DISCLAIMER: Harry Potter and all it's characters belong to J K Rowling.

Author's note: Please rate and review! Constructive criticism and thoughts on the story are greatly appreciated!

Chapter Nineteen

The rest of the week passed by too quickly for Harry's liking. With the mountain of homework that they had, Harry and Draco hadn't been able to meet at all till Thursday, a fact that irritated the Gryffindor to no end. It was only after Harry spent an entire lunch staring at the blonde, did Draco relent and agree to meeting at the Room of Requirement. Really, Harry had not known how studious the blonde was, because he was always doing homework, or studying, or revising, or doing more homework. He wasn't truly as bad as Hermione, but he was close to it.

Harry wondered, if this was really how Draco was, then how did the blonde find time in the past to argue with him?

Then again, Harry had a feeling he made time then.

Shaking his head, Harry walked to the Room of Requirement. He could see that there was already a door there, and he knocked once before opening it and peeking in. Draco was sitting inside, lounging actually, with one hand twirling a strand of hair as he stared into space. Harry laughed softly; he really did look effeminate!

Draco turned when he heard the sound, and smiled gently. Harry walked to the couch the blonde was sitting on, and made himself at home next to his boyfriend.

"What was so funny?" Draco asked.

Harry shook his head to avoid answering, and leaned in to kiss the blonde hello. He poured all his feelings—the hesitant love, the unending frustration at not being able to see him, and the happiness at finally seeing him. Draco took those feelings and returned them in kind, though his answer was a little hesitant. That was okay because Harry was willing to wait. They kissed softly for a while before Harry pulled back.

Draco was slightly flushed. His lips were pink and slightly swollen, but the most apparent things were his eyes and his expression. His eyes were hooded, and his expression was one of yearning. Harry sighed happily when he saw that, and leaned into to peck his lips one more time before he adjusted himself so that they were holding hands and sitting side by side, their legs pressed together.

"How was your week?" Harry asked finally.

Draco shrugged, "Alright. I've told Pansy and Blaise about us. He was okay with it, but Pansy was furious."

"Why?" Harry frowned, "What happened?"

Draco rolled his eyes, "It's mainly because she still thinks the two of us will get together at some point."

"But you're gay."

Draco snorted, "I've told her that. Countless times. She refuses to believe me. Even getting Blaise to tell her about when we fooled around didn't help."

Harry furrowed his eyebrows, "You know, the thought of you and Blaise having been together at some point really pisses me off."

Draco smiled softly, and squeezed Harry's hand gently, "We aren't together anymore." He informed the Gryffindor. "And haven't been together for a while. It was really just an experiment, not a relationship."

It was Harry's turn to chuckle as he thought about Draco's words, "I know. And honestly, every time I think of your non-relationships and experiments, I get goose bumps. Part of it is trying to imagine you in those situations, and another part of it is me being jealous."

"You don't have any reason to be jealous," Draco told him. "I've never felt this way with someone before. And even if I had, what I am feeling now is just for you."

Harry smiled, "I know. And I feel the same way about you. Still, what are you going to do about Pansy?"

Draco shrugged, "I don't know. Let it settle itself, I suppose. With time, she could understand and accept it."

Harry nodded, "Yeah."

Draco waved his hand as if he was clearing the air, "On another note, I managed to talk to some of the other Slytherins in our year."

Harry raised his eyebrows, "Really? About Hogsmeade?"

Draco nodded, "Yeah. Most of them were a little…hesitant. Blaise said he didn't care, Theo was unsure but then again his father had been a Death Eater, but most of the rest were sort of fine. It's only Tracey and Pansy in the girls, and Theo, Blaise, Greg and me in the boys. Greg honestly didn't care."

Harry thought about it, "And the girls?"

"Like I said, they were sort of okay with it. My guess would be that they aren't sure of the reception. Once they realize, and that is if it happens, that they'll be accepted, then they'll be fine with it. Tracey more than Pansy."

Harry let out a breath, "Well, Tracey will probably be accepted more readily than Pansy."

Draco nodded, "Yeah. She didn't mean it, you know—when she tried to give you to the Dark Lord. She was as scared as the rest of us."

Harry smiled, "I know. Giving it a try is the best option, I think. If anything, Hermione will scare everyone into behaving. She really wants to get the Houses together, after all this time."

Draco nodded. He was silent for a few second, before he started talking. "My father," he said nervously, "My father always thought that Slytherin House was the best of the four."

The sudden change in mood, and the topic of Lucius Malfoy confused Harry, but he just sat quietly and let Draco talk. He could see that the blonde needed to let it out.

"And," Draco continued, "For the longest time, I thought the same. I mean, the Hufflepuffs were stupidly loyal, the Gryffindors were stupidly brave, the Ravenclaws were stupid know-it-alls, and Slytherin was the only House that wasn't stupid. We were cunning, and ambitious, and we know how to get our way. All excellent traits for a spoilt, pampered boy. Now, though, it's beginning to sink in that loyalty and courage and knowledge are what really matter. Although, so does ambition. So really, all four Houses are equally good." The blonde paused suddenly. Harry let him gather his thoughts, and tried to provide silent support.

"I realize that now. I mean, I had to. The idea is logically sound. But my father- he never had to. Even during the war, he was always at the Manor and someplace else. Not here where you could see how the other Houses behaved. I'm not trying to- excuse him or anything, I'm just—" he broke of abruptly. Draco bit his lips and stared forward, as if trying to form the correct words to express his feelings.

"You just want to understand him," Harry said softly.

Draco's gaze snapped to the side to look at Harry. The blonde sighed, "Yes. I just want to understand him."

They were silent again for a few minutes before the blonde spoke up, "I guess I also want to make excuses for him. You know, make it seem like he didn't know what he was getting into and was influenced by the wrong people."

Harry took a deep breath before answering, "Well, that may very well have been how it started, Draco. But…but your father made a lot of decisions knowing what he was-was doing."

"He loves me," Draco whispered.

"Oh, Draco," Harry said and pulled the blonde towards him. He wrapped his hands around Draco and held him tight. "I know he does. That much was obvious."

Draco sighed and snuggled into the embrace. He took deep breaths to calm himself down—he had done enough of crying, especially in front of the Gryffindor. "He got two years," the blonde said finally.

"I didn't know that. All I knew was that he had been sentenced."

"Yeah, two years in that horrible place."

Harry didn't answer; he felt that the older Malfoy deserved the sentence, but saying that out loud would only upset Draco.

"And after that he'll come home."

"Mmhm," Harry tried to be reassuring without showing how he really felt.

"I wonder how he'll react to the two of us together?"

A chuckle escaped Harry because he could keep it locked inside. Draco raised his head, but there was a small smile on his face as well. "Yeah, it is funny to think about it," he commented.

Harry shook his head and bumped his nose against Draco's. "Funny, yes. I can't imagine his reaction, actually."

"He wouldn't approve," Draco said. Harry looked at him closely to see what the blonde thought about that, but it looked like he was just stating what he thought.

"And…does his approval matter?"

Draco took a deep breath and smiled, "Not really. I learned that not everything he does is right, or needs to be followed. I can and should make my own decisions."

Harry grinned, "And if you need advise, I'm always there."

Draco rolled his eyes, "I shudder to think about any advice you give me. It'll end up in me risking myself for absolutely no reason other than because it is the right thing to do."

Harry laughed, "Well, it worked for me, didn't it?"

Draco shook his head and leaned into the embrace again. The air felt a little clearer to him, after getting that off his chest. He really was worried about his father, but he hadn't lied when he told Harry that it didn't matter what his father thought about their relationship.

When Harry brought his hand up to run it through Draco's hair, he realized that he wanted to make his own decisions. And this time, he had a feeling he was making the right ones. And that Harry was a good decision.

Author's Note: So, here you go… the introduction is over. Yes, the introduction. There's still a lot more left that I have planned for the story. Having read a lot of mange, I would say that an 'arc' is over, and the next arc will begin with the next chapter. I may or may not update quickly depending on whether or not I've written the rest of the coming arc. It's a short one though, so I should be finished with it soon. Hope this satisfies you till then!