Aevumiter

23: Twilight Trouble

They walked together for a while, shoulder to shoulder. They didn't hold hands- that would have been too obvious. But if their hands brushed a little more often than necessary, were they really to blame?

Draco was still in shock. He hadn't expected it to go like that. When he kissed Harry, part of him thought that he would get pushed away. But Harry had pulled him back.

Harry felt light. Like things had clicked into place, had become right. He struggled to keep a giddy grin off his face, and lost the battle. Harry had a certain bounce to his step that he hadn't had in a long while.

As they approached the grounds, Harry suddenly stopped walking.

"Harry?" Draco frowned, turning to him. But Harry's gaze was locked on a space in the sky above Hogwarts.

"I can see the wards." Harry said softly, a smile on his face.

Draco sighed. "I wish I could see them."

"Maybe I can show you in a pensieve." Harry suggested.

"I'd rather not go into a pensieve so soon after the last time."

"Oh. That's fair." Harry said.

They started walking again, in comfortable silence. 

~~~

"What do we do now?" Harry asked.

"I thought you had all the answers." Draco said.

"I just know things. Not answers."

"Well, that is unfortunate." Draco said.

Harry sat down on his bed, and Draco sat on his own, so they faced each other. 

"Do you mean it?" Draco asked.

"Mean what?"

"All that you've said, to me. About... All these things."

"Draco, I wouldn't lie to you." Harry said. "I've been truthful from the start, haven't I?"

Draco nodded, and looked down at his hands in his lap. Then he looked up again, into Harry's eyes. "Can... Can I kiss you?"

"Yes." Harry said, immediately. He flushed bright pink.

Draco smirked.

Harry hung his head, and covered his face with a hand. "If that wasn't embarrassing..." 

Draco chuckled. Then he reached out, tilted Harry's chin up, and kissed him. Harry's hands rested on the back of Draco's neck, and drew the both of them back against the bed.

Kissing Harry wasn't like kissing anyone else. The kiss Pansy had surprised Draco with some time ago had been harsh, angry, impatient. But Harry was soft, gentle, patient... Harry was warm and welcoming.

Kissing Draco was entirely different than kissing anyone else. With Draco, everything felt right, the world felt as if it were correct. There was nothing wrong, nothing could be wrong. Draco's touch was true.

Draco's hair came loose as Harry's fingers wound through it, the pale locks brushing against Harry's face. Their breaths intermingled when they pulled away, needing air to breathe- though they were still so close that they could feel the other's smile.

~~~

That night Harry dreamed of the corridor, of the door in the Department of Mysteries. He woke early, uneasiness settled in his gut. How was he going to handle that? He still had a while to figure it out, but... How much did he dare try to avoid? How would he explain himself?