Dislcaimer: Please know by now that I don't own anything...

Well...finished the 6th HP book sometime after posting the last chapter. Yay. I'm so obessed with Harry Potter it's scary. My friend was laughing about how I can get so excited about things like that.

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Chapter Ten - Stay With Me

Harry woke up the next morning to find Hermione and Ron making out on the bed next to him

It was an interesting way to start the day.

He coughed. Ron and Hermione looked up, startled. "Oh, hey Harry!" Ron mumbled, face red and smiling cheerily. "Good morning."

Harry laugh softly, grinning. "So when were you going to tell me you two were together?" he asked jokingly.

"Well, I would have thought it was obvious," Hermione smiled; she had changed out of her nightclothes and into school robes.

"So I take it you're okay?" Harry continued, looking at Hermione.

"Yep," she nodded. "We were just going to go down to lunch. You've been sleeping for a while. Can't blame you. I just woke up myself."

"That Danielle girl woke up at nine. Can you believe her? You'd think she'd need more sleep," Ron commented. "And Malfoy's still sleeping. You coming down to lunch?"

"Naw, maybe later. I'm going to rest a little longer," Harry replied. "Who knows what'd happen if I went down to the Great Hall. There are probably two hundred different versions of what happened last night floating around."

"See you later then," Hermione said. "Hope you're feeling alright."

"Thanks," Harry told them, and they were gone. The ward was empty once again.

Harry stretched, yawning. He had fallen asleep in the robes he had been wearing yesterday, and noticed that they had wrinkled almost to the point where they couldn't be saved. He put his glasses on, glancing over at Draco's bed. He was still fast asleep, hair falling over his face in a mess of blonde. Harry went over and sat at the edge of his bed.

"Hey," he whispered quietly, as if to himself. "I know you're not listening to me, probably wouldn't care anyway." He paused, watching the Slytherin sleep. "But...I've felt closer to you these past few days than I thought I ever would in years. When you didn't answer me last night, when I had learned you weren't in the school anymore, I panicked. Stupid of me, really. When I thought that Voldemort had Sirius, I felt hate. When I knew he had Hermione, I felt angry. But when I learned that you were taken, my heart — not to sound cliched, but I always end up like that anyway — froze. Died. Did something that did not involve moving. But it hurt. A lot. It's something I'd never felt before. And so..."

"And so what?" Draco prompted, voice muffled by the sheet pulled up to his nose. Harry jumped off the bed, startled.

"Y-you're awake?" he gasped, face draining of color. "You sneaky little ferret, I — "

Draco snickered, sitting up. "I was going to say something when you came over, but you just started talking." He smiled innocently. "So, what were you saying?"

"I wasn't saying anything," Harry muttered.

When Harry refused to open his mouth again, Draco sighed. "Alright, alright, I give in. Don't say anything. Be that way." There was silence in the room as Draco's stomach growled ominously. "Mmm...I'm afraid I've missed a meal somewhere. What time is it?"

"Lunch time," Harry answered, nodding to the clock.

"To the Great Hall, then," Draco decided, standing up. "I'm feeling okay," he added, seeing the look on Harry's face. "Madame Pomfrey wasn't just picked up off the street to work here; she's a good Healer." He peered down at himself. "But...I don't think it's a good idea to go down there in my boxers..." he mused.

"You can where my robes. I'm wearing muggle clothes underneath," Harry offered, taking it off.

Draco took the robes thoughtfully. "A Slytherin wearing a Gryffindor's robes. How peculiar indeed." He grinned.

"I reckon you'll be alright. I mean, you just escaped from Voldemort's sacrificial ritual. A crowd of school students can't be that dangerous."

"Oh, you'd be surprised..."

oooOOooo

Harry was nearly mobbed when he sat down at the Gryffindor table. News, of course, travels faster than light at Hogwarts. Particularly incorrect news.

"What happened Harry?"

"Were there dead chickens and voodoo and stuff?"

"I heard you stabbed Voldemort!"

"Aren't you supposed to be dead?"

Harry groaned. Perhaps Draco had been right... fending off Voldemort was easier than dealing with the kids at his school.

Having problems?

Unfortunately. Everyone seems to think I just did something horribly heroic.

You did just do something horribly heroic. You saved my sexy ass, right?

Har har. Real witty, Malfoy.

I'm only here to please, Potter.

Harry grinned at the empty air in front of him. To his friends he said, "I'm alright, okay? All I did was find some people and transport them back here. Nothing major."

Someone whispered into his ear, "And someone seduced a Slytherin Sex God..."

"Ginny!" Harry exclaimed, turning to his right. "What are you talking about?"

"Mmm, he's wearing your school robes, isn't he?" Ginny nodded towards the Slytherin table. "That's a sure sign, you know?"

"Look, Gins, I've told you. Nothing is going on between — "

" Potter."

Harry looked up so fast his neck cracked. Professor Snape and Draco were standing behind him, Snape looking impatient and Draco a blank mask.

"Huh?" Harry gaped stupidly.

"Please come with me, Potter," Snape requested, though Harry knew he had little choice. He got up clumsily, not even having touched any food, and followed the two out of the Great Hall.

The outer hall was empty, the only occasional movements were in the paintings. There was a moment of silence, then,

"I've found an antidote for the bonding potion," Snape announced.

It came as a surprising shock. "What? But you said it would take a while to figure out!" Harry exclaimed.

"Yes, well, that book Mr. Malfoy found was a exceptional help. The antidote can be made in two days time."

Harry bit his lip, looking over at Draco. Did he really want to be split apart from him? After getting to know him so well?

That's exactly what I'm thinking... Draco muttered in his head. Do you think this potion has been affecting our feelings?

Harry considered this. In a way, I think it has, he said. But more in the sense that it gave us a chance. We did the rest.

Do you really want to be separated?

...It's for the good of everyone. What if what happened last night happened again? You or me'd be in trouble.

You'll have to study Occlumency harder, Potter. Draco smirked.

Harry glanced over at Snape again. He was looking fairly agitated. That made him feel happier for the moment.

Eh, what good would it do? I think I get worse the more I practice.

As with everything else you do?

Ow, harsh. But, back on topic. Would it be all that bad to stay connected?

There was a pause in both the mental and physical talking. Harry recalled everything that had happened since he came back to Hogwarts. True, all of it hadn't been the greatest week of his life, and it was definitely one of the more confusing, but all in all, it hadn't been that bad. Quite the contrary.

I think we can stick with it a little while longer, Harry declared. Who knows, it might come in handy.

Yeah... Draco smiled slightly, taking Harry's hand in his own. Then he turned to Snape and said,

"Actually, Professor, we'd prefer it if we could stay like this a while longer."

Snape groaned, and rubbed his forehead wearily. "You know you both will be in more danger because of this."

"Yeah," they answered at the same time.

"And you'll both have to work on your Occlumency, something I know Potter is not physically capable of?"

"Yeah."

"And rumors could – no, wait, this is Hogwarts – will be circulating if you go around holding hands?"

"Yeah."

Snape sighed, and gave up. If there were some people you couldn't argue with, it was teenagers. "Suit yourself. We can't force the antidote on you, or I'd have done something about your annoying habit of not doing what you're told, Potter. I'll be informing the Headmaster, of course. We may have to sort some things out, you know."

"Of course, Professor," Harry grinned elatedly. "You go inform the Headmaster. Yeah."

Snape shook his head and spun around, heading up the hallway and out of sight.

"That worked out alright now, didn't it?" Draco smirked, not letting go of Harry's hand. "I've still got you all to myself."

"Does this mean we're dating?" Harry smirked back.

"Oh, I'll have to see about that. Check my busy schedule and all."

"Schedule of what, manicures?"

"That hurt, Harry. Deeply and terribly hurt. I'm appalled."

"Sorry then."

"I had a manicure two weeks ago."

Harry stared at him.

"I'm joking, geez! Take the stick out, would you?"

"You know, there are a number of things I could say about that comment, but I'll let it slide for the moment."

"And there are a number of things I could say about that comment, but, you know. I'm a gentleman."

Harry snorted. "If you say so," he snickered.

Draco's face formed a look of mock insult. "Of course I'm a gentlemen! It'd be rude not to think so."

Harry rolled his eyes, grinning. "Well, you've got another thing coming if you think — "

He barely had time to register that the other boy had moved; in one deft motion Draco had a hand firmly around his waist and another on his shoulders, and dipping him low, placed a short kiss on the Gryffindor's lips. Sweet and simple. It was all Harry needed.

He stood back up and released Harry. "Not gentlemanly enough for you?"

"Oh, it was alright." Harry was beaming.

A voice rang from the doorway to the Great Hall. "Ha! I knew you two were — "

"GINNY!"

end.

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OMG. I have finally finished my first ever multi-chapter fic. I'm almost twitching, I'm so proud. This story started as a 'where the hell is this going?' fic and look where it ended up. Not at ALL how I originally intended.

My brother feels bad for Snape. He works his butt off the whole fic and it's all for nothing! Haha. And I quote, "BODAGGOTS! Why did you make me work my arse off for nothing?"

I'm thinking of a sequel. I have a sort of general idea for it, but no specific plot or anything, so don't hold your breath. I promise I'll work on it. I really need to try and continue some other stuff I have on here. If you want, you can go read my other stuff. Motivate me. You guys are the best for stuff like that. Thanks so much to all of you who have read this from the beginning. It means a lot to me.Luv ya all.