25. Rune
Harry Potter woke up on Monday morning, feeling blissfully happy. He tightened his grip around the warm body that lay next to him in the bed, and inhaled the intoxicating scent of apples and cinnamon on the skin of Draco Malfoy's neck. He opened his eyes to watch the beautiful young man, who was so peacefully sleeping in his arms.
Strands of sparkling white hair were half covering Draco's eyes, but when Harry wiped them a little bit aside, he could admire the long black lashes that spread on the high cheekbones like two ebony fans. Draco Malfoy looked both vulnerable and sexy as he slept, Harry decided.
The Gryffindor slid his fingers under the black sheets and over Draco's abdomen, to caress his boyfriend's notable six-pack. He smiled as he felt how his blood travelled down to his lower parts, his erection soon pressing against the blonde's tight buttocks. Harry nuzzled closer.
"Draco?" he whispered, teasingly.
The Slytherin only shifted an arm over his forehead, and continued breathing heavily in full sleep.
Harry traced little circles over Draco's chest with his index and buckled his hips against Draco's butt.
"Love…?"
"Mmmhhhh…" Draco mumbled, and buried his face in the pillow.
What delighted Harry more was that the blonde simultaneously pushed his arse closer to him. Harry grinned foolishly and kissed Draco's shoulder.
"Lubricio," Harry muttered quietly, and his hand was soon coated with oily substance. Harry frowned, for he did not like using wandless magic –it reminded him too much of his responsibilities towards the wizarding world. But in cases such as this, when he had no idea where his own wand was –probably in his own dormitory- he was very happy of his secret skills.
Harry applied the lubricant generously over his hard cock, wondering why he and Draco had never before used such a nice little convenience in their games.
"Baby?" Harry tried to wake Draco up one more time.
Draco took a deep inhale, and slept on.
Harry sighed, and then brought his shaft between his boyfriend's cheeks, pushing a little forward to find the right spot where to enter. Draco gave a little whimper but didn't open his eyes.
Harry shoved his weeping erection carefully inside, the lubricant making the movement smooth and easy. He moaned with contentment, and kissed Draco's neck. Draco whinged quietly and grabbed his pillow more forcefully. Harry took this as an encouragement and pulled out almost completely, only to slam soon back inside.
"Mmh, Har…?"
"Morning, love…" Harry cooed in Draco's ear, kissing his temple.
"Uhh...Morning to you too...Why's your dick in my arse?"
Harry grinned, and moved his hips. "It likes your arse."
"Hrmph. It better love my arse, if it's going to continue what it is doing."
"Don't be sulky, you don't wish me to tell you how cute you are in the morning, do you?"
"Harry…" Draco groaned, in a warning tone, but gave out a moan when he was suddenly pressed tightly against the mattress, Harry rolling on top of his back and ramming his cock harshly inside.
"You're so tight, darling...Even with the lube."
"Hmh, I thought there was something new involved," Draco spoke against his pillow. "It doesn't hurt that much with that stuff, you know."
"Yeah, I know…" Harry started to breathe more rapidly, when his climax was coming closer.
"What a nice way to wake up," Draco gasped, as Harry found his prostrate.
"Love you so much, oh, Draco, baby…" Harry panted as he pumped inside and out, feeling most heavenly.
"Ahh, mmmh...More...Yeah…" Draco buckled upwards to meet Harry's thrusts, and sunk his teeth in the pillow canvas.
Harry let out a loud grunt as he came, and Draco whimpered under his weight. Harry traced gentle kisses along Draco's spine and collapsed on top of him, not bothering even to come out.
"Har…?" Draco said, with a groan.
"Mmmh?" Harry buried his face in the nape of Draco's neck, and closed his eyes.
"What time is it? You know we don't want to be late from Potions."
"Mrrrh...Don't you dare."
"Oh, yes I dare," Draco tried to turn around under Harry. "Potions happens to be my favourite subject, and there's no way I'm going to skip it."
"Aw, Dee...Just for me…?" Harry gnawed Draco's shoulder gently with his teeth.
"Ha! Especially not for you," Draco pushed Harry aside. "You suck at Potions, you need to practise more."
Harry rolled on his back, and Draco sat up. Soon, Harry started to snigger stupidly, which made Draco very annoyed.
"Now what?" the Slytherin spat.
"Your hair is tousled," Harry reached out to brush the subtle strands, "Your hair's never tousled."
"Eek!" Draco looked horrified. "What did you do to it?"
"Me? It was your bloody champagne!" Harry giggled, and watched amusedly how Draco crawled out of bed and ran to find his hairbrush. "Besides, I think we could use a real shower. At least I feel all sticky."
Draco glanced down at his naked self, and glowered in dismay. "Fucking hell. You're right."
**
They swept into the Slytherin showers, wearing nothing but their cloaks. Well, actually Harry was wearing one of Draco's cloaks, since he hadn't got his own clothes with him. They grinned stupidly at Malcolm Baddock, who clearly had just freshly learned about the true nature of their relationship. They met Blaise Zabini hanging out with Millicent at the end of the aisle, and Draco gave her a quick kiss on the cheekbone.
"We've got twenty minutes until the class starts," Harry informed, walking rapidly after Draco.
"Damn, we're not going to make it for breakfast at all," Draco looked irritated. "Here, the showers are behind this portrait."
"What was Zabini doing here in the boys' dormitory area, by the way?" Harry asked, as he followed Draco into the bathroom.
"Why, she either had a good fuck last night or she was taking a shower, just like us."
"But isn't her showers in the girls' part of the…?" Harry stopped his sentence when he realised they were not alone in the huge bathroom.
Both Mary-Ann Greengrass and Pansy Parkinson smiled at them from a stall at Harry's left, sharing the same shower, and Carlos Warrington was having a wank in the cubicle at Harry's right.
"Lovely morning, isn't it?" Draco smirked at them all, and pulled Harry into a free booth.
"Very lovely, Draco-buns," Pansy giggled.
Harry looked horrified, and clutched his cloak more firmly. "You have common showers?"
"Why, yes," Draco raised his brows. "No need to spend valuable dungeon space for two separate bathrooms, is there?"
"Um…" Harry did not know what to say.
"Relax, this is only for the sixth and seventh years. There are other shower rooms for the younger ones."
A long, dark green snake slithered past Harry, and he yelped. His eyes landed on Theodore Nott and Tracey Davies who were making out in the cubicle in front of him. The snake went and slid up Tracey's long leg, hissed audibly, and continued upwards along Theodore's arm.
"Snakes and orgies combined, at eight in the morning... Now I've seen it all…" Harry gaped, blushing violently.
"Ha, so prudent you Gryffindors are!" Draco laughed, "As if you hadn't seen snakes and naked women before!"
"Er, actually…" Harry reddened even more.
Draco's eyes widened. "Mother Morgan, you're not serious!"
"Um... Well... I've seen snakes, alright…"
"Okay, okay, slow down... First, let's take this offending cloak away," Draco sighed, and threw both his own and Harry's garments unceremoniously on the rack. "While I wash your unruly but oh-so-sexy hair, you might as well tell me who your first lay was. After all, you should trust me enough now to tell me that."
Harry cringed as Draco poured some shampoo on his locks. "She was Chang."
"Hm, no surprise there," Draco harrumphed, and massaged Harry's head with his fingers, making the shampoo foam. "She's a crazy bitch, from what I hear... Very unpredictable. So...Why did you not see her naked, I just wonder?"
"She didn't take her clothes off while we were at it, she just...er...lifted her skirt," Harry scowled at the memory.
"How disgusting," Draco said, and begun to soap Harry's body all over.
"And then she started to weep after Cedric, in the middle of everything," Harry finished. "It was horrible. Traumatizing, almost."
Draco leaned in and gave Harry a deep kiss. "No wonder why you're so fucked up in the brain," he teased.
Harry gave a little laugh, and grabbed the shower gel bottle from the rack. "If I weren't, I wouldn't be here with you, so don't complain. Now turn around you little arrogant bastard, so that I can wash your back."
Draco obeyed, and Harry began to massage the small of his back with a foamy, green, apple scented gel. Draco cursed in his mind that he hadn't gotten his own release in the morning, and was soon beginning to feel hard.
"'Arry dahlin'…" he said, grinning, and guided Harry's hand in front of him.
"Oh, for Merlin's sake, Draco…" Harry rolled his eyes, but started to fondle his lover anyway with his soapy hands. "Just...Wash your hair meanwhile, will you? We don't have too much time. Actually, less than fifteen minutes."
It was the strangest hair-wash Draco had ever performed at himself, since the sharp-tasting shampoo was constantly streaming into his mouth, due to the fact that he was moaning and gasping under Harry's ministrations and couldn't possibly keep his lips sealed. Theodore and Tracey winked their eyes at the pair while passing by, and Harry smiled back at them. After all, from what he suspected, this was the first time Draco surrendered completely to Harry in a public place.
"Now let's get this water flowing, shall we," Harry simpered, as Draco collapsed against him, his knees weak. "If we emerge all soapy and foam-covered in front of Snape, I'm sure he will take house points even from you."
**
Harry inhaled deeply as he lifted the collar of his shirt under his nose. He was wearing Draco's clothes, since his own were at the Gryffindor tower, and there was no time to run there and back before Snape's lessons. Draco's shirt smelled of the very same intoxicating flavours than his lunar-pale skin, and Harry fondled the soft, grey angora material happily.
"Potter, come on!" Draco glared impatiently from the door. "Gregory, Vincent, you go ahead," he added, waving at his friends. "I don't want us all to be late because of one stubborn Gryffindor!"
"But I can't go there wearing a Slytherin tie and a Slytherin cloak!" Harry protested. "My friends would kill me."
"Your friends just abandoned you, if I recall correctly," Draco looked sour.
"Yeah, but only the two best ones. There's still Dean, Neville and Seamus to think about."
"Oh, for crying out loud," Draco looked at the ceiling, pleadingly. "Come here, then, you cry baby. I'll change those colours for you."
"Thanks," Harry smiled, and walked next to Draco. "I couldn't do that without my wand."
That was a lie, Harry knew. A simple transfiguration like that was not too hard to perform. But Harry didn't want anybody to know about his wandless casting skills, not yet. Not even Draco. After all, Dumbledore had advised him to keep it a secret.
"Done," Draco mumbled, and pocketed his wand, after a couple of rapid incantations. "Now come on! Four minutes!"
Draco pulled Harry into a run, and they made it speedily towards the Potions dungeon.
"Hey, what's this?" Harry cried in dismay, in the mid course. "You changed the colours of the cloak badge alright, but there's still the serpent left!"
Draco smirked evilly. "Oops."
Harry smacked him in the head. "Serpent, heaven forbid, in Gryffindor colours!"
"What can I say? It looks rather kinky."
They stumbled in Professor Snape's classroom just as the Potions master himself emerged from the other door, scowling at his class as usual.
"Malfoy, take your seat. Potter, five points for being late."
Harry was too happy to care, and followed Draco to the Slytherin side of the room. Snape's lips curled upwards in amusement, and he eyed Ronald Weasley and Hermione Granger rather maliciously.
"Morning, class," he finally drawled, after he had arranged his parchments. "How are your Polyjuice Potions doing? Go and get your cauldrons, they are in the mellowing room, as you know."
Harry began to walk towards Pansy and Millicent, with whom he was paired the previous Monday. On the way to their table, he saw Ron and Hermione glaring at him, Ron even revealing his corner teeth like an angry dog. Obedient dog, Draco's words echoed in Harry's ears, and he smiled, despite himself. He smiled also at the puzzled expressions of Lavender, Parvati, Neville and Seamus, being happy that they all seemed to be confused rather than angry –if not counted Lavender's continuous, childish wrath.
"Harry?" a whisper came from his left. "Harry, can I have a word?"
"Dean!" Harry turned around to meet his roommate. "Oh, why do you have a black eye?"
"Ron hit me," Dean explained, looking sombre. "He didn't like the idea that I knew about you and Malfoy and didn't tell him."
"That bastard!" Harry breathed, fury building inside him.
"Don't bother," Dean waved his hand. "I think Ron's not my type, after all, and I heard Parvati say my black eye looks rather sexy."
Harry snorted mirthfully, being not able to help it. "You're so bizarre, Dean, did you know?"
"Yeah, I knew," Dean grinned. "But not that much different from you."
"True," Harry smiled, and glanced at Draco, who was patiently helping Gregory Goyle with something.
"So, you really have made it official, now?" Dean leered.
"Um, I guess we're not hiding it, anymore," Harry said, "But I don't know about 'making anything official', as you put it. That sounds too much of an engagement or something. And that would be gross."
"How so?" Dean wondered. "I say it'd be sweet!"
"Well, neither Malfoy nor I are exactly the 'sweet' type, are we?" Harry asked, grinning.
"I guess not," Dean admitted. "Well, here comes Seamus with our cauldron...See you later, then, Harry?"
"Sure, see you later," Harry smiled, and went to sit next to Pansy. Millicent had just laid their respective cauldron on the desk.
"Everybody ready?" Professor Snape's acidic snarl echoed in the dungeon room. "Better be, or else…"
Harry noticed how Neville was shuddering in his seat, biting his nails.
"The first question today is what the colour of your concoction is," Snape said. "We'll start from the Gryffindor side. Granger, if you please."
"It is light blue, sir," Hermione said, proudly. "Just like the instructions in our book say that it should be."
Snape's eyes flashed with something indeterminable and he swirled his head around, "Malfoy, how about you?"
"Metallic green, sir," Draco said, looking slightly perplexed.
"Good, good," Snape said, and turned back to Hermione. "As you see, Miss Granger, we haven't quite followed the instructions from the book. Metallic green is the right colour, not light blue."
Harry saw how Hermione's eyes went large, and her mouth dropped open.
"This is your first time ever to fail a potion, is it not, Miss Granger?" Snape continued triumphantly.
"Y-yes, sir," Hermione stammered.
Harry felt gleeful and satisfied, even though it wasn't really typical of him in situations like this.
"I will not reduce house points, however," Snape simpered, "But you will have to start it all over, whilst the rest of us shall continue with something new and really interesting."
Hermione looked crushed, and Harry snorted silently.
"Our potion is metallic green, too," Pansy whispered in Harry's ear. "We passed!"
"Great!" Harry beamed.
"Now, everyone whose potion is of the right colour shall finish it by adding the knotgrass. The rest of you, pour your pitiful cooking away and make a new brew," Snape ordered.
Harry saw, to his surprise, that Neville was among those who added the knotgrass.
**
Harry, Draco and everybody else who had passed the Polyjuice Potion, were released from the class earlier than the others. Harry decided it was now the perfect time to go and see Headmaster Dumbledore. After all, the life was not completely about shagging one gorgeous Slytherin into oblivion. There was still the burning question about the Dementors, and why they had entered the Hogwarts grounds.
"Sit down, my dear boy," Dumbledore said as Harry entered the Headmaster's office. "And have some tea and cookies."
Dumbledore was currently petting Fawkes, who was just newly born from the ashes. The tiny fledgling was roosting on its silvery perch, only one, cute fiery-red feather standing on its head.
"You wanted me to come see you, Headmaster," Harry said, grabbing a large cookie. "Is this about the Dementors?"
"I was expecting Mr. Malfoy to come with you, Mr. Potter," Dumbledore straightened up and turned his worried blue eyes at Harry.
"Hmph, we're not married or anything, you know," Harry mumbled, his mouth full of the biscuit.
"Well maybe you should be," Dumbledore joked, and Harry choked, spitting the cookie on the floor. "Harry, I have not ever seen you this happy."
"I'm not happy," Harry protested, wiping his mouth. "Hermione and Ron abandoned me."
"Many strange things are happening around here these days," Dumbledore looked severe again. "The War is coming closer."
"So, those Dementors were here to collect me, then?" Harry asked.
"Yes, I'm afraid that they were," the Headmaster sighed. "According to Miss Tonks, they left the Cuillin Ridge early yesterday morning and Apparated on the hills nearby our school. On Lucius Malfoy's orders, I might add."
"Malfoy's?"
"Yes. That is why I had hoped to see young Draco, too. He might've gotten some more detailed information about the attack."
"I'll let him know that you want a word with him," Harry said. "Even though I don't think he'll talk to you."
Dumbledore nodded, and then moved to sit at his desk. "I need to ask you, Harry, if your scar has been hurting of late?"
"No, not at all, really," Harry looked surprised.
"This has been a great concern of mine," the old wizard sighed, "Voldemort is gathering more and more power, and at times like this, your scar should be frequently burning."
"Yeah, you're right," Harry looked thoughtful. "Wonder why that's not happened."
"I wonder that, too," Dumbledore admitted.
"Well, maybe Voldemort's overly happy or something," Harry shrugged. "I wouldn't know if his bursts of glee have happened simultaneously when I was having...er...never mind."
"I think there's more than that," Dumbledore said, generously ignoring Harry's flushed cheeks. "I think Mr. Malfoy has something to explain to the both of us."
"What do you mean?" Harry asked.
"I think that Draco is leading two lives," Dumbledore answered, looking serious. "As he is loyal to his father and possibly also to Voldemort, he is also in love with you, which means he's loyal to our cause, as well. I have seen his split up behaviour."
Harry glared, only raising his brows a little, to indicate he was listening.
"I have had first hand information that he has been in regular contact with his father, but I have also seen how he esteems you," Dumbledore continued. "Now, we know that Lucius Malfoy is a Death Eater, although no solid proof has been found to raise a charge against him. And we know that Draco Malfoy hasn't gotten his Dark Mark yet, although it is the high time. Therefore this conversation would have been more fruitful had Mr. Malfoy come here with you, to tell how the things really are. Is he going to join the Death Eaters in the near future, or is he going to follow his heart –follow you?"
"Well, that you must ask him, not me," Harry shrugged. "As for me, I don't give a damn as long as he's in love with me."
"Do I understand you correctly that even if Draco Malfoy was to choose the path of the Dark, you would still pursue this relationship with him?"
"Well, yeah."
"Even though he could betray you to Voldemort?"
"Yeah. And I really don't see how any of this has something to do with my scar hurting," Harry snapped, annoyed.
"Your scar has not been hurting because I believe Mr. Malfoy has placed some sort of protective charm on you," Dumbledore smiled a little. "Can you remember any situation which might verify my suspicions?"
Harry looked bitchy. "Well, now that you mention it –no, I do not."
"Very well," the Headmaster simpered, "But I cannot yet abandon this thought, either. As such, I would very much like to talk with Mr. Malfoy about this. It is very important for me to know that he is indeed on our side, and not Lord Voldemort's."
"He's on Voldemort's side," Harry offered. "So I must most politely ask the Headmaster snap out of his dreams."
"Draco Malfoy is a great wizard, Harry. He would be a powerful ally. Are you sure that he is not going to fight for the light?"
"No, but frankly, this conversation is boring me. As you must've noticed, I do not like to even think about the possibility that I might one day have to separate from him. So if you'll excuse me…"
Harry stood up and walked to the door.
"Harry?" Dumbledore asked.
"Yes?" Harry sighed.
"You must realise this conversation did not make any sense whatsoever. Therefore, please do tell Mr. Malfoy to come see me as soon as possible."
Harry only rolled his eyes, and exited the Headmaster's area.
**
Draco was sitting in the Great Hall, eating sandwiches and scribbling down some notes for his Care of Magical Creatures lesson that would start in half an hour. He was dissatisfied, for he really didn't find Runespoors very challenging. Therefore, the arrival of his father's eagle owl Malum was a welcome distraction.
Draco's smile faded, however, upon reading the letter.
Draco,
Explain yourself. You know exactly what I speak of. I want a direct answer. Malum shall wait for it.
Lucius
Draco gulped down the last bit of his cheese sandwich and dropped the parchment on the table. "So, it's the explanation time," he sighed. "Fuck."
"Draco? Are you busy?" asked Blaise Zabini, sitting next to him on the bench.
"Not really," Draco said, giving the letter to Blaise. "Just wondering how to answer this."
The girl furrowed her brows, reading the exquisite handwriting of Lucius Malfoy.
"I'm in such a mess," Draco wailed, massaging his temples. "I don't know what to do."
"Then it's a good thing that your friends do," Blaise smiled. "Here, take the quill and write just as I say."
"Just as you say?"
"Trust me. Now...Dear Father."
"Father," Draco wrote.
"Everything is under control. I had my own reasons for my actions, as you shall find out very soon."
Draco modified Pansy's sentence to an elegant phrase, and lifted his right brow at the girl.
"Don't look at me that way, Draco. Just hear me out."
"Fine."
"Prepare to welcome both me and my new friend to Malfoy Mansion next Saturday morning."
"Prepare to...what?"
"Just write it, will you!" Blaise huffed.
Draco gave her a reproachful look, but swung his quill elegantly over the parchment, writing just as Blaise said.
"Good," Blaise smiled.
"Then what?"
"Hmm…" Blaise sucked her lower lip. "Do not bother asking me how I made this happen. Explanation time is later. Just ask if it's convenient for a certain person to pay us a visit that very same evening. I guarantee he will receive a very interesting reception."
"I guarantee, huh?" Draco sulked, writing Blaise's words down, and finished the letter.
"Now it's time to have a little chat with Harrykins. Where's he?" Blaise asked.
"Seeing Dumbledore, I guess," Draco shrugged.
"Okay," Blaise let the air flow slowly out from her lungs. "Here's what I've had in mind. We'll all meet in that new, all-houses common room at six tonight. In the White Chamber, so that it won't look too suspicious to the younger Slytherins. Can you and Harry make it?"
"If we must," Draco said, reading the letter through. "Bini, what's all this? I can't possibly send this letter."
"You will send it," Blaise smoothed Draco's hair. "Trust me here."
Glaring at his best friend, Draco rolled the parchment up and fastened it to Malum's leg. "Trust you? You're the most frightening scheming bitch I have ever had the pleasure to know."
"Yes, but that's exactly why you love me."
"Love you?"
"In the Malfoy sort of way, of course," Blaise grinned.
Draco grinned back. "Of course. Now come on, put your cloak on, our next class will start in five minutes."
"Yeah, we have that atrocious Hagrid," Blaise made a face, and slid the black cover over her shoulders. "See if we still have Runespoors."
**
Harry was making his way hastily towards the Divination tower. He was afraid that he might be late, because after the meeting with Dumbledore, he had needed to go to the Gryffindor Tower to collect his wand and schoolbag. And, of course, the Gryffindor tower was situated completely on the other side of the castle than Trelawney's classroom.
When climbing up the stairs and entering the heavily-scented space, Harry was greeted with a loud murmur of voices. Clearly, people had been talking about the happenings of the previous day, and the rumours of his relationship with Draco Malfoy had naturally spread like fire. Obviously, they were now the most burning subject in the school.
Harry sought out Ron from the crowd, and met his eyes. They looked bitter and hurt, and Harry saw how his former best friend had cramped himself tightly between Seamus and Neville, so that Harry could not possibly sit down next to him.
"Oi, Harry! Come and sit with us!" shouted Anthony Goldstein.
"Yeah," chorused Dean, who was sitting at the same table with the Ravenclaws. "Come here, I need to speak to you."
Harry shrugged, and edged towards the round table, located quite far away from the corner spot he usually had.
"So, is it really true?" asked Michael Corner, fidgeting rather nervously with his quill. "You and...and Malfoy?"
Harry dropped on his seat and smiled. "Yeah. It's true."
Dean was beaming. "Two sickles, please, Mr. Corner."
"You were betting on it?" Harry asked, amused. "Dean, you sod, you knew the truth, and not just guessed right."
Michael dug out the sickles and murmured some swear words, and something that sounded like 'why wouldn't I fucking believe him'.
"So…" ventured Anthony. "How are you feeling?"
"Quite happy, thanks," Harry said, taking forth his notebook and quill. "Even though not everybody accepts my choice. Just look at Ron."
Anthony sighed. "Yeah. He was your best friend, eh? Sorry he couldn't take the news."
"Why are you all being so supportive?" Harry wondered. "Dean, did you threaten them?"
"I'd never do anything like that!" Dean looked mock-shocked, batting his lashes.
"Just a little," Anthony grinned.
"Actually, Anthony's quite the experimentalist, himself," Michael supplied, and the aforementioned Ravenclaw blushed. "And as for me, I can't blame you for anything, Harry. Cho told me about...er...certain things, and I totally understand why...er...you decided that you're bisexual –or gay."
Harry looked terrified. "Cho told you what?"
"Nothing that was too flattering for her," Michael huffed. "Thank Merlin I'm through with her."
"There's one thing I've always wanted to know," Dean wriggled his brows. "How big it is? I mean, Malfoy's? And is he the sub or the dominant one?"
"Yeah," Anthony chorused. "And how long have you been seeing each other, anyway? I swear I had no idea at the party last Friday."
"Do you use any...er...extra devices?" Michael flushed.
Dean gave him a look.
"Hey! Even though I'm straight, that doesn't mean I couldn't be curious!" Michael whined.
"And here I thought people would be discussing about the Dementors and not my sex life," Harry laughed.
The others laughed, too, and then drifted in a comfortable silence as Professor Trelawney sailed in the classroom.
**
It was a windy day, although rather warm. Draco sat on his knees on the ground, which was highly non-typical of him, and had also a highly non-typical smile decorating his handsome features. He was holding a hatchling of a Runespoor in his arms, playing with it gently. He completely ignored the horrified looks of the Hufflepuff students and the stiff form of Hagrid, who was both petrified with fear and admiration.
"You are such a show-off," laughed Blaise, sitting next to him on the grass.
"Tell me something I already don't know," Draco smirked, and fondled the middle head of the snake from under the chin. The left head was snoozing on his femur, and the right one was high up, keeping watch like a ready-to-bite viper.
"Are yeh sure it won' bite yeh, Malfoy?" Hagrid asked, swallowing in fear. "Meh don't wanna get suspended."
"It won't bite me, Hagrid," Draco said, for the first time speaking civilly to the half-giant, and smiled. "We're soul mates."
"Yes, about that magnificent Patronus of yours, by the way…" ventured Justin Finch-Fletchley, walking closer. "It was very cool."
Draco raised his gleaming grey eyes at the other boy, grinning like an idiot. "Thanks, Finch."
"Umm...Draco? Are you alright?" asked Goyle.
"Yeah," said Crabbe. "You're scary when you are...um...happy?"
"Nonsense," snapped Pansy. "He just got well fucked in the morning, that's what it is."
Draco coughed, and Blaise and Justin laughed.
"Well, the rest of yeh students…" Hagrid cleared his throat, feeling rather confused. "Yeh start ter feedin' ther baby snakes now."
As the group of Slytherin and Hufflepuff students began to scatter, Draco returned all his attention to the Runespoor hatchling in his lap, making it hiss in pleasure.
"I wish I could speak Parseltongue," Draco said quietly. "If Hagrid will borrow you, I'll introduce you to someone who can."
"Runespoors were the most popular pets of the ancient dark overlords," Blaise remembered, timidly touching the baby snake where she thought its tail begun. "How fitting it would be, having this cute little thing as your pet with Harry?"
"We don't even live together, Bini darling," Draco was amused. "So don't start planning our lives ready. If I let you do that, you would soon have decided what colour our bedroom curtains have to be."
"Red, definitely Gryffindor red," Blaise said without hesitation. "With cute little silvery serpents embroidered on the folds."
Draco rolled his eyes. "Zabini, one more word…"
"Remember to bring Harry to the White Chamber tonight, then," Blaise interrupted her friend. "Montague says he and Warrington have written down the main points of our plan, and Millicent says she's got a new idea."
"So you guys really are serious about this 'get-rid-of-the-old-crappy-overlord' –thingie?" Draco lifted the Runespoor on his shoulder, and let the snake nestle in his lengthy, soft hair. "And that letter you made me write...That was a part of your oh-so-clever plans, too?"
"Damn right it was," Blaise said, "So you better play along with this. You have no chance to retreat now."
"May I ask the reason why you're doing this?" Draco raised his brows. "You're Slytherins, and your parents are Death Eaters. You are supposed to become Death Eaters. There's a rampant nuts evil overlord out there, wanting us to follow him. And if we disobey him, we're dead. So I can't really see your point here. Why so suddenly supporting the light side?"
"We are Slytherins, yes," Blaise replied. "And that means we're ambitious. Using every possible means to get what we want. And as it is, we want you to rule the world with Harry. We do not want that joke of a Darth Vader shadowing our lives. See? Our reasons are purely selfish. We don't want to kiss anybody's hems, kill anybody because somebody just tells us to do so, wear black cloaks everywhere instead of our new fashionable robe-sets, and besides, the Dark Lord is ugly. No ugly leaders, thank you."
"Very convincing," Draco nodded. "But who's Darth Vader?"
"He's, um...just someone…"
"Bini, you haven't been doing Muggle Studies, have you?" Draco scowled.
"Well, just a little…" Blaise looked ashamed.
"Oh, where am I going to end up with you?" Draco sighed, good-naturedly, and drew Blaise in a tight hug.
Everybody followed the weird scenario from beside their respective Runespoor cages, not able to decide what the hell was going on.
**
During the last fifteen minutes of Divination, Harry was counting the seconds that ticked forwards in his wristwatch. He hated the subject, hated the teacher, hated that he had found a dead fly from the bottom of his tea-cup, and he hated Ronald Weasley. Well, actually he did not hate Ron, but he felt bitter and unreasonably angry at him.
Why are you so enraged, Harry? he asked himself. You knew his reaction beforehand. You knew how much he detested Malfoy. You knew the Weasley family and the Malfoy family carried on this horrible wrath against each other, starting from the days before you were born. You must give him time. Just give him time...tick...tick...tick…
Harry sighed as the last two minutes of the lesson started. He blocked out successfully Trelawney's high-pitched, misty voice, and concentrated on examining his fingernails. From the corner of his eye, he stole a glance at Ron every now and then, every time feeling the same surge of bitterness crashing through his heart.
"…and I might as well tell you, that Mr. Malfoy is really gifted with Divination. He has not told me, but I am sure he has been seeing something from his crystal ball during these last two weeks. I can sense such things with my divine senses. Besides, Mr. Malfoy has been living his entire youth in Wiltshire, the promised land of Diviners. He has been surrounded by the magic of the ancient seers, and I hear Malfoy Manor is situated quite close to the Stonehenge itself!" Trelawney's voice echoed in the classroom. "Therefore it would be a miracle if he would not be able to see things…"
Harry lazily realised that the subject was his boyfriend. He looked questioningly at Michael, Anthony and Dean, all of them intently listening to the professor.
"What's she saying?" Harry whispered, "Something about Draco?"
"Haven't you been listening?" Dean looked surprised. "It's all about Draco Malfoy and the way he's been acting in his classes. The old bat things he's a Diviner."
"A Diviner?" Harry looked flustered. "He hasn't told anything to me."
"Maybe he doesn't recognize the symptoms," Anthony joined in. "Or maybe he's just scared."
"I wonder what he's been seeing," Michael said.
"I need to ask him," Harry decided. "What if it's something serious?"
Ronald Weasley's voice carried all the way to the round table from the far away corner. "I hope he saw his own death."
This was the last drop for Harry. He would not tolerate such comments about his boyfriend, not even if it was Ron who was saying them.
"The class is adjourned," Trelawney said, but for the first time, Harry wasn't rushing outside. Instead, he walked straight to Ron, Seamus and Neville.
"Neville, Seamus, can I have a word with Weasley here?" he asked, although his tone implied it was rather a straight command.
"I don't want a word with you," Ron spat.
"I didn't ask you if you wanted or not," Harry snarled.
Neville squeaked, packed his things, and hurried after the retreating Ravenclaw students. Seamus was a little slower, eyeing Harry and Ron suspiciously, clearly wishing to stay and listen.
"Seamus, come on!" Dean shouted from the floor hatch. "Leave them alone. They have some things to clear out, and that's none of our business."
Reluctantly, Seamus inched out of the classroom.
"So," Ron said, crossing his arms and eyeing Harry's fisted hands. "Trelawney's still here, so you can't beat me without getting detention."
Harry looked vile, his green eyes ready to burn holes into everyone who dared to look straight at them. Ron wasn't one of those brave ones.
"Then I suggest we take this outside, you wimp," Harry smirked. "I've wanted to hammer some sense into you since Friday."
Ron glared at Harry's twisted mouth in fury, as if wishing to smash all the teeth down his throat. "Likewise…"
**
Draco and his classmates were walking away from Hagrid's hut, their lesson having just ended, when they got Harry and Ron in their eyesight. Crabbe and Goyle started chuckling, pointing at the two forms that were wriggling on the ground near the greenhouses, obviously trying to beat the shit out of each other.
"Aren't those Harry and the Weasel?" asked Pansy, eyes dilated.
"Yeah, they are," answered Tracey, her mouth drawing into a grin. "Let's go see!"
"What say you, Sir Draque?" Blaise looked at Draco with sparkling eyes. "Wanna bet who wins?"
"Only if you are willing to bet for Weasley," Draco harrumphed, and started to take rapid steps towards the battling field. He patted the baby Runespoor on his shoulder, murmuring words that sounded like 'you better talk sense to my self-destructive boyfriend, or he'll get so beaten he won't be able to have sex in days'.
The snake, which Hagrid had gladly given to Draco when the Slytherin had explained that Harry would like to see it, only hissed silently, and curled gently around his neck.
When reaching Ron and Harry, the Slytherin sixth year class sat down on the dry grass mattress to watch the show. Only Crabbe and Goyle were slightly worried that they would miss the lunch; the others were completely enthralled by what they saw, if not counted Draco's slight worry that his shirt and trousers would be completely ruined –the ones Harry was wearing, that is.
"They've never fought before, not physically," informed Mary-Ann. "I've had a chat with the little Weasley, Virginia, and she said those two are best friends, always there for each other."
"How horribly cliché," commented Tracey, "And I suppose she also said that 'there's nothing that can become between them'?"
"Yeah," Mary-Ann smiled. "Obviously, she was wrong."
"Shouldn't we stop them?" Blaise wondered, a little worried.
"As long as Harry's on the winning side, no way in hell," Draco simpered, standing against the castle wall, drooling over his boyfriend and laughing at Ron's pitiable squeals.
**
Harry was furious to say the least, currently pulling Ron's hair and biting his wrist. He had never in his life assaulted Ron physically, but it felt strangely good, hearing the redhead moan in pain that he, Harry, had caused.
His mind drifted elsewhere when Ron's knee collided with his ribs and forced him to double over. Then he felt how Ron hauled him around, pressed his face against the muddy grass and breathed in his ear.
"You fucking faggot, I tried to understand you, and I thought I did. But then, you have to go and fuck that fucking slut Malfoy! Malfoy, for fuck's sake! Harry Potter, you're fucking out of your mind. And I'm going to show you just how crazy you are."
Harry started laughing, which took Ron a bit off guard.
"What's so funny?" Ron asked and shoved Harry's head more firmly against the ground.
Harry continued to chuckle, and thought silently in his mind how his reaction was similar to the one Draco had had when they'd first fought after that interesting Quidditch match. Tears of mirth escaped Harry's eyes as he vaguely noticed that they had gathered audience.
"I...I could almost...think that you are jealous...Ron Iddekins…" Harry laughed.
"Jealous? Me?" Ron shouted, "Of whom? I'm not even gay!"
"The more worrisome for you," Harry wheezed.
"Harry, I swear to you that...ouch!"
Harry elbowed Ron harshly in the stomach, and then buckled his head upwards, hitting Ron's chin with his scull.
"That was uncalled for!" Ron snarled, holding his jaw, when Harry suddenly grabbed the redhead's hands and twisted them behind his back. "Ouch! Watch it, you sick queer!"
Harry had regained his angry composure and was glaring down at Ron with pure distaste. "If I were you, I'd not struggle. Otherwise there may be some bone braking. You understand?" he hissed.
Ron dumbly nodded, and swallowed.
"Good. Now listen," Harry continued, his voice dark and low, and very sexy in Draco's opinion. "First, if you ever call me something like 'sick queer' again, there will be no more Mr. Little Ronald Weasley in your disgustingly sloppy pants. Secondly, if you ever say anything disparaging about Malfoy in my presence again, there'll be some serious hexing that is targeted at your arse. Including a very thick broomstick. Thirdly, if you don't stop that wriggling and whining right now, there'll be a nice tattoo on your forehead, saying 'I want to fuck Umbridge'. And if you don't go and apologise Dean in the course of this very day, I will announce the whole school you've got Chlamydia. From Snape. Savvy?"
Ron gulped, and nodded.
"Good. Now hear this," Harry smirked evilly. "If you want there to be a chance for you to reconcile with me some day, you better start supporting me in my choices. It may be hard for you to believe, but I am really happy with Malfoy. He's a selfish bitch, I know, but that's exactly why I love him. He isn't trying to please me in everything, like the others. You should know, you fell in love with Hermione because you two were constantly bickering. The same goes with me and Draco. Besides, Draco's as sexy as hell, you just haven't seen him stark naked."
"B-bad mental image…"
"Shut up. So, how is it, Ron? Or should I call you Weasley from now on?"
Ron was silent for several seconds before bursting into tears.
"Oh, leave it out…" Harry rolled his eyes and stood up, letting Ron free. "What a pussy."
"You...You can still call me Ron," Ron sobbed, curling into a tight ball. "But you must give me time."
"Yeah, I know," Harry said nonchalantly, dusting his clothes. "But it felt good to fight, eh?"
Ron gave a difficult grin, his lower lip bleeding, "Yeah."
"So, Blaise…" Draco's drawl carried in the cool autumn air. "Did you bet for the Weasley or not?"
The tensed atmosphere soon melted as Harry threw himself in Draco's arms and kissed him fervently. The Slytherin girls giggled, and Blaise was even kind enough to go and help Ron up to his feet. Crabbe and Goyle left the field, hastily retreating towards the Great Hall for lunch.
"So...We're good, are we?" asked Ron, glancing shyly at Harry, who was obviously mesmerized by the graceful Slytherin prince.
"Yeah, we're good, as long as you're good," Harry smiled at the other Gryffindor, affectionately nuzzling his head under Draco's chin.
"Watch out for my snake, Har," Draco said, as the Runespoor suddenly tightened its grip around his throat.
"Snake?" Harry was confused, and took a couple of steps away from Draco.
"I don't know its name," Draco explained, detaching the Runespoor hatchling from his skin and handing it out to Harry. "Actually, I don't even know if it's he or she. Maybe you could ask it?"
Harry was fascinated by the beauty of the little creature. It was not longer than twenty-five or thirty centimetres, and the orange colour of its snake skin was bright like fire. The stripes that encircled its form neatly were coal black and perfectly lined, and its six red eyes were looking at Harry intently.
"You're beautiful," Harry said in Parseltongue. "What's your name?"
The left head of the Runespoor sizzled something that was completely incomprehensible to Draco, and Harry smiled.
"Do you like Draco Malfoy?" Harry asked the snake.
Again, the snake gave a strange hiss, which made Harry smile even wider.
"What's it say?" Draco asked, looking a bit nervous.
"Nobody has yet named them. But the middle head is a male, and the other two are females. And it told me your hair smells pretty good, and that you have a very soft skin. Although that wasn't news to me."
"Uh-huh," Draco looked sceptical, but decided to believe anyway, self-centred as he was.
"So...You want to name them?" Harry asked, petting the middle head.
"Eurgh, no!" Draco frowned. "That would be so girlish and stupid. Let's just call it simply Rune."
"So you intend to keep it?" Harry looked amused. "You can't even understand what it says."
"Um, I was thinking that you might want to keep it," Draco confessed. "Hagrid doesn't mind, he has plenty of them, and as for me...I really would like to hear you speak that sexy Parseltongue more often."
The Runespoor let out a silent fizz and Harry chuckled.
"What?" Draco glowered at the baby snake.
"Says they've never heard anything so disgustingly romantic before."
"I wasn't being romantic! Malfoys are never romantic!" Draco shouted at Rune. "You understand me, snake?"
Harry laughed, and started to take Draco towards the castle entrance. "Come on, let's go eat something."
"I'd rather eat you," Draco's eyes narrowed slyly, and he slid his hand under Harry's shirt.
Rune hissed again, as if gagging, but went silent after receiving a very nasty glance from Draco. Harry kissed the annoyed Slytherin on the cheek, giggling, and they left towards the Great Hall hand in hand.
Neither of them paid attention to Ron and Blaise who stayed behind, engaged in a silent conversation.
…TBC...