Author's Note: Written for my best friend's birthday. Enjoy!
Harry was sat on a bench in a courtyard of Hogwarts, his expression tight. "Are you all right?" Draco asked concerned. The brunet gave a short nod. "I doubt that," the blonde drawled and settled beside him. "How about I take you to Madame Pomfrey?" he asked gently.
"No," the lion replied firmly, his pain bleeding into his voice. He gasped and bent double as his pain increased.
"Are you quite certain?" Another quick nod. "Then I'll have to take you to someone I trust," he stated, his hand going to the brunet's arm.
"You can apparate in Hogwarts," Harry gasped. The blonde startled. "I'll explain later, just trust me," he gasped.
"Brace yourself," the blonde cautioned and apparated.
"You should be in school," Severus Snape drawled. Harry's gaze flew to the Potions Master. "You are not hallucinating, I am alive," he stated. "What are you doing here Draco?" he demanded.
"He wouldn't go to Madame Pomfrey," he replied.
"Very well," he drawled with a sigh. "Will you consent to being levitated?" he asked the lion.
"Okay," he gasped.
A few deft flicks of his wand, and Severus had Harry levitating to the spare bedroom and set him down upon the bed. Several further spells and his lips pursed. "You are undergoing an Inheritance," he stated. "However, unless I know the exact nature of what that entails, I cannot properly administer treatment," he continued. "What would help one race would only hinder another," he explained, voice softening. Harry nodded, taking a deep breath. Severus' gaze met that of his godson. "It pains me to say this, but there is one person who would know the information."
"I understand," Draco spoke and left the room with a determined stride.
"Everyone who would know is dead," Harry gasped. "Or ignorant like me."
"Drink this," Severus urged, handing the teen a glass of water. "In the meantime, I can treat some of your underlying health issues."
"That won't help with the pain," he retorted.
"No, but your Inheritance can only be helped by your being in peak health," he countered and set up a row of potions.
"Okay," he breathed, reaching out his hand for the first one.
HPDMHPDMHPDMHPDMHPDMHPDMHPDM
"I should have taken steps," Sirius murmured regretfully.
Harry's gaze flew to the doorway. "Pads?" His godfather was by his side in seconds, linking their fingers together so that he could feel the Animagus' magical signature.
"None of us plan to die," Severus drawled, tone several degrees softer than normal as he saw the afflicted teen's body relax.
"No," Sirius replied, meeting the Slytherin's gaze squarely, "but some are wise enough to take precautions." Severus tilted his head in acknowledgement. Harry let out a pained noise and everyone's attention settled upon him once more. "You're going through your Inheritance Prongslet," he stated.
"Why…now?" he panted.
Sirius stroked his hair gently. "Were you safe on your sixteenth birthday?" His godson shook his head. "Honestly, I think your connection with Voldemort blocked it too," he stated. "You didn't have any of the pre-Inheritance traits that I knew from other Potters," he explained.
"So it's from Dad?" he breathed.
"Yes," he replied stroking his hair again.
"What is he Inheriting?" Draco asked from his place leant against the wall.
"Dragon," Sirius stated. Both Slytherin's eyebrows rose. "The most powerful and ancient of dragons blessed the Potter line centuries ago," he elaborated.
"Why?" the blonde asked.
"She protected eggs at great cost to herself," he explained. "You won't turn into a dragon," he reassured his godson. "What traits you gain tend to depend upon your level of magic."
"Figures," Harry panted.
"Heightened senses, and you might gain some of the physical traits. At first anyway."
"Retractable?" Severus asked curiously.
"From what I know, it's at first, and then when certain instincts are set off, protective, defensive or aggressive," he listed. "In terms of what we can do to help," he spoke. "Very little," he sighed. "Keep him hydrated," he stated.
"What about cooling him down?" Draco asked, expression already concerned at the flush on the lion's face.
Sirius stroked his hand across Harry's cheek and the teen leant into the touch with a sigh. "Warm water would be acceptable, never cool or cold," he added hastily. "And we can't focus upon any given area too long," he stated as he moved his hand from Harry's cheek to his forehead, and then over to his other cheek.
"Minutes or seconds?"
"No longer than a minute, but seconds are better."
"How do you know all this?" the blonde asked softly.
"James was my best friend – and his mother was a Black, she trusted me to keep their family's secrets," he replied, switching to his other hand.
"Come with me Black," Severus ordered. The Animagus' eyebrows rose to his hairline as he turned to the Potions Master. "You can go through what supplements it will be safe to provide him with," he stated. "Draco can look after him for the short time we will be away," he assured. Sirius nodded and rose, following Severus from the room.
Draco approached Harry's bed and settled on the side of it. "I'm sorry I can't make it better," he murmured as he stroked across the lion's forehead.
"That feels good," he breathed with a relieved sigh.
The blonde continued to stroke across the lion's face, switching between forehead and both cheeks. When he felt his hand warming up, he switched to the other. "How hot are you," he murmured, "that my body temperature feels cool?"
By the time he needed to switch back to his original hand, he was aware that the lion's temperature was rising. He bit his lip, wondering whether to summon assistance or not. Harry let out a pained sound and his temperature spiked so hot Draco instinctively lifted his hand for fear of being burnt. "Sirius!"
The Animagus was back in the room and by his godson's side in seconds. "Okay Prongslet?" he asked, holding his hand above the teen's skin to gauge his temperature.
"Hurts," he panted.
"I know," he soothed. His godson's glazed eyes opened. "And I know it feels like you're going to burn up, but I promise you that you won't," he spoke earnestly. "Your body needs the heat."
"Don't want to hurt you," he breathed.
"You won't," he reassured, stroking his hair gently. Severus passed him a vial. "Drink this," he urged, "it'll help." Harry parted his lips.
HPDMHPDMHPDMHPDMHPDMHPDMHPDM
"So what traits did he miss out on?" Draco asked softly, his gaze drawn to the sleeping teen.
"Instincts mostly," Sirius replied. "They all gain heightened senses at this point, but one trait they all have before their Inheritance, is the ability to recognise their mate," he stated. "Whether it does them any good or not is down to the individual in question, but they at least have that advantage over the rest of us."
"What do you mean?"
"James confessed his undying love for Lily regularly," Severus stated. "It was only in our seventh year that she agreed to date him."
The blonde let out an amused huff. "So he could have met his mate and not know it?" he asked softly.
"It's possible," Sirius replied. "But he'll know once he's through it." Harry began to shift. "Just a warning, he'll be more dragon when he wakes up. It will fade, but it depends on what he's dealing with for how long it'll take."
Harry's eyes shot open, his irises glowing bright green. The teen growled, low and threatening. Sirius rose from beside the bed, his hands held out. "We don't want what's yours Prongslet," he spoke, voice soothing. He kept his gaze on the teen, peripherally aware of Severus backing away from the bed. Draco shifted and Harry's hand shot out to grip his wrist. He let out another growl. "We won't touch what's yours," he continued as he backed up another step, jerking his head at the Potions Master when he paused.
"S-" the blonde cut off at a look from the Animagus.
"He won't hurt you," he promised. "He's protecting you from us."
"But-"
"He's not quite in his right mind right now, but he's still Harry," he reassured from the doorway. "If you tell him no, he'll listen," he added before closing the door softly.
Draco stared at the door for a moment before turning his attention back to the teen, whose glowing eyes were disconcertingly rivetted to him. "Harry-"
"Mate," the lion purred, tugging the blonde onto the bed. Draco landed with a soft 'oof', soon finding the brunet snuggled against his side, his face pressed against the side of his neck. "Mate," he repeated, shifting closer until his erection pressed against the blonde.
"Sniff me all you like, but you're not doing more than that," he drawled and ran his fingers through the brunet's wild mane. He let out a rumbling purr, causing Draco to smile. A bit more cat than dragon at the moment, he mused as he continued to run his fingers through his companion's hair. At least now his temperature was comfortable – still higher than his own, but pleasantly so. The rhythm of his fingers, the sound of the brunet's constant purring, combined with Harry's heat against him soothed the blonde until he began to relax, tension leaving his frame in increments.
Once he had completely relaxed, Harry let out a purr of contentment and lifted his head. The brunet closed his eyes and when he opened them, they were no longer glowing. "Sorry," he breathed, blushing, and backed away.
"It could have been a lot worse," Draco replied easily.
He ducked his head. "I understand you wouldn't-" he cut off as the blonde raised his chin until their gazes met.
"I was not opposed to the idea of being your mate," he stated, smiling when the brunet startled, "but to the thought of doing anything physical until I was certain you are truly interested."
"Was the erection not a clue?" he breathed.
The blonde clucked chidingly. "That could have been your hormones or dragon instincts driving you to claim your mate. I want to make sure Harry wants this," he spoke firmly. Harry nodded. "I'm vain enough to want you to say it," he drawled with a smirk.
Harry let out a huff, unable to keep his amusement out of his eyes. He shifted close to the blonde again. "I want to be with you Draco," he stated. "And have for a while now."
The blonde settled a hand on the base of the brunet's back, fingers splayed possessively, and tugged him across that final distance. Harry's gaze flew up to his, startled to find himself pressed against the blonde. "Shall we try this again?" the blonde drawled in a tempting purr, smirking as he felt the brunet's cock harden against him.
"Please," he breathed.
"After all, your dragon instincts will be easier to deal with at school, if you've already claimed me," he murmured, dipping his head for a kiss before the brunet could respond. Harry moaned and pressed himself against the blonde as he responded to the kiss, parting his lips in invitation. Draco wrapped his free hand around the back of the brunet's neck and rolled them so that the slighter teen was beneath him, before pulling back, gasping for breath.
"Draco," he breathed.
"Tell me what you want," he spoke quickly. "How far are you willing to go?" he continued when the brunet's brow scrunched.
The lion licked his lips and Draco groaned softly. "I-" he cut off and blushed. Draco shifted his grip until he cupped the brunet's cheek, stroking the flesh gently with his thumb. "I want as much as you're willing to give me," he stated, cheeks still flaming. "But, um, I especially want to have full sex before we have to go back to school."
"When we run the risk of being interrupted," he finished for the brunet with a smirk. Harry nodded. "How about we start with that?" the blonde tempted, running his fingers over the brunet's torso until they settled on his waist. "And see what else we have time for after?" A flex of Harry's magic and they were both naked. "That's a yes," he purred, and dipped his head for a brief, claiming kiss.
"Don't use a contraceptive charm," Harry urged in a rush.
The blonde shivered. "Whatever you want love," he responded breathily as he cast the spells to clean, stretch and lubricate his dragon. He locked gazes as he settled between the dragon's parted legs. "Are you sure?"
Harry wrapped his legs around the blonde's waist, tugging him until he could feel every inch of the blonde's skin against his own as he possibly could. Draco let out a breathy, wicked chuckle, and stroked his cheek gently before he lined himself up. "This might still be uncomfortable," he warned. "Tell me if it hurts, or you need a moment," he ordered. The brunet nodded rapidly, eyes urging the blonde to hurry. Lips curving in a smile, Draco pressed forward until the head of his cock slid into the brunet, pausing for a moment – both to savour the sensation, and give his dragon a chance to adjust – before he sank into his companion an inch at a time.
Both of them let out a wrecked moan as he sank deep. "Move," Harry gasped. "Draco, please move," he urged.
"I've got you," he soothed, kissing the brunet gently before he set a steady pace, sliding deep with every thrust. Harry let out a litany of pleas, intermingled with moans of the blonde's name. "I won't hurt you," he spoke fiercely as he kept his pace steady.
"I won't break," the brunet whined.
"You haven't had sex before, and I doubt you want to have Severus fix you up from the damage of too vehement sex," he added pointedly, causing his dragon to flush. "Exactly," he drawled, as his hand slid down to wrap around the brunet's weeping cock. "So wet for me," he purred, his breath hot against his dragon's lips. "You can come from just this, can't you?" he continued, voice filled with temptation as he began to stroke. "From the feel of my hand around your cock and my cock claiming your ass."
"Draco!" Harry gasped as he fell over the edge, clenching tight around the blonde, sending him over the edge and milking him of seed.
Draco caught himself on his elbows, panting hard. "I don't know about you," he drawled, "but I can't wait to see what other benefits come from you being a dragon."
Harry let out a breathy laugh and wrapped his shaky arms and legs around the blonde. "What could be better than having you for a mate?" he breathed and leant up to kiss his snake, sweet and claiming.