Harry Potter was a man in a hurry. He had no time for a chat about Quidditch strategy, Herbology homework, Defense Against the Dark Arts homework, or any kind of other subject matter someone might throw at him. He made sure to inform the unsuspecting students who had requested his input on such matters to "Kindly fuck off." Harry couldn't believe Draco had actually kept this from him! It was understandable that his pride might have gotten in the way but geez this was his life they were talking about. A life is valuable not something you throw away for fear of appearing weak!

He rounded the corner and headed straight down the corridor towards the hospital wing. When he approached the doors he threw them open and let them bang against the walls. The noise they made was inviting. It described the exact amount of anger he felt at that moment. Madam Pomfrey looked up from the bed of a student at the sudden noise. If her furrowed eyebrows didn't quite express her righteous anger then her balled up fists sure did.

"Mr. Potter! How dare you waltz in here and..?"

"Madam Pomfrey, though I am sure I am on the deserving end of this tirade, I think what concerns both of us most at this very moment is Draco. So if you would please inform me of what is going on and save the indignant rant for later, I would sure be most grateful. Thanks. "

Madam Pomfrey had the decency to look a bit ashamed that she actually let Draco's condition slip her mind because of a bit of noise. She motioned him over and looked at Draco. As Harry approached he saw how deathly sick Draco seemed. He looked ghastly compared to just a few hours ago when they were on the astronomy tower. His eyes were closed and had dark purple rings surrounding them. His lips were the palest of pinks and his body, now more exposed because of the pajamas he had been changed into, was one of corpses. He looked like he hadn't eaten a healthy meal in weeks. His skin was transparent, spidery veins clearly visible and strikingly dark in comparison. Upon a cursory graze of Draco's arm, Harry confirmed that his skin was indeed colder than should be allowed.

"I've tried everything," said Madam Pomfrey distressingly. Harry looked at her and she seemed to be utterly broken. Her eyes were glistening as if tears were threatening to escape and her breath was coming out in short gasps. She looked at him with so much sadness that Harry had to wonder how much Madam Pomfrey actually got to know Draco while she tried to treat him over the course of the year.

"I…I told him to tell you… I told him that you wouldn't let him die…that you could help…I told him! And now there is nothing left to do but sit here and watch him die. I can't let him die, Harry, I can't! He's suffered…he needs happiness…anything but this!"

She finally broke down and sat heavily on the visitor's chair. Here was Madam Pomfrey, a woman that was often disrespected by Malfoy during previous school years and now she was balling at the sight of his eminent death. Harry was shaken; he had never seen Madam Pomfrey lose her composer like this.

"Madam Pomfrey, look at me. Please look at me. I need you to stay strong. I am going to help him if it's the last thing I do on this earth. I have saved too many people to let such an important one just slip away. I need you to go into your office and compose yourself. I know you care but I need to do this on my own. Don't worry. It's going to be alright…I…I promise."

Madam Pomfrey looked up at that moment and saw the fire in Harry's eyes. His determination and care was blazing in emerald flames and she knew he would do the best he could. Medicine could treat but only Harry could create miracles. She wiped her eyes and stood up giving Harry a small smile.

"Thank you Harry, I know he is in safe hands. He only has a few hours, maybe 2 or 3. Make the most of it." She left to her office and closed the door softly.

Harry turned and looked at Draco. The spell was to be broken only when the love that Draco had for him was returned. Did he love Draco? He was a great friend, had an awesome personality when he wasn't being an arrogant idiot, but was that love. Harry sat at the edge of the bed next to Draco and carefully took his hand. He rubbed his thumb across it and closed his eyes. He tried think of any love he had for Draco but once he did he felt a lurch in his stomach and a voice rung out.

"Do you really Potter? You love such a weakling like this? I swear, even I think that this filth is below your level."

Lucius. Harry gritted his teeth. Was this part of the spell?

"Ah I see my disgusting blood-traitor of a son decided not to inform you of the spell or its specific details. I may be dead but I am the caster of this spell and therefore a memory of me still remains within Draco. Let's see if you can forget all the things Draco here did to you. Can you forget the anger, the hate you felt for him?" said Lucius' voice venomously.

Suddenly Harry was plagued with an excess of memories. Draco tripping him on the stairs… Draco stomping on his nose… Draco calling him a mudblood fucker…Malfoy wishing Hermione was next on the basilisk's list…that ferret cursing him in the school hallways.

The memories dissipated and Harry was left breathing hard and crushing Draco's limp hand within his own. He looked at Draco with an anger he had not felt towards the boy in so long. He hated him with a passion. He…Harry's eyes widened in horror as Lucius' laughter rang around him.

"Well, well, well I see someone's still a bit bitter. If you did love my unfortunate son, Potter, you would fight me like you do the Imperius curse. But obviously you don't love him, you didn't even care enough to realize what he was going through," said the Lucius' voice apparently viciously amused.

Another wave of memories hit Harry and it was worse than before. Draco had been horrible, he was not deserving of Harry's love. He was a disgusting human being…who suffered…who was there for him. With this thought Harry began to fight the surge of bad memories. Draco laughing with Harry during a stroll in the summer, Draco apparently confused by a toaster as Harry watched amusedly in the background, Draco closing his eyes, facing the sunset and spreading his arms out after having been forced to watch Titanic, Draco fighting fiercely on the light side, Draco agreeing to kill his father no questions asked, Draco staring at Harry across the field and both of them sharing the first true smile of the post-war era.

Harry felt his mind fill with these wonderful memories and his anger oozed away. He opened his eyes and stared at Draco with bright green eyes. His magic was electrifying creating whirlwind around them. He was too emotional, to open to control it. He got up and hovered over Draco. As he took Draco's face into his hands he whispered, "Please, hang on for me, don't let go, at least not until you say goodbye. I love you."

And with that there was a bright surge of light. Madam Pomfrey opened her office door in time to see a body fall onto the hospital wing floor.

****************************************HD******************************************

Draco's head was spinning. He was vaguely aware that wherever he was it was too bright and that there was some presence beside him. He moaned a bit and weakly reached up to grab his head to stop the spinning.

"Ah, you're awake, Mr. Malfoy."

Draco's eyes snapped open. His eyes landed upon Madam Pomfrey who was handing him a potion and was smiling endearingly. He took the potion from her and after a few seconds his head stopped spinning though his muscles still felt a bit sore. He tried to speak but no sound came out. He cleared his throat and his voice came out hoarse.

"Why am I still here? Shouldn't I be dead? I mean seriously Pomfrey if you found a way around it, I will be forever thankful but now I have to live on and won't even be close to making Harry actually love me. Plus now you know all my secrets and I am going to have to either make you go through an unbreakable vow or possibly have to kill you. And you know how committing murder can be oh so messy…"

"Oh hush you and come here!" Madam Pomfrey said. She threw her arms around him and whispered, "I am so glad your ok."

Draco hugged her warmly back. He had grown quite close to her, especially since she reminded him of his mother, the only person that Draco felt loved him as he grew up. Madam Pomfrey was the first one to find out about the curse. After she asked why he constantly needed Pepper-Up potion he had broken down and confessed. She constantly berated him for not telling Harry about the curse and almost did herself until Draco made her promise she wouldn't. He had explained to her his reasoning and though she failed to see reason in his view she took care of him nonetheless.

"Pomfrey…what happened?"

She released him, stood up and smiled. "Look for yourself," she said while nodding over to the bed on Draco's left. Draco looked and felt his eyes widen. There was Harry looking a bit pale but still quite well to indicate that it was nothing serious. He stared uncomprehendingly at him then whipped his head back towards Madam Pomfrey.

"What the hell happened? What's wrong with him?"

"It seems, Draco, he has discovered some of the costs of love. Now all he needs to do is wake up and see its benefits." With that she turned on her heel and lightly walked towards her office.

Draco stared after her unbelievingly. Harry couldn't possibly…could he possibly love him? Draco was about to call that meddlesome head nurse back but Harry began to wake. On cue Madam Pomfrey came out, she probably had an alert spell on him Draco thought, and grabbed a potion which she promptly shoved in Harry's face when he managed to open his eyes. He moaned and took the potion hurriedly sighing as it had its beneficial effects.

"Mr. Potter, you gave me quite a scare; you have been out for three days! However you, as you have proved so many times before, you are a savior to this world. What would we have done without the intelligence, the beauty, the arrogance, and the narcissism of Mr. Malfoy here?"

Harry chuckled and looked over at Draco who was giving Madam Pomfrey quite the glare. He looked back at the amused Nurse who easily stared back at Malfoy and said, "Madam Pomfrey, do you think we could have a minute…or five?"

She looked at him and nodded adding that they could 'take all the time they needed.'

Draco watched her go then turned around in his bed to face Harry. He was nervous and could not meet his eyes so he chose to stare at Harry's hands. Harry found this oddly endearing and stood up from his bed. He tested out his legs and once he regained control of his muscles he walked purposely to Draco's bed. Draco looked up with a fear in his eyes that made Harry stop in front of him. He looked curiously at Draco and asked, "Why are you so afraid?"

Draco bit his lip and whispered, "I am sorry for making you do this. For making you have to save me. I didn't want you to…feel that you had to yet again put your happiness aside to save that of others. I know you were tired of feeling needed, of being put on a pedestal. That's what you told me. You wanted normality and with this spell, your new found calm would have been destroyed. I didn't want that to happen…I wanted you to have freedom…not to be tied down by expectations yet again."

With a sigh Harry took a hand and placed it under Draco chin. He lifted Draco's head up and made him meet his gaze.

"Is that what you think?" Harry said his voice devoid of emotion. "You thought that saving you would be a burden for me…another expectation?" Harry was becoming steadily angrier by the second. "Didn't you realize that if there was anything I could do to save a friend I would? No matter what the hell has happened in the past no matter how many expectations. I wouldn't do it because it was expected of me; I would do it because I care! Because I would not bear to see another loved one of mine ripped away from me at the hands of death! Draco, if you died and I realized that I could have saved you how the hell do you think I would have reacted! I would have hated myself for not saving you! I would have hated you for not telling me!"

Draco sighed as he tried to remove his head from Harry's grip but Harry held on and didn't allow him to break the gaze.

"Harry, there is another reason…," said Draco quietly.

"What is it?"

"I wanted to die."

Harry's eyes grew blank. "What," he said quietly.

"I was happy with how my life was now. I had my friends back and you didn't hate me. I…I couldn't risk doing something stupid and fucking up all I have gained. I have always said I wanted to die peacefully and not having any regrets. The way things are now…it seemed like the perfect time to do so; to pass away and not worry because everyone who I wanted to have a good recollection of me did. "

Harry ripped his hand away from Draco's chin and clenched his fists. He looked at Draco breathing hard and said in a steely voice, "I can never hate you like I did before. How could you even think that? After the war we both cheered for a new beginning; one that we would go through together. But all of this time you were planning to cut that short? Promise me Draco. Promise me that you won't keep secrets of this magnitude from me again. Promise me that you won't ever risk your life for me no matter what. Draco I can't lose you, not like this."

"I promise," said Draco dejectedly.

At this Harry calmed down and took a deep breath. He walked forward and hugged Draco close to him. "If you love me like I believe you do, you will wait for me. I need to think." With that Harry called out to Madam Pomfrey and announced his departure. She made sure he was well and allowed him to leave. She turned around and gave Draco a sad smile which he could not bring himself to return.

****************************************HD******************************************

Draco remained in the hospital for three more days and not once had Harry came to visit. He however had been visited by Blaise and Pansy who had rushed in and hugged him to the point of asphyxiation. He learned that it was Blaise who had informed Harry and quietly thanked him for doing so. He could tell his friend's knew that he depressed but that only made them try to take up his time more often so that he could forget some of the problems at hand.

By the third day Draco was pretty much back to his old sarcastic self. Madam Pomfrey informed him he was allowed to leave and he gladly jumped off the bed and quickly dressed himself.

"My goodness where's the fire! Was being in the Hospital Wing with me all that bad?"

Draco grinned and cheekily replied, "Of coarse not Pomfrey! You were utmost courteous to me and for this I feel the need to perhaps invite you to dinner? Is 8 o'clock good for you? Dress warm and bring hangover potion! I'll bring the liquor."

Madam Pomfrey laughed and smacked him upside the head. "Drink this it will strengthen some of your muscles and please stay away from this hospital wing unless it is purely for visitation purposes."

"Will do Madam Pomfrey, and remember Friday at 8, I hope you like fire-whiskey!" He called as he opened the door and stepped out into the Hogwarts corridor.

"So, cheating on me already, boy do I feel loved," said a voice behind him.

He whirled around and found himself face to face with Harry who was comfortably leaning against the infirmary doors. He pushed off the doors and walked towards Draco with a smirk on his face.

"So, you're not free on Friday? And here I was planning a little get together with my new catch."

"Harry, not that I am not glad to see you, but frankly I thought you had been too angry to forgive me and needed to reconsider your decision."

"Well I needed to think, I didn't need to reconsider, just think. Why would I reconsider anyways? Even though the curse did rope me into another thing I cannot control, at least it benefits me as well this time. Draco, I promised you my heart when I came to save you from that curse. I can't take back what belongs to you."

Draco smiled and reached out his hand towards Harry. Harry took hold of his and tangled their fingers together. He pulled Draco close to him and whispered, "Can I kiss you? "

Draco nodded and Harry gently cupped his cheek and lowered his lips onto Draco's.

****************************************HD******************************************

Madam Pomfrey looked up from her noted towards the window. There was an infernal tapping coming from that direction and on closer inspection it seemed to be an owl. She stood up and headed towards the window. When she opened it the owl swooped in and perched itself on the window ledge. She untied the note it carried. As she sat at her desk she began reading the note:

My beloved Madam Pomfrey,

As I am sure you have noticed I will not be able to make that date I promised you earlier this week. It seems that my boyfriend has decided to take me for a picnic at the lake. How original, I know. I was hoping we could reschedule for next Friday at 7:00 P.M? The only clue I can give you is that you should wear a Weird Sisters t-shirt and again I provide the liquor!

With love,

Draco

P.S. Thank you…for everything.

Madam Pomfrey smiled at his antics. She was sure he would come next week; Draco Malfoy was a man of his word. However as she was a school employee she would have to decline the offer of liquor but no where in the school rules did it say that the Weird Sisters were off limits.