The couple shared glances during potions on Monday. They were awkward, too long, uncertain, and fragile.

Harry looked like he want to talk, either that or he really had to go to the bathroom, and Draco couldn't stop thinking about how much it hurt hurting him. They were still together, but not comfortably.

He was fucked, and not in the good way either, because one day would come where it would hurt so much worse. It was unavoidable and inevitable.

Slughorn droned on and on, and Draco waited, barely listening to him. As they were dismissed, Draco caught Harry's eye again. He jerked his head and Draco took the sign.

Once everyone left, he followed, but rather than continuing down the hall, he hooked a right into the usual broomstick cupboard, where Harry stood with his eyes on the floor.

Draco shut the door quietly behind him, and they shared a moment of silence before Harry looked up at him. And once he did, Draco immediately wrapped his arms around him and they rested for a few moments.

"I've been thinking..."

The words set Draco's stomach on fire "Mhm?"

"A-Are you sure you still want to be with me," Harry spoke into his shoulder, shaky. "You don't have to if you don't want to."

Draco hugged him tighter. "I absolutely want to be with you."

There was a tightness in his throat. "Because you're not just my boyfriend, you're my friend and I want you to be happy. If you're not happy—"

"Shh, Harry," Draco rubbed his back.

"It would be worse for the both of us because I can't stand knowing if you're unhappy."

"I want to be with you," he said. "I do."

"Promise?" Harry nuzzled deeper in to his neck. "You're not lying to me?"

"I promise I'm not lying to you."

Harry squeezed him. "I'm sorry... I can't stop thinking about Friday."

"Me either," Draco swallowed.

A long silence passed of them just searching each other, awkward tension in the air between them. Harry broke it by slowly leaning against the wall, sliding down it, and taking a seat on the floor.

Draco sat next to him, taking his hand and holding it, thinking of how wonderful it felt against his. And Harry let him, breathing deep over and over as Draco absentmindedly played with Harry's fingers.

"Holiday is next week."

"Yeah. It is."

Harry swallowed. "I'm worried."

"Why?"

"Are you going home?"

"Yes. Why?"

"I don't want you to."

"I have to see my mother, Harry. She's distraught."

"But what about Voldemort... will he be there?"

Yes. "I dunno. Hopefully not." He knew Harry hated that answer. "But I just can't leave her alone." A silence passed. "Are you staying at the Weasley's?"

"Yeah."

"Good. You should have fun."

Harry nodded before leaning his head onto Draco's shoulder. "We need to meet one more time before holiday."

"Friday," Draco asked.

"Can't. Promised Ron weeks ago I'd help him with quidditch."

Draco's heart stung, but at the same time he couldn't blame him. The past five weeks, Harry's Fridays were open. "Mm," he kept from making a sly remark. "Thursday?"

"Yeah. That'd be fine."

"Forest?"

"It'll be cold. How about the Room of Requirement?"

Draco's heart sped as he kissed the top of Harry's hand, which was still entwined in his. "Sure."

The bell rang and they listened to it echo. Neither of them moved.

"What class are you supposed to be in right now?"

"Charms," Draco said as his nose brushed Harry's knuckle.

"Herbology," Harry replied. "We should go."

As Harry stood, there was a sinking in Draco's stomach, and before he knew he said it, Harry had already furrowed his brows. "Play quidditch with me."

"Now?"

"Yes. Now. Right now."

"We'll get caught."

"Please. You have your cloak don't you? And we can cast dillusionment charms or something."

"Yeah." His heart beat faster.

"So let's go," Draco stood.

"Really?" There was a certain light in Harry's eyes. He looked so hopeful and almost childlike. "Right now?"

"Unless you'd like to go to Herbology."

"No no no! Right now is wonderful." Harry nearly jumped on him. "Right now is lovely."

"Okay," Draco, for the first time in a while, smiled. "Good, let's go."

Even as they played there was a bit of tension in the air but it eventually dissipated in the locker room afterwards where Draco had Harry on his back on one of the benches. Draco couldn't decide whether or not he wanted to send thank you cards to all of the Ravenclaw Quidditch team for interrupting the pain on his stinging arm, or hexes for causing them to stop when Harry's hands were reaching for his trouser button.

Nonetheless, Draco was quiet impressed at how fast Harry threw his invisibility cloak around him, and as Harry sorted out who had permission to use the pitch that afternoon, Draco took great joy in pantsing one of the beaters, to which Harry had to resist the urge to throw his head back in laughter.

But it made Draco angry. Because this is what he was supposed to have. He was supposed to make Harry laugh, and Harry was supposed to put his hand in his pants, and they were both supposed to skip class and do irresponsible things.

But Draco knew that was a fantasy. He knew their good times would end eventually, so he soaked in the look of Harry as he laughed, he savored his taste as he kissed him goodbye, and squeezed his hand just a little more than normal because this wasn't going to last. And thought their fight had resolved, he knew that there were plenty more to come, too.

----------------------------------

As agreed, they met in the Room of Requirement at eleven o' clock on Thursday.  The room itself was transformed into the same one it had been the previous year, only a giant tree replaced one of the many sofas and the entire room was filled with jolly goodies and Christmas trinkets.

Harry and Draco sat across from each other, legs criss crossed on the floor near the fire place, chatting about their week and how things were going before exchanging gifts. There was a plate of tarts, pasties, and treats laying on the table next to them, complimented by two cups of hot chocolate.

"Okay," Draco took a big breath as he began, taking the half eaten cookie in his hand and playing with it, "so this year I wanted to be sentimental." He said trying to hold back a smile, and Harry noticed, only cracking a smile of his own, a small scoff escaping his throat. "What's so funny?"

"Draco Malfoy being sentimental, somebody record this," he laughed some more at Draco's facial expression, one split between shock and a sneer.

"Hey! I've been plenty sentimental!" Harry just continued to laugh as Draco launched a throw pillow from the couch at him. "Shut it!" He did stop but the smile continued. "Anyway, as I was saying, I decided to be sentimental this year so I wanted to give you this."

Draco reached behind his back and handed Harry a flat object, wrapped in silver and green. The Gryffindor's eyebrow raised as he questioned what it is.

"A book? You got me a book? Are you telling me that you actually think I would read?"

"Just shut up, you wanker, and open it! Honesty do you think I'm that dumb?" Draco rolled his eyes as Harry snorted and began ripping open the paper. He began playing with his silk pajama top as he grew nervous. "I was debating on giving it to you because I didn't know if you would like it or not..."

"A diary? I don't understand. What would you like me to write in it?"

"I don't want you to write anything," he stated frankly. He took a large breath before saying," I want you to read it."

Harry took the fiery-black book and opened to the first page to see neat, cursive writing in green ink. Draco's handwriting. The date was scribbled the top right corner of the paper: November 16th 1994. Directly below that was an entry that took up the entire page, sitting there, ready for its secrets to be revealed.

Diary,

Even if that's what I should call you, although it seems far to girly for my taste, Pansy insisted that's what I refer to you as, whoever you are. I honestly don't know who I'm talking to, she told me muggle girls use it to express feelings, however, I am not a muggle, nor a girl so I find this absolutely pointless. Pansy told me that I should keep this documented just to humiliate him further, Harry Potter that is. Potter...that obnoxious Gryffindork prat! Of course he would get chosen for the triwizard tournament, he's got so much luck up his sleeve he could donate his robe to all the disgusting muggles in the world and they would get a letter from Hogwarts.

And that's why I came up with this plan...well Pansy and Blaise barely helped me, and Crabbe and Goyle voiced and opinion, but I thought of it all myself. A plan that would go down in the record books, a plan that would ensure the name "Draco Malfoy" would be remembered as the genius who fooled the famous Harry Potter. I am going to seduce Potter. It does sound ridiculous, yes, but it will not fail, I can ensure of that. He will be so distracted in loving the brilliant and talented me, how could be possibly pay attention to the tasks in front of him. Plus he would be an absolute laughing stalk of the century. Potty-Potter, savior of the wizarding world, falling for the son of a death eater. Brilliant.

Today Pansy and I completed phase one. It was so ruddy simple I'm sure a house elf could have convinced the prat. You should have seen his face, he looked like he was going to throw up! I said some bullocks about his eyes and he actually bought it. How thick could you get? This is going to be the easiest task I've ever done.

There is no possible way that this plan could fail.

DM

Harry sat motionless a few seconds, just staring at the writing, eyebrows furrowed. He could basically read the hate, the obnoxiousness of the old Draco just in that small manuscript.

This whole time he's been writing it down? It made him wonder, did Draco really record everything? Every little detail?

Harry grew curious, glancing up at Draco with an eyebrow raised. The blond bit his lip, his leg shaking in anticipation. He couldn't read his facial expressions.

"H-Harry," Draco almost whispered, his voice cracking. He was immediately shushed by the Gryffindor who had flipped through a few more pages, and he began to read the words out loud in a snobbish tone, one that reminded Draco, well, of Draco-- young Draco; the one he wasn't anymore, except in public.

December 26th, 1994

Diary,

That bastard. That. Bastard. I have just been kissed by a bloke! A bloke! Bloody stupid Potter! That bastard stole my first kiss. I was saving that! That was very important to me! And he stole it. Just like he stole everything else from me. The fame, being the quidditch star, the fortune, my bloody dignity. Bloody stupid annoying Potter.

I hated it. I hate him. I hate him so bloody much! I hated how I had no control, no power as he basically controlled me-- he always does! But Merlin his stupid mouth! Slimy and disgusting and gross and bleh! I shall never wish to experience it again! And the worst part is that no matter how many times I scrub my mouth out, I can still taste him. It's still bloody tingly.

And yet I find myself wanting to know what it's like to really kiss him. Does the bastard always kiss like that?

No no no scratch that. Excuse my while I wash out my mouth with soap again.

DM

"Harry..." Draco said again, unsure of Harry's feelings. Did Harry really want to read about how much he hated him?

Harry flicked his eyes up to him, his lip between his teeth. He raised both his brows, watching Draco fluster and stutter over his actions. He watched him wipe his hands on his pant legs. "You wrote this," Harry asked.

"Well, y-yeah," Draco swallowed, and Harry opened his mouth, however Draco babbled, and Harry bit back a laugh. "But you have to understand that that was before I fell for you. I know I said some bad things and thought some even worser ones, but it gets better, I promise. I-I was only 14 at the time and I didn't know you as I do now and... and," Draco faded away, losing confidence in everything he was saying. "It was a stupid idea. I shouldn't have even told you I had a diary... It was a mistake. I should have gotten you the diamond bracelet, it would have been way less awkward--"

"Diamond bracelet," Harry asked.

"Yeah, well... it was nice... had diamonds on it, it was gold, 24 karat..."

"God, Draco!"

"Would you prefer that instead?"

"Hell no, that'd be too expensive!"

"No it wouldn't, it would have been fine. I'm just an idiot, I should have thought it though--"

"Hold on, wait a second, stop sulking while I think this through," Harry reached out and put a hand on his wrist, stopping his leg from shaking. Draco looked up at him, rather than the ground, wide eyed. "You wrote down every single memory we had together?"

"Y-yeah. Listen, I'm sorry I said all those things but I just thought that you would like to see what really happened and... and how you've changed me... once you move on to the bit when we start dating, it gets better, I promise. But I can go get you the bracelet over holiday and give it to you when we get back--"

"Draco," Harry started.

"Or I can send it to wherever you're staying. The Weasley's, right? Of course, I would have to do it under an alias, most likely 'your secret admirer', but then that would cause question from your fami-- mph--"

Harry had crawled over to him as he babbled, and kissed him hard. Draco, although caught off guard and startled upfront, dropped his forgotten cookie and put his hand on Harry's cheek, smearing crumbs along it as his eyes fell closed. His lips tasted like peppermint and sweets, and Harry's tasted like hot chocolate, which was enough to distract the frames of Harry's glasses digging into his cheeks.

"Thank you," Harry whispered against his lips, and then kissed him just a bit longer, Draco hypnotized by just the feeling of him so close and so sweet. And then he let go, sadly, because the time with Draco's lips would never be enough. "I can't believe you would give me this," Harry sat back on his feet. "This is the most intimate present I've ever gotten in my life," he whispered, his eyes full of compassion, dilated. "No one has ever cared for me this much. Thank you, thank you so much."

"You're welcome, Harry," he whispered back with a blush. Harry looked at the diary a little bit longer, the cursive, the ink, the pages, before closing and putting it next to the drunk hot chocolate. "Make sure you read it from start to finish chronological. The ending won't make sense. Promise," Draco stuck out his pinky.

"Now I'm tempted to--"

"No! Promise you won't," Draco's face turned serious, his finger stuck out for Harry to take.

Harry smirked a bit, just at the innocence of him, and then he reached back, his hand on the back of Draco's neck, and he kissed him yet again. "Promise," he grabbed Draco's pinky tightly.

"Your turn," he said, sitting back, pulling out a medium-sized, cube shaped box from behind his back and placing it in Draco's lap. "I thought of it when we were in the Room of Requirement last. You were just so fascinated in the muggle things, I couldn't resist."

"What is it?" Draco looked at the contraption in front of him oddly. It was a strange little object, all black with a small glass like structure in the front, a few buttons on the top. It was shaped like something he had never seen before, who knew muggles could be so complicated!

"It's a camera."

"A what? That does not look like a camera."

"A muggle camera. Here," Harry took the object, opened a small latch, and inserted a thick batch of black rectangles into the bottom. "Look." Harry took the box-like object and put it to his face. He then pressed a small button on the top and with a click he took a picture of the fire. One of the small black squares came sliding out of a paper-thin entrance. Harry immediately took the paper and shook it, which added even more to the quizzical look on Draco's face. "See?" Harry handed the photo to Draco.

"How come its not moving?"

"That's how they work," Harry smiled down at him. Draco read the card along the top of the paper, Every moment I'm with you I wish I could capture and hold forever. Merry Christmas, I love you. "Do you want to take a picture together," Harry asked, scooting over to Draco already implying it would be a yes. He placed the machine on top of the table and faced the lens towards them. "Ready?" Draco nodded with a tiny look of concern before looking into the lens. Harry smiled and Draco mirrored and he pressed the button.

There was a large flash and Draco blinked repeatedly, not aware of where he was looking; all he could see was black. He heard Harry laughing and he began to laugh too, and suddenly another burst of light went off and another photo was captured to the boys ignorance.

Harry kissed him on the cheek and a third flash went off and Harry released only to have Draco turn his head and smile at him, and another flash went off. Draco let his heart race as he took Harry by the chin and pressed his lips to his lover, and a fifth and final flash, ending the accidental sequence. They, however, continued kissing vigorously, Harry pushing Draco back to the floor, tongues intertwining together. Harry was in a push-up-like form when his foot slipped on the carpet, letting his body land on top of Draco, who then broke the kiss to groan in pain from the wind getting knocked out of him. Harry found himself laughing as he rolled off of him.

"That's not funny," Draco retorted, and Harry snorted in response, and he smacked him in the stomach.

They both rolled over onto their sides, facing each other, their bodies so close they were practically touching and they could feel each others breath caress their faces.

"What kind of magic made it possible that I could ever feel something so great for someone so much," Draco whispered as Harry tucked his hair behind his ear, letting his fingers linger and his touch rest on the Slytherin's cheeks.

"I have no idea, but it seems like I'm under the same exact spell."

"That is the most clichè comment any wizard has ever said to me."

"That's the only chance any wizard has been able to say it to you," Harry said as he tapped Draco on the nose. "I think the picture is ready."

They both sat up, going to the exact place they were before things got... PG 13. Harry was right, the photos were revealed. The first one was of the two smiling...somewhat. Draco more looked like he swallowed a tart lemon and Harry's eyes were half closed. They both laughed at the sight of it.

The next one was of them laughing, which was Draco's favorite. He never knew he could smile like that. The third was a photo of Harry kissing him on the cheek while he was smiling and looking in the direction of him. The fourth was of them looking at each other in the eye in an eternal bliss. If you could sum up 'perfect' in one photo, that would be the one to use. The final one was of Harry kissing Draco, both their eyes closed, passion in the crease of their eyebrows.

They took a bit to look at them before Harry duplicated them and added a charm for its inability to