I know I said this chapter would be uploaded quickly, but I lied lol. Sorry! Life happened and I actually ended up moving suddenly, so I've been doing that.
Nevertheless, the story shall continue—next chapter is going to fun :D
Thanks for reading and commenting! I love seeing everyone's reactions to scenes XD
Xxxx -DxH- xxxX
...Eggs...
"..."
...Milk...
"..."
...Bread...
A blonde brow twitched.
...Instant coffee...pancake mix...
Draco flung his covers off and sat up, glaring at the bed across from him.
"Merlin's beard—would you shut up?!"
A mound underneath the covers shuffled around a bit—hand reaching from under the covers to grasp blindly for the glasses sitting on the bedside table. Harry finally sat up—glasses askew and raven hair even more unruly than usual.
"...You could hear that?"
"Yes, I could hear it," Draco snapped. "Why the bloody hell are you making a mental shopping list at 3 o'clock in the bloody morning?!"
"Well thanks to somebody, I can't sleep," Harry groused back. "And nobody asked you to read my thoughts!"
"You think I want to?! Merlin knows what goes on in that idiotic brain of yours. I shudder to think what's going to happen to mine after being connected to it for so long!"
Harry merely scowled. It wasn't his fault that he had to conjure a mental grocery list in the middle of the night just to keep his thoughts from straying back to the mortifying scene that had happened earlier in the bath. He'd much rather have Malfoy hear him thinking about bread and butter instead of...well, what he had been caught thinking about at that moment.
Which, to point out, wasn't his fault. He just happened to look at that particular region of Malfoy's body because Malfoy had brought it up. And the train of thought that had followed was completely innocent….Even if it sounded differently to the annoying blonde who was currently going off on some tangent.
Harry really couldn't be bothered to care for what Malfoy had to say at the moment though. Every fiber of his being was concentrating on maintaining a clear mind.
No thoughts, no distractions.
At least the grocery list idea seemed to be working so far. If the only thing Malfoy had to complain about was hearing random groceries in his head, Harry figured that suffering through the residual complaining was better than the sheer mortification of letting his mind wander and realizing that Draco was listening to his accidental thoughts.
Not, Harry reminded himself, that he had be thinking of anything indecent earlier in the bath. This was Malfoy we were talking about after all. What was there to get excited about?
"…and furthermore—why in Merlin's name do we even have to be in the same room, anyways? Maybe this stupid mind link thing only works if we're so close to each other? Did those moronic healers ever think of that? Hm?"
Oh, apparently Malfoy was still ranting.
Harry rolled his eyes, tossing his glasses back onto the nightstand and burrowing back under the covers.
"Hey, I was still talking," Draco snapped.
And I'm not listening anymore… Harry replied mentally.
Xxxx -DxH- xxxX
Morning couldn't come soon enough for either wizard, yet both found themselves groaning when they were awoken by a loud voice strolling into their room early the next day.
"Gooooooood morninggggggggg! How are my favorite patients doing?"
Harry groaned, lifting his head far enough off his starched pillow to squint at the new figure in the wing.
"Harry! Good to see you. How are you doing this fine morning?" Healer Davies grinned widely, flanked by several nurses that strolled into the room behind him.
Harry swallowed the sound of annoyance bubbling up in his chest and rubbed tiredly at his eyes. What time was it anyways? It felt like he had just fallen asleep.
Davies grinned as Harry sluggishly donned his glasses, muffling a yawn. "Sorry for the early wake up call. I know you two didn't get to bed until late after you decided to go roaming around last night!"
Having been awoken so suddenly, Harry's mind was still groggy and defenseless. At the mention of the one thing that he had been trying so hard to keep out of his head, he paled. The memory of his encounter with Malfoy in the bath resurfaced in his mind. No, no, no, no!
"What's wrong, Potter? You're a bit flushed." Davies snapped his fingers and one of his posse of nurses stepped forward. "Please check Mr. Potter's vitals while I check on Mr. Malfoy."
The nurse nodded, strolling to his bed. Harry had his face buried in his hands, groaning softly.
"Sir, please lift your head so I can conduct my check."
Davies, made his way to Draco's bedside. The lump underneath his covers had yet to stir since the arrival of the nursing staff.
"Draco~ Are you awake yet~?" The healer grinned mischievously. "Draco~"
One of his hands creeped out, ready to prod Draco's unmoving form.
"I wouldn't do that, if you value your life."
Davies peered up at the new voice, grinning unapologetically. "Ah, Auror Knightly. I see you've arrived." He quickly left Draco's bedside and came to stand by the new figure.
Florence scowled in return. "If I knew this is how you'd treat my boys when I left, I would've stayed all night."
"Oh come now, I have no idea what you mean~" Davies cast a glance back to Draco's bed. "I was just waking up young Mr. Malfoy so that we can take his vitals."
Florence narrowed his gaze again. "Well mind telling me why on earth you had us show up so early in the morning? Don't get me wrong—I was planning on rushing over here as soon as I was able to—but why in Merlin's name are we meeting here at 5 AM?"
"I apologize Florence, the fault was mine. I wasn't able to inform you of all the details before we met." Kingsley strode into the room quietly, his deep and soothing timber low.
"Ah, minister!" Florence coughed and quickly straightened himself. "Not to worry, sir. If it was an order from you then of course you needn't explain yourself."
"Minister," Davies greeted with a nod of his head. "Blackwell should be over shortly. I just need to check these two boys over and then we can proceed as planned."
Kingsley nodded in return. He turned to Florence, noting the man's confused expression. "We should talk." He gestured out the door.
"Of course, minister." Florence cast another quick glance in the room, then followed Kingsley out into the stone hallway.
Xxxx -DxH- xxxX
"Is something the matter, Minister?" Knightly quickly asked.
Kingsley sighed, beginning to pace back and forth as he tended to do when thinking. "We're not entirely sure of all the details as of yet, but…." He stopped, turning back to Florence. "Healer Davies believes that someone tried to break into St. Mungo's last night to do something to Draco and Harry."
Florence's eyes widened. "Break in?! Who on earth—" He paused, realization donning on him. "The snatchers?"
Kingsley nodded slowly, his face grim. "That's his hypothesis. More specifically, he thinks it may have been the leader. The one who cursed Draco and Harry."
"But…that's…." Florence's brow drew together in confusion. "How does Davies know that it was a snatcher? And why would a snatcher go to all of the effort to break into a hospital?"
"As far as I was informed, St. Mungo's has strong wards around its premises that are active after dark. Last night, someone tried to breach the wards," Kingsley explained. "By the time the night guards made it to the location where the breach had been attempted, the person had disappeared. However, they left behind a clue."
"A clue?"
"A hippogriff feather."
Florence frowned. "Doesn't that seem awful careless on their part? That almost makes it seem like—"
"They put it there on purpose," Kingsley finished, nodding. "I have no doubt. That feather was left on purpose."
"So what, they're mocking us?"
"I'm not sure what their motive behind leaving the feather was," Kingsley admitted. He began pacing again. "But what they did reveal was their target. They tried to break through the wards near the wing where Draco and Harry are residing."
Florence sucked in a breath. "So we're positive that they were trying to get to the boys."
Kingsley nodded, slowly. "However, we don't know what their intentions are either. Did they come to observe them? To kidnap them? ….To kill them?"
"Merlin's beard…."
The sound of footsteps echoing down the hall stole the pair's attention.
"Minister, Auror Knightly," Blackwell greeted. "Pardon the interruption."
"Blackwell. No, I'm glad you're here," Kingsley replied. "I was just filling in Florence in on what Davies and I had been discussing last night."
Blackwell nodded. "Yes. The situation regarding young Mr. Malfoy and Potter is rapidly becoming more complex. And dangerous."
Knightly frowned. "I still don't understand what those snatchers are playing at. They went to all that trouble to try and break in in the middle of the night. Why leave clear evidence that points us back to them?"
Blackwell shook his head. "I don't have a clue as to why they would let us know that they were trying to break in…. A show of arrogance, perhaps?"
Kingsley nodded, frowning deeply. "What's clear is that the boys are being targeted."
"Well what can we do?" Knightly asked helplessly.
Blackwell cleared his throat. "Actually, Davies and I may have come up with a plan…."
Xxxx -DxH- xxxX
Knightly sighed, following behind Blackwell as they made their way back to the hospital wing once again. "I'm telling you Blackwell, there is absolutely no way that this is going to work. Those boys on their own are fine, but together—"
"POTTER!!"
"Now now boys, let's settle down—"
"BRING IT, MALFOY!!"
"H-Harry, Draco, come now—"
Blackwell was the first to reenter through the door and stopped abruptly, staring at the scene of chaos unfolding in front of him. "What in the…."
Harry and Draco were both standing on top of their beds, still dressed in their hospital robes. A pillow was raised above each of their heads, a glare trained firmly at the other. A mess of feathers and sheets were strewn about the room—creating the appearance of a battlefield after a gruesome fight.
Davies perked up, spotting the new arrivals. "Ah, Blackwell! Excellent timing as always, my friend. Do give me a hand with these two…"
Blackwell cast a bewildered glance around. He stalked cautiously to Davies' side. "….Do I want to know?"
"Well I'll have you know that I had nothing to do with it," Davies quickly replied.
The other wizard cast a skeptical glance over the room. "Mmhmm…." It appeared that he had no intention of believing Davies' claim.
Before either healer could take action, Kingsley strode through the heavy doors. Knightly was next, following close on his heels.
"Merlin's beard!" Knightly exclaimed, surveying the room as Blackwell had. "Now what on earth happened in here?"
Harry's eyes widened at the voice. Realizing that they now had an audience, he quickly jumped off his bed, trying for all his might to look like he wasn't just about to smack a pillow into Malfoy's pretty face.
Draco, thankfully, followed suit and silently climbed off of his bed as well.
Wordlessly, Harry placed his pillow back on his bed, ruffling a hand through his hair. He looked anywhere but at Kingsley and Knightly.
A moment passed. Kingsley cleared his throat softly. "Would either of you care to share what's going on in here?"
Draco tossed his pillow carelessly and flopped back onto his bed without so much as a glance at the new arrivals.
Silence stretched a moment too long for Harry's taste. He tried to temper the embarrassed flush that he felt rising to his cheeks. Oh great. The one time I actually try to kick Malfoy's arse, and it's right when Kingsley and Knightly show up….
Draco's eyes immediately narrowed. Kick MY arse? Ha! You wish, Potter.
"….Boys?"
If Kingsley hadn't come in, you'd be on the floor begging for mercy right now, Malfoy.
Oh really? Little Saint Potter thinks he's so tough, huh? I dare you to try.
Kingsley glanced between the two. While they remained utterly silent—staring at the wall and ceiling, respectively—there were micro changes in each of their expressions that caught his attention.
Draco's brow twitched. Harry's eyes narrowed.
Blackwell picked up on it as well. "Are the two of you perhaps communicating telepathically? Has your bond developed that much in such a short span of time?" A note a marvel colored his typically monotonous voice.
"Is that what's going on? Blimey, I thought they were just refusin' to talk!" Knightly rubbed his furrowed brow.
"Fascinating, isn't it~?" Davies purred. He pulled Blackwell to the side and began conversing in hushed tones.
Left with nowhere to run, Harry was the first to begrudgingly break the silence. He cleared his throat timidly. "Er, sorry about that….It's….well…." He rubbed the back of his neck. "What, uh, what brings you guys in so early…?" His gaze danced around Kingsley and Knightly. Eventually, he settled for staring at a particularly nice crack in the wall above their heads.
Kingsley, thankfully, seemed content to let the pillow fight matter rest, and didn't mention Harry's obvious topic change. Nurses had already begun to clean up the blankets and vanish away stray feathers.
"Harry, Draco. There's a rather urgent matter that I'm afraid we must discuss with you." Kingsley took a seat on the empty bed next to Draco's. He motioned for Harry to come over as well.
Harry glanced apprehensively at Draco—who had finally sat up and at least attempted to make himself presentable to the minister—before deciding to take his chances and perch against the footboard of the blonde's bed.
Thankfully, Harry was spared from the usual grey-eyed glare.
"Now, I need the two of you to listen closely. Something very serious has happened." Kingsley stared the two of them down before recalling the events that had transpired the night before. His voice was calm as always, without wavering, but held a much harder edge than usual. By the time he was finished, silence had once again lapsed. Neither Harry nor Draco could do much more than blink at each other with slightly dumbfounded expressions.
"The two of you are being targeted," Knightly reiterated. His usual lightheartedness and gentle smile were no where to be seen.
His somber demeanor made it that much easier to tell how serious and severe the situation was.
"But," Harry frowned, finally finding his voice. "Why were they trying to break in? To…..finish the job?"
Draco narrowed his eyes at the comment.
Blackwell, having finally finished his discussion with Davies, stepped forward. "I don't necessarily think that to be the case." He stroked his chin thoughtfully. "For all we know, the snatchers could be using you, Harry and Draco, as guinea pigs. Neither healers nor Aurors have ever seen a curse such as the one that was placed upon the two of you. It's quite possible that this is the first time that it's ever been used successfully. Maybe the snatchers want to observe how the curse is affecting both of you?"
"If that's the case, then we may have bigger problems on our hands," said Davies.
"And that is?" Knightly cocked his head.
"Why the snatchers are trying to develop this curse." Draco crossed his arms, glancing at Blackwell. "If they really do want to monitor us, then that means that they're hoping for a particular outcome from this curse, correct?"
Blackwell nodded. "Yes. That's my theory, anyways. And if the snatchers do get a chance to see for themselves what the curse can really do, who knows what kind of grand scheme they'll use it for."
Davies sighed, shaking his head. "Which is why we can't keep you here any longer. It's not safe."
"So what are we going to do then?" Harry glanced between the concerned faces.
"We need to move you both," Kingsley replied without pause. "We have a safe house for Aurors who need to be protected. We're going to move the two of you there."
Draco glanced at Kingsley, narrowing his eyes. "An Auror safe house?"
"Yes. It has nearly every protection spell and ward on it to keep those inside safe. It's very similar to those that you encountered, Harry, when you were moved before the war."
Harry nodded slowly. "Alright, but….when are we leaving?"
"Immediately." Davies smiled. "There's no time to waste, boys!"
Color drained from both Harry and Draco's faces.
"Now?"
"Yes." Kingsley gestured to a group of nurses standing by. A stack of suitcases was piled high next to them, looking a bit unstable and precarious in the haphazard way that it had been stacked. "We've just set a portkey to leave in 2 minutes. There's no time for the two of you to pack your things, so we've made some arrangements in the meantime."
Draco seemed to pale impossibly further. "But—,"
"I'm afraid that we really don't have a moment to spare, ma'boy," said Knightly gently. "We can't chance keeping the two of you any longer than we have to. There's no telling when the snatchers will be back."
"It really is for the best," Davies agreed. "The sooner the two of you get to that safe house, the better for us all."
Harry blinked rapidly. He felt utterly overwhelmed. One moment he was having a pillow fight with Malfoy and now Kingsley was telling him that they had to drop everything and go into hiding? A knot settled in his stomach. Everything felt like deja vu, and suddenly he saw himself back before the war as a teenager, getting ready to depart for a safe house that would protect him from Voldemort. The war that followed was filled with so much bloodshed and so many lives that he wished he could've saved.
Draco faired no better. He was white as a sheet, hands clenched into fists at his sides. Harry didn't know what he was thinking of in that moment, but he had a feeling that the unease he felt wasn't entirely his own.
Kingsley seemed to sense the air of anxiety that had quickly settled in the room and placed a hand on either boy's shoulder. "Everything will be fine. Knightly and I will be traveling with you to the safe house to ensure that you arrive safely. You have nothing to worry about."
Harry cast a sidelong glance at Draco. Somehow, he doubted that simply arriving at the safe house would assure his safety…..