Life can be easy
It's not always swell
Don't tell me truth hurts, little girl
'cause it hurts like hell

Underground
David Bowie

Word count: 3322

Harry woke to the sound of grunting as well as a sharp pain in his side. He tried to sit up but there was a heavy weight on his torso that prevented him from doing so. He cursed and attempted to wriggle free which elicited a growl from the werewolf that lay above him.

With a jolt he realised that the sky was a deep rosy colour and the leaves of the trees above were dripping morning dew onto his face. He shook his head to get rid of the drops of water that had found their way to his eyes. Had he really spent the whole night in the Forbidden Forest? Had it been a dream or was Draco Malfoy actually a werewolf? Had he really watched the Slytherin undress (a blush crept up his face at that) and turn into a werewolf?

He looked down at the enormous grey werewolf resting on him- so it wasn't a dream then.

"Get off me," he said slowly, still waking up. There was no response. Harry prodded the werewolf. "Get off me, Malfoy." He glanced around at the forest, the sky, it was getting lighter. People would be waking up soon, he needed to get back to Gryffindor Tower. "Malfoy, will you get off me?" he all but shouted. "It's morning."

The werewolf stirred, shifted it's position (trapping Harry even more with its paws on either side of him) and yawned into his face. Harry's nose wrinkled, talk about need for a few breath mints. He pushed at the werewolf with his hands noticing that its grey fur was plush and soft- he had to tamp down on the urge to work his fingers through it experimentally. He took a discreet sniff and could've sworn it smelled something like Draco if you ignored the distinct smell of animal.

The large creature barred its teeth at him before turning round and leaping off him. Harry got to his feet, dusted off his robes then looked pointedly at the wolf which had began to change back. He noticed belatedly that Malfoy's wolf form was nothing like that of Lupin which he had seen in third year. Did all werewolves not look the same? Did it have something to do with the potion that Malfoy had drunk?

It struck him in that moment that the werewolf was Draco Malfoy. His rival was a werewolf, somehow, and no one knew. Merlin, if their positions were switched he knew Malfoy wouldn't hesitate to spread the news all over Hogwarts. Not that Harry was going to do it even though the bloody git deserved it. He wondered if any of the professors knew, apart from Snape that is. Did Dumbledore know? Harry raked dead leaves from his hair. How had Malfoy been allowed to stay in Hogwarts? Dumbledore wouldn't kick him out but his father seemed like the sort to pull him out.

"If you're quite done watching me dress, do you mind explaining what you were doing here last night?" said Draco making Harry jump.

He cleared his throat. "I uh..."

He hadn't realised that his gaze had settled on Malfoy when he'd been thinking. And he shouldn't be the one to have to do the explaining here- Malfoy was a bloody werewolf.

"I wasn't staring," he said a little defensively.

"You don't say," the other boy said rolling down his sleeves before Harry could check for the Dark Mark. He collected his pullover from the ground and walked past Harry pausing only to whisper, "Saw something you like?"

Harry certainly did not feel a tingle run down his spine and he only followed because Malfoy seemed to know his way around the Forbidden Forest. Funny that. "No," he said.

The blonde merely chuckled.

"Is that what happened the night you were found unconscious here, you got turned into a werewolf?"

Malfoy didn't stop but Harry could see that his posture had straightened a little. His hands which were previously held in loose fists at his sides had clenched.

"Morning," he corrected.

"Really?" he asked now keeping up with him. "That's what you're going focus on, the time?"

Malfoy gave him a murderous glare from the corner of his eye. "I've got a lot of things I focus on, Potter. Luckily, voyeurism isn't one of them."

Ouch. Malfoy had always known how to hit below the belt.

"I am not voyeuristic," said Harry crossing his arms.

"You don't say." Malfoy's hands slid into his pockets as was his habit. "You seemed to be enjoying my little show."

Harry gaped.

Had Malfoy just said that?

"I- er... Show?"

The blonde chuckled darkly with a furtive glance at an unknowing Potter.

"Relax. I was kidding."

Harry scoffed.

"As if you would know how to crack a joke."

Dangerous waters, he remembered and wanted to chuckle.

"I will have you know I am very amusing company."

Maybe that's because you love to dance naked in Forbidden Forests, he thought then bit his lip for it.

He shouldn't be thinking such things.

Malfoy's voice was suddenly very serious, his expression unreadable. He began fingering a lock of blonde hair. "Listen, Potter, about what happened-"

"Which part, the shift or waking up with you on top of me?" Harry joked then winced, he hadn't meant for it to sound that way.

Malfoy gave a weak smile that barely reached his eyes. "Both. No one can know. I know you would love to tell the entire school so I'm prepared to be indebted to you for it," he said, the last part punctuated with a look of resignation.

"First, I don't think you can claim to know me if you think I'm going to tell the whole school," he said noting that they had both stopped walking. The sun was almost entirely out by this time. "Second, you owe me two now, I may have been raised my muggles but I'm smart enough to know that's not how life debts work."

Malfoy rolled his eyes.

"Very well," he said as he resumed walking tacitly indicating for Harry to follow. "What do you want?"

"Why are you drinking?" he asked before he could think twice about it.

Malfoy's jaw hardened, he stopped walking (again) and Harry could see that a shadow had descended upon his features. His expression was suddenly guarded and the previously light atmosphere was quashed beneath the weight of that simple question. "That's- I'm not ready to talk about that."

Harry nodded. "Tell me when you are."

Malfoy looked up at Harry.

"What is this?" he asked motioning between the two of them. "Why are you being relatable?"

Relatable? Harry thought with raised eyebrows, that hadn't been the word he was expecting.

Despite that, he couldn't help but think that Malfoy was being relatable as well, it wasn't just him. The Slytherin could have decided to be a prat the whole way and teased Harry for grabbing him in the middle of the night (even though Harry could not grab much less heave a two hundred pound werewolf) but he'd kept his words strangely neutral. As though he didn't want to anger him which was unbelievable but the only reason he could think of.

Before Harry could answer, he heard the snapping of twigs and turned to see that Snape, cloaked in black head to toe- and a smirk of distaste as was his wont- stood before them his look transforming to one of mild shock before resuming an expression of disdain (all to Harry of course, Merlin forbid anyone look at Draco Malfoy, Prince of Slytherin wrong). Harry didn't have time to savour the look of shock though and wished he had a muggle camera or a Pensieve to preserve the priceless moment.

"Draco," he said with a glance at his godson. "Potter." No one could ever look so contemptuous as Snape in that moment. Even Petunia and her horse-like face couldn't muster the muscle coordination acquired only after years and years of glaring at innocent students who were expected to know the textbook by heart by the first lesson.

Harry didn't know what to say to such a curt greeting so he kept silent.

"May I ask you what you're doing here?" This was addressed to him.

"I uh-" Merlin, he needed to think up an excuse fast. Snape would relish an excuse to deduct him a good number of house points.

"He followed me," Draco said casting a glance his way.

Harry waited for Snape's outburst but it never came.

"Well," he said already walking away, "the headmaster would like to see you, Draco. Since Potter is with you, you may bring him along, it's time to get things straightened out."

{HPDM}

Draco didn't like the sound of that, he had a feeling he knew what their conversation with the headmaster would entail now that Potter was here. He's my mate, something inside him said. Indeed he was, from all the reading he'd done the signs were clear enough. Scenting him, watching the crowds for him, standing too close to him- he would be surprised if Potter was clueless on the matter. Then again, he was Potter.

Draco crossed his arms without realising it and prayed to whatever deities were listening for less wind. It wasn't much more than a chilly breeze but it was making it hard not to smell Potter which was making it hard not to grab him and shove him against a tree.

Ugh. Could he be more uncouth?

He supposed he had Snape to thank for the saved dignity. Maybe he should buy him a gift basket or something.

He snickered at the muggle reference.

"Something funny?" asked Potter perhaps with a little insecurity.

He'd never thought the Chosen One would have anything to be insecure about. The old him would have held it over him, mercilessly. The new him constantly wanted to appease the dark haired boy. Honestly, it was getting on his nerves. He shook his head and the rest of the walk took part in silence. By the time they arrived at the castle's entrance it was already breakfast and so the halls were empty save for a few stragglers who were racing through the corridors too fast to notice the bizzare sight that was Snape walking into the castle Malfoy and Potter in tow.

Thank Merlin. Draco wouldn't be caught dead wearing the same clothes he'd worn yesterday. Potter on the other hand seemed to have no problem walking through the halls dressed in his dirty school robes. The bastard even had the nerve to yawn and ruffle his already messy hair. Draco could have cursed himself to oblivion for watching the simple actions so avidly.

Finally they arrived at the gargoyle that stood before the headmaster's office.

"Lemon drop," Snape said.

The gargoyle moved and the three of them crowded onto the steps barely fitting in the narrow staircase. They emerged with aching shoulders and silent grumbles but made it to the headmaster's office where a "Come in." was heard before Snape could so much as rap his knuckles against the wood.

"Aah, Harry, Draco" he said looking up from something that looked very much like a tome nearly as thick as his entire hand. "Do come in."

Harry stepped into the room which was oddly well lit considering the only source of light was half burnt candles that had deposited wax all over the once shiny candelabras they stood on. He walked up to the table and took a seat opposite Dumbledore. The headmaster had just finished closing a drawer and Harry got the sense he had interrupted something. Then again, Dumbledore was always doing something important. Draco settled beside him and immediately reached for the tray of tea and cakes set for them. Snape sat a little behind them, unmoving.

"Lemon drop?" asked Dumbledore.

Seeing as Draco was too busy eating, Harry shook his head for both of them. He ducked as something flew over his head but before he could turn to examine it Dumbledore was already speaking.

"How have your studies been going, Harry?" the headmaster asked leaning forward on the desk bright blue eyes watching him astutely from behind his half-moon glasses.

Harry had a feeling he knew why he had been called here and though he was nervous, he knew it had to be done.

Better the devil you know, they said.

And Harry hoped it was true.

"Alright."

Dumbledore nodded. "I'm glad you took the time to stop by, there is much to discuss," he said looking at Draco now.

There was a harrumph from a nearby portrait and the face of a large familiar looking man came into view. "Needs to be taught some manners that one, if you ask me," the man muttered.

"Thank you, Phineas," Dumbledore said holding up his hand.

Of course, Phineas Nigellus Black. He'd seen his portrait at Grimmauld Place, that's why he looked familiar.

Draco set down the empty cup and wiped the crumbs of cake on his lips with the back of his hand. It was an endearingly childish action. His stomach plummeted to his feet however, at the seriousness in Dumbledore's eyes and the stiffness of Draco's posture. There were several other things they would both rather be doing than having this conversation it seemed.

"How much do you know about werewolves, Draco?"

Harry saw him cringe. "Not much."

"I thought so. I will not bore you with the finer details of lycanthropy, as we speak Madam Pince has a list of books I have authorised to be removed from the Restricted Section for your benefit," he said clasping his hands together. "You may return them as soon as you have finished with them."

"Surely Albus you don't mean to say one of these boys is a- a werewolf?" asked Phineas with a mixture of horror and surprise.

"That is exactly the case," Dumbledore replied.

There were shocked gasps from several other portraits.

Draco visibly tamped down on his anger the best he could. Clearly Phineas Nigellus Black was not endearing himself to him either. "Then why am I here, headmaster?"

"You are here," he said without a trace of unkindness or severity, "because I need to discuss the integral points of your condition with you."

Draco tried to ignore the implications of the word 'condition'.

He gestured to Harry. "Does he need to be here?"

"Would you prefer he wasn't?" asked Dumbledore with a raised eyebrow.

For a moment there was a malicious glint in Draco's eye. "Yes."

Phineas gasped. "The audacity, to think a Malfoy of all people..."

Dumbledore smiled at Draco. "I'm glad you're learning to express yourself."

Harry couldn't help a small smile.

"As I was saying, werewolves are very complex creatures and even now we do not know all that there is to know about them. We do know, however, that they are like humans in many aspects. Over the course of the next few weeks you will find yourself in a constant battle to leash your temper. You cannot give into the desire to maim, it is imperative that you keep a level head, create a ritual if you have to."

"A ritual?"

"Myself, I prefer to count to ten in all the languages I know," he said as though disclosing a secret.

Harry found himself wondering just how many languages the headmaster could speak.

"You will also, if you haven't as of yet, feel the pull towards a mate-"

Draco froze although he had known this was coming. "A mate?"

"Yes. If you would sit down... much better. It is nothing unusual, all werewolves feel it. You will not choose who it is, as you can imagine, but your senses will begin to get affected around them and you will feel the urge to be close to them... scowl all you like Draco but it is not something you can resist for long, you may try but it will not bode well for either you or your mate.

"You will also need to drink wolfsbane once a month an hour prior to your shift, I trust you will do so as I will not put the lives of my students in danger because of a mere slip."

Draco struggled to wrap his mind around everything Dumbledore had just said. Granted, it was common knowledge but he had never stopped to think about it because he had never imagined he would turn into a werewolf. Now he was being informed that he would have to take a mate and that he would have no choice about who it would be, what if he couldn't stand the person? Actually, he already knew he couldn't stand the person.

It was preposterous.

"If you have no questions you may leave, I'm sure you have other commitments."

"Why did the first shift take two months?" he asked silently.

Dumbledore smiled slightly. "I can see you have caught on then. It is merely because your body needed time to adjust to the changes. Your first few shifts may be in slightly more or less than a month."

Draco started to get up.

"Professor, I have a feeling Draco is already aware of who his mate is," Snape interjected from behind them.

Harry saw Malfoy bite back a curse. "I, er-" He was looking at Snape like he wanted to murder him, Harry wasn't sure anyone was allowed to look at Snape that way.

"If master Malfoy is uncomfortable with such a topic-"

"It's fucking, Potter!" he exclaimed. "Quit acting like you didn't know, why else would you allow him to stay here?"

Dumbledore was unfazed by this outburst but Harry wasn't about to sit back and let it happen. Sure, Dumbledore hadn't been speaking to him much, they hadn't been on the best terms but Draco ought to show him a little respect.

"Hey, don't talk to him like that."

"Got a problem with it, Potter?"

"Actually I-" he paused as he realised exactly what Draco had just said. "Did you say mate?"

Harry thought he saw something soften at the edges of Draco's eyes but the blonde turned his head away as if he could feel it too. "Yes. Do you have a problem with that as well?"

He turned to him then, pale grey eyes daring him to answer in the affirmative.

He shouldn't have had to think about it yet he found himself saying, "I-"

"Draco, Harry," Dumbledore said raising a placating hand. "Settle down, please."

Harry thought he could see Snape smirk. It made him want to wretch.

Harry settled down into his seat reluctantly, Draco did the same.

"What exactly does it mean, being his mate?" asked Harry.

"Well," said Dumbledore. "You two will have to complete the bond that has been initiated-"

"I didn't start anything," Draco said indignantly.

"Are you completely certain? Did you touch Harry at any point and time during your shift perhaps?"

Draco froze.

"I may have-"

"You were feeling me up?" demanded Harry his eyes wide.

"You watched me get undressed!" returned the other boy. "And no, I did not feel you up, that would be... improper."

Improper?

Really?

"Can we talk about this later?" asked Draco rubbing his temples.

"I think I have a right to know if I'm going to be your mate," Harry said.

Draco got to his feet shakily, ignoring Harry. He clutched a pillar for support, his eyes practically begged for Harry to let it rest, for Dumbledore to dole out his long-deserved punishment for wandering into the Forbidden Forest because Circe... he deserved- would deserve- it and much more. He wasn't sure- no he was very sure, he did not want to think about this sober.