I awake to a pinch on the nose; Draco is looking at me inquisitively.
"Come on, everyone else has gone to bed and I would like too as well."
Heaving a breath, I roll off of him, stand and jump lightly from the couch. His assent from the couch is much less graceful and very tired, stumbling to his feet I notice that I go up to his waist, perhaps an even bigger wolf than I thought. I whine softly, inquiringly as he begins his trudge to his dorm, edging forward, questioning the best I can in this form. He glances back at me curiously then smiling gestures me to follow. Bounding forward, I come up next to him and follow him to his quarters, happily he is also a prefect and hence alone.
I glance around the stiff room, noticing those few objects denoting that someone actually lives here. A robe lays draped over the top of one of two armchairs, a few meaningless baubles lay lined upon the fire mantle and books and scrolls carefully organized on a table, most of the books consist of Potions manuscripts and a couple books on…horticulture? That's unique. The room though, even if there were those few things lying around, is permeated with his scent; there is a smell of security here, a safe house where he can let down his guard.
I yip and bound around he room, wagging my tail like and idiot and I have no clue why. It's exciting though to be in my prospective mates den, the wolf in me takes this as meaning that he is willing but the human knows that, honestly he doesn't know, what I really am. He smiles tiredly at me, yawning as he walks towards a door to an adjoining room. He pushes the door open as he drops his cloak to the floor. I follow, picking up his cloak in my mouth and depositing it on the arm of a chair. I slip into the room Draco had entered, moister, water and lavender assault my nose, mixed with the ever present scent of Draco.
The room, as it turns out, is a personal bathroom. Not fair at all, the Gryffindor prefects have to share a bath and with all the other houses, even the other Slytherin prefects bath there, Draco must be the exception, figures. I quietly close the door with my tail, trying to make it appear accidental. Then of course my eyes were distracted, by Draco.
As his hands slipped under his shirt and he tiredly drew it over his head, exposing his pale, lithe body. The shirt dropped to the ground in an awkward pile as his arms fell back down and relaxed by his side revealing his perfect torso, slight with just enough muscle to keep from appearing too fragile or weak. He glances at me as his hands go to his pants and he blushes, walking over to the door, opening and gesturing out. I look at him then at the door and back at him. I am definitely not leaving.
I whine and wag my tail slightly, lowering my head and looking up at him with the best sad puppy dog eyes a wolf can manage.
He sighs and shrugs, "It's…just a dog, after all." walking back over to the tub and hastily removing his pants and…Draco wears boxer-briefs and has the most beautiful ass I have ever seen. He slips into the bathtub before I have a chance to look at him any longer, except to watch his gorgeous legs slip under the water.
I never thought that Draco would be the kind to take bathes but then again they suit him perfectly. I walk over to the tub and rest my head on the edge, sitting and watching Draco's face. His eyes closed and his breath is so calm, creating pools of steam in the air. Scents of lavender floats around him, his hair floating below the water's surface like gossamer strands of corn silk, the top of his head shining with the light in the room, intensified by the beads of water balanced upon, forming a halo of light. He looks like an angel, he is an angel, in devil's clothing.
He sighs in utter content, never have I seen such happiness reflected on his face, ever. I pull my head back just before he touches me, his arm coming up to rest on the rim. No darker my mind notes, I am ashamed that I notice such a thing, that I am incapable of trusting him even if the only kindness he has shown me was when I was in the form of an animal.
I watch him for so long, time seeming to pass indefinitely but soon the bath water quits emitting steam and Draco's breath is deep enough that I can tell he has fallen asleep. Tired myself and wanting more attention, inadvertently feeling guilty for acting like such a spoiled child. I stand to my full height, easily standing over the tub, and touch my nose gently to his cheek, licking him gently on the nose. His eyes open slowly, clouded with sleep, he glances at me. I yawn and pace slightly then walking over to the towel rack, grab one in my mouth and pull it down, bringing it over to him.
He blinks, slowly registering the towel in front of him, then reaching over and unplugging the drain. He stands up, stepping over the side of the tub and giving me an excellent view of his front side. He notices me, blushed all the way from his face to below his navel. He grabs the towel and hastily wraps it around his waist, opening the door and shooing me out, leaving no room for the sad puppy dog face. About seven minute later, I was sitting in front of the clock on the mantle, he appeared from the bathroom, towel securely tired around his waist, affording a nice view of his thigh and hip. I didn't grab a very big towel.
He watches me, his face a mixture of curiosity and suspicion. He walks across the room to the other door adjacent to the bathroom, a glimpse inside proves my suspicion of the bedroom to be accurate. He closes it behind him, watching me as he does. I feel an overwhelming despair of rejection fill me and race to the door, scratching on it hesitantly. Frustration wells in me and I reach out with my magic and slip the door open, my paw falling on the door and pushing it open. I slip inside, Draco already dressed and in bed, the sheets pulled up around his head, his knees curled up to his chest, he lay with his back to me.
I quietly walk over to his bed and jump onto his bed. He startles, bolting upright, staring at me then he began to laugh. I cross the sheets and sit beside him calking my head curiously.
"You know," He says softly, my ears perk up to listen, "when I first saw you, I thought I was imagining things, it wasn't until you touched your nose to my forehead that I realized you were real and you weren't eating me either." He scratches my head absently and leans back down on his bed, head resting softly on his pillow. "You seem too smart though. It's like you understand everything you see and hear. Adding to that, I've never seen a wolf as big as you. Were you normal once and then someone magically experimented with you?" He muses to himself, "You're unique you though and very elegant. There is a pride in you and a darkness as well. You remind me a lot of Harry in some ways."
I jerk my head up, he just called me by my proper name? Why though? Does he see me differently than I thought? Is there still hope for me?
"…I can't just call you dog or wolf, you need a name. How about Azimuth? I've always loved that word since I was a child. You know what it means, Azimuth?" He yawns pulling the covers up around his shoulders, his voice fading as he speaks, "It's the distance of the sun…from the horizon."
His breathing slowed and his mouth closed, eyes flickered shut and Draco was lost to the world of dreams.
I watch him, breathing deeply, sleep consuming him and I intensify it slightly, like a sleep inducing spell but once again different. I drift out of the Animagi form, laying next to Draco. I reach out and gently brush the hair from his eyes, my fingers drifting down and gracing the side of his cheek. I decide to wait for a while before doing anything, right now I'm just going to be Azimuth for him. I transform once again, leaving Draco's chambers and returning once again to my own.
