Chapter Twenty-One

The Morning

Draco woke up hours later with a cramp in his back and a slight chill. He tried to move to ebb the pain. However, he found he could not move at all, as there was a soft, warm, and heavy mass arranged on top of him so that movement was near impossible. He groaned and opened his eyes.

There was Harry, sound asleep. Draco then realized why he had a chill. Both he and his boyfriend were quite naked. Even as Draco watched, Harry shivered in his sleep. Blanket. Need one. Wand. Where? Talisman would have helped… Damn. Robes? Draco looked to his side and saw that his robes were on the floor just within reach. Draco wiggled under Harry, freeing a hand. He grabbed at the robes and pawed through them with the disentangled hand. Finally, he found his pocket and retrieved his wand. He conjured a large fleece blanket to wrap around Harry and himself. Harry smiled in his sleep and snuggled closer to Draco.

Draco looked down at Harry. The jet black tresses were falling over his eyes as he slept. Draco wiped the hair away revealing Harry's sleeping face. He looks so young when he sleeps, thought Draco. You never would have thought he'd been through so much in such a short life. Draco sighed. He wanted Harry protected as much as possible, and he would do anything to make that happen. Draco thought back to the night Dumbledore asked them to his office.

Dumbledore spoke of a-. A something. Draco didn't even know what kind of protection Dumbledore was considering. Draco sighed. Harry can't be touched. I won't let Father go near him. I will give my life if it will save Harry's. Draco surprised himself with that last thought. He knew he was in love with Harry, but he never realized the power behind the love. I guess I would give my life. The thought amazed Draco but felt very right. He would do anything to protect Harry, to save Harry. Draco knew that he would.

He also knew that Lucius and Voldemort had no chance of defeating any spell created by four of the most powerful wizards alive and himself. Dumbledore, McGonagall, Snape and Harry. No way Father and Old Man Voldie are going to beat them. And after I have two weeks wearing Tyr's Talisman, I'll be pretty powerful myself. Draco smiled a grim smile and gazed down at his sleeping Gryffindor. "I'll protect you, my love. Always."

Draco felt Harry's arms tighten around his waist, as though Harry heard him in his sleep and was showing his understanding. Draco grinned and closed his eyes. He planned to just lay awake until Harry stirred, but after a few more moments of reflection, Draco drifted off to Dreamland again.


~*~*~*~

Harry's eyes fluttered open. He felt a soft material wrapped tightly around his body. He looked at himself and saw that his fists were tightly clenched around a blue fleece blanket. He grinned and snuggled further under it, starting to close his eyes. But when he moved, he realized something.

I'm naked! screamed his head. Harry's eyes expanded to the size of saucers as he lifted the blanket and saw that what his head was yelling was indeed true. He sat up and looked around the room, trying to remember how he got naked and managed to fall asleep. There was a soft sniggering coming from behind him. He swiveled, keeping the blanket tucked safely around his body. Harry exhaled, relieved.

There was Draco sitting in one of the dark green arm chairs, in all his naked glory. He had one foot on the ottoman in front of him, and his other ankle was resting on the elevated knee. Sunlight was streaming in through the now-un-shaded windows and shining all around Draco. The light made it look like there was a glow glistening on his skin and in his hair. It truly made him look like the angel he was to Harry. And playing upon his lips was an amused smirk.

"What is that look about?" asked Harry, tossing the blanket off himself and walking over to Draco.

Draco's eyebrow flicked up for an instant before resting in its normal position. "You're adorable when you haven't a clue why or how you got naked."

Harry narrowed his eyes and kept advancing on Draco. Draco uncrossed his legs and patted his lap. "Come here. Have a seat."

Harry stopped in front of Draco, whose eyes were trained on his own. Harry lowered himself onto Draco's lap, straddling his legs and putting a knee on either side of Draco. He leaned in and placed a kiss on Draco's lips. Smiles spread across both boys' faces. Draco gazed up at Harry and said, "Well, aren't we randy this morning?"

Harry winked. "Who? Me?" said Harry innocently. He ran a finger down Draco's chest to the Slytherin's stomach. Harry leaned in again and planted several kisses along Draco's jaw line, and down his neck, ending at the small hollow at the base of Draco's neck. Draco's breath slowed and Harry could feel how much Draco was enjoying the attention. Harry grinned and kissed up Draco's neck, over his Adam's apple and chin and resting on his lips once again. Draco's arms, which had been sitting on the armrests of the chair, slipped around Harry's waist and pulled the Gryffindor closer. Harry kept his lips pressed gently against Draco's lips and flicked out his tongue to trace them.

Draco moaned softly and Harry's tongue gained access to Draco's mouth. The two tongues fought for dominance and residence, sliding back and forth between the mouths of the two boys. Harry let his hands travel all over the torso of his boyfriend. His hand slid lower and surrounded Draco, gaining another moan from the Slytherin. Harry felt himself being captured, and the two boys synchronized their movements, and through the tongue that still had his own imprisoned he heard himself moan.

"Oh Draco…"


~*~*~*~

Draco sighed, buttoning his jeans. What a morning. He grinned for what seemed to be the millionth time in the last twelve hours. After Harry had woken up, they had enjoyed a bit of quality time together. But as it was almost lunchtime, the pair had to be on their way to the Great Hall. Draco glanced up at Harry, whose backside was wiggling in the air, rummaging through the pile of discarded clothing they'd managed to mix together last night as they were undressing each other. Harry's baby blue boxers were just calling to Draco.

Draco grinned and stepped up behind Harry and wrapped a hand over Harry's bum and squeezed lightly. Harry straightened quickly in surprise. "Hey!" he cried.

"It's your own fault, Har. It was just wiggling at me and screaming 'grab me now!' I never say no to a wiggling ass!" Draco grinned and bent to grab his black tee shirt from the top of the mountain of clothes. He slipped his arms into the shirt and winked at Harry before stretching to put the shirt over his head.

Suddenly, he felt lips on his stomach, and felt a tickle as Harry blew a raspberry on his taut abdomen. He dropped his arms quickly, pulling on the shirt and tugging it down over his stomach. "Hey!" he cried indignantly.

"Turn about is fair play, Dray. It was yelling at me. Who am I to resist?" Harry grinned and pulled on his own black tee shirt, obviously taking great care to not expose his stomach for torment from Draco. Draco shook his head and grumbled, picking up his sweater from the pile and slipping it over his head. Good show, Harry. Turn about is fair play indeed. But don't you worry… You'll get it. Draco watched Harry pull on a gray sweater and saw his opportunity.

Draco launched himself at Harry, knocking him back onto the couch behind him and tickled. I'm always good at the tickling… thought Draco. His fingers flew over Harry's body. Harry tried to wriggle out from under him, but Draco had him pinned tightly. Harry was giggling and gasping for air. His hands were almost completely immobilized by Draco's tickling, so Draco wasn't worried about him retaliating. After five minutes of tickling from Draco, Harry gasped, "Stop-. Please-. Can't-can't-can't br-breathe." Draco sighed and relented.

"We need to get to lunch anyway." Draco climbed off Harry and stood in front of the couch. Harry sat up, trying desperately to catch his breath.

"You," said Harry, huffing still and pointing an accusing finger at Draco. "You are evil."

Draco put on the patented Malfoy sneer. "Isn't that what you've always told me?" The sneer melted away into a smile. He put out a hand and pulled Harry to standing. He slipped his arms around the Gryffindor, whose breathing had finally returned to normal. Draco gestured to the two robes still sitting in a heap at their feet. "Let's get dressed and go eat. All that physical exertion made me hungry."

Harry grinned and nodded. They stepped apart and Harry bent to grab his robes. Draco saw the wiggling bum in the air again, and shook his head. He doesn't learn, does he? Draco pinched Harry's jean-clad backside again, causing Harry to rise again quickly, both sets of robes in his hand. The Malfoy smirk etched itself onto Draco's features at Harry's scandalized look.

"I told you I can't say no to a wiggling ass." Draco winked and threw the robes around his shoulders and slid his arms in, leaving the robes undone. Harry's eyes contracted to slits as he threw on his robes. Draco pulled his boyfriend to him and kissed him. Harry resisted for a second, but Draco knew that he would give in quickly. He did.

After a slow kiss, Draco pulled back and smiled at Harry. "Ready?" Harry nodded and the pair picked up their things. At the door, Draco put out his left hand for Harry to take, which he did gladly.

As the happy couple wandered down to the Great Hall, their hands entwined and there was a small clink of rings. A minute later, a woman's voice floated to Draco's ears.

"Tale as old as time,

True as it can be.

Barely even friends,

Then somebody bends unexpectedly…"

~*~TBC~*~