Title: All That Remains

Author: Branwen777

Rating: M/NC-18/R

Pairing: Harry/Draco

Beta'd by: The ever amazing and brilliant Kamerreon

Warnings: Slash, Male/Male, violence, angst, drama, you’ll most likely cry at one point, mature scenes, language, gay sex, and enough fluff to make a quilt with …

Summary: Harry and Draco are very much in love. They’ve been together since the end of fifth year, and through the defeat of Voldemort in their sixth year. But it’s not until the start of their seventh year that they come out to the public and their friends, engaged. Draco doesn’t have much to lose. Harry on the other hand will be forced to choose between his friends and the love of his life. For Harry the choice is clear. However, when Draco suddenly loses his memory because of a vicious attack and reverts back to his old self, will Harry be able to go on after everything he’s already been through? Or will his world fall apart without Draco there to support him?

Song (Download/Listen): See Profile Page

A/N: MATURE SCENES: the mature scenes in this fic have been edited out. For the full version go to my website (links on profile page).

All That Remains

( )

And you neglected I called you out don't please
I said we're stronger than this now
You resurrected mistakes years past it seemed
And they exist to still haunt you

I wanted nothing but for that trust again
And brick by brick you would take it
You feared the phantoms and none exist but you
You still saw fit to destroy it

And still you feel like the loneliness
Is better replaced by this
I don't believe it this way
And I can see the fear in your eyes
I've seen it materialize
Growing stronger each day

I could see it as you turned to stone
Still clearly I can hear you say
“Don't leave … don't give up on me”
Two weeks you ran away
I remember, “Don't lie to me …”
You couldn't see that it was not that way

I swear I never gave up on you.

(Part One)

Seventh Year

(Present Time)

Harry sat alone underneath the willow tree out at the edge of the lake, staring blankly at the glistening water as the sun began to set. He remembered nearly a year ago being under this same tree, having a picnic, and lounging with the love of his life. It was a day he would never forget, he thought ideally, while fingering the platinum band on his left ring finger. It was possibly the happiest day of his life to date.

( )

June 13, Sixth Year

(Flashback)

“Why must you read that Muggle nonsense?” the young man currently using his lap as a pillow asked as he poked the cover of Harry’s book with a long pale finger.

Harry chuckled and moved the book aside to look down at the beautiful face it had been blocking from his view – that in and of itself was a sin above all others.

“Because it’s interesting to see how close they get to the truth,” Harry answered with a fond smile at the blond’s lovely pout.

“You’ve been reading for the past fifteen minutes now. Why don’t you put it away for a while?” Draco asked nonchalantly, while staring at the button on Harry’s white shirt that his fingers were idly playing with. Harry saw through the indifferent display immediately and his smile only grew as he marked his page and set his book aside.

Draco obviously wanted his attention, but the Slytherin Prince didn’t want to seem weak by admitting it. Although, they had already been together for over a year now, Draco was still insecure when it came to asking Harry for anything that would make him seem weak to others. Unfortunately one of the things that Draco perceived as a weakness was admitting to Harry exactly how much Draco truly needed him.

Their eyes locked and Draco stopped playing with Harry’s button as he grabbed a handful of the shirt and Harry bent down to kiss him. It was kind of uncomfortable bending down this way, also Draco’s head was at an odd angle, but somehow they made it work. After a few moments of gentle kisses however, Draco seemed to get impatient and tugged on Harry’s shirt more forcefully.

Harry chuckled, getting the hint, and slid himself out from under Draco’s head, before crawling on top of the gorgeous blond and straddling his waist. He didn’t waste any time leaning forward and reattaching their lips. Draco sat up and met him halfway, using one hand to brace himself on the ground as the other went to the back of Harry’s neck, pulling him in deeper.

Harry groaned as Draco did that little trick with his tongue that caused him to melt completely into the blond every time. He felt Draco’s satisfied smirk in the kiss and briefly the words, ‘smug bastard’ flashed through his mind, but then he was being flipped over onto his back and Draco was looming above him with that look he got in his eyes, like molten silver – it could set Harry’s body on fire instantly every time.

“Draco,” Harry sighed arms going around to clutch the back of Draco’s shirt tightly as the blond latched onto his neck, immediately hitting all the right places to send Harry’s mind and body into overdrive. “Mmm,” he moaned again and arched as Draco’s hands joined in on the exploration, which now included his chest and stomach as his shirt was pushed up.

Harry had always been rather vocal in his approval of the things Draco did to him, which Draco never seemed to mind. In fact, Draco had admitted to loving the sounds Harry made. He found it fascinating that Harry could be so expressive – could allow himself to show such abandon so easily. What the blond didn’t know though, was that even though Draco didn’t make much noise, his eyes clearly displayed every emotion he was feeling louder than any sound Harry could make.

(MATURE SCENES: the mature scenes in this fic have been edited out. For the full version go to my website (links on profile page).

“I love you too,” Draco whispered against Harry’s lips as he landed a few softer kisses before pulling away to lie beside Harry. Harry turned onto his side, facing Draco as the blond wrapped both arms around his waist pulling him in closer.

“How much more time do we have?” Harry murmured closing his eyes for a moment sleepily.

Draco reached for his crumbled pants and pulled out his wand. “About twenty minutes,” he answered and then waved his wand again to clean them up before dropping it and pulling Harry closer once again.

Harry sighed and snuggled closer, resting his forehead against Draco’s. He wished that they didn’t have to hide, but Draco wanted to wait a little while longer. At least until all the hype of him becoming Lord Malfoy and the defeat of Voldemort died down. Harry was looking forward to this summer though for the first time in his life. He would be spending it at Malfoy Manor with Draco. He’d gone through the Floo to Grimmauld Place the other day in order to change the wards so that they could connect the Floo Network to Malfoy Manor.

Not even the Headmaster knew of their relationship though, so he’d gone under the pretense of looking over the renovations that he’d put Dobby in charge of. In fact, the only person who knew about their relationship was Severus, who surprisingly hadn’t said a word against it. He’d even invited Draco and Harry to have tea with him one day, most likely to observe their relationship first hand.

It had been difficult to hide it from the former spy, who also happened to be Draco’s godfather. He’d noticed instantly the change in his godson’s behavior, from arrogant, spoiled bastard, to calm, mature adult – that, and the fact that Draco had started sneaking out quite a lot – there wasn’t anything that went on in the dungeons that Severus didn’t know about.

Harry sighed once again and lifted his hand to run his fingers through Draco’s hair. He loved that he was the only one who could get away with messing it up. Draco would have Avada’d anyone else who had dared to touch it. Harry paused however as he felt something odd catch around one of his fingers, and frowned in confusion. His eyes opened only to see Draco staring at his face intently as Harry slowly pulled his hand out of the blond hair.

“Draco!” Harry gasped, suddenly choked up at the sight of the platinum band sitting innocently around his left ring finger.

It had a few well-placed diamonds around the band, but nothing too gaudy, and directly in the center was the Malfoy family crest. It was simple, elegant, and beautiful – the perfect fit for someone like Harry. Draco must have slipped it on sometime during their previous activities when Harry had been too distracted to notice.

An elegant hand reached out to grab his own and Harry’s wide, shocked eyes lifted from the ring to meet Draco’s guarded and nervous face.

“I know we aren’t exactly ‘out’ yet, but it’s charmed so that only those who know about it can see it. Severus knows of course. He’s the one who helped me get it from Gringotts. It’s a family heirloom – my great grandfather’s ring. He was one of the few good Malfoys, so I thought you might like it. I know we haven’t discussed this yet – I mean we’re only sixteen right, and we haven’t even finished school yet, but I’d like for you to have it. You don’t have to wear it of course – you haven’t even agreed to…”

Draco cut his rambling off there, eyes widening as if he’d just realized something. “Shit! I forgot to ask!” he hissed to himself before focusing back on Harry, who was still in too much shock to get his voice working.

“Umm – so will you? – Marry me that is?” Draco asked nervously, and all at once what was happening hit Harry and he jumped the shocked blond with a choked laugh of joy.

“Yes! God yes!” Harry answered, feeling Draco sigh in relief as he pulled back and kissed the blond deeply.

“I was going to wait until graduation to ask you, but Malfoys aren’t exactly known for their patience. When we see something we want we go for it,” Draco said as Harry pulled back and stared at the ring in wonder. He looked back up at Draco and kissed him lovingly once again, tears of happiness building in his eyes.

“I’m glad you went for it,” Harry whispered, softly nuzzling his face in Draco’s neck as a few of the tears began to fall.

Draco wrapped his arms around Harry and held him tightly as Harry did the same, both young men feeling truly complete for the first time in their lives.

( )

Seventh Year

(Present Time)

They had spent one blissful summer together after that, not leaving each other’s sight for even a second, and by the end of it, they couldn’t have imagined going back to being apart. So on September the first they had walked hand in hand onto Platform Nine and Three-Quarters ready to face their seventh and last year at Hogwarts together.

( )

September 1, Seventh Year

(Flashback)

“Are you sure about this?” Draco questioned squeezing Harry’s hand tightly. He understood that Harry was risking a lot more than he was if this went badly. Draco could care less what anyone thought of him. The only two opinions that mattered to him at all were Severus’ and Harry’s.

Harry still had his friends however, although they weren’t as close as they used to be. Weasley was a jealous prick, and for those who thought Draco was an arrogant, snobbish bastard, they had never spent more than two minutes in the presence of know-it-all Granger.

The trio had started growing apart during fourth year. After Weasley’s betrayal, things had never been the same between them. Then to Draco’s disgust, Weasley and Granger had started dating in fifth year around the same time he and Harry had. It had at least made it easier for Harry to sneak away unnoticed, but the thought of Weasley and Granger procreating made Draco cringe.

Draco wasn’t worried about the Slytherins’ reactions. They knew when to keep their mouths shut, but he was worried about how the Gryffindors would react. He didn’t want to see Harry hurt by them, which he knew was going to be unavoidable once they found out that the leader of their lion pride was engaged to the king of the snakes. It would be the ultimate betrayal in their narrow-minded eyes.

Harry grabbed Draco by the waist and pulled him around, until Draco was pressing him up against the brick wall outside of Kings Cross Station, their trunks forgotten as Draco captured Harry’s lips in a deep kiss. He pressed against Harry even more, practically lifting the brunet off his feet. Had they been in private, Harry would have wrapped his legs around Draco’s waist as the kiss deepened into something so strong that it left them both breathless.

“No I’m not sure about this,” Harry whispered against his lips, causing Draco’s chest to tighten in pain and worry, “but what I am sure about is that I love you more than anything else in this world, and that I would gladly give up everything to be with you.”

“You might have to,” Draco replied stroking Harry’s face sadly with the back of his hand. He didn’t want Harry to have to give up anything for him, which went against a Slytherin’s naturally selfish nature. But Draco was selfish in the fact that he wanted Harry to have everything he’d ever dreamed of. He wanted Harry’s life to be perfect, and Draco would go through hell and back to make Harry happy.

“Then it’s a sacrifice I’m willing to make,” Harry whispered pressing their foreheads together. “I would do anything for you –you know that, right?”

Draco kissed Harry’s nose lightly, before wrapping Harry in his arms and holding him tightly. “That scares me sometimes,” the normally unflappable Slytherin admitted.

“It’s the truth,” Harry whispered, voice shaking a bit. “I don’t know what I would have done these last few years without you. With everything that’s happened – I don’t think I would have made it. In fact, I know I wouldn’t have made it.”

“Yes you would have,” Draco cut in, soft but firm. He didn’t like when Harry started talking like this. It had taken Draco months to build Harry up, to bring his love out of his dark depression, and it was moments like these that reminded Draco that Harry was still, and would probably always be, a work-in-progress. But Draco loved him none-the-less, flaws and all. “You would have survived. You would have kept going, because that’s what you do, and not because you’re the boy who lived, but because you’re Harry – just Harry. You’re strong, you’re fearless, and you never give up –you would have found your own way out.”

Harry rested his head on Draco’s shoulder as Draco’s hand came up to cup the back of his neck. “You’ve saved me so many times Draco, some you aren’t even aware of,” he whispered, causing Draco to swallow thickly and hold him tighter. “I may have been able to survive, but I wouldn’t have lived. I would never have been whole. I would never have been happy.”

“I love you Harry… so much,” Draco sighed, kissing Harry’s neck right below his ear, and if possible holding him tighter.

A train horn blew from nearby reminding them that they were in a public place, a Muggle place no less, and reluctantly, Draco pulled away. Harry caught his hand however, and gave it a squeeze as he looked up at Draco smiling, and completely trusting that Draco would stay with him through whatever happened, and simultaneously promising Draco to stick by him.

“Ready?” Harry asked, turning Draco’s question back on him.

“Always,” Draco replied, and hand in hand, they walked through the barrier together.

( )

Hogwarts, Seventh Year

(Present Time)

To say everyone had been shocked would have been a serious understatement. Draco had stood firmly between Harry and the other Gryffindors, as they’d hurled accusations and insults, or even worse, remained silent. In the end, Draco had simply grabbed Harry’s hand and pulled him from the tower. It wasn’t like they hadn’t expected it after all. In fact, all of Harry’s things had already been sent to Draco’s rooms. Being head boy had its perks. It meant Draco got his own apartment, almost like the teachers’ quarters, although not nearly as large.

It was enough for the two of them though, and Harry found that he wasn’t nearly as depressed as he thought he’d be considering he’d just lost his two best friends and his housemates. They had been growing apart for some time though, and getting to be with Draco had been worth it. At least Draco still had some of his friends. Blaise still spoke to him, although he pretty much ignored Harry’s existence. The same went for Pansy, who Harry was continuously glaring at for her blatant flirtation. Of course, Draco never took any notice of it.

Harry hadn’t minded though, as long as he had Draco there was nothing else in the world that mattered. So what if he had no family, and now, no friends. He was going to have a lifetime with the love of his life. Draco would be his family, and Draco was already his best friend.

Unfortunately, for Harry, things never worked out the way he hoped they would and in the end, he’d lost Draco too.

( )

November 1, Seventh Year

(Flashback)

Draco and Harry were walking around the lake hand in hand, enjoying the freshly fallen snow. It had been two months since they’d come out to everyone and things finally seemed to be settling down. At least, in their own little bubble it had. They’d started ignoring the papers, ignoring their peers, and even ignoring the teachers who hadn’t thought it was a good idea for Harry to get mixed up with someone like Draco. They had started ignoring everything but each other and the future they were planning together.

“After we’re married I think we should travel for a while – just, get away from everything,” Draco said as Harry burrowed in closer to his side for warmth.

“That sounds nice,” Harry replied. “I was reading about that play you wanted to see. The paper said that it would be opening in France in July after it’s finished touring in America.”

Draco looked down at Harry in surprise. “But you hate the theater.”

“I don’t hate it,” Harry stated with a roll of his eyes. “I just get emotional and I don’t like crying. I’ve cried at every one of them we’ve seen so far, but this one looks different, and besides, I’ve already bought the tickets,” he finished, continuing to walk forward with a smirk as Draco paused in shock.

Draco caught up with him a few seconds later and spun him around. “But I’ve been trying! Those tickets are impossible to get!” he exclaimed, staring at Harry with wide eyes.

Harry tapped Draco on the nose with the two tickets he’d pulled from his pocket and a playful twinkle in his eyes. “And I’m Harry Potter, nothing is impossible when it comes to me.”

Draco took the tickets and stared at them for a moment in awe. Harry wondered what Draco’s friends would think of their Slytherin Prince if they could see him now.

“You used your fame to get me tickets?” the dazed blond questioned, looking up at Harry with a sappy grin. He knew how much Harry hated being famous and using his fame.

Harry shrugged nonchalantly. “You know I’d do anything for you,” he answered looking across the lake, a bit embarrassed to admit that he’d had to throw his name around a few times and sign a few autographs. Then Draco’s arms were around him, and it was all worth it.

“What did I ever do to deserve someone as wonderful as you?” the blond murmured, kissing his ear.

“I have no idea,” Harry replied playfully, giggling and pulling away when Draco began tickling his sides in retaliation. He didn’t get far though before he was caught by the wrist and pulled back against a firm chest. Draco’s other arm snaked around his waist and with a wicked smirk, the blond captured his lips in a toe-curling kiss.

“What about now – have an idea?” the blond asked, smirking in satisfaction at Harry’s dazed appearance.

“I think… it may be… coming to me…” Harry panted breathlessly.

Draco chuckled deeply, nuzzling Harry’s cheek as the raven-haired teen caught his breath. He trailed his lips up to Harry’s ear and nipped the lobe sharply, causing Harry to gasp and melt further against him.

“I guess I’ll just have to be more forceful in my persuading then,” Draco hissed, pressing against Harry firmly and trailing a few hot kisses down the long column of his neck.

“Hmmm… it may take a lot of long hard hours to come to me,” Harry agreed, growing hot despite the cold weather surrounding them.

“I should start right away then,” the blond murmured, leaving a lovely red mark right under Harry’s ear where everyone could see it.

“The sooner the better,” Harry agreed, letting his head fall to the side, eyes closed in delirious pleasure as Draco continued to work his neck.

Harry gasped in surprise however as Draco’s palm pressed firmly against his hardening erection through his trousers. When had the blond even opened his robes?

“Not too soon though,” the Slytherin smirked devilishly. “What do you say we take this to our rooms and I show you over and over and over… and over again, why it is you keep me around.”

Harry moaned, breathing deeply, as Draco emphasized his point with firm strokes of his hand. Harry grabbed Draco behind the neck and brought the blond in for another hot kiss. They pulled apart panting and one look at the other had them grabbing each other’s hand and rushing back towards the castle. They were just coming to the middle of the staircase, Harry giggling and jumping as Draco pinched his bum, when there was a sudden flash of light.

“Harry!” Draco shouted in panic, pushing Harry forward.

Harry hit the stairs with a startled cry of pain as he felt his wrist snap, and then the shocked screams started. He was on his feet instantly, wrist cradled to his chest, and wand held awkwardly in his left hand. But it was all forgotten as his eyes landed on the crumpled figure at the bottom of the staircase.

In a panicked daze Harry stumbled down, nearly losing his footing a few times, and fell to his knees beside the still form of his love. Draco’s chest was rising and falling, but his face was ghostly pale, eyes closed, left leg twisted at an awkward angle, and there was a steadily growing pool of blood forming around his head, staining his beautiful blond hair.

Harry didn’t know how long he sat there clutching the blond’s robes and sobbing in shock, but suddenly hands were on him, prying, pulling, and fighting him away from Draco. Then they were carrying Draco away and Harry broke free of the hands that were holding him and ran after them, down the corridors to the hospital wing, but before he could enter, they slammed the doors in his face. At that moment, Harry knew everything was about to change.

A/N: MATURE SCENES: the mature scenes in this fic have been edited out. For the full version go to my website (links on profile page).