Do You Still Believe?

I'll be waiting for you, in my heart you are the one
If I cannot find you, I will look up to the sun
If from where you're standing, you can see the sky above
I'll be waiting for you, if you still believe in love
-- Elsa Raven - If You Still Believe (Legend of the Dragoon)
-o0o-

...One Month Later...

"Thank you, Narcissa. Thank you so much for this."

"Oh, Harry, think nothing of it. You've done... so much. A housewarming party was the least I could do."

Narcissa inclined her head and lifted her champagne flute towards him, setting off the entire group of people that surrounded them. Harry felt himself flush at the attention. Narcissa hid her smile behind her glass, and waved politely to the milling crowd.

Draco took up on the hastily constructed stage in the grand ball room of the Potter's Ancestral House, and clinked a fork against his glass. "May I have your attention please?" The crowd quieted and turned to him. Harry's face turned even redder, and he attempted to hide his face. Even all these years later, he still hated to be the center of attention. Narcissa was having none of it, however, and she took his arm, and admonished him with a single look that spoke volumes. He subsided, and waited to see what Draco would say.

Nearly all of the DMLE - Aurors and Unspeakables alike - were gathered in his new home, as well as old friends of his and family of old friends; nearly all the Weasley's were there (after he made efforts to get the Malfoy name restored to it's former, pre-war glory, Narcissa had repaid him doubly by getting in contact with Mrs. Weasley and explaining the situation to her.) and Luna's father was standing beside his daughter near the back.

"Harry and I didn't exactly get on in school," Draco began, and was met with general laughter. He smiled, and took it in stride. "Alright, we were mortal enemies - or so I thought at the time. If I'd had any real idea of what he went through every year, I wouldn't have been so quick to judge him." The crowd sobered abruptly, and Draco matched his expression to theirs. "And instead of fading quietly into the background after Voldemort was gone, he went on to become the single greatest Auror the Department of Magical Law Enforcement has ever seen."

A cheer went up. Harry hunched his shoulders and tried to hide his face in Narcissa's robes. She patted him on the back, and forced his head up. "Pay attention, Harry," she murmured out of the corner of her mouth. He took a deep breath and straightened his spine.

"Harry has seen some horrible things in the past few months that we've been partners. Awful, awful murders that would give most normal people nightmares. And the death of his long-time friend, Hermione Granger, a victim of the war, but brave to the very end."

The entire room fell utterly silent as if on cue. No one so much as shifted their feet.

When it was over, Draco raised his hand, and thanked them. "Today we're here to celebrate Harry Potter - the good, the bad, and this fabulous house!"

A thunderous cheer went up. "Fabulous?" Harry asked under his breath, leaning close to Narcissa so that she could hear him.

She smiled, and didn't bother to hide it this time. "Certainly you knew about my son, Harry?"

"Knew what?"

"I believe the American term for it is 'Gayer than a football bat.'"

Harry choked on his champagne. Narcissa patted him gently on the back as he recovered, and he wiped delicately at his mouth with a napkin. "You can't be serious."

"Why would I joke about something of that nature?"

Harry turned back to his partner and suddenly saw him with new eyes. The plants in the cubicle. The cooking, and cleaning, the tea - all of it suddenly made sense. With the lights of the makeshift stage shining down on him, he was bathed in an ethereal glow. His hair formed a golden halo around his face, and his eyes flashed with laughter. "I see," he said. Narcissa buried her triumphant smirk in her champagne glass.

"I'm certain you do now, Harry."

-o0o-

Draco stepped down off the stage, and mingled a bit. Luna approached him with a mischievous smile on her face. "Have you seen Harry?"

Draco blinked and then scanned the crowd. "No, I haven't," he said thoughtfully. "It would be just like him to duck out of his own party," he grumbled. "Do you know where he's at?"

"I saw him last on the balcony," she hinted, and then faded into the milling people. Draco watched her go, and then turned to the balcony. The full moon was just rising over the tree line, and he could see Potter's unmistakeable hair silhouetted in the light. Draco plucked two champagne flutes off of a passing waiters tray, and marched purposely towards the balcony.

As if sensing him, Harry turned as he stepped out into the moonlight. "Happy Housewarming," he mumured, handing the glass over. Harry clinked it against Draco's, and gave him a warm smile.

"Thank you for the party," Harry said. "It's... beautiful."

"The party?"

"The house. Everything." Harry gazed at him speculatively. "I owe you my life."

"I owe you mine."

"We're partners," Harry said negligently. "It's going to happen a lot more often in the next few months."

"Just months?"

"When you get your Potions Mastership, you're dropping out of the Aurors, aren't you? You never intended to stay more than a year. I know you didn't."

"Things change," Draco said simply. He sighed, and turned his attention to the moon, watching it steadily gain altitude. "Do you really not believe in love?"

Harry was silent for a long time.

"Harry?"

"Things change."

Draco set his glass down on the ledge, and looked at his partner. Harry was resolutely not looking at him. "Harry?" he repeated softly.

Harry stared out over the trees. "I'm ... no good, Draco," he said. "I'm gruff, and grouchy, and I only drink coffee when you're not there, and I gave up on love a long time ago, but for some reason I can't-"

Draco kissed him. This time it was no chaste joining of lips - he forced Harry's mouth open by nipping at his lower lip, and then slid his tongue inside, exploring every nook and cranny. Harry's arms went around his shoulder, and Draco found himself being kissed back.

Harry pulled away suddenly, and looked into Draco's eyes. "I do," he said. "I still believe in love."

THE END.
-o0o-

Speaking of ghost stories? I was writing. This chapter. My computer lagged, so I typed out what I needed, and then looked at the TV. When I looked back... THERE WAS SOMETHING THERE THAT I DID NOT TYPE.

Harry stared out over the trees. "I'm ... no good, Draco," he said. "I'm gruff, and grouchy, and YOU"RE NOT THEREI only drink coffee when you're not there

It was supposed to be "I'm gruff and grouchy and I only drink coffee when you're not there" and that's what I typed. The "YOU"RE NOT THERE" - I didn't type that.

It freaked me out. I had to share it.