CHAPTER THREE

Remus nervously charmed himself with a notice-me-not as he left with his potion, water, and a change of clothes. He hoped it would be enough to lose them. Remus felt their gazes on him the whole day, their shoulders just as tense as his.

He tried to get them alone and remind them they were not coming. He also thought about not going to the same location, but it was perfect there. No humans around for hundreds of miles.

He appeared in the clearing and sighed.

The Moon was coming up in about two hours, so he spent some time eating snacks and drinking plenty of water. He felt an anxious energy in his body but nothing like he was used to during a full moon.

Three little pops sounded, and he groaned. They laughed as they ran into the clearing.

"I've told you!"

"Shh!" Kylie snapped. "It's for your own good. The moon is up in 12 minutes."

Remus picked up his potion to drink it and Kylie waved her hand. It disappeared.

"Why did you do that!"

"Do not raise your voice at her." Harry said gazing at him.

"It will interfere with your true form coming to reject the wolf." Kylie said avoiding his eyes.

"I am sorry, Kylie. I am just scared I'll hurt you."

She smiled with a glint in her eye.

"Six minutes." Duds interjected. "Wait until the moon is up and then shift into your tiger."

The three of them shifted into their forms.

The minutes ticked by, and the moon was up. He turned into his tiger and immediately felt pain. The wolf was trying to fight him; but the Potters howled and circled him. He didn't know what they were doing but it was working. Kylie nipped his tail while Duds snapped at his paws.

Then all the sudden the pressure of the wolf was gone.

The rest of that night the Potter pack howled until sleep claimed them.

Remus and the Potter's returned to Hogwarts early the next morning. Harry apparated them right into the kitchens where Minerva was enjoying a quiet cup of tea.

"Shite!" She gasped and then covered her mouth. "Remus! How-

"We weren't sure if it worked when we helped him became an Animagus. But now the wolf doesn't control him." Kylie said happily and hugged Remus.

Duds and Harry were already stuffing their faces and Kylie joined them.

"They have given me something priceless." He told Minerva.

Minerva met his gaze. "Maybe every werewolf out there, Remus."

His eyes widened. "Of course. There are other…factors in this situation but even a chance would be enough for so many infected."

The two professors watched the Potter's laugh and pick apart fudge pies. Looks could be very deceiving.

The next morning Hermione was beside herself with questions. Her little body was almost jumping when Kylie came into the common room.

Kylie immediately left her boys and sat down with her legs over Hermione's lap.

"It worked. Perfectly."

Harry watched on with a frown. He did not like Hermione being told about the inner workings of what they did. He didn't tell Draco anything.

"Duds…what do you think of Kylie sharing things like this with Hermione?"

Duds clapped him on the back. "Harry, that girl lets Kylie lay on top of her to sleep and adores her. You've nothing to worry about. You'd be asking for some pain to try and stop that friendship."

Harry shivered a bit. Maybe it was okay. For now.

Duds flopped down on the sofa and the small first year on the other end blushed before running away.

Duds frowned. "Do I smell or something?"

"No. Not sure what her deal was."

Harry wanted to go find Draco, but Duds seemed a little lonely, so he sat down next to him.

They played a game they made up over the summer; where you put both hands up and light a spark on one finger and you must guess which finger it will be.

Duds was very competitive, but Harry was more intuitive and that made for an intense game.

Eventually other Gryffindors noticed and began to realize the rules of the game.

"Upscale!" Duds insisted. Harry frowned.

"Duds….you know you'll lose."

Duds eyes flashed. "There's a first time for everything Potter."

Harry laughed out loud for the first time his classmates ever saw.

The Potter pair stood up and now the entire body was at play.

Harry easily anticipated Duds moves before he made them.

"You have a tell. That part of your body twitches and that's how I know."

"I don't need your help, Harry!"

Harry smirked and guessed his next three moves.

"I challenge you to a duel!"

"To first blood?"

Duds grinned wide with a nod.

Kylie announced herself as official score keeper. Hermione settled beside her on the now vacant sofa with a notebook.

Harry bowed first and the moment the first spell was about to strike the head boy ran in shouting.

"A Troll has entered the castle! Everyone sit down and listen for your name!"

Harry scanned the common room. No Draco.

"Have you seen Draco?"

Duds shook his head and then Hermione answered.

"He got jinxed. Someone turned his hair pink, and he was trying to sort it out in the bathroom by Potions."

Harry disappeared and found Draco leaning against the sink with tears on his face.

"Draco, come here! There's a troll on the loose!"

He let out a startled scream and Harry saw that he couldn't get all the pink out yet.

"Where did you come from? How did you get in? They hexed the door, and it wouldn't open!"

"I have my ways." Harry stepped over to him and touched his hair.

Draco's face trembled as the pink receded from his blonde locks.

"We've got to go."

The door smashed open the next second and a piece of the wood hit Harry square in the back. Draco caught him as he fell forward gasping.

"Oh Merlin, it's huge, Harry!"

The troll looked around for the noise and then glanced at its feet where Harry and Draco barely made it up to its knees.

"Harry…"

When Harry had his breath back; he turned around and waved his hand.

The troll budged only a little and zeroed in on Harry. With a swing of its club, Harry pushed Draco out of the way as it came down on his left side.

A scream of agony sounded loud enough that the troll brought its club down again. This time Harry was already turning into his Dragon.

He let himself grow as big as the bathroom would allow and breathed his hellfire onto the troll until it was ashes.

Harry heard Draco getting sick in the corner from the awful smell. Draco called his name uncertainly, so Harry shifted back, only partially.

"I can't get the rest…. send Remus to the forbidden forest Draco…"

Harry collapsed in his half dragon form and half human form. He was in a great deal of pain, much of his left side had to be broken.

It was fifteen long minutes before he heard running footsteps.

"Remus…."

"Harry!? Oh Merlin… What's stopping it the shift?"

"My left side…broken. The troll got me with the club."

Remus sent a Patronus to Poppy and brushed the matted hair from Harry's brow.

"It's okay. Minerva's got everything else taken care of. Draco's worried sick about you though."

"As long as his hair isn't pink anymore."

Remus laughed. "Why would it be pink?"

"Someone jinxed him and locked him in the bathroom. I went to find him when the head boy told us about the troll. They are resistant to magic, did you know?"

"Yeah…they are pretty much."

Harry couldn't identify the emotion in his mentor's voice.

Poppy appeared running with a bag in tow.

"Oh, dear me. Mr. Potter, how much pain?"

"About a 5."

"5! Well, maybe it's not that bad then."

Remus whispered in her ear at which she closed her eyes and started the mending process.

"I've never heard of a Dragon Animagus…how unique."

"Well, my hellfire saved Draco." Harry blurted out.

"Hellfire? Tell me, are you venomous also?"

"No idea."

"Never bitten anything?"

"No, I've never even eaten in that form."

"You know, the details on your scales remind me of the elder dragons. The ones directly related to Dinosaurs. Their blood is rumored to have mythical properties."

Harry couldn't offer anything to that because the last bone connected with it's other half which forced his body to shift.

"Harry!"

"Merlin…Remus! What's going on?"

Harry was in a loop of the two parts of his body trying to be whole once more. His magic was confused and lost. Did a tall go with a leg? Did a scale replace a nail?

On the inside just as much was revolting against each other, and Harry did not know how to find his way out.

"Oh god! Harry!"

He could hear them and screaming, which must be his own. Harry tried to search for a center, one or the other, somewhere for like to meet like; it was hopeless. He couldn't do it and he was tired.

"Harry!" Kylie raced and collided with his form. Harry felt her hands pushing against his arms, his feet, but it didn't do anything to help.

"Harry, please come back! You're the protector! Who else is going to watch out for Duds and I? This is you! Harry please!"

Then a warm body against his; calming against the storms.

Harry twisted over and over searching for her voice and when the last word left her lips; it sounded so pained and hopeless. He grasped onto it and finally he rested.

His eyes opened taking in the scene before him. McGonagall, Dumbledore, Kylie, Duds, Remus, and Poppy all stood there was pained and tearful faces.

But next to him was Draco, Harry's body half on his. Looking down at his body he was human against, with slight differences. His nails were claws and he could still feel fire ready at the column of his throat.

Harry stood up and coughed away from everyone. Sure enough, hellfire blew out scorching the trees and underbrush.

"Harry?"

"I'm okay. I think. I'm just glad the pain stopped. My magic and body were out of sync, and I wasn't able to find my way back." Harry explained though it must be obvious at this point. He was just glad his pants were on albeit they were ripped horribly.

Remus suddenly embraced him, pulling Harry's head into his chest.

"I'm sorry I didn't know how to help you." He whispered fervently into his hair.

Harry let Remus carry him back up to the castle at everyone's insistence to let his magic rest.

Poppy kept taking his vitals and scanning him until he finally had enough.

"Leave me be! I'm exhausted!"

Her lips quivered. "Okay, but you yell if you need me. For anything at all."

Harry thought the sincerity and sentiment was odd since he didn't know her well. All he knew was he was alone and tired. He was brought to the infirmary and put in a bed and told to stay there. Normally he would rebel just to be consistent but truly he was never this tired in his life.

Sleep was just out of reach though because of Draco. How was he able to stop it? The door opened and then there was a dip in his bed.

"Shh…just go to sleep." His voice said barely a breath.

"How-

"Sleep, Harry. For once just listen to someone."

And with Draco's warmth next to him; he couldn't fight if he wanted too.

The morning brought pain. His body was sore beyond any training or workouts he'd done. Draco was gone and a tray of food sat next to his bed.

He ate slowly, testing his stomach and noticed his nails turned back to human at some point in his sleep. He didn't feel the hellfire anymore either.

The door opened to the infirmary and Dumbledore strode in. He had an indescribable look on his face; but Harry still bristled. He was back to himself, and he would not be bullied by anyone.

"Harry, first let me say that I'm very glad you are no longer in pain. It was one of the most sorrowful things I've ever witnessed."

Harry frowned. "How do you mean?"

Albus sighed, finding it hard to explain such a thing.

"The way you cried and screamed was wrenching Harry. I'm not sure any description will be enough to explain it. It was also horrifying because none of us, save Mr. Malfoy could help you. We tried everything. Stunning you, immobilizing you, even restraining you, but they all had no effect. Your cousins were near inconsolable. I truly mean it when I say I hope you never go through something like that again. I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy."

Harry mulled that over. "Very well. I will not let it happen again."

Albus blinked. "It is not your fault or failing, Harry. You were incredibly brave and loyal."

"Why do you say loyal?"

"None of us were harmed by your hellfire and there were many times you expelled it."

Harry shook his head. "Then it wasn't hellfire. In the beginning it was normal fire, but as I matured in my form it changed. Hellfire is a force that is not changeable. It either is or isn't."

Albus didn't know what to make of that and instead moved on.

"It is my hope that you will continue your bedrest for a couple more days. Miss and Mr. Potter are taking today off and will return to classes tomorrow and get your things. Is there anything I can do for you? Or get you?"

Harry regarded him for a moment.

"Are you a mind reader?"

Albus was not prepared for that question and hesitated.

"Well, I would appreciate it if you stayed out of my head. It's rather rude, don't you agree?"

"I'm not sure why you would think that, but I do not read students minds."

"Then why did I feel you brush against my mind when you entered?"

"I am not sure. But it was not me, Harry."

Harry did not believe him but let it rest.

"There is nothing I need. I want to go outside for a time, but I do think I should mostly rest."

Albus wanted to insist, but after watching Harry at length he knew nothing would come of it.

"I hope you recover well, Harry."

Harry finished off his food and orange juice before showering. His body was the same, but it felt odd. As if it was not his own. He could feel his hands washing but there was a certain disconnect.

Once he was dressed, he went to the grassy area near the lake. Something about the breeze blowing off the water was calming.

He ended up dozing against a tree and woke when the sun began to beat down on him. Harry trudged up to the infirmary and saw a cluster of people discussing heatedly.

"Harry! Where have you been?" Poppy immediately pressed.

"By the lake relaxing. I wanted to be outside, and I fell asleep."

Kylie and Duds entered the wing and wrapped him up in a tight hug. He let himself breathe in their familiar scent for a long time. Neither of them seemed to mind and the room hushed.

When they finally separated Harry asked after Draco.

"He's being strange. Won't talk to anyone at all."

Harry asked Kylie if he might be mad at him.

"I don't see why. You saved his life!"

"I want to try and shift."

They looked uncertain but Harry knew he had to try at some point.

"Maybe you should wait after more rest?" Kylie suggested, wringing her hands. It was a nervous gesture he never saw her do before. That made him agree.

Harry stayed in the wing again that night, mostly because he hoped Draco would come back. Midnight came and went but Draco didn't show. Sleep wouldn't come either and he felt unbearably sad as well.

The door opened and Draco slid into bed with him.

"Sleep, Harry."

"Why are you avoiding me during the day?"

He turned to face Harry with a grave face. "My parents are very angry with me. They do not want me to…be gay. They've forbidden it."

"Umm you know they can't actually do that, right? How will they enforce that?"

That never occurred to Draco.

"Just ignore them. They'll come around or lose you. It's that simple, Draco, plus you'll always have me."

Draco pulled him into an embrace and kissed him. It was only Harry's third kiss ever but strangely different. Before there was warmth; but now heat touched his body. He found himself kissing Draco with more feeling than before and Draco gasped. Harry felt that he needed something but didn't know what. His hands felt like they were burning, and Draco made pleased sounds that urged him to do more, touch more.

Then it clicked. The Dragon was present. He wanted more; to mate with Draco or possibly to mark him. The need now that it was known was overpowering. It was not overtly sexual for Harry but very territorial. His lips left Draco's and his teeth sank into the flesh of his neck. Euphoria entered his body as his blood met his tongue. Draco whimpered and clutched Harry's body to his.

Harry pulled away and the strange urges left his body.

When his eyes met Draco's they were glowing gold.

"What just happened?" Harry asked.

"I…don't know. It didn't even hurt me. Let's…just go to sleep."

That seemed the logical thing to do so they curled up and drifted easily.

A/N:Thank you for the reviews! One thing I wanted to clarify is I was mistaken on Dudleys age. He was also born in 1980 according to Canon and I thought he was a year younger. For the sake of this story he'll be a year younger to make it plausible for Kylie's age. Apologies on that. Also I am interested to know if my 3rd person is making sense and is logical, regardless of my plot. The next chapter will be longer. Also does anyone know Dudley's canon middle name? I could not find it anywhere. - mayajane