Rating: M

Pairing: Draco Malfoy x Harry Potter.

Disclaimer: France, 1852. Harry Potter is the apprentice to Head Healer Snape in Calais, and is taken on a weekend to Paris to attract potential clients. During that weekend he meets aristocrat Draco Malfoy, suffering from consumption. Ten years later Harry suffers his worst nightmare of a very ill Draco disappearing over the side of boat. Should he listen to his heart and go in and rescue his lover? Or should he simply let his suffering end at the bottom of the river? Either way he may have to go into the deep to find the answers. This tale faces the hardships of Stockholm Syndrome, severe depression, and a battered tormented love buried deep inside.

I do not own Harry Potter.


Into the Deep

PAST

Part 2

"I SAID GET OUT!" Draco barked as loudly as he could, which was quite a strain considering how strained and tight his voice felt in his throat, as he threw his breakfast bowl over at the maid who had refused to leave him alone. She had insisted on trying to feed him but he hadn't been in the mood to be fed. He hadn't even been hungry, so why hadn't she listened to him? He was fed up with no one listening to him especially whenever he fell ill.

He slumped in a sweating heap among his pillows, his arms folded over his chest and his skin feeling sickly and almost wet all over from how much he had been sweating due to his current fever. His energy had all but left him since he'd written his latest letter to Harry five days ago. He was getting a little anxious at not having gotten a response yet and it was already Tuesday evening. He hated being ill because it meant that every one of his meals would consist of breakfast items, the easier for him to digest, and he loathed every moment of it. A letter from Harry would really have made him feel better at that moment but he supposed that the brunette young man had a lot of studying to do. He didn't mind about that but he did get anxious whenever he didn't get a letter. His correspondence with Harry was the only thing that seemed to alleviate the sheer boredom of hanging around the manor all day long. A knock on his door interrupted his musings and he felt his anger burn up inside him once again and he was just about to yell for them to get away when his door opened. He tossed his head to the side and almost regretted his angered expression when he saw who was standing in the doorway.

"H-Harry?" he asked praying to Merlin that he wasn't suffering from delirium again. He didn't need that again. He tossed his head from side-to-side and groaned and honestly didn't need his mind playing tricks on him again. "If you're not real please get out of my sight. I'm in no mood for this idiocy today!" he snapped knowing full well that any figment of his imagination would simply stay to antagonize him.

"You're not becoming delirious as well, I hope?" Harry hedged his voice as wondrous and flooded with concern as it had been a few months ago when they had first met at the function in central Paris. Draco watched as Harry edged around his bed and settled himself in the chair that had been pulled up to the side of Draco's bed by his mother a few days before. He watched as Harry sat down and propped his briefcase up against the ornate bedside table and leaned over so that he could study Draco a little closer. "You're looking far too pale, have you been eating?"

"God, you sound like mother," Draco rasped forcing his head to look away from Harry. He didn't want to be studied and scrutinized. "What are you doing here anyway? I thought I told you not to come this week?"

Harry shrugged his shoulders before standing up and pressing the back of his hand to Draco's forehead before frowning. "I came because I felt like you needed someone to look after you and judging by the state of you, no one really has except for that poor maid you screamed at." Draco huffed and didn't bother answering. He listened as Harry shuffled around his room and then went over to the door of his bedchamber and called for a maid. He couldn't make out the younger man's mutterings but he was sure he wasn't going to like it. Once the door was closed again, Harry turned his attention to the blonde man swathed in sweaty, knotted bedclothes. "I've asked the maids to prepare a bath for you and some light supper for the both of us. Proper food, none of this breakfast nonsense they had you living on. That won't do you any good at all. You need regular sustenance and to be able to let the potions I have for you work." Draco blinked in surprise. He hadn't expected any of those things. He felt his mouth hang open uselessly as he watched Harry come over to the side of his bed and reach for the knotted ties of the blonde's nightshirt.

He shifted away, glaring weakly up at the brunette man who seemed unfazed. "What are you doing?" he asked irritably, feeling his greasy skin getting wetter. A bath would definitely feel great right now. Being clean would be a blessing.

Harry let his hands drop away, "Untie your nightshirt and open it up for me. I need to run some diagnostic spells on you to see where the pains are in your chest and work from there. Is that alright?"

"W-why?" Draco rasped awkwardly as he weak fingers fumbled with the knot.

"I want to help you get better," Harry stated simply at though it was the most obvious thing in the world. Draco frowned but managed to rip open his nightshirt and splay it on either side of his ribcage. He watched through hooded eyes as Harry cast the spells required and frowned at the darkened areas were the most pain was coming from. He dismissed the charm and then drew out his personal journal and noted it down. "For now, I want to try and get your fever down alright? Then I can start tackling whatever is wrong with your chest, how does that sound?"

"Dismally boring," Draco huffed, "But go ahead if you must. Just let me know when I have to have my stupid bath," the blonde groused as he folded his arms back over his chest.

Harry chuckled to himself, such a pleasant sound that Draco almost relaxed a little against his sweat-stained pillows. The silk would be ruined there was no doubt about that. "I'm going to give you your bath, Draco. I have some scent oils in my satchel along with some properties that general help to strengthen your muscles for short periods of time. It'll give you enough energy to sit about for a couple of hours for when we eat and then when the maids strip your bed sheets. Yes I asked them about that as well," he added at Draco's surprised face that turned to him.

Draco gave a weak smirk, "You really do think of everything, don't you Harry?"

Harry nodded his head and then looked up when a couple of young men in grubby clothes carried a large tin tub into the bedroom, water sloshing weakly just over the sides and onto the marble floor. A young maid hurried behind and mopped the floor dry. They set the bath down and Harry thanked them and then dismissed them all with a polite smile. As soon as Draco was stripped down, his face aflame as he tensed up as Harry lifted him up and out of his bed before he lowered the blonde man into the warm soapy water. As Draco sank down so that his chin was resting on the water, Harry fumbled around rolling his sleeves up and then dribbling a phial of pale pink liquid into the bath. Immediately, Draco felt his legs strengthen a little in their resolve, having felt as weak as spaghetti not seconds beforehand. He felt like he had more energy. He hadn't felt so relieved in ages. He hummed as he soaked in the bath, oblivious to the made stripping the bed of his silk bed sheets. He didn't register Harry telling them to have basic cotton sheets, silk would do nothing for his fever and they weren't to ever use it again when he was ill or on the verge of getting ill. They'd nodded and took the ruined sheets down to the furnace.

Draco watched from his armchair an hour later wrapped in a simple thin dressing down, a fresh nightshirt and a pair of slippers on his feet. He was eating a light dinner of fruit, dry seeded bread and cold cuts of meat and a bowl of soup. It wasn't a lot but he felt if he'd tried anything more he'd have been sick in the bathtub. Harry didn't mind the simple meal. It was good that he didn't because he had been scribbling in his journal for the past hour whilst explaining to Draco as simply as possible what he planned to achieve, and sometimes curing a fever may be the easiest way to go but it was also a good 'ice breaker' in some successful journals that he had read over the last few weeks. It was interesting and he had a good time watching how Harry's eyes sparkled.

All too soon the clock on the mantelpiece of Draco's fireplace chimed that it was midnight and Draco inwardly groaned before forcing himself up onto his legs, the effects of the potions weakening a little as he staggered over to the large bed that accepted his weight. The cotton sheets felt heavier on his skin but his temperature didn't flare up like it had every other night. He felt good as he was fed a potion to help combat his temperature, whilst a cooling charm was cast over his sheets. Harry smiled at him and brushed the blonde man's fringe aside, "Sleep tight Draco. I'll see you in the morning."

The blonde hasn't heard him though. He had already sunk into his first blissful sleep in weeks.

By the time he woke up the following morning he truly did feel rested for the first time in a very long time. Whatever Harry done had literally been nothing short of a miracle. His muscles still felt a little weak still but his belly had been filled and his mind had been put to rest for ten hours straight! He turned against the basic cotton linen –really, he hadn't know they'd owned anything less fine than satin –and started slightly when he caught sight of Harry sitting in the armchair at the head of his bed with his journal in his lap and a quill poised in his hand. "How long have you been awake?" he rasped his voice still dusty from having not used it except to yell at the staff.

"Only about an hour," Harry stated calmly as he dotted the end of a sentence and then leaned back in his chair to observe Draco. "You're looking better already. Baths and cooling charms do often work wonders when it comes to bringing down a fever. I would normally use magic but I want your body to build up its natural defences for next time this happens." He placed his journal to one side and stood up to hook his arms underneath Draco's armpits and haul him upright against his pillows. "I've ordered some breakfast to be brought up for us. And then you are going to take some potions I brought you, alright?"

"What potions?" Draco asked sceptically.

"It's a mild variation of a cleansing potions; it's going to cleanse out any bacteria you might have in your lungs. It takes about three hours to complete its cycle and once it's done I can determine if it is a virus that's affecting you or something worse."

"You really think it could be worse?" the blonde man asked as he wrapped a sheet around his shoulders, a cold shiver passing through him. He watched Harry's honest face betray his ignorance.

"Honestly? I'm not entirely sure. Whoever treated you before left some very indecipherable notes so I've opted to start from scratch. I hope you don't mind," he added in a cautious voice, his bright green eyes landing on Draco's face and the blonde man found himself shaking his head and swallowing thickly.

"Not at all. I trust your judgement." It had been an odd thing to say but after weeks of correspondence and weekend visits he honestly did trust the brunette man before him. Besides, he couldn't lie to Draco worth a damn. Then again, he was cunning in that sense; always being honest with those around still left people questioning him though they had no proof against him. "You're going to make a wonderful healer one day, Harry. I can literally tell you right here and now that you will be a world class healer but the time you're my age."

Harry laughed lightly, "I'm twenty-two, Draco. You're only five years older than me. It'd take a lot longer than that for me to even breathe near Snape's ranks no matter how hard I push myself."

Draco reached out just as Harry was taking his temperature and slipped his long pale fingers around Harry's wrist and in a sober voice he murmured, "I believe you can do it."

Harry looked down into Draco's warm grey eyes and for a while neither of them said anything, nor did Draco loosen his grip on Harry's wrist. It was only when the door was nudged open and a young maid teetered in did they break contact with one another.

In the few weeks that followed Harry cherished his time at the manor, regularly checking up on Draco and detailing the blonde in his findings. Due to several new diagnostic spells with the aid of a new sensory potion, Harry had been able to determine that the pressure being felt on the blonde's already weak lungs was in a very weak state now and was not being caused by a virus. This had puzzled him greatly until he'd read a medical journal sent to him by his father about a man named Robert Koch who had identified that the bacillus causing diseases identical to Draco's as M. tuberculosis, and had been identified and described on 24 March and then sent to press. Harry had then informed Snape and together they had begun creating weak vaccination salves to rub of the chest. Initially it was to help stop the disease from getting worse, and in time reduce the risk of it. Naturally, they still worked on creating an all-time cure but for that particular summer the salves and later a mild potion helped many people literally breathe a little easier. Draco had been most impressed that he didn't get breathless as easily, not even from coming up the grand staircase to his bedchamber. He knew he had been right to trust in Harry's judgement.

His mother and father had simply been delighted to know that he seemed to be getting better, although they were warned by Severus that they were still a long way off from finding a lasting cure.

For his part Harry felt such great relief that he had been able to aid in Draco's good health and found studying and working on his personal assignment almost 'fun'. He enjoyed it and the research was lodged in his brain from having reiterated to Draco two weekends in a row. Not that he cared. He loved to spend time with Draco and travelling to Paris was a nice change of scenery from Calais, especially the hospital and his gloomy little room.

Draco had once pleaded with Harry –as much as a Malfoy would plead anyway –for the brunette man to take him back to Calais with him to see the place where he worked and where he lived. He said he wanted to know and see everything about Harry's life and be able to envision things happening during the time where his companion was away studying. Harry had insisted it was nothing special, even going as far as to say that the air in Calais would harm Draco's progress, which had angered the blonde into ignoring him for a full two hours. It stung Harry deep down but he merely feigned disinterest, instead spending the quiet down-time to read through his assignment to make sure it was coherent for the board. Eventually the silence had grown too much for Draco and he snapped that they were being stupid little brats, and thus their argument was forgotten for the most part.

On one of Draco's braver nights he and Harry went walking along the streets of Paris, not bothering with travelling cloaks as the weather was rather balmy to say the least. They had walked along the Seine and then gotten some port at a high-end bar that Lucius often frequented with clients. They had drunk and talked and become a little careless as they wandered back through the darkening streets, almost leaning against one another out of comfort rather than the bubbles fizzing at the back of their throats. Harry had felt somewhat lightheaded and didn't really remember climbing up the marble staircase or even somehow being coherent enough to change out of his clothes and slip into one of Draco's nightshirts that had been too baggy on him but he didn't are because it had smelled wonderful. He did, however, remember waking up bleary-eyed with a pressure humming in his skull in a grand four-poster bed –and he wasn't alone. He had wanted to yelp at Draco's arm so carelessly tossed over his naked waist, for the nightshirt had ridden up to his chest during his sleep, but somehow the sound had latched in his throat. He didn't leap out of bed and hurry to his own room. Instead he settled back down and watched Draco as the man slept peacefully beside him, unaware of the flush on Harry's cheeks or the loud hammering of the brunette man's heart against his ribs.

Eventually Harry had left and returned to his own room, still wearing Draco's nightshirt.

He tried his best not to let those moments distract him but it was extremely difficult when Draco stood before him, braced against the engraved bedposts in only a small towel wrapped around his hips, it became increasingly difficult for the brunette man to breathe. Even if Draco was on the skinny side, there was no denying he had some vague semblance of muscle from the effort of having to move himself around in such a weakened state. Over the course of the rest of the week that he had stayed on an emergency visit, Draco had made a marked improvement already and Harry had been really impressed and excited all at once. It amused the blonde man to no end to see how excited his companion would get. However, they were both unusually silent in the hour that Draco was naked and being examined over and over by the brunette, his calloused tanned hands running over his pale muscles, his nimble fingertips brushing gently over the contours of his torso that always made him shiver. The feeling wasn't entirely unpleasant. He didn't say anything though, but Harry didn't seem to mind to touch him once he got the confidence brought on by at least two glasses of rich wine.

On what would initially be Harry's last weekend at the manor before he needed to buckle down and study for his exams, not that they had known it until the following Monday, Harry had been in a bad mood for some reason or other. His physical examination seemed cold and almost foreboding as he helped Draco slip back into some fresh clean clothes, and then stationed himself at the ornate oak desk and buried himself in his work of sketching out Draco's body once again, an image that was always freshly engrained into his subconscious at the end of every day, before he took a break from his writing, to read to Draco and update him on any developments with his body as well as make sure he took his vital potions, no matter how bitter they tasted. Draco didn't necessarily like when Harry was in that particular sort of mood, he knew it was bound to have come to light sooner or later, but he didn't know the cause of it –unless it was himself –or just that the brunette man hadn't slept well. At around two o'clock in the afternoon, he'd had enough of the self-enforced silence on Harry's part and decided to ask. "Harry is there something that's bothering you today? You've been unusually quiet," Draco stated in a quiet tone as he read through one of his own books, comfortably propped in his armchair.

Harry peered up over the top of where he was over-checking some of his work and frowned heavily, "No, nothing's bothering me why do you think there is?"

"You've practically ignored me all day, I just want to know if I've done something to upset you," Draco state as though it wasn't really a big deal with a shrug.

Harry sighed and then pinched the bridge of his nose, "I know I'm sorry," he breathed, "It's just so suffocating being trapped in this room all the time. You got better a week ago I just don't understand why we can't even go out in the manor gardens and walk about in the fresh air. You need fresh air, as much as you can get of it before the winter months set in."

Draco frowned at the words and then found himself laughing, a bright chiming sound that startled Harry into a somewhat better mood, with his blonde head thrown back and his lungs aching sweetly at the effort. "Oh, Harry!" he gushed as he tilted his head to one side and stared intently at the brunette man, "If that's all you wanted you only had to say. Everyone judges what to do with me based on what you tell them. If you'd simply said so, it would have been established!" he wiped at his eyes of the weak tears of mirth that had trembled out, before swallowing and taking a long swig of iced water from his goblet.

When he looked over at Harry he saw that the younger man and bowed his head and was blushing in embarrassment. "That honestly didn't cross my mind at all. Goodness, I feel such a fool!" he huffed and tossed his quill to the desk and slumped back.

He looked like a distressed child and Draco actually felt somewhat sorry for him once his humour had died down a little. He leaned over and touched a hand to his companions shoulder, "Come on then, let's just go out into the gardens. We can bring some of your journals as well and sit underneath one of the blossom trees by the pond."

Harry peeked up at the blonde through his thick fringe that hadn't been styled that morning, the flush still tinting his cheeks, and let himself smile a little. "Alright then, get some comfortable shoes on and then we can go down to these blossoms of yours."

Draco was only too happy to oblige, with the aid of a slender ash cane, and soon he was walking around with Harry through the hush of green grass in the manicured manor gardens and loved the feel of the sunshine adding a gentle flush to his pale, waxy skin. He looked almost angelic as they strolled along the pathways, his chiselled features gleaming in the afternoon light. Harry forced himself to look away, not wanting to be caught staring. He didn't think that the blonde had noticed, but he had. Conversation didn't stray from having tea with his mother a few days prior and the upcoming exams that Harry was almost certain that he would fail. As soon as they came to a stop underneath the shade of some blossoms trees, the cool air surfing off the top of the pond soothing their heated skin, Draco rested down among the knotted roots on top of the blanket Harry had brought with him and opened his book in his lap. Harry mirrored his movements. "You're going to do fine you know?" Draco stated after half an hour of silent reading, as he glanced sideways at Harry, their shoulders so close to brushing against one another.

"You can't possibly know that, Draco, but I am grateful for your support. I wouldn't be able to do any of this without you," Harry sighed and leaned his head back on the tree trunk.

Draco reached out and grasped Harry's hand in his own, "Don't doubt yourself for a moment. You are the smartest person Severus has ever taken on, and I should know. I've seen the letters he sends to father. You are going to be fine, I promise you."

Harry looked down at their entwined fingers and then up at the warm smoky grey eyes that were boring down into his own. The proximity and his gaze combined made Harry suddenly feel exposed and vulnerable, almost the same way Draco was when he was bared and naked for Harry to examine him. He swallowed past the lump in his throat. A shadow passed over the sun and a cool breeze made Harry shiver, unintentionally leaning closer to the blonde. "D-Draco …"

There was a crack that streaked through the sky, a flash of bright light and then a torrent of thick, heavy raindrops began pelting down across the grounds. Harry gasped and bolted up to his feet as though he'd personally been struck by lightning. Draco scurried up to his feet tugging the blanket up as he leaned heavily on the tree trunk. Harry didn't notice how close they were, tucked underneath the weak shelter of the blossom tree. Draco couldn't help but smile. It had been ages since he'd gotten caught in such bad weather so suddenly. The laugh that bubbled out made Harry look up at him as if he were mad, but he didn't care. He stepped out from the blossoms, his cane dropping into the grass, as he tilted his chin up, spread his arms wide and laughed up into the falling rain, feeling as though he were being reborn into a fresh new chapter of his life.

And that chapter included Harry at all costs.

Tartan suddenly obscured his view of the sky and he dropped his arms and his gaze to see Harry stretching his arms high over both of their heads. He couldn't help but chuckle at the sight of Harry completely soaked through, his satchel slung around his wrist and his hair plastered down to his face. "We need to get you inside before you catch another fever!" Harry shouted over the roar of the rain that hammered down all around them, the tartan blanket providing barely any shelter as the torrent grew heavier and heavier. Draco didn't complain as Harry grabbed at his elbow and steered them towards one of the many back doors that led into the manor. As they stumbled in through to the marbled floor they almost slipped over as rain water dripped off them and puddled around the door. Draco bit back another bought of laughter as Harry draped the tartan blanket down and tried to soak up some of the rain water with the ringing wet blanket.

Some maids trailed into the room with fresh tablecloths and gasped when they saw the two young men ringing wet and shuddering slightly. "Master Draco! We must get you into a hot bath right away!" one of them chimed and started to usher the blonde man out towards the grand staircase, quickly followed by another maid ushering Harry out and chattering about getting him a bath as well. Harry couldn't complain but he didn't like the sight of Draco being taken away and 'looked after' out of his line of vision. How did they know what to do for him and what about his potions? If they didn't apply them then he could suffer a severe set-back. If not, as soon as he was dressed he would need to get back in to the blonde's bedchamber and rub one of his salves onto the blonde's chest to ease his breathing.

He couldn't relax throughout his bath until he was let out and allowed to dress in a nightshirt and a summer dressing robe that he cinched tightly around his waist and paced his room back and forth for a while, even going as far to as ignore the call for dinner. He told the maid that he wasn't feeling too hungry and the enquired as to how Draco was fairing up. The young maid bowed her head and stated that the young master was asleep now and seemed a little on the warm side. Harry slumped down in the armchair in his small bedchamber –one of the guest ones –and watched the clock as it ticked another half an hour of his life away before he felt as though the coast would be clear outside for him to creep along to Draco's bedchamber and check on him. He wanted to persuade himself that he was merely curious as a physician, but a sickly fear swelled in the back of his mind and he found himself holding his breath as he inched closer to Draco's door, knocked lightly, and then walked in uninvited.

The voile curtains were drawn across the tall windows, letting in a strained orange glow of the sunset into the room. It tinted everything with a burning glow that left him breathless as he deflated and leaned back against the door, clicking it shut behind him. Draco didn't shift or stir in his sleep. Taking the small salve from the bedside table he knelt down on Draco's mattress, feeling it sink underneath him, before he unfastened the ties of Draco's nightshirt and splayed them out, exposing the pale smooth skin. He swallowed thickly, feeling his body temperature rise up as he daubed his fingers with the yellow salve and started to rub it in soothing circles over Draco's chest. Almost immediately he could detect a change in the older man's breathing. As soon as the salve had soaked through into his chest cavity, Harry drew his wand out and performed another diagnostic spell to determine if Draco had caught the onset of a cold or a brand new fever. Thankfully both the tests were negative and he left out a soft sigh. He turned to place his wand and the salve on the bedside table and froze when he turned back around.

Draco's eyes were open and his breathing was a little more laboured at the sight of Harry clothed in only a nightshirt and dressing down perched on the edge of his bed. "I'm sorry," Harry breathed, not really knowing why he was whispering, "I didn't mean to wake you up."

Draco shook his head, "You didn't," he murmured and winced as Harry shifted to try and move away. Draco reached out and snatched the brunette's man's wrist, drawing him lower down towards him, "You don't need to go anywhere. You can sit here if you want."

Harry shook his head, "You need your rest. I only wanted to make sure you weren't suffering unduly."

Draco didn't loosen his grip on Harry's arm, if anything he tightened it. His face was serious if a little tired. He shook his head firmly, "I don't want you to go anywhere."

The words made Harry feel embarrassed but he didn't understand why. He merely allowed himself to be pulled down until he was leaning over Draco. He could feel the breath rushing down his chest from where the blonde was breathing up against him. He could feel every muscle in his body vibrating with anticipation as Draco reached up with quavering fingers to gently tousle through Harry's dark hair. To his surprise, he felt that the blonde man's touch was exciting him in a way he wasn't used to. It unnerved him but a tiny voice in the back of his head insisted he didn't want it to stop. He felt tense as Draco dared to trail his fingers lower, down the length of his flushed throat and drifting down his chest muscles and tickling the trail of dark hair at the top of his abdomen. "Draco … What are you doing?" he finally managed to breathe

Draco kept his eyes locked with Harry's letting his hands wander freely, touching as much of exposed skin on Harry's chest as he could reach. He watched as Harry's breathing grew heavy and uneven, heaving underneath the palm of his hand. He felt so beautifully warm. He leaned up a little in his bed and winced as Harry shifted away, almost out of reach. Thrusting his arm forward he snatched at the back of Harry's nightshirt and drew him back down, his legs slipping in between Harry's through the bed sheets. A shiver ran through the brunettes muscles, making Draco ache to wrap his arms around the younger man. "Kiss me," he panted heavily, feeling his stomach knotting in the fear that Harry would bolt out of his room, and out of his life.

"W-what?!" Harry rasped out, his eyes wide and confused.

Draco sat up fully and threaded both of his hands through the soft black hair, gripping Harry's face between his hands and staring fully into his eyes, both of their breathing hushed and laboured between them. The weight of the younger man in his lap made every muscle inside him ache and burn. "I said that I want you to kiss me," he panted.

"You are delirious," Harry affirmed, finally finding his voice, "Let me go back to my bedchamber and get some more of my potions for you."

"Harry," Draco insisted firmly his eyes bright and serious, "I am perfectly well. Just let me have this, okay? No one will know and it's not like you haven't woken up in my bed."

Those words hardly made Harry relax as he allowed Draco to push him down against the pillows; threading a leg between the chilled tanned ones and feeling Harry tense up beside him. He wanted so desperately for the younger man to relax and to trust him and to want this as much as he wanted it. He ran his hand over the nightshirt, not wanting to go underneath the fabric and frighten his companion. Above all Harry was afraid, but after the way he had cared for Draco and spent so much time with him, he couldn't think of what would truly hinder their friendship. He wasn't sure about how kissing the blonde would be a progression or a regression, but he couldn't deny that no one had said anything for ten minutes and he'd been staring at the blonde's pale pink lips. He licked his one lips and didn't object when Draco rested his head down in front of his, sharing the same pillow, and almost touching noses.

When Draco drew in a deep breath and lightly touched his lips against Harry's, it was such a feather light touch that Harry almost wasn't sure it had happened at all. He opened his eyes and watched as Draco waited for his reaction. He couldn't think of anything except how he wanted to feel those lips pressed firmer against his own. Sucking on his bottom lip, he leaned over and tentatively pressed his lips against Draco's and was surprised when he felt the warm pressure against his own. His eyes widened in surprise as he felt Draco's fingers creep around the nape of his neck. He shivered at the touch and gasped lightly, his eyes springing open when he felt Draco's warm wet tongue slip between his lips and touching lightly at his own. He leaned a little closer and hesitated before resting his own hand on Draco's hip through his nightshirt. They kissed lazily for a while, tasting one another gently, hands rarely drifting over muscles even through the nightshirt, and their bodies inching closer together on top of the mattress.

They broke apart and both of them were reluctant to shift away from one another. Harry rested his forehead against the blonde's and sighed shakily. "Nothing's going to change between us after this is it?" he asked, his mind over-turning with the possibilities of losing his friend.

Draco shook his head, "Why should we let it change anything between us? We're still friends first and foremost."

"What if someone were to find out about it?"

"Who is likely to tell such rumours, my letter opener? Be sensible, Harry," Draco chastised, not taking too kindly to the change of conversation.

Harry shook his head, "We shouldn't have kissed," he breathed turning away and making to move out of the large four poster bed and away from the warmth of the man he spent every week with. "I shouldn't be here. Not in your bed and kissing you. I'm sorry, Draco I –"

Draco cut him off with a firm kiss against his mouth; silencing Harry and making the brunette melt a little more into the mattress. "You talk too much, Potter," he murmured as he leaned over the brunette man. He stroked a strand of dark hair behind his ear and smiled softly down at him, "Let's not worry anymore, alright? You can sneak back to your bedchamber in the morning if you must, but for now just relax okay? If this is the only chance I get to do this, then let it happen now."

Harry still seemed unsure but was placated a little when Draco leaned down and rested back on the pillow getting his breathing evened out before slipping his hand down between their bodies and entwined their fingers together. At Harry's quaking, he gave a reassuring squeeze and smiled softly. "Just relax Harry," he breathed as he finally felt his eyelids grow a little heavier and soon he had drifted off to sleep, the weight of Harry's body against his reassuring and soothing all at once.

The following morning Draco woke up alone. He loathed the feeling of waking up alone and neglected in the late hours of the morning. He sank bank down into his pillows and drew his sheets up around his shoulders not wanting to seem as vulnerable as he felt.

That evening, Harry returned to Calais.

~0~

On the 23rd of June Harry Potted had his photo taken for passing his exams and being employed full-time at the hospital. He even had to make a speech and got to meet the muggleborn doctor, Robert Koch, from whom his personal assignment had been based upon. To Koch he was simply a devoted fan still in University, but to Harry he felt like he were walking in a dream. Despite not having found a long term cure for TB or Consumption as it was more commonly known, the disease that Draco was currently suffering from, his salves and potions that he'd concocted with Healer Snape were selling all over Paris and preventing a lot of premature deaths, if only by a few weeks in some severe cases.

Outside of his studying and preparation which had taken most of his spare time, Severus had insisted that Harry stay away from Malfoy Manor until after his exams. Normally, Harry would have protested but after that long night he had spent in Draco's bed with Draco's hands on his hips and his mouth on his lips, he felt that perhaps staying away from Paris wouldn't be too much of a challenge. The festivities of his passing had gone on until late in the evening, a lot of people including his own father came along to congratulate him. By the time he staggered up the stairs, high on appraisal and some light wine, he was exhausted and really looking forward to sleeping at long last. It truly had been a long week between the exam and learning that he had passed.

He hadn't told Draco. He'd barely written anything to the blonde man in the last month. He felt guilty about it, like he had abandoned the young master, but he couldn't help himself. The only thing he had sent was more bath oils, potions and salves in a one-off package that would last him a month.

He was a coward and he knew it.

He sighed as he fumbled with his key in his lock and pushed his bedroom door open and stopped dead. He blinked in surprise, feeling as though his eyes were playing a trick on him. "What are you doing here?" he asked in surprise, his stomach dropping through his shoes.

Draco turned away from the small window, leaning slightly on his cane and smirked at Harry. "I felt as though you were avoiding me so I thought I'd come and see what the problem was. Congratulations by the way, I told you that you'd pass."

Harry blushed and closed his door and placed the items in his hands on the small desk. "How did you get into my room?" he asked a little tightly.

"Severus let me in after he went to bed from the party," Draco stated before coming over to the brunette and placing both of his hands on the brunette's tense shoulders. "Relax, Harry," he breathed gently, "Nothing will happen that you don't want to happen, alright?"

Harry shifted away, "Nothing is ever going to happen again Draco!" he retorted tartly.

Draco pushed him up against the bedroom door and placed both of his arms on either side of Harry's head, "I beg to differ," he breathed, rubbing the ends of their noses together. Harry was about to push him away and protest when suddenly his arms were pinned over his head and his mouth was silenced by Draco's tongue forcing its way between his lips. He couldn't deny his blatant excitement pushing up through his robes, and gasped when Draco pressed up against him, their hips rutting together through the coarse cloth.

"Draco please …" Harry begged. He wasn't sure if he was begging for more or begging for Draco to stop.

"Tell me what you want, Harry," Draco growled low in his throat, his hands simply itching to tug at the robes on the brunette's body and to touch his skin again. He wanted to feel Harry pressed down on top of him and to feel himself pressed against his leg. Not that he couldn't deny Harry's obvious arousal straining between them. "Tell me. What you. Want!" he ground out so forcefully and thrust against the brunette before Harry bumped his head back against the door and moaned out loud as his hands sprung up and clutched at Draco's robes.

"Do whatever you want," he finally submitted unable to deny the obvious lust burning its way through his chest as he looked up into Draco's arousing smoky grey eyes. The taste of his mouth still hot and wet on Harry's lips as he licked them, "Do whatever you want to me, Draco Malfoy; just don't you dare make me regret a moment of it!"

The blonde aristocrat didn't need telling twice. Even when he got a little resistance from Harry it didn't last for long before the moans elicited from the younger man excited him even further. Harry had even started to shift about and unfastened the clasps of Draco's waistcoat and tugged his shirt out of his pressed trousers. Draco felt Harry's teeth grazing his skin and his answering arousal pressing up against Harry's thigh. He craned his neck back and shivered as the balmy air licked his exposed skin from where Harry had lifted his shirt up around his chest.

"Take me to bed, Draco," Harry growled lustfully. The blonde man didn't need telling twice as Harry was all but thrown onto his bed, the lean muscled blonde pressing down on him, the mattress groaning at their combined weight. Trousers and watch chains and shoes were tossed over onto the floor. As soon as Draco was completely naked he felt the fight ebb out of him as Harry sat before him and panting heavily. Both of their eyes wandered down one another's bodies and they both flushed bright red as they drank in how hard they both were.

"I want you to enjoy every moment of this Harry," he breathed steadily through the gloomy air.

Harry was still quite tense as Draco leaned further in between his legs, breathing heavily against his skin. "There's still a chance to turn back from this, you know?" he murmured gruffly.

Draco shook his head, "If you don't want to I won't force you."

Harry grabbed at Draco's face, his expression determined and flushed, "Just take me, Draco before I do change my mind." Without another word he pressed his mouth roughly against the blonde's and kissed him with a passion Draco hadn't known he'd possessed. He kissed back and pressed them both down into the mattress, the bed creaking as the touched one another as they kissed. Every touch was intoxicating and drove Harry mad; they were skin on skin, mouth on mouth, rutting gently.

They made raw passionate love for the remainder of that evening, their loud moans echoing out throughout Harry's garret. His legs were pressed up to his chest as Draco thrust into him and made him moan and scream Draco's name in a heavy voice he didn't know he could make. Harry was so sweaty and sore that by the end of it he doubt he would walk for the remainder of the weekend, a difficult feat in itself considering he needed to move his belongings into his larger room a couple of floors up. As soon as Draco had exhausted the both of them, he made short work of stripping the soiled sheets out from underneath Harry, and spreading a thick blanket underneath despite his weakening legs and Harry's obvious discomfort at being moved. Once the bed and been sorted, the blinds shut and a small array of stub candles were lit and dotted around on Harry's desk, windowsill and the bedside tables, Draco went back to lay himself down beside Harry, curling himself around the brunette's back and draping an arm over his waist.

Nuzzling his face into Harry's damp neck he suddenly felt his eyes burn with the promise of tears, "Forgive me, Harry," he panted in his ear, his sweat cooling on his skin as he shivered lightly. He squeezed the younger man tighter and pressed a kiss to his forehead, "I'm sorry. I ruined you!"

Harry limply took one of Draco's hands in his own, laced their trembling fingers together and squeezed, "You've only ruined me for everyone else, Draco. I don't think that's going to matter anymore."

"Wha –what do you mean?" the blonde man hushed in a wet whisper.

"As long as I remain yours then it shouldn't matter, should it?" he asked softly, his heart hammering in his ears as he voiced the words into the still air. "And as long as we're discreet as possible."

Draco frowned and turned his head to look down at the young physician in his arms. "What are you saying Harry?"

"I shouldn't have to spell these things out for you, Draco," Harry snipped irritably as he wriggled further down into the last clean sheet over his body. "If you wish to continue this then I see no reason in denying you now."

Draco peered down at Harry, a weight unwinding from his chest and then rested back against the pillow, stroking the brunette's soft skin as he relaxed gently in his arms. Silence stretched out between them for a while before Draco decided to break the silence again, "You know, when you stopped writing to me, I thought you wouldn't appreciate me coming to congratulate you," he murmured softly as Harry shifted onto his other side, his face pressing lightly into Draco's chest. "I know you still probably don't but I needed to see you. It had been so long and Severus hadn't been forthcoming with any information." He paused and drew in a deep breath, "I wanted to see you one last time, even if it was the last time that I could."

"Did you plan any of this?" Harry breathed softly.

Draco shook his head, "I never thought you would allow me to do anything more than touch you and kiss you. I'm just as surprised as you are, believe me, but I don't regret one moment of it," he murmured softly as he tilted his chin and pressed a tender if hesitant kiss to Harry's forehead. He couldn't help but smile and blink away happy tears when he felt Harry wrap arm around his waist and draw their bodies closer together. "I never thought I'd get to see you like this again after your letters stopped. I had hoped you'd have written a letter and secreted it in that little care package you sent, but when I saw there was nothing I felt broken inside. Like something wasn't quite right with me."

Harry waited not wanting to break the monologue of his companion –lover? –because he so desperately wanted to hear what the older man needed to get off his chest.

"It took me ages to understand that I'd developed a sort of –infatuation with you. Although it may have been because you were the only one who seemed interested in taking care of me and making me feel better," he turned to look down at Harry who in turn was staring up at him, his soft green eyes wide open and intense. "You were the only one to give me hope, Harry. I couldn't thank you enough for that. I think I might even Lo-"

"No!" Harry snapped up and then groaned in agony against Draco's shoulder at the white hot pain that ripped through him. Blindly, he reached over to the bedside table to swipe a dab of healing salve on his fingers and used it to smear on his rectum. Once the pain had dissipated, he settled down beside Draco and looked at with firm eyes, "Don't say any of that. Not now and definitely not yet. This is going to take some time to get used to. Just … Can we at least get used to it first?" he almost pleaded with the blonde.

Draco wanted to object but he held his tongue and nodded, "Of course, Harry," he assured as he accepted the brunette back into his arms and cradled him in such an affectionate manner, it was such a sharp contrast to his sharp features and haughty disposition. Harry melted into his arms at the touch, his eyelids fluttering closed.

Draco had wanted to say the words that had bloomed in his brain less than a week ago and he had rushed to Calais as soon as Severus' invite had arrived. He promised not to rush Harry and he always kept his promises.

Harry knew though. Deep down they both knew exactly how the other felt. And it didn't scare either of them like it should've done.


A/N: Please read and review. It may be another week or so before the next two chapters are up, for PRESENT part 1 and 2.