Harry opened his eyes slowly, his ears were ringing and he knew that the moment he opened his eyes he would be assaulted by what was promising to be a terrible headache. If I go back to sleep then the pain will go away. He was about to roll over onto his stomach and do just that when somone spoke. "Harry? Are you awake?" He recognized the voice as Hermione's. "What happened?" he groaned. He peeked open his eyes, just enough to look at his bushy-haired friend, and sure enough pain bloomed in his head. Wincing, he gripped his head and was met by the feeling of two furry appendages on top of his head. "Wh-What-?" he felt the furry things as Hermione spoke up, "You - don't remember?"
Harry tugged on one of the furry things, hoping it could come off. It didn't; instead, Harry was assaulted by a sharp pain stemming from the thing he just pulled. Apparently they were attached to his head. "Uh, no, Hermione what is attached to my head?" he asks.
When she hesitated, he looked up at her. "Hermione? What happened to me?" he asked.
She took a deep breath, "You had an accident in potions and - well - you have cat ears, Harry." He stared at her. "You're joking." he whispered. "I'm - afraid not. You also have a tail." she said, looking awkward. Harry quickly felt for it, and right where his back had been hurting he felt a strange, long, furry, black thing. Suddenly, a strangely high-pitched noise erupts from Harry's throat. He was whining - like a cat. "No, no, no, can't they remove it?" he asks, gripping his throat. She shook her head grimly, "They already tried. It seems to be . . . permanent." That was when Harry fainted.
Later that day Harry was dismissed from the hospital wing with orders to head straight toward Griffindor Tower. He was, however, distracted when he caught the scent of something - delicious. It was like no other smell that Harry had smelled before and he had to find it's source. What is that smell? Sandlewood? Honey?
He followed the scent and eventually came across the library. The source of the scent was inside, Harry was certain of it. Quietly, he crept inside. His ears twitched at every sound and his tail wagged in anticipation, but right now he couldn't care less. He passed bookshelves and students doing homework, thankfully he was walking so silently that they didn't notice him passing by, until he came across source. There, at possibly the most secluded table in the library, was Draco Malfoy.
There were no books at the table around Draco, the Slytherin boy's bag was sitting at his feet while his head rested on his arms. Harry stared in astonishment, Draco Malfoy was taking a nap? Never, ever, had Harry seen Draco lose composure in front of anyone, much less take a nap! Certain that he was mistaken, Harry stepped forward. There's no way that intoxicating aroma comes from Draco Malfoy.
Unfortunately it seemed that it did. The closer Harry go to the sleeping boy, the stronger the smell became. He was less than a foot from the table when he discovered that Malfoy wasn't as asleep as he seemed.
Harry's head was spinning. Malfoy had jumped out of his seat so fast that Harry hadn't known what was happening until the other boy had him pinned against the bookshelf. His wand had been wrenched from his possession and tossed across the room, far from his reach. "Potter, what are you up to?" Malfoy spit at him. Harry stares from the wand in his face to the other boy's steely grey eyes. His mind was sluggish as he tried to think through the intoxicating aroma surrounding him. "I - I was just-"
"What is it Potter? Cat got your tongue?" Malfoy sneered, his fist in Harry's shirt loosened slightly as he looked up at Harry's cat ears. "Those look quite cute on you, you know." Harry was certain that it was meant as an insult, yet he found himself blushing. He looked away, hoping Malfoy won't notice that his face is red or how fast his pulse is going.
He had no such luck.
Draco's wand suddenly moved away from his face only to be replaced by Malfoy's own face. His eyes seemed to Harry like they were peircing his soul as he stared at him. Harry was suddenly finding it hard to breath. "Potter, are you - blushing?" For one horrible moment Harry thought he was going to faint again. He wrenched himself away from Malfoy, grabbed up his wand and rushed out of the library. He ran all the way to his dorms, only stopping to tell Hermione and Ron, who where waiting for him in the Commonroom, that he was tired and going to sleep.
Lying in bed alone, Harry tried to write off his strange reactions to Malfoy as fear. The heavy breathing and quick heart-rate? He got those everytime his uncle locked him in the closet under the stairs when he was little. The blushing, however, he couldn't explain; along with how attracted he was to the other boy's scent. Finally Harry admitted it to himself. I'm attracted to Draco Malfoy.
The next day was horrible. It was like first year all over again, everywhere he went people stared and whispered. The worst part was on his way to transfiguration when Malfoy had walked past him. The Slytherin stopped in front of Harry and rubbed him behind the ears. To Harry's great embarressment, he leaned into the touch and started purring. When he stopped, Harry looked up at him to find the blonde looking very amused indeed. Harry blushed and hurried away, horrified that he had enjoyed being touched by Malfoy.
Dispite this, Harry spent the rest of the evening daydreaming about being petted by Draco.
A week later, Harry was in the library with Ron and Hermione doing a particularly long essay assigned to them by Snape when Harry smelled Draco. Oh no, not again. He still couldn't control his strange reactions to the Slytherin and, the worst part, he was starting to think that maybe he should stop trying to. "Harry, are you okay?" Hermione asks. He looks at her quickly, "What do you mean? I'm fine-" The female Griffindor closed her book and turned her full attention toward him, "It's just, you've been so distracted lately-"
Harry couldn't look her in the eye, "I'm not distracted, I've just beed - thinking about some things." he said. "More like daydreaming if you ask me." Ron said. Harry glared at him, but said nothing. "Harry, you don't have to be embarrassed. We're you're friends and we don't care if you've got a crush on- well, you know who." Hermione smiled at him reassuringly, but Harry felt anything but reassured. He was just about to say something about this when Malfoy sauntered up and sat at the opposite end of their table. Harry stared at him, his voice failing to work now that Malfoy was there. Ron was turning red with the effort not to laugh as he looked from Harry's face to Malfoy.
Tuning out all of them, Harry went back to his work. He didn't notice when Hermione and Ron got up and left him there alone with the Slytherin. He did notice when Malfoy got up and sat next to him. "Potter." Malfoy said as greeting. His stare made Harry feel strangely hot. Dazed, he looked around for his friends only to find them gone. "M-Malfoy." he stammered. Not sure what to do, Harry put away his things and made to leave.
Once again, Draco was out of his chair pinning Harry against the bookshelf before he could do anything to stop him. "Now - doesn't this seem familiar?" Malfoy sneered.
"Let. Me. Go." Harry struggled against Malfoy's hold on him, but the other boy's effect on him was slowly winning out. Finally, Harry stops struggling. "I know how I effect you, Harry." the Slytherin whispered, his lips against Harry's ear. He shivered as the other boy nibbled lightly on the edge of his earlobe. "I- I don't know what you're talking about-" Harry said breathlessly. Malfoy laughs softly and pushes his leg between Harry's, "You can't resist me." Panting, Harry looks up into Malfoy's grey eyes.
Malfoy grins in triumph. He knows from the look on Harry's face that he has won. He leans toward Harry, but just as their lips are about to meet Harry hears the faint scruff of shoes against stone. His heart pounding, he turns to look toward the sound and sees Ron peeking out from behind a bookshelf. Malfoy follows his line of sight and sees the red headed Griffindor before he can duck out of view. Blushing furiously and embarrassed that his friends had been watching them, Harry dodges beneath Draco's arm and rushes out of the library, cursing himself for giving in to Malfoy.
Malfoy watches the dark haired boy as he disappears from sight, his adorable cat ears flattened in distress. He strides purposefully over to where he had seen Weasley peeking at them. "H-hey Malfoy-" the red haired boy starts, looking sheepish and apologetic. Malfoy sneers, and casts a full body binding curse on him as a response. Normally, seeing Weasley laying on the floor and staring up at him in terror would make the Slytherin laugh. Right now, however, he felt the opposite. Still angry, Malfoy stalks out of the Library, intent on finding Potter and finishing what they started. The smaller boy had been avoiding him lately and Malfoy was certain that he knew why. It was, after all, the same reason he himself had been torturing the boy since they first met.
First Harry ran to Griffindor Tower, but once he was standing in front of the portrait gaurding the entrance he realized that if he hid there his friends would find him. He knew that they would want to talk about Malfoy and what had happened in the library and since he didn't feel like talking about it he turned and went to find somewhere else to hide out. Eventually he had stumbled across the Room of Requirement, which provided him with a small room with a fire and a couch and even a bed. Harry also thought he saw a door in the back corner, but decided he would check that out later. Thank merlin! Somewhere I can be alone and think. Harry plopped down on the couch. He coudn't stop thinking about what had just happened - what had almost happened. He and Malfoy had almost kissed. He almost couldn't believe it, and he had actually been there!
He could still feel Malfoy's hands on him; Malfoy's leg pushing between his own, and that smell. Merlin, just Malfoy's smell alone made Harry's head spin and his insides feel like mush. Just thinking about it was turning Harry on. This is not happening. This is not happening. Harry chanted inside his head as he reached down and felt of his trousers. Unfortunately, it was happening. When Harry touched his crotch area he was horrified to find that he was already half-hard. No, no, staying away from Malfoy was supposed to make this go away - not make it worse.
The next morning at Breakfast he could hardly keep his eyes open. He hadn't gotten much sleep the night before and had to sneak into Griffindor Tower while it was still dark out in order to get clean clothes without being caught by Ron or Hermione. "Good Morning, Harry." Hermione says, sitting down across from him. "Morning," he mumbled back.
"Bloody Hell, mate, didn't you get any sleep last night?" Ron asks, sitting down and starting to shovel food onto his plate. Harry turned and glared at his friend, not bothering to answer his question. Ron shrunk back, "Uh, listen, I'm real sorry about yesterday-"
Harry grunted at him, but gave no other response. Hermione glared at Ron to shut up when he opened his mouth to speak again and the rest of Breakfast passed in silence.
Across the room, Malfoy was staring at Harry and wondering where he had run off to the day before. He had spent half the night looking for him and couldn't find him anywhere. He had even paid a Griffindor to check and see if he was in Griffindor Tower and the boy had come back shaking his head and saying that Harry Potter wasn't in Griffindor Commonroom or in his dorm. By the time he gave up and retreated to the dungeons he was too wound up to sleep and had spent the rest of the night lying in bed and thinking of ways he could get Potter alone.
After breakfast was over, Harry, Ron, and Hermione started down towards the Greenhouses for Herbology with the Sytherins. Harry was so distracted by wether or not he should continue to ignore Malfoy or not. it doesn't seem to help anyway, that when the path curved he kept walking and tripped right into a patch of shrubbery. "Harry, are you alright?" Hermione called as she and Ron rushed over to where he was on the ground. "Why didn't you watch where you were going?" Ron asked. Harry took a deep breath and began picking himself up.
Harry paused on his hands and knees. His ears twitched and his tail swished back and forth. He took another breath, sniffing closer to the plant with the white flowers, "Hmm, that smells good." he mused, rubbing his cheek against a leaf. "Harry, you realize what this is, don't you?" Hermione said, pointing at the plant he was now pressing his whole face into. Harry didn't answer. He didn't care what kind of plant it was or who saw him. All his worries were melting away and he felt so good - he wasn't even worried about what would happen if Professor Sprout found him there. "You're in a patch or Catnip, Harry! This is the herb patch Professor Sprout has for the cats." Hermione sounded worried. Harry thought that she would feel better if she was down here with him, but didn't say anything because just then he started chewing on one of the leaves. "Isn't catnip that stuff that makes cats high?" Ron asks. "Yes and he's eating it!" Hermione screeched. Ron put a hand on her shoulder, "Calm down Mione. The effects only last for a few minutes, right? He'll come out of it." Hermione looked at him like he's grown two heads, "Yes, but how did you know that?" she asks. Ron looked awkward, "I give some to Crookshanks sometimes." he admits. Hermione looks like she might laugh or scream, but when she opens her mouth they both hear a strange rumbling sound. Looking down they see that Harry is now lying on the ground on top of the catnip as he continues to rub his face against the plant. "Is he - purring?" Ron asks. "I believe so - we'll just have to wait for him to - come down." Hermione replies. Ron nodds, and they both turn to block Harry from the view of others on their way to the greenhouse.
A few minutes later, Harry is still in a state of catnip induced bliss and it has started to rain. "I thought it was only supposed to take a few minutes - why hasn't he come out of it yet?" Hermione asks. Ron turned and looked at his feline friend, "I think he's gone to sleep." he gasps. Hermione turns to look, "He's not asleep. His tail is moving and he's still purring!" Harry was no longer rubbing himself on the plant, he was just sitting there enjoying the euphoric feelings that continued to bloom inside him.
"Oi, what are you two doing? Where's Potter?" Malfoy asks, breaking away from his friends and sauntering over to where Ron and Hermione stand. Once he was close enough he could hear Harry purring, "What is going on?" he asked, staring down at Harry with Ron and Hermione. All they say in response is, "Catnip." Draco looked from the boy on the ground to the soaking duo, "He should come out of in a few minutes. The effects of catnip only lasts so long." Ron and Hermione shake thier heads, "That's what we thought, but it's been ten minutes and he's still-" they wave a hand toward Harry on the ground. Malfoy looks again at Harry, "I have noticed that Harry reacts differently to certain smells than normal people. Perhaps we should take him to Madam Pomfrey." Malfoy suggests. Hermione is dissapointed that she didn't think of that. Ron shrugs and steps forward, "Come on, Harry. We're taking you to the-" Ron bent and grabbed Harry's arm, intending to pull him to his feet. Instead, Harry turned onto his back and kicked Ron in the privates. Malfoy burst out laughing as Ron hobbled away from the now hissing Harry. " I'd like to see you do any better - Malfoy." Ron grumbled as Hermione supported him. Malfoy grinned and stepped forward. Harry eyed him as he came closer. "Okay, Harry come on." Malfoy bent down and let Harry wrap his arms around his neck. He then scooped the smaller boy up into his arms. Turning toward Ron and Hermione, Malfoy couldn't help smiling. Ron glared at him, "I am very offended by this."
Harry, in Malfoy's arms, nuzzled the taller boy's neck, drinking in his intoxicating scent. He loved the feeling of Malfoy's arms around him even more than the way that plant made him feel. Slowly Harry started feeling drowsy. The result of Malfoy rocking him and the lingering effects of the catnip coupled with the fact that he hadn't had much sleep last night working agaisnt him. He yawned against Malfoy's skin and felt himself sinking into unconciousness. "Don't you dare fall asleep, Potter." Malfoy said, "We're almost there."
In the back of his mind Harry wondered where they were going, but he was too sleepy to bother asking. Harry whined as he struggled to keep from drifting off to sleep - it wasn't easy. "No complaining, if you weren't high on catnip we wouldn't even be in this mess."
Harry, in the state he was in, couldn't tell wether Draco was mad or not. In an effort to make him feel better, Harry started nuzzling the blonde's neck again and ramped up his purring.
Draco rolled his eyes and tried to ignore how good it felt when Harry nuzzled his neck like he was doing. "When Harry is himself again, he and I are going to have words about this." Ron says from behind. Malfoy continues to ignore both him and Granger until they make it to the infirmary. Upon their entrance, Madam Pomfrey comes bustling out of her office, "What happened?" she asks when she sees Harry in Malfoy's arms. "He tumbled into Professor Sprout's patch of catnip and it seems to be having a rather strange effect on him."
"How long?" she asks, leading him to a bed. "About - twenty minutes." Hermione says, coming in behind Malfoy with Ron in tow. "I see - lay him here." Malfoy did as the Matron bid him despite his unwillingness to let go of the small boy. Harry, it seemed, agreed with Malfoy, because when the Slytherin went to lay him on the bed he refused to let go. Only by forcing Harry off of Malfoy could they get Harry to let go. Harry wasn't happy about it. He whined the whole time Madam Pomfrrey was trying to figure out why he was reacting to the catnip so strongly.
"I can't figure out why he reacted so strangely to the catnip, but now that he's away from it he will probably come out of it. Why don't you three go on to class, I'll let you know when he wakes up." as the Matron was speaking, Malfoy climbed into bed with Harry, who ceased whining and immediately snuggled against Draco and fell asleep. "Finally, he was giving me a headache." Malfoy grumbled as Madam Pomfrey, Hermione, and Ron turned to look at him. "What in the world do you think you are doing, Mr. Malfoy?" the Matron asked. "I think he thinks he's staying here." Hermione says.
"Would you rather I left and you had to listen to Harry's whining all afternoon?" Malfoy asked in irritation. Madam Pomfrey was quick to backtrack, "No, no, that's fine. You can stay." she said.
After Hermione and Ron left for the rest of Herbology and Madam Pomfrey retired to her office Malfoy leaned back against the pillows and closed his eyes. I must remember to ask him where he was last night. He thought just as he was falling asleep.
When Harry wakes up this time his head feels like it's stuffed with cotton. He could feel that he was resting on another person's body and he could tell from the smell who it was. Malfoy? What happened to me? I remember tripping and then - nothing. He nuzzled against Malfoy's chest, seeking comfort. Suddenly, it all came rushing back to him. The catnip, the feeling of bliss, and then Draco showing up and then being carried up to the castle. Harry flushed tomato red. He moved to get off of Malfoy and leave to avoid what is sure to be an awkward confrontation. However, he only has one leg over when Malfoy's hand's grab him around the waist. "Not this time." Malfoy said. Harry looked up to find the blonde's grey eyes boring into him. "Why do you keep running away from me?" he asks. Harry takes a deep breath to steady himself. It doesn't work, "I - I just - just-" Harry's eyes fill with tears. He hides his face in Draco's stomach, terrified that the Slytherin will push him off and leave him there. "What's wrong? Harry, why are you crying?" Malfoy stared down at the dark haired boy in shock. His cat ears were drooping and his tail was waving around like it usually was. "I - don't know-" Harry sobbed. His head was spinning and his stomach felt funny and for some reason he really wanted Malfoy to pet him but was too embarrassed to ask him to. Malfoy adjusted his arms so that one of his hands could be free. When he did so his hand that was still on Harry's back slipped down Harry's back and rubbed over the base of his tail.
Harry's crying turned to sniffles for a moment when this happened and when Harry's sniffles started sounding closer to sobbs again Malfoy experimentally repeated to motion of rubbing his hand over Harry's lower back. Each time his hand brushed the tail Harry lifted his rump into his hand. Soon he was purring again. After a couple of minutes Malfoy stills his hand at the base of Harry's tail, "Is that better, or are you going to have a meltdown again?" Malfoy asked. "Sorry-" Harry whispered. Malfoy had to admit that he had wanted to get Harry alone, but he didn't know what to do now that he did - especially when Harry was so vulnerable. "Harry, look at me." Malfoy said. Slowly, Harry lifts his head and looks right into Malfoy's grey eyes, which are only inches away from his. Their lips touch and in an instant everything changes. Somehow, Harry ends up on bottom with his hands in Malfoy's hair while Malfoy runs his hands down Harry's waist and grips his arse, pulling them closer together. Harry's body is on fire, every nerve ending sings with desire, and when Malfoy pushes his tongue into Harry's mouth he lets him in without a fight. Malfoy ravages Harry's mouth and body until they have to part for air. Both of them are breathing hard as they stare at each other, equally surprised about the intensity of thier kiss. "Wow-" Harry breaths. Malfoy laughs quietly, "I think that's an understatement." He rolls off of Harry, who quickly snuggles up to him again. "Malfoy?" Harry asks after another moment of silence. The blonde looked down to see the dark haired boy blushing, "What?" he asked, wondering what Harry could possibly be so embarrassed to talk about after what just occured between them. "Well, um, C-can I call you D-Draco?" he stammers. Draco laughs, "Can I call you Harry?" he asks in response. Harry blushes even more, "Yes."
Draco smiles and leans down to give Harry a quick kiss on the lips. As he does, he runs his hand down Harry's back, When he gets to Harry's tail, the smaller boy moans, his lips parting. Draco pulls away to look at Harry's flushed face. Draco stares at the smaller boy as he pants, his cat ears drooping, "We should stop - I shudder to think of Poor Madam Pomfrey finding us here if we were to - you know." Harry looked around the infirmary. It was empty, but anyone could walk in at any time. "I know where we can go." he whispers. Draco stares at him, "This would be the same place you ran off to yesterday, correct?" he asks. "Yeah."
They stare at each other for a moment, both trying to decide wether ot not they really want to do this. "Well then, Harry, lead the way." Draco says. Harry smiles, "Alright - Draco."
Quietly they both get off of the bed and creep out of the infirmary.
~THE END~