Rating: MATURE

Warning: Nothing except some crazy amounts of fluff. XD

Disclaimer: NOT MINE PEOPLE

Chapter 9

Harry slumped into his seat, Draco seating beside them as they waited for Farrell to begin class. It was their last day. They heard the all familiar clapping and they glanced up, watching as the eccentric teacher grinned at them.

"I am sad to say it is our last day of the semester and for the art project I assigned." Farrell announced, bouncing on her toes as she grabbed her wand and tapped the board. Names appeared down the chalk board, every groups name on the black slate. "This is the order we will go in! Every group will come up and display their art for us to see. I will grade on artwork and presentation! You will begin when I sit!"

Harry breathed a sigh of relief when he realized his and Malfoys name was at the very bottom, nervousness overcoming him at the prospect of showing the Slytherin his artwork. He had finished it last night, adding the final touches before hiding it out of sight. He hadn't wanted Draco to see it yet, wanting it to be a complete surprise for the blonde.

He felt a hand on his thigh and glanced over, smiling gently at the Slytherin. "Yes?"

"You're nervous. Why are you nervous?" Draco asked, suspicion clear on his face.

"Well, it might be because I don't know how you will take to my artwork of you." Harry admitted, not wanting to lie on their last day. Any other day he would have.

Draco frowned at that, opening his mouth to speak when he heard the clapping from the front of the room. He turned and let his hand fall from the Gryffindors leg, his eyes focused on the first group.

It was two Hufflepuffs, their artwork sloppy but with feeling. They presented and told the class the names and what inspired them to pick it. After they gave it to Farrell and the process repeated until it came to Ron and Hermione, who were before Harry and Draco.

Hermione showed the class hers, Ron's grinning face on the forefront of the canvas. In the background there was a patch of dull colored grass with a gray beach, the contrast highlighting Ron's fiery hair. She held it up and moved it so everyone could see it before tapping the bottom of the large image where there was a scrawled lopsided name.

"I named this piece Aimé et rouge. Which means 'loved and red' in French. I named it this because the first thing I fell in love with on Ron was his hair, which portrayed his fiery personality and his courageous heart." Hermione said, glancing over at Ron and smiling as she laid down her picture.

Ron looked a little shocked before he shook himself and held up his own drawing, made of simple lines that created Hermione's laugh and smile. "I call this one 'My favorite music'. I named it this because whenever Hermione laughs or chuckles it makes the purest sound in my head and is the most beautiful noise I have ever heard." He said as he blushed, glancing at his feet as the class awed.

They turned in their canvas and walked back to their desk, both pleased with the others artwork as they held hands. Harry drew a breath before he glanced over at Draco, standing and grabbing his covered canvas before walking to the front of the class.

He heard Malfoy follow him and turned, seeing Hermione and Ron smile at him. He felt relief wash over him, glad his friends didn't mind that he was dating the blonde Slytherin. He felt a hand on his arm and turned slightly, moving over so Draco could step beside him with his uncovered artwork.

"Do you want me to go first?" Malfoy asked quietly, grinning when Harry nodded quickly. He shook his head and turned to the class, displaying his artwork and enjoying the mutters. He moved it so everyone could see, taking a breath before speaking.

"I had picked a name for this piece, but found it was not to my liking. After looking for days on end I realized what was glaringly obvious." He said, his dramatic flair coming into play. "The name of this artwork is called 'Beloved Mine'." He said, relishing the whispers. "Everything in this picture is what I love the most during this semester, including Harry." He announced, grinning as he walked over and gave the stunned teacher his artwork.

Harry swallowed a lump in his throat and smiled, watching as Draco took his place beside him. He felt a bubble of nervousness and decided that he might as well get it over with. He drew a breath and placed the canvas at his feet, the top of it coming to his stomach.

He grabbed the fabric covering his artwork and glanced over at the Slytherin, tightening his grip before yanking the cover off and displaying his work. He heard gasps and a burst of whispering, glancing over at Malfoy and seeing his stunned face.

He inhaled deeply before turning to the class, hefting the large canvas up and moving it so everyone to see. On it was a moving picture of Draco, bursts of color doting the image while the rest was a wash of blacks and dark grey. Draco was on a bed, his body naked and Harry's invisibility cloak draped over his hips and thighs. The bed sheets were rumpled and on one side lay sketch books and packs of art pencils.

The image cut off before escaping from the mattress, everything still besides Draco who lay in the middle of the enormous bed. Draco was gazing up from the canvas, grinning. He moved his arm and reached forward, his smile erupting into silent laughter as his eyes shone and his lips moved. It was clear what the blonde was saying, the words soundless. The image repeated itself after Draco finished speaking, the artwork moving slowly and dreamlike.

The only color on the canvas was the blonde's eyes, the art supplies beside him, and the cloak that covered his hips. Each was bright and full of random colors, drawing attention to the rest of the art as it repeated over and over again.

Harry swallowed before speaking, his voice low and firm. "This piece is called 'Penciled In'." Harry announced, his voice spreading across the room. "I named it this for the way the memory holds onto the things we love and marks it in our hearts and eyes. How it writes a name that cannot be erased." He said, placing the canvas back at his feet and laying his hands on top of it. "This artwork shows how a simple thing such as laughter and the words 'I love you' can make everything else die away and allows us to focus on the things that matter most." Harry said, looking over at Draco and smiling. "How something as regular as an eye color can become your favorite shade because of the person who is looking back at you." Harry declared, his heart swelling. He broke eye contact with Draco and swept his gaze across the class, grinning as he did so. "That is what inspired me for my artwork." He said, his hand tightening around the canvas top.

"The way someone looks when they are in love." Harry finished, feeling the image beneath his hands repeat. He looked over at his Slytherin, uncaring of the applause that raged around him as he leaned forward and stole the boy's lips.

"I wasn't lying you know." Harry whispered as he gazed into Draco's stunned eyes. "I love you too much to ever let you go." He said, his voice fierce with promise.

Malfoy gave a quiet gasp and lunged forward, wrapping his body around the Gryffindors as he smiled through a sheen of tears. "I believe you Harry." He said softly, his voice rough with emotion. "I believe you."

Harry smiled and hugged the blonde, glancing up as his classmates walked forward to admire his artwork and comment on his love for the boy he held. He heard none of it as the warmth of the Slytherin soaked into his skin, marking him from the inside out. He felt happiness burst behind his eyes and he laughed, staring down at Draco and drowning in the gray pools of his gaze.

"I love you." Harry said softly, the world around him fading.

Draco smiled, his eyes bright. "I love you too you crazy Gryffindor." He said fondly, snuggling closer and closing his eyes against reality. Harry hummed at that, feeling like those words were the perfect ending to a beautiful morning.

If only stories ended that way, then everything would be easier.

"I can't believe you!" Draco hissed, standing in front of Harry as the Gryffindor smiled and rocked back on his heels. "You didn't even ask! You just assumed that I wanted it there!" He ranted, stomping his foot.

Harry chuckled at the picture his husband made, the blondes angry face causing tenderness to well up. "Well, did you want it anywhere else? This is your studio after all." Harry replied, glancing around at the artwork hanging off the walls and tables full of pencils and paints.

Draco sputtered, crossing his arms as he glanced away. "Just because there isn't anywhere else to put it doesn't mean you had to place it there." He grumbled, pouting as Harry chuckled and gathered him in his arms.

"After fifteen years you are still a hand full. How did I ever get so lucky?" He teased, rubbing the blonde's temple with his nose. "I put it there because I knew you would want it in place of an empty wall." He said, stepping away and grabbing the Slytherins hands before tugging him closer to the two paintings that hung in the middle of the wall.

Draco huffed, still pouting before he sighed and slumped against his husbands shoulder, gazing at the art with a fond tenderness. "I can't believe you still have them." He muttered, his fingers tightening around the Gryffindors hand. "Or better yet, I can't believe you found them."

"It took some digging in the basement but I was determined." Harry said, placing his chin on the blondes head. "I knew we had them. It just took some looking." He muttered, watching as one of the paintings moved with a dreamlike sluggishness.

"By why did you look for them?" Draco asked, glancing up at Harry as he reached forward with his free hand and ran his fingers across the paint and charcoal.

"Because to me they are important and I had hoped it would be the same for you." Harry replied, drinking in the bright inks and dark pencil. "I know it was years ago when we drew these, but even now before I saw them again I had remembered what they looked like."

Draco nodded, making a soft sound of agreement. "They are important to me." He said softly, the wedding band on his finger flashing as reached up and carded his hand through the Gryffindors hair. "I'm just surprised we still have them. I thought we had lost them during the move all those years ago."

"Me too." Harry said, lacing his fingers with the Slytherins. "I'm glad we didn't." He said as he looked down, smiling into his husband's eyes. "I'm also glad that Farrell let us have them back after our dramatic show of each other's love."

Draco chuckled at that, staring at the picture he had drawn and painted of Harry for a school project. It showed a much younger version of his husband, snow falling around him and a green and gold scarf wrapped around his neck with Honeydukes behind him. He felt his heart swell when he read the title beneath the picture, knowing what it was before he read it. 'Beloved Mine', faded and barely readable was scribbled beneath the paint, hastily drawn there in a moment of inspiration.

He switched his gaze to the next canvas, smiling as he saw a younger version of himself laugh and say the words 'I love you' as he smiled and reached up. The painting repeated itself after he finished speaking, the drawing slow and unhurried.

"'Penciled In'." Draco muttered, glancing over at Harry as his heart swelled. "I still remember the day you first showed this to me. I thought I had died and was in the best daydream I had ever created." He said as he leaned against Harry and kissed his cheek.

Harry chuckled at that, wrapping his arms around Malfoy as he gazed at his artwork. "I remember the look you gave me. It was the same one you had when I proposed to you during your birthday." He said, smiling as he brought to mind Draco's stunned and pale face. "I thought you would say no. Imagine my surprise when you did the opposite."

Malfoy laughed, nuzzling Harry's throat as he sighed. "I'm just glad you didn't lose your lunch when you asked me. I thought you would puke with how green your face was." He teased, warmth feeling his chest.

Harry snorted, rolling his eyes. "Yes, yes. Make fun of me for being nervous."

"I'm not making fun of you, I was just pointing out the obvious." Draco said, bursting with laughter when Harry suddenly swung him over his shoulder and started to walk to the door. "Harry! What are you doing?!"

"I'm going to show you what happens when you laugh at me." He said wickedly, skittering past tables and canvas. He felt Draco struggle and he laughed, tightening his grip as he headed for the door.

Draco gasped and chuckled, glancing up and gazing at the two paintings on the wall. He felt his heart soften and he sighed, love bursting behind his eyes as Harry walked through the door, shutting it quietly behind him, cutting the paintings from view as the sun set through the windows, and marking the end of a perfect day.

HELLO! I am finally done with this story. I am so so so so so sorry it took so long! But its done now! So dont stab me just yet! Im glad to be back and in full running mood! I am typing like crazy over here! Who knew that writers block could be helpful? XD Well, i hope to here what you have to say because i love that crap! until next time!