Under the Moonlit Stars

Disclaimer: I solemnly swear that I do not own Harry Potter and/or any other characters used in this fic. They are all property of J.K. Rowling.

A/N: Clearing out one-shots so we can get to the good stuff... :)


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At Cavanaugh park where I used to sit all alone in the dark
And dream about things that I cannot say
You always said destiny'll blow me away,
Nothing's gonna blow me away. -Cavanaugh Park, Something Corporate

The night was black. Faint light emitted by the tiny pinpricks that were the stars twinkled down from the sky, washing over the dark landscape. The moon was waning, barely a sliver in the sky.

The dark trees outlined in the silver light from the moon swayed ominously in a light breeze that swept through the park. The expanse of grass that swept over the large area making up the park rustled in the wind.

On the edge of the park was the dark outline of a bench, low and made out of old wooden boards. On the bench sat a figure swathed in the darkness of the night. Midnight crawled in around the park, blackening the world.

The wind took up again, blowing a dark leaf across the ground and over the feet of the figure on the bench. The person stirred as if out of a dream, tilting its dark head down to look at the leaf caught between his feet.

The person reached down, plucking it out and holding it up, releasing it into the night. It fluttered away and was soon engulfed by the darkness once more. The figure let out a deep but quiet sigh. There was no movement around him but the barely swaying trees, their leaves rustling as the wind whipped through them.

Harry looked out from under his black cloak at the dark landscape in front of him. On the other side of the park, a swing set creaked eerily as the wind blew it around. The swings fell back and forth on their own, swinging lightly.

Harry looked at the park that had once been his refuge. As a child, he had escaped many times to the park on Magnolia Crescent. It was the one place he had been safe from Dudley, safe from all the taunting, safe from being a "freak". This park may have saved his life if he hadn't known any better.

Many years had gone by since Harry had returned to this park. It hadn't changed. It was exactly the same from that night so many years ago when he had met the Dementor on the way home. Somehow, that day seemed so much further away than Harry remembered.

Back then he'd still had hope. He had still believed it was possible to fight the oncoming evil. He had believed Dumbledore that love would conquer all. He knew better now.

He remembered sitting on that bench, those swings, thinking that life would get better. He would be able to leave the Dursley's soon, only a few more years. He would never have to see Dudley again. He could be with people who appreciated him for being himself.

He found that wasn't the case. When it became too much, he would retreat back to this same place, sitting in the dark and quiet of the park. He wanted to pretend he was still young; he still had options, that his life wasn't set out for him.

When he had sat in the park on those dusky summer evenings, Harry had wished for more. He wanted a life, a normal life. He had accepted that it was impossible, but he could still dream.

Harry looked up sharply as he heard a stick crack in the darkness. He could just barely see the shape of a cat standing on the other side of the park. Its yellow eyes gleamed and reflected a flash of light as it turned and scurried off into the dark.

Even now he wasn't alone. He had never been; he just hadn't known. Everyone was watching. He wasn't safe anywhere; he would never be.

When he was younger, he had thought he was safe, or as safe as he could be with Dudley for a cousin. He had never dreamed he had so much more to do with his life. He had never wanted to be special. Being normal had been perfectly fine for him. He was content to be Harry, just Harry.

After coming to school, he would return to the park every summer, new thoughts and ideas in his head, new dreams. Every year the dreams grew more improbable.

Then Dumbledore died and he was alone; alone yet again to face the pitch black nights in the park. Once more he was abandoned and left to fend for himself.

He had survived, though, it had been hard. He had dreamt of the end of the war, the smiling faces, joyous cheers. But it was all a lie. A lie he told to himself in the dark of the moonless nights.

Harry looked up at the moon that sat, clothed in black, surrounded by the light of the deceiving stars. His expression darkened and he looked back out across the park. The wind still blew through the rustling leaves, creating a rush in the willows sound. The swing creaked in timed intervals as it swung back and forth on its own accord.

Many dreams had passed since he'd been a child. Many had died, lost in the essence of childhood. Many were crushed by time, their ashes scattered throughout his life. Each new dream was accompanied by a feeling a hope, an expansion of something in his chest, only to be deflated once more.

Nothing had ever gone right in his life. Every good thing was turned to dust as time went on. Harry had known he was different from the very start. He had known there was something more, something he was missing. Finding out he was a wizard had been a miraculous turn, something that should have brought unbelievable joy, and it did... until the end.

He'd had friends, plenty of them, but how many were true? He couldn't tell, locked away in his world of darkness. They had proved themselves, time and again, but it was wrong. He had waited, knowing it couldn't last.

The reappearance of Voldemort into his life had shattered all dreams he'd had of finally having a normal life. He was catapulted into a war he'd never wanted, had never known about. It wasn't fair, but nothing in life is fair. Harry had known that from the moment he had been delivered to the Dursley's.

The wind had died. All was quiet in the park. Harry's sigh broke the deafening silence that had fallen on him. He stared down at his hands, wondering when it had all gone wrong.

Had it been when he'd agreed to fight this war? For he had agreed. He had once dreamt that it would be simple, a matter of one curse and done. He hadn't realized it would cost many lives, dedication, strength; strength he didn't believe he had. He knew he had to fight but he just couldn't.

With Dumbledore it had been easy. He had always been there to help, but after he'd gone, Harry had been alone. He had no one to guide him, help him. His friends had tried but it was all wrong. He was slipping and no one could catch him. No one, until just a few months ago.

Harry hadn't revisited this park since leaving school. He had no need to return to the house he'd always hated, the family who had despised him. The park had been his refuge; a place to seek solitude from all the tormenting.

Harry closed his eyes, sitting on the bench. He wanted to be alone. He needed to be alone. As he looked out over the park, he thought how it had been a place where he had learned so many things. He had discovered that Dudley was afraid of spiders here. A little black spider had crawled onto Dudley's arm and he had shrieked like an infant until Harry had pulled it off him. Here, Harry had learned that snakes were very friendly creatures. He had met a little green garter snake once. She had been quite friendly once she had learned he meant no harm.

He had learned that some things don't change here. Every time he had returned, nothing had changed. It was always the same. The swings swung in exactly the same manner, the trees swayed all the same. Harry often wondered if there was some kind of magic put upon the park to keep it unchanging forever.

Harry heard the swish of the trees behind him but didn't turn. His body stiffened in anticipation as he sat on the bench, staring resolutely forward. He heard the crunch of a stick on the ground and he tensed.

"I thought I'd find you here." A soft voice carried out from the trees and Harry's body relaxed. He didn't turn to look though, keeping his gaze forward.

He heard the swish of a cloak and felt as someone sat down on the bench beside him. He knew who it was; the only person who seemed to understand everything about him.

They were so similar that Harry wondered at the fact that they hadn't gotten together long ago. It wasn't surprising, however, that they hadn't. There had been so many things keeping them apart when they had been younger.

Harry looked down as a slim hand rested on his upper thigh reassuringly. He felt better knowing that he was no longer alone. He could almost feel the darkness ebbing away as he sat next to this person.

But the darkness didn't leave. The night engulfed all the trees, the swing set, everything. Harry knew he couldn't get rid of the darkness; it was impossible.

"Harry," he quiet voice caught his attention, causing him to turn his head and face the speaker. He gave the man a sad smile as he looked at him.

"Yeah?" he asked quietly, his voice barely audible above the whispering wind that had started up again.

The man's arm slid over Harry's shoulders, pulling him closer. Harry sighed and allowed himself to be pulled closer to the warm body. He rested his head against the man's shoulder, savoring this rare moment.

"You left without a word," the man said, his voice soft. Harry's gaze dropped to his hands once more.

"I'm sorry, Draco," he replied quietly. "I just needed to be alone."

Draco nodded slightly, holding Harry tighter to himself. He nuzzled into Harry's messy hair, breathing in his unique scent. He pressed a kiss to the top of Harry's head then rested their heads together, looking out at the dark park.

"Draco?" Harry asked tentatively, trying to keep control of himself as he struggled with what he'd been thinking about for the past three hours.

"Yeah, Harry?" he replied his hand sliding from Harry's shoulders down to his waist, giving him a comforting squeeze.

"We--we're not going to be-- I mean, tonight--"

"Don't think about it, Harry," Draco cut him off.

Harry pushed himself off Draco, sitting up straight and giving him a hard look. "How can I not think about it?!" he asked, his voice exploding in the silent park.

"Harry," Draco said, giving him a pleading look. "I don't want to think about it. I don't want to know this could be the last... the last..."

"No, it won't be!" Harry said quickly, moving closer to Draco. He climbed up on his knees on the bench, crawling into Draco's lap. He leaned into Draco's neck, kissing it softly. "No, it can't be," he whispered, his resolve slipping. He continued pressing light kisses to Draco's neck, hearing his even breathing in his ear.

"What if it is?" Draco whispered and Harry could hear the desperation in his voice.

"No," Harry whispered, a lump growing in his throat. "No, I don't want it to be. Draco, we can't let it!"

He couldn't stop himself as tears began to fall down his face, staining his cheeks as they slid down them, dripping into the silent grass beneath him. He buried his face in Draco's neck, his tears staining Draco's shirt. He felt Draco's arm wrap around his back, hugging him tightly.

His body was shaking slightly as all the emotions he'd been holding back for months came forth. He sobbed into the silence of the dark night, holding Draco tightly as though afraid he might slip between his fingers and disappear into the ground if he didn't.

He felt Draco's reassuring hands rubbing small circles on his back, trying to calm him. Finally, Harry managed to control his emotions, pulling himself together. He pulled back and looked at Draco through tear-stained eyes.

He leaned in and gave him a loving kiss. He didn't say anything when he pulled away though, just held Draco to himself as though he was a lifeline.

"Harry?" Draco's voice was steady as he spoke. His arms were wrapped around Harry's waist, holding him reassuringly.

"Yeah?" Harry mumbled into Draco's neck. He never wanted this moment to end. He didn't want to think about the next day that would doubtlessly be the end of it all.

"I love you," Draco said quietly.

Harry was silent for a moment. He closed his eyes, blocking out the suffocating darkness of the night for a moment. For just a little bit, it was only he and Draco alone together in a world full of perils, safe in each other's arms.

"I love you too," he breathed.

Draco stared out at the dark park, watching as the wind rustled the leaves of the trees. The swings on the swing set swung eerily in the breeze, creaking quietly as they moved back and forth. Dew drops had begun to form on the chains as they creaked in the wind.

Draco knew it was time; it had been for a while. All his life, he had been preparing for this. His father had trained him from an early age, getting him ready to face his future. He knew what was expected of him; what he was supposed to do, but he wasn't going to.

He was going to stand by Harry even if it meant his own demise. The reality of war was that there was no winner. Everyone died. All families were ripped apart, innocent people lost, guilty people lost; they all lost.

Draco swallowed hard as a cool breeze whipped up around him, ruffling Harry's dark hair. Above them, the stars leered down at them as if they knew. They knew what was happening and they couldn't stop it; no one could.

Draco hugged Harry tighter, willing himself to stay under control. One of them had to. He watched as the leaves rustled on the trees, a whispering of millions of voices, traveling around them. They whispered encouragement and also words of discouragement. They jeered at them for their pathetic needs.

Draco closed his eyes, willing the darkness away but it did not leave. He wanted the night over and yet he didn't. He knew tomorrow would be the end of it all. He just knew.

"Harry?" Draco spoke again.

"Yeah?" came the quiet response.

"I--I don't want to lose you."

There was a pause for a moment and the wind turned to a gust, hurtling the leaves across the park. They tumbled and slid over the dew-moistened grass, blown away by the force of the wind.

"Me neither."

They fell silent and the wind died down, pushing a lone leaf across the grassy expanse that spread out before them.

A little piece of Heaven turns to dark. -Listen to Your Heart, DHT


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A/N: review?