It occurs to Draco that night, that they hadn't made any sort of plan for their supposed date. He wonders if it would be a tad too desperate if he were to walk up to Harry and ask him about it. He's a little worried that it would come out mildly scary so he settles for brooding in private , while he packs up his clothes to leave the next day.

He grabs a smooth pebble, something he'd picked up at the beach earlier and carefully slips it into his bag, just as Troy appears at the door way, loud and raucous. He has a face mask on, an ugly shade of green and Draco stifles his laughter at the side.

"All set for tomorrow? Need something?" He asks chirpily ,glancing around the room expectantly. Draco rolls his eyes and shakes his head and Troy flounces into the room, jumping on the bed. Draco winces when three of his folded shirts get mussed up , but he can't bring himself to yell at Troy who looks like a village idiot : pathetic and pity inspiring. When he moves closer to get the shirts, he sniffs the air at the familiar scent.

"Why do you smell like Harry?" Draco blurts out, before he can filter his thoughts and censor them in his head. Troy raises his eyebrows in shock.

"Harry? I just smell like apples. Wait a minute, how do you know how Harry smells?" Troy narrows his eyes at Draco and the blonde fights hard to keep the blush down. Troy was like a shark sniffing blood in water when it came to Draco's discomfort.

"I live with him, Troy. Of course I know what he smells like." His voice comes out a bit bitter and there's ringing silence for a second.

"Okay, spill."

Draco looks up in confusion and Troy is lying belly down on his bed, chin resting on the V of his entwined fingers and he looks too ridiculous to invite confidence, so Draco just laughs.

"There's nothing to spill." Draco smiles , refolding one of the messed shirts and carefully placing them in his suitcase. Troy waits till he's done before reaching out and pulling on Draco's arm till he flops down next to the boy.

"Go on , blondie. Tell me what's got that pretty little head of yours in a rut and I'll help you out." He ruffles Draco's hair playfully and Draco pushes him away in mock disgust.

"Stop that! It's nothing. Just something silly. Harry and I didn't get any details sorted out for our date and I was just curious-"

"Is that all? Hold on a second - HARRY!" Troy finishes the last few syllables in a banshee howl that knocks ten years off Draco's life.
Draco flails , trying to get the other to shut up, but its too late and they're greeted by the site of a panting Harry, fresh out of the shower looking incredibly sexy and hot and wet. Jesus, someone open a window!

He looks wildly at the pair of them.

"Are you alright, Troy?" He asks worriedly and Draco crawls away from the taller boy hastily. He tries to gather his thoughts , which are currently trying to tell him how lovely the boy's hair looks, wet and curled near his nape.

"Yes , of course he's-"

"Draco wants to know when you guys are going on the date."

I'm murdering him in his sleep, Draco thinks in desperation while trying to look normally at Harry, when in fact he wants nothing more than to disappear through the floor.

"No...it's just...I was.." Draco stutters but Harry begins smiling gently and he shuts up.

"I just thought we could get back home before going out. Impatient , are we?" Harry smirks a bit deviously , hands reaching up to pull on the slightly wet towel around his neck and Draco agrees that yes, Harry Potter is too handsome for his own good.

"What?! No.. I just... I don't mind.. We can do it soon. I mean, the could go on the date soon. Or later... anytime really , I don't..." He stops when Troy throws him a look of abject pity.

"Alright. You better get to bed, both of you. Good night Troy." Harry smiles at the boy and then walks out, throwing one last heated glance in Draco's direction.

Draco waits till his footsteps fade away before pouncing on Troy.

Their trip back is too rushed and Draco and Harry get very little privacy, especially when Gerald had dragged away a protesting Harry to sit with him, before either Draco or Troy could protest. Consequently, Draco and Troy spend the entire train ride back home bickering and when they finally reach their dorms, Harry is so exhausted that he leans heavily on Draco, who supports the smaller boys weight with an arm around his waist.

They wait a bit in the reception to get their keys and Draco's skin feels unnaturally hot and scratchy from the way Harry leans into him, trying to curl his body into the curve of Draco's spine. While Troy signs the forms , Draco watches a small drop of sweat trickle down the side of Harry's face, following its path diligently with his eyes until it reaches his jaw and then when he looks back up he finds Harry watching him and he turns as red as a tomato.

When they reach their room, after bidding good night to Gerald and Troy, Draco carefully closes the door and turns around to get ready for bed, only to be assaulted by a handful of Harry.

"I missed you." the brunette sounds all soft and sleepy and Draco fights down a smile, gently guiding him to his bed and lowering him to the mattress. He begins moving away but Harry's hands flutter down from his bicep to his wrist and he gives a little tug, prompting Draco to sit next to him. Harry sits cross legged while Draco leans back into the brunette's chest , tired and weary from their journey.

"About that date...is there anyplace you want to go?" Harry's breath is hot against his ear and Draco leans back a bit, only slightly flinching when Harry's lips touch the sensitive skin just below his ear. His arms rest around Draco's waist with easy familiarity, the fingers splayed flat over his belly-button.

"Nowhere. You pick." Draco says tiredly because he wants Harry to be comfortable on their first date and then maybe they would have another. Also, sleepy Harry's voice is hypnotic and smooth, like expensive wine and comfy pillows and something else that reminds Draco of home.

"How about the lake? At mid night? I'll pack us some food." Harry whispers, the movement of his lips transferring to the skin near Draco's neck and he melts a little bit more , because it seems like the most romantic place for a date. Oh, God if Troy should hear his thoughts right now!

"Okay." Draco sighs, feeling as if his bones are melting, turning him weightless. Harry hands run up and down his arm, slow and light, occasionally applying pressure on his wrists.

"Next Saturday." Harry almost coos , clearly too sleepy to sound suave.

A part of Draco's mind tells him that's almost a week away but he swallows it. Harry had asked him out. It was only fair that he got to pick.

"That's fine with me." He's already half asleep and Harry hums a bit, chin resting on his shoulders now and it takes all of his will power to peel himself away from the smaller boy, gently easing him down to a sleeping position and tucking him in.

"Good night, Harry." He begins moving away but the fingers are around his wrist again, tugging him down and he flushes, leaning down self consciously. Harry gets up on his elbows and places a soft kiss on his forehead.

"Sleep well, Dray."

Draco almost floats back to his bed.

They get Saturday off with just a few review sessions and by two in the afternoon, they assemble on the floor of Troy's room, well fed and drowsy. Troy drags a mattress to the center of the floor and adjusts the screen of his laptop, in a way that all of them could get a clear image.

"No one watches horror movies in the afternoon. You're a bunch of scaredy cats! " Harry rolls his eyes but Troy gives him a withering look.

"The only reason we're watching this now is because you and blondie are going away on a romantic getaway tonight. " He leers at Draco who pummels him on the back with closed fists.

Gerald , who had been unusually quiet , shuffles over to Troy and blinks.

"What is it, Ger? " Troy asks fondly, reaching out to the boy with one hand and Draco and Harry watch in amusement as the boy curls into Troy's form, head slipping to his lap and limbs going loose. Troy frowns in exasperation, but he's already picking up a pillow slipping it between his thigh and Gerald's head and threading his fingers through the boy's hair, making the latter close his eyes at once.

"It's like he's your pet cat or something. Always wanting to be stroked." Harry says in bemusement.

Troy shrugs, residual fondness still shining out of his eye.

"Maybe, but he brings sunshine into my life. Some people are meant to bring happiness , you know. " Troy smiles down at the boy and Draco glances instinctively at Harry and finds him staring back . He feels blood rush to his face and looks down to where his hands are curling in his lap.

"Anyway, let's go out next weekend!" Troy starts eagerly.

"No clubbing!" both Harry and Draco glare at each other.

"What the-" Draco splutters because why is he being glared at?!

"Why are you-" Harry rolls his eyes as if he wasn't the one who'd messed up their last clubbing experience.

"You're the lightweight that can't handle his alcohol!" Draco glares.

"At least I don't dry hump my partners on the dance floor." Harry sneers back.

Troy holds up in his hands in defeat.

"Ladies, ladies. Retract your claws . No drinking, no dancing, no getting laid. I get it! Although you might as well sign up for your chastity belts and-ow!" This time when Draco clamps his hand on the boy's mouth, Harry's fingers close over his own and Draco blinks at the sudden sensory pleasure shooting up his spine.

They stare at each other in shock and then Harry starts laughing, eyes twinkling and Draco thinks he looks a little bit too beautiful.

He pulls his fingers back, his heart thrumming.

"Okay, that's weird. Stop making eyes at each other. I feel like a third wheel! " Troy pouts sadly and both Harry and Draco freeze.

"What?" Troy asks curiously, pulling his lower lips back in letting his eyes return back to their normal state.

"Wow, for a second there you looked really..." Draco struggles to find a word that wouldn't offend the manliest boy in their gang.

"Adorably fluffy." Harry sniggers. Troy's eyes widen in horror and he lunges at the smaller boy.

"YOU TAKE THAT BACK, HARRY POTTER!"

In the end they fall asleep like that, Draco with his head in Harry's lap and his torso draped over Troy. Harry stays awake, staring at the scene in front of him. It takes a bit of effort but he manages to reach out and grab his camera.

Some stories, he muses are just too beautiful to pass up.

Click.

In the end, Harry makes Troy steal food for them from the kitchen after bribing him with promises of introduction to Hermione. Draco tries to interject with phrases like ' bossy-know-it-all' and ' hair like a bird's nest' but Harry's awesome photography skills carry through and Troy takes one look at her pic and is smitten.

And so, at eleven thirty that night, both Harry and Malfoy sneak out of the dorms, arms laden with their picnic basket and cloak draped over their shoulders. Once they reach the lake, Harry makes quick work of the blanket, spreading it out on the grassy bank. Draco settles down on it, reaching out and dipping his legs in the lake. It's a bit chilly but only for a second. He wriggles his toes playfully and Harry slips a bit closer to him, letting his foot sink in next to Draco's.

They play around for a while, splashing water on each other and then Draco pulls his legs out.

"You okay?" Harry asks softly and Draco turns around to stare at him , a little apprehensive. There are so many things wrong with this , a part of him screams. But there's a part of him that longs, so badly , for this simplicity. Longs and has longed, all his life. Just this, the chance to relax and be himself and play around with water in the moonlight.

"I'm not sure." He admits, honestly.

"Tell me. " Harry says and for once his voice isn't relaxed. Instead it's a bit urgent and anxious.

"We're not... We'll never make it, you know." Draco sighs, dipping his legs back into the water, just as Harry pulls it out.

"Why? Because I'm famous?" There's a hint of bitterness in his voice and Draco hates himself for bringing this up. It was just a date, a small amount of time spent together. Too soon for heart to heart conversations.

"It's nothing. I just.. I don't want you to get hurt." He says truthfully.

"Because of you? Because I'm with you?" Harry's voice is a lot softer now, the bitterness replaced by concern.

"I.. Yes.. I mean... I'm.."

"You're Draco. A really nice looking, soft spoken young boy who is intelligent and charming. Smart enough to get into the best college in the country and nice enough to forgive people who've made his life hell. Why would I ever give you up?" Harry asks, reaching out and wrapping an arm around his shoulder but Draco shrugs it off.

"That's.. that's not what everyone else thinks." He mutters.

"No it isn't. And I won't say something stupid like , it doesn't matter what others think. Because it does, I know it does. And it's going to hurt. In fact I think it would hurt you a lot more than it would hurt me. But if I don't... If I don't take a chance with us... that's going to hurt me too. So its a choice. I can either choose to get hurt by people I don't give a damn about , and in return I get... get to be with someone I really...like.

"Or, I give up the boy I like and get hurt by my own decision. " Harry finishes.

"We hurt either way." Draco smiles bitterly, Harry's words making a lot of sense.

"Yes. All you need to choose is , what's worth the hurt? Being with me, or society's approval?" Harry leans forward slightly and Draco blinks. They stay that way for a second and Harry sighs, pulling back.

"I've already chosen, Draco. I'm not pushing you, but I hope you'll pick me." He says quietly.

Draco stares into the nigh, thoughtfully. So easy, he tells himself. So easy to turn around right now and kiss Harry, tell nhim that he doesn't deserve so much happiness. That his heart is so light, he wants to spout wings and fly.

So easy but so frightening.

The wind picks up and he shivers a little, only to have a warm blanket wrapped around his shoulder. Harry snuggles in with him and they huddle together . Draco's thoughts trip over each other and he wants to run away but he stays still, letting the gentle lap of the water against his toe, calm him.

"It's just you and me." Harry whispers, " Right now. Just you and me. Let's pretend we're the only ones on the planet."

Draco turns around to the brunette in surprise but Harry's looking out into the lake, lit by a full moon.

"The moon is a ghostly galleon, tossed upon cloudy seas." He says absently and Draco nods, looping his finger with Harry's. They sit in silence, pressed against each other and Draco waits till the moon slips behind a cloud before turning around, slightly, and pressing his lips against Harry's.

It's soft and very short, over before it even begins and Harry smiles into the kiss.

"Happy Birthday, Draco." He whispers suddenly and Draco starts.

"Wh-What?" He lets out a yelp when a pair of arms grab him from behind lifting him up with ease and tossing him into the lake.

He sinks like a stone and comes back up, spluttering. Troy and Gerald stand next to Harry , all three of then guffawing and he can feel simultaneous joy and fury and he crawls his way out of the lake, chasing the tall monster around the lake, while he screams for mercy. It's a riot and in the end they all end up in the lake, trying to dunk each other and kicking water at each other.

At around two, they cast drying charms on each other and Troy pulls out a squashed cake from his basket. Draco is amazed they'd remembered, when he'd forgotten it himself. He hasn't thought of his birthday in such a long time.

"Happy birthday dear Draco ~~" Gerald sings , his voice high and pure while the others stare in awe.

"You sing beautifully." Draco whispers, offering the first piece to a blushing Gerald , because he doesn't deserve this. Doesn't deserve any of this and he knows who he has to be grateful to.

"Thank you." He mumbles, tears stinging the corner of his eyes as he offers the piece of cake with his name on, to Harry.

"No, Draco. Thank you. Thank you for being born and for making my world a better place." Harry whispers back and the tears slip out.

"Hey, birthday baby, don't cry." Troy whispers, wrapping an arm around his waist and pulling him into a half hug.

"Yeah. If you cry on your birthday an angel in heaven loses her wings." Gerald says sadly and Draco laughs. He furiously wipes away his tears and instinctively kisses Gerald on the cheek.

"And maybe if I kiss another angel on his cheek, she'll get it back?" He teases and Gerald blushes red again, hiding behind Troy.

They spend the night out on the ground, tangled in each other and sometime before dawn, Draco wakes up, turning on his side and watching a drop of dew clinging to Troy's lashes. To his left, Harry's sleeping quietly, one arm wrapped around his waist and he realizes , that this is his world.

This was worth the hurt.

In Harry's draw, there's a photograph. It's a picture of Draco out in the lake, staring at Troy and Gerald while they play around with a toy that he'd bought them. That is his favorite, because Draco looks happy . He's genuinely happy that someone's enjoying something he'd given them.

And that, Harry decides is what makes him fall in love with Draco every time he sees him. The way Draco is willing to give anything, anything he can, just to make others happy.

And maybe that's why , he wants to be the main reason for Draco's smile.

Draco wonders what would change between them, but surprisingly nothing Spring turns to summer and Summer smooths out into Autumn, they grow closer. Draco stares out of his window, watching the leaves change color and he realizes that he's been changing too, his insecurities slipping down so much, his fears dissolving to vague memories that don't scare him as much as they used to.

He's still afraid though, because the real world is waiting for him. Waiting for him to step out of this little corner of watches for changes in Harry's way of looking at him, to see if the brunette was losing interest but if anything, Harry's affection only grows.

Nothing changes, yet everything's different.

Except, now Harry doesn't hide the fact that he likes looking at Draco and Draco doesn't have to sneak glances at him either. They smile and laugh and everytime his fears surface, Draco buries them down because for now, everything was fine. Time slips by fast and before he knows it, they're a week away from graduation.

When he walks into their room one evening, he finds a huge brown envelope on his bed.

Harry is out photographing with Troy and Gerald is sleeping in Harry's bed, arms flung out loosely.

Draco carefully tears open the flap and pulls out the contents.

It's a letter , a magazine and a photograph.

He reads the letter first.

Dearest Draco,

I'm not as brave as I look after all. I thought about all possible ways for me to do this, but in the end I chickened out. Don't hate me too much. I've never wanted to be an auror. In fact I'm not officially a student in the academy. The only reason I got in is because , let's say, the wizarding world owed me a favor?

While that's the reason I came in, the reason I wanted to come in, is something else.

You.

It might surprise you, even creep you out a bit, but I fell in love with you a long long time back. At the time, I didn't know what it was, even assumed it was just me falling in love with the way you look, because I'm a photographer and a photographer always falls in love with his subject.

But let's say I've never felt the need to chase any of my other subjects. A first for me. And so I dropped my job ( Senior Editor and Lead photographer in that photography magazine I've left in the envelope.) , and I took a chance with what I wanted.

I can't say what drew me to your side , what made me reach out for you, but I can tell you what made me want to stay .

You did.

Your smile, the curve of your lips, the way you tilt your head when you're confused, the way you bite your lower lip when you're worried, the way your hands twine together when you're nervous.

But more than that, the way you smile despite the pain you seem to feel, the way you reach out to help even when you need help as well. The way you let me close, although I stood for a world that had served you with injustice.

And most importantly, I fell in love with you.

With all the good things and all the bad things, all the silly things and the painful things, everything that makes you, YOU.

I can't promise you the perfect life.

There's going to be rough days, days when you want to rip my hair out or bury me alive. Days when people might throw words and actions at you, all calculated to cause hurt. But through it all, I swear I'll stay by your side.

Because believe it or not, I love you.

I loved staying by your side, looking over you, even when you hardly acknowledged me. Imagine how much I'd enjoy being with you when you love me back.

I sound desperate , don't I?

Well, I won't deny it.

I'm not perfect Dray and neither are you and life will never ever be perfect. But I'll do my best to be the best I can be.

Why not smile when there's nothing to cry about?

Why not love when there's love to be had?

I took a chance and I found true love, Dray.

Will you take a chance with me?

Love,

Harry.

P.s :- That photograph is something I've saved for a while. I'm sure you'll like it. It was taken at the Quidditch World Cup, the only time I got to see the pair of you together.

Draco can feel his fingers trembling. He reaches out for the photograph and to his surprise it's his mother. She staring out into the side and he catches sight of himself, with his body turned away from her, leaning into his father and hanging onto his every word.

There's something wistful about the way she stares at him, soft and happy. She looks content, like looking at Draco is all she wants and his stomach clenches .

He turns the photo around and Harry's scrawl greets him

Photography is a way of feeling, of touching, of loving. What you have caught on film is captured forever... it remembers little things, long after you have forgotten everything.

To be remembered, that's all she wants.

When Harry steps into the room, there's an awkward pause. He stays near the door, looking nervous.

"You lied to me." Draco states bleakly. Harry's eyes widen in shock and he opens his mouth to argue but Draco holds up a hand.

"Editor in chief? Award winning Photographer? Sold over ten million copies? " He whispers softly shaking his head in disbelief, waving the magazine at Harry's face, making him wince.

"I can exp-"

"I love you."

Harry's eyes fly open in shock. He goes slack jawed and stares . And then stares some more.

"I love you, because you're everything I'm too afraid to be. I love you because you take chances with vermin, who don't deserve it and I love you, because I'm a selfish bastard and I can't imagine letting you go." Draco finishes quickly and it's good that he did because Harry presses him into the bed, his lips crushing Draco's in a fierce kiss.

He relaxes in a second , gently teasing him with soft, and slow teases , teeth tugging on his lower lip.

"You're not mad?" He whispers into Draco's mouth and Draco smiles into the kiss.

"I am. But I'm giving you a chance to make it up to me. " He gently guides Harry's hand to the collar of his shirt and Harry's eyes widen in surprise.

"Are-Are you sure? We don't.. It's alright if we-"

"Stop thinking , Potter. It makes you do stupid things."

Harry's not sure how this happens , but in a way he does, because it's only natural that he should want to memorize each dip and curve of Draco's body. The contours of his body that make his shadow that much longer, the silky strands that reflect light and the brightness of his eyes that shine through his photographs.

Draco is all nervous energy, a cacophony of whimpers and gasps and pleas, easily undone under Harry's desperate fingers and mouth. He fists his hand in Harry's shirt and pulls him close, crushing their lips together and Harry can taste the soft pink lips that look so delectable on film. He slips a tongue in and tastes brightness and shadows and secret fantasies and he tastes love, love as pure as the emotions captured on celluloid.

"I could wait." He whispers, not willing to push the other boy.

Draco smiles wide and bright and Harry falls in love all over again.

"I can't." Draco drags him back down.

Harry teasingly pushes him back and Draco falls back against the soft mattress, like he's been shoved. He melts into the kiss and then Harry's lips move away, dragging his teeth and tongues over the exposed expanse of his neck, lightly sucking and biting and then soothing with his tongue. Draco gasps and struggles and fights for air, before dragging their lips together again.

Harry kisses him until he's splayed flat against the bed, eyes wide and lost and lips parted, blush staining his cheeks and then Harry's reaching out to the table and pulling his camera , snapping a picture.

"You're such a weirdo!" Draco laughs , too turned on to be annoyed.

"No, just a photographer. A photographer in love." Harry leans down, pushing his hips down into Draco's and he gasps at the friction. They make quick work of their jeans and suddenly its skin on skin and he's not sure if he's doing this right.

"Harry.. I..I.."

"Hey, relax. I got you." Harry hold him close, just holding him, cradling him almost and the familiar words smooth away his apprehensions and he's moving closer, trying to pull more sounds out of Harry, his lips tracing the line of his chest, tongue swirling around one nipple before moving down and down, dipping lightly into his belly button.

And then the camera is tossed to the side, Harry flipping them over with ease , his lips moving down , tongue dipping into the curve of his waist down and then further down , lightly licking at his tip and Draco's pretty certain he loses his mind at that point.

"You're amazing." He whispers, when Harry slides a single digit in, slowly , so slowly. But it stings and he tries to relax, tries to think about nothing but the feeling of Harry's long thin finger pushing into him.

"Relax for me." Harry whispers, lips close to his ear, licking and teasing .

He tries but feels like it's too much and then he's pulling out his finger and pushing back in and dear, God, it burns.

"I'll make it good. Just relax for me." Harry say gently, lapping at his neck and Draco unclenches his thighs letting him work his way in, sighing when the slide becomes a little more easy and a little more familiar.

"So beautiful." Harry whispers and Draco laughs, shaking his head.

"It's dark, you can't even see-"

"I'm a photographer . I make a living out of seeing things that aren't visible." He slips another finger in and curls his fingers against the walls of Draco's insides and the gentle press of the pad of his finger is too much and not enough , all at once. Draco's head falls back into the pillow, all coherency leaving his body in a single whoosh of breath.

"Look at me. Only me." Draco whispers when Harry thrusts into him for the first time and Harry nods shakily and he pushes in, leaving Draco trembling at the ache and the pain and wanting to cry out, but he swallows it all down because he knows its going to get better .

"Don't wander off. " Draco whispers, pulling him down for a kiss and Harry pushes in deeper, earning a gasp. He wishes he could explain, that he can't ever think of anything but Draco because Draco's the perfect photograph. And then suddenly, Draco's flipping them over and moving down on him, pressing Harry deeper inside himself and it's a lot like panning.

Draco is the main picture, the only distinguishable object in a sea of blurred emotions and Harry leans back, watching him with wide eyes.

When its over they fall back over each other and Harry kisses him, soft and sloppy.

"I can't ever wander off. ..." He whispers and its the truest thing he's ever said.

When the three of them graduate, Draco tops his class.

Troy and Gerald look mildly dumbstruck when they learn that Harry isn't a student but they take it all in their stride. Troy and Draco are made partners for their first posting, somewhere in Brazil and Harry packs everything needed for Tropical Wildlife Photography but forgets insect spray and his toothbrush. But that's okay because Draco remembers things for him.

As Harry watches Draco sleep, he realizes that the most important thing about being a photographer is taking risks and believing in luck.

Because it doesn't matter how good a photographer you are, if there's nothing to take a photograph of.

Sometimes, Harry's just lucky that he finds beautiful stories in everyday instances.

Like the curve of Draco's spine when he sleeps, on his side, his back to the window, lit up by a late evening sun. The whites and golds and the beige and bronze of the picture amaze him and he clicks, enjoying the whirr of the film sliding into the belly of his camera.

In Draco, Harry has found the perfect story.

The night before they leave to Brazil, Draco dreams of his mother.

He's standing at the edge of a deep forest, on a clear night. the starlight is week at best and the canopy of trees overhead is too thick to let the light shine through. He catches sight of white gold hair, moving between the trees and he takes a step into the darkness, assaulted by the smell of damp foliage. The trees are thick and huge , so closely placed, their roots crawling out of the ground like hundreds of sea monsters and he takes care not to trip as he moves a bit in.

"Mother?" He's not calling for her, just wondering if she's there. The wind picks up and he stays in place. She appears then, in between two trunks, still dressed in her blue dress, still wearing her smile.

He feels a familiar urge, the urge to reach out and run , to find her and keep her with him. He begins moving, because he's too weak to fight it. Too weak to let go of her.

Because holding on to her is so much easier than letting he reaches out, ready to chase and she turns around begins to move away from him, just as familiar fingers slip into his. He turns in surprise and Harry's there, curling his fingers with his.

"Go, on." He gives him a push and Draco trips and falls, not on the floor but into darkness.

When he blinks he's back in that old country path and his mother's there, close enough for him to reach her, maybe even outrun her.

But he doesn't chase and she doesn't run. Instead she looks angry and impatient like she's waiting for him to do something. Like she's always waited for him to do it. But Draco's never known what to do because he's stupid that way.

So he just goes with what he wants to do.

"I'm happy, mother." He calls out to her.

Her face relaxes, the impatience seeping out of it with ease, the furrowed brows relaxing and she looks a lot like how he remembers her from his childhood. She smiles at him, wistfully , and then a bit wider. And then she picks up the edge of her skirt and moves a bit towards him.

"That's what you were waiting for. You were waiting for me to be... happy again. " He says thoughtfully, taking a step towards her and she doesn't run.

She laughs again, full and hearty . She steps a bit more closer and then kisses him, lightly, on his cheek. Then the other. and then on his forehead. Her finger brush back the hair out of his eyes and she strokes his cheek, just like old times.

"I am too." she whispers. The pain of losing her hits him like a ton of bricks and Draco hates goodbyes and here he is , going through the worst goodbye of his life, all over again. Because he knows, deep down, he isn't going to see her again.

She moves away, turns around and begins walking away. Draco watches her go and she stops near the end of the slope, turning to wave a bit. Draco waves back.

"I love you." He mouths, not sure if she can see it. But he knows she can feel it. And she responds with a smile , a very wide smile.

The sun rises over the edge of the horizon, spilling over the landscape and coating it in a bronze hue. He blinks and she's gone.

This time when he wakes up, it's bright and warm, the sun streaming in through the window. Harry's next to him, the light catching out his golden skin and Draco reaches out kissing him softly. Harry blinks groggily and then grins at him.

"Hey, how you doing?" He whispers, stretching out.

"Happy." Draco whispers, snuggling closer." I'm really happy."

Harry laughs , a little confused but draws him closer.

"Okay. I'm.. happy too."

And in the end, that's all that matters.

A/N : oh, God. I want to cry. I loved writing this, I loved looking forward to writing this. And I was half tempted to put some sort of angst inside just to drag it out , but I couldn't . I wanted them to be together and I wanted it at once.

But now its done and I feel... sad? Just a little bit.

Thanks for reading, all of you! Don't forget to drop me a review. If you liked it that is. * flops away to cry in a corner *

P.s :- this is seriously the longest story i've written!