Chapter Nine- The Night

The next day it was Saturday and the day of the match - Slytherin vs Ravenclaw. Harry hadn't been able to see Draco that morning and he waited anxiously for Draco to come to breakfast. He shovelled his toast down his throat and Hermione looked at him.

'You'll get indigestion like that.'

Ron laughed, 'leave him alone Hermione, he's a growing boy.'

Dean and Seamus were making bets on who would win the match.

'It better be Ravenclaw,' Seamus said giving Dean a bag of tricks that he had got from Fred and George's shop.

' I hope Cho leaves Malfoy for dust,' Neville said and all eyes turned to him. He very rarely, if ever in fact, said a comment like that.

He smiled weakly and Ron grinned, 'atta boy!'

Harry bit his tongue and chewed even more furiously on his toast. He was becoming increasingly aggravated every time someone made a comment against Draco. He was starting to feel fiercely protective of his Draco and was finding it harder and harder to stay calm in front of his friends. He felt as if the precious knowledge of him and Draco being together was something he should protect and cherish. Draco made him so happy and he hadn't felt happy for so long. They didn't see the wonderful side to Draco.

He felt like shouting at the top of his lungs and saying,' you don't know him. He is amazing and brilliant and gentle and funny…...'

His thoughts were cut short when he automatically looked up as Draco walked in. He was so beautiful, his silver eyes glittering, his white, blond hair moving about his pale face like a halo. Draco held himself upright with an elegance of someone of nobility. That proud haughty look that used to get on Harry's nerves before, now made Harry's heart jump at regular intervals. Draco briefly turned towards the Gryffindor table and smirked. He looked so sexy and Harry bit hard on his lip to stop himself from grinning like a hyena.

' I hope they lose so badly!' Ron said in a vengeful tone.

Harry was rudely jolted out of his thoughts at Ron's remark. He stifled a sigh and finished up his breakfast. It didn't look like he was going to get a moment alone with Draco before the match. Five minutes later, sounds of beating wings fluttered overhead. Harry looked up and saw Hedwig fly in with the other owls with the mornings post. She flew down and perched on his shoulder, nipping at his ear.

He watched as Ron untied a letter from Pig and ripped it open. He perused it quickly and said it was from home – just his mum saying hi. Harry nodded and stroked Hedwig.

Except for that brief batch of bizarre Valentines Day messages he had received, Harry hadn't got any other mail since the sixth year had started. Nor was he expecting any. The only person he had corresponded with was Sirius. At the start of the second term, Harry had asked Hermione to use Hedwig instead of using the school owls to send mail home. Hedwig had been very restless the first term with having no letters to deliver, and had seemed very annoyed with Harry. He felt bad for her, as she had probably watched numerous owls go off on trips everyday and the only excursions she ever got to make now were of hunting. Hermione had promised that she would and Harry felt glad that at least Hedwig was getting something to do. She often came in though; with the other owls to greet him and he fondly stroked her as she hooted happily eating on a bit of toast.

Harry looked at his watch and settled back in his seat whilst the others finished.

The match started in an hour and Harry tried to get there early for front seats.

' What's the rush?' Ron said as Harry sat down.

'Huh?' Harry said. 'Oh you know, just…..'

'Yeah,' Ron said,' I guess it would be good if we get premier seats to gloat when Slytherin lose.'

'Mmmmm,' Harry nodded. He looked around the stands and spotted Luna sporting a strange looking hat. He couldn't quite make out the design of it from here but assumed it was something that was meant to show her support for the Ravenclaw team. Hermione had come down with the other sixth year Gryffindor's and were soon all seated. Harry waited nervously for the match to start.

The commentary started as the curtains lifted and the players flew onto the pitch. Harry's eyes quickly found Draco. He looked so good in those green robes.

' And we're off!' came the booming voice across the stadium as the players scattered.

Harry watched nervously as the match unfolded. Slytherin scored the first Quaffle and there was a loud resounding boo from the Ravenclaw stands. Harry kept his eyes on Draco, who was hovering above the other players, keeping a watchful eye out for the Snitch. Ravenclaw scored the next two goals and Harry searched the stadium to see if he could spot where that damned Snitch had got to.

Twenty minutes into the game and Draco dipped lower in between his players. Warrington zoomed past and caught the Quaffle, throwing it through the hoop.

'Another goal for Slytherin!'

A Ravenclaw Beater aimed a Bludger straight at Warrington who ducked as it flew past his head. Draco was right behind, in direct path of the treacherously speeding ball. Harry's breath got lodged in his throat as he watched. Draco just in the nick of time curved sideways and Harry let out a relieved breath. That was close. Don't let him get hurt, don't let him get hurt, Harry prayed.

A further forty minutes went by and both houses were clocking up their points. Just then it seemed as if the two Seekers caught sight of the Snitch. They sped towards it and Harry drew in a sharp breath. They were going to crash! He winced hardly daring to breath but then the Seekers looked about them and the Snitch had disappeared again.

'That was close,' Ron said with a phew.

Harry nodded. Ravenclaw scored another goal and Cho and Draco drifted apart. Harry pinned his eyes on Draco once again and saw Draco's head turn sharply. He suddenly swung his broom around and simply held out his hand. He had caught the Snitch!

'Malfoy catches the Snitch and the games over! Slytherin win!'

The Slytherin house broke into gleeful cheers and Harry heard a groan of despair elsewhere.

' DAMN!' Ron wailed.

Harry clamped his hand across his mouth, hiding his smile. He looked at Draco being hugged by his team mates and felt his heart glow with happiness. He felt so proud of him. Harry cupped his hands over his mouth, and grinned widely.

'Yeah I know,' Ron muttered looking at Harry thinking Harry was horrified. 'Sodding Slytherin's. But still who cares about this match. No one wins against us hey Harry?'

'Yeah.'

Lunchtime came and the Slytherin house were celebrating loudly. Draco was smiling and talking to his fellow classmates and Harry knew that he wouldn't be able to get to Draco again.

He spent the afternoon in the common room and then paid Hagrid a visit to see how things were going. Hagrid mentioned that Grawp was doing well and Harry could only feel thankful that he and Hermione hadn't needed to pay any visits to the 16-foot giant. Harry had the feeling that Dumbledore knew of Grawp staying in the forest, but Harry hadn't ever heard it mentioned and felt it wasn't his place to ask Hagrid. Besides Hagrid hadn't received any further injuries from Grawp, which could only mean that their relations had improved.

The evening progressed and Harry wandered back to the common room. He decided that he would leave Draco at it. He was with his Slytherin companions and should be spending time with them after a win.

Nearing midnight, Harry and Ron made their way up to bed. Seamus and Dean were already there, having a game of Exploding Snap. Harry got changed and got into bed.

It was probably about one thirty am and he hadn't been able to close his eyes for a minute. He hadn't even been able to say congratulations to Draco all day; he hadn't even hugged him or kissed him.

He missed him, and he felt so restless.

It was quiet in the room and he opened up the curtains. Everyone was asleep. He quietly got out of bed and slowly opened his trunk, taking out his cloak. He padded downstairs to the empty common room and came out of the portrait hole. He donned on his cloak and made his way down to the Dungeons. It was worth a try, he figured. The Slytherin's might still be partying and hopefully someone might come out for whatever inane reason.

He waited and waited and felt his legs cramp. Oh come on! He thought. And as if someone had decided to hear his plea, the concealed door slid open. He slipped in quickly and saw Pansy Parkinson stumble out giggling. He looked around and surely enough there were plenty of people laughing and talking still. Goyle and Crabbe were still downstairs and Harry knew that Draco shared a room with just the both of them.

He searched for Draco but didn't see him. He remembered Draco saying where his room was situated and Harry carefully wove his way hidden under the cloak as he got to the stairs. He went to the boy's dormitory and faced the long corridor. He walked down and at the end of the corridor, on the right was Draco's room.

Harry opened the door silently and walked in. The lamps were still on and only one bed had the hangings down. Harry smiled as he padded closer, his heart beating fast. He nudged the curtain aside a smidge, and saw that Draco was getting changed with his back to Harry. He dropped his cloak and slipped his arms around Draco's waist.

'WHAT THE?!' Draco jumped turning around.

'It's ok, it's just me,' Harry smiled at the stunned expression on Draco's face.

Draco's eyes widened and he looked confused, ' how the hell did you get in?'

Harry picked up the cloak off of the floor and showed it to Draco.

'It was my dads,' Harry said as Draco ran his hands over the cloak.

'Wow, it feels incredible. These are really...'

'Rare,' Harry nodded, 'I know.'

He came closer to Draco and pulled him close.

'I missed you,' Harry began to kiss Draco and smiled as Draco responded back passionately.

'I got no morning kiss, no goodnight kiss,' Harry complained teasingly as he spoke against Draco's lips. He moved back slightly, 'and most of all I wanted to say congratulations. You were brilliant.'

Draco smiled at him, 'thank you, I was lucky is all.'

Harry held him tight and felt himself tremor with a rush of tenderness for Draco. He tangled his fingers in Draco's hair, marvelling at the softness. Draco's hair always felt as if you were crushing a fistful of the downiest, softest feathers in your hand.

' You feel so precious,' Harry sighed looking into the liquid, silver eyes. He ran his fingers through the blond strands, and brushed his lips lightly over Draco's face, his closed eyes, his nose, 'so delicate,' Harry murmured.

He couldn't stop himself, he couldn't help himself. Draco opened his eyes, looking at Harry with a slightly dazzled look. Harry blushed, fearing that he had acted like too much of a sap for his own good. Hello sap! He pulled back and looked towards the door.

' I should get going I guess,' Harry said uncertainly. Draco was still looking at him with a strange expression.

Draco reached for Harry's hand, 'no, stay.'

Harry felt his heart leap, 'uhhh well…'

'Is anyone going to miss you tonight?' Draco asked pulling at Harry's hand slightly.

Harry smiled back happily, 'not really, they think I'm asleep.'

Draco wound his arms around Harry once again, sliding his hands up Harry's chest. He lolled Harry's face between his hands and dropped those light feathery kisses on his lips, till the dark-haired boy gasped, wanting to melt in Draco's arms.

Draco smiled at Harry with a satisfied look and held him loosely in the circle of his arms.

' We could do a sort of Silencing charm over the bed and an Approaching charm around the curtains.'

Harry shook his head grinning,' sort of Silencing and Approaching charm? I've not quite heard of them before.'

Draco nodded returning Harry's smile easily, ' I used it a few times last year. Me and this…..'. He trailed off,' I learnt it with someone.'

' Oh right,' Harry said, feeling a stab of jealously lance through him.

Draco looked intently into Harry's eyes,' you still want to?'

Harry nodded quickly. Of course he wanted to stay the night with Draco.

' You need to use the bathroom?' Draco asked.

Harry shook his head and Draco took out his wand and muttered a few words. A soft blue light, followed by a grey one, shot out from his wand and whizzed around the four-poster bed.

'There we go,' Draco said reaching for Harry. 'Just you and me.'

Harry rested his head on Draco's shoulder and suddenly realised that Draco was in his pyjamas. He was wearing a white tight fitting vest top and green bottoms. He looked wonderfully cute and sexy. Harry kissed the tip of Draco's shoulder and relished the feel of smooth skin. He closed his eyes and leaned down against Draco's firm chest. His top was thin and Harry could feel every muscle of Draco's torso.

Harry breathed in deeply, ' you smell so good.'

He felt Draco's arms tighten across his back, ' and you always smell good enough to eat,' Draco replied back.

Harry smiled contentedly and leaned quietly in Draco's embrace.

' You want to get into bed?'

Harry nodded, and moved aside as Draco pulled back his blankets and got in. He looked at Harry, his eyes dancing.

' I like your pyjamas.'

'Like yours more,' Harry said, getting into bed next to Draco.

He leaned forward and grabbed his cloak. He folded it and slipped it under his pillow. He took off his glasses and Draco put them on his bedside table, which was inside the hangings.

They snuggled down and Draco arranged the blankets over Harry.

Harry watched him smiling and Draco caught his eye, 'don't want you to get cold.'

' And how could I get cold with you next to me?'

Draco smiled and drew Harry into his arms and Harry nuzzled closer and sighed. This felt so right, and perfect. He didn't even know that he could feel this happy. Wasn't even sure if he had the right to be. He closed his eyes, cherishing the feel of Draco lazily drawing circles on his back, Draco caressing his face, Draco stroking his hair. With a smile he realised that his mind was not such a horrible place to be in anymore.

It was a good thing that he had begun to excel at Occlumency though. He couldn't even begin to imagine the look of horror on Snape's face if he saw what Harry was getting up to with his favourite student. Harry snickered in the dark at the thought and cuddled his head on Draco's neck.

He moved his lips across Draco's throat. Nestling his nose into the warm crook. Draco turned his face towards Harry and manoeuvred him comfortably in his arms as they started to kiss. There was no rush tonight, no separating. The night was all theirs and Harry was thrilled with the prospect.

Crabbe and Goyle came into room a while later, and Harry smiled against Draco's open mouth. Draco laughed silently as Crabbe and Goyle held a conversation about the Quidditch match and the party. They hushed each other, having presumably noticed Draco's curtains around his bed.

'He's gone to sleep,' Crabbe's deep voice loudly whispered.

'This is funny isn't it?' Harry also whispered back to Draco.

Draco nodded and Harry burrowed back down into his arms, resting his head on Draco's chest again. They listened, as the pair got ready for bed and finally a quarter of an hour or so later, they did. The room went dark and Harry could hear the pair shuffling, as they got comfortable in their sheets. Harry ran his index finger up and down Draco's chest and was soon surprised to hear two sets of snores from across the room.

'They sleep fast,' Harry said amazed.

'I know,' Draco snorted. 'Annoying isn't it? They're always asleep before I am.'

Harry lifted himself up slightly and looked down at Draco. His eyes had got used to the dark and he could just about make out Draco's features. His lips found Draco's again and Harry moved his body slightly over him.

'Draco?'

'Mmmm?

'How come you've never…you know?' Harry faltered. ' Ever try to do stuff?' he was glad that it was so dark and Draco couldn't see him colour up.

He could hear Draco smile, ' do stuff huh?' Draco said with a soft amused chuckle.

Harry smiled, 'yeah.'

He leaned his head on his elbow looking down at Draco.' I mean..…Is it because you don't want to?'

Draco stroked Harry's face with his free hand and pulled him closer with his arm that was still around him.

' Of course I want to. I can't wait.'

'So?'

'So,' Draco said, ' I want to take it slow.'

'Is it cos I haven't done this stuff before?' Harry asked.

'Yes partly,' Draco replied. 'I don't want to rush you Harry. I want us to enjoy what we have and the rest will follow. I could have easily tried to pull your pants down that first night but I didn't want to. I don't want that for you.'

Harry stayed silent. ' I want you so badly that I ache for you at times but I'm not such an over crazed sex addict that I don't know or realise that this is your first…' he paused for a second, ' you know first thing. I want it to be special for you, for us.'

Harry felt his heart somersault and kissed Draco lightly.

' So you've had sex then and done things?' There was so much he wanted to know about Draco.

' Yes, with two girls', he said, ' at separate times.'

' Girls as in plural huh?'

'Now it's my turn to ask you, does it matter?'

' No,' Harry shook his head,' it would be stupid of me not to understand that you've had experiences before me. You've had lots of people in your life and that was then.'

'And this is now ok?' Draco whispered softly.' Besides, I've never been with a boy before so in effect we're both virgins to that degree.'

Draco's eyes glimmered even in the dark room and Harry lay his head back down again.

'In any case,' Draco continued, running his fingers through Harry's soft floppy hair. ' You shouldn't be doing that kind of stuff anyway, you're just a baby.'

Harry laughed, ' why am I baby?'

'Because you're just sixteen,' Draco said pointing out.

'Ahh and so what life experience did you gain in the extra months you were born before me?' Harry asked chuckling.

'Plenty I'll have you know,' Draco said in a light tone. ' Harry?'

'Yeah?'

'Don't let anyone ever make you do anything you don't want to,' he said it so seriously that Harry lifted his head in surprise. 'Make sure you never let anyone take advantage of you ok?'

Harry blinked, 'err…..ok,' he breathed quietly and then added playfully, ' except you?'

Draco laughed and hugged Harry to him,' except me,' and caught Harry in a breathtaking kiss. Harry felt overwhelmed with a tumult of feelings coursing through him. How had he got so lucky? He asked himself again. This was real wasn't it? This was actually happening?

He slithered up till his face pressed against Draco's soft cheek, and reached for Draco's hand, entwining their fingers together.

' What did you do for your sixteenth?' Draco asked.

Harry closed his eyes, ' ummmmm I spent it with my family.'

' What are you going to do for your seventeenth?'

'Not much probably.'

Draco laughed,' not much? Are you going to go out with your friends? Like Muggle friends in your area?'

Harry cringed; there was nothing he could say in answer to this that didn't make him sound like some sad git.

He took a deep breath and said casually, 'I don't know. I guess I'll just play it by ear. My family isn't that big on birthdays.'

Talk about understatement.

He wasn't sure why he didn't just tell Draco the truth. But he guessed he was ashamed. He was afraid that Draco may feel sorry for him and he didn't want anyone's pity. He had lived with the Dursley's hating him since he was a baby, and it was ok. If you never expect anything you aren't disappointed but it was just hard explaining to people and seeing their reactions. He was glad that Ron and Hermione never brought it up and even they did not know the finer details of his life with the Dursley's. No one did. Besides things had improved last summer so he couldn't complain really.

Draco stroked his hair comfortingly and Harry savoured the tender movements.

' For my birthday I went skiing,' Draco said. 'I guess it's similar to Muggle skiing but so much better. It's beautiful, I bet you'd really like it.'

'I bet I would too.'

Draco kissed Harry's hair and rubbed Harry's arm soothingly.

' Imagine I take you there for your birthday. I act like a know- it- all and teach you how to ski. But of course you take to it like a duck to water and soon we race down the slopes. You probably beat me and I get all huffy till you kiss me. Its snows softly and the sun sets in as we go into our cabin. There's a roaring fireplace and the room has a warm glow and looks cosy and all snug. There's a massive double bed and we take off our over robes. Your cheeks are red and you shake your head as the snowflakes fall and melt before they touch the ground. You warm your hands on the fireplace and I take our shoes and coats into that little wooden dresser on the left. I then walk over to you and you turn to me. We don't talk as I pull you towards the bed and lay you down'.

Harry smiled listening to Draco's gentle voice.

'We've waited a long time for this and you look up at me as I take off your clothes. I kiss every inch of you and then I touch you and make you moan just like I've dreamed. And it feels so right, your skin against mine and we do everything that I've imagined and everything you want and need. And then finally afterwards, you lay back in my arms like you're doing now and I kiss you and say ''Happy Birthday''.' Draco paused a moment, 'and what would you say?'

Harry felt his throat constrict with emotion and he swallowed before gently pressing his lips against Draco's.

' I'd say thank you. That was the best birthday ever. You were the best birthday present I've ever had and ever will have.'

He kissed Draco then with such intensity and passion, his lips worshipping the blond boy in his arms.