To Love Again

Chapter 13: The Linking of Two Hearts

"Why in Merlin's name did you have to invite my father to go skiing with us?" Ron whined to Hermione during breakfast. It was the first day back after the Easter holiday, and judging by Ron and Hermione's bickering, all had not gone well during their trip.

Hermione's nostrils flared as she retorted, "I don't see what the big deal is, Ron! So what if your father didn't quite blend in at the resort? We had fun, and that's what matters!"

"Speak for yourself," the red-haired boy muttered grumpily before shoveling a fork full of pancakes into his mouth.

Harry shot a questioning look at Hermione. "Uh, may I ask what all happened during your trip?"

The bushy-haired girl leaned in toward Harry, trying to keep her voice low so that Ron wouldn't hear her and start spouting off again. "Oh, he's just upset because he didn't want his father to come to the resort with us."

"It's more than just that, Hermione!" Ron's face was beet red, his rising voice drawing a few curious stares from the Gryffindors around them. He turned to Harry and continued in a slightly lower voice, "Here's what happened, Harry. First, we get there and all my father can do is stare at the Muggles and comment out loud on the peculiar snowsuits they were wearing. Then when the Grangers took us to pick out skis and ski clothes, he begged the salesperson to show him how the cash register worked. And as if that wasn't embarrassing enough, he lost control of his skis, knocking over at least six Muggles in the process. And that was just on the beginner's slope!"

"Well you're not exactly a natural yourself, Ron," Hermione shot back. "Why don't you tell Harry about the way you practically poked the instructor's eye out with your skis!"

As Harry's two best friends became wrapped up in their quarrel, he took that opportunity to glance over at the Slytherin table, where Draco sat in his usual spot, deliberately separated from his fellow Slytherins. The two boys' eyes met from across the room, making Harry feel all warm and funny inside. A smile spread across his lips as he recalled the events of his wonderful Easter holiday with the Slytherin. They had taken full advantage of the absence of their housemates and spent as much time together as they could, just snogging, talking about everything under the sun, and relishing each other's company. They had made a habit of sneaking into each other's living quarters for their visits, where they fell asleep holding each other every night and woke up together every morning. It was Heaven in its purest form.

The Easter holiday went by way too fast for Harry's liking, and now he was forced to sleep in an empty bed and wake up to the sounds of his roommates scurrying about as they prepared for another mundane school day. Obviously this wasn't nearly as pleasant as waking up to Draco's kisses.

"So how about you, Harry?" Hermione's voice broke his train of thought.

He gave her a blank stare. "Huh?"

Hermione shook her bushy head, "Honestly, Harry. I don't know where your mind is half the time. I was asking if you had a good holiday."

"Oh, yeah..it was great. I, um, got a lot of studying done." Yeah, the dark-haired boy mused with a smirk, I was rather busy studying Draco--who, by the way, just happens to be my boyfriend...

Unfortunately, Harry barely had time to study the handsome blond during the next few weeks, as Hermione cracked the N.E.W.T. whip on himself and Ron in preparation for their big exam. She wouldn't let Harry get away for even one night, determined to assure the academic success of her best friend and her boyfriend. Luckily, Draco was understanding about this, as studying ate up a lot of his time as well. Little did the Slytherin know that when Harry wasn't studying, the Gryffindor was hard at work preparing a surprise for his upcoming birthday.

Busy though the two boys were, spending so much time apart was taking its toll on their concentration, in class as well as during study time. Harry finally couldn't take it anymore; he craved Draco's touch, and knew he wouldn't be able to focus on his studies at all if he didn't satisfy his appetite for the blond Slytherin. Draco apparently was also feeling the strain because Harry received a note one morning that simply said:

Harry,

I must see you again, love. Meet me today, after lunch in the empty classroom. You know the one.

DM

Hoping to Merlin that nobody noticed the small piece of parchment in his hands, he quickly shoved it into the inside pocket of his robes, giddy with anticipation as he looked over his shoulder and exchanged a discreet yet meaningful glance with Draco. Their rendezvous would most definitely be a much needed break from the endless studying he'd endured over the course of the past month.

During his morning classes, all Harry could think about was seeing Draco again. When lunch time came, he quickly scarfed down his meal; the sooner he could see his beloved, the better. Not only that, but he didn't want Draco walking the halls by himself with his attacker on the loose, and decided it would be best to escort the Slytherin to the empty classroom instead.

"Slow down, Harry, you'll choke!"

Harry paused, fork in midair, and looked quizzically at a very concerned Hermione and Ron.

"Why are you in such a rush, Harry?" Hermione glanced up at the clock in the Great Hall. "We still have twenty minutes left to eat."

"I know," the dark-haired boy replied, "I...uh...have to go to the library. You know, get a head start on our studying. In fact...I think I'll go right now and get started." Harry laughed nervously, "The earlier, the better, right?" As the Gryffindor made his way across the Great Hall, he caught Draco's eye and winked at him.

Seeing Harry's discreet signal, Draco gathered his books and ventured out into the hallway, wand gripped tightly in his hand in case of another attack. As he turned to start down the hallway, he heard Harry's hushed voice behind him.

"Draco, I'm right behind you!"

The Slytherin looked over his shoulder and smiled at Harry, who was obviously wearing his Invisibility Cloak. He continued his path to their meeting place, feeling much more relaxed with Harry watching his back. Draco thought it was very sweet - not to mention clever - of Harry to walk him to the classroom under his Invisibility Cloak.

What the two boys didn't know was that a second figure stood underneath an Invisibility Cloak, watching Draco as he turned the corner and entered a classroom in the distance. The madman snarled maliciously, baring his rotting teeth at the blood traitor's back as the boy disappeared through the door, leaving it slightly open. The filthy little prat had been constantly taking mysterious leaves of absence since the start of term, and morbid curiosity was the only thing that kept the madman from Crucio-ing the ingrate. He wanted to know exactly why Draco was always running off; if he could discover this truth, then he would know even better how to destroy the blood traitor. The madman twitched menacingly under his cloak, his shoes making a scuffing sound on the stone floor as he slinked over to the classroom. His hand enclosed over the handle of his dagger, his bloodshot eyes narrowing into slits as he leaned forward to see inside the room.

The madman was not prepared for what he saw there. Was Draco actually snogging Harry Potter? Telling the Boy Who Lived how much he loved him and missed him? Shock quickly gave way to anger, boiling fiercely under his skin. Just when he thought Draco couldn't get any lower, here he was doing the unspeakable. That disgusting, disgraceful little...

After what seemed like hours, Draco and Potter left the room together, both looking annoyingly happy. The madman's thin, cracked lips curled up into a sick smile, realization dawning on him. Yes, now he knew how to get to Draco; make him suffer for destroying the Malfoy name. If he really wanted to sabotage the blood traitor, he would take away the one thing Draco treasured the most. He would kill Harry Potter.
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"Are we there yet?" Draco sounded like a child on a long trip as Harry walked him to Merlin-knew-where under his Invisibility Cloak. Today was Draco's birthday, and the Slytherin couldn't wait to see this big surprise of Harry's. As any Slytherin would do, Draco tried everything he could think of to learn what this special birthday gift was, but Harry had done a marvelous job of keeping it hidden. Harry was even making him wear a blindfold today, as not to reveal the surprise until the Gryffindor was ready for him to see it.

Harry chuckled, "Nope, we're not there yet. And will you please stop trying to peek out from under that blindfold, Draco?"

"I can't help it, Harry," the blond Slytherin whined as Harry guided him up the stairs to the seventh floor, "We've been walking for nearly ten minutes, and I can't see a bloody thing!"

The dark-haired boy laughed, "That's the idea, love!"

They reached the top of the staircase they had been on, and Draco was glad to feel a level floor under his feet as Harry walked with him. As soon as Draco heard the Gryffindor's voice summoning the Room of Requirement door, he knew where they were. He just didn't know what was in the room. But when he listened closely, he thought he heard the faint sound of...carousel music?

"All right, Draco. You can take off the blindfold now."

When the Slytherin removed the long strip of cloth from his eyes, those silver orbs widened with surprise and his jaw dropped. Everywhere he looked, he saw garish, brightly colored tents...carnival rides of all shapes and sizes...stands that sold Muggle foods and beverages...it was the most beautiful thing Draco had ever seen in his life. He looked up at the clear blue sky that obscured the walls and ceiling of the room, noticing the realistic sun that shone down on them from a fixed point in the fabricated sky.

Harry beamed with delight as he watched the childlike wonder that lit up Draco's charming face. The Gryffindor had spent a lot of time working on this surprise for the Slytherin, even convincing Dobby to prepare some Muggle carnival fare for this special day. All the time and effort was worth it, just to see the boundless joy that now filled his boyfriend.

"Happy birthday, Draco!"

"A Muggle carnival," Draco whispered, awe in his voice as he turned to smile ecstatically at Harry. "You did all this? For me?"

Harry nodded and took the blond boy's hand in his. "Well, I did get a little help from the house elves. Now come on, love. Let's have some fun!"

Although not a real Muggle carnival, it was obvious to Draco that Harry had gone to great lengths to make his experience as authentic as possible. He was eager to try all the Muggle food his stomach could hold, but Harry wisely pointed out that they should go on the rides before eating; otherwise, they'd get sick.

Draco rather enjoyed the roller coasters; they were almost as much of a thrill as flying his Nimbus 2001. The carousel and Ferris Wheel weren't quite as exciting, but he loved the way the Ferris Wheel allowed him full view of the carnival, and the way it paused at the very top, where he caught Harry off-guard with a big 'thank you' kiss. Then they went on a wonderfully cheesy ride called the Tunnel of Love, which was a very dark boat ride that and had lit up hearts and Cupids plastered all over the place. Draco couldn't resist the urge to snog Harry all the way through the Tunnel of Love. By the time the ride was over, Harry's glasses were all fogged up and crooked, and Draco was wearing a smirk of satisfaction.

"All that snogging made me hungry," Draco commented playfully as he draped an arm about Harry's shoulders. "Can we get something to eat now?"

"Of course, love." Leading Draco to the nearest food stand, which boasted a fabulously tacky sign that said 'Corndogs', Harry explained, "At a real Muggle carnival, there would be a Muggle working behind the counter, who would give you your food. But since this is Hogwarts, we have to do things a bit differently. I hope you don't mind."

"Not at all," Draco replied with a smile. He gazed adoringly at the handsome Gryffindor, who looked quite fetching in his Muggle clothes as he approached the stand and said, "Two corndogs, please." Two corndogs on sticks magically materialized on the counter, one of which he handed to the birthday boy.

Draco took the corndog and looked at it, fascinated. "It looks a bit like a fat wand. Tell me, Harry, why is this called a corndog? Is there actually corn in it?"

Harry laughed, "Well, no, they're actually dipped in cornbread batter. Try it, it's good!"

The Slytherin bit off the top of the corndog, and a look of rapture flooded his face. "Wow, this is good. Really good!"

As they happily finished their corndogs, Harry brought him over to another food stand. This particular stand featured pictures of what appeared to be some sort of Muggle beverage and little, golden brown, wand-shaped things called 'mozzarella sticks' and 'French fries'. Here, they enjoyed a delicious Muggle drink called 'Pepsi' and sampled the wand shaped snacks, all of which were also amazingly tasty. Last, but not least, they shared a bag of 'cotton candy', a rather odd food name in Draco's opinion. The blond wizard had no idea that Muggle food tasted so good!

After gorging on delicious Muggle carnival fare, Harry took Draco by the hand and led him to a big, peculiar-looking box with a curtain hanging down over the opening. On the side of the life-sized box was a series of non-moving images of Muggles making funny faces.

"What's this?," the Slytherin eyed the images on the large box curiously.

"It's called a photo booth," Harry replied cheerfully as he held back the curtain and motioned for Draco to sit down inside the box. "You sit inside it and it takes your picture."

"Brilliant," Draco beamed as he sat down in the little booth and looked around as Harry squeezed in next to him. "Where's the camera?"

"It's in here," Harry pointed to the wall in front of them. He then fished a few Muggle coins out of his pocket and handed them to Draco, who eyed the Muggle money with curiosity and confusion. "All right, Draco, put those coins into that slot in the wall. The machine will take our picture several times before it stops, so be ready. And don't forget to strike a pose!"

Draco grinned from ear to ear and did as Harry instructed; this was so much fun! Then like care-free children, the two boys made goofy faces and had fun posing as the big picture box snapped one photograph after another. "Now how do we get our pictures?" Draco inquired, looking for a slot inside the booth where pictures might come out.

"They come out here," Harry replied, motioning to a spot on the outside of the box.

It took a few minutes, but the picture box spat out a strip of four non-moving, Muggle-style photographs of Draco with his beloved Gryffindor. The Slytherin just had to laugh as he admired the little images he held in his hand. He looked up enthusiastically at his boyfriend. "That was fun, Harry. Can we do it again?"

"Of course, love," Harry chuckled as he dug in his pocket for more Muggle money.

This time, when Draco joined the dark-haired boy in the picture booth, he had an idea. For the first three pictures he made silly faces and poses, but then right before the booth snapped the final shot, the handsome blond surprised Harry by planting a big kiss on those lovely pink lips. The flash went off right then, instantly capturing that precious moment between the two young men.

Upon seeing the second strip of pictures, the Slytherin smirked when his eyes fell upon the very last picture. There he was, forever frozen in time with his lips pressed up against Harry's. That, by far, was his absolute favorite picture.

"We look good together, don't we?" Harry mused out loud as he leaned in to look at the photos in Draco's hand.

"Yeah, well everybody looks good next to me," Draco jokingly replied in an overly conceited voice.

The dark-haired wizard laughed and tried to snatch the second strip of images away from Draco. "Hey, don't I get to keep some of those pictures?"

Draco sighed with mock exasperation as he handed one strip of photos to the Gryffindor. "Okay, fine. But I get the one where we're kissing."

"All right, have it your way, birthday boy," Harry chortled. He was still blushing from that surprise kiss in the photo booth.

"What's next?" the Slytherin asked excitedly as they walked away from the booth with their souvenirs.

"Well," Harry grinned, "We haven't gone into the House of Mirrors yet."

"House of Mirrors?" Draco echoed as Harry took his hand and lead him to a place that didn't look like it was made of mirrors. "Uh, Harry? Why is this called the House of Mirrors?"

The Gryffindor simply smiled and said, "You'll see."

Upon entering, the two boys were surrounded by mirrors, all of which were oddly shaped and distorted their reflections. One mirror made them look ridiculously tall and skinny, the next made them look like dwarves, the next made them look short and fat. Draco had never seen mirrors like this before, and laughed like a child as he went from mirror to mirror, watching his reflection change.

"Bloody brilliant," chuckled the blond Slytherin. "Are all Muggle mirrors like these?"

"No," Harry shook his head, amused. "Muggles use mirrors with flat surfaces, just like we do. The mirrors you see here are just for entertainment."

Draco took a long, appreciative look at Harry as he held the dark-haired wizard's hands in his. The Gryffindor was every bit as beautiful on the inside as he was on the outside, and seemed to stop at nothing to make Draco happy. Wrapping his arms around Harry's trim waist, he wordlessly leaned in and enveloped those perfect lips in a long, soft, lingering kiss. Then he pulled back just enough to smile into those startling green eyes.

Harry blushed, his arms draped around Draco's neck. "What was that for?"

"For everything," Draco replied, his face aglow with elation like he'd never felt before. "I can't believe you did all this for me. You took my biggest dream and made it real. This, without a doubt, is the best birthday ever. How can I ever begin to thank you?"

Harry shyly looked down for a moment. "You just did."

As the two boys thoroughly enjoyed getting lost in the mirror maze and each other, the madman stood hidden in the shadows, devising his plan of attack. "Just look at them," the madman snarled to himself, "all lovey dovey like a couple of bloody saps. Disgusting!" Then an evil grin creased his deathlike face. Lifting his wand, he shakily pointed it at Potter and Draco and hissed, "Scindo!"

Nothing happened. Potter and the blood traitor were still exploring the pathetic house of Muggle mirrors as if they hadn't a care in the world. The madman tried again. Why the bloody hell were the spells not working? Realizing that Potter must've placed a powerful anti-jinx charm on the Room of Requirement, the madman sneered malevolently at the two boys as he pulled his dagger out of its holster with one swift motion. If he was going to attack, he'd have to do it the Muggle way--which was fitting considering that the Room of Requirement was made up to look like a filthy Muggle place. Still under his Invisibility Cloak, the madman started toward the two young men, ready to strike at any moment.

What the hell is that?, Harry wondered as he lifted his head, listening closely to the sound of heavy breathing and scuffling footsteps that seemed to be coming closer. He looked around trying to find he source of the noises, but saw nothing. Was there someone in the House of Mirrors with them?

"What is it, Harry?" Draco, who was too busy enjoying his birthday to notice the sounds, looked a bit concerned.

Harry turned back to Draco, taking his hand and casually leading the Slytherin away from the approaching sounds. Today was Draco's birthday, and he didn't want to ruin it by worrying the blond boy. Besides, Draco was already scared as it was after being attacked that one night in the corridors.

"It's nothing, love," Harry replied lightly. "It's just that it's getting late. I think we should be heading back to our common rooms." He paused to drape his Invisibility Cloak over himself and his boyfriend before exiting the room.

"But Harry," Draco pouted, "It seems like we just got here!"

"I know, love," Harry laughed softly as he opened the door. Looking at the grandfather clock in the darkened hallway, Harry saw that he was right when he said it was getting late. It was nine thirty; they were out past curfew again!

Draco looked over at the Gryffindor, his eyes lighting up like the torches lining the corridors as he asked, "Do you think we could go to a real Muggle carnival someday?"

The dark-haired wizard laughed and squeezed the Slytherin's hand. "Of course, love. Of course we'll do that. Maybe after we graduate from Hogwarts?"

Although they wore an Invisibility Cloak, Harry couldn't shake the feeling that they were being watched as he walked Draco back to the Slytherin living quarters. After giving Draco a good night kiss and wishing him a happy birthday one last time, he continued back to his own common room. The hairs on the back of his neck stood up, his hand automatically gripping the wand inside his robes. He was positive that he was being followed, but he didn't know by whom. Remembering what had almost happened to Draco, Harry cast a protective shield around himself and returned to Gryffindor Tower as fast as he could.

Sneaking into his dormitory under his Invisibility Cloak, Harry was relieved to find that all of his roommates were already asleep in their beds. Thankfully, Ron's snores blocked out the sounds of the floorboards creaking under Harry's feet, and the old mattress groaning under his weight.

The Gryffindor lay wide awake in his bed for a couple of hours, staring up at the canopy and thinking about the recent chain of events. First someone had tried to kill Draco. Now tonight, he could've sworn he'd heard someone in the House of Mirrors. Also, he was fairly certain that he and Draco were being followed tonight in the corridors. Had someone actually discovered the truth about his relationship with the Slytherin? How would that be possible when they were so careful about covering their tracks?

Harry glared determinedly into the darkness, knowing damn well that Draco's mysterious attacker would strike again. He was sick and tired of others taking the lives of his loved ones. Whoever he is, Harry swore to himself, He's not going to take Draco from me. Ever.
___________________________________________________________________

Before Harry knew it, the month had flown by and he was now beginning his final week at Hogwarts. Over the past few weeks, it had been nearly impossible for Harry to get away from Hermione and her marathon study sessions long enough to see Draco. She seemed to get increasingly high-strung as the N.E.W.T.s loomed closer on the horizon, and expected Harry and Ron to give up everything in favor of studying.

"Look, I just want you both to pass all of your N.E.W.T.s. You do want to graduate, don't you?" Hermione was saying Monday morning as they ate breakfast.

Ron gulped down a mouthful of pancakes before replying, "Of course I want to graduate. But I also want Gryffindor to win the last game of the term. The game is only a few days away, and I need to practice!"

Hermione sighed and rolled her honey-colored eyes. "All right, Ron, but don't come crying to me if your N.E.W.T. scores are less than excellent."

"Less than excellent?," Ron scoffed. "Blimey, I just want to pass."

As Harry's childhood friends continued arguing about whether the N.E.W.T.s were more important than Quidditch, Harry smiled into his porridge. He was planning to spend some much needed quality time with Draco that evening in the Room of Requirement. And he had the perfect alibi for getting out of tonight's study session...

"You have detention with Snape?" Hermione shrieked at Harry in the common room that evening.

Ron gave Harry a sympathetic pat on the shoulder. "Sorry to hear that, mate. I can't imagine having detention during our last week at Hogwarts, especially with Snape."

Harry nonchalantly shrugged, "Well, the man despises me. What can I do? Besides once I graduate, he won't be able to torment me anymore." He looked at the clock; it was ten to six. If he left now, he'd just barely make it to the Slytherin living quarters in time to meet Draco. He turned to his friends. "Um, I have to get going. If I'm even one second late, Snape will really give me hell."

After saying good-bye to Ron and Hermione, Harry left Gryffindor Tower and threw on his Invisibility Cloak before heading over to Draco's common room. Upon Harry's arrival, the blond boy cautiously opened up the entrance and seemed to be listening for Harry's footsteps.

"Draco!," Harry hissed to get the Slytherin's attention.

After many weeks of meeting Harry outside the common room, Draco knew exactly where Harry was standing despite his Invisibility Cloak. He went directly to that spot and as always, Harry pulled him under the shelter of the cloak and into a warm embrace.

"'Evening, love," Harry purred after receiving a delicious 'hello' kiss from his boyfriend. He wrapped an arm around the Slytherin's waist and they began the long walk to the Room of Requirement.

"So how did you convince Granger to let you get out of studying?" Draco smirked.

Harry laughed, "I just told her and Ron that I had detention with Snape."

Draco raised an eyebrow at the Gryffindor. "You lied to your friends?"

"Well, I had to see you again, Draco. Have you any idea how bloody hard it is to concentrate on my studies, when all I can think about is snogging the sexiest man at Hogwarts?"

When the young men reached the seventh floor, Harry gave Draco a mischievous smile, his eyes gleaming wickedly. "You know, Draco, I really miss all that time we spent together during the Easter holiday. Care to recreate it?"

Draco smirked back at the Gryffindor. "What did you have in mind?"

After Harry summoned the Room of Requirement entrance, Draco walked in to find that Harry had turned the room into an exact replica of his Gryffindor bedchamber.

"Um, I hope you don't mind," Harry muttered, gesturing to the red and gold decor of the room.

Draco smiled, his gaze falling upon Harry's bed. "'Course not. It's perfect!"

The setting sun shone in through the window, tracing an intricate criss-cross pattern on the hard wood floor and the heavy, red velvet curtains that hung down from the canopy. The metallic gold embroidery on the crimson bedspread sparkled beautifully in the fading light, as did Draco's silky blond hair. In the distance, they could hear the sound of birds chirping and wind rustling the trees. Draco looked up into Harry's eyes after a moment of thoughtful silence, and ran a nervous hand through his platinum tresses. "Harry, I've been wondering. That morning a couple of months ago, when we got back together...what made you suddenly decide to go looking for me? Why did you take me back?"

The dark-haired boy looked earnestly into those crystal eyes, trying to choose his words carefully. "Well, Draco...I used to think I was somehow betraying Ginny by falling in love again. But the night before we reconciled, Ginny came to me. In a dream. She gave me her blessing and told me not to let you get away."

The Slytherin stared at Harry with a mixture of shock and awe. Draco became aware once again of the heart beating within his chest, and his brow furrowed with a sudden bout of guilt. The girl who'd saved his life that night--one year ago--was the same one who brought the love of his life back to him...and he'd never told Harry that the heart of his first love was what now kept him alive. After all that Ginny had done for the Slytherin, he decided it was time to come clean to Harry; he owed it to Ginny.

He reached over and took Harry's hand in his, his expression serious. "Harry, um, I have something important to tell you."

Looking a bit worried, Harry quietly nodded for him to continue.

Draco took a deep breath and looked into those gorgeous jade orbs. "Do you know of the Puter Pectus curse?"

"Yes," Harry replied hesitantly. "The Rotting Heart Curse...I remember you saying that the Dark Lord placed that curse on you?"

The Slytherin nodded solemnly. "And did you know that the only way to cure Puter Pectus is with..the heart of a fresh corpse?"

Harry cocked his head to one side, a look of uncertainty on his face. "I'm not sure I know what you're getting at..."

Never breaking eye contact, the Slytherin took Harry's right hand and placed it over his heart. Holding the Gryffindor's palm flat against his chest, he asked with a soft voice, "Can you feel my heartbeat, love?"

The dark-haired boy wordlessly nodded as he felt the strong, rhythmic pulse. He could also feel the Slytherin's body heat emanating through the thin fabric of his dress shirt.

Draco gulped and took a deep breath; trying to tell Harry the truth was proving to be more nerve-wracking that he'd contemplated. "I was in St. Mungo's on the night of the war; on my death bed. After Ginny died, her body was Apparated to the hospital...What I'm trying to say, Harry, is that the heart you're feeling--the heart beating within my chest right now--used to belong to Ginny."

The Gryffindor was silent for a long moment as Draco's words began to sink in.

Judging by Harry's silence, the Slytherin was certain that Harry would never want to speak to him again. After all, he'd withheld this important bit of information from the Gryffindor for months now, and he knew that Harry valued honesty. Tears glistening in his grey eyes, he murmured, "I'm sorry, Harry. I should've told you sooner."

To Draco's surprise, a smile spread across Harry's handsome face.

Instead of being angry with Draco, the Gryffindor was delighted that the heart of his first love now lived on inside his new love. Harry took Draco's hand and held it over his own heart, so that the two young men sat facing each other, gazing into each other's eyes and feeling one another's heartbeats. Without speaking, the Gryffindor slowly leaned forward and kissed Draco with a sweet yet fiery passion, unabashedly indulging in Draco's sweet lips.

Melting into Harry, Draco kissed back with matched intensity, his tongue sensuously caressing Harry's as his fingers fumbled to undo the knot in Harry's tie.

"Let me help you with that," Harry whispered, allowing his lips to playfully brush Draco's as he spoke. The Gryffindor gave him a sexy smirk as he removed his red and gold tie, then tossed it onto the floor before undoing the Slytherin's tie. The brunette's heartbeat accelerated as Draco pulled him into his lap, so that Harry straddled him.

Draco could feel his temperature rising as he watched Harry slowly, deliberately unbutton his own shirt.

"Touch me, Draco," the Gryffindor breathed, love shining in his brilliant green eyes as he took Draco's hand and guided it down along the exposed skin that peeked out from under the shirt opening.

The Slytherin's slacks felt like they were rapidly shrinking at the touch of his beloved's skin. Draco gave his lover a tender smile as he slowly pushed the Gryffindor's shirt down off of his shoulders, allowing it to slip off onto the floor with their ties. The Slytherin was awestruck at the sight of the shirtless Gryffindor. Harry was absolutely stunning, and the handsome blond made him feel appreciated, like a priceless work of art meant to be gently handled and thoroughly admired. Then like a blind man reading Braille, Draco's fingertips carefully explored every curve and ripple of those broad shoulders and toned biceps, migrating south to Harry's chest and abs.

Pulling Harry against him, Draco orally seduced the exposed skin on the dark-haired wizard's neck and shoulders as he ran his hands up and down the Gryffindor's bare back. He loved the clean, natural scent of Harry's skin, the smoothness of it on his tongue and under his palms. Allowing himself to get lost in the sexy brunette, he placed his hands on the small of Harry's back and held the Gryffindor gently as he explored his chest with his lips and tongue.

"Yes Draco, don't stop," Harry moaned huskily in response to the Slytherin's physical advances. He groaned with longing when the blond's lips closed around one pebble-hard nipple, hot tongue tracing around it in pulsating circles, perfect white teeth playfully nibbling on it. Fingers entwined in Draco's silky blond locks, Harry guided him to the other nipple, holding him there and relishing the sensations that Draco's fabulous mouth evoked.

Draco brought his head up again, capturing the Chosen One's warm, soft lips with his as the Gryffindor pushed him onto his back on the bed. Harry, who still straddled the Slytherin, unbuttoned Draco's shirt and pushed it open to reveal the blond's prized dragon amulet, which lay against a scar that stretched across the center of the blond boy's chest.

Harry paused to tenderly run his fingers along the length of the scar that marred the Slytherin's alabaster skin; the mark from Draco's attempted suicide. Shooting a questioning look at Draco, Harry whispered, "Is this scar from when you almost..."

The blond boy nodded, Harry's touch sending shivers of delight through his body. The Gryffindor then leaned forward and planted gentle kisses along the length of the scar, his unruly hair sexily brushing against Draco's bare skin in the process. Draco's breath became heavier as Harry devoured his chest and abs with his mouth, leaving a trail of steaming hot kisses wherever the Slytherin's skin was exposed. Hungrily kissing the Gryffindor again, he wrapped his strong arms around Harry and rolled the dark-haired boy over onto his back against the luxurious red and gold covers, then removed his own shirt, dropping it onto the floor with Harry's.

"You're beautiful, Draco," Harry smiled up at him as he reached up to stroke the creamy white skin on the Slytherin's flawlessly sculpted torso. Draco was a masterpiece; he looked as if he'd been painstakingly handcrafted by a master sculptor. The Gryffindor sat up just enough to wrap his arms around Draco's broad shoulders, pulling the Slytherin down on top of him as they engaged in another sumptuous lip lock. Draco's hardness pressed up against Harry's as the Gryffindor's hands slowly glided down the contours of his strong, athletic back to his firm, trouser-clad buttocks.

"Do you want to go further?" Draco breathed sensually in Harry's ear.

In response to the Slytherin's question, Harry got up and smirked knowingly at Draco as he yanked the covers down so that they could get under them. The sexy Gryffindor knelt on the bed and beckoned Draco with the crook of his finger. Draco joined Harry and gazed adoringly at his beloved, who tenderly stroked the Slytherin's hair and cupped his face in his hand.

"I love you, Harry."

"I love you too, Draco," the Gryffindor moaned as the statuesque blond guided him onto his back on the mattress, his delectable lips making love to Harry's neck. Each kiss sent surges of energy through the brunette, every touch igniting ecstasy's burning fire within him. The dark-haired boy trembled with anticipation as Draco reached down to unfasten his slacks.

The Slytherin's hands were shaking so badly from nerves that he could hardly undo Harry's belt buckle, let alone the zipper that just barely contained the Gryffindor's raging hardness.

After a minute, the handsome brunette clasped Draco's jittery hands in his and chuckled softly. "Draco, it's all right. You don't have to be so nervous."

The Slytherin grinned sheepishly and sighed, "I know. It's just that I've never..." A tender kiss from Harry ceased him from finishing his sentence. His face mere inches from Harry's, he saw comfort and understanding in those startling green orbs and that gentle smile.

"It's all right, love. I've never done this before either." As Harry placed Draco's hands once again on his belt buckle, he whispered, "We'll learn together."

Feeling a little better now, Draco managed to keep his hands steady enough to unfasten Harry's belt buckle and slacks, freeing the gorgeous Gryffindor of his clothes. The Slytherin's face flushed adorably at the sight of his lover's lean, beautiful body and as he stood up and removed the rest of his own clothing. Despite being well-built and slender, Draco felt rather shy and vulnerable without his Slytherin robes. Harry looked at him like he was the sexiest man alive, bolstering his confidence a bit.

Harry smiled at the fair-skinned demigod as they climbed under the covers together. He felt as nervous as Draco looked, but he was trying to hide it in an effort to make his partner feel more comfortable. The brunette wasn't quite sure of what to do next, so he began by pulling Draco close and engulfing that velvety mouth in a sweet yet provocative kiss.

Following the Gryffindor's lead, Draco kissed back as his strong hands roamed all over his lover's naked skin. I've died and gone to Heaven, Draco mused dreamily. Harry's warm, soft body felt so good against his. Harry felt good...holding him, kissing him, as completely lost in the Slytherin as he was in Harry. It was a truly euphoric moment that he never wanted to end.

The blond wizard rolled Harry over onto his back, pinning the sexy brunette to the mattress as he straddled him and rubbed up against his hardness. He wanted to satisfy his beloved, and express all the love he was feeling inside.

"Oh yeah," moaned the Gryffindor as he moved his hips in unison with Draco's. The Slytherin held Harry and showered him with kisses as they made love. Harry had waited for so long for this moment, it was hard to believe that it was actually happening. He could feel how much Draco loved him, as if he was feeling the Slytherin's soul as well as his body. He felt safe and protected, assured that Draco would never hurt him or let anybody else harm him in any way.

Draco had never been so happy in his entire life. There was just something about loving Harry that made him feel complete. Sure he'd heard other guys talking about sex, but this was above and beyond what the straight guys in the Quidditch locker room could ever comprehend; this was magic in its own right. The undiluted love that flowed between the two young men was pure and beautiful, an already unbreakable bond strengthened through the power of touch.

The two young men rolled over again until Harry was on top, and Harry paused to catch his breath. He'd heard that there was more than one way to make love, and he was eager to find more ways to please the Slytherin. He placed a kiss on those soft lips and asked, "Draco, this being our first time, is there anything you'd like to try?"

The beautiful blond looked thoughtful for a moment, turning a lovely shade of crimson that simulated the Gryffindor red of the sheets and covers surrounding them. "Well, um..."

Harry, always so sweet and understanding, smiled down at Draco and caressed his cheek with his hand. "Don't be embarrassed, love. You can tell me."

The Slytherin took a deep breath before whispering, "Harry...I want to feel you inside me."

The Gryffindor's eyebrows shot up with surprise. "You mean you want me to..."

Draco smirked and nodded.

Harry's brow furrowed at the thought of trying to penetrate the Slytherin. "Um, I don't want to hurt you. Perhaps we should...er, cast a lubricating charm?"

"Brilliant idea, love." The Slytherin grabbed his wand off the bedside table and pointed it at Harry's quivering member as he uttered, "Madidus!"

Harry's steel-hard shaft was instantly coated with some sort of lubricant. Before setting his wand aside, Draco also cast the lubricating charm on his lover's finger. Upon receiving an adorably clueless look from the Gryffindor, the sexy blond smirked and whispered, "Touch me, Harry" as he guided the brunette's moist finger down to his entrance.

The Gryffindor gave Draco a long, sweet kiss as he gently ran his finger over and around Draco's tight rim, preparing him for intercourse. The sexy blond was very responsive to Harry's touch, so the brunette continued to manually stimulate Draco until he finally moaned, "I'm ready, Harry."

Draco gazed up at Harry with boundless love and trust, drowning in the depths of those hypnotic sage eyes as he reached down to help the Griffindor slowly guide it in. He winced from the unexpected shock of pain, and his lover immediately stopped, looking concerned.

"I'm sorry, Draco! Are you sure you want me to do this?"

After a moment, the pain started to subside and Draco smiled at the Gryffindor's sweetness. He sat up enough to tenderly kiss the stunning brunette and place a reassuring hand on Harry's cheek. "Yes, Harry. I want to do this. Make love to me."

Harry entered Draco, a little at a time, until he was completely inside his lover. "Am I hurting you? Do you want me to stop?"

Draco grinned and shook his head. "No, I'm fine, love."

(Might want to reword this) A bit clumsy at first, Harry began slowly working his way in and out of the Slytherin, trying not to hurt him. It felt incredible, but he was more worried about Draco's pleasure than his own. He gazed adoringly at his lover, heart overflowing with love for the blond beauty as he lavishly adorned Draco with kisses and tenderly stroked all of the smooth alabaster skin that was within his reach.

"Oh, Harry..yes," Draco hissed, arching his back against the mattress as his soft fingers entangled in that sexily disheveled hair. He held the Gryffindor as he felt Harry like he'd never felt him before. He loved the intense sensation of the dark-haired wizard inside him, filling him, feeding his desire as well as his need for unconditional love. Combined with the touch of Harry's slightly calloused hands and soft lips on his supple skin, Draco was in Heaven.

Aside from the obvious physical pleasure the two young men felt, there was something else there; something that couldn't be described with words. It felt like their magic was growing, entwining, flowing through one another's bodies as they made passionate love. As their pleasure began to build, so did this 'magic'; building and escalating until they finally exploded together, rhythmic tidal waves of ecstasy washing over them as they came together.
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The rising sun shone in the Room of Requirement windows, illuminating the clothes that lay askew all along the wooden floor. The room was completely silent except for the ticking of the clock and the beating of two hearts that had been permanently bonded together. If anyone who was to look beyond the curtains surrounding the bed, they would've seen two beautiful men, asleep in each other's arms and completely bare except for the luxurious red and gold covers that wrapped around their bodies.

Draco woke up and smiled contentedly down at the beautiful brunette in his arms. Harry had always been beautiful, but after their magical night together, the Gryffindor was even more breathtaking than ever. He embraced the sleeping Gryffindor, placing a gentle kiss upon the scar on his forehead. It was truly miraculous that Draco was able to feel such immense love for another human being. Nobody ever would've believed that he'd have the capacity to love, being a Malfoy and all. But here he was, more deeply in love than most people could ever hope to be in one lifetime--luckier than most people because he had the most perfect love on the face of the earth.

He felt the gorgeous Gryffindor start to move, and looked down. Harry lay with his head against Draco's bare chest, listening to the Slytherin's heartbeat, the outer corners of his mouth turned up into a soft, contented smile. The blond boy stroked Harry's messy black hair--which was even messier than usual after a night of passionate lovemaking--and marveled at the beauty of this moment. If he had to conjure his Patronus right now, he would focus on the unforgettable night they'd just shared. Then this thought led him to remember the first time he'd successfully produced a Patronus, and what he'd been think of in order to produce it...

"Harry?"

The Gryffindor, who continued listening to Draco's heartbeat, murmured, "Yes, Draco?"

"Do you remember the first time I conjured a Patronus, and you asked me what I'd been thinking of when I produced it?"

Without looking up, Harry nodded and replied with a lazy, "Uh-huh."

Draco's heart sped up a bit, and he took a deep breath before confessing, "Well, Harry...when I conjured my Patronus that night, I was thinking about you." The Slytherin looked down to watch a huge smile spread across that lovely face.

"What about me?," Harry smiled up at Draco, resting his chin upon the blond boy's chest as he drew little circles on the soft, white skin with his fingertip.

The Slytherin cleared his throat. "Well, I was thinking about how lucky I was to have you in my life...and the way you felt in my arms that night when I carried you to the couch-"

"-you thought about the time you hurt me by accident?," Harry's big green eyes widened. "That was your happiest moment?"

"No, um, I was just thinking about holding you, and how happy I was when that healing spell worked and you were all right..."

Harry kissed Draco's lips and looked into his kind, grey eyes as he playfully asked, "And now, what memory would you use to conjure a Patronus, Draco?"

"This," the sexy blond Slytherin replied as he smirked and wrapped his arms tighter around the Gryffindor, guiding the brunette onto his back and kissing him with all the love and passion that he had to offer.

A/N: Several reviewers informed me that anal sex would not be possible without lubricant, so I went back and tried to work it into the 'first time' scene. Anyway, I hope you like it!

And I'd like to extend a big thank you to all of you who have been reading and reviewing my story. I appreciate all of your positive feedback!