Disclaimer: Draco and Harry cleverly worked together to escape from their captivity, so I still don't own Harry Potter nor do I make any money off of it. Hey…story idea! =o)

Reminder: Slash ahead.

Harry's POV We head into the Unknown

It is the morning now,

But I've found that the night has not eased my worry.

My tension mounts

As I come closer to entrance of the Great Hall

And the Great Mystery (that's you)

Who waits for me there.

I don't know why I acted like I did…

I'm not sure what possessed me to assume

That I could tell you something like that,

When I wasn't even sure

If you would rejoice

Or recoil in disgust.

After further thought,

Have you decided that what we shared

Was just a fluke,

A mistake?

Are you still willing to be my friend,

Or will you deny me even that at my blatant sentimentality?

I am assaulted relentlessly with these insecurities and second thoughts,

And I again curse the fact that I exited so quickly

After I'd made my revelation,

Before I'd even seen how you'd reacted.

Now, I suppose I'll finally find out,

And all I can do is pray

That you haven't reevaluated my character

And found me lacking.

I see you standing there alone,

Always alone,

And I feel myself falling further for you.

I know that you need help to let you heal,

And that the road ahead isn't easy,

But I must be honest and admit that that means nothing to me,

For everything I do for you is well worth the effort.

I halt before you,

And we're close enough to touch.

Close enough to kiss, actually.

I cannot look directly at your solitary self,

For I feel my famous courage wilting

At the prospect of what I might see.

Rejection is a killing blow, after all,

When administered by the right person.

I study my shoes, the floor, and nearby hanging tapestries quite intently

(Though I've seen them all often enough before),

Until you take my chin into one elegant hand of milky white,

And turn my face towards yours.

Still I find myself unwilling to look straight at you

(Yes, you, the one that can

Tear me apart

Or make me the happiest man alive

With a simple word or look or gesture),

So I look straight ahead.

But you'll have none of this,

And you lean forward to share your bit of insight.

I feel your lips brush against my ear

And your breath stir against my neck

As you whisper, just for me,

"I love you too, Harry."

I am astounded.

Do you have any idea how happy you've just made me?

I dare to look at you now,

And you speak the truth,

If sparkling eyes and dazzling smiles are any indication of that

(And I think they are).

We laugh together for the sheer joy of it all,

For everything's going to be okay.

I know that the path ahead will be rough,

And there will be hardships and obstacles to overcome,

But we can make this work.

We have to make this work.

We will. I know we will.

Together we walk into the world,

And hold hands as we head into the Unknown.

Author's Note: I'd like to say thank you to all the people who have read and enjoyed this fic, most especially those kind souls who reviewed. That meant a lot to me since this is, after all, the first Harry Potter fanfic I've ever written. =o)