DRACO

Weeks rushed by, making Draco more nervous with each passing day. The grounds had started to thaw out, and he didn't really feel ready for graduation. It was all too soon - and yet, he felt kind of ready.

"Hey," they were all sitting under what had become their tree by the lake. Everyone turned to look at him, but Draco was only looking at Harry. "So I was thinking…"

He waited until Harry finished reading whatever paragraph he was on and looked up at him. He quirked his eyebrow in question, and the easy smile on his face made the last of the tension in Draco's stomach relax. "I was thinking about after graduation. I don't really want to move back to the Manor so I was thinking that maybe I would get an apartment somewhere near Diagon. Would you want to..? I mean I was just thinking we've got on well this year so…"

His heartbeat was pounding in his ears, and the longer he talked the more Harry's face got pinched. It was silly, he knew, but he felt like he'd just finished a rough Quidditch game.

"Are you… asking me to help you apartment shop?"

"No, I was asking-"

"Me to move in with you?" As soon as Harry finished his sentence, Blaise, Hermione, and Ron's heads all snapped back to their books. Ginny and Luna just stared at them. "I actually, well, I kind of already have a place."

Draco's heart fell. "Oh, yeah. Of course, you'd have plans, that's fine." He dropped his burning face back to his own text, trying to pretend the whole conversation never happened.

"Well, wait," Harry waited for Draco to school his face and look up. "It's the place Sirius left to me. I was actually going to ask - I mean it's too big for just me so I was going to ask you - but then you asked first, but yeah I would love to be - er-" Looking around Harry seemed to realize how quickly he was talking and paused.

"Yeah?" Draco asked, feeling butterflies flutter in his stomach.

"Yeah," Harry confirmed, grinning like an idiot back at him.

HPDMHPDM

DRACO

Draco clasped his hands together under the table. There was really no reason to be nervous - it wasn't like graduation was a ceremony. They simply had the final feast of the year, announced who won the House Cup, and they all got to throw their silly little hats. That was it. Then he and Harry would officially be living together.

He swallowed nervously, but before the panic could well and truly erupt, Harry grinned over at him, surreptitiously taking one of his hands to hold under the table. Suddenly, Draco was fine, reminded of exactly why he shouldn't be afraid. Being with Harry was easy as breathing. It was simple. Pure.

Headmistress McGonagall was taking the stage, and she well-wished the seventh and eighth years alike a wonderful life out in the real world. Then Ginny was leading the cheer from Gryffindor table as it was announced they'd won once more. Draco didn't really mind losing. His ties were to his people, not his House now, and he was shocked into laughter when Hermione yelled out a whooping, "Hell yeah, Minnie!"

He and Blaise locked eyes and snickered at the fact that goody-two-shoes Hermione Granger had finally caught onto their nickname for their beloved Headmistress. Blaise shook his head as he looped an arm over her shoulder, and Draco hoped their little triad would work out.

They made their way to the Hogwarts Express, for old time's sake, and lounged around a compartment together, speeding into their futures.

HPDMHPDM

DRACO

Harry stumbled when they apparated into the parlor at Grimmauld Place before heading off to the grand staircase. "I haven't cleaned everything out, but I figured I'd let you pick a room. I know you have way more stuff than I do, what with everything."

Unsure if he was supposed to follow Harry, Draco stayed put and began unshrinking boxes filled with his potions equipment. He'd gotten Severus' old mentor to lead him through his Potions Mastery program as well, and he'd been so excited he'd gone out to Hogsmeade the very next weekend to purchase supplies.

Trooping back down the stairs, Harry seemed to notice Draco was hesitating. "You coming?"

"Pick a room?" Draco repeated. He knew it was fast to move in together, but he hadn't thought they needed to discuss sleeping arrangements, having gotten into the habit of cuddling in each other's beds in Hogwarts until they fell asleep almost every night. But maybe Harry didn't want that here.

"Yeah I thought the room in the basement by the kitchen would work best so your potions weren't contaminated by sunlight, but then I thought maybe you'd want the top floor's study so there'd be plenty of airflow. I wasn't sure."

"Pick a room for my lab?" Draco clarified, thinking he sounded a bit insane at this point, but Harry just babbled away, seemingly not noticing.

"Yeah, I thought that's something you'd want to get set up right away. I also told Neville and Luna and them that we'd have everybody by next weekend, but I can get on cleaning up the main floor since I don't have a job yet. I hope you don't mind that I invited everyone. I guess I didn't really ask. It shouldn't be too big a job though. Plus if we don't get it done, the first floor's study is cleaned out; it'll just be a bit cramped."

"What about a bedroom?"

"Won't that be weird to have everyone hangout in a bedroom?" Cocking his head to one side, Harry looked almost like a dog, confused as he was.

"No, like," Draco cleared his throat, hefting his trunk, "to sleep. For me."

"Well, we'd take the master since it's- Oh. Oh, you don't- I'm sorry I never- I'd just assumed- Sure, if you'd like your own, I can clear one out. Yeah. No problem." Looking strangled and sounding nervous and awkward, Harry began to turn away, aiming to go back up the stairs.

"But what-" Harry didn't turn back at the sound of Draco's voice, but he did stop walking, which Draco took as encouragement, "What if I want to share?"

"You want to share?"

Draco nodded and was thrilled when a grin split Harry's face. He bounded back down the stairs, swooping Draco into a hug and planting a kiss on his cheek. "Good. I mean that's great. I mean," he let go, taking Draco's trunk from him and hauling it up the stairs, "cool. Yeah just cool."

HPDMHPDM

HARRY

Sitting at Hermione's kitchen table, Harry watched Ron and Blaise move about the little apartment. They'd both chosen to move home for the time being, but Harry knew they'd be spending plenty of time here too so were helping Hermione settle in. Hermione wasn't taking part in the heavy lifting, choosing to take a cuppa with Harry instead, her eyes bright as she pestered him.

"So how was last night?" She asked in a hush.

"Godric, there was so much dust on everything. It took more than an hour just to get the windows unstuck to air out the smell of it."

"What? No, Harry," shaking her head, she laughed. "How was it?"

"The house? I mean it's dark and musty but I really think we can make it a home. Draco's lab-"

"No! Oh, you are so dense. It. It. I didn't figure you'd done it in the dorms, but you must've last night."

"It? Oh, it! I-I-" Harry was flustered, his voice rising, but he didn't really worry about it. The guys were back in Hermione's bedroom and he heard them laugh, then quiet, then laugh again as the bed springs squeaked suddenly. Immediately Harry's mind wandered to them, wondering how it would work with them, which of them would… but he shook the thought from his head.

"You don't have to tell me how it was if you don't want to; I'm just being nosy, but was it… You know, was it good?"

"No! No, we didn't- We don't-"

"Oh!" Hermione looked about as mortified as Harry felt, her dark cheeks flaming. "I'm so sorry! Are you guys not..? Are you just roommates? I thought it went without saying that you were-"

"Yeah. I mean no. I mean we are. We're-" Harry couldn't help the grin on his face as he got butterflies all over again. "We're boyfriends."

"But you didn't..?"

"No," Harry confirmed, "we didn't."

"You didn't what?" Blaise asked as he grabbed an apple out of the bowl and munched into it, leaning with Ron on the bar splitting the kitchen and living area.

"Nothing!" Harry shouted, perhaps a bit too loudly. He could feel his face flaming again and had to turn away. "Cuppa anyone?"

HPDMHPDM

DRACO

Their little get together was going off without a hitch. Harry had cleaned up the whole main floor while Draco had covered the basement. Their bedroom was still a disaster, but that was okay, he told himself. No one would see upstairs.

He was leaning against the wall outside the parlour, a little overwhelmed by the raucous laughter inside. Luna, Pansy, and Blaise were the only non-Gryffindors and, damn, if those lions weren't just so loud! But he was listening in on Harry telling them about the reparations and remodeling they were doing to the Master, and he could feel his heart slow again a little, Harry's voice alone calming him.

"And Malfoy," he heard Ron yell, "where are you?"

He pushed himself off the wall, rejoining the party, "I just popped down to the kitchen. You've got to try one of these, Harry made them the muggle way. They're amazing." Setting down the platter he brought, he was happy to see Harry's pleased, little grin at being shown off.

"No," Ron said, mouth full. He gestured around at the house.

"Oh, well I've got everything for my lab up and running." He prattled on for a bit then asked Neville how setting up his own greenhouses was going. Neville's long suffering sigh had them all laughing, and Draco completely missed Ron's look of utter confusion.

HPDMHPDM

HARRY

They were having a pub night and somehow Harry had gotten jammed between Blaise and Luna, while Draco was all the way at the opposite corner talking to Greg and Hermione. Right now, Ron was leaning around Blaise, frankly pissing Harry off.

"I'm just saying you should find a nice girl to settle down with."

"I'm just telling you that that's not what I want," Harry retorted.

"A bloke then," Ron waved his hand as if dismissing it. "Whatever."

"I really don't think I want to add a new personality to the mix."

"You don't have to worry about the group dynamic," Ron swung his arm around Blaise, either for emphasis or to keep steady, Harry couldn't tell. "Really. I just don't want you to be lonely."

"I'm not lonely just living with Draco." It was true too. They'd been living together for four months now and it was perfect. Harry still hadn't figured out what he wanted to do so far as a career, but he was having a good time just fixing up the place, getting it livable again, and Draco had really taken to his independent study. Harry understood why Ron and Hermione loved Blaise and how he balanced them and was just as much a part of their relationship, but Harry didn't want that. Why couldn't Ron get that?

"Yeah," Ron hesitated, "but, like, how permanent is that? Aren't you going to wake up one day and want to fall in love?"

Harry turned to Luna, biting back tears, "Excuse me."

He'd had to say it another two times before she heard him over her conversation with Ginny and Pansy and the general noise of the crowded pub, but he finally got himself out of the booth. Making his way out onto the street, he wrapped his arms around himself. He thought this was permanent with Draco, but maybe, like Hermione had known they were dating without him saying anything, Ron could see that they were just a fling.

He didn't know if he loved Draco. He had no experience with that tiny, tight, fluttery feeling that erupted in this chest every time he looked over and saw Draco sitting at their kitchen table, absently stirring a tea bag as he concentrated on his readings. He'd thought it was love, but maybe Ron was right and it wasn't. Or maybe Ron could see Draco didn't return it. They certainly hadn't talked about it.

His conversation all those months ago with Hermione came back to him. Maybe that's why they hadn't slept together. Harry thought a fling would mean more physicality, but maybe Draco was afraid of Harry catching feelings he didn't want to return. Tears stung his eyes, but he refused to let them fall.

Draco followed him out, and Harry realized it must have taken him a moment to get Pansy, Hermione and Luna to move for him. "You okay?"

He'd asked softly, full of care, but Harry was still so angry at Ron that his voice came out rougher than he meant it to. "Why don't you want to have sex?"

Jerking as if slapped, Draco stepped back, "You want to have sex?"

"No. Yes. I mean no, that's not what I meant, not right now anyway."

"You didn't say anything. I figured you didn't want to, that maybe you were asexual."

"Then why would I want to share a bed? And kiss?"

"Asexual people are all different. Their lines of what they do and don't want are specific to each person, and you never expressed an interest so…"

"You never expressed an interest either."

"Well, I'm demi," Draco shrugged as if that answered everything.

"I don't know what that means."

"It's-" Draco huffed, trying to find the words to explain. "It's like "sometimes," but like not. Like conditions. The whole sex thing is a complete non-issue for me, like it's not even a thing for me, if the emotion connections not there."

"Oh," Harry said. Then saying he was demi really did explain everything. Draco just didn't have feelings for him. "I see." His voice was tight, and he disapparated.

HPDMHPDM

DRACO

"You are not apologizing for your sexuality. You are not apologizing for your sexuality. You are not apologizing for your sexuality," Repeating it to himself like a mantra, Draco hoped he'd begin to believe it soon. He hadn't expected Harry to be so pushy about the whole thing, but then Draco guessed he really wasn't. They'd been living together for months and dating for months before that, and Harry had been patient. Plus, he hadn't said anything last night, just come home and locked himself in the spare bedroom.

Draco would be mad if he thought Harry was trying to manipulate him, but he really didn't think that was it so he couldn't figure out why Harry had gotten so mad so quickly last night. It wasn't as if he could ask him either, as Harry had been gone by the time Draco had woken up this morning. He was trying really hard not to be mad right back, but it was hard when he had his feelings hurt. It was so much easier to be angry than to be sad.