It was my Willing Choice

Chapter VII: Answers from the Goblins of Gringotts

As Harry woke the next morning, his lips automatically quirked to smile as he felt thin fingers caressing his back and over his slender hips gently. He breathily chuckled as the hands stopped suddenly before slowly resumed as he turned over to gaze at the offender.

His smile showed how not offended he was by the actions however, "Sleep well?" He murmured

Sanguine eyes lightened as the familiar face also quirked his lips and leaned over, "Yes. Much better than before."

He allowed himself to momentarily kiss his neck before a sigh came, "But as much as I would love to remain here for another hour or so; we can't. We have to get up to be able wash, dress, and eat something before our meeting at the bank."

Harry eyed him, "I won't tell you everything will be okay; because I don't know that they will be and the answers we seek are to things that aren't going to be warm and fuzzy for us. Not all of them, at the least. But I do believe that whatever answers we find there; they will allow us to be and to become more to each other."

Harry eyed him softly, "I just don't know in what manner of close we will be."

Tom curled his hand to one of his, "Another of your instinctual sensations, then?"

Harry smiled then rose a brow to him, "Perhaps, and you of all the people I know shouldn't doubt them. It is these same instincts that have permitted me to withstand whatever you devised to throw at me and to survive long enough to come here to you.

It is the same instincts that drove me to hide what I needed to; to be able to walk among lions and seem as they are when I was merely a snake waiting to strike. I couldn't have kept fighting and running all this time on pure luck and adrenaline."

Tom hummed as he thumbed the top of his hand, "I suppose so. I will try to remember that as this day goes on."

Harry rose slowly and Tom watched as the form's pale skin was highlighted in the morning dawn; he swallowed thickly as his emotions were forced to be hidden as the teen was turned from him, and he honestly prayed Harry was correct.

"I need to return to my rooms to get ready, Tom." He told him gently, "What color robes should I wear to compliment yours?"

Tom rose a brow in surprise now, "You want to? And how did you know?"

Harry rolled his eyes at him, "I do know how to read. While I might not have acted like it; I have hidden a great deal of myself. My truest nature from the rest of the world to safeguard me and my own agenda."

Harry eyed him softly but shrewdly, "These last few hours; you have been shown glimpses of the real Harry Potter. You are the only one I have ever let see that much of the real me; of the powers that I can potentially command yet still simply desire to be cared for as I care for the one who has sheltered me."

His eyes were soft, "Because I know you understand me in the same way; for you have been looked upon like I have been and still am looked at as. As we still are. If I am to share my life with you; then yes, I want to be a part of the life we will build together."

Tom's eyes distanced as he recalled the wandless magic Harry had deftly used hours ago; as if he had already known how to do it. He shook himself, "I nearly almost always wear black while out in the eyes of the public, so anything really that compliments would be okay."

He considered, "But due to the seriousness of our visit; perhaps robes that are slightly more formal would be better. Not necessarily high-collar, but I'll leave that choice to you."

Harry nodded and strode to the door to exit before he paused a moment, "It will work out, Tom. I do not know how or why I feel that way, just that I do. Whatever comes...we will be ready."