"Come on then, tell me the story of this Summer. Why it was worse than normal and the events with the Gryffindors and what 'Vernon's Clients' means." Harry began telling the same story that he told Draco the night before, occasionally stopping to look to Draco for support and always receiving it every time.
"What was it that Mr Finnegan was doing this morning then?"
"He told me that he missed our- our 'special time together' last night because I didn't return to the dorm. He said- he said that he regretted telling the other's how- how I'm good for stress relief because he doesn't get to spend so much- so much time alone with me anymore." Snape had been worried at the previously detached way that he had been talking about everything but it became clear that the newest event was his breaking point as his breath quickened and he released quiet sobs between his words. He pulled out the potion vial that he had expected to need earlier but did not yet hand it over in his determination to see how the two teens would react and cope with the situation using the other's help.
Draco slid down between Harry's curled up form and the back of the chair before extended his legs out on either side and wrapping arms around the smaller boy's torso, one across his stomach while the other crossed diagonally up so his hand rested over Harry's heart. Pulling the teen back against his chest Draco began taking deep breaths, silently calming the younger as he began working to match his breathing. Snape had expected Harry to react badly to the other boy pressing behind him but even when stuck in his thoughts the presence of the other seemed to relax him for some reason and he was determined to figure out why he would relax in Draco's presence while cowering at the touch of other's.
"Anything else sir?" Harry asked quietly, longing to leave.
"You said to Draco earlier that he should only show me your stomach after the Dittany because it wasn't relevant yet. May I see the memory now so that I have all of the evidence I'll need to prevent you from going back to them?" Harry nodded so Draco tried to worm his wand out of his pocket without disturbing Harry to retrieve the thought while Snape continued talking. "Thank you, in that case there is one thing I would like to do before I give you the potions I've made for you and you can leave." Harry swallowed deeply.
"What would that be sir?" He began chewing on his lip while awaiting the answer.
"I want to do a test to show how far along you are and depending on the result to see how the babies are developing."
"I- that's okay sir."
"Thank you. It won't take long. Drink this for me?" Snape pulled out a second vial but this time he handed it over to the teen and watched as he swallowed it down. "You need to lift your shirt so we can see your belly." Harry lifted a hand to the hem of his shirt, pulling it above his stomach. His brows furrowed as he watched black ink slowly appearing on his stomach and beginning to form a number in front of their very eyes. "97. So it appears we misjudged how far along you are. 97 days so that would make it 3 months and 6 days. I'd assume you're lack of food over the summer holidays would account for how you are still not showing while carrying twins. This makes it all the more important for you to remember to take the nutrient potions EVERYDAY without fail."
"Yes sir."
"You can come to me if you need anything, no matter how trivial you may believe it to be. Right, you can lie down for the scan or you can stay standing but you have to try and stand as still as you can."
"Stand please."
"Very well, keep your shirt out of the way as well." Snape flicked his wand to the side and drew out a square which appeared white before whispering a spell at Harry's stomach and flicking his wand back towards the temporary white screen.
"What is that?" Draco asked quietly as a steady noise filled the room and the screen began to darken.
"That would be the heartbeats of Mr Potter and his twins." Harry smiled widely while focusing on the image that was appearing quickly in the room. "Are you okay there Mr Potter?" Harry nodded but still wouldn't take his eyes off the screen making Snape chuckle quietly. He conjured up a square of parchment and stared at the screen before pulling a blue wisp from his mind and pushing it into the parchment, capturing the image like a wizarding photograph but in reality was just a memory placed onto paper. He held the parchment in front of Harry in offering and the boy accepted it with a smile, looking down at the parchment where Severus had combined two of his memories in one so that you were able to see the picture that they were watching before but with the addition of the profile of the teen as he looked at the previously white screen with a genuinely happy smile. Once more Harry moved to wrap his arms around the potion master, not withdrawing as quickly this time but still not hanging around for longer than before, just long enough for the man to hesitantly return the gesture.
Once Harry had moved to hug the man the image on the white screen cut out and the heartbeats fell silent so when the boy moved back he looked around in confusion.
"I told you, you had to stay still." Harry looked down at the piece of parchment in his hands but before he could ask about it the man answered it himself. "That one won't fade away. It's not a spell, well it is, but it is a memory. As long as the parchment remains, the image will remain on it unless you get me to remove it for you."
"Thank you."
"You're welcome Mr Potter. Thank you for telling me everything today. You did well to do so. You can take the nutrient potions with you now. I was going to brew up some modified versions of certain potions that you may be wanting to take during your pregnancy such as a stomach settler if you do get any morning sickness over the next few weeks and I will have them to you as soon as I can."
"You don't have to do that for me sir."
"I know I don't but it is no less than I would do for another student in your position, if slightly more willingly rather than Madam Pomfrey making me do so."
"In that case, I'd appreciate that sir."
"Go on then you two. I probably took up more of your day than you wanted so you won't want to be here any longer. I want you both to head down to the Great Hall for the end of dinner, or back to your dorm and I will send a house elf with a meal, then return to your rooms for the evening. I will have to brew the Veritaserum before the Headmaster will go forward with any actions against the students who have done this to you so I want you to ensure that other than classes and meals you stick together, preferably in your rooms but in places with staff present otherwise." The two boys echoed their agreement simultaneously and the man nodded in acceptance before they walked away after informing the man of the decision to return to their rooms.
"I'm proud of you Potter," Draco stated firmly as he shut the door to their quarters, turning to see Harry pulling the picture out of his pocket and gazing at it.
"I didn't do anything."
"You told him your story."
"And now you both know how disgusting I am. Thrilling." Harry picked up his plate of food as it appeared and walked into his bedroom, shutting the door between them. Draco picked up his own plate and followed the teen, sitting down on Harry's bed before the raven-haired boy as he froze at the uninvited guest. He shut the door for a second time before walking to the other side of the bed and sitting next to Draco, both eating their food in silence that was only broken after they both finished their food and Draco took the plate from Harry and sent them both back down to the kitchen.
"You aren't disgusting." Harry huffed in disagreement so Draco turned to look him in the eye. "You are not disgusting." Harry looked away to the other side of the room causing the blonde to take hold of his chin and force him to look back. "Harry James Potter. You. Are. Not. Disgusting!" Draco let go of him but neither of them turned away this time, simply staring into the other's eyes as Draco tried to make him see the truth in his words while Harry searched for the same truth within the grey depths.
"Used then."
"Raped though."
"Calling it that doesn't change the facts, doesn't mean I haven't just been used and thrown away, that I'm not disgusting."
"It means exactly that. It means that you have had things stolen that were never anyone else's to take, only yours to give. It means that you aren't disgusting just because you have an arsehole of an uncle and homophobic housemates who seem to find sleeping with a man perfectly acceptable when it comes to them." Draco pushed himself down the bed so that he was led on his side. "Come here." Harry moved down next to him but wouldn't meet his gaze this time. "You aren't disgusting, okay? I will keep telling you that, for as long as I have to, to make you realise that fact."
"You mean that, don't you?"
"Like Sev has stuffed me full of Veritaserum." Harry moved closer to the other teen and relaxed when he felt arms wrapping around him. "I really am proud of you, you know? I know you didn't want to be there with him, so I'm glad you stayed."
"You wanted me to," Harry whispered into Draco's chest, glad his embarrassment was hidden in the embrace.
"I did want you to, that's why I'm pleased that you did. Sev can help you now, keep you safe."
"Do you think he will? Help that is."
"I know he will do everything he can to help." The younger boy nodded but didn't say anything else in answer so Draco let the conversation end. Eventually he realised that the smaller boy was falling asleep so he carefully extracted himself, took off Harry's shoes and covered him with a blanket earning a small, sleepy smile.
"Nigh' Malfoy."
"Goodnight." As soon as Draco shut the bedroom door behind him he heard the obvious sound of the door being locked and he looked back at the wood before retreating to his own room and going to bed once he was changed.
The following morning saw a repeat of the previous where Draco walked out of the room, only to see Harry sat on the sofa with a book. Summoning a cup of coffee, he sat down next to the other teen and began to drink in silence, only speaking when he finished his drink.
"What are you reading then Potter?"
"A book on wizard pregnancy that Dobby found for me this morning."
"Dobby's still around?"
"Yeah, I freed him but he likes working here as a free elf and he does what I ask through choice rather than having to obey as he feels loyal."
"We used to get in so much trouble together, Lucius would catch us playing together when I was really young, he never liked that very much. How's the book anyway, learnt much?"
"There are a lot of rules. A lot of things I can't do. A lot of things that I can't eat. A lot of things I should start doing. Apparently if a witch and a muggle, or a wizard and a muggle woman, have a child it could be either, but if a wizard and a muggle have a child it will definitely be magical because it is a magical birth due to the carrier so I know that my two will both be magic. Given the time frame and twins, I should be showing by now but, like Snape said, the lack of food probably changed that fact so once I have had regular meals for a while longer I should start showing and quite dramatically so. The nutrient potions should help with that."
"Baby witch and wizard Potter, that's somewhat terrifying and I only have to put up with one of you."
"Very funny, I think there is also a rule saying that friends have to be nice to pregnant wizards."
"I think that book is wrong but I guess it is the only thing we have to go on for now so I will have to abide by the rules." Harry smiled at the boy and marked his page before putting the book down next to them and turning to face Draco so his legs were pulled up on the couch.
"Thanks. Great Hall?"
"Urgh, can't we just get breakfast here today?" Harry laughed but called Dobby all the same who was happy to bring them both breakfast and accepted the handshake from Draco that they had made when he was young with a laugh. "What's the plan for today then? You heard Sev, we're together other than lessons so what do you want to do?"
"What do you want to do?"
"I asked first."
"I kinda just want to work on some of the essays we've been set but I don't have to."
"Nope, let's do that. Get them all out of the way now and then you can read your book in the mornings when you are up incredibly early." Harry smiled at the teen and moved to get his school bag as Draco did the same, both returning to opposite ends of the sofa and sitting facing the other as they pulled out their first essays, slowly and silently working through them all. "Hey Potter?" The boy hummed to prove he was listening while finishing his sentence and looking up. "Can you teach me the Patronus Charm some when?"
"Sure thing Malfoy."
"Thanks." Both boys returned to their essays and kept working throughout the day, only stopping for food and a potion in Harry's case. Draco was still working when Harry put his finished essays away and curled up on the sofa. When Draco was finished he finally realised that Harry had fallen asleep using Draco's sock-shodden feet as a pillow. "Potter? Harry?" There was no response from the teen so Draco carefully moved his feet and picked up the other boy, carrying him to the bedroom. "You're making a habit of this Potter," the blonde whispered as he led the teen out and covered him up, he walked out and stood there waiting for the lock to click but it never came so he walked over to the sofa and began reading the book Harry was that morning on the wizarding pregnancy.
"Malfoy, you gotta wake up, we have lessons today." Instantly the teen shot up, throwing the book across the floor as he did so before getting ready for the day and heading off to their classes after breakfast in the Great Hall.
"Mr Potter. What do you think you are doing in my office?" Snape had been notified of someone going into his office but couldn't leave the lesson so as soon as it was over he returned to the room, knowing that only Draco should know the password to get in. What he was not expecting to find was the Gryffindor sat in the corner of his office.
"I- it was closer than our rooms. I heard Malfoy saying the password the other day. I'm sorry. I didn't know where to go." Snape's eyebrows furrowed as he moved nearer to the teen and crouched down in front of him.
"What happened, why weren't you in lesson?"
"I- I was but there was an accident and the lesson was cancelled so we were dismissed and I tried to get back to our room but- Seamus was there. He- he pulled me down some passageways to an abandoned class in the dungeons. When he left I didn't want to risk running into anyone else so I came here, I'm sorry."
"You don't have to apologise, it's okay, I said you could come to me for anything that includes this. Are you okay? Did he hurt you?" Harry curled tighter in on himself as he nodded. "Did he rape you?" Harry paused before nodding again, hiding his face in his knees. Snape took the sudden decision to sit properly and pull Harry into his lap, hugging and rocking the teen as he began crying into Snape's robes. "You are banned from the rest of your lessons for the day. Do you want me to get Draco?"
"Don't make him miss lessons. I'll be fine, sorry."
"Stop apologising, I've already begun brewing the Veritaserum so we can put a stop to this, I might have enough in my stocks to go to the Headmaster about Mr Finnegan since he seems to be the worst, okay? Come on, I'll take you back to your rooms so you can rest, we can even use the floo if you wish so you don't see anyone. I've modified some of the potions if you want them, I can give you a mild dreamless sleep so it won't matter about the addictive properties for your babies but it won't last as long and I have some calming potions if you want." The two went through the floo together and Sev sat down with Harry on the sofa for a few minutes before giving him the potion vials and returning to teach his next lesson once the teen assured him he'd be fine.
Draco appeared that evening but Harry was not in sight so he knocked on the closed bedroom door thinking that was where he would be.
"Potter, it's me, you alright? You weren't in Potions or Defence, you ill or something? Morning sickness finally caught up with you?" As the lock clicked open he heard crying from the other side of the door so he didn't hesitate to push it open and walk into the room. Instantly he was led on the bed and pulling the dark-haired boy towards him. "You okay?" The younger shook his head. "Want to talk about it?" Another shake caused Draco to hug tighter and let the teen cry as much as he wanted, slowly rubbing hand a along Harry's back and through his hair.
"Seamus got his 'special time' with me today." The arms tightened around Harry subconsciously and Harry appreciated it as he relaxed into the hold, returning the embrace in an attempt to pull Draco closer and make sure that he wouldn't pull back.
"What happened?"
"Accident in charms. He pulled down to the dungeon's when we were dismissed. I heard you give the password to Snape's office the other day so I hid in there afterwards, I didn't want to risk seeing him or any of the others. He- he brought me back here after letting me cry on him, I think I sent him into shock. He was going to get you but I didn't want to distract you from lessons. He- he thinks that he might have enough of the truth serum to be able to stop Seamus but I don't want to hope."
"If you want me, you don't have to worry about lessons. I don't want you to. I don't know that Sev has had anyone cry on him since I was a child, they're normally far too scared to. You trust him then? To go into his office alone."
"I trust YOU. You said that you I'd be safe. He didn't try anything before so I thought I might be safer in there than out near Seamus. He didn't seem to mind too much about me being in there once he got over the fact it was me that gave the password when only you knew it."
"Promised you he wouldn't."
"You did. Can I ask you a favour?"
"Go ahead."
"I- I tried to protect my stomach today so I curled up. He kicked my spine instead and I can't reach with the bruise paste from the other day."
"Roll over." Harry complied as quick as he could, removing his shirt so he was just in a pair of sweat pants, making Draco hiss at the sight of all bruises forming but didn't let it stop him as he summoned the pot of bruise paste and began to apply it to his back, soft sighs leaving Harry's lips as the pain diminished. As Draco continued even after the pain had gone the sighs changed into quiet whimpers and gentle moans. He flushed in embarrassment when the moan left his lips and he shifted away from the blonde's hands but the bed shifted as he felt Draco moving closer and resuming rubbing his back.
"Malfoy-"
"Shush, your pregnancy book recommended massages for back pain. I'm sticking to the rule of being nice that you set me, although I must say that I read that book cover-to-cover last night and there was no mention of that particular rule. I can only assume we were reading different books on the matter."
"You don't have to do this, I'll admit that rule was a lie."
"I KNOW that rule was a lie, and I know I don't have to do this. You ask me to and I'll stop." Harry hummed in acknowledgement of the words but didn't tell him to stop, rather pressed back into the feeling. "You falling asleep on me Potter?" Draco whispered after the boy was quiet for awhile.
"No. Besides, next to you, not ON you."
"If you're tired I'll leave."
"NO! I- can you stay?" Harry looked over his shoulder at the blonde, turning slightly so he could see him better. Draco looked him in the eye for a minute or so before nodding.
"Let me just go get changed and I'll be back, okay?"
"Sure thing Malfoy." Draco walked off and returned a few minutes later in a pair of pyjamas before crawling onto the other side of the bed and laying there. Suddenly a arm reached backwards and pulled Draco onto his side and nearer to Harry, his arm being pulled over Harry's waist. He shifted until he was comfortable and curved around Harry, arms encasing him protectively.
"Go to sleep then Potter."
"Night Draco."
"Goodnight Harry. Sweet dreams." The arm around Harry's stomach tightened marginally as Draco pulled nearer to the darker haired boy, resting his forehead on the bottom of Harry's neck while his nose and lips brushed the bare skin between his shoulder blades.