New Beginnings

Another day, another fight, another heartache. Harry couldn’t take it anymore, he was loosing a grip on reality. If Draco refused to change, refused to be himself this relationship would never work. He was sure that Draco was faithful, that wasn’t the problem. The problem was that damn Slytherin pride, it got in the way of everything. When someone criticized anything he did the blond would retaliate and some how Harry always got caught in the crossfire.

Harry paced the astronomy tower, not quite ready to go back to his dorm. After the argument at dinner he didn’t want to face his friends. This was all Draco’s fault.

A slytherins’s has their pride, Potter. You can’t expect me to sit with Gryffindors.
But Dray, I’m a Gryffindor.
And that’s the only thing wrong with you. That blond smirked as his house mates roared with laughter. At Harry’s crest fallen look, Draco sighed dramatically.
Don’t look like that. I plan on keeping you around.

Ron and Hermione expected him to break up with the blond for good. He really cared about him, he really loved Draco, but they were right. If he stayed, it would only lead to a broken heart. He'd paced the common room enough, and he was tired of the sad looks his house was giving him. Grabbing his cloak he wrapped it around himself deciding to go for a walk by the lake.

Another pointless argument, another stupid mistake, another hurt he’d have to soothe. He didn’t know why he let Crabbe and Goyle get to him, but they had called him soft and sappy. He couldn't let them think he was losing his touch. Whenever he felt the need to prove himself to the Slytherins he always hurt Harry, rarely unintentionally. Harry was the reason he got some much grief from the slytherins, but he wouldn't trade him for the world. He just had to get that through his thick mind. Draco paced the Slytherin common room, ignoring the stares he received. He knew he was walking on thin ice with the Gryffindor and was hoping the brunet would forgive him his latest transgression.

Draco remembered the scathing looks he got from Ron and Hermione but they didn’t hurt nearly as much as the expression in the emerald green eyes he loved. If only he could learn when to keep his mouth shut they could make it a whole day without tears and apologies.

Plan on keeping me around? Don’t worry? Should I also feel lucky, Draco?
Glancing at the Slytherin table he saw the raised eyebrow of Pansy.
Yes, you should. I have my pick of handsome men and they’re all Slytherin.
Not to mention pure-blood. Crabbe interjected earning another round of laughter from the table.
Is that how you feel?
Of course not. Being the Boy-Who-Lived over rides your blood status. He crossed his arms looking smug.
Harry stood up. Maybe I’ll solve your problem for you. My half-blooded Gryffindor self is evidently not good enough for you.
Not wanting Harry to get the last word east he look bad. That’s not true, you warm my bed very well.
Fuck you Draco. Harry hissed coldly. I hope your hand keeps you warm tonight. With that Harry disappeared through the heavy wooden door.

Growing tired of his pacing Draco sat down. Closing his eyes he figured it would be easier to start with an apology, as always. He knew it would only get worse the longer he waited, it always did because he never knew which made it worse, that he'd fucked up or that he'd taken so long to correct his mistake. It’d already been an hour since the scene. Going to his room he jotted a note to Harry and summoned Dobby to deliver it. Twenty minutes later the House elf was back, scroll in hand, unanswered. Harry was not in his dorm. Knowing instinctively where the brunet would go he dismissed Dobby and headed for the lake.

Arriving he noted no noticeable difference at first. He looked around expecting the burnet to appear sooner rather then later. Turning to go sit in a tree he noticed small ripples in the water, that’s also when he noted the indent in the grass at the lake’s edge. Whispering a near silent accio, he approached.

Harry was absorbed in though , not noticing his cloak being lifted from him. He didn’t notice he wasn’t alone until he felt a hand on his shoulder. Turning he looked up into slivery grey eyes. Eyes he knew so intimately. Looking away he murmured, “We’re through.”

Choosing not to acknowledge Harry had said anything he cut to the chase. “Listen Harry. I want to apologize.” Draco sat beside Harry, close enough to feel the heat drifting off his body.

Not sure the blond had heard him,and not quite sure he’d heard himself he cleared his throat. “We are over,” he repeated louder this time, still not liking the way it sounded, harsh to his own ears.

“You can’t mean that.” Draco admonished.

“I can and I do.” Harry stood preparing to leave. Spotting his cloak beside Draco he moved to retrieve it.

Snatching the cloak before Harry could touch it, Draco stood and held it out of reach. “This isn’t over until you hear me out.”

Growling in frustration, Harry rounded on the blond; fist swinging. Draco easily dodged grabbing on to the angry brunet. The weigh and force of the swing dragging them both to the ground. Draco moved so he took the brunt of the fall, quickly reversing there position once they were on the ground.

Sobbing in defeat, Harry closed his eyes. “What do you want from me?” The warmth and familiar weight of Draco playin havoc on his batter emotions.

Burying his face in the crook of Harry’s neck Draco inhaled deeply, loving the scent of the boy beneath him. He tentively licked the warm flesh, savoring the taste.

“I want to stand with you on the mountain. I wan to bathe with you in the sea. I want to lay like this forever.” Draco snuggled closer.

“It’s not going to work. Every time anyone says anything about us, about you, you hurt me. I’m not going to change who I am, what I am. Just as the sky can't change it's stars. I can't change who I am.” Harry opened tear filled eyes.

“I know and I’m truly sorry. It shouldn’t be you to change." Draco fought down the lump forming in his throat. If it takes me all night I'll lay here until the sky falls down on me." He snuggled his face into the warm body under him. "I was wrong. You’re perfect the way you are.” Draco tightened his hold on Harry. “I don’t like who I am, what I am if it means me being without you.”

The tears fell from his eyes and made salty trails to his ears. “Then what do you want to be? Who do you want to be?” Harry whispered, trying to keep the choking sobs back.

“Anything that you want me to be. Just tell me, and I’ll be that. I’ll be your dream.” Draco picked his head up, watching the salty water leak from the beautiful green eyes.

“It doesn’t work like that. I can’t tell you to be something you’re not. I can’t tell you to be someone you’re not. You have to decide. You must decide what, who you want to be to me.”

Draco searched for the words, he knew the words, could taste them. He knew all he wanted was Harry, nothing else, no one else was important. “I’ll…” he stopped, trying to organize the words in his head. “I’ll be your wish. I’ll be your fantasy. I’ll be-”

Harry cut him off. “Those words sound pretty but they mean nothing.”

“Listen to me. Just let me finish.” Draco ran a hand through is hair, sighing. Staring down into Harry’s eyes he continued. “I’ll be your hope. I’ll be your love.” He stressed every ‘your’ trying to get him to understand that he, Harry, was the only one for him. That he alone meant the world. “Everything that you need.”

Again Harry sighed. “Draco, you don’t understand. You talk a pretty game but you’re talking about things you’ll never live up to. Things that you don't seem to know the meaning of.” He moved to get up, trying to shift the wieght above him.

Holding Harry down Draco kissed him. His desperation was slipping through, he didn't know what else to do to prove to him what he was saying was true, heart felt. “I’m sorry. I was stupid. Crabbe, Goyle and everyone else mean nothing. It’s you I look forward to seeing everyday. It’s you I love more with every breathe.” He brushed his lips over the soft skin of Harry’s neck. “Truly…” he kissed the brunettes right eyelid, “…madly…” then the left one “…deeply,” and finally his lips.

“You lo..l..love me?” Harry whispered the question not believing he had heard correctly. “Do you know that’s the first time you’ve ever said those words to me?” Tears anew washed down Harry’s face. Tears of joy the words brought him, all the pleasure in the certainty. He felt surrounded by the comfort and protection of the highest powers, when the arms around him tightened.

Draco had thought about it before and he felt that there was no better time. Life wasn’t worth living if it meant not having Harry to share it with. “I was searching for a reason for living, a deeper meaning. I’m counting on a new beginning with you.” Draco took a deep breath giving Harry time to absorb the words and their full meaning. “Will you marry me?”

Harry couldn’t stop the tears from falling. He wanted to believe that Draco was being sincere. “Are you serious? Do you really want to spend the rest of your life with me?” He watched for signs that it wasn't real, that it wasn't a lie, for anything as not to break his heart more.

“Yes,” Draco breathed the word. “Tell me you still love me, you still want me, you’re still willing to forgive my stupidity.”

“Yes, I’ll love you until I die. I never want to be without you. And you’ll get smarter with age.” Harry kissed him letting his love flood the caress of lips against lips.

Pulling away from the kiss Draco held Harry close, lips a breathe away. “Close you eyes and imagine me as everything you’ve ever wanted.”

“I don’t have to close my eyes. Everything I want is standing before me and anything I need will surely come.”

______________________________

3 Years Later

Draco looked at Harry standing before the priest in his wedding day dressing robes. He was stunning, nervously fiddling with his hands, afraid to look up. The band of white baby roses and baby’s breath beautiful in his dark hair. That smile on his face warming the whole wedding party when he finally picked up his head. Draco caught his eye, feeling the tears starting to gather, seeing the watery smile on Harry's face. Waving a hand he stopped the priest mid word. “I’m sorry,” Draco cast an apologetic smile at the priest.Taking a step forward and taking Harry’s hands in his own.

Clearing his throat he spoke, “I have my own vows..." Draco swallowed the fast forming lump in his throat. "...if that’s alright.” Getting a nod of approval he swallowed past the lump in his throat.

“I'll be your dream . I'll be your wish. I'll be your fantasy. I'll be your hope. I'll be your love. Be everything that you need. I'll love you more with every breath. I truly, madly, deeply do. I will be strong, I will be faithful 'cause I'm counting on a new beginning . I want to stand with you on a mountain. I want to bathe with you in the sea. I want to live like this forever, until the sky falls down on me.” Draco watched the bright eyes shed the tears that had gathered as he finished, as he made his vow of forever. These words had closed a chapter of their life and it was these words he wanted to mark the beginning of the rest of their lives.


Author Note: Truly, Madly, Deeply by Savage Garden.

Crio: I hope this was everything you wanted, or at least grazed that iceberg.