Harry and Draco tried to avoid each other as much as possible, but their charges weren't happy about this at all and started to get more aggressive and less friendly with their human companions until Professor McGonagall finally had to step in after a pair of matching bitten hands marched into the infirmary together.

Neither Harry nor Draco were happy to hear her solution: figure it out, or there would be consequences.

"Well, she's a fat lot of help," Ron said irritated as he threw a look at Draco who was taking his lunch at the Slytherin table. Ying and Yang had gone off to wherever it was that the animals of Hogwarts took their meals, and Harry was sitting with Ron and Hermione.

"You're telling me," Harry snorted.

"I don't want to have to see Malfoy every time I visit you!" Ron complained.

"How do you think I feel?" Harry groused.

"Oh, for the love of Merlin," Hermione said exasperatedly. "Stop it, both of you!" She looked at Harry seriously. "Harry, just give it up. You and Malfoy have to figure out how to make it work. Your bond is getting stronger, you're both fighting it, and your companions are paying the price. What's wrong with you two?"

"Think about it this way," Ron said as a wave of guilt washed over Harry. "It's not like it only goes one way. He's feeling it too."

Harry blushed deeply. "That's not any consolation."


Things worsened over the last few weeks, with the tension between them building until neither of them could hide it.

They had both been embarrassed and horrified, but a letter from Charlie Weasley hadn't helped things any.

'I wish I could tell you different, but there's just nothing to be done about it. I suggest they learn how to work together. They don't have a choice.'

Draco had incinerated the letter and stalked off, but he had to come back to their shared quarters eventually.

"Maybe… maybe we could trick the spell into thinking we're bonded," Draco had suggested lamely, but the suggestion had worked, and Harry shed his robes so fast it had surprised Draco.

'This is a terrible idea,' Draco thought to himself as he tried not to stare at Harry's body.

"Erm…" Harry stammered. "We probably have to have some sort of physical contact or something while we… take care of business."

Draco swallowed as they took each other's hands, each of them reacting to the other's touch. Draco fought back the urge to slide his fingers through Harry's, over his wrist and up his arms; down his sides to rest on his waist…

Draco's eyes were screwed shut, feeling Harry's hand twitch and jump in his as Harry's own body reacted.

Draco lifted one eyelid to look down at Harry and he groaned. His eyes travelled up the length of Harry's body until their eyes met.

"Shit," Harry choked out as his body reacted.

Draco's temper flared. This was all Potter's fault, anyway. He was the reason Draco's cock felt like it was going to shoot off his body when he came, his sensations were so intense.

He threw himself at Harry, knocking him back onto the sofa. The Slytherin snatched up his wand from the table and cast several lubrication spells before throwing it down and grabbing at Harry.

The dark-haired young man's eyes grew wide and he struggled, but managed to only make things easier for Draco, who found the spot he was looking for and pushed.

"This. Is all. Your. Fault!" Draco ground out from between clenched teeth in rhythm to his pounding.

Harry's back arched and Draco grabbed Harry's member and before long both of them let out a yell.

Draco was happy to hear Harry's was much higher pitched than his. He slid out of Harry and went to his room without a word while Harry struggled to sit up in the sofa.

He didn't know what else there was to say.