Patent Leather Mini Skirt

Author's note--Okay, I guess it wasn't QUITE the cliff hanger I thought it might be, which is a good thing. But anyway, this is the last chapter of this story! (Finally!) I will try to answer any questions at the bottom of this chapter, so once again, thank you for reading and I'm sorry you had to wait so long for the end of this!

Patent Leather Mini Skirt

“Draco, are you okay? Oh my God, I’m so sorry! Merlin, I had no idea! Please, love, what can I do?” Harry was practically beside himself kneeling beside Draco. His green eyes were wide and panicked as his heart thudded against his ribs at the sight of the blonde curled on the floor and attempting to breathe. A cluster of curious and well-meaning students crowded around, pressing down on them, until Professor Slughorn (the new Head of Slytherin House) and Madame Pomfrey broke them up and shooed them away. The school mediwitch adeptly moved Harry out of the way as well while she attended to Draco. The Slytherin had regained control of his muscle movements and speech, refusing help from his Head of House as he stood up, and held his arms out to Harry. The adults moved to the side to let Draco embrace the Boy Who Lived, who clung to him tightly.

“I’m so sorry,” Harry whispered into Draco’s neck.

“Not your fault,” Draco murmured back, stroking the back of Harry’s head comfortingly.

“No…I thought you were just being jealous,” Harry admitted, pulling back to face Draco sheepishly.

“I was…” Draco paused and smirked. “But I also knew she had something up her sleeve that was more than her wand. Pun not intended.” Harry’s lips twitched.

“How’d you know?”

“Slytherin, Potter,” Draco replied. “That’s our area of expertise.” Harry nodded in understanding. “I don’t know about you, but I’m going to go ahead and eat.”

“Yeah, I’m hungry, too,” Harry replied. They pushed through the crowd and went to their respective tables. Harry avoided his housemates’ eyes, glancing up at the Slytherin table every five seconds as if he were afraid that Draco was going to disappear right out from under his nose. He grimaced as food appeared in front of him, and even though he was hungry, he didn’t really feel like eating, but he tried to.

Draco didn’t want to admit that he was still slightly shaky from being under the Cruciatus Curse. He knew that Harry would want to drag him to the Hospital Wing if he thought anything was the matter. The blonde moved to his rightful spot at the Slytherin table and sat gracefully, looking up to find that he was the center of attention. He glared wordlessly until most of them blinked and looked away, all except Blaise.

“What?” He asked irritably, grabbing a roll and breaking off a piece.

“You and Potter?” Blaise raised an eyebrow.

“You have a problem with that?” Draco addressed his friend, as well as the other students sitting around them that Draco knew were trying to appear inconspicuous as they eavesdropped. “Do any of you have a fucking problem with that?”

“No, Draco,” came a chorus of panicked Slytherins. Satisfied, Draco nodded and turned back to Blaise.

“It’s about damn time,” cracked the black Slytherin, a grin lighting up his face. “I’m sick of you complaining about him. You’ve been obsessed with him since first-year.”

Draco opened his mouth to protest, feeling his cheeks pink, and then he glanced over to the Gryffindor table, where he made eye contact with Harry. Draco shut his mouth, realizing that he couldn’t deny it, and he tore his gaze away from Harry to wink at Blaise. He looked back and saw that Granger and Weasley had joined Harry, and the Gryffindor’s attention was now on his friends.

Harry noticed the stormy look on Draco’s face with a frown, but it soon changed to one of amusement as he talked with Zabini. Harry grinned when Draco looked his way, and then he was jostled as Ron and Hermione flew in and swarmed around him. His shoulder was grabbed hard, and he snapped his head up just as Hermione reached out and tried to break Ron’s grip.

“No, Ron!” She exclaimed. “We agreed we’d hear Harry’s side! Let go of him!”

Harry brought his hand up in self defense, tensing his muscles, his green eyes narrowed and calculating. Ron was glaring right back at him, but he let go of the Boy Who Lived. Harry was surprised by the cold hatred that was radiating from his supposed best mate, and Hermione had tugged him to sit beside Harry, standing between them.

“Harry, what’s going on?” Hermione asked in an anxious voice. “Professor McGonagall wouldn’t tell us anything about where she was taking Ginny, and you know how the gossip is. You can’t believe half the things people are whispering.”

“Ginny tried to hex me,” Harry said, tight-lipped. “She used Cruciatus, and Draco stepped into the path instead.”

“Why did she have to hex you in the first place?” Ron grunted.

“She CHOSE to hex me,” Harry spat witheringly. “Because she caught Draco and I kissing, and she couldn’t handle it.”

“You…what?” Ron did a double take, not even able to comprehend the words. Hermione’s hands flew over her mouth, and her gaze flew to the blonde.

“Draco’s not the bad guy anymore,” Harry said carefully. “He’s different now.”

“So you and Luna…” Hermione began, and Harry nodded.

“We’re through,” he said. “I wasn’t really sure how to tell you guys this, but I fancy Draco. A lot.”

“You’re gay?” Ron was still having trouble putting all of it together.

“I guess,” Harry frowned. “But it’s not like I’m attracted to all guys. Just Draco.”

“But that makes you gay.”

“Then, fine, yes, I’m gay,” Harry snapped. “If being attracted to ONE bloke after going out with two or three girls makes me gay, then yes, I’m gay. I’m gay for Draco Malfoy, Ron. How do you feel about that? Are you attracted to all girls, huh? Does that make you straight?”

“Harry,” Hermione said softly, but Ron interrupted her.

“At least I’m not gay for Ferret Boy,” the redhead snorted in disgust. “That’s sick, Harry.”

“Oh, and you and Hermione are so much better?” Harry glared. “No offense, ‘Mione,” he added hastily.

“None taken,” she smiled thinly. “Ron, I think we need to focus on the fact that Harry’s happy now, right, Harry?” Harry nodded, but Ron turned on Hermione.

“Happy? How can he be happy that my little sister is getting chewed out by McGonagall right now? How the FUCK can he be happy about being gay for Malfoy?” Ron’s voice was rising, and more people were starting to look at them.

“Ronald Bilius Weasley, how dare you say such a thing!” Hermione hissed. “You don’t sound any better than Malfoy when you say prejudiced things like that, you git.”

“He’s not like that anymore,” Harry broke in, rising from the table, glaring at both of them. Draco, across the room, stopped eating to watch the Golden Trio. “He apologized to you, Hermione, and he hasn’t said anything nasty about you in quite a while. Ron, if you’d get over yourself, you’d realize that he also hasn’t said anything bad to or about you lately either. I thought that the two of you would understand that people can change. The three of US changed a LOT because of the war. If you can’t look past whom Draco was to whom he IS, then that’s going to be a problem. I love him, and if you can’t accept that, then you can go fuck yourself!”

Harry left the Gryffindor table in disgust after his speech, panting heavily. He forced himself to get out of the Great Hall quickly, but without running. He was about halfway up the first staircase towards his room when he heard footsteps behind him and a familiar voice call his name.

“Harry!” The Gryffindor turned around, and Draco took the steps two at a time to reach him. “Are you alright?”

“No,” Harry said, smiling sadly. He reached out and pulled Draco to him, ignoring the blonde’s look of surprise at the public display of affection. Harry put his head on Draco’s shoulder, and Draco tentatively wrapped his arms around the Boy Who Lived, carding his long, pale fingers through Harry’s ebony locks in a comforting manner. “But this helps,” he added, voice muffled.

“They didn’t take it well?” Draco asked sympathetically.

“Hermione seemed like she was, at first,” Harry sighed. “I don’t know about Ron; this could be the end of us if he keeps up with what he was saying.”

“You and me ‘us’ or you and him ‘us’?” Draco’s tone changed to slightly panicked.

“Sorry, no, me and him,” Harry squeezed Draco tighter to reassure him. “I’m not letting you go THAT easily, Malfoy.” Draco laughed in relief. “Ron’s…well, I think he’s taken Ginny’s side and never forgiven me for us breaking up.”

“Stupid Weasley,” Draco murmured, and Harry drew back, glaring at him.

“Still not cool,” he admonished, and Draco wrinkled his nose.

“Sorry,” he said, not sounding sorry at all. Just then Ron and Hermione came out of the Great Hall, still bickering, clearly not expecting to find Harry and Draco embracing on the stairs.

“This place is going to the snakes,” Ron said loudly, curling his lip at the sight of them. Both Hermione and Harry frowned.

“Better than the weasels,” Draco responded, and Harry pinched him. “Look, Weasley, I know that you and I don’t like each other, but I will tolerate you for Harry’s sake. I hope that you can grow up enough to do the same, if you value Harry’s friendship enough, and if you don’t, then you’re even stupider than you look.”

“Draco,” Harry groaned.

“What?” Draco’s voice rang out, managing to sound both innocent and indignant. “That was ‘nice’. Harry, don’t ask me not to stick up for you, because I can’t do that. I will defend you, even to the people you refer to as ‘friends’.” He threw Ron a disdainful look.

“I’m more of his friend than you could EVER hope to be,” Ron sneered back. “He can trust me; it’s only a matter of time before you show your true scales and turn on him, sneaky Slytherin.”

“You’re wrong, Weasley,” Draco said firmly. “Like it or not, I am here. I’m sorry that your sister is having such a hard time dealing with all of this, but your energy would be better spent in helping her move on, rather than antagonizing me.”

Hermione and Harry’s mouths dropped open. Draco Malfoy apologized to Ron Weasley? And without an insult? Draco brought his chin up, meeting Ron’s gaze steadily. Ron narrowed his blue eyes as if trying to read Draco’s thoughts, and then he nodded stiffly.

“Malfoy, so help me God, I will hunt you down if you hurt him,” Ron threatened. Draco bristled but nodded back.

“Good,” the Slytherin retorted. “Likewise, Weasley, but you won’t have to worry about that.” He turned his gaze to Harry, and he couldn’t help but melt into a smile. Harry was staring at him adoringly, and Draco couldn’t resist that look.

“So…that’s it, then?” Hermione glanced back and forth incredulously between Draco and Ron. “You two are…okay now? Just…just like that?”

“Just like that, Granger,” Draco said. “Good to see you haven’t lost your edge.”

“We have an understanding,” Ron replied. “Harry, we’ll see you in Gryffindor.” The redhead grabbed his girlfriend and pulled her up the stairs past Harry and Draco. He paused before rounding the landing, grimacing down at the two of them in what could barely count as a smile before they disappeared, heading towards the tower.

Harry grinned at hearing that the two of them had made their peace. He hugged Draco happily, and Draco chuckled, embracing him back.

“What about Ginny?” Harry hated to ask.

“Maybe you should suggest that Weasley talk to her, help her see that she needs to get on with her life,” Draco shrugged. “Honestly, I don’t really care because she’s not important. She can try to hex me from now until graduation, but that’s not going to stop us being together.”

“I’d rather her not,” Harry frowned. “But that’s a good idea. I’ll tell Ron. Maybe she’ll listen to him.”

“Maybe she just needs to get laid,” Draco suggested, wiggling his eyebrows. Harry’s mouth dropped open in shock. “She was dating that Thomas kid a while back; see if he’s still interested in her.”

“She could borrow the mini skirt,” Harry offered, and Draco smacked himself in the forehead, shaking his blonde head. “What?”

“Orange does NOT look good on a red-haired Weasley,” the Slytherin Prince said witheringly. “Besides, I thought she was still mad at Luna.”

“Probably, but if she can move on from me, then she can go back to being friends with Luna,” Harry said, his green eyes sparkling with amusement. “And if not orange, there’s always puce…”

THE END
* * * * *

What happened to Ginny?

A. You hate her enough, so she went to Azkaban.

B. McGonagall's talking-to woke her up and made her realize that Harry would never come back to her (a fact that she's always SAID she 'knew' but didn't really want to face until now). Ginny then spent a period of time being depressed, but with the help of Ron and Hermione and Dean Thomas and the other Gryffindors (but not Harry) she was able to get on with her life and forgive Harry (and to some extent Draco).

Ginny also came to terms with the fact that she had wronged Luna, and they are now friends again. Ginny, unlike Harry, also knows what color puce is and so has never deigned to wear it, even to get laid. Things are still tense when Harry visits the Burrow (and on holidays when he and Draco pop by to celebrate) but it's a temporary tension that will be smoothed over with time.

C. Who cares about Ginny? Draco got a black patent leather mini skirt, right? He and Harry take turns playing with that, right?

Author's note--Ginny...Azkaban???? WHY DIDN'T I THINK OF THAT?!?!?!?!!?! That's BRILLIANT! Oh wait, except that this story was light and fluffy with no real angst or drama...

That, and she's underage (and her father and brother work at the Ministry) so I doubt that she'd get put in Azkaban, unless she cast the Killing Curse (which she didn't).

No, continuing with Ginny's line in this chapter didn't seem natural to me. It would have felt forced, so I left it at "McGonagall took her away to yell at her" so...now the big question is (I guess) which ending for Ginny are you going to pick? I purposely left it open, but (as you can see) I choose (B) for her. She has been a LOT more evil in my other stories, and so there she might get Azkaban or death, but she was understandably a bitch in this story, I think. Plus it's all light and fluffy, so I never planned for anything TOO bad to happen to Ginny (in this story).

(But I also don't blame you for picking C. *GRIN*)


Thank you to those who have read my story. I hope you enjoyed it, and sorry again for any over-cheesiness and for the delay in finishing.

A HUGE thank you to those who reviewed my story. You guys are AMAZING, and I really appreciate all of your support. Apologies to anyone I offended with this story because that was never my intent. I hope to see you (any and all of you) on another journey with me sometime!

Another journey, another story, another plotline...but ALWAYS Harry/Draco!!!

~Graballz