Title: You and I
Author: Mage
Rating: R
CHAPTER ELEVEN: A Little Education
Sweeping into the hospital wing Harry looked around and was surprised not to see anybody in the room. For a school that was filled with teenage students armed with magical wands, this was a rare treat indeed, if not somewhat curious. Yet Harry didn't much care to ask why, just glad for the blessing that the hospital wing was empty of anybody that could interrupt, or worse yet, overhear the conversation that he was about to have with the one person he had skived Herbology to see.
Walking briskly to the right, he approached a door that he knew lead to the school mediwitch's office and proceeded to knock on the wooden door. A woman carrying an assortment of potion bottles in her arms opened the door at his knock.
"Ah, Mr. Potter," she said, stepping around him to enter the main area of the hospital wing. "What can I do for you?"
"Madam Pomfrey," Harry began, as he watched the mediwitch walk over to a nearby cabinet. "I just wanted to talk to you about a few things."
The mediwitch stopped her task of placing potions bottles in the cabinet and turned to face him. Her brown eyes sweep up and down his form, a curious frown on her face.
"You don't seem particularly in need of any medical treatment. And if it is advice you need, couldn't it have waited til after classes?"
"No, Madam, this can not wait. This will only take a minute. I promise."
Madam Pomfrey looked like she was about to protest, but then her searching eyes landed on his face and their eyes met. For a long moment, she just looked into his eyes and Harry wondered what she saw in them to make her not send him to his class, or report him to his head of house for truancy. Whatever it was, Harry didn't really care. All he cared about was when the moment ended, she granted him his request.
"Very well, Mr. Potter a minute is what I'll give you. But after that you will head straight to class," she told him sternly.
Harry just nodded in response.
"So I take it that this is about Mr. Malfoy?" she asked.
"Yes," he responded.
"Lately it always seems to be," she said with a knowing look. "So, what did you want to discuss with me?"
"I wanted to talk to you about the babies. I have these worries…" he told her, trailing off, not being able to voice his feelings in the empty yet still somewhat public scene.
"Okay," she nodded. "Let's take a seat in my office."
After taking a seat at her desk, she gestured for Harry to sit down on one of the chairs before her. Once they were settled, she turned to Harry, beginning without further delay.
"Well, go on then," she urged.
Harry just sat silently for a moment trying to think of a way to voice his worries. His mind swirling with thoughts of a certain blond boy whose childhood he knew had always been peppered with illness. Looking at Draco it was easy to see the effects that his childhood had had on him. He was too small for his age and if not for the power he seemed to exceed he would seem frail, delicate and breakable.
"Will Draco be able to handle this pregnancy?" he finally asked, voicing his worries into one question.
Pomfrey sighed and shook her head. "I won't lie to you and give you the guarantee you seek, Mr. Potter. Male pregnancies are never easy and all together unpredictable, for they are not completely natural and lean too much on theory magic."
"But other people have done it before!" Harry exclaimed.
"Yes, but there are risks. Think of it this way if pregnancy can be risky for a woman – whose body is naturally build for such things – how do you think it will be for a man?"
"Dangerous," Harry whispered, mostly to himself then to answer her rhetorical question.
"For males, the process of pregnancy relays so much on magic. Draco is a powerful wizard. After I measured his magical resource there is no denying it. That is the reason that a boy so young can actually hold this pregnancy in the first place. Usually it is recommended that the male who has completed his normal wizarding levels, and is therefore old enough to have come into their full power, be the one that under take the pregnancy task."
"But why?"
"You see, with male pregnancies the time that the child is conceived is important as the magic begins to do its work. The first two weeks is the most important stage, as the magic of the person begins to work on the body to make it able for pregnancy. This is incredible magic and takes a lot on the body. That is why I'm glad you came to me so soon. All those spells I cast and potions I gave Draco was too help his body take to this pregnancy as much as possible. Added with those, I gave him extra potions to make his pregnancy much easier on him. Some of those potions I gave him…why, combined they would have been too powerful on a wizard so young, but lucky for us Draco is unique and his magic was able to take the power of the potions and hold his body for them to do their work."
She paused, allowing him to take in what she was telling him.
"The importance of this early stage in male pregnancies is the reason that signs of pregnancy come pretty much the day after conception. Thank goodness you saw the signs as Draco being ill and you managed to get that stubborn boy over here to see me."
There the mediwitch halted her explanation and gave Harry a tried smile.
"You see, Mr. Potter, we have done all we can. Hopefully Draco's magic will be able to hold what his body would usually not be able."
Harry took a moment to let her words sink in, a slight frown playing across his features as his eyes rested on her face, yet his gaze looked right through her.
"Okay," he finally spoke. "I understand that Madam Pomfrey, but how about-will he be able to hold two children?"
She smiled warily at him. "I'm sure it will all be all right, Mr. Potter. In all honesty, he has been holding two lives from the beginning we just never knew it until recently. Please, try not to worry too much. Checking up on Draco's state I would say that everything is progressing normally."
Harry slumped in his seat and sighed in relief. Thank the fates.
"Mr. Potter."
Harry's head snapped up and he blinked in surprise at her sudden hard tone.
"I must remind you that while magic is there to help Mr. Malfoy, you must be there to help him as well. Remember that while the aspects I have explained to you differ very much from female pregnancies, there are also other aspects that are the same. Draco needs plenty of rest, must eat right and for the love of all things magical, he must not strain himself. Is that understood? I expect that as Mr. Malfoy's partner that you assist him in these aspects of the pregnancy. You will be there."
Harry looked at her, slightly stunned. Draco had always complained that she fussed about him too much, but Harry had never actually realized just how protective the old nurse was of Draco.
I guess that would explain the look of death she shot me after the Trydon incident.
Harry shuddered at the memory of those ugly three headed beasts they had encountered in Professor Hagrid's class during the beginning of their third year. Still enemies at the time, Harry and Draco had gotten into a bit of a fight, which resulted in Harry roughly shoving Draco. The lighter Slytherin had fallen through the magical crystal ring that prevented the creatures from getting through to the rest of the class. To say that the Trydon's had been nice to Draco would have been like saying Hagrid's dog Fluffy was sweet. Afterwards, Harry had been told to accompany Professor Hagrid and an unconscious Draco to the Hospital Wing. Harry was told to take that little detour so that the Professor himself could take him before the headmaster. To say that Madam Pomfrey was amused would be like saying that the devil was kind.
Snapping out of his memories of a frighteningly infuriated mediwitch, Harry finally found his voice. "Of course I'll be there, Madam Pomfrey. I care about him."
With that, the woman's hard stare morphed into a smile. "You better."
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Bloody pregnant body! Not good for a good run! Bloody vulnerable to damage. Damn easily strained…Jogging through Hogwarts seemingly unending supply of long hallways, the pregnant Slytherin continually cursed everything and anything that came to mind, trying to distract his mind from the trouble he was bound to be in for missing so much of his Transfiguration class.
The way from the dungeons to the North Tower that housed the Transfigurations classroom, seemed longer then it normally did, his hindered body unable to be moved at top speed. The distance now seeming to leave him out of breath in a way it never use to.
Skidding to a stop before the familiar wooden door, Draco didn't even take the time to catch his breath, his mind too distracted in deciding the best excuse to use for his lateness. The aging door swung open with an audible creak, sounding louder then Draco remembered it being. The voice that had been echoing through the cavernous room halted, dousing the room into silence.
Draco blinked, fighting a blush from escaping, as he found himself being stared at by every occupant in the room. As the moments passed, the Slytherin forced himself away from the urge to fidget as their eyes stayed on him. The silence in the room was broken at the sounds of footsteps. Diverting his eyes from the curious gaze of his classmates Draco looked up to find Professor McGonagall walking towards him. She stopped at the middle of the classroom gazing at his nervous form by the door. Her eyes raked up and down his form, causing Draco to suddenly become aware of his disheveled state of attire. Forcing his limbs to move with as much casual ease as he could master he reached over to pulled his slipping robe back onto his right shoulder, his other hand moving up to push his bangs out of his face.
For what felt like too many minutes, the stern professor just continued to gaze at Draco with a hard expression on her face, never once uttering a word or even shifting from her stop at the center of the room. The silence was beginning to cause Draco's uneasiness to heighten, her steely gaze causing a blush to try and color his cheeks. The young Slytherin was using all his restrain and composure, brought about by his noble upbringing, to prevent the Ravenclaw's and Slytherin's that made up the class from seeing his nervousness and embarrassment.
"So, you finally chose to grace us with your presence, Mr. Malfoy."
Draco jumped against his will, cursing himself for showing that the sudden sound had taken him completely of guard. He glanced up at Professor McGonagall, noting how he would never have thought that it was she that had spoken if he did not recognize her voice. The women seemed not to have even twitched.
"Do you have an excuse for such insolent tarty behavior, Mr. Malfoy?" she asked.
Her voice while spoken so quietly still managed to echo in the room, jolting Draco to attention. "Well Professor-" Draco began.
"Not that any excuse would be justified. Am I right, Malfoy?"
Draco shut his mouth, choosing to keep silent at that.
Well, unless we knew she is not made of stone, Draco mentally mumbled, noting the slight raise eyebrow that the woman was directing at him.
"Not that an excuse is needed at this time. Am I right, Mr. Malfoy?" she shouted, making Draco jump at the sudden loudness of her voice.
Then, abruptly, he stepped back, suddenly finding the professor standing directly in front of him. He blinked at her sudden movement trying to fight his instincts to move further away from her. Her behavior was unnerving, jogging a memory in his head that would not completely form.
Draco's attention was snapped back to the professor as he felt his tie being slightly tugged.
"What is this? What explanation do you have for looking like you just escaped from a brothel? Then having yourself cased by some Aurors like you were a Death Eater?"
Draco's eyes snapped wide, all previous thoughts of giving no indication of his uneasiness forgotten, as the Professors words boomed in the room.
"Don't even speak," she went on.
Not that Draco would have been able to in his shock.
"There can be no excuse for looking so ridiculous. Strutting into my class whenever you feel like it, looking like some common street rat. Fix yourself boy."
Draco felt his hands move instantly to follow her command, his fingers moving to straighten his tie and his hands dipping down to tuck in his shirt.
"Thirty points from Slytherin. One for every minute late," she snapped
Draco was too shocked to even find the urge to curse her for her unfairness in the privacy of his mind.
"And detention with Mr. Filch."
That got Draco's mind to work again, words of protest bubbling in throat. He bit his lips to stop the words from leaking out; fearing that she would only be harsher.
"Is that all right with you, Mr. Malfoy?" she asked him.
Draco fought harder to keep his words to himself. Squashing the need to tell her just how all right he was with her punishment.
"Yes, Professor," he bit out.
"Good."
With that she spun on her heels and walked back to the front of the room.
Draco blinked at her back, the image of her expression as she had turned away from him floating before his eyes. For a moment, he could have sworn that she had-
No, no, that's impossible.
"To your seat Mr. Malfoy," McGonagall's voice sounded, breaking him out of his thoughts.
At that order, he quickly moved away from the door to a table near the front of the class, sinking in a seat beside a brown haired girl in Slytherin robes. He shifted in his seat, and turned his attention back to his teacher, finding her gaze still on him.
"When you're done taking your time, Malfoy, we will resume the lesson."
"Y-Ye-." Draco internally winced at his voice, furious at himself for letting the old woman affect him like this. Mentally shaking himself, he tried again. "Yes, Professor."
At that the woman smiled, and in a snap of movement she was back to teaching her class. "Now, lets continue discussing the theory of human shape shifting…"
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Harry stepped through the swinging doors of the hospital wing and paused, moving to lean against a near by wall. He let his head fall back as he closed his eyes. A silent whispered thanks to the fates passed his lips, as he basked in the relief that had washed over him. He felt as if the familiar weight of the worries that he had been carrying these past weeks had been lessened somewhat by the words of the mediwitch.
For a moment he just stood there, tired for a reason he could not comprehend. It was as if the worries that he had come into the hospital wing carrying had kept him wide and alert and with their absence, he was reminded how tired he truly was. The heavy feeling in his body a reminder that less then half a night's rest was never good for too long.
He groaned as he remembered his promise to Madam Pomfrey to head straight to class after they were done. He didn't much feel like going, so he worked his thoughts to lazily justify it as there being no point in attending the remaining minutes left in Herbology.
Prying himself off the comfortable wall, he moved towards the opposite direction of the greenhouses, having no desire to be anywhere near classes.
Harry had never liked Herbology, finding no point in a class that he felt he would never need in the future, regardless of how the school seemed to think otherwise. So all too often he would just miss the class all together. Hiding in the various unused rooms that Hogwarts had in abundance. And then often in the remaining moments of that time, away from the ever watchful eyes of his friends and the rest of the school, Harry would make his way to the Transfiguration corridor and hide between the darkened space of two towering stone statues.
There he would wait for a familiar blond boy.
Then together they would slip away through the hidden entrance found in the wall between the very statues that they stood between and enter into a moment of seclusion, leaving behind the rest of the world.
Now, as if an invisible string was pulling him, Harry found himself moving towards that familiar corridor, as he had done countless times. On instinct he followed a path he had moved through so often, slipping between a familiar space between two statues depicting long dead wizards whose names he never cared to know, and he waited, ready to kidnap Draco from this spot like so many times before.
He peeked around the statue as he heard the door to the near by Transfiguration classroom burst open. He watched as the familiar horde of sixth year students, dressed in either green or blue under their black Hogwarts robes, walked out of the room. Harry stifled a laugh as he watched them walk stiffly and yet swiftly, as if they were forcing themselves to not out-right run from the Transfiguration classroom. The sight, while amusing, was all too familiar these past years or so as the stern yet kind and fair Transfigurations professor seemed to have subtly morphed into a somewhat bitter and cranky old woman. If not for the fact that she treated students of all houses with the same scorn, Harry would have been inclined to label her Mrs. Snape.
Harry was snapped out of his amusement as his eyes caught the glimmer of shocking blond hair at the back of the crowd of student. He smiled as he watched grey eyes roll in a gesture of exasperation at the dark haired girl talking animated to him. She only paused momentarily as a tall boy joined the two from the class of older students that had come out of the classroom beside their own. He watched as the blond drifted slightly back as the other two kept walking at a steady pace, the girl still talking all the while. The blond boy's expression reflected obvious irritation about whatever it was the girl was talking about. As the group moved closer to his hiding spot, Harry readied himself. Then as they passed, he shot out a hand and pulled the boy towards him. With a muffled password the wall behind them quietly opened, and they stumbled through the opening, a muffled swoosh reaching their ears as the wall slid back into place.
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Draco let out an indignant squeak as he stumbled forward, saved only from an ungraceful fall by a pair of strong arms."Harry, you total prat!" he yelled, when he was firmly on his feet again, not bothered by the volume of his voice, knowing silencing spells protected the room.
"What the hell is wrong with you? Surprising me like that! Not to mention manhandling me, you stupid arse."
Harry laughed and whispered a spell that caused the once dark room to glow with candlelight.
"Come on, Dray. I can't believe that after all this time you're still surprised by this."
Draco glared.
"Maybe I'm surprised because you are actually supposed to have been in class this once," Draco growled. "Don't tell me that you really were at Herbology and just ran across the castle in a minute flat to be here. Even Gryffindor's legendary Quidditch star is not that fast."
Harry flashed him a cocky smile. "That's because I never before needed to prove that I am."
Draco blinked at him for moment and then through his arms in the air. "Oh of all the cocky-bloody annoying Gryffindors! And they say Slytherins are arrogant!" he yelled in exasperation.
"Bloody Hell, Potter why you even bother to be in school when you're never at classes is beyond me."
"What are you talking about? I go to my classes."
Draco rolled his eyes. "Yeah right! You're hardly at Care of Magical Creatures…"
"That class is a heath hazard!"
"…You barely go to Herbology…"
"That class is pointless!"
"…And you go even less to Divinations."
"Oh. Well," Harry blinked, no longer yelling. "That class is just shit."
"See! My point exactly. You are never in classes and then I get dragged in to your careless, lazy, idiotic ways!"
Harry frowned. "Wait, wait, wait. Why and how did telling me of about my lack of attendance in classes turn to you?"
"Just ignore him, Harry." Came a male voice from the room's entrance. "He's just sore about McGonagall's punishment for being late to class and Morag's chewing down."
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At the same time, Draco and Harry turned at the sound of the voice, spying two people by the room's entrance. Harry blinked, shortly taken off guard by the sudden appearance of the dark haired boy and girl. Through the rooms ill lighting, Harry could see the golden candlelight tinting the silver colors on their uniform into a soft gold."Shut up, Theo," Draco snapped, glaring heatedly at one of his best friend.
Theodore Nott merely leaned casually against the wall. A small, lazy smile dancing on his lips as if walking into secret, shadowy rooms and finding his best friend in a lover's quarrel with the Gryffindor Prince was an ordinary occurrence.
Morag MacDougal rolled her eyes. The glow illuminating the room shooting golden highlights in her brown orbs.
"Surprisingly enough the cocky bastard is actually right, Draco. So stop being such a prat," she said, shooting the blond Slytherin a glare of her own. "See this is what I've been talking about! You've acting really weird lately. All moody. One minute you're all cheery and the next you look like your owl just die! What in the hell is wr-"
"Okay, okay, enough of this," Theodore interrupted, obvious exasperation breaking through his usually cool and indifferent attitude. "Mor, I think that Dray has heard enough of this. I'm sure that his memory is not faulty. He doesn't need for you to repeat yourself."
Harry saw Morag's eyes flared in anger, dreading the tongue lashing that was sure to ensue as he saw her mouth open. But before she could utter a word Theodore had already rounded on Draco speaking to him in turn.
"As for you, Dray, Morag's right. You haven't been yourself lately..."
The Slytherin's words trailed of, leaving the impression of unspoken words hanging in the air. Looking at the ebony haired boy Harry could see worry shinning in Theodore's dark gaze as the he looked at Draco. A worry that Harry saw reflected in Morag's eyes as well.
Watching the three, Harry felt like an outsider and an intruder. They were standing there looking at one another in silence, looking for all the world like they were having a silent conversation. As Harry watched them, he felt a twinge of envy at the obvious depth of their friendship. These three were more then friends. They were something deeper. If there was a word to define that space between friends and family then that's what they'd be. What they were. Looking at them, Harry wondered what it was like to have that. To be part of that kind of friendship.
Harry felt a wash of longing and regret as he stood there watching them and wondering. Thinking of his own group of four friends, Harry wondered what could have been. He tried to pretend that he didn't know, but he was only fooling himself. He knew that what these three had his own friends had as well. Their connection was unique and different, to be sure. Different because of difference of the friendship and the individuals yet still there was the same bond seen here. It was the same bond that Harry saw with Hermione, Terry and Neville. The same bond that he was not part of, yet should have been had he not kept his friends in arms length. They often tried to include him, the four of them called each other best friends, but inside he hesitated at the reference.
He felt a sense of bitterness at that reality. Lonely in his self-seclusion. Angry at his parents for turning him into this. Disappointed at himself for becoming it. A person so guarded that even those that called themselves his best friends stood behind a wall of his defenses. A wall that kept all but one away.
"Harry?" A familiar voice broke through his thoughts.
Harry's head snapped out of his thoughts, his mind focusing, as three pairs of eyes looked at him. He saw worry, but this time, he realized, it was directed at him.
"Harry?" Draco repeated, raising a hand to his cheek. "Harry are you all right, love? I was speaking to you."
Harry blinked him. "Oh…I'm sorry Dray. I drifted off there. What were you saying?"
"It's not important now," Draco said, voice laced with slight worry, while those silver orbs raked across his face. "Are you sure you're okay?" Draco asked, in a voice even softer then before. "You had a really strange expression on your face."
"It's not important now," Harry told him with a smile. The smile growing wider as Draco rolled his eyes for his choice of words.
"Prat," the Slytherin Prince muttered.
Before Harry could respond and allow them to fall into an old pattern of banter a muffled snort and snicker brought his attention back to the other two occupants of the room.
"You guys are so bloody cute!" Morag snickered.
"Sickeningly, really," Theodore added, his lips twitching in an effort to stop a smile.
"Shut up, you two," Draco grumbled, crossing his arms over his chest, a glare distorting his elegant features.
"Now, now, Dray be nice," Harry said with a chuckle, embracing him from behind.
"But they called us cute!" Draco pouted, looking up at him. "Slytherins are not cute. Pink bunny rabbits are cute. Dragons are cute. Puddlemere United's Quidditch captain is cute. Baby unicorns..."
Unconsciously, Harry possessively tightened his arms around Draco's waist and his emerald eyes narrowed in jealousy as he remember his old Gryffindor Quidditch captain whose professional Quidditch poster now hung at the back of Draco's bedroom door.
At his actions, Draco merely flashed him a teasing smile. Then a flicker flashed in his eyes and the smile turn all too sweet.
"And emerald eyed ferrets are cute," Draco added.
At his last declaration, the tiny room echoed with Theodore and Morag's laughter. Draco's statement reminding all present all to well of an unforgettable incident from their third year, that even after all these years still filled him with such embarrassment.
Harry's cheeks flashed, and he glared at his Slytherin lover, who was trying to hold back sounds of amusement.
"Draco Malfoy," he growled, unsuccessfully trying to force down his blush at the memory of the Slytherin Prince turning him into a ferret after a particularly heated confrontation in a crowed corridor of the school. Looking down at the reason for the traumatizing memory – now giggling quite un-Slytherin-like in his arms – Harry doubled the force of his glare.
"Come on, Harry," Draco said around his giggles. "You made such an amazingly cute bouncing ferret!"
At that, the Slytherin's in the room burst into tears. Finding the reminder of his and Gryffindor's shame too amusing. Releasing an exasperated sigh Harry just shook his head, griping onto Draco so the Slytherin wouldn't fall over in his amusement.
Taking an exaggerated deep breath Draco calmed, flashing Harry that smile of his. After a final half hearted glare, Harry rolled his eyes at him, grumbling things about evil Slytherins that were too good at Transfiguration for the sake of the student population.
"Anyway," Harry growled, hinting of a change of subject or the impact of serious consequences.
"How did the two of you know about this place, let alone get in here?" Harry asked Morag and Theodore.
"Well, through our brilliance of course," Theodore said, with that familiar smug look that Harry could swear all Slytherin's had zapped into their genre codes.
By now quite used to Slytherins, Harry just responded with a patient stare, not bothering to speak a word.
Morag rolled her eyes, as if she thought him quiet slow and the answer to his question all too obvious. "How else do you think, Potter? We tortured the information out of Draco. You didn't think that we would never notice how he always seemed to disappear when we walked through this corridor after Transfigurations did you?"
This time it was Harry who rolled his eyes at her, using the gesture to hide that that had been exactly what he had thought.
"We pretty much put two and two together after Draco told us he was with you. We only had Draco confirm the existence of this place to us. Not to mention the password," Theodore added. "Don't worry about it Potter, we won't invade your love nest too often. We're only here now to save you from Draco."
Harry raised an eyebrow at him and turned to face his boyfriend, who was trying to hex Theodore with the force of his glare.
Theodore smiled. "From what I hear, McGonagall embarrassed him pretty badly in class."
"The woman has it in for me!" Draco exclaimed.
"Oh please, Dray," Morag said. "She was only telling the truth. In the state you were in you did look like you were on the run from the Aurors after being caught shagging same whore."
Harry's eyes widened in shock and he glanced down at a blushing Draco.
"I did not!" the blond exclaimed.
"Well, I'm no whore, but that's beside the point…Did I just hear you right, Morag? Old McGonagall actually said that?" Harry asked quiet surprised at what he was been told."Yeah she did," Morag told him her expression reflecting her own disbelief. "I couldn't believe it myself, but I and everybody else heard it."
"I just can't believe that she ever would."
"I can," Theodore said, breaking into their conversation. "That lady has changed a lot. She was a lot different when we were younger."
"Yeah. Now she has it in for me," Draco put in.
"Draco." Came Morag's exasperated voice.
"She did not take thirty house points from you as well as gave you a detention with Filch on top of it!"
"Draco Malfoy, I was never thirty minutes late for a lesson!"
Draco pouted. "A detention with Filch. That's just evil. That man…no, no wait…that thing…is bloody crazy, creepy, weird, demented, moroni-."
"Then I guess your-"
"Morag, Draco, enough," Theodore snapped, glancing at his wizard watch. "We've got classes."
Morag's eyes widened and she glanced at her own watch. "Shit! Come on Draco were going to be late. We've got class with Snape at the other side of the castle!" Morag exclaimed, grabbing Draco's wrist and proceeded to pull the boy to the exit.
"Wait a second!" Draco yelled, pulling out of her grip. "We still have time."
Not giving Morag the opportunity to protest Draco slipped back into Harry arms and swept him into a passionate kiss, his arms moving to snake around Harry's neck. So used to keeping their relationship secret and private, Harry felt somewhat awkward to be seen in this position, even if it was only by Draco's closest friends. Yet that feeling vanished, giving way to feelings more pleasurable, as Draco pressed his lithe body flash against his own and his hot tongue slipped between his lips.
Breaking the kiss Harry glanced down at his flushed lover, feeling lightheaded and strangely tingly.
"What was that for?" Harry breathed.
Draco flashed him a cheeky smile. "For my friend's interruption. As well as giving us a moment of privacy."
Harry frowned at his last statement and tore his gaze from the blond to glance around the room. Sure enough they were alone, the other two Slytherins having had retreated when he and Draco were otherwise occupied.
Harry looked at his Slytherin in amazement. So used to seeing the different person that Draco was in private, he too often forgot that this boy very much thought like a Slytherin.
Draco just continued to smile at him. "Killing two trolls with one hex."
At that, Harry just shook his head at him, mirth dancing in his eyes. "So why may I ask did you find the need to scare your friends of?" Harry asked, using Draco's own smirk against him, his tone a mocking reflection of their noble up bringing.
"Oh get your head out of the gutter, Potter! I'm not going to have a quickie with you while my friends are undoubtedly waiting outside."
"Why not?" Harry pouted. All earlier shyness forgotten with the promise of what the blond could offer.
Draco glared at him. "You do realize that it's that sort of attitude that got us our little predicaments," Draco said, gesturing to his belly. "Not to mention that we'll be late! I've got Snape! He hates being interrupted in a lesson by stranglers."
Harry sighed. Now frustrated beyond belief after being denied release for the third time. Irritated, Harry directed a glare at his lover.
Draco just looked back at him; his lips trapped between his teeth in an obvious effort to swallow the smile that was quirking his lips.
"All right you. Why do you want me alone with you if not to finish where we had left of earlier?"
At his question Draco quickly sobered, his amusement melting away. Harry's frustration quickly turned to fascination as he watched Draco's eyes turn a different shade of grey.
"I wanted to see if you're all right? What's with the spacing out earlier? And don't tell me 'it's not important now'," Draco said, concern clearly reflected in his tone. "Harry, I think I've been selfish these past weeks. I haven't really considered how you are dealing through all this. I know I can't be the only one that's feeling the weight of everything that's happening."
Harry's expression softened in the face of Draco's worry. "Draco, listen to me," he said, cupping Draco's cheek within his palm. "I don't want you worrying about me okay. I'm all right. Let me deal with everything."
Harry expected Draco to protest, but after a time the other boy just sighed and nodded, looking suddenly so tried and spent. Draco's sudden fragile appearance caused a sense of productiveness to overcome him and he drew Draco into a comforting embrace.
"Now enough about me. What's going on with you and your friends?"
"And why should I tell you," Draco muttered against his shoulder. "You're not telling me anything."
Harry held him tighter and brought his lips close to his ear. "Because you may find that a rumor about how you, the Slytherin Prince, has a poster of a Gryffindor Quidditch player behind your door."
In a flash, Draco pulled away. "Ex Gryffindor!" he exclaimed.
"Once a Gryffindor always a Gryffindor."
Draco huffed, his eyes turning into sliver slits and after a long minute, he relented. "Fine."
Harry smiled victorious, use to this game that he and Draco played too often, another aspect of their old rivalry that was brought forth into their current relationship.
"You heard Morag. She and Theodore have been noticing how I've been different lately. They want me to tell them what's wrong."
"What are you going to tell them?"
"The truth. I'll tell them everything soon. Everything but the babies. I want to keep the pregnancy a secret for now. We still haven't told the rest of your family."
"The rest of my family?"
"Yes. You know. Your uncles. Black and Lupin."
Harry wanted to smack himself on the forehead, but refrained from doing so, with Draco there.
"You forgot them, didn't you," Draco accused disapprovingly.
"Of course not. I've been meaning to write them a letter to come and meet me."
Draco rolled his eyes, seeing through his lie too easily. "Please, Harry, give me a break. I know you. Admit it. You so forgot to bloody tell them. Geez Potter, you are hopeless."
Harry pouted. "Am not. I've just been too distracted lately."
At that, Draco's disapproving look changed into tried smile and his lover kissed him lightly on the lips. "Okay, I'll let you of the hook this once. You actually have a good reason for being completely mindlessly hopeless. But you really should tell them really soon, Harry. If you weren't here at Hogwarts, I'm sure that they would have noticed how this drama is effecting you and know that something is up. They are your family. It is expected. Like with my friends noticing. Haven't your friends noticed anything strange about you lately?"
Harry shook his head a small smile dancing on his lips, so use to that touch of naiveté that even after all that the blond boy had seen in these couple of years still lingered in him. A lingering testimony of a bright childhood and a reflection of the truth about the kind of family that Harry forever envied him for having. There were just times Draco would forget the difference in those aspects of their lives. The boy was just to use to comfort and the closeness supplied by his family and friends. Things that Harry had forgotten long ago and was now just vague memories of brighter days. Harry understood that Draco could just never understand what he had never known.
At that thought, a familiar touch of envy appeared beside the wash of sadness that Harry experience at the weight of Draco's innocent question.
"No. Nothing."
As Draco looked at him in innocent puzzlement, Harry captured his lips in a kiss preventing the questions that he knew would come from the lips that were now otherwise occupied. His action served as a good destruction for the Slytherin's sharp mind.
It was perhaps these feelings that were now bubbling in him that was one of the few things that Harry never spoke to Draco about. There was just a part of him that felt slightly embarrassed in the reality that he was a loner and another part of him that felt ashamed for feeling bitter that Draco had the kind of relationships with his family and friends that Harry himself had always craved.
Harry knew that it was better to just talk to Draco and he knew that eventually he would, but right know he was not ready to face the conversation that Draco's question was bound to inchoate. It was just with that conversation he would be reminded that he didn't really have anyone but the boy in his arms. Draco would never understand that. Never understand what it was like to keep people at such a distance. Never understand how hard it was to move away from that or how hard it was to allow yourself to have friends that truly knew you and would be able to tell when something major was effecting your life. He would never understand what to him came too naturally. For Draco there was no fear, no scars, and no pain.
A rational part of Harry's mind knew the foolishness of his assumptions, whispering how after all that had happened all to recently this boy may know more then he thought. But another part of him vanished that voice choosing instead to believe that this boy was still untouched and unscarred by that kind of pain and he could still protect him.
"You're the only one that knows me," he whisperer, mostly to himself instead of the boy who was giving him a sad look, those eyes shinning of something knowing.
Refusing to register the meaning of that look, Harry pulled his lover against him, holding him close and burying his face at the slop of neck, breathing in his sent. He let the familiar warmth of the smaller body stir emotions in him that washed away the feelings that his earlier thoughts brought.
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Draco sighed as he felt Harry brush his lips across his neck. Yet his mind was still on his lover's actions of seconds before. He knew all to well what had been going through Harry head. In the past, during a moment of slight intoxication, they had revealed to each other how much more they had revealed to each other then anyone they had ever known. They told each other too much and the things that could not be voiced can be read. Just like Harry had told him earlier that morning there was just nothing about each other that they didn't know. If not at the moment then eventually.Draco could admit to himself that he didn't know the whole of the thoughts that Harry's mind was sporting, though he knew him enough to know that it was about his family. It always was when Harry got like this. He had been trying to think of a way to make that part of Harry's life better for him, though no ideas seemed to come. It seemed impossible now for Draco to do anything with Harry's parents. The Potters lack of love for their current situation causing too vast a gap to leap. But perhaps there was still other member of Harry's family that could give him the kind of family relationship that he needed. From what Harry had told him about Lupin and Black, they were not like his parents and it was obvious to Draco that the reason Harry was not close to them was mostly because of Harry. His lover just built too strong a wall around himself. Draco knew this, and more so then not, he was baffled that it was a wall he had never encountered too strongly, after all it was Harry who had instigated their current relationship, his efforts turning them from rivals to lovers.
Draco thought that perhaps all Harry needed was a little push to allow his relationship with Lupin and Black to improve. He knew that when Harry told them about the pregnancy that the effect would be less then favorable on their account, but he hoped that the result would be better then with their parents. Draco held a small hope that it would be. Lupin had taught them in their third year and while he knew little of the man he was always fair with his students. Draco just hoped that he was the same with everything else in his life.
"Harry," Draco whispered, the strange urge to whisper taking over.
"Yes, love?" Harry asked, his warm breath tickling the skin on Draco's neck. Draco squirmed slightly at that, pulling away from their close contact.
"Tickles?" Harry inquired with a small smile.
"No."
"You sure?" Harry asked with a raise of his eyebrow, bringing his fingers to brush across his neck.
Draco shivered and not because the movement of Harry's fingers tickled him. Blinking Draco cleared his mind and swatted the fingers away.
"Stop that! You're going to distract me," he exclaimed.
"From what," Harry asked, the movement of his fingers ceasing.
"From this,' Draco replied, moving to grab his abandoned bag and proceeded to pull out parchment and a quill.
Again Harry's eyebrow shot up, a silent question at his action.
"For your letter," Draco stated. "For Lupin and Black to meet you."
Harry just blinked at him for a moment. "Now?"
"Yes, Potter. Now. I'll even send the owl for you after my class."
An amused smile formed on Harry lips and he shook his head disbelievingly. "Malfoy, you can just never let go of something for a moment when you really want it."
"Of course," he stated matter-of-factly.
"Unbelievable," Harry said, shaking his head once more.
"Okay, give me a moment"
With that, Harry took the writing utensils from Draco's hands and scribbled a message.
"There."
"Thank you," Draco said, a big smile breaking across his features.
"You're welcome." Came the amused reply.
Author's Note:
:::hangs head in shame::: I can't even remember the last time I updated, so it must really have really been a while ago. I'm really truly sorry. But my computer crashed and then my Internet server went to hell on me. I didn't have a computer for a while so I'm sorry. I give you all permission to practice your hexes on me.
Now…a lot of people asked about Draco's heath. Draco's heath will not really be a focus in this fic. It will be mentioned, but it'll be too much if I go into it. This story has too many layers as it is. I'll tell you that this fic has two plot lines. One you already have been thrown the line to and the other is a sub that will open this fic up for further sequels later on. Now I'm not saying that Draco's health will not effect the course of events later on. I'm really evil so it may…but I will not go into depth on what is wrong with him. I'll tell you that Draco is actually anaemic in this fic. Since that is a little to muggle for my taste I'm not going to mention it, but know that he is.
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yaoi-is-gay-13 – LoL! Glad you like the twins existence. I had to make their revelation Draco worthy. He is a bit of a drama queen…hehe. You love the yummy Harry/Draco-ness? I just had to put something like that in. I could so see them playing games like that with each other!
Hoshii no Hanyou Sei – I'm glad you like the babies. I'm a baby fanatic myself! And I just love twins. So cute. Oh thank god you liked Draco's mood swings! I wasn't sure how to write mood swings. Hehe…I did prolong the moment to reveal the twins didn't I? I didn't plan it…it was all Draco's doing. I try to write characters action as if they are really reacting to things naturally, not the way I want them to…and Draco…well he is stubborn little thing.
Mon2 – Hehe…yeah the two of them are kinda manipulative in their relationship aren't they? Well you know they were rivals so I just thought why not through little bits of that in. As in the twins gender…well that has been decided even before this fic had a proper plot…lets just say that there is a reason for their gender. Oh never apologise for long reviews! I love them :D.
Lady Laffs-a-Lot – Twins! Cute ha? Yeah I know…poor Drakie…two little brats running a muck…hehe. I could just see him know ::evil grin::
stargirl2004 – I know complicated ha? Hehe…the complicated things should start to loosen up a bit and answers are going to start to be given. I'm glad you think that it's tense. It's suppose to be throughout the whole fic...but sometimes I'm not sure I'm doing it right. Thanks for telling me that I am :D.
texasjeanette – I'm glad you like the angst and think it's realistic. ::Fewwww:: I'm doing it right then! Thank god. I'm so sorry this post took so long…I'm evil. Hex me.
Smoocher of Evil – Twins…I know :D :D Adorable! Oh! You got your name from Draco Vertias? I really should read that…I hear about it everywhere. It sounds great.
DemonRogue13 – :: biggest grin for you:: I'm glad you like it so far. It's my first fic and I'm glad I was original. Thanks for reviewing!! :D
Tygrressatheart – I know Harry being poetic! I just had to see it happen! LOL. You didn't really think that I would give them something bad did you? :D :::mumbles::: That'll be for later :::mumbles:::
Baby gender is classified until further notice :D. I know skipping classes is bad…but I was never caught :D ;) :D.
Moonglaze – I know that chap was pretty emotional. I had to chip the stone around my heart to write something heart felt. It jumped around a lot because of Draco's mood swings. I thought I would let his mood swings take the readers on a roller-coaster ride :D. I know I'm evil. OMG! Yeah my brother and the dancing…hehehe…one day I'll catch him dancing! :::evil grin::: I'll sneak into his birthday party and see him drank and dancing.
Leeanna-Marie-Malfoy – Yeah we can never blame Draco for anything cause he is preggers. Hehe…we'll all just pat Harry on the head and say "there, there". Slytherin comfort. I know Draco swears a lot and most likely will continue too. Well you know. They are teenagers. Thank you for saying that this is a "wonderful story that should be true"! If only love was really like this!
SilverDragon161 – You think I have a knack for getting readers to understand emotions? Why thank you!!! :D I always worry about that! I'm glad you like this chap and thanks for telling me that I stayed in character! That's what I try really hard in!
Shola – Hi to you too!! :D I'm so glad you like this fic! Hehe…I'm right there with you wanting to remove that stick from James ass (no sexual innuendos intended). I ask you will you be mad if that stick stays up there for a while longer? LOL. Thanks for your kind words. You so ROCK too!
CatJetRat – I'm glad you can get a hold of a computer to read this. I'm sorry it took so long. I actually use my school computers to read updates for fics when I can sneak away from my friends. I tried to update using the school computers, but it wouldn't bloody work. How annoying is that? Anyways thanks for reading and so sorry it took so long to get this posted.
inumoon3 – OMG I think you're going to have to hex me really bad this time… I think it took too long for me to update even more then the last time. I'm so sorry. Please forgive me! I'll give you Harry for the night (It would have been Dray, but his mood swings would have killed you).