Author's Note: Okay, so I knooow this is really short, but I will update again very soon, think 'days' soon. Promise. And also, think of this as a segue for the next chapter. Hehe. Also, I'd like to thank cathartic for helping me write a lot of this chapter; you guys should definitely check out her Drarry, Obscure (under our joint account ImSuperSiriusGuys), if you haven't already, because it's wonderful. All right. Enjoy.

- Chapter 26 -

Harry rubbed distractedly at his neck as he sat outside late Sunday evening alone on an aged, wrought iron bench. The sky was layered a deep orange and red over the forbidden forest, the treeline roughly ten yards away. He blinked a few times rapidly when his vision blurred the words to the book he was reading, the one Hermione had given him for Christmas. He scrubbed unconsciously at his hair as he continued to read the chapter on mating, hoping it would explain in detail how it was supposed to feel. He just couldn't shake the feeling that something wasn't right.

The dark-haired wizard didn't know what exactly he'd thought mating with Draco would feel like, probably because he'd avoided thinking about it at all cost, but he had assumed it would feel more... definite. Instead he'd just felt restless and agitated ever since the blond had bitten him two days before, the bite having shifted from burning and euphoric to something else he couldn't place; promising, or uncertain - maybe? Did that make sense?

Harry groaned, and he closed achy eyes when they blurred again, setting the book down. He needed to talk to Draco about it, and he couldn't help but think it was going to be incredibly awkward. They hadn't even addressed their bonding officially yet.

He pushed his glasses up, black rims brushing an equally dark fringe as he scrubbed closed eyes with his knuckles, feeling exhausted.

A howl pierced the quiet air, and then two more sounded in reply from further away, and the wizard's hand jerked away from his face, green eyes opening sharply in response. He pulled his black hoodie up more around his neck to keep out the chilled air as he double-checked the moon cycle to confirm its crescent shape and then glanced around the darkening grounds that were now bare of wizards excepting himself.

The moon drifted behind a stray cloud in the darkening sky, and a cold breeze swept over the forest. The unsteady limbs of a long-dead tree tremored, and Harry felt a chill run down his spine, an uneasy feeling taking root. He glanced over to the castle, which suddenly seemed much further away, and then down to the ground between his feet.

He watched a black spider crawl hurriedly over the blades of grass as a dark feeling came over him, his eyes narrowing slightly in thought.

Draco was supposed to have met up with him an hour ago. Harry pulled the letter from his pocket he'd received earlier that day from the blond, double-checking the time, and black brows slowly pulled down, his lips following, as he realized something just then about the note he'd not noticed before in his hurry.

Draco stood up, and his vision swam a little, everything swaying, and his thoughts followed the dizzying motion. His left arm pressed against the wall for support as he took in a shallow breath. He'd been feeling progressively worse ever since the hospital wing visit. He gave his head a shake, and smoothed down his wrinkled shirt.

He needed to find Harry, he didn't know why, but he did.

The green flames in the fireplace started roaring more loudly, and he could feel the pressure uncomfortably squeezing against his eardrums. Or maybe they hadn't gotten louder. What was that rushing sound?

"-aco. Draco. Are you okay?"

Draco weakly pushed away from the hand stretched out toward him, and moved from the wall, trying to find the door. Where was he again? Grey eyes squinted and then looked around, everything was spinning. Odd...

"Draco? Get Madam Pomfrey, Pansy, hurry."

The tall blond frowned. He was fine. He didn't need to see her again. He took a step forward, and then fell against something hard—

Thoughts?