Draco's stomach acid had found a new way to make him sick. It was February 25th, meaning it was two years since he and Harry were officially together and Draco found himself huddled next to the fire, alone.

They decided to meet in the forest at 8:00, but Harry hadn't shown up, and Draco knew it was well past 8:00. The sun was down, hiding from the world, stars not even shining as bright as he could remember. Or maybe he just couldn't see the light anymore.

He heard rustling coming from behind him and quickly stashed the small box in his pocket.

"Hey you," the all too familiar voice said. Draco got up from his spot and went to greet his love. Harry immediately accepted him in open arms, wrapping his arms around his waist and kissing him chastely.

"I thought you weren't coming."

"Draco, it's one of the most important days in the world, how could I miss it," the Gryffindor said, burying his face into Draco's neck. They stood there for a while in each other's embrace, letting a feeling of serenity and peace fall over them. "I'm sorry I'm late," he mumbled, "Ron's in the hospital wing."

"What? Why," Draco asked, almost concerned. What did the idiot weasel do now to keep him from his Harry?

"I was going to get ready tonight when I went into the dormitory and I saw Ron, who had eaten chocolates with love potion injected in them, which was supposed to be slipped to me." Draco clenched his jaw in a small wave of envy, but let Harry continue. "Hey," Harry stroked bangs from his face, "I didn't have them. Besides, I only eat chocolates if they're from you. No one else."

Draco flattened his lip line and let Harry continue.

"I took him to see Slughorn and, well, he cured him but we decided to celebrate with his bottle of sherry and before we had a chance to drink ours, Ron was on the floor. I gave him some bezoar though, Ron's in the hospital as we speak. He was poisoned, Draco," he said gravely, "He could have died."

Draco went solidly numb, all colors draining from his face. His eyes watered but he refused to let them fall. Not yet, anyway.

"Harry," he said breathlessly, "you almost died."

"Relax, I'm okay. How many times in my life had I been that close to death? A fair few. Don't worry about it." Harry hugged him tightly.

"A fair few," Draco sneered, "Why are you playing this off like it doesn't matter!" I almost killed you.

"Hey, calm down. It's not like you tried to kill me, or anything. It was just another close call." 

A wave of nausea spread over Draco. Oh my...

"But-" Harry cut him off by grabbing his face and forcefully shoving their mouths together. Draco was stiff at first but began to loosen up, feeling along Harry's back. He simply lost himself, forgetting everything's that had to do with Voldemort or Ron or Katie Bell even. It was just he and Harry. And that's what he wants to happen. Forever.

"I'm here," Harry said simply as he released slowly. They looked deep into the others' eyes, trying to figure out what was going on in their heads. "I am. I always will be. Okay?"

"Okay," Draco breathed, and then he suddenly couldn't feel his feet. "H-Harry, I need to ask you something."

Draco's heart beat at an immeasurable rate and his stomach did backflips.

"Okay," Harry said modestly kissing the side of his face, "Go for it."

"It's not that simple." Draco reached out of Harry's embrace, but Harry pulled him back again, holding his hips so their bodies were touching. 

"Try me," Harry smiled, kissing his neck, and despite his efforts to keep composure, Draco found himself melting to his touch. 

"Mmmm," he put a hand on his bicep, leaving Harry to kiss him deeper, and nip at the skin. "Oh..."

"Is it what I think it is," Harry said in a husky voice. He hooked his index fingers through the belt loops on Draco's trousers and pulling. "You know, you look ravishing tonight."

"Harry," Draco whimpered, and Harry moved to bite his ear and suck on his lobe, causing him to shudder and bite his lip. 

"Two years," Harry smiled into the side of his face, and he kissed right next to his ear, and then below it, and then back to his neck, and then to his lips. "Two years," he said hungrily, and he kissed him there as well, wildly, lovingly. "Mm," he bit his lip and moaned, then flicked his tongue against Draco's lips. "Two years."

"Harry, bloody hell, control yourself," he laughed. 

"Sorry. I just really want you," Harry bit his lip and a blush ran across his face, leaving Draco's entire body to warm. "I mean two years with you. That's incredible. I thought we'll bloody kill each other after a month. But two years."

"I know," Draco smiled. "Two years."

Harry beamed, running his fingers along Draco's hips, looking him up and down and staring into his eyes when he finished checking him out. "I love you." 

He wanted a reaction out of him. He wanted Draco's eyes to light up and he wanted him to smile uncontrollably, and he wanted his face to flush. Just like the first time when Harry said it to him. But most importantly, he wanted Draco to say it back. 

He didn't. 

"Well erm--," Draco swallowed, and suddenly he forgot how to think properly. 

"Right," Harry whispered under his breath. 

"May I ask you," Draco bit his lip.

"Draco, yes, you can, just spit it out," Harry played, simply to get his mind off of his unspoken words. 

"Like I said, it's not that simple to just spit it out. It's got to be careful and modest and precise."

"Okay," Harry softened from his smile, and furrowed his eyebrows. "What is it then? Take your time."

Draco nodded. "Here, stand here," He grabbed a hold of Harry's shoulders and placed him where he wanted him-- a few feet away, however close enough. 

"Okay," Harry smiled, embracing how nervous and bashful Draco was. 

Draco took a breath and then looked into those wonderful eyes of his, the way they filled with curiosity, how alive they were. "For one, happy two year anniversary," he smiled nervously. 

"Happy two year anniversary, Draco," Harry grinned warmly, however then he lost his breath. "Wow, two years. Two whole years." Harry grabbed his hands and pulled him closer so their bodies were almost touching.  

"The best two years of my life. And even though we've been fighting recently and we almost broke up...  but that's what couples do a-and I would only want to do that with you. Only you. Forever. And maybe I'm calling into the void right now, but I think I want you forever, even if I never imagined I'd ever be saying this." 

Draco got down on one knee.

Harry gasped, and his eyes went wide. "Are... are you proposing to me?" 

He swallowed. "Somewhat. It's a promise. I want to one day do this for real. I guess you could call it a proposal. I-If you would want a proposal. If you want marriage, I'll give you it. I'll give you my heart."

 And reached deep in his pocket and grabbed a small velvet box, opening it to reveal a stunningly beautiful, custom silver ring. "Will you promise yourself to me?"

Harry looked like he was going to be sick, and a single tear slid down his face.

"Harry, you're crying," Draco smiled, his voice cracking. He looked into Harry's eyes, which were still gazing at the ring. Draco closely examined his face, how beautiful it was, seeing it was one of shock.

But then it turned- oh it turned. The features on Harry's face changed from one of shock to one of what looked like disgust... wait... that wasn't right...

He was supposed to be happy. He was supposed to be elated, and his eyes were supposed to be bright, just as they were when they talked about forever, just as when they fought and Harry argued forever was what he expected out of Draco. They weren't supposed to be dark.

"I know we're young," Draco started, trying to make sense of why Harry was looking at him the way he was, but Harry cut him off before he could even think of a valid excuse.

"Is this some sort of game to you," he growled. It wasn't a question. It was a statement. And his lips quivered as he said it. Tears slipped Harry's eyes involuntarily. They weren't happy tears.

"No," Draco's eyebrows furrowed. "I'm on one knee. I'm getting my nicest clothes covered in mud for you. This is very much serious-"

Draco remained in eye contact with Harry, but Harry didn't even move his eyes from the ring. It appeared to be that he wasn't even listening at all, as if he hadn't heard a word Draco was saying.

"You're one of them."

"What," Draco whispered, still trying to figure him out. This was deeper than a proposal. This wasn't right. "What are you trying to..." he trailed, looking at the ring. Surely it was the most beautiful one he could get his hands on, and engraved with the three words Draco couldn't even spit from his mouth.

But then he looked back up at Harry, who was staring fiercely back at him, face so pale it was if he was practically dead. "What's wrong," Draco whispered again, not even sure that he'd even said it due to his throat closing, and burning. 

Harry's eyes searched Draco's face, as if he was trying to map out all of England. "You're a liar," his voice cracked, he not even realizing he was saying it. "You said..."

"I'm not lying. I want forever with you-"

"You're one of them," Harry abruptly shouted. But as Draco clued in about what he was talking about, he looked back down at the ring, but then below the ring, to find that when he reached into his pocket, his sleeve scrunched, and on the skin revealed was the very shy end of his Dark Mark.  

Harry clutched Draco's wrist to keep him from moving and he forcefully wrinkled his sleeve back further to reveal all of it. A tear slipped from his eye and fell on the snake, leaving it to move and hiss in hate towards him. Draco clenched at the burn it brought.

"Harry, please," Draco cried, trying to get him to let go, but Harry's eyes were glued to it, and the grip on his wrist was so strong Draco's hand was turning numb, and his clasp on the ring box was faltering. "Harry, it's not what it looks like-"

"Not what it looks like," Harry glared at him in revulsion. But then his face softened to one of horror as he looked anywhere but Draco while he connected it all. "Katie?"

Draco said nothing. He couldn't even remember his name, the inexcusable horror of this nightmare filling his veins- each and every one. He figured if he weren't already on one knee, he would have fallen.

But Harry looked at him with even more terror. "Ron?"

Draco said nothing.

But then Harry's eyes widened. "Me?"

Draco tried to say something but Harry wouldn't let him.

"Y-you said you were my safety," Harry spat as he threw Draco's arm down, Draco losing the ring to the grass below. "You said you'd never hurt me!"

"Harry-"

"And I believed you," he said in cold blood.

Draco stood as Harry backed away from him. He could see his hands shaking. "Harry, please, let me explain!"

But how was he to? His throat was closed; his stomach twisted enough to feel like a knife did the deed, his heart shattering, his lungs refusing to hold air.

"You almost killed them! You-you liar! You lied to me!"

"Harry," Draco walked towards him in attempt to put a hand on his shoulder, to keep him from running, but Harry swatted his hand away.

"Don't touch me," he thundered, his voice wavering. "Don't you dare touch me!"

The hand he used to slap Draco's away shook so violently, it was almost as if he was being electrocuted. His knees were about to give.

"Harry," Draco cried, tears slipping his eyes. "Please! Listen to me!"

"No," Harry didn't even know he said it. He just kept backing away from him as if he was a monster. "Y-you said that you'd never go on his side! You said you'd be there for me!"

Draco swallowed and cringed as Harry said his next words: "I let you in."

But, as if it all wasn't enough already, a new demon crawled in the back of Harry's head. "You never told me you loved me," he shook. "Was..." he swallowed, or attempted to rather, "Was this all part of The Plan? None of this was real."

"Harry! No!" They looked at each other in absolute horror, and Draco swore his heart split into two. Draco stepped towards him.

"No, stay there! Just s-stay away from me," Harry hiccupped, backing away and putting his arms out so Draco couldn't get near him.

"Har-"

"Don't! Just don't talk! Just don't!"

Harry felt his heart being ripped slowly from him, the burn too much to handle. He saw red as he cried.

"Please Harry!"

"Don't," Harry screamed, looking anywhere but at Draco, knowing that if he did, he would run to him and God knows how much destruction could be done, whether sprung from love or from hate; whether a kiss or a punch.

And then the venture through the forest brought to him the hit of realization that it completely made sense. It completely and wholly made sense.

He didn't take off his shirt anymore.

He didn't want sex after two years of a passionate relationship.

 He didn't say the word love without cringing.

 He broke dinner dates to plan murders.

 He planned murders.

 But they failed.

 And so he cried. That's why he cried.

He wanted marriage.

Marriage was a death sentence.

 Voldemort was the one who signed the marriage certificate.

 Hugs were floggings.

 Kisses were grenades.

 Nights spent together were massacres.

 Death is the price of love.

 Love is the execution.

 He is the executioner.

It all added up.

But as he found himself sprinting thought the trees, Harry heard his name being called from behind, and he wanted to turn around in the hopes it was all a dream, that this insane, sick, toxic night was fake. That Draco was the real one.

But Draco wasn't the real one.

He made it out to the field between the forest and the castle, and in the distance, Hagrid's fire lit his cabin, and smoke cleared into the night sky as snow discharged down to the ground where Harry's feet crunched on it.

His face spun numb and the tears that leaked from his eyes made them sting even more. He couldn't see. He couldn't breathe.

If the footsteps weren't so close behind him, he would have stopped to try and get any oxygen available to him.

Draco behind him had completely lost any sense of anything. It was as if he was a wolf hunting prey. Nothing else but the smell of Harry lingered in his lungs, nothing else but the back of Harry's head and his broken heart drove him to keep going.

"Harry," he screamed, "Harry, please!"

But Harry kept running, that is, until his foot tripped over a root hidden in snow, and he collapsed on the ground, only trying to get up when Draco caught up to him and, without thinking, he basically dove on top of him, both bodies slamming into the white slush.

"Harry, please, j-just listen to me!"

"Get off of me," Harry struggled. Draco clanged to him tightly, arms around his waist.

"Harry," Draco begged, almost bawling his eyes out, "Please, Harry! You don't understand!"

Harry grabbed at his hands in attempts to force them apart, but Draco still forced them around his chest. Eventually, after a bit of hostile intensity, Harry broke free and grabbed his wand, standing, and Draco stood as well.

"You don't expect me to believe you're going to hex me right now, do you," Draco scoffed. He knew Harry.

... But obviously not well enough because Harry, indeed, did hex him, however missed a little to the right due to his shaking hand. Draco dodged it by throwing himself to the side and landing in the snow. The bead of light withered away in the darkness.

"Are you insane," Draco screeched.

"Don't," Harry said between heavy breaths, "touch," he was gasping and the cold air didn't help his raw, closing lungs, "me!"

He took off running again, his wand in hand. Draco took a few breaths and then got up and sprinted after him calling his name. Adrenaline is what drove the both of them.

Harry made it to the bridge, his pace not faltering, however he was used to running away from Dudley, and Draco's body was much smaller and faster. But what was making Draco catch up was the fact that Draco's will to get Harry was greater than Harry's will to get away from him.

"Please, Harry," he begged. They reached the courtyard, and Harry opened the door to enter and slammed it shut before Draco could sneak in with him. It gave him enough time to get to the grand staircase before Draco even reached him.

All he thought was Death Eater, Death Eater.

Step by step: Death Eater, Death Eater.

He wanted me to die during the Triwizard. He was in on it. He wanted Cedric Diggory dead. That's why he didn't want me talking about him

 One staircase down, and he heard Draco reaching the base of it. "Harry!"

He was angry after the dementors attacked me over the summer because they didn't succeed in my death. Death Eater, Death Eater.

 Which one to take? Forward or a right? Where did he want to go? What if one of them moved? Harry chose right and went up the second staircase, it leading to either another to the left or the first floor corridor. Take it step by step.

He hated kissing me.

"Harry," Draco shouted breathlessly, and he swore he and Harry were both going to wake up the entire castle.

No, he enjoyed kissing me in the sense he had power over me like I had power over him in detention all those years ago.

 When he reached the fourth floor landing, he picked the left staircase and Draco wasn't far behind him, however far enough to where Harry could get to the 5th floor landing and Draco was stuck on the staircase when it moved.

"Damn it," Draco shouted and he tried to judge the jump where Harry was standing, and he almost did it, but the staircase had turned so far there was no way possible, and before he hurled himself over the edge, he grasped the railing to keep him from falling.

"You little shit," Draco shouted, maintaining his balance and awaiting the staircase to reach the opposite landing. Harry almost laughed at it, but then he remembered Death Eater, Death Eater.

 He never cared about me losing Sirius.

 That made him cry more. He blinked away the tears in the way of his vision, but he couldn't blink away the memories surfacing. Safe is with me. Those words in his voice made Harry stop on the staircase of the 6th floor corridor and clenched his chest.

How could this hurt so much?

Draco was watching him on the opposite side of the stair well. "Harry," he breathed. Tears fell from his eyes fiercely. "Why didn't I just tell you," he whispered. Harry didn't hear it over his sobs.

Harry watched Draco watching Harry, and the fact that Draco could see his tears made Harry even angrier. So he kept sprinting.

He hated cuddling. Well... he always hated cuddling whether or not he was faking the entire