I'll Make You Mine

5.

Harry POV, continuing from last chapter

Draco was sitting on a blanket, a couple of lanterns on two corners, and an array of foods, ranging from green apples (weirdo) to cupcakes. I was in awe. No one had ever done something like this for me before.

"Hey," Draco said, a nervous smile on his face. "Do you...do you like it?"

"Dray, I love it! I'm... Wow. Thank you."

"Come here! Sit. Eat."

I laughed and joined him on the blanket. I looked at all the food around us. Green apples, cupcakes, sandwiches, a bowl of mac and cheese, and a whole bunch of other things. Draco reached out and took an apple. He held it up to me, and said,

"Green apples are amazing. I'm in love with them." Then he took a huge bite.

All I could do was stare at him. "Are you serious? Green apples? I personally think that cupcakes," I reached out grabbed one, "are the best thing ever."

He shook his head. "Weirdo."

"Dork," I shot back.

We sat and ate for a while longer, talking about nothing in particular, until we decided to pack the food up. I went to stand up, and Draco grabbed my wrist.

"Where are you going?"

"Aren't we going?"

"Well I mean, you can, but... I don't know, I thought...maybe we could lay here for a while and look at the stars. The astronomy tower is the best spot to. I don't know. You can go. It's fine."

I smiled at him. "Aw, no. I'll stay with you."

He smiled and blushed lightly in the dim lighting.

We laid down and looked up at the sky in silence for a bit. I switched off between watching Draco as he looked up the sky with wonder and looking at the sky he was so fascinated by.

"Dray?" I asked after a bit.

"Yeah Harry?"

"Why do look at the stars as if they're the most fascinating thing in the world?"

He laughed. "Well, it's because they are. Maybe aside from love and fear. But when you think about it, those stars are millions of kilometers away up in the sky. Yet somehow, we can see each and everyone. There are millions of them that we can see, and each one has a place in the sky. It reminds me a bit of people. There are millions of us, but we all matter. We all have a role to play in the world and a spot. I don't know. Most of that sounds like bullshit. My mother and I talk about it a lot."

I looked at the boy next to me looking at the stars. He smiled as he talked about his mother. His eyes lit up as he talked about the stars. He became more animated.

"You love your mum a lot, don't you?"

"Yeah," he said quietly. "I do. I miss her during school."

"I can tell. You always seem sad when you get a letter. But also happy. You're happy sad. Happy that you got it, but sad about who sent it or something along the lines of that."

He looked at me, mouth open a little.

"And whenever you talk about her," I continued, "your eyes light up and you get this gorgeous little half smile. She must make you incredibly happy."

"She does," he said, turning back to the stars. "When I was young, and even to this day, one warm clear nights, we'd go outside with a blanket and some lamps, and lay out there all night, just looking at the stars. We'd play a game where we'd try to find the clearest 'constellations' in the sky where there weren't any known ones. We spent hours and hours out there as I grew up. It was an escape from-"

He stopped.

"From?" I asked gently.

"The things that go on inside of that house," he finished, his hands clenching a bit.

I reached out and set my hand on his, feeling it relax. "It's ok. You don't have to talk about it. "

He looked over and smiled graciously. We laid in silence again for a while longer with nothing but the sound of our breathing, the wind, frogs and crickets, and the hum of the lanterns.

I thought about what Dumbledore and Mr. and Mrs. Diggory had told me about their plans to honor Cedric, and realized it was tomorrow. There was no way I would be able to do it alone. I would have sat with Hermione and Ron under normal circumstances, but I doubted they'd understand. But if there was one person who'd understand my grief, guilt, and conflicting thoughts, it was-

"Draco?" I asked.

"Yeah?"

"They're having a- a funeral to recognize Cedric tomorrow. Will you sit with me? I don't... I don't know if I can do it alone."

Tears sprung into my eyes and my voice cracked on the last words.

He moved his hand down and laced his fingers with mine, filling me with warmth and comfort.

"Of course, Harry.... I'll always stay with you if that's what you wish."

I moved closer to him and squeezed his hand. How I had spent years hating this boy, I never knew. We sat in more silence, lost in our thoughts, but this time it was Draco who broke it.

"School ends next week, doesn't it."

I frowned. "Yeah..."

He sighed. "Back to hell, huh."

"It's better now that I'm with Remus and Sirius, but I still have dreams and.... Nevermind. It's still hell sometimes."

He turned on his side and looked me in the eyes. I stared at his blue eyes, so pale they looked more grey than blue. The way they flowed between dark blue to the palest blue-grey, the emotion they held, the way his pupil grew a little when I squeezed his hand more. I could hear his breathing and mine, perfectly together. I watched the way his exhales pushed his un-gelled hair up and out of his face. His pink lips that were close enough that if one of us moved forward, they would touch and we'd be kissing.

"Promise you'll write to me?" He whispered. I felt his breath on my face, warm and soft.

"I promise," I whispered back.

"And we'll still be friends next year?"

"Promise."

"I wish we could see each other over the break... My father would freak if he found out though."

"Yeah. I doubt Sirius and Remus would take it particularly well either. But I promise I'll write," I looked at the time, and sighed. "I should go. It's getting late and I have quidditch tomorrow. And the... The funeral."

Draco sighed and sat up with me. "Yeah. I'm gonna stay up here for awhile longer. I'll see you at breakfast."

We both looked at our hands, and I reluctantly withdrew mine. I looked at his eyes again and saw the sadness there, and against my better judgement, I leaned over and quickly pecked his cheek. Before he said anything I got up, threw on my cloak, and ran out of the doorway. I missed him reach up to his cheek and smile, but I did hear him mutter,

"I'll make you mine, Harry Potter. I swear to you."