Anniversary

Harry was walking across the grounds of Hogwarts towards the lake. It was a beautiful summer night, warm, and one could see every star.

It had also been a beautiful night back then, ten years ago, the happiest night of his life when they had sworn they would come back to this place ten years later – together – to celebrate their anniversary.

But here he was, on his own. A twenty-eight-year-old wizard who couldn’t stop grieving over his lost love.

Back then they had sworn it would be forever. This crazy night when they had first made love, there by the lake, when they had first told each other that they loved each other.

They had been so happy, so endlessly happy, but with Draco all his capability of happiness had gone, and it had been Harry himself who had chased him away.

There was not a single day that passed without Harry wondering where Draco might be now, or if he was still alive at all.

It was eight years ago that Harry had last seen Draco, but still Harry missed his one true love every hour of every day.

If only he had known then that he would never be able to love anyone else as much as he loved Draco, maybe then he wouldn’t have made that fateful mistake.

These two years with Draco were the happiest of his life, actually these were the only years he had ever been happy.

The memories of this time were still as alive in Harry’s mind as if the things had happened only yesterday.

This crazy afternoon, two weeks after the war had ended. Draco came to see Harry and thank him for saving his life. They were both depressed and unhappy. They had a few drinks, and then they made their pact to get each other out of this mess and enjoy their lives, every single day of it.

Yes, this was how it all began. Fragments of memories kept flashing up in Harry’s mind.

Their shopping trip through Muggle London, their day at the channel coast, their endless games of wizard chess, their tours through all kinds of Muggle Pubs – everything was fun with Draco and Harry really stared to enjoy his life.

Their first kiss after an evening at the Three Broomsticks. They were both so drunk they were hardly able to walk and had to cling to each other in order to keep themselves from falling.

They were never able to tell who had started it, but suddenly their lips were pressed together and their tongues were touching. Naturally they both felt rather embarrassed afterwards and they didn’t speak for about a week.

It was Draco who finally did the first step and turned up at Harry’s doorstep again, challenging his former rival to a game of Quidditch. on the Hogwarts Quidditch pitch.

It was the summer holidays, so they had been completely on their own. They had the time of their lives, flying through the beautiful summer evening, chasing after the snitch and teasing each other.

Of course, it was Harry who finally caught the Snitch, but Draco ignored this and kept on flying until he finally landed at the shore of the lake. Harry followed him and they sat by the lake, silently staring into the dark water. Harry felt restless, nervous and happy at the same time.

And then it all happened at once. They both looked up, their eyes met and they suddenly found themselves lying on the soft ground, kissing greedily. Their clothes were removed within seconds and the kissing led to fantastic, passionate sex.

When they were lying by the lake, their bodies pressed against each other in the aftermath of their orgasm, Draco whispered the magic words ‘I love you’, looking deeply into Harry’s green eyes. ‘And I love you’, Harry answered softly and there lips met again for a long and deep kiss.

It was then that they had made their vow to stay together for the rest of their lives and come back to this place for their ten-years-anniversary.

From this day on life had been heaven on earth for the two of them. They more or less moved in together at Harry’s place and they made love at least once a day. They travelled a lot – to France, to the US and Australia. They both started working, Draco for Gringott’s, Harry for the Ministry.

For about two years they were incredibly happy until Harry remembered how much he had always wanted a family of his own. The knowledge that as long as he was with Draco he would never be able to become a father caused Harry to start doubting their relationship.

His wish for a family was so strong that he finally broke up with his lover.

The memory of Draco’s shocked and sad face still brought tears into Harry’s eyes each time he thought of it.

Draco neither got angry nor cried. He simply left without a word but from the look in his eyes Harry could tell how much he had hurt him.

And then Draco was gone, but soon after he had left, Harry started noticing that he couldn’t live without the blond man who had made his life so happy.

He searched for Draco but he was gone without a trace. Harry started a desperate search, but he never found him. He often wondered, half-mad with fear, if Draco might have committed suicide, but no body was found either.

The years went by and Harry remained on his own. He never married, never had children because his heart was already taken.

Every single day he blamed himself for throwing away his one true love and condemning himself to life-ling loneliness at the age of twenty.

He always hoped that his pain would fade in the cause of time, but his love for Draco remained as strong as ever.

However, no matter how hard he tried, his search for his lover didn’t bring about any results.

And now the night had come, the night of their great anniversary and Harry wasn’t able to stay at home. He had promised Draco to come to the lake this very night and he for his part would keep his promise.

He would celebrate on his own and the eighteen-year-old Draco from his memories would keep him company.

The beautiful night and his memories brought tears into Harry’s eyes. How perfect their celebration could have been, how perfect their love could have been, but he had gone and thrown it all away.

He walked on towards the lake and stopped dead. There was already someone sitting at their place, his blond hair glistening in the moonlight.

Harry’s heart was beating wildly against his chest. Was he just dreaming? If he was, he never wanted to wake up again.

He hurried on and at the sound of his footsteps the blond man raised his head. His face was deadly pale and he was crying.

Their eyes met and for a moment they just stared at each other in disbelief. And then they were inside each others arms, kissing madly as if to make up for eight long years in one kiss.