My Cheesy Greeting Card Valentine

Chapter Ten.

Rating: PG-13

Warnings: Still slash, still a little angsty, but most of all FLUFF!

Summary: Valentine's Day is here and Draco is miserable. Once again it takes a rather surprising valentine to shack up his world.

Disclaimer. Not mine, not mine!

A/N: Well, here it is. The final chapter to this not so little Valentine's fic! Thank you so much to all who have read this and especially to my faithful reviewers. I love you all! ^___^

Oh, and as much as I'm a little afraid to admit it, I actually wrote the valentine that Draco receives in this chapter. So please excuses my terrible attempt at poetry!

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Chapter Ten

"Consequences be Damned"

Valentine's Day had arrived.

The occupants of the Great Hall that February 14th had embraced the Valentine spirit to the fullest and if the past weeks were any indication, the day promised to be filled with love struck couples, happy singles caught up in dreams of romance, and smiles all around. That morning, the students had arrived for breakfast to a room full of sparkling pink hearts and red streamers. Soft lights danced over the tables and the ceiling displayed the soft falling of snow that had started drifting to the Earth earlier that morning. To everyone, the morning promised to be simply…well…magical.

All except Draco Malfoy.

The day seemed reminiscent of that breakfast which had started this whole fiasco he now found himself in. Yes, once again the Hall sported the many couples spawned over the last few weeks and the already established couples snogging shamelessly, sprawled in each other's laps. There was the Weasel and Granger feeding each other strawberries. Thomas and Finnigan were snuggling, holding a conversation exclusive for their ears only. Even Longbottom was holding hands with that female Weasley, smiling shyly.

The display had a rather different effect on the Slytherin that morning. No, his breakfast stayed calmly in his stomach…at least that small mouthful he'd half heartedly shoved in his mouth. His appetite remained unaffected by the shameless affection everyone exuded. After all, you couldn't affect what was never there.

His heart hurt.

A pang every time another boy whispered sweet nothings into his beloved's ear, a sharp stab at every tender kiss. Everything only added to a dull ache that had settled ever since that conversation in the Quidditch changing rooms.

Draco Malfoy was utterly miserable.

A week had come and gone and still his mind plagued him with visions of wild raven hair and expressive emerald eyes…eyes filled with unshed tears. That soft, kind smile replaced so quickly with a dismal frown. He missed that smile…a smile he'd only been blessed to witness too fewer time thrown in his direction. Harry had stop smiling that day in the changing rooms so he'd been told, but Draco wouldn't know.

He couldn't even bare to look at the Gryffindor anymore.

Too many consequences.

Those words still echoed in his head as clearly as the moment he'd spoken them aloud. Still kept him firmly in his seat when he wished only to stride over to his side and…hit him? Kiss him? Anger, pain, misery…love…a lethal cocktail of emotions all warred within him.

Draco wasn't sure what he wanted anymore.

Too many damn consequences.

He prodded a strawberry with the tip of his finger, watching dolefully as it rolled end over end across his near empty plate. The sound of excited squeals filled the air as the sight of many owls entered the hall. Presents, flowers and valentines rained down upon the wizards and witches of Hogwarts and the enthusiastic noise reached fervor pitch. Draco's gaze turned icy and he viciously stabbed the strawberry with his fork, watching the soft flesh tear to ribbons. What right did they have to be happy while he sat there alone and miserable?

With a soft rustle, a scroll fell directly into the remains of his strawberry. Draco barely had a chance to glimpse snowy wings before the owl responsible disappeared, its message delivered. Aware of his heart thudding manically in his chest, the Slytherin glanced down at the scroll and his breath caught in his throat.

Staring back at him, scrawled in crimson with Potter's script, screamed his name.

He wouldn't of! Surely not after everything…Draco's mind tried to process the information but remained blissfully numb as he stared down at the familiar scrawl. What was Harry thinking?

Bastard! Insensitive, insufferable prick!

Draco glared ice at the Gryffindor table, but Harry's back remained turned, oblivious to the frigid stare boring into the space between his shoulder blades.

Look at me, damn it!

Nothing.

Draco transferred his glare to offending parchment. Before his mind had a change to scream in protest, Draco had broken the seal and unfurled the scroll, waiting for the irritating voice and cheesy poetry to follow.

It never came.

An emotion filled, yet somewhat ambiguous voice, echoed clear into the Hall, and the hall fell silent as the valentine began to read.

"History deemed us enemies

One born to know only pride and hatred,

Shouldering a burden born of legacy.

One born to know only pain and vengeance,

Trapped in a world of cruel responsibility.

Mere words on parchment cannot erase years of hatred

Of rejection.

Of fear.

I know this as sure as I know my love defies fate's cruel hand.

I do not expect you to love me

I do not expect hate to wither and die simply because of pretty words

only now spoken.

I only ask for you to listen, for you to understand

that an eternity of hate died the day I first saw your smile

Saw it light your eyes

like a sliver of silver sunshine

in an eternally thunderous sky.

The day I first heard your laugh

A sweet, whispered symphony

after hearing only painful, cruel silence

The day I understood pain's quicksilver scars

in every torturous word of malice

hurled in my direction.

Only then could I truly understand what it meant

To fall deeply in love with your bitter enemy

To watch hate shatter in a shower of splintered glass

Just to cut deep when love is destined never to be requited.

"My only love, sprung from my only hate"

No truer words ever spoken

For I love you Draco Malfoy,

Enemy.

Rival.

Consequences be damned."

Silence.

Not a single person dared to speak, all eyes focused on the emotion filled face of Draco Malfoy, his shaking hands still clutched around the valentine. The pure force of meaning those final words had impacted on Draco like nothing he'd ever known.

He…he meant every word. Even after I might as well have tore his heart from his chest and stomped all over it, he still loves me. I broke his heart and he still loves me. I acted like a complete prat and he still loves me. Harry still loves me.

"Potter!"

That emerald gaze so filled with anticipation, fear and hope, locked onto Draco. Silver eyes set into steely determination as Draco Malfoy stood and all eyes followed him as he stalked over to the Gryffindor table, thrusting the now silent valentine under the Gryffindor's nose.

"Are you responsible for this?"

Eyes betraying nothing, Harry spoke in a cool, careful voice, "Yes, I most certainly am."

Draco let the valentine drop and wrapped his hands around Harry's robe, a collective gasp escaping from the spectators as the Gryffindor was hauled up by his robe front. Ron moved to defend his best friend but Harry held up a calming hand, emerald eyes gazing expectantly into the silver gaze of the one grasping his robe menacingly. He knew he deserved the beating Draco was about to unleash…but he dared to hope when he gazed into Draco's unguarded eyes, silver depths dancing with a myriad of emotions. Confusion, anger, fear…Harry only cared about the one that shone the clearest. The one he cherished with all his heart.

Love.

No one, Slytherin, Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, and Hufflepuff alike, dared to breathe. All watched to see who would land the first blow, which wizard would be the first to go down, bloodied. Not a single person present in that hall, especially the Gryffindor held by his robe front, in their wildest imaginations would have expected what followed.

Draco, hands still curled around Harry's robe front, yanked hard, pulling the young man in as he placed a searing kiss on expectant lips. A second gasp echoed throughout the hall as Harry slid possessive arms around Draco's waist, pulling the blonde closer to return the kiss with equal passion.

I've gone to heaven, Harry thought as Draco snaked thin arms around his neck, fingers caught in raven hair, tongue dancing with his own. I've bloody died and gone to heaven.

I can't believe I waited so long to do this, Draco sighed into Harry's mouth. God damn this boy can kiss!

No one could say who cheered first (though many believed a certain Irish Gryffindor to be responsible) but soon the entire hall erupted in cheers and catcalls at what could easily be described as the most passionate display of affection in Hogwart's history.

Oblivious to the excitement around them, Draco and Harry separated, albeit regrettably, both breathless. Resting his forehead against Harry's, Draco allowed a small smirk to curl his lips. Pulling away to arms length, he gazed at Harry with mocking eyes.

"Harry Potter. That was easily the most ridiculous, most sappiest…most endearingly wonderful piece of crap I have ever heard."

Harry's grin was pure sunshine.

"I know."

"Did you really mean it?"

"Every single word. I, Harry Potter, am deeply, irrepressibly in love with you, Draco Malfoy. Consequences be damned."

All that escaped Draco's lips was a low growl as he once again claim Harry's lips as his own, not caring for the hundred or so pair of eyes still focused on the pair.

"Oooh, go for it, boys!" a voice that sounded suspiciously like Seamus Finnigan called out, producing a very attractive blush in Harry's cheeks. Draco groaned, considering ravishing him right there on the Griffindor table. Mustering every ounce of control he had, Draco allowed his infamous smirk to crawl onto his face and pulling Harry in for another quick kiss, whispering "Your little plan is all forgiven for now" quickly in his ear as he pulled away. Turning with a dramatic sweep of his robes, the Slytherin stalked back towards his own table.

"Malfoy!"

The shout stopped him in his tracks and he whirled to find a still standing Harry staring in his direction.

"I've got one more valentine for you."

Draco rolled his eyes. "Please tell me you will get over this obsession with Muggle greeting cards."

Harry chuckled, and strode over towards the blonde, reciting with every deliberate step. "I looked in the dictionary, Valentine, to find a word that best describes you and I eventually found the perfect one…"

"Oh yeah?"

Harry now stood mere inches away from him, emerald gaze never leaving silver, oblivious to the audience the pair still had enthralled.

"Mmm Hmm."

And Harry leaned close, mouth brushing Draco's ear, eliciting a small groan from the youth's lips. His love's breath sent shivers down Draco's spine as Harry half whispered, half growled his answer.

"Mine."

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Princess Bard: Tee Hee! I'll let you all guess what they did after that! *grins slyly*

Draco: Well, Harry dragged me from the hall into a spare classroom, ripped my clothes off…

Harry: *blush*

Princess Bard: Hey! I said I'd let them guess, arsehole! *glares* That was the whole idea for that ending!

Draco: *shrugs*  I'm a muse. It's my job to fill in the gaps.

Harry: Actually, we're supposed to just inspire her…*catches sight of the TV* Oooh, is that Passions?

Princess Bard: Thanks once again to all my wonderful readers and reviewers! This could never have been completed without you! Love you all! *glances at the four watching TV* Well, my darling little muses, the fic is finally finished. So go do whatever muses do until I finish my University stuff.

Harry: *waves hand dismissively* After Passions.

Draco: We leave when we leave, Princess. We're your muses. We come and go as we please. *eyes on the TV* Oooh, look! Kaye's going after Charity. Burn in hell, Charity!

Harry: Wimpy little bitch. What the hell kind of name is Charity anyway? Go Kaye!

Princess Bard: *muttering* God damn soap addicted muses. Why did I decide to become a writer anyway?

Remus: Actually, we decided you'd become a writer. That's why we're here. *glances at Draco and Harry* Erm, at least why some of us are.

Princess Bard: True. But can you lay off of all the story plots until after I finish all this uni crap?

Remus: Well, heh…actually…*sheepish grin*

Sirius: We have another idea! *happily waves the bard's Alanis CD in the air*

Princess Bard: *waves purple quill to ward off her muses* Oh no! Get away from me! No more fics. Please! *runs off yammering*

Sirius: *follows* Wait! It's brilliant! See it's a series of song fics…

Remus: *shrugs and follows the pair*

Silence.

Draco: *waves his fist at the TV*  Miguel, you prat! Pick Kaye, not Charity! Kaye, I tell you!