Chapter Twenty-Four

Harry woke up a day later in the Infirmary, with Madame Pomfrey standing over him. She clucked her tongue.

"I think I should just stop letting you go; you just seem to come right back," she shook her head.

Harry tried to sit up, only to find that his muscles wouldn't cooperate.

"Don't worry, it will pass when Professor Snape brings you a potion for the after affects of the Cruciatus," Mme Pomfrey told him while picking up a purple phial. "This will help you restore your energy."

"Thank you," The Gryffindor croaked. He reached up to take it, but she just poured it down his mouth. By the time he was finished sputtering, the nurse had gone back to her office. Harry was about to drift off when Severus walked into the Hospital Wing with a scowl. The Potions Master looked around quickly, and when he saw no one but the Boy-Who-Lived, he dropped the antisocial look.

"Here's the potion," Severus told him as he knelt beside the bed. The Potion Professor brushed some hair away from Harry's face. "How are you feeling?"

"I ache all over," Harry groaned. Severus nodded in understanding and uncorked the phial of antiCruciatus potion. He lifted the phial up to his boyfriend's lips to let him drink. "Thanks."

"No problem," Severus whispered. The spy leaned down and kissed the seventeen-year-old. "Are you hurting anywhere else?"

Harry smiled at the older man's concern and shook his head. "No, just my muscles."

"Good. You weren't under the Cruciatus for more than a few seconds, so there won't be any lasting harm."

"I doubt there would have any way. It didn't hurt much at all, Harry replied.

"It barely hurt?" Severus asked surprised.

"Yeah. It was like breaking an arm, instead of the 'ripping you apart from the inside with sharp rusty nails' pain," Harry nodded.

"Interesting comparison," Severus smirked slightly, brushing his fingers on Harry's cheek. "I'm sorry you ever had to know how it's meant to feel."

Harry shrugged his shoulders as if it was nothing. He changed the subject thought. "Were you at the attack?"

"Yes," Severus sounded ashamed. "I was one of the ones who apparated away."

Harry stretched his muscles and sat up to kiss the ex-Death Eaters.

"You didn't do anything wrong by being there. You didn't hurt anyone, and you were just trying to get Voldie to trust you."

"'Voldie'?" Severus laughed, trying to keep quiet so as not to get Mme Pomfrey out of her office. "Get some rest, Harry."

"Alright," Harry didn't argue because both potions were kicking in and making him sleepy. Severus helped him lie back down and pressed a kiss on the other wizard's lips. "Love you, Sev."

Severus stepped back in surprise, but Harry was already asleep.

***

"And you have a problem with that?" Draco asked his pacing godfather.

"Yes! He can't love me! I'm a bastard, a Death Eater, a-a Slytherin! He can't love someone twice his age!"

"But he does," Draco said. "Harry loves you and whether you know it or not, you love him."

"How do you know all this shit?" Severus stopped in front of him.

"Because I know you, and I know him, and you're in loved with each other."

"Draco, I can't love him. I can't let him get too close to me; he'd be in danger," Severus sighed helplessly.

"You idiot, he's already in danger," Draco glared at the Professor.

"I'm not going to let anymore harm come to him," Severus sighed.

"You love him, so let him know it. You'll be the one hurting him if you don't," Draco said philosophically.

"When did you get to be so smart?" Severus looked over to him.

***

Harry yelped as he opened his eyes; Draco was standing right above him. Draco burst out laughing.

Harry glared at ht blonde and boxed him around the ear. "I hate it when you do that."

"At least I didn't shove you off the bed," Draco grinned.

"I would have given you ten detentions if you had done that," Severus's silky voice floated from the other side of Harry.

Harry turned his head and smiled at the Potions Professor.

"How is the potion working?" Snape asked the small teen.

The Boy-Who-Lived answered," Considering I just hit this idiot with no pain, I'd say it worked perfect. Really wouldn't expect any less from a Potions Master."

"Cough! Suck up! Cough!" Draco fake coughed to cover his words.

Harry and Severus glared at the Slytherin.

"What?" Draco asked innocently.

"You're a git," The other two replied at the same time.

"That is so cool," Draco shook his head.

"You are just so weird."

***

"Okay, bed?"

"Sex. Red?"

"Blood. Broomsticks?"

"Sex. Green?"

"Death," Harry answered. Draco looked at him.

"Somebody's depressed today," the blonde clucked his tongue.

"I'm not depressed. That's just what comes to mind!" Harry glared at him.

"What the hell are you two doing?" Sirius glanced over to the two.

"Just a game," The Gryffindor and Slytherin said in unison.

"You two are creepy," Remus shook his head." It's James and Sirius all over again."

"Huh?"

"Good Merlin, you two have it bad! Prongs and Padfoot did that all the time," Moony told them.

"According to James's philosophy, only the closest people, close family, twins, or friends so close that they're like brothers, could be able to do this," Sirius smiled at Harry and Draco.

"He really thought that?" Harry asked.

Remus nodded. "Oh yeah. I think it's passed to you two. He also thought lovers, rather soulmates, can do it too."

Draco, Harry, and Sirius burst out laughing.

"What?" Remus asked, annoyed.

"'Do it'!" Draco cracked up.

"Merlin," Lupin rolled his eyes.

"Oh, oh! Hey, if Sirius bites you, does he become a werewolf?" the blonde asked.

Harry and Sirius didn't stop laughing for several minutes. Remus just raised an eyebrow. Draco looked as if he was actually waiting for an answer.

***

"Can you believe he wouldn't tell me?" Draco huffed.

"Actually, I can. It was a very dumb question," Harry shrugged.

"Was not. You were laughing," Draco pouted as they turned a corner.

"What do we have tomorrow?" Harry changed the subject before the blonde went into silent treatment mode.

"Double Potions and Double C.o.M.C. in the morning and then we have different afternoon classes," Draco answered.

"Well, what are my afternoon classes?"

"How the fuck should I know?" Draco scowled at the green-eyed boy. "I'm not your bloody keeper."

"Why not? You seem to be everywhere," Harry grinned.

"You're an ass," Draco shook his head.

"Hey, we have something in common!"

"Shut the fuck up."

"Make me."

"Oh, I'll make you shut up," Draco smirked at his friend.

"Bring it on!"

"Oh, it's already been brought!"

***

"What the bloody hell happened to you?" Hermione asked as Harry and Draco walked into the Gryffindor Common Room covered in paint.

"He threw paint on me!" They pointed at each other.

"Oh for the love of…" Hermione muttered. She put down her book and stood up. She waved her wand at the multi-coloured boys. "Vicis duo purus."

"Now, where the hell did you get paint in Hogwarts?" Ginny asked them.

"We transfigured it," Draco and Harry looked down.

"Where did you throw the paint?"

"At each other."

"Where did you throw it at each other?"

"The dungeons."

"Oh ho! Snape's going to have you in detention until you graduate!" Ginny giggled.

"Not if he doesn't know it's us!" Harry and Draco grinned.

"How the bloody hell are you doing that?" Hermione gaped at them. "I've never seen anyone do that so many times."

"FrednGeorge don't even have it that good."

"I know, it's weird," Harry shrugged.

"I think it's great," Draco grinned.

"You would."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"I think it means that you're a git," Ginny replied.

"Hey!"

End Chapter Twenty-Four