A Series of Connecting the Dots

Author's Note: Since I've been a right prat, Laurel is here to fix it and give you the answer you've all been waiting for.

Chapter 24 Harry – No ring

He hesitated.

I suppose I hadn't really thought about what it meant until now, but I had just asked my boyfriend to spend the rest of his life with me. My throat constricted and my heart was beating wildly in my chest. I hadn't realized just how much I wanted this until I was down on my knees with him staring down at me silently … hesitating.

Oh God. Say yes. Please say yes.

"No ring," he said after what felt like an entire lifetime. "You don't have a ring."

I felt my whole body flush with panic; I was sure he had wanted this too. I figured it was a fair assumption since he'd asked me first! Was it possible he had changed his mind in just over twenty-four hours? "I seem to recall that you didn't have a ring when you asked either," I replied, reminding him that he had already proposed to me.

"Please get up," he requested softly, almost pleading with me. I was suddenly acutely aware of our audience and quickly regretful that I hadn't asked him in private; I didn't care, but I was starting to think he might.

I got quickly to my feet, desperately worried about what he was going to say to me, and, with a quick squeeze of my hand, he was leading me out of the crowd. My mind was whirring so quickly I hardly noticed where he was taking me. My anxiety heightened with each passing second of his silence and I wondered if this was what it had been like for Draco yesterday. Oddly, I was experiencing a similar kind of fear to what I had felt the night Draco had nearly died; fear I was losing him, fear that I would have to live my life without him. I thought if he didn't answer me soon I would choke on the lump I felt sitting in my throat.

We arrived at a strange looking portrait of a lonely tree, and without a word of explanation, he took a leaf from the tree, pinned it to his robes and stepped through the painting, pulling me in behind him.

I hardly had a chance to adjust to my new surroundings when he finally spoke, demanding to know my motives. "Why are you doing this?" he asked me.

I glanced around, but didn't take anything in. "I want to marry you," I told him firmly; I'd never been so sure of anything in my whole life. "I love you."

His mouth fell open like he didn't know what to say, like I'd never told him I loved him before and he was shocked to hear it. But he knew I loved him … didn't he? "Harry, I-" Draco hesitated again, and it was like another stab to the chest.

"Have you changed your mind?" I asked him, searching his evasive eyes for an answer.

He looked up at me immediately. "No!" he said quickly, and my knees nearly buckled in relief. "I thought you hated me," he added quietly.

I felt like he'd slapped me right across the face and for a moment I was speechless. "What?" I gaped. "I could never hate you!"

"But, Harry, I'm everything you hate!" he insisted, like he was trying to convince me that I didn't want to spend my life with him.

"That's not even close to being remotely true!" I snapped angrily. Obviously the time I had taken agonizing over his proposal had done more damage than I thought.

"I'm a Death Eater, Harry," he replied, focusing his gaze on the floor again.

"You are my boyfriend," I told him sharply; this was not a point I would be moved on, "and that psychopath will pay with his life for touching you."

Draco's fiery gaze locked on to mine and the passion I saw in those stormy grey orbs went straight to my groin. "I love you," he rasped, and I was on him in a shot.

It hadn't been much more than a day, but it felt like a lifetime since I'd touched him. My tongue battled his fiercely as though his kisses were my life's breath and I'd been deprived of air for all our time apart. My hands roamed his body and if I could have climbed into him I would have, that was how close I neededto be to him. He roughly tugged at my robes, pulling at them as though he wanted them to just fall off me. They didn't of course, and by the way he pressed his clothed erection up against mine, I guessed he didn't want to waste the time undoing them properly.

He pushed me backwards towards the next room, but I was too wrapped up in him to care anything about where we were. He directed me slightly and eventually my knees hit the side of a bed and soon I was on my back with Draco sucking at my neck as he straddled my hips, grinding himself into me. I moaned with pleasure, short of breath, only wishing we had the time to fuck properly. I was eagerto feel Draco inside me, something we hadn't done yet. "Ungh, Draco," I gasped as my excitement increased. I clung to him tightly, and thrust up into him with as much fervor as he had for me. All too soon I felt my climax taking over me, running through my every nerve, leaving me shuddering under him. The few movements it took for him to follow me carried my satisfied buzz on longer than usual, and I sighed in relief as he collapsed on top of me.

As my heart rate slowed, the reality of our conversation came flooding back to me and I felt guilty about all I had put him through yesterday. We just laid together for a while, not moving, his weight felt comfortable on me. I knew we should have been in Defence Against the Dark Arts already, but we had too much to talk about; besides, we were late already, what would it matter if we didn't show up.

"It was a lot to take in," I whispered eventually, and I felt him stiffen as I spoke. "I'm sorry I avoided you like that yesterday, I just needed some space to think."

"I understand," he murmured into my neck, but I could still hear his hurt.

"You should know that I thought I might be able to use you too at the start," I confessed; it wasn't as heavy as his own confession, but I thought it only fair to be up front with him since he'd been so open with me. "I thought maybe you would be able to help me get close to Voldemort so I could kill him and be done with it."

"That's why you became friends with me?" he asked incredulously, finally raising his head to look at me fully.

"Yes, but its not why I fell in love with you," I whispered. He sighed, and fell back against me.

"Did you mean it?" he asked me quietly. "You want to bond with me?"

My heart thumped in my chest, but I couldn't stop the smile that appeared on my face. I couldn't believe that I'd ever been unsure about what I wanted with him. I loved Draco more than life, more than I ever could have imagined, and if he still doubted that then obviously I hadn't told him enough. "Draco, I've loved you for longer than I even know," I said, wrapping my arms around his waist and holding him close to me. "Every day I think I couldn't possibly love you any more than I already do, but somehow I do. Every day you are more beautiful, more incredible, more perfect, than you were yesterday; I have no idea how it happens, but I just know it does. I don't think I could spend my life with anyone else even if I wanted to, which, you'll be glad to know, I don't."

His eyelashes blinked delicately at me as I spoke, but he didn't reply.

"I know I don't have a ring for you," I continued, "but I don't think I have the patience to wait until I have an opportunity to buy one."

"You don't have to get me a ring, I don't know why I said that," he admitted, his cheeks slightly flushed. "I was just shocked and fishing for something to say."

"It doesn't matter," I smiled softly at him. "Say you'll marry me and I'll get you the best ring I can find."

"I don't care if you tie a string around my finger. If it's the ring you give to me for our engagement it would be the best," he assured me, sealing his promise with a kiss, and something fluttered in my chest.

"Is that a yes, then?" I asked him nervously, and he grinned at me.

"Yes, that's a yes."

--

Draco was waiting for me by the open doors to the Great Hall when I arrived for lunch. My eyes flicked away from him to an empty space on the stone floor, to any other person the space was meaningless, but to me that space was now sacred – a few hours before I'd been kneeling in that very spot, determined to change my life forever.

I walked over to my fiancé and kissed him briefly. My fiancé – I loved the sound of that. "Hey," I purred to him softly, my greeting holding so much more meaning than any dictionary could give it.

"Hey," he replied with a knowing smile. "I keep looking at that spot too. Doesn't quite feel real, does it?" I blushed as I realized I'd been caught being a sentimental Gryffindor, but I knew he loved me for it. "So, detention?" he questioned me.

The Hogwarts rumour mill had always worked very efficiently, and this morning was no exception. Before the end of the first class every student and every professor in Hogwarts knew that I had publicly proposed to Draco Malfoy; our dramatic and prolonged disappearance only fuelled the rumours. Professor McGonagall was quick to swoop on me when Draco and I reappeared and Snape wasn't far behind, dragging a reluctant Draco along behind him.

"Nah," I shrugged nonchalantly. "She took a few house points because I'd broken the rules, but mostly she wanted to make sure I wasn't completely out of my mind."

It felt like McGonagall had talked at me for years, and it was all I could do not to storm out of her office at times. I did appreciate that she was trying to make sure I didn't make a mistake, but she wouldn't listen to me when I tried to explain that being with Draco was the only thing I was sure about right now. She had subtly tried to remind me that the Malfoys were known supporters of Voldemort's regime, that we'd hated each other not too many months ago, and that, if nothing else, we were both only sixteen and marriage was supposed to be a lifetime commitment. I felt a little bad when I thought about how I'd left her – she did look very hurt when I reminded her rather sharply that my lifetime was unlikely to be very long. It made me feel worse to think about the potential truth to that statement.

"Yeah, I'll bet she did," Draco scoffed bitterly, and I ran my hand down the length of his pale arm before twisting my fingers into his.

"I told her I was out of my mind in love with you," I teased him, "and that I wouldn't have it any other way."

He chuckled lightly, and I could see happiness brighten his eyes – I loved that I did that to him. "That's incredibly saccharine, Harry," he quipped.

"And you love it," I purred into his ear, making him shiver. I pulled back and took in his contented expression. "What about you then? Did you cop a detention?" I asked him eventually.

He shrugged. "Sort of," he replied. "Officially, yes, but unofficially Severus will tutor me in advanced potions. He lets me help with whatever he's working on, whereas you, I'd imagine, would have had to scrub out all the cauldrons without your wand."

I laughed. "Yeah, I've done that before!" I slipped my arm around him and we walked together into the Great Hall to have lunch; my stomach growled at me unhappily and I remembered I'd never actually gotten to breakfast this morning. "That's completely unfair you know," I complained. "I always knew he favoured you."

As we approached Gryffindor table I could feel the eyes of nearly every person in the Hall follow us; I pulled Draco closer to me as if to protect him from their stares – I was well used to gawking and gossip by now, having been subjected to it since my first day in this stalwart castle, but Draco tended to keep a much lower profile.

"You two look as though you've worked things out," Hermione commented as we sat down opposite she and Ron.

I glanced over at Draco who smirked at me as if to say 'they're your friends', and I laughed. "We have, yes," I nodded, but I didn't say anything else. Hermione looked as though she were about to pop with anticipation, chewing at her bottom lip and wringing her hands together. I smiled innocently at her as if I couldn't possibly imagine what she wanted to know.

"So, will I have to go out and buy those new dress robes?" Ron asked me, trying not to smile. I felt like the whole table leaned in to hear my answer; I squeezed Draco's hand.

"You'd better," I replied casually. "The ones you wore to the Yule Ball are pretty terrible."

"Oh Merlin, yes!" Draco exclaimed as if he'd just remembered what Ron's current dress robes looked like. "He won't be invited if he doesn't get new robes!"

The whole school erupted into excited chatter and I burst out laughing. I supposed with my public proposal it was unrealistic to think we'd keep anything to ourselves, but if we had been trying to be discrete we certainly couldn't anymore. "I love you so much," I whispered to my future husband, and I kissed him lightly on the cheek before turning my attention to the delicious array of food in front of me.

--

The afternoon passed without incident. Draco and I attended our classes dutifully, although it was often hard to concentrate when his hand found its way under the desk and up the inside of my thigh. He only laughed when I told him off for it; I don't think I hid very well just how much I loved his attention.

As much as I wished the day wouldn't end and I could feel this blissfully happy forever, it wasn't to be. "Do you have to go?" I whined at him, as we stood outside Snape's door. "If it's not really a detention, why do you have to do it?"

"He's expecting me, Harry," Draco reminded me. "He's my Godfather, I can't just not show up."

I pouted. "So go in and tell him you have to skip his lesson to make love to your new fiancé," I replied, running my fingers down his chest suggestively. I knew I was being childish, but I was still on a high from our engagement and I didn't want to part from him so soon.

"I will make love to you," he whispered to me, his lips lingering over mine as though he were about to steal a kiss, "repeatedly." I closed my eyes, feeling my desire for him burn brightly, his warm breath washed over me and I parted my lips, ready to accept his intoxicating kisses. "But not tonight," he finished, stepping back from me and turning to Snape's office door.

My mouth fell open in complete surprise, and my desire washed away in crushing disappointment. "Now that's just mean," I whined petulantly. "You're nothing but a cock tease, Draco Malfoy."

He turned back and winked at me as he opened the door. "I'm a Slytherin, Harry," he said pointedly. "You shouldn't forget that."

I chuckled quietly under my breath as I watched him disappear behind the door, before I turned to make my way up to Gryffindor Tower – I was going to spend the evening with Ron and Hermione tonight, we had some time to make up for.

As I walked the mostly deserted corridors of Hogwarts I thought about what Draco had said and I realized he was only partly right. He might be a Slytherin, he might be a Malfoy, and once upon a time he might have been a Death Eater, but I knew that none of those things defined him. They were part of him, certainly, but he would always be his own person, and that was something he shouldn't forget.

--

I watched the delicate blossoms sway precariously on the otherwise bare limbs of the tree – they looked as though the light breeze in the portrait could pluck them right off the branches and carry them into another world, another painting. More determined than they looked, the blossoms clung to their life's source, refusing to bend to natures will. Inwardly, I was strangely proud of them, however determinedly they defied not only the wind but me as well.

I had arrived several minutes earlier at Draco's new room and, when I reached in to pluck off a blossom in order to enter, my hand met with the solid frame of the stone wall behind the picture. I had watch Draco reach right into the painting to the tree, but for some reason I could not manage it.

I tapped my foot on the concrete, waiting impatiently for Draco to emerge, and as if he heard my impatient sighs, he did. "Good morning," he mused. "What are you doing waiting out here? I told you to just come in."

"I would have if your damned portrait would have let me!" I huffed, and he gathered me up into his arms, soothing my discontent with a feverish morning kiss.

Draco's arms wrapped around my lower back pulling me up and into him, and it was all I could do to steady myself with my hands on his shoulders as he pulled me on to my toes. His mouth sucked lightly on my upper lip, and I melted into him, opening my mouth eagerly to caress his invading tongue with my own. Metaphorical butterflies flapped frantically in my stomach making me queasy as he dominated me with dizzying force and I loved every moment of it.

I stumbled as he released me, my knees weak from his onslaught, and he had to steady me again. "I love how you react to me," he purred, and I flushed with embarrassment.

"Oh shut up," I teased, pouting at him. "You feel the same way about me, admit it!"

"That I do," he replied, his voice rising suggestively from deep within his chest. "Let's go back in my room and I'll show you exactly how I feel about you."

He wiggled his eyebrows teasingly, and I laughed. "You know we can't," I reminded him as I unwound myself from his embrace. "We've already gotten into trouble for skipping class, besides I'll be able to stay with you all night tonight and we can take all the time we need."

"All night?" he joked, taking my hand as we walked down to breakfast. "Sounds like I'm going to need to conserve my energy today."

As we entered the Great Hall I noticed that almost every head turned to watch us, whispering to each other as we passed them. I spotted Mike for the first time since I'd run into him a few days before, and he looked as deeply hurt now as he had the day I left him for Draco – as I watched him I saw a Fifth year Ravenclaw boy glare at me and take Mike's hand possessively.

"I see your ex has a new boyfriend," Draco commented, sounding almost unsure of himself, and I wanted to dispel that uncertainty immediately.

"Yeah, it looks like it," I nodded. "I'm glad he does. I hope his new boyfriend will be able to make him as happy as you make me, the way I never could have."

Draco nodded and smiled demurely at me. "Looks like we're still big news," he observed, glancing quickly at all the chattering students pointing at us and whispering behind their hands.

"Yeah, you'd think people would be over it by now."

We took our seats opposite Hermione and Ron as we had done last night at dinner; I could see Draco becoming a regular at the Gryffindor table now that his position in Slytherin had been compromised.

"Yes, well, I expect it will continue unless you learn to be a bit more discrete, Harry," Hermione interrupted, scolding me for the first time since we'd made up, and it couldn't have made me happier.

"What do you mean?" I asked, trying not to smile as I knew it would only upset her more. She threw me her regular morning copy of the Daily Prophet and I nearly fell off my chair. "Merlin's beard," I breathed and Draco leaned over me to see for himself, expressing a similar concern to mine.

"Oh fuck," he gasped, snatching the paper away from me.

There, on the front page, was a photograph of me on my knees in front of Draco, who looked down at me with uncertainty. Above the picture the headline read, Potter: Gay and engaged to wealthy pureblood heir. The article went on to speculate about my motivations for marrying so young, suggesting that my parents had left me next to nothing in gold and that I must be marrying Draco for his family money. It appeared that several students had told the reporter – another Rita Skeeter in the making it seemed – that Draco and I had only been together for a few days – annoying true – and before that we'd hated each other, so his wealth and social status as a pureblood could be my only motivation. The closing line warned Draco away from me, or to at least make sure that if we divorced I wouldn't be entitled to a single Knut from his vault.

"I'm going to kill her," he hissed. "Stupid bitch! I've never liked her; she's just pissed that it won't be her marrying into my vault!"

"What?" I gasped, completely shocked at Draco's words. "You know her?"

"Yeah, her family has been trying to worm their way into my father's good books for years, always pushing their daughter – this Rosette girl – on to me," he growled angrily, his eyes searching the room. "She's like four years older than me, but she has siblings still at Hogwarts, I bet it was one of them who gave her the picture."

"It's alright, Baby," I tried to sooth him, rubbing the tops of his thighs. "It's not like we were really able to keep it a secret anyway. Stupidly, I didn't even think about who was around, I was just so desperate for you to stop and listen to me. I'm so sorry, I should have waited until it was just us, or I should have just said yes when you asked me the first time."

"You're right, there's nothing we could have done about it," he replied, this time trying to calm me. "It doesn't matter anyway, I don't care who knows! I'm just angry that she could suggest you were trying to exploit me for my money."

I smiled and kissed him briefly, not able to help myself, but not wanting to cause another scene in front of the other students. "I'm actually rather rich myself," I whispered to him, and his eyes widened in surprise.

"Are you?"

"I have two inheritances to my name," I told him, turning back to my breakfast, determined to get on with my day as though I wasn't front-page news.

"Well, I'll be expecting a nice ring then," Draco said seriously, but when I turned to look at him his smirk told me otherwise.

"How about I get you one of those sweet rings from Honeydukes that changes flavour according to your mood?"

Even Hermione and Ron joined in to laugh at my comment, while Draco muttered something about divorcing me if I even tried. We settled into a comfortable silence and I concentrated on devouring my eggs and beans on toast; it was delicious.I was only about halfway done when Draco make another intriguing observation.

"Harry," he said, "where's Pansy gone?"

"Wha?" I mumbled, with a mouthful of beans. I turned around to the Slytherin table and scanned the faces I saw there – some familiar, some not. Draco was right; Pansy's pug-like face was noticeably absent. I swallowed. "I dunno," I answered, and as I did, I remembered with cold clarity that Hermione had taken on the task of seeking revenge on Pansy. I turned to her and she looked at me with angelic innocence that spelled out her guilt in no uncertain terms. "Hermione?"

"Hmm?" she hummed. Hermione blinked at me girlishly and I suddenly wished we weren't surrounded by so many people.

"Have you heard anything about Pansy Parkinson?" I asked her, all three of us – myself, Draco, and Ron – watching her closely.

"That Slytherin girl?" she mused. "Hmm, well, I'm not certain, but I did hear some gossip in the girls' room yesterday. Apparently she's been struck down by some terrible, disfiguring illness, and she's had to be sent away from Hogwarts to be home tutored. It's not contagious, so I can't imagine how she must have gotten it, but apparently she looks just awful. Someone said it might have been a potion she didn't brew quite right. I do always say how important it is that you study to make sure you know what you're doing!"

"Yes, Hermione," I nodded, "you do always say that."

Draco looked even paler than usual as he scrutinized my old friend. I guessed he was starting to see a whole new side to her, a side I was surprised to see myself – as was Ron by the look on his face.

As we made our way to our first class of the day, Draco gripped my arm and slowed our stride, making us linger behind Ron and Hermione who were up ahead. "Don't ever let me piss her off," he stated, still looking a tad uneasy.

I just laughed and rushed to catch up with the two other Gryffindors, Draco following closely behind me.

--

"Did you see the look on Ron's face when I told him I was staying with you tonight?" I laughed as Draco pulled me into his room. "It was hilarious! I think he got a mental image!"

The day had floated blissfully by as yesterday had, each class melding carelessly into the next with ease. That's how my life felt now – easy and carefree. With Draco at my side I felt like I could achieve anything - and I would. Voldemort was no match for me anymore; I felt like I could march up to him and blast him out of my life with a sneeze in his direction.

Draco pulled me into his arms. "Please, Harry," he said, his lips caressing my cheek, "I don't need to imagine Weasley picturing us in the sack."

"Well, for my benefit then," I whispered back to him, letting my hands wriggle their way under his jumper. "It's been so long, Draco, what might you and I look like in the sack?"

Draco growled like a hungry dragon, and directed me forcefully into his bedroom, practically flinging me on to his bed. He followed me on to his firm mattress, crawling over my body possessively. "A little like this," he purred, and claimed my mouth in a kiss.

My skin tingled in anticipation as I thought about what I wanted Draco to do to me tonight; I didn't think there could be any act more perfect to mark our engagement. Draco was already kneeling between my thighs so it was easy enough to lock his hips with my legs and pull him down into my groin. His mouth released mine at the movement and he looked surprised. "I want you to make love to me, Draco," I told him softly, my heart beating faster as I watched him release a tense breath. "Please," I whispered with need. I didn't think he would refuse me, but something was making him hesitate; I thought he must be worried about hurting me since it would be my first time.

"Are you sure?" he asked me softly, wriggling uncomfortably while locked between my legs. He was holding his weight off of me with his arms on either side of my rib cage as he continued to stare down at me, as if he was waiting for me to change my mind.

"I've been thinking about making love to you like this all week," I confessed. "The only thing I'm more sure about is spending the rest of my life with you."

Draco closed his eyes and I watched his perfect mouth twitch into a soft smile. "I love you," he said in response, the words mingled with his breath and settled on my face.

"Then show me how much," I requested, and he obliged me.

He leaned down to capture my lips again and I unlocked him from the grip I had around his hips. He pushed much of his weight back up on to his knees and let his hands drift down my chest and back up again, exploring me and undressing me as he went.

He sat up from the mattress and I followed him, raising my arms so he could tug the remainder of my already half removed jumper over my head. Once I was free, I made quick work of his trousers, undoing his buckle and pulling open the front as he pulled his own jumper and shirt off.

I was aching to feel his nude body against mine; we'd only had a few quick, fully clothed fumbles over the last few days and they'd barely whet my appetite for him. The more I had of him, the more I needed.

He pushed me back down to the mattress and I watched him with satisfaction as he attacked my own trousers, undoing the front and requesting with a quick, but oh-so-sexy "Up!" that I lift my bum for him to pull them free. Discarding my trousers then kicking off his own, I soon found myself whole again as he curled into me, spooning my back closely as he claimed the side of my neck as his own.

I surrendered to him, closing my eyes so that I could better concentrate on how he felt against me; his legs tangled in mine, his chest pressed into my back, and his cock nestled along the cleft of my arse like a promise. The intensity and intimacy of the moment flared into a desire that burned through my whole body and I needed to feel him on every part of me all at once, and even then I knew I would want more.

"Draco, I can't wait," I moaned, as his hand reached around me to grip my aching shaft. "I want you inside me."

He laughed softly into my ear and the sound shivered through me. "Haven't you ever heard that good things come to those who wait?" he said, affectionately telling me off for my impatience.

"I've been waiting all week!" I protested, but he just chuckled again.

"Well then another few minutes isn't going to kill you, Harry," he replied.

He shifted away from me and I rolled on to my back so I could see him properly. He propped his head up on his arm and looked down at me lovingly as he ran his fingers up and down my chest, admiring the firm muscles underneath. I wished he could have seen me a few months ago when I was playing Quidditch regularly, my muscles had been very nicely defined and it was a shame I'd lost them so quickly after leaving the team. He didn't seem to mind though; in fact, by the way he looked at my naked form, you'd think I was Godly – either that or edible.

He shuffled down the bed and settled himself comfortably between my legs, his face so close to my groin it made me shiver. He kissed and sucked and nipped along the inside of my thighs until I groaned in frustration and begged him to do something. Again, he laughed at me, but thankfully he took my uncomfortable position to heart and moved his mouth up to my delicate sack. Then, once he'd entertained himself – and me – for a minute or two, he shifted up again to my cock. He kissed and licked and teased me, obviously enjoying himself thoroughly.

"Draco, please!" I whimpered and he finally engulfed me in one go, making my body jerk at the sudden rush I felt.

Pleasure settled over me like a warm blanket as the feeling became steady with his regular movements, his head bobbing up and down on my cock. I gazed down at him working me over, and my pleasure spiked again; I groaned and looked away in an attempt to make this last. Soon he began to use his hands, first squeezing at my thighs, then at the base of my cock, massaging the muscle up and down in time with the movement of his mouth.

Pressure built up inside of me higher and higher, and as it did my moans and whimpers became louder too – embarrassingly so. I knew he loved to hear me, just like I loved to hear him, but I also knew he would tease me about it later because he knew I couldn't help myself.

"Stop!" I choked out, and thankfully he did. "Not like that, I need you now." I didn't know how much sense my words made, they seemed to be just fragments of the sentences I had in my head, but they seemed to be enough to convey what I wanted.

He sat up and reached for his wand. "This might feel a little weird," he said, his voice sounding thick with his own desire. Weird was an understatement; I actually yelped when I felt my muscles relax and the slick feeling of – thankfully warm – lubricant lining my arse. My instincts told me to clench my muscles, but the spell wouldn't allow it. "Relax, Love," Draco soothed me, rubbing my lower abdomen, and I immediately obeyed. "Lift up a bit."

Draco shuffled in closer to me and positioned himself at my entrance. Rubbing my thigh with one hand, he used the other to ease himself into me, watching my face carefully as he did. I knew if I winced even once he would pull out and I'd have to talk him into trying again, so I closed my eyes and concentrated on keeping my face expressionless. It was uncomfortable feeling so stretched, my body wasn't used to it, but I knew this was just the first of many times Draco would make love to me this way and I would grow to love this feeling.

"Are you alright?" I heard him ask and my eyes fluttered open. His brow creased into a worried line and I could see him ready to retreat if I was hurting.

"I'm fine, Babe," I replied between a few deep breaths. "This is a new feeling, but I love having you so close to me."

"Doesn't get much closer than this," he smiled affectionately. "I'm all the way in, but I'll just sit here until you get used to it."

"No, don't," I nearly begged. "Move, please, I want to feel you. It doesn't hurt, honestly, that spell you used is really good!"

"Sure?" he questioned breathily, and I nodded. "Alright, I'm going to push your legs up a bit." Again, I nodded. He didn't push far, just enough to give him some room to move; I was more than ready.

When he began to thrust, pushing in and out of me, the sensation was more than I expected. It affected my whole body and I felt myself slowly losing control as I began to shake at the intensity of it. In all honesty, I thought this feeling was incredible enough as it was, but when he brushed against one particular spot inside of me, a cry ripped from my throat and I thought I would come right then and there.

"Merlin," I heard Draco whisper reverently, and his pace increased enthusiastically as he tried to hit that same spot again. And he did, many times, until I was a quivering mess, moaning like a two Sickle whore underneath him, calling out his name.

My orgasm tore through my whole body and erupted from me unexpectedly, my body jerking from the force of it, something I'd never experienced before. I was so consumed by it, I didn't notice Draco reach his own release, but when he slumped over, his body radiating heat and dripping sweat onto my chest, I knew he had.

Several seconds passed in silence as I began to regain control of my senses and Draco his; not long afterwards, Draco pulled out of me and rolled over to lie by my side. "That was incredible," I whispered, turning my head to watch Draco still panting beside me. He just moaned tiredly and reached over to pull me into a satisfied embrace; I settled into his arms and delighted at his hot breath ghosting over my nose and cheeks.

"Mmm, Harry," I heard him whisper as his eyelids fluttered sleepily. I smiled.

"Draco," I murmured, "when is the next Hogsmeade weekend?"

"Huh?" he grunted. "Um, dunno. Not this weekend, maybe the one after. Why?" He yawned as he asked me why, and I knew I should just let him fall into a post-sex slumber, but I had too much on my mind.

"I want to buy you a ring," I told him.

"Stop it," he grumbled. "I wish I'd never said anything about it now."

"No, seriously. I really want to go ring shopping," I insisted, shaking him a little. "We could both get one."

"Yeah, okay," he sighed, and I let the silence drift over us once more.

I watched him next to me. His white blond hair fell defiantly out of place and into his eyes; each strand captivated me, as did everything else about him. I wondered if I would feel this way about him forever, but I didn't see why I wouldn't. He would look so good in shimmering silver robes, they would match his eyes, and I could see him standing next to me smiling as we promised ourselves to one another. "Are you still awake?" I whispered and he groaned in response; I took that as a yes. "Draco, I don't want to wait," I said. "Let's get married right away."

If he hadn't been completely awake before, he certainly was now. "What?" he asked me incredulously. "Harry – we – you have to – we have to be of age first."

"I'll turn seventeen at the end of July, we can get married this summer in August," I reasoned. It was still a few months away, since it was just coming up to Christmas now. We still had over seven months to go, which seemed too long. He just frowned at me and chewed on his lip like he wanted to say something, but didn't know if he should. "Look, I know that your mum wants me to kill Voldemort first, but we don't know how far away that is, and well, what if-" I stopped. I didn't want to admit to him my fears about my death or his.

"You aren't going to die!" he exclaimed, holding me tighter as though he wanted to squeeze those thoughts from my mind.

"Okay," I sighed. "I know, but really anything could happen."

"Nothing is going to happen right now in any case," he replied. "Just go to sleep, alright?"

I nodded, and calmed myself by running my fingers up and down his side, soothing myself as well as him. "I love you, Draco," I whispered, as the quiet settled and I closed my eyes.

I slipped quickly into a sound and peaceful slumber.

--

I'm not sure what woke me, but I think it was purely instinctive, or perhaps my body noticed Draco's absence and was suddenly not able to relax. Whatever it was, I didn't really have time to contemplate because I realized in quick succession that not only was Draco not in bed with me, but he was in fact fully dressed and looking alarmingly like he was about to Apparate somewhere. He was staring at the ring he always wore on his finger, and whispering something to it – an incantation.

I flung myself out of the bed and leapt over to him in a few short strides. "Draco!" I cried out as I watched him begin to disappear, and he looked up at me in shock and horror as I gripped tightly to his vanishing arm.

I felt the telltale hook behind my navel and I felt relief as I realized it had worked and I was being pulled with him, wherever he was going. Draco landed steadily on his feet and was quick to steady me as well when I stumbled. "What are you doing?" he hissed at me.

"What are you doing?" I snapped back angrily. I looked around the orderly looking study we were in, but didn't recognize anything. "Where the hell are we?"

"You shouldn't be here, Harry," he whispered his eyes darting around the room, like he expected something to jump out at us. "You should go back to – Oh my God, Harry you're naked!"

Suddenly the cool air brushing against my naked flesh felt rather exposing and I glanced around the room to make sure we were alone. As far as I could tell we were.

"Yes, well, you should be naked too, Draco," I replied, hurt and confusion evident in my voice. "You should be with me in your bed back at Hogwarts! What are you doing here? Hell, where are we?"

He opened his mouth to reply, but he was stopped at a noise we both heard clearly on the other side of the door. "Salazar save us," he whispered, his eyes wide and terrified.

Someone was coming in.

Author's Note: *gasp* Whatever will they do?!