A/N: These characters belong to J.K. Rowling, I do not claim to own them! This work is unbeta'd so bear with me, and I appreciate any feedback! This work is currently rated T, but will most likely be changed to M or MA sometime soon.
"Well get on with it then," Harry said, looking down the end of Draco's wand. Draco shrugged,
"I hope this works,"
They were working on their final project for their eighth year at Hogwarts. Each eighth year was randomly assigned a partner, and they had to come up with a unique project of their choosing. Of course Harry got assigned Draco, as if he needed the extra drama this year. They had called a truce at the beginning of the school year, being as they were both very different people since the events of the war. But he still wouldn't say Malfoy was his friend, and to make things even worse, he had begun to realize his obsessive tendencies towards Draco in previous years were caused by something more than suspicion.
A lot of things had come to light for Harry since his brush with death, one of the biggest being that he was fairly certain he was gay. He'd really loved Ginny as a friend, but it just hadn't felt right in a romantic sense. He had contributed that to all the stress of the war, but he knew now that he just wasn't attracted to women like he was men. This he of course had kept to himself so far, seeing as he hadn't any experience with men yet, so he couldn't be 100% sure. He honestly didn't understand his own attraction to Malfoy. Logically he should at the very least dislike him, if not hate him. There was just something about his delicate but masculine features; elegant pink lips, pale blond locks, stormy grey eyes...
"Ready Potter?" Malfoy asked, one blond eyebrow raised. Harry straightened his back and nodded.
"Magicae Principium Revelabit!" a white light shot out from Draco's wand and surrounded Harry. A warm feeling began to grow in his chest, and suddenly he felt a tight pulling sensation. It was as if something was squeezing his chest too tight, and he struggled to gasp for air. From the look on Malfoy's face, he was feeling it too. Draco was glowing with the white light, and he dropped his wand, gasping for breath.
Then something happened. It felt as if a rubber band had snapped inside of him, and he could breathe again. Everything went black.
Harry opened his eyes and groaned. His head pounded where it had hit the hard floor of the unused classroom. He slowly sat up and winced at the stiffness in his back. He suddenly remembered what had happened before he had collapsed.
"Malfoy!" Draco was sprawled out on the floor a few feet away, still unconscious. Harry scooted over to him and put a hand on his shoulder, shaking slightly. His hand tingled where it made contact with Draco, a soothing feeling of peace and calm trickled through him. Harry's eyes widened, his small crush on Malfoy was really getting to him.
"Draco, wake up!" he urged, still shaking his shoulder. Nothing. Harry moved his hand to Draco's cheek. A jolt of pure bliss shot through him, and went straight to his groin.
"Oh," he gasped softly, waves of pleasure running up through his fingertips into his body. Draco's eyes shot open as he inhaled sharply.
"Potter," Harry stared into his silver eyes, lost in sensation.
"Potter! Get your hand off of me!" Harry jumped and jerked his hand away. Malfoy stood up quickly, wincing with pain. He smoothed out the wrinkles on his expensive robes, and ran his hands over his hair, setting it to rights.
"What the hell happened?" He remarked, rubbing his forehead.
"I have no idea. I think it's safe to say our spell didn't work as intended." Harry sat on the floor, trying to get his breathing back to normal.
"No shite, Potter. I'm dead tired now, let's just figure this out tomorrow," Malfoy turned to the desk they had been working at and grabbed his bag, then started searching for his wand on the floor.
"Yeah, ok," Harry said, joining to help him find his wand.
"I'm dead tired too. Accio Draco's wand!" Draco's wand flew from the opposite corner of the room into Harry's hand. He handed it to Malfoy, their fingers brushed and sent a jolt through both of them. Draco cleared his throat uncomfortably,
"Ahem, thanks Potter. I'll… See you tomorrow then?" he turned and began to walk away. A sharp pain shot through Harry's chest, tightening and squeezing again. He gasped and looked at Draco, who was also grasping his own chest and panting. Harry struggled to make his way over to Draco, and as soon as he was within a foot or so the pain was instantly gone. They both signed in relief.
"Perhaps we ought to go see Madam Pomfrey," Draco sighed. Harry nodded and they silently made their way to the hospital wing, making sure to stay close as they walked.
"Mr. Potter, Mr. Malfoy, how can I help you?" Madam Pomfrey asked when they arrived.
"Erm, well, we seem to have had an accident with a spell we were trying to create. We, uh, can't seem to be more than a foot away from each other without a lot of pain…" Harry trailed off.
"Oh dear. Well do come over and sit, and I'll see what I can do," she motioned them over to a hospital bed and went into her office. Harry and Draco sat awkwardly next to each other in silence. She returned some minutes later with Headmistress Mcgonagall and Professor Snape not far behind her.
"Since I don't know what we might be dealing with I brought reinforcements. Now boys, tell us what exactly you were trying to do tonight," Harry looked sheepishly at the Headmistress before trying to explain,
"Well, we got paired together for the 8th year project.. And we thought we might try to create a new spell," The Headmistress cut him off,
"Without the supervision of a Professor Mr. Potter? You do realize how dangerous that can be can't you? I expect better from you," Harry looked down at his hands,
"Yes I suppose we were being over confident in our abilities…"
"I am surprised, Draco," Professor Snape drawled, "I wouldn't think you would attempt something so... advanced, with someone such as… Mr. Potter,"
"Well I wasn't very well going to let my 8th year project go to waste just because of whom I got paired with. Potter barely did any of the work anyway," he scoffed,
"Boys," Madam Pomfrey chided, "enough of that, now tell us what you were trying to create and what exactly happened,"
"We were trying to create a spell that would make the magical core of the target visible. Something that hasn't been done before, as far as I can tell from the research i've done," Draco explained. "When I first cast it on Harry it seemed to be working. His whole body was surrounded in white light. But then the light surrounded me as well and we both- at least I think Harry felt it too- felt intense pain. It was as if I was being squeezed around the middle, and something was pulling and pinching at me, I could hardly breathe. Then just like that the sensation stopped and we both passed out. Once we woke up we couldn't move more than about a foot away from each other without intense pain…" He looked up to see three pairs of wide eyes on him.
"What words did you use for the spell, Mr. Malfoy?" Professor Snape asked, looking paler than normal.
"Magicae Principium Revelabit," He said quietly.
"This is simply unacceptable Draco. When you involve someone's magical core in a spell you're walking on thin ice. It is extremely easy for something to go wrong. I cannot believe you did not consult myself before attempting something like this," Snape reprimanded. He lifted his wand, "I'll try a diagnostic spell, perhaps we will get an idea of what we are dealing with," He waved his wand over both of them, muttering complicated incantations. His brow furrowed, obsidian eyes unreadable. "There is something off here, but I cannot discern what it is. This will take time and research," his trademark sneer was in full force. He turned to Minerva and shook his head slightly.
"I'll have to take 100 points each for endangering your own lives and the life of a classmate," the Headmistress stated firmly. Both boys groaned. "Now, since we don't yet know what exactly your spell caused, it will take some time to research and figure out a solution, if there is one. For all we know this may very well be permanent. For now I'll have Madam Pomfrey give you a general health check, and then you'll have to return to your dormitories. One of your dormitories that is. I'll let you decide which. You will also have to attend your classes together, lucky for you, Gryffindor and Slytherin share so many classes. As for your electives you'll have to trade off attending each other's every other day." Madam Pomfrey bustled over and ran general diagnostic spells over Harry and Draco,
"Everything seems to be in order. You both seem to be in perfect health. I see no reason why you couldn't continue on as normal." Both boys stood up to go,
"Alright well, Malfoy, let's head to Gryffindor," Harry said, grabbing his bag.
"Gryffindor? You must be joking Potter." Draco scoffed,
"Then Slytherin it is," Professor Snape smirked.
"No way I'm stepping foot in there." Harry stated firmly. Headmistress Mcgonagall sighed,
"I don't have time for this, Mr. Potter, Mr. Malfoy. Since you can't agree, i'll just set you up in an unused Head Boy room. Let's be on our way then, I don't have all night." She turned to leave,
"Mr. Malfoy, Mr. Potter, before you go," Professor Snape stopped them, "It is imperative that you not go farther than a foot apart. Since we do not know what the consequences would be, I suggest you take this seriously. I don't care how angry you are with each other, you must not separate. If you do, you risk losing your magic," both boys gulped audibly, then nodded solemnly. They then turned and followed the Headmistress out of the hospital wing.
"Headmistress, before we go, might I stop at Gryffindor Tower just to let everyone know where i've gone?" Harry enquired as they made their way down the hall.
"Don't worry Mr. Potter, I'll make sure they are informed, and you may speak with them tomorrow. It is past curfew, I won't have you bothering your Housemates at this hour." She said briskly as they made their way towards the dungeons. Harry and Draco walked next to each other in silence, arms occasionally brushing, sending small sparks tingling on their skin. Harry wondered why neither he nor Draco had mentioned that part of their predicament. He knew he hadn't said anything because it just felt too private. But he had no idea why Draco wouldn't bring it up. Perhaps it would be undignified to acknowledge something like that. He chuckled to himself at the thought of Draco's haughtiness. When the war ended he was no longer the scared, unkempt boy the stress of the Dark Lord had made him. He went right back to being the polished, aristocratic, haughty Malfoy. Perhaps he was a bit nicer now, he didn't seem to verbally attack people with no reason anymore, and he hadn't heard him utter the word mudblood in ages, but he was the same perfectly groomed, impeccably dressed Draco he had always been. It was a fact that should have annoyed Harry, and it would have not so long ago, but now it was almost endearing. A fact that scared him.
"What are you laughing at Potter? Happy you're stuck with me for the unforeseen future? I really can't blame you." Draco smirked.
"Oh get stuffed Malfoy, not everyone is as fond of you as you are." Harry grumbled, blushing. He wouldn't admit it, but he was a bit excited about being stuck with Draco. Although the threat of losing his magic did put a bit of a damper on it.
They came to a stop before an unremarkable gargoyle. The Headmistress tapped it with her wand twice, and it slid out of the way to reveal a door.
"I'll let you two decide on a password. I'll have the house elves bring down your belongings shortly." She opened the doors to their temporary quarters, to reveal a sitting room much like the Slytherin common room, but a fraction of the size. There was a black couch, and two black armchairs in front of the fireplace. There was a desk on each side of the room, and the walls were decorated in Slytherin colours.
"The door to the left is your bedroom, I assume under the circumstances you'll have to share. And the door to the right is the bathroom. I trust you two can figure out how to get along for the time being? With any luck we will be able to sort this out quickly. Now I expect to see you both attending classes tomorrow. Good night Mr. Potter, Mr. Malfoy." With that the Headmistress left the room.
"Well I suppose we should set a password. I suggest Runespoor." Malfoy said, arms crossed over his chest.
"Ack, no, how about Hippogriff?" Harry grinned. Draco rolled his eyes and huffed,
"Very funny Potter. Serpensorita?"
"What?"
"The password. Let's use Serpensorita. It would be ironic, don't you think?" Draco smirked. Harry was puzzled for a moment, then he remembered. Their duel in second year. Draco had used that spell to conjure a snake, and Harry had revealed to everyone that he was a parseltongue. He laughed. It all seemed like a lifetime ago.
"Alright Malfoy, let's do that," They went out into the hall to speak with the gargoyle. Once their password was set they went back inside.
"Come on Potter, let's check out the bedroom, I'm knackered," he grabbed Harry's elbow to lead him and let out a small gasp at the spark it made. He quickly let go as if he had been burned.
"Sorry," two pink spots appeared on his cheeks. He turned towards the bedroom door and Harry followed.
In their bedroom were two large wardrobes and one queen sized four poster bed, covered in a thick green duvet, and piled high with decorative pillows. The walls were a soft cream colour with Slytherin green accents. Their trunks sat side by side at the end of the bed, their clothes and belongings had already been unpacked and put away. Harry stood unmoving at the foot of the bed. He was about to share a bed with Draco Malfoy, his ex arch nemesis, and the boy he currently fancied. Would his life ever be normal?
"Don't just stand there, let's go to bed. You will not want to deal with me tomorrow if I don't get a good night's sleep." Draco said impatiently, standing next to Harry with a hand on his hip.
"Right. Yeah. Sorry," They moved to the side of the bed, and Harry's cheeks colored. "Erm, would you mind turning around? I usually sleep in my pants."
"Really Potter? You can't take off your trousers in front of me? How do you think we're going bathe in the morning?" he scoffed. Harry hadn't thought of that. He put his face in his hands,
"Oh gods, I didn't even think of that…" Malfoy laughed.
"Get over it, we're both men. It's nothing we haven't seen before. You've changed in front of me in the Quidditch locker rooms how many times?"
"I suppose you're right. This just feels more… Intimate for some reason," He mumbled. Draco made a face.
"Intimate? Don't go soft on me Potter. Just take off your bloody trousers so we can go to bed!" Draco accioed his expensive silk pyjamas and began to undress. Harry averted his eyes and quickly tugged his trousers off and climbed into the bed.
"Oy! Hold on, I'm not ready yet!" Malfoy complained, a small ache in his chest starting to spread from the space between them. He finished buttoning his pyjamas and send both his and Harry's discarded clothes to the laundry basket, before sliding into bed. "Honestly Potter, did you plan on just leaving all your clothes lying around? That may be what you do in Gryffindor, but I won't have you doing that if you're living with me!" He huffed.
"Sorry, I was just in a hurry to get into bed," Harry said sheepishly.
"Hmph. Well I'm going to sleep," He used his wand to blow out the candles, slid his wand under his pillow, and turned his back to Harry. Harry turned his back to Draco and scooted as far as he could without feeling any pain and closed his eyes.