Disclaimer: I don't own anything hp related.

1. Title: Because I Never Gave Up

Author: Spideria

Chapter: 13

Thank you to: All my wonderful reviewers! I hope you haven't given up on me and my story because I took so long to update! Sorry!!! Anyway, I was really sick for the past two weeks with a horrible cold type of thing, but today, I got two days off of school, and while I was just going to sleep all day, seeing as how I've been terribly tired lately, (waking up at 5:30 a.m. for school and staying up 'til midnight with homework) but some of my lovely reviewers have been asking for the last chapter and I figured, why not just finish it up? Oh, and read the ending A/N for a little secret I've been wanting to tell.

Chapter: No one else

"Harry?" Draco asked, confused at Harry's flustered state.

"Draco," Harry breathed out, still a bit out of breath.

"What are you doing here, Harry?"

"I was looking for you."

"But how did you know where to find me?"

"I didn't."

Draco raised a curious brow at Harry.

Harry only stared back for a moment before finally saying, "Draco, listen. I'm really sorry."

"And you should be." Draco stated, angrily. Although Oliver's little chat had made him feel better, it hadn't made him completely forgive Harry.

Harry simply looked down at the ground, not knowing what to say. His right hand rubbed up and down his left arm, nervously.

Draco let out a sigh and rolled his eyes to himself. He just couldn't hate Harry. All he had to do was look over at Harry, looking so vulnerable, and he felt himself completely melt. He just wanted to wrap his arms around Harry and comfort him. But he held himself back.

As he'd been telling himself a lot, lately, he couldn't just let Harry get away with it that easily.

There was a long silence before Harry walked around the bench and sat down next to Draco, his eyes still staring at the ground.

"Draco," Harry began slowly, still not sure of what he was trying to say. "I...I've been . . . thinking, lately."

"About?" Draco asked, after Harry had stopped.

"About a lot of things, I guess."

Draco nodded his head slowly, sort of understanding what Harry was saying. He didn't want to talk; he wanted to hear everything Harry had to say.

"Mostly about . . . us, though."

"Oh?" Draco asked, quietly.

"Yeah." Harry let out shakily. His heart began beating crazily; he could feel wild butterflies zooming around in his stomach, begging to escape.

Draco turned his head to look at Harry, expectantly.

"I...we . . . we've been friends for a really long time," Harry continued.

"Yes."

"And, well . . . that's been great. But . . . I think . . . I think I want more."

"Oh really?" Draco asked annoyed, crossing his arms. Draco had been wanting more for years, and only now, Harry was starting to want the same?!

"Yeah," Harry continued, oblivious to the fact that his last statement had annoyed Draco. He still hadn't dared to chance a glance at Draco, too nervous about what he was trying to say.

"Remember when Hermione and Ron first got together?" Harry asked.

"Yes . . . " Draco answered slowly, not understanding how that had anything to do with what they had just been talking about.

"Everyone knew they liked each other." Harry continued, "It was so obvious. They always passed each other secret glances when they thought the other one wasn't looking. And the smallest things would make the blush.

"And remember how Ron would always get really jealous when Victor talked to Hermione, and Hermione would get jealous when Ron talked about any girls, too?"

Draco nodded, smiling slightly at the memory of those two get so jealous over the other.

"Yeah, Hermione even slapped one of the girls who had kissed Ron. She scared the poor girl to death." Draco added, laughing.

Harry soon joined Draco, and for a moment, they forgot about their problem, and just laughed, enjoying the other's company, not caring about anything else.

However, as do all happy moments in life, it ended, and they fell into an awkward silence.

"Things used to be so easy back then." Harry said softly.

Draco said nothing, just looked down at the floor, as Harry had done before.

"But you know, there was always something missing . . . I just hadn't realized it."

Draco looked up in question.

"I mean, maybe I'd always known it, but I was too scared to look too deeply into it."

"Why?" Draco asked.

"I guess I was worried about screwing things up between us. It doesn't matter anymore though, I already did."

"No, you just . . . handled things the wrong way, that's all."

"No, Draco. I screwed things up, and now you hate me. I'd give anything to take it back but-"

"I don't hate you Harry. I hate what you did, but I don't hate you. I could never hate you." Draco whispered passionately.

Harry smiled slightly and murmured a quiet, "Thanks," not knowing what else to say.

"I do think you're an idiot, though." Draco stated.

"I guess I deserve that."

"And a lot more," Draco said, the anger from the night of the dance coming back to him.

Harry stayed silent, not wanting to anger Draco anymore.

"You were a real jerk last night."

"I know, Draco. And I'm sorry. I really am." Harry answered desperately. "I don't know what I was thinking. Oliver doesn't matter to me; you do."

They both stayed silent, waiting for the other to say something more.

The wind blew, and autumn leaves swirled about, but neither said another word.

Suddenly, Draco felt a burst of anger. "If I matter so much to you, then why did you run to Oliver the moment I left last night?! If I matter so much, then why do you always rather Oliver over me?! It's always Oliver this, and Oliver that! You always-"

Harry couldn't stand it anymore. For once, Draco needed comforting, and Harry was going to give it to him.

He grabbed Draco's face and leaned in. As their lips met, everything around them seemed to stop. They couldn't feel the cold wind swirling around them, or hear the laughter of the children on the swings. They could only feel the heat emanating from the other's warm body, and the other's soft lips.

Slowly Harry pulled away and whispered, " I love you, Draco. No one else . . . no one else."

Draco let his head rest in the crook of Harry's neck as he took in what Harry had just said. A brilliant smile spread across his lips.

"I love you too, Harry."

...The End

A/N: I know, I know. You're probably thinking, "That's it?! That's what I've been waiting for?! That was the suckiest ending ever!" Well, I can't blame you. I've been on this chapter for an hour and I just can't find the perfect ending. Sorry. :-( Anyway, I have another idea for a new story, it's going to be totally original, but I'm not going to post it until the story is at least half-way type up, because I don't want to have to make you guys wait forever for updates again.

xoxo Spideria xoxo