Ghost at the end of the table

by SweetSalt23

Harry stared, even though he tried not to, his eyes constantly going back to the ghost that sat at the end of the seventh-year table. He felt something in his chest as he took in the mere shadow of a person who for years had always had his attention. This attention was vastly different however, the feelings fluttering in Harry' chest unfamiliar when it came to the new Draco Malfoy.

5. Chapter 5

Warning: NONE

Pairing: MxM

Disclaimer: NOT MINE READ BEGINNING CHAPTERS

O0O

Chapter 5

Harry paused at the doors of the Great Hall, anxious. He had woken up last night from his nightmare screaming, his heart nearly pounding out of his chest. Luckily no one had heard him, thanks to the silencing charms that he had layered over his room. Now, standing in front of the double doors, he felt an itch under his skin. The uncomfortable feeling that he didn't belong in his own body, that he was disjointed, disconnected, divided in himself.

Anxiety welled up at the bottom of his stomach, slowly working its way around and leaving burning heat behind. Sweat started to drip down his back, his skin clammy. Just as it became too much, he felt a hand on his shoulder, panic filling his throat as he whirled around and pushed the other person off him with magic. He froze when he saw a flash of platinum blonde hair, immediately reaching forward in the next instance and grabbing Draco's hand while words spilled from his mouth. "Merlin, I am so sorry Draco! I-I am just really out of it! And I d-don't like being surprised! And I-." He sputtered, squeezing the blondes fingers tight as he started to pant in fear of the Slytherin leaving. Just as he drew in a breath to continue the other man broke in.

"Harry!" Draco snapped, his voice loud. "Stop! It's fine!" He said, his voice slowly going back to its normal levels as he saw the crazed look in the Gryffindors eyes gradually begin to disappear. Draco sighed, watching the tension ease out of the other man. "It was my fault for startling you. I didn't expect for you to react like that and I apologize." The man's eyes roamed over the Gryffindor, frowning at what he saw. It made Harry nervous. The Gryffindor swallowed and shifted; body restless.

"No! I should! I pushed you…" Harry trailed off, glancing down. As his eyes reached the floor he realized how hard he was gripping the other man's fingers as hot tingles made its way up his arm. He gasped and dropped the blonde's hands, taking a quick step back as a blush erupted across his cheeks. "Oh, Merlin. I don't know what is wrong we me today…" He glanced away and crossed his arms, squeezing hard to try to trap the bubbling anxiety inside. "Sorry…" He felt his own skin burn from the touch of the Slytherins hands, trying to hold the feeling closer while also trying to rid himself of it.

Harry felt a tentative hand on his shoulder and he glanced up, searching the blondes closed off face. He saw nothing, which was strange as he could read the blonde on his worst day. However, no emotion was forthcoming, and he shivered, nerves lighting across his skin.

"Harry, it is fine. I startled you. Now, time to eat before we miss breakfast all together." With that he let his hand drop and he walked forward, assuming the Gryffindor would follow. He was right of course, but Harry still paused before falling into step behind him. They walked silently to the end of the table, ignoring the ever-ongoing stares and whispers.

Harry sighed and fell onto the bench, leaning forward and resting his head on his arm. He felt fatigued and mentally exhausted, the day already shaping up to be an awful one. He allowed himself to float in his mind, uncaring at what was going on around him. He startled when he felt a hand on his, knowing it was Draco from the intense heat that sparked up from the skin to skin contact. He raised his head and squinted, seeing the light concern in the others expression. "Yes?"

Draco hummed, staring before pushing a coffee mug to the Gryffindor. "I think today should be a different day don't you think?" He asked conversationally, sipping from his own cup as his eyes pierced through the man beside him. "Something a little more pleasing."

Harry blinked in confusion, sitting a little straighter as a million thoughts went through his head. "Like what?" He asked, his voice low as he waited for an answer. He was surprised when the blonde flashed him a small smile, the expression slightly mischievous before it disappeared underneath a cold mask.

"Want me to show you the Black library?" Draco asked, raising on slim eyebrow. He chuckled when the Gryffindor perked up, the shadows in his eyes dimming. He stood before the man could answer, already knowing what he wanted. "Well, then. Ready to go?"

"I am right behind you."

O0O

Harry hummed and bounded down the castle stairs, the sun overcast as dark clouds boiled above. "You are the smartest man alive you are." He wandlessly and wordlessly casted a warmth spell, not wanting the blonde to fade in the deep chill of the morning. "Now, let's go!"

Draco shook his head slightly, walking at a more sedated pace from the Gryffindor in front of him. "I am shocked that McGonagall gave you permission to leave much less me." He sighed, raising his head as he stared at the looming storm above. "Them again, you are the Chosen One."

"You know I hate that name." Harry grumbled, waiting for the blonde to fall into step beside him. "I don't call you the Ice Prince." He gently bumped the Slytherins shoulder, grinning. "I just call you Draco." He muttered, a blush glowing high on his cheeks as he glanced away from the blonde. Out of embarrassment he quickly ran forward and through the gates of Hogwarts, reaching out a hand when he stopped. "The only real way to do this is Side-along. The wards are keyed for me to enter." Harry kept his arm outstretched, nerves shivering down his spine as he waited.

Draco nodded, pausing in front of the other man. His eyes glanced up and down from Harry's hand to his face, an unreadable expression gracing his porcelain like features. After a moment of hesitation the blonde slowly reached forward, sliding his fingers across Harrys and causing him to gasp. Draco froze, eyes snapping up and piercing the Gryffindor with a sharp gaze. He frowned, cocking his head to the side and pressing the tips of his fingers into Harry's palm before gingerly interlocking their hands together.

Harry swallowed thickly, the raw heat coming from their skin igniting up his arm. He cleared his throat before he tried to speak, looking off to the right as he felt warmth prickle all over his body. "L-Let's go…." His grip tightened before the feeling of a hook in his navel wrenched at him.

A moment later he slammed into the floor of his living room, flat on his back as Draco blinked down at him from above. Harry flushed from head to toe, bolting up as embarrassment surged through him. "You did not see that!" He growled, about to turn away when he heard Draco laugh. He froze, staring at the chuckling blonde as they man bent over and wheezed. "Draco?" He whispered, the beautiful husky sound booming across the room. Harry's arm went loose at his side, drinking in the sight of the other man getting lost in his amusement.

"I-I am so sorry, Harry. However, s-seeing you like that j-just pushed me over." Draco took a deep breath, trying to regain his cold mask. "Give me a moment, please." He turned away and wiped tears from his eyes, pausing when he saw the gorgeous living space in front of him. "Merlin, Harry. This is amazing. Nothing like what it used to be." He slowly walked forward, forgetting about how he had lost his mask as he ran his fingers over the rick upholstery that filled the room. "Where is all the old Black furniture? All of this is completely new as far as I can tell."

Harry shook himself, promising to collect the memory of the blonde laughing and to store it in a pensive. "It is all in the attic. I didn't dare throw any of it out, what with how old some of it is. I didn't want to get rid of something valuable. Also, the house of Black is tied to the house of Malfoy. If I did not want any of it, you might." Harry shrugged, smiling as Draco whipped around to stare at him, the small expression of surprise easy to read after so many years of watching. "If you would like, you can enter the attic and see if there is anything you want. I don't mind. We could also wait until a later date."

Draco nodded slowly, straightening as he began to walk out of the living room. "Yes, later would be grand. Now, for what I really wanted to show you." He turned a corner and continued on, the layout of the house the same, but the interior a world away. "I really do love how this place looks, Harry. It was a shame that the house fell to such disrepair after my Great Aunt died."

"Oh, yes…her. Well, she is up in the attic. Couldn't banish the portrait or the house would never let me back inside." Harry sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I wasn't the one who decorated. It was actually a team who came through. Even after all these months it's still strange to see that the place is actually livable now."

Draco nodded at that, walking briskly down the stairs, his hand trailing along the dark wood banister. "Yes, it is quite lovely. I would very much enjoy spending my time here."

Harry paused, heat and warmth lashing up his body. He ignored it as he dashed down the stairs after the blonde, reaching forward quickly and grabbing the man's hand. He squeezed the Slytherins fingers tightly, glancing up from beneath his lashes and shivering at the spark between them. "Well, I come here on weekends. If you would like to join me you are more than welcome too….." He muttered, cheeks flushed and voice soft as he stared at the cold mask that Draco always hid behind. "It would be a nice change of pace, don't you think?"

Draco froze, his eyes sharp. After a moment he slowly released the tension in his shoulders, a very small smile gracing his lips before his expression closed off once more. "If you would not mind the company." He muttered, voice monotone and bland. He turned his wrist and pressed his palm into Harrys, retracting quickly and continuing down the stairs before Harry had time to process what happened.

Harry gaped before a wide grin spread across his lips, rubbing his chest with the hand that tingled with warm fire. "Good…." He whispered before he jumped the rest of the way down and landed beside the blonde. He giggled at the man's expression, fondness bubbling from deep in his stomach. "Now, show me this library."

Draco huffed, rolling his eyes before stepping toward a blank, cream colored wall. "It is here. At least, this is where I remember it being." He shrugged one shoulder and cocked his head, drawing his wand and tracing down the wall with the tip. Just as he raised it again they both heard a click, the wall peeling away and showing a wooden door behind. Draco sighed, placing his hand on the wood and muttering under his breath. "Hic jacet in knowlegde nobilis est, et pura domus atra. Permisit intrare secum qui in sanguine tuo."

Harry stared, not understanding what the blonde said as the door clicked and opened. "What did you say?" He asked, distracted from what he could see of the library. "Was that Latin?"

"It was." Draco slid his wand into his shoulder hostler and shrugged. "It means, 'Here lies the knowledge of the noble and pure house of black. Allow entry to the one who carries your name in their blood.' I remember that my mother would recite that when she talked about the library. I assumed it was the key to get inside." Draco pushed the door wide and slowly ventured in, the hush of the library resounding.

Harry followed and gaped, turning as he stared at the floor to ceiling bookcases that filled the room. "Merlin, there has to be thousands of books in here!" He quickly walked toward the raised daisied in the middle of the room, amazed that there wasn't a speck of dust or rot in sight. "This is incredible!" He flipped the papers of the ledger that sat open on the wooden podium, humming when he felt the magic from the parchment spark along his skin. "This is apparently how we find the books we need." He quickly slid his wand loose and pressed it into the pages, clearing his throat. "Magic compatibility!" He gasped when a flash of light erupted beside him, a small pile of books sitting peacefully on the short wood table beside the ledger. "This is so awesome."

Harry grinned and flicked his wand again, laughing when another pile of books popped up beside him. He quickly reached for it and hurried toward where Draco was standing near the first bookshelf, the door beside him closed. "Here. You'll like these." He dumped the pile into the blondes arms, ignoring the man's glare. "Trust me."

Draco rolled his eyes, shifting the books and raising an eyebrow at the title. "'Healing Incantations for the beginning arts of the lunar cycle'. Harry, really?" Even as he huffed, he strode toward the pair of armchairs in the middle of the round room, falling into the seat and flipping through the pages without another word.

Harry grinned and flicked his wand, warmth filling the space around them. "10 points to Gryffindor." He snorted at himself and fell into the other seat, dragging the pile of his own books towards him. He quickly became lost, a pad of parchment and a pen appearing at his arm as he started to take notes. They sat there for hours, each lost in their own world. Harry hummed, scratching away notes as he read up on magic compatibility. As he reached the end of one of the books he frowned, suddenly sitting up straighter. "Draco."

"Hm?"

"Draco!" Harry pushed himself up, excitement stirring. "Here! Look at this!" He pushed the book into the blonde's hand, knocking the other book onto the floor. "Read this passage. If this is true, we could make each other stronger with the flow of our magic!" He shoved Draco to the side, sliding into the open space on the love seat and pointing at the paragraph he wanted to blonde to read. "I don't know if it is true, but it explains how to go about it! Interesting, right?" He grinned, pressing his side against Draco's and nearly bouncing in excitement. "If we tried this and it worked, could you imagine?" He suddenly leaned down, not noticing how wide the other man's eyes were as he invaded the blonde's space. "I would love to find out how pretty your magic is." Harry blurted out, before it dawned on him how truly close the other man was.

Within moments a hot blush erupted down his neck and up his face, the smell of the Slytherin warm and heavy. Harry's eyes fluttered closed before snapping open, pupils slightly dilated as the blonde's scent filled the space around them. "Draco…" He muttered unconsciously, his voice sounding faraway to his own ears as his focus tunneled to the man beside him. He took a deep breath in, the scent of crushed jasmine and heady vanilla filling his lungs. He nearly moaned, never having been close enough before to really understand the essence of scent that wafted off the blonde's clothes, hair, and skin. "Merlin…" He whispered before he froze, staring at the wide eyes of the Slytherin. Panic and confusion filled Harrys chest, causing him to jump off the seat in a rush. "S-Sorry…..tell me what you think after reading the book."

Harry quickly walked away, falling into the chair at the other end of the room and turning his back to the blonde. He grabbed a random book and threw it into his lap, his eyes unseeing as he fought internally with himself. After several long drawn out moments, he heard the blonde clear his throat before the sound of turning pages filled the room. Harry slowly relaxed as he realized the Slytherin didn't comment on his strange behavior.

Merlin, what is wrong with me.

O0O

Several Hours later

Harry sighed, closing the book and leaning his head back on the arm of the chair he sat on. "I think we should call it a day." He groaned and cracked his neck, sighing as he stood and stretched. "It's already late. Might as well spend the night here." Harry turned, facing the blonde for the first time since his earlier blunder and following plight. His breath stuttering in his chest as the blonde's eyes locked with his, the air suddenly warmer. "W-Would that be alright?" Harry asked, clearing his throat and turning to put the books away. "It is a bit late to go wandering around the castle."

"As long as I am not intruding." Draco said, rising from his seat and placing his book on the side table. "I finished that book you practically threw at me. It was an immersive read. It would be interesting to see if some of it holds any truth." Draco leaned forward, tapping the Gryffindor on the hand and ignoring the literal spark that was caused by skin on skin contact. "Show me to my quarters and we can discuss this more tomorrow?"

Harry nodded, swallowing as heat flooded down his body. "Y-Yeah….." Harry flushed hotly, shaking his head before heading out the door. "Your room will be next to mine. It will make it easier if you need anything. Since, you know, I don't have any house elves." He shrugged, smiling when he heard Draco snort. "Oh, hush you." He walked up the stairs, quickly going to the door beside his. "Here you are. In the morning I will cook us breakfast so don't worry too much."

Draco nodded, walking into his room before turning. "Thank you, Harry. For letting me stay."

Harry grinned, leaning against the door frame. "I like your company, so it isn't painful on my part." Harry glanced at Draco from below his lashes, the strange feeling from before swimming up his stomach. "Good night, I will see you in the morning." The Gryffindor turned, not waiting for a reply as he rushed to his room and shut the door.

He leaned against it and sighed, frowning as the strange feelings of fondness and warmth gradually abated the longer he stood there. "What in Merlin….." He muttered, glaring at the ceiling before pushing off and stripping for bed. "Just need sleep, that's all." Harry quickly got undressed for bed, throwing himself into the mattress and burrowing under the furred blankets. He sighed, melting into the soft fabric and mounds of pillows.

He sniffed and shoved himself farther into the pillows, throwing his wand onto the nightstand beside him. "Just need some sleep…." He muttered, determined to do just that. It took less than an hour for slumber to steal him away, the shadows above watching as he slept.

O0O

Harry groaned and rolled over, rubbing his eyes as he heard soft knocking on his door. He blinked, confused at where he was before he shot up and threw the covers off. "Coming!" He shouted, rushing to the door and throwing it open. "Sorry, Draco. I didn't mean to oversleep." Harry ran a hand through his hair, holding the door open as he tried to shake the drowsiness that plagued him whenever he woke up. "You need anything?" He asked, rubbing his eyes and blinking.

Draco just stared, his eyes wide as his gaze traveled down the Gryffindors body before shooting off to the side and fixed on the door. "Nothing, just wondering when breakfast would be served." He asked, his cheeks a light pink color. "I also suggest putting some clothes on before heading down." He muttered; voice bland except for the small undercurrent of amusement. "Wouldn't want you to cook breakfast naked."

Harry frowned before glancing down, immediately throwing the door closed in sheer horror and embarrassment. He heard Draco laugh and he cursed, shooting a finger at the door before heading to the bathroom to drown himself in the shower.

O0O

Harry hummed as he cracked eggs into a bowl, the kitchen bright as he cooked dinner. All the appliances around him was fueled by magic, the sleek black matching well with the emerald and gold themed kitchen. The white counters and wooden accents helped give off a warm feeling, the kitchen large with an island in the middle. Draco sat at the island and watched the Gryffindor cook, the wooden highchairs fitting neatly underneath the counters lip.

"I didn't know you could cook." Draco commented, mask still firmly in place as he followed the Gryffindors movements with his eyes. "Do you bake as well?" He asked, the light questioning lilt in his voice giving away his curiosity. "I have never tried myself. The elves cook for us."

Harry shrugged, the awful memories from before welling up. With practiced ease he strangled them and pushed them down, not once showing on his face what his mental state was doing. "I enjoy it now, now that I do it for myself. I never really enjoyed doing it for other people."

"Not even Granger or Weasley?"

"Not even then." Harry poured the eggs into the pan and started to stir them around with cubes of cold butter. "I don't like it when people ask or comment on why I cook. Hermione and Ron don't really know and I haven't told anyone the what, why or how." Harry turned and left the pan as he grabbed a pack of bacon and began layering it on the small grill beside him.

"What about me than? You don't seem to angry with me asking questions."

Harry paused, his back toward the blonde as a hot blush erupted across his face. "You're different…." He muttered as he began platting things and sliding one in front of the Slytherin. He could feel the man's eyes on him but he refused to look up, instead heading toward the fridge and grabbing two glasses of juice. "Here."

He grabbed a seat beside the blonde, glancing at the other man as he began to eat. "Good?" He asked, sipping from his glass. "I didn't have much here, so sorry for that." He smiled as the blonde huffed, the man devouring the food as if his life depended on it. "Want more?" Harry asked, outright laughing when the Slytherin glared. "Alright, alright. Calm yourself."

They ate in silence for a few moments before Draco spoke up, wiping his mouth with a napkin. "Are you ready to explore more of the library?" He asked, finishing off his glass before standing. "I am excited to read more of the magical aspects of compatibility. Also, let us find some things to help the Minister with the campaigns you want brought to life. I bet that this library has books that are no longer in circulation. Might give us some insight on the matter of why and how the Darker creatures rights were revoked."

Harry nodded, surprised at how 'awake' the other man was. He shrugged and didn't comment, wondering again if other things could make the man more aware. He decided to have some fun and try something on his list. With a smirk he followed the blonde, closing the door behind him. "So, where do we start?"

Draco hummed and walked through the library door toward the ledger, tapping it with his wand and immediately grabbing the books that appeared. "I think we should start with the laws first and then go to the fun stuff. Also, I assume you have a practice room?"

Harry nodded absently, sitting on the loveseat and conjuring a pad of paper and pen. "Yes, I do. Its actually down the hall from here." He said absentmindedly, grabbing the book that the blonde handed him. He blinked when the man kept a hold of it, glancing up and locking eyes with the Slytherin. "What?"

"Tonight, lets try what we read in the book." Draco muttered, his eyes blazing and causing Harry's heart to start pounding. "You wanted to see how pretty my magic was right?" He whispered, voice soft. Harry froze at what the man had said, embarrassment filling him at what he had blurted out the other night. He opened his mouth, not sure what he would even say when the blonde interrupted him. "I've seen yours, time and time again. However, you're hiding it now. Why?"

Harry tensed, every instinct screaming at him to run as the other man leaned down to get right into his face. He gasped and leaned back, dropping the book onto his lap. "W-What are you t-talking about? I'm n-not hiding anything!" Harry stuttered, panic swirling. He raised his hands, about to push the Slytherin off when Draco quickly grabbed his hands and interlocked their fingers. Harry nearly moaned, the amount of skin to skin contact rendering him speechless.

"What are you hiding? If you don't want to tell me, then fine. However, for someone who went through the trouble to break through my multiple barriers, you sure are keeping me at an arm's length." Draco muttered, squeezing the Gryffindors fingers as he saw how tense the other man was. "You told me to trust you. Can you trust in me as well then?"

Harry sucked in a sharp breath, confusion warring with the panic and fear at the man seeing what his magic looked like. "W-Why? Why do you suddenly want to see so badly?" He whispered, broken in the face of the blonde's determination. No one had wanted to know him, to trust him, as strongly as the man did right now. It floored him. To suddenly eat breakfast, then going straight into such a deep conversation made him reel. He knew on some level that the blonde would have timed it this way so he couldn't get up and run. Even that confused him. "We barely even know each other."

"In that, you are wrong. I think I know you better than must. Watching you all this time, gave me more information than you think." Draco leaned down, eyes focused and clear like raw sea glass. "Yesterday morning when you forced me away. I saw it, the way black flickered at the edge of your magic."

Harry stopped breathing; his body frozen as he heard the blonde mutter in front of him.

"It is gorgeous, Harry. I want to know why, to help you figure out why. You've been hiding all this time, I know you don't know the what's of your magic anymore. You helped me, with what little time we have spent together. Let me help you." Draco mask suddenly slipped, showing the earnest honesty beneath. "Please, Harry."

At that, Harry broke.

O0O

Harry fidgeted as the blonde hummed, his eyes burning from unshed tears as he poured out everything he knew about his tainted magic. He felt strung out and tired, leaning against the chair arm as the blonde scratched some words on a pad of parchment beside him.

"So, it was after you had…..died?" Draco muttered, his words strained before his expression flattened out to his regular smooth mask. "This might actually answer some of the questions you have, but ill have to check in the Malfoy library." He muttered, suddenly leaning to the side and grabbing Harry's hand. "Now, show me."

Harry jumped, the shock from the other man touching him causing heat to spread through his body. "S-Show you?" He asked, confused even as his cheeks flushed bright.

Draco turned to him with a frown, shaking the mans hand up and down from the hold he had on his wrist. "Your magic. Show me. I know you have plenty of ambient magic to release." He shook Harry's hand again, smiling slightly when the man chuckled.

"Sure, don't be too surprised though. I haven't trained all week, so it will look worse than what it actually is." Harry sighed and closed his eyes, releasing the tether he had on his magic and smirking when Draco gasped. "It's a lot. Sorry, not sorry." He muttered, blinking his eyes and smiling softly at the orbs and wisps floating around him. The space filled with different color lights, every orb and wisp edged with black.

He glanced around him, used to how his own magic looked when his gaze fell on the man beside him. His heart squeezed at the sight of the blonde's amazement, the man reaching up and grabbing a bobbing ball of pure white magic. He saw the way that Draco's own essence started to float off his skin, gold light slowly absorbing into the white of Harrys own ambient mist. Harry stared, watching the way a large smile stretched across the Slytherins face. It caused his heart to beat faster, the peace of the moment shattering as confusion slowly started to war inside.

Harry stared, frowning as his felt the odd mix of fondness and affection fill his stomach. Just like how it does every time he was around the blonde. Every time I am near Draco…. Harry thought, slowly piecing things together as he heard the deep timber of the blondes laugh. Near Draco…. Harry slowly sat up, turning his body more fully toward the Slytherin. Do I….do I like Draco? No, I am straight...….I can't….. Harry froze as the blonde turned to him, pressing them together chest to leg as the blonde lifted the ball of their combined magical essence.

"Look, Harry! It's so pretty…." Draco muttered, a soft smile making his usually cold mask fall into pieces. "It's gorgeous, isn't it?" He asked, not waiting for an answer as he lifted the orb back up and allowed it to float back with the others.

Fuck, I like Draco Malfoy.

O0O

Sorry this took so long! Had a bit of a hard time the past two weeks. but it is here! The next chapter is about half way done so lets hope i can post it soon! From here on out it will be a very slow romantic build for Harry, so don't expect anything immediately. Im excited though because after this there will be more suspense and action! Also bonding...cause that shit is so cute. Thank you guys so much for reading! See you next time around!