if he couldn't love him anymore? What if he couldn't love a monster?

Harry finally reached Draco's street. Draco had been forced to go into hiding in a small muggle community where all the houses looked the same and everybody knew everybody. Draco hated it.

Knock three times and hope that my pale complexion won't blow my cover

Harry jogged the remaining yards to Draco's front door and shuddered as the motion-activated light illuminated him standing on the doorstep. He knocked in what he hoped was a discreet manner and then stepped back into the shadows. He didn't want Draco to see him like this, to see what he'd become. Not until he got the chance to explain, anyway.

Answer the door with your innocent face

"Harry?" Draco whispered, squinting at him through the gloom. "What are you doing here?" he asked, moving forward and out of the doorway.
"No, don't..." Harry said weakly. Suddenly, coming here seemed like an incredibly bad idea. "I- I can't. I'm sorry," he said, then turned quickly and began to walk back down the driveway.
"Harry? Harry, wait!" Draco said as he rushed forward and caught Harry by the arm. "Harry, what-" he said, attempting to turn Harry's face towards him.
"No. Draco, please, don't..." Harry pleaded, his voice betraying the tears beginning to trickle down his face.

"What's wrong? Harry? Harry, please..." Draco whispered, grabbing onto Harry's hands and moving in front of him.
Harry tilted his face as far downward as he could. He felt soft fingers gently touch his cheek, persuading his face to follow. He allowed Draco to pull him up to face him, every muscle in his body waiting for Draco's reaction.

Would you like to leave this human race tonight?

Draco's eyes widened as his fingers slid from Harry's tear-stained cheeks. "Harry..." he said, seemingly lost for words.
"I'm sorry, Draco. I'm so sorry," Harry said, shaking his head sorrowfully.

"What? You- you did this...to yourself?" Draco asked. He sounded horrified.

"I'm sorry. I'm so so sorry," Harry replied, his voice breaking with sobs and gasps.
"Harry... Harry, why?" Draco said, moving closer to him.
Harry couldn't bring himself to say it. He had been crazy. Draco would never want this, never. His silence seemed to say volumes, however, because when Draco spoke, it was with a voice of dawning comprehension.
"It was for me, wasn't it? For...for us?"
Harry looked up at him, his face contorted in an attempt to stem the flow of tears.
"Harry... Oh, Harry... What were you thinking? Looking for vampires! It's lunacy! You could have been killed!!!"
"And you still could be!" Harry shouted, feeling his voice tear through his throat as he threw it into the cold black air.

Draco looked shocked and took a step back. Harry looked away from him, not able to bear the way Draco would look at him. Like he wasn't human, and, to be fair, he no longer was.
Expecting this reaction, Harry was completely taken aback to feel warm palms on his cheeks. This time, when Draco pulled Harry's face towards him, Harry resisted. Draco lessened the pressure on his face, and then repeated the action. This time, Harry allowed it. He was surprised to see Draco's eyes were full of tears, a watery silver stare meeting his vividly green one.

Eternity will never be enough for me
And eternally will live our infallible love

Draco pressed his forehead to Harry's and looked directly into his eyes, moving his hands to Harry's neck. Draco was so close that, every now and again, their noses brushed.
"You're insane," Draco said in the strangest tone Harry had ever heard, "completely insane."
Harry screwed his eyes shut, feeling a few tears leak out from underneath his compressed eyelids.
"But, I love you," Draco said, slightly shifting his face so he was whispering directly into Harry's mouth. "Oh god I love you."
Harry was utterly incapable of speech. Unable to say anything in reply, Harry flew forward and flung his head into Draco's shoulder, sobs ripping from him as he embraced the only thing on the earth he would die without. He continued to sob into Draco's shoulder as Draco's strong arms enveloped him.
"I can't lose you! I can't lose you!" Harry said furiously, though it was hardly comprehendible.
It was obvious by Draco's quavering voice that he was crying. "You won't, you won't. Not ever."

Harry was never aware of moving, but next thing he knew he was on the couch inside Draco's house, still sobbing into his shoulder. It was some time later that Harry had composed himself enough to emerge from Draco's shoulder. Still sniffling, he made a point of avoiding eye contact. He didn't want to look Draco in the eye when he told Harry that he didn't want this, that Harry had done all of this for nothing.
"Do it."
Harry's head shot up, his eyes as wide as quarters. "What?" he said, with some attempt at a gasp.

Draco twitched the collar of his shirt down. "Do it," he repeated, in an unmistakably sincere voice.
"Draco-" Harry started, but Draco interrupted.
"What are you here for, Harry, if it's not this? You probably don't think I've thought it through. Probably think I'll regret it after, don't you?" Draco said passionately. Harry had never seen him like this. He was almost frightening. "Well, I won't. I won't, Harry!"
He leaned forward, his eyes softening. "I can't think of any better way to spend my life than to live a thousand lifetimes with you."

Harry surprised himself with his reaction. That was exactly what he had wanted. Draco had said exactly what Harry had wanted him to say, what he had needed him to say. So why was he hesitating?
"You're- you're sure?" Harry asked in a whisper.
Draco smiled weakly. "Just try not to hurt me too much, ok?"
Harry couldn't smile back, not now. It just wasn't a moment for humour.

My brain is pumping an unusual secretion of lust

Harry made to argue again, but Draco turned his face and pulled his shirt down, exposing an entire side of his neck to Harry.
Harry knew Draco's mind was made up, and yet he still hesitated. He wanted this, he wanted this so bad...but this was Draco's life. His entire future would be different; and he, Harry, would be the cause of it.
"I'm sure," Draco said, and even Harry's wildest attempts at rationalizing could not mask the absolute finality in Draco's voice.

A few small tears escaped the corners of Harry's eyes.
"I love you," he whispered.
Harry saw Draco's throat rise and fall, and he appeared to be swallowing hard.
"I love you more," Draco replied.

Your eyes are softer now, your chin, it drips a bloody colour of rust

It was over in a second. Harry lunged, not trusting himself to do it slowly. He stared at the two bleeding holes in Draco's neck as he pulled away, falling off of the couch. He closed his eyes and held his hands to his ears as Draco screamed. Harry knew the transformation was painful, though he could not remember his own. Eventually, Draco's breathing became relaxed and Harry rushed to his side. He had no idea how long it would be before Draco awoke, but even these few minutes of holding his unconscious form were brutally painful for him. He found himself wallowing in self-loathing. What had he been thinking? What had he done? What had he done...

I am raising up the sakes of this round, I am playing for keeps

Draco's eyes suddenly opened as he gasped and sputtered awake. "Draco! Oh my god, Draco!" Harry exclaimed with elation, pulling him into what must be a bone-crushing hug.

Draco was still breathing heavily, and Harry remembered his feeling of lacking in oxygen when he had woken up.

"Harry..." Draco whispered, as if he was just becoming aware of his presence. "Did it work?" he asked, returning to his senses.
"I...I don't know," Harry replied, feeling inadequate.
"Well, these things might be a clue," Draco said, pulling back so Harry could see him rolling his tongue across his fangs.
"Yea, a clue..." Harry said distractedly.

Would you like to leave this human race tonight?

Draco wrapped his arms around his waist. "Penny for your thoughts," he said in the most singsong voice imaginable.
Harry snorted, and shoved him lightly. "Moron," he muttered.
"Ah, yes, but I am an immortal moron!" Draco declared, the hint of pride in his voice somehow stinging Harry.
"Congratulations, you will forever be an idiot," Harry said, but his tone didn't follow the sarcasm of his words.

Draco settled his head on Harry's chest. "Seriously, what's wrong?"

Eternity will never be enough for me
And eternally will live our infallible love

Harry didn't quite know how to respond. What was wrong? Nothing, nothing at all was wrong. Everything was perfect...except for one thing.

"Did I just completely ruin your life?" Harry said, almost as though he was thinking aloud as opposed to actually directing a question.
"What?" Draco laughed, sliding his head up so he could see Harry's face.
"I'm just wondering if...if I've messed everything up for you. If, eventually, you'll hate me for this. For all of this."
"Now who's the moron?" Draco said lightly, lifting himself off of Harry's chest so he could look directly into his eyes.
"No, I'm serious," Harry said, and Draco's face fell.

For the third time that night, Draco grabbed Harry's face. This time, however, he pushed Harry's cheeks together until he figured he looked like a bespectacled fish.
"I will never hate you," he said, and Harry felt his heart melt at the sincerity.
"But..." Draco said mischievously, releasing Harry's face and wriggling his arms out from around Harry's waist. "If you don't take your pants off right now, I might be forced to."
Harry grinned and leaned forward, pinning Draco to the couch with a kiss as he undid his belt.

Follow me into the sea
Drown together and immortalize you and me
Leave behind this lonely town
We're both better than this, it's not worth being down