Eep! I swore up and down I'd have this finished last week but obviously… Not much to say, but I recommend you read the last part of this in an extremely hyper, and silly mood! Enjoy!
Last call had come and gone, and the volume of the club's sound system had been systematically lowered so that now there was barely a hum of music, instead of the driving beat of earlier. Most of the crowd had left, with only a few stragglers still swaying sleepily on the dance floor. Harry looked across the table, which was littered with a rather shameful amount of glasses and bottles, at the rest of the group. Mike was all but sleeping, his head on the filthy table, his cheek avoiding a small puddle of stale beer by pure chance. Tim was staring straight ahead at the wall, thoughts elsewhere, while Draco was fiddling with his spiked hair, the picture of boredom. Hermione and Ron sat next to one another, propping each other up.
" Time to go?" Harry asked. Mike lifted his head and yawned, before whining piteously,
" It's over already?" Tim just nodded in response.
They trooped out into the night tired, but happy. The cool night air of early morning seemed to perk Mike up, and while they walked towards the underground, Mike regaled the group with stories from his 'illustrious' past, making sure he enunciated the more lewd comments carefully for Ron's benefit. Ron was abhorred to discover he was laughing, but he rationalized that it was not that Mike was funny, but rather that Hermione was giggling, and it would be rude if she were the only one doing so. Tim, of course, wasn't laughing, merely smiling benignly, since he was already familiar with Mike's stories, as was Harry who grinned nonetheless. Draco was the only one not listening to Mike's ramblings, as he walked as silent as a shadow next to Harry. Draco usually did find Mike amusing, and he did appreciate how discomfited Ron appeared, but he was lost in his thoughts.
How ridiculous his worries from earlier seemed. Harry wasn't going to ignore him now that his friends were around; if anything, the presence of Ron and Hermione made Harry more secure, and more inclined to demonstrate his affection. Draco benefited from this surge of confidence in more ways then one. Harry's rich laughter washed over Draco's senses, and sent tingles down his spine. Beneath the glow of a street lamp, Draco glanced at his partner, feeling as much as seeing the contentment that radiated from Harry. Caught by the mellow softness of the night, Draco felt a smile stealing across his face, and he reached out surreptitiously, clasping Harry's hand gently in his own. Harry turned to look at him, surprise written over his features.
" If you dare say a word, they'll never find your body," Draco threatened gruffly.
" You're cute when you're trying to be evil," Harry said impishly. Draco frowned at the word cute, but was soon smiling again despite himself, as Harry gave their joined hands a squeeze.
" God damn queers," said a harsh voice from the shadows. Immediately the cheerful atmosphere shattered, and the group tensed. Leaning against a graffiti covered brick wall were six individuals; Harry recognized most of them as bouncers that worked nearby. Two of them were dressed in eighties costumes; one appearing as though he had stepped off a Duran Duran album cover, while the other man, in a white suit and a flamingo coloured shirt, was attempting to look like a member of the Miami Vice squad. Only attempting, as Dudley really didn't look his best in bright pink. Harry instinctively stepped back, looking to avoid a confrontation.
Mike, however, wasn't so accommodating. " What the fuck did you just say?"
The man who had spoken smirked and crossed his arms over his chest, staying tauntingly silent. Tim tugged on Mike's arm, and the group began moving uneasily away. For a moment it seemed that nothing more was going to come of the altercation, but then the last bouncer along the wall kicked hard at Mike's leg, making Mike trip and cry out. Nobody really knew how Tim managed to move so fast, but all of a sudden the perpetrator was against the wall, one of Tim's hand twisted harshly in the man's shirt, the other pressing against the man's throat. It took a considerable amount of aggravation to get a rise out of the steadfast Tim, but hurting Mike in anyway guaranteed swift retribution. Once his anger was roused, Tim was a fearsome force to reckon with. The man in Tim's grip seemed to realize this, and began to regret his choice in victim.
" Apologize," Tim spat out, rattling the man's head against the bricks.
The man's eyes flickered to his companions, and saw that they were coming to his aide. Emboldened, he sneered, " Why? He's on his knees. All ready for you."
Tim drew back his fist, and landed one solid punch before he was shoved away by two of the man's friends.
" What the fuck is your problem?" Ron yelled out, shoving back at the nearest of their adversaries. He reached down a hand and pulled Mike to his feet, dusting the smaller man off, all the while staring down anyone who so much as looked at him cross-eyed. " What could they have possibly done to you?"
" Walking into our clubs like you fucking own the place. Acting like there's nothing wrong with taking it up the arse. It's about time someone reminded you how sick and perverted you lot are. We don't want you coming around no more," said a different voice. The members of the little hate-gang were nodding along, and Harry clenched his jaw angrily when he saw Dudley joining in enthusiastically.
Surprisingly, Ron didn't seem to feel the need to impress on them that he was not a homosexual as well. It was a deliberate show of solidarity; despite any small issues Ron held about homosexuality, he was definitely on Harry's side when it came to matters such as this. Ron was not about to let these malcontents get away with prejudice directed at his friends.
" We'll go any place we like, and we'll be a lot more welcome then you bunch of shit-faced cowards," Ron said.
" Wait, I know you. You're that freak that… You're Harry's little freak friend," Dudley said, speaking up for the first time. Dudley stepped forward out of the gloom, and scrutinized the group with his beady little eyes. " Ha! It's my cousin Harry, the bloody poof. To think we picked you lot to hassle at random. Well, this does make things more interesting."
" Look, just leave us the hell alone, and nobody has to get hurt," Harry ground out. Dudley snickered along with the rest of his friends, clearly unfazed by the threat. Realistically speaking, they had every right to be cocky, as the majority of Dudley's group outweighed and out-muscled those of Harry's group, with only Tim and Ron being of equal size.
" Aww, Harry. Is that anyway to treat family?" Dudley said in a sickeningly sweet voice that made Harry's stomach start to churn.
" You're not my family," Harry replied coolly. Looking at Dudley, watching him bully and belittle his friends, Harry realized it was time he stopped backing down. He had finally had enough of his cousin. " To think I wasted so much time caring what you thought. You see these people? They matter; they deserve to be my family. Tell your pals to back off right now, because if they touch one of my friends, there will be nothing left of them, understand?"
" Oh, the poor little orphan thinks he has a family. A family full of freaks, and faggots. How appropriate," Dudley mocked.
" Hey fat ass, remember me? I've been meaning to pay you back for the smack you gave me last time," Draco said, standing shoulder-to-shoulder with Harry. Draco cracked his knuckles loudly, claiming, " I've been practicing for weeks."
" Think I'm scared of you, you sodding queer? I've flattened you once, I'll do it again."
" I've not been practicing my punching, asshole. Pretend like there's something in that misshapen lump on your shoulders, and try to think. You know what I am, you know what Harry is, and it may interest you to know that all six of us once attended the same school," Draco said menacingly. Draco smirked in satisfaction as Dudley's face paled. " Yes, that's right. That school."
" You can't… You're not allowed…"
" People will let a lot of things slide for Harry. I don't think anyone will particularly care what happens to you, disgusting scum-sucking slime that you are."
Dudley shifted his weight anxiously from foot to foot, looking at his friends, who were following the conversation with puzzled expressions on their faces. " Let's… Let's get out of here. We don't want to hang around this diseased bunch of shirt-lifters anyway."
" But we can take them easy," said the Duran Duran impostor. There was a chorus of agreement from Dudley's friends, and while they hesitated, Draco glanced behind him briefly, meeting Hermione's eyes in a short but meaningful gaze. Hermione replied with a curt nod, and inconspicuously retrieved her wand from the folds of her shirtsleeve. Turning back, Draco faced-off against Dudley again.
" Decided yet? Because this is the last chance you have to leave here in one piece. After this, if you so much as breathe the air in Harry's vicinity, I'll know about it, and make you wish you were dead. Got that? Stay the fuck away from him," Draco hissed.
" You son of a bitch," Dudley said, voice squealing with equal parts of both anger and fear. Dudley lunged, and Draco sidestepped. Rage made Dudley's face turn an ugly shade of red, and Dudley reached for Draco again. Before Dudley could connect, Draco's face began to contort.
Dudley stumbled backwards, eyes widening in terror. Draco's eyes turned from grey to red flame, glowing in the dim light. Gleaming, sharp, ivory fangs appeared at the corners of Draco's mouth; black, cruel looking claws appeared on his fingertips. Draco's once pallid skin turned faintly green in colour, and oily black wings seemed to sprout from his shoulders, unfurling with a rasping noise like rough reptile skin. Blood began trickling down his teeth, and Draco licked his lips as though relishing the taste.
There was no need to turn around, for Draco already knew that everyone else was similarly displayed. Draco was going to have to congratulate Hermione on her excellent glamour; he had never seen six grown men back up so fast. Plus, Draco was willing to put money on Dudley having wet his pants at the sight of them.
" What the hell?" muttered one man, before the whole group turned and started running away, desperate to put as much distance between themselves and the bloodthirsty monsters as possible. Dudley was the last to leave, and Draco hissed one final time at him. Dudley tripped over a stray rubbish bin, and slammed against the pavement. Bruised and bloody, he didn't risk a backward glance as he trailed after his friends as fast as his bulk would allow. Harry didn't particularly care if he ever saw Dudley again.
Hermione released the glamour spell, and they all returned to looking like normal. Well, all except for Mike and Tim, who were understandably stunned.
" What just happened? Something did happen, right? I mean, I wasn't the only who saw… who saw us turn into those things?" Mike eventually said.
Harry sighed, " Tim, Mike, there's something I've been meaning to tell you…"
Knowing the explanations were going to be long and complicated (especially with Mike uttering 'cool' at every single opportunity), the group found a twenty-four hour restaurant, and sat down in a comfortable booth. They ordered some food, and some tea, not because they were particularly hungry, but more because it was a needed distraction when the conversation got too tense.
Hermione was required to use her wand no less then three times before Tim was convinced that their explanation of being witches and wizards was not some elaborate hoax. Even after she had turned the saltshaker into a shoelace, Tim remained slightly sceptical. Tim was a great believer in everything having a rational explanation, and a serious discussion of magic was a hard thing for him to grasp all at once. He remained relatively quiet, organizing his thoughts. Mike took to the idea of a hidden magical society much more rapidly, and made up for Tim's reticence by talking twice as much as usual (which for Mike was something of an accomplishment). While Mike asked his zillion questions, Harry took a moment to give a relieved sigh. Neither Mike nor Tim, despite their varied reactions, seemed intimidated about the news or offended that Harry had kept it secret from them.
Looking around the table, it occurred to Harry that he had been extremely fortunate in his choice of friends. Ron, who would always stand up for him; Hermione, who always gave her support, whatever his decisions; Tim, who remained steady through all his ups and downs; Mike, who would always accept him, no matter what; Draco, who loved him for who he was. Not used to such sentimentality, Harry hoped none of his friends questioned him about his suddenly sappy grin. He knew he would never hear the end of it from Draco if he were to start blubbering.
" What do you think, Harry?" Harry realized he had been dreaming away while the conversation around him had continued.
" Sorry, what?"
" We were wondering what houses Tim and Mike would have been in. Draco's convinced Mike would have been a Hufflepuff," Hermione explained.
" Hufflepuff. I like the sound of that. Hufflepuff, Hufflepuff…" Mike continued to say the name over and over again, and most of the group tuned him out.
" The way you say it, it sounds like I'm insulting Mike by putting him in Hufflepuff," Draco protested.
" Why, what's wrong with Hufflepuff? It's got such a cool name: it's got a huffle, then a puff," Mike said. Tim muttered something that sounded suspiciously like 'out of the closet and then some'.
Draco rolled his eyes when the three former Gryffindor's shared a look; " There's nothing wrong with being in Hufflepuff house. These three, however, are Gryffindor's, which means they think their house is the only one worth anything."
" That's not true!" Ron refuted hotly.
" Yet it is," Draco replied sharply. In a slightly gentler tone, he continued, " We all feel that way about our own houses. It's the whole point – we're better behaved if we feel pride in our houses, and try to do well in them. Hufflepuffs, however, are the exception. That lovey-dovey bunch wants everyone to be friends, and competition is virtually unheard of. So long as you want to have fun, they'll welcome you. They rarely take themselves seriously, throw the loudest, craziest parties, have the most 'experimental' love lives, and consequently, Mike would have made an excellent Hufflepuff."
The silence that followed Draco's little spiel was all encompassing, until Mike started whingeing, " Oooh, it's not fair! I want to be a Hufflepuff!"
" Actually, so do I now. I forgot about their parties," Ron admitted. At this, the whole group started cracking up.
" The parties were really good then?" Hermione asked curiously. Harry and Ron nodded; Draco questioned:
" You never went to one?"
" Hermione usually chose to study," Harry supplied.
Mike made a face, exclaiming, " That's what Tim would have done. So I guess he would have been in your house, Harry."
" Tim a Gryffindor? Maybe. I was thinking Ravenclaw actually, because they're supposed to be the rational, deep thinkers of the school," Harry replied.
" You know, I never realized it before, but there really isn't much difference between the houses, is there?" Hermione said. " I mean, we could all have been in different houses, and we would have probably done just as well."
" Well, when I consider that my roommates were Dean, Seamus, Neville, and Harry, then I have to think it was completely random. Not much to link us all together in a group. In the end, we're all individuals, I suppose," Ron said.
" Plus, the ratio of students per house per year remains relatively constant. There's probably a lot of 'borderline' people, who go in whichever house has need of the most students," Hermione said intelligently.
" If you could have been in any other house, which would you have chosen?" Harry asked, curious.
" Ravenclaw," Hermione said immediately.
" Me too," Draco said.
After a moment to think, Ron answered with: " Hufflepuff."
Harry didn't want to answer, even though he had been the one to ask the question. His friends were all looking at him expectantly, however, so he eventually mumbled, " Slytherin. I mean, I almost was one. It was where the sorting hat wanted me, so I've always sort-of wondered…"
" Slytherin, really?" Ron asked, slightly horrified.
" Slytherin, really… " Draco repeated, a far more lecherous quality to his words. Harry tried not to gasp when Draco placed a warm hand on his thigh and squeezed. " A shared dorm room… That would have been interesting."
" Ooh, dorm rooms. And shared meals, sweaty sports teams… communal showers! Why wasn't I a wizard, damn it!" Mike pouted, rather disgruntled.
" But a Slytherin, Harry?" Ron wheedled. Draco scowled at the red head for interrupting his little 'Slytherin Harry' fantasy.
" Am I missing something?" Mike asked.
" Slytherin, Draco's former house, has a really bad reputation," Ron said, in what he thought was a diplomatic voice.
Draco took offence regardless, snorting disparagingly, " Oh yes, that makes a lot of sense. A brave house, Gryffindor; a smart house, Ravenclaw; a friendly house, Hufflepuff; and an evil house, Slytherin."
Mike missed the sarcastic tone in Draco's voice, and he scratched his head in confusion. " Why would there be an evil house?"
" Exactly my point. Claiming Slytherin is an evil house is stupid, why would Hogwart's have an evil house? We're supposed to be ambitious, that's all."
Ron didn't like being mocked, and he retorted, " What's your big ambition then? World's biggest prat?"
" Actually, up until a little while ago it was to get into the great Harry Potter's pants. Guess I need a new goal now," Draco said, enjoying the grimace that formed on Ron's face at the implication. Harry blushed, and became fascinated with the sugar packets in front of him.
Mike was anxious about the way Ron and Draco were glaring at each other (he had had enough of fighting for one night at least) so he interjected with what he hoped was a light-hearted comment. " So if I'm a Hufflepuff, and Tim's a Ravenclaw, how compatible are we?"
" Oh Ravenclaw's and Hufflepuff's work quite well together," Hermione said brightly.
" As do Gryffindor's with other Gryffindor's," Ron said, wrapping an arm around Hermione's waist, and pulling her closer. Harry and Draco looked at each other, before Harry said, very melodramatically: " Oh woe is me, why must my love be a Slytherin?"
Draco caught on almost immediately, stating in an irritatingly high-pitched voice, " Such a tragedy! Harry, I cannot be with you, my house forbids it!"
" Why must we suffer so?" Harry cried.
" Alright, alright! We get it, now stop the dramatics," Ron said, slightly exasperated. Harry and Draco snickered, but did quiet down.
" Well, Harry, this has been one of the weirdest nights of my life. And keep in mind who my boyfriend is," Tim said.
" Hey!" Mike said, affronted.
" I meant that in a good way. I won't ever forget tonight," Tim said sincerely.
" Just like I won't forget how Ron charged that mean, rough, fashion victim, and saved poor little me," Mike said, fluttering his eyelids like mad at Ron, and chortling merrily at Ron's flush of embarrassment. " Though, it doesn't really compare to the deeds done by my wonderful boyfriend." Mike crawled into Tim's lap, wrapping his arms around Tim's neck.
" Why do I get the feeling your sucking-up for a reason?" Tim asked.
" Can you carry me home, please? When that idiot tripped me, I think I hurt my ankle," Mike said imploringly. Tim sighed heavily, before agreeing to carry Mike piggyback style at least as far as the underground.
" We'll be off then," Tim said, once Mike was settled on his back. " Congratulations again on your wedding, Ron and Hermione. Thanks for dinner, Draco, and Harry I'll see on Monday before class, yeah?"
" For sure," Harry agreed amicably. Tim nodded, and then walked out of the restaurant, with Mike cheerfully waving goodbye until they were out of sight. The door to the restaurant had only just swung shut, when Mike came hurtling back into the restaurant, his ankle mysteriously fine. He slid to a stop at their table and slapped a large sloppy kiss on Ron's cheek.
" Thanks again, hero," Mike said, before he ran back out of the restaurant.
Ron looked as though he had been hit with a stupefy spell. For several moments there was no response from him, and then, when he spoke, it was mostly gibberish: " But I… He… did he? Kiss… Hero me?"
" Mike's right, you are a hero. I was so proud of you, standing up against injustice the way you did. You really came through for Mike, for Harry, for all of us," Hermione said glowingly. " It's times like this that I remember why I love you so much."
Ron, who was busily wiping at his face with a paper napkin, paused and turned to his praising fiancée.
" Really?"
" Yes, really," Hermione said gently. Ron leaned towards her, and Hermione tilted her head slightly to the side as their eyes drifted to a close. A loud, and sarcastic 'Aww' from Draco and Harry interrupted the kiss.
Ron turned to glare at them, " Do you two mind?"
" No, we don't mind. But if you both get to do that, then so do we," Harry said. Harry turned simpering eyes on Draco: " And you were so brave, darling."
" So were you, sweetheart," Draco gushed.
" Bloody hell, do we really sound like that?" Ron asked, wrinkling his nose in distaste.
" I had no idea it was so disturbing," Hermione added.
Mission accomplished, Draco and Harry gratefully dispensed with the horrible nicknames.
Eventually, the four of them left the restaurant, and made their way back to Harry's flat.
" Hey, I just had a thought," Harry said.
" Well, there's a first time for everything," Ron and Draco intoned at the same time. They were both slightly disgusted at having come up with the same quip, and fell quiet.
Harry, more then accustomed to their gibes, ignored them entirely; " How are we going to work the sleeping arrangements?"
" I'll transfigure the sofa," Hermione said with a yawn.
" Oh, it's just… We're a little nervous about using magic. Because of Draco's father and all," Harry said.
" I'm authorized to use magic, so there's no reason why it would be traced, unless someone was looking for it specifically, which I very much doubt Lucius will do. A mudblood like me helping out Draco Malfoy? How likely is that? Don't worry about the glamour that I did earlier, either. Nobody will believe a bunch of drunks even if they do try to describe their ordeal."
" Dudley will probably do me an unintentional favour and try to hush everything up anyway," Harry replied.
" So that was your cousin? He's dreadful, Harry," Hermione said sympathetically.
Feeling peculiarly peaceful, Harry replied truthfully, " Doesn't matter anymore."
At the flat, Hermione turned Harry's red sofa into a simple double bed, and all but fell into it. She wasn't accustomed to their 'adventures' anymore, and coupled with the very late hour, she was more tired then she had been in a very long time. It was an effort just to get undressed and into her nightgown. Ron ducked his head under the tap in the bathroom, washing out the hairspray until he could finally push his hair back into its usual position. It was a relief not to have his view obstructed anymore. On the way out of the bathroom, he ran into Draco, who was obviously going to try and remove the gel from his own blond locks. They sized each other up, glared, and then moved out of each other's way.
Ron grumbled as he got into bed next to Hermione.
" What was that?" Hermione mumbled drowsily.
" That stupid git Malfoy," Ron replied. Hermione gave a tired sigh.
" What did he do now?"
" Nothing. It's what he's going to do that's bothering
me. It doesn't take a genius to figure
out what they're going to do in there."
" In where?" Hermione asked. Her brain was far too sleep-clogged at the moment to handle Ron's faulty logic.
" The bedroom, of course. You just know Draco's itching to get his hands all over Harry. Just so he can rub it in that he's the one getting into Harry's pants."
" So, you want to get into Harry's pants instead?" Hermione asked innocently, a smile turning up the corners of her mouth.
" No! Are you paying attention at all? Draco's going to sleep with our best friend just to prove that he's this sexy, irresistible, lover that we can never hope to compare to," Ron said. Hermione would have been tempted to laugh if she weren't aware that Ron was being more or less serious. " We have to have sex."
Hermione spluttered, " Oh, that's romantic."
" It's not because I want to, but because we have to. We can't let Draco think he's better then us. Come on, we can out-compete them," Ron said earnestly.
" I sincerely hope you're too intoxicated right now to know what it is you're saying, because that was quite possibly the stupidest thing you have ever said. Goodnight," Hermione said, rolling onto her side and giving Ron her back.
Ron lay staring at the ceiling for a while, his ears straining to hear for any minute sounds coming from Harry's bedroom.
" So… How about it, 'Mione?"
" Shut-up before I hex you Ron Weasley," Hermione said.
" So that's a definite no?"
Hermione groaned and pulled her pillow tightly over her head.
In Harry's bedroom, Draco's eyes suddenly shot open.
" There, did you hear that? Now do you believe me?"
Harry was very nearly asleep and consequently was not very receptive to his boyfriend's ramblings.
" Huh?"
" Hermione just groaned. I told you, they're shagging like rabbits out there, and here we are just sleeping."
" Yes. Sleeping. What a strange thing to want to do in the middle of the night after an exhausting day," said Harry sarcastically.
" Oh come on, we can sleep anytime," Draco whined.
" Then how about now?"
" Right now we need to be keeping up with them. We can't have them believing they're a hotter couple. Think of it as promoting equal rights as a gay couple. Hell, I'll even do all the work and you can just lie there, if you want," Draco suggested.
" What I want is for you to stop being so ridiculous, and frankly sickening, and for me to get some sleep. They're not shagging, and thanks, by the way, for the mental image of my two best friends getting off together on my couch, but even if they were, we certainly don't need to have sex just because they are."
" But they're winning, Harry!" Draco said, visibly distressed.
" Goodnight," Harry said, settling down as far away from Draco as he could, and ignoring Draco's protests.
" Fine. Be that way," Draco said, crossing his arms across his chest and turning onto his side. " But if in the morning it turns out I was right, and Ron starts gloating, then I'm telling him I fucked your brains out, and you'd better corroborate my story."
Harry groaned and pulled his pillow tightly over his head.
In the other room, Ron's eyes opened as he fretted over the cause of Harry's audible groan.
It was close to five in the morning when Ron was once again awoken by sound coming from Harry's bedroom. Ron was usually a heavy sleeper, but he had spent many of his formative years in a bed across from Harry's, and one of Harry's nightmares was always able to rouse him from slumber. Apparently those instincts were still intact for Ron discerned that Harry was indeed having a nightmare. He slipped silently from the bed, careful not to wake Hermione, and began edging towards the bedroom, just in case Harry needed something. At the last moment, Ron remembered that Draco was also inside the bedroom, and he thought that walking in on them was probably not a good idea. Ron knew that if he ever saw Draco Malfoy naked that there wouldn't be enough power in the world to enervate him back into consciousness.
Ron was standing in the shadows of the hallway, deliberating over a course of action, when the bedroom door opened, and Draco walked out. Ron was happy to note that the other man was completely covered in a pair of navy blue pyjamas. Draco walked confidently to the bathroom, despite the gloom, and returned with a glass of water. Draco left the bedroom door ajar, and Ron crept closer, simply to reassure himself that Harry was okay.
Ron watched as Draco held out the glass of water for Harry, who took two or three grateful gulps, before indicating he was satisfied. Draco placed the cup on the bedside table, and slid into the bed next to Harry. Ron knew from his own past experiences that Harry was invariably grumpy after waking from a nightmare, and didn't take kindly to sympathy, no matter how sincerely it was expressed.
As predicted, Harry muttered in a sulky voice, " You don't have to go making a fuss. I'm fine, it was just a stupid dream."
" Yeah, but the way you were thrashing about was very distracting. I couldn't sleep with that going on. It's in my best interest to get you calm," Draco said.
Ron's jaw clenched. The selfish git! Draco was supposed to try and comfort Harry, not dismiss the nightmares as an inconvenience. Surprisingly though, he noticed that Harry now seemed less anxious. Maybe that was the best way to deal with Harry: couch caring in an air of indifference so that Harry couldn't refuse it so easily. Harry was still looking at the wall, some traces of a lingering fear in his unfocussed eyes. Draco curled up behind Harry, and put an arm across Harry's chest to hold him tightly. Ron expected the gesture to be rebuffed – he had never known anyone at Hogwart's to be able to touch Harry without him being uncomfortable. Harry instead tucked Draco's arm more securely against him, as though Draco were a blanket instead of a person.
" Comfy? Can I go to sleep now?" Draco asked. The tone was arrogant and snotty, but this time Ron let himself hear the undertone of concern in Draco's voice. Harry mumbled something soft as the last of the fear fled from his face.
Ron continued to watch for a few minutes, his mind whirling as Draco and Harry fell into a deep sleep, entwined around one another. Denial couldn't help him now. There was definitely something strong between Harry and Draco, and for the first time, Ron felt like Draco deserved it. Draco could do something nobody else, not even Ron himself, could do. Draco could understand what Harry needed. The way Draco had taken care of Harry just now, and the way Harry had accepted that touch, needed that touch… It was enough for Ron. He would probably never get along with Draco, but he felt he could respect him and his feelings towards Harry.
Ron clambered into bed next to Hermione, unable to resist placing a kiss on his future wife's temple.
" Hmm?" Hermione mumbled, still mostly asleep.
" Harry has my blessing," Ron said, before pulling Hermione into his arms, and cradling her until he fell asleep.
It was quite late the following morning when Harry first stirred. Blinking owlishly, he rubbed at his eyes before reaching for his glasses.
" What time is it?" Harry asked Draco, who was lying on his stomach beside him.
" Nearly noon. I was going to go out and make breakfast, but I didn't want to risk running into Ron. I somehow don't figure him for a morning person."
Harry turned onto his stomach as well, and levered himself onto his elbows so he could peer over Draco's shoulder. Draco had a book propped on a pillow in front of him, and he was flipping idly through the pages.
" What are you reading?"
" The book Mike gave us," Draco said nonchalantly.
" Oh," Harry said, yawning. He then shut his mouth so quickly that he bit his tongue. " Wait, did you just say you were reading…"
" Well, I wouldn't say reading so much as looking at the pictures," Draco said, cheekily. Feeling a flush creeping over his body, Harry couldn't help but be curious.
" And?"
Draco pushed the book over so that it was between them, and they could both view the contents. Harry was confronted with a black and white drawing that… well honestly it confused him
" Is that a leg? And if so, how is it possible to bend it that way?" Harry asked.
Draco chuckled, " I was just thinking the same thing. Wait, this one's even better."
Draco flicked a few pages ahead, and jabbed his finger at another illustration. Harry tilted his head one-way, and then another, trying to make sense out of what he was seeing.
" Okay, that one's just… I mean, there's two people and like seven arms," Harry said. Draco nodded, glad that Harry was in agreement about the implausibility of some of the pictures.
Draco found another picture and started laughing, " I don't know about you, but the only way I could do that position is if my limbs were no longer attached to my body."
" Judging by the expression on the poor bloke's face, it seems that is precisely how you do it. Funny, I missed the helpful hint regarding dismemberment."
They spent quite a long time poking fun and laughing at some of the 'advanced' positions that were located in the last few chapters of the book. As they began flipping towards the beginning of the book in search of more titillating and ridiculous drawings however, the mood began to shift. Harry's arm, which had been lying across Draco's shoulder blades, tensed. Draco's foot had been running gently up the back of Harry's calf, just under the edge of Harry's pyjamas, but now it paused, as though Draco was suddenly aware of what he was doing. They began glancing covertly at each other, trying to gage reactions.
Draco paused in his page flipping when he came to the start of a chapter entitled: 'Basics for Beginners'. They had both gone very still, barely even daring to breathe.
" This would actually be useful," said Harry eventually, absolutely certain he was blushing a dark shade of red. " I mean, if we ever want to… If you wanted to… If we both wanted to try…"
Draco, who was also turning an attractive shade of pink, reached down to the side of the bed, and retrieved the gift bag that had held the book.
" There's um… Actually some more stuff in the bag," Draco said.
Harry took the bag and upended it onto the bed. A rather large, heavy bottle of lubricating oil, and a pair of fuzzy pink handcuffs tumbled out in front of them. Harry stared at the items in utter disbelief for a moment, before the situation suddenly became too much, and Harry burst out laughing. A relieved Draco joined in, and once the outburst was over, they both felt a lot more relaxed. Harry gave Draco a half hug, and Draco resumed stroking Harry's calf with his toes.
" I would like to try it, at some point," Harry admitted softly.
" So would I," Draco said.
" How do we decide… Who does who?" Harry asked.
Draco smiled, " From what I've read so far, the book seems to discourage the idea that one person has to be exclusively top, and the other exclusively bottom. It should be whatever feels most natural at the time. My interpretation of that is that we choose according to the situation and what we feel we need."
" Good, because I would like to do both. I mean that I want to…" Harry trailed off, not having enough experience to explain the things he was feeling.
" I want to touch you and be touched by you," Draco said softly.
" Yeah, that's what I want too," Harry said breathily. Harry leaned in and brushed his mouth against Draco's. The kiss was slow and sweet, and left them both with dopey smiles and dazed expressions. " I'm glad we can talk about some of this intimate stuff. I hate to think what it would have been like if I'd not met you. It's kind-of embarrassing still, but I know I can trust you."
" I understand what you mean. And now we know we're prepared to take the next step," Draco said. Seeing Harry's eyes widen nervously, he explained, " Not right away, but when the time is right, we'll know it's okay to move forward."
The newly shared confidences made them feel closer somehow. Draco ran his fingers through Harry's hair, and they kissed a second time, just as gently as before.
The pages had turned of their own accord, and the book was now open to the very first chapter, entitled: ' Happy and Gay? How to Get in the Mood!' It was too much to resist, and they quickly read through the typed words, competing to see who could read each page the fastest. A bulleted list soon had them laughing again.
" Role playing? If I ask nicely, will you be my slave boy, Harry? It wouldn't be too much of a change for you, after all."
Harry stuck his tongue out at Draco, and continued to scan the list. " Hey, it says to 'talk dirty' – too bad they didn't put down any suggestions."
" What? Can't come up with any of your own?" Draco cackled gleefully.
" Like what? Ooh, baby, you make me so hot," Harry said. Draco actually did think it was sort-of sexy the way Harry's voice lilted over the unlikely phrase, but he laughed disparagingly anyway.
" I get hard just thinking about you. Take me, lover," Draco said fervently, the quirk in his eyebrows the only thing giving him away.
" I'll make you come so hard you'll forget your name. You can scream mine instead," Harry said, grasping at the first dirty thing he could think of to say – he'd heard it in a movie once. It seemed a little stupid to be competing over who could say the lamest comments, but silly or not, Harry enjoyed a challenge.
" I'm going to lick you like a lolly until you pop," Draco returned quickly, wetting his lips. Harry knew it was a deliberate ploy meant to make him lose his composure. Harry closed his eyes because it was working.
" I'm really good with a wand… want me to prove it?"
" Nothing like a broomstick between your legs, and mine's top of the line, want a test drive?"
There was a long pause, broken only by their respective snickering, as they scrambled for new ideas.
" Uh… You're a stallion and I just want to ride you until you drop," Harry said; part of him was amazed he could even come up with something so asinine.
" I want your um… God-like column of marbled flesh to pound me to heaven and back," Draco muttered, equally stuck for ideas. He looked at Harry and they both burst out laughing. " Sorry, somehow we went from 'dirty' talk, to cheesy romance novels."
Harry snorted, " God-like column - I've heard it called a lot of things, but that's just wrong."
" Yeah, well, calling me a stallion is nothing to be proud of either," Draco retorted, still laughing.
" Well, now I'm wondering just how familiar you are with the romance novel," Harry teased.
" It was only once when my mother…" Draco blushed, " I mean, I don't read such tripe."
Harry laughed so hard he fell off the bed with a thump. Draco peered over the edge to see if he was okay, and couldn't help giggling at the confused look on Harry's face. Harry grabbed Draco's shoulders and pulled him to the floor as well. Draco decided the only fit punishment for such manhandling was to tickle Harry.
" Hey Harry, I just thought of another one. Want a massage from the inside?"
" Oh, charming," said Harry sarcastically.
They were laughing so hard, partly from the crude jokes, partly from the tickle war, that they didn't hear the soft knock on their bedroom door.
" Harry? You okay?"
Draco rolled off Harry, and let him go reassure his friend. Harry opened the bedroom door part-ways.
" Sorry, did we wake you?"
" We just heard a couple of loud thunks and we were worried," Ron said. For some reason, this made Harry and Draco start tittering again. Ron looked from Harry to Draco and back again, wondering if he'd ever seen either of them so happy or so dishevelled. " What's so funny?"
" Oh, err," Harry tried to think of something he could say, without having to tell Ron about Mike's book and what they'd ended up talking about. " It's nothing much. Just an inside joke."
" Inside!" Draco nearly shouted, before starting a new hysterical laughing fit. Harry realized his unintentional pun, and even though he was seriously in need of some oxygen, he was soon a part of the hilarity again.
Ron watched impassively as Harry and Draco rolled on the floor, clutching their sides, and howling with laughter. Lifting an eyebrow, he said quite calmly, though loud enough for them both to hear him,
" I've decided you two deserve each other."
" Thanks Ron," Harry wheezed out. Draco just nodded that he had heard. They still hadn't stopped sniggering, however.
" After all, clearly you're both stark raving mad."
Ron tried not to wince as the laughter redoubled.
The 31st of March is my birthday, and I really worked hard to get this in by then. I just made it! Nice reviews would certainly help me stop pouting that I'm getting old… That, a job, and a boyfriend are all I really want for birthday… At least the reviews are possible (tee hee).
