Koiame: Two chapters in two days? Unheard of! But in honor of the first ever Pottermore house cup, I thought it would be a nice treat. Hope you all enjoy!
Disclaimer: Please see Chapter 1 disclaimer as it applies to all chapters. 18+
Reviewer Thank You(s) to: Guest (Thank you for your comment. It made me smile! I'm glad you enjoyed it. Here's another chapter coming at you! ), and Gaarasmama (Thank you very much! Here's some more. )
Chapter 25: Want
"I'm sorry, gentlemen, but Mr. Malfoy is in no condition to be released to your custody." Madam Pomfrey smiled. "I would be happy to inform you if and when he has made a full recovery."
"We have orders to retrieve him, no matter what his condition." Auror Toulson replied dispassionately.
"I see." She said, pausing. "Did those orders include Harry Potter?"
The aurors snapped to attention. Around the room, their eyes darted over each and every face, finally coming to rest on the wizarding world's savior himself.
"Mr. Potter," Auror Toulson nodded respectfully to him, "I hadn't realized you had already found our fugitive."
Harry frowned.
"You misunderstand." The graying witch continued. "Mr. Potter has not apprehended Mr. Malfoy. Rather, they are both afflicted by a curse which has rendered them inseparable. To do so would endanger both of their lives."
Draco lifted his arm up, dragging the raven-haired wizard's along in the process to underscore her point. Satisfied with the looks he was receiving from the aurors, the blonde smirked and let Harry yank their hands down. It was fun using Potter as leverage, he thought, brushing a few pesky strands of his silky locks out of his eyes. Taking note of that simple, yet alluring gesture, Harry bit his lip and looked quickly away, convinced that there was something terribly wrong with him that had yet to be diagnosed.
"Very well." Auror Poynter huffed after a long pause. "We'll be waiting outside for a full report on his condition."
"Jim?" Auror Toulson questioned his partner aside.
"Do you want to arrest Harry Potter?" He replied, vexed by the unfortunate shift in circumstances.
"Of-Of course not! But-"
"Oh, then you want to go down in history as the blithering idiot who accidentally killed the chosen one while trying to bring in an eighteen year old instead?" Jim Toulson whispered darkly.
Auror Poynter paled, his blubbery features taking on a waxy quality. He turned from his partner to look at the hero who vanquished the Dark Lord, the boy giving him a cheerful grin. Defeated, the rotund wizard gave a slow nod.
"Madam. Mr. Potter." Auror Toulson acknowledged each of them before exiting the room; Poynter trailing behind him like a lost dog.
Harry couldn't help but give a small chuckle in relief. They all relaxed a bit, the Auror's presence thankfully gone.
"Don't act so pleased with yourself, Potter." Draco drawled, unable to conceal the faint, satisfied smirk that graced his lips.
The Gryffindor smiled to himself, a warm feeling filling him up as a result of their banter.
"Now, Mr. Potter and Mr. Malfoy could do with some rest." Madam Pomfrey ordered, looking around at their guests. "I think it would be best for you all to go home and do the same. It has been a very long night."
"But-" Ron tried to argue.
"Mr. Weasley," she cut in. "I really must insist."
"Please Madam Pomfrey." Ginny begged. "Let me stay with Harry."
"I assure you that he will be well looked after." The aged witch smiled. That was the end of the argument, the red-headed witch knew. No amount of pleading could change the healer's mind once it was made up, especially when it concerned the well-being of her patients.
"Go ahead, Ginny. I'll be alright." Harry gave her a reassuring smile, feeling a little guilty at how much he wanted her to leave. Something had changed in his heart since the ordeal first started with Draco. She felt so distant, and he knew it wasn't her fault. It was his. With a nod, she conceded, giving him a gentle peck on his cheek, and then left with Ron and Hermione, who were gathered by the door. Before leaving, the exhausted brunette witch turned back and glared at Malfoy, unblinking. Dark circles underscored the weariness of her eyes.
"I'll be back later to ask you both some more questions." She sniffed, pointing her wand at him for good measure. "I expect you to be on your best behavior until then."
Draco resisted the instinct to shield his nose from an assault, remembering the last time he was on the receiving end of her dangerous glower. The next moment, she and the others were gone.
Everything was rearranged by Madam Pomfrey in the windowless room to better serve the needs of her patients. On firm beds, the magically bound wizards laid beside one another, doing their best to ignore the other's existence; their hands still cupped, sweaty and painfully still. Scores of healers had come by all night, prodding them and asking questions, seeming to never be satisfied by their answers. But the curtness with which the Gryffindor replied to them could hardly be helped. Once or twice, when their elbows brushed each other carelessly, taunting him with forbidden familiarity, Harry thought he would suffocate from the heat washing over him.
'Do you fancy Malfoy?' Harry asked himself, afraid of what he would find. When his heart answered 'Yes', the realization should have thrown him for a loop, but instead it felt almost like he had been holding a breath without realizing it and just then could finally let it go.
"Potter." The Gryffindor startled, and turned to face Draco, who was staring at him intently.
"What?" Harry replied, wincing at the weakness in his own voice.
"We're alone." Malfoy said, point-blank.
"Yeah?" The brunet wizard swallowed thickly, trying not to jump to any conclusions about the blonde's intentions. They were alone he realized, giving the room a quick glance.
"That means I can finally do this." Draco's free hand snaked over to Harry's face, closing in upon him fast. With a hard flick to the forehead, all of the green-eyed wizard's delusions of intimacy with the Slytherin vanished.
"What was that for?" He rubbed his head, indignant.
"Because I hate you, Potter." That was the truth. Malfoy hated the bloody Gryffindor with all his might, but it was more difficult than it should be. He was awed by the wizard who lay beside him and at the same time full of resentment. It wasn't fair, not at all, to be so conflicted.
"I thought you'd forgiven me." Harry said, dryly.
"Not likely, Potter." Draco scoffed, letting go of his hand and turning his back to him. Bound by the curse, Harry's fingertips brushed across the blonde's pale arm and onto the smooth flat plane of his back.
"W-What are you doing?" Aroused by the touch, the pupils of his green eyes dilated and he became all too aware of a growing interest in the wizard's bare skin that was taking place in his boxers.
"I don't want to hold hands with you, Potter." Malfoy snapped, clutching his pillow underneath his cheek.
'Neither do I.' Harry thought, lips pressed together nervously. He wanted much more than that. The sexually frustrated wizard cursed himself for falling arse over tit for someone so bloody difficult. In fact, he thought, when this whole thing was through, perhaps he should get a good psychiatric evaluation to be sure that the connection to Malfoy hadn't addled his brain.
"Then where am I supposed to put my hand, Malfoy?" He retorted, a traitorous blush across his face.
"Not my problem." Draco sniffed, settling into his position.
'The hell it isn't!' Harry fumed, boldly running his fingers up the blonde wizard's spine in retaliation. A wave of twisted satisfaction coursed through him as his action elicited a shutter from the Slytherin.
"What the… Potter!" He flustered, flipping onto his back quickly to guard himself.
Harry's hand came to rest on Draco's shoulder, bracing against the likelihood of a swift retaliation. Grey eyes were like daggers piercing through him, but he refused to wither under them. Instead, the brunet maintained an even stare, almost daring the cunning snake to figure out the impossible thoughts that ran through his head.
"You tried to murder me; we traipsed around your bloody thoughts together; a hooded maniac murdered you; somehow you've come back from the dead; and now there's aurors outside who have a warrant for your arrest… Don't you think you've cocked up enough for one week? Is it too much to expect some measure of cooperation out of you?" The Gryffindor blustered.
Draco paused, unflinching. "I tried to murder you twice. I hate you, Potter. I will not cooperate! And I expect you to never mention any of that ever again once this has all been sorted out."
"Twice?" Harry raised an eyebrow.
"Yes, twice Potter." The blonde wizard rolled his eyes.
"When was the first time?"
Malfoy ignored him, having no desire to relive any more memories after what he had been through.
"You owe me an explanation." Harry demanded, grasping his boney shoulder more tightly.
"I owe you nothing!" Draco snapped.
"Why?" The raven-haired wizard's tone became soft. "Why try to murder me - twice? What would that accomplish?"
The blonde was silent. Harry thought he wouldn't answer at all, but after a moment or two of tense contemplation, the Slytherin finally spoke.
"I don't know." He said. A bitter poison was writhing around in his stomach. Fighting back the emotions and confusion he felt, not wanting to reveal any weakness to Potter, Draco turned on his side once again.
Palm once again resting on his back, Harry looked at his hand, feeling more empty and alone than he had for the past year. Maybe he should forget it, he thought. Malfoy obviously hated him, so why would he chase after someone who didn't share his illogical desires? The raven-haired wizard sighed, letting his hand fall down the blonde's back to rest on the expanse between them.
Knackered – that was the word for how he felt at that moment. Closing his eyes, he wondered how long it had been since he slept peacefully. Dully draping his free arm over the bridge of his nose to block the light, Harry didn't expect to rest easily anytime soon.
Koiame: Hope you all liked the extra chapter this week. I may have another for you by next Thursday, but I'm having a bit of writer's block so I could be late with it. Thank you all for reading. Until next time!