Chapter 10
Harry groaned faintly. This had to be a dream. Again.
His whole body was stiff like a stick and he didn't know if he would be able to ever move again. Pain seemed to be embedded in him forever, in his face, in his head, everywhere. Especially in his mind. Harry had the feeling he was standing beside himself, his mind so tired that it couldn't take in any more of the happenings around him.
He sighed and leaned back against a house wall, closing his burning eyes. He was so tired, but he couldn't go now. Not when everybody else was as tired as he.
People, who were hurt, people who had been near the explosion.
People who had died.
Harry shuddered and put his trembling arms around his upper body.
This was a nightmare.
His red rimmed eyes glanced over his surrounding.
All he saw was grey dust. It was everywhere, a centimetre thick, on the ground, on the roofs of the houses, on the walls, and in every crack and gap. It stuck on every man and woman standing, sitting or walking around him. It made them all look alike.
All the people shared the same expression: shock and fear, disbelief and fatigue.
Harry shifted his eyes further, to the other side of the street opposite him. It hurt to look at a place where once there had been a house with two stories and a library.
Now there was-nothing.
Nothing but debris, rubbish piled up where once the house had been. Stones, pieces of what once had been walls, books and single sheets of paper, wooden beams that rose out of it all, rests of shelves and furniture's.
It was chaos.
But the worst thing…………….
Harry sighed tiredly. Slowly he raised his eyes. Since Draco and he had come out of Fortescue, he had looked so often at it. No matter where he had been, his eyes had always found there way to it, and still he had mixed feelings when he saw it.
Hate, fear, loathing, and a little bit of satisfaction.
He felt sick and guilty for thinking, that now the people surely wouldn't blame him anymore, but he couldn't help it.
Harry stared in the empty eyeholes of the hovering image of the green skull over the destroyed house, and 'couldn't' erase the slight satisfaction that coursed through him.
Voldemort's sign.
A sign that nobody could ignore or oversee. The only time he had seen it, had been in the night after the Quidditch match, together with Ron and Hermione. Now, not even the Minister of Magic could stay by his opinion that Voldemort hadn't returned. Finally, they had to believe him.
Harry leaned his head back against the wall and gazed up to the blue sky. The thought that people had to die so that others would believe that he had not killed Cedric..
He closed his eyes. All the dead he had seen, all the dead he had helped dig out of the rubbish. He still could see their empty eyes. How could he ever close his eyes again without seeing them?
"Harry?"
Warms hands sneaked around Harry's waist, pulling him gently against a lean body.
Harry sighed and buried his face into the softness of a robe. He took a deep breath, tried to erase the stench of the dust in his nose, but the dust was everywhere.
Harry wrinkled his nose in disgust and leaned back again to look into Draco's face. The blond Slytherin didn't look better than all the others. He was covered in grey dust, his normally neat hair hanging in disarray around his face, and sweat left little paths through the dust on his cheeks.
Harry grinned lopsidedly. Never had he seen Draco Malfoy, who was always so anxious about his looks, in such a state.
"You look horrible. You need a bath."
"Thanks, but I can return the compliment." Draco shook his head reproachfully and looked Harry over. When he reached the bloody side of his face he lingered longer and couldn't hide his worry. Mixed with the dust it looked more awful then before. "You need a bath more than I do, and you need Madame Pomfrey."
Harry opened his mouth in protest. He couldn't go now.
Draco swiftly put his hand onto his mouth before he could say a word.
"No, Harry, don't tell me you feel fine. Remember that we are connected. I can feel you." Draco smirked as Harry's eyes widened. That he had forgotten. "And I feel that you're in pain and that you're tired. Until now, I didn't say a thing, because I knew that it was important for you to help. I wanted to help too, but we stayed long enough. Now, I just want to help you, and Hogwarts is the only place where you can get help."
Harry's cheeks tinted in a faint blush. "But I…..What about your parents? They are…"
"They apparated to Hogsmeade a while ago, to get their wounds healed. They are awaiting us." Draco let Harry go and fumbled with something in his robe.
Harry sighed and watched Draco pulling a golden necklace out of his pocket. At the end of the necklace swung a little pendant, on one side a snake, on the other side a lion. It was a portkey, given to them by Professor Dumbledore. It would apparate them outside of Hogsmeade. Harry had preferred this method of journey. It had been this or going with floo powder. Harry hated to floo.
He gazed at a group of people just a few feet away from them. They were still young, Harry would say not older than himself, but he couldn't remember seeing them in Hogwarts. Maybe they were from another school and just on a visit in Diagon Alley.
They were sitting on the ground, four boys. Like all the other people there were covered in the dust, and so Harry couldn't see the school badge on their robe.
All of them were watching the pile of rubbish and the people digging in it. But as if he had felt the look, one of the boys turned his head and met Harry's eyes.
"Harry, it is really time."
Harry flinched and returned his gaze to Draco. "Sorry."
Draco smiled and put one arm back around Harry's waist, stepping nearer so their bodies touched again. The other hand with the necklace he held carefully between them. "You will see. After a bath and Madame Pomfreys potions you will feel better." His smile turned to a mischievous smirk. Harry blushed as Draco pulled his body a bit tighter against his. "Do you think we can take the bath together, love?" Draco whispered into Harry's ear. "After all, you have seen me naked, but I……."
Harry nearly choked on his own spit and turned his head away.
Draco grinned. How he loved it to make Harry blush. It was nearly as good as kissing him, but just nearly.
"I will think about it when we're in Hogwarts. It is worth thinking.."
"Aren't you Draco Malfoy?"
Draco and Harry both turned their heads at the new voice. The boy who had returned Harry's look was now standing before them. He was as tall as Draco, but not as slender. In a way he reminded Harry of Crabbe and Goyle, but not much. In the brown eyes of this boy was an intelligence that wasn't there in the eyes of Draco's fellow Slytherins.
Now that he was standing before them, Harry could finally see the badge on the robe. It had the same form as the ones from Hogwarts, but this was black, with the shape of a white tower in the middle. Harry couldn't remember of ever seeing it before. The only thing he could be sure of now, was, that the boys and girls weren't from Durmstrang or Beauxbatons.
Draco frowned at the boy. "Maybe. Who wants to know?" He replied, his voice the usually arrogant Malfoy tone that Harry had heard four long years.
The boy smirked and held one hand out. "So you are Draco Malfoy. My name is Harald." Harry frowned. The boy-Harald-had a terrible accent. "It is a pleasure to meet you."
Draco didn't even look at the hand outstretched to him. "Sorry, I can't give you my hand. As you can see I'm busy holding more precious things."
Harry blushed. Harald frowned as he shifted his look from the necklace in Draco's left hand to his right hand resting on Harry's lower back.
Then his eyes found the lighting bolt scar on Harry's forehead. To Harry's surprise his eyes narrowed. This was a new kind of reaction.
"You must be Harry Potter." Harald said, shortly looking to his friends. Whatever they saw in his look brought them on their feet.
A shudder ran down Harry's spine. He had a bad feeling.
"You're a hero in my homeland." Harald continued. "But you're a hero in many countries."
Harry looked back at him. "And where is your homeland?"
Harald glared at him and shifted his eyes to Draco. Harry noticed that the darkness disappeared out of his eyes as he looked at the blond Slytherin. In fact it was replaced by admiration and awe.
Harry swallowed down a laugh. It seemed that Draco had an admirer.
Draco noticed it too and a slight sneer appeared on his face.
"I'm sorry that I have been so rude. My name is Harald Brandner and I'm from the Wizard school in Germany, Loreley. In fact that is where I and my friends come from."
Draco raised one fine eyebrow, while Harry just frowned. Once again, he was shown how little he knew from the Wizarding World.
"I've heard of this school. My father told me about it." Harald's shoulders rose a bit in happiness. Draco ignored him and looked down at Harry. "It is a small school, nothing compared to Hogwarts, with just boys allowed to study in. A private school, not connected with the official Wizard school from Germany, and one year cost more than a Firebolt."
A private school.
"I didn't know that there were private schools. I always thought in every countries is just one school." Harry shook his head-and groaned silently because of the pain caused by it. That hadn't been a good idea.
Draco smiled and placed a tender kiss on Harry's forehead, even with the dust on it. "You know so little, love."
Harry sighed. That was true.
Draco turned back to Harald. "I'm sorry, but I need to bring my husband back to Hogwarts." Harry flinched, but Draco ignored it and smirked friendly at the boy from Germany. "He needs medical treatment and we both need a bath." He looked at the skull above the destroyed house and his silver eyes darkened. "It wasn't a good time for you and your friends to come here and I hope you know what I mean." Draco nodded at the skull.
Harald opened his mouth, but before he could voice a word, Draco silenced him with just a look.
"Don't say that you don't believe it. I know it and when you know who I am, you know whom my family served for many years. So, you can believe me when I say that this house will not be the last to be destroyed, and these people will not be the last to die. Take my advice and leave this land as soon as possible."
Harry shivered. Draco's words had sounded like a foreboding. A very terrible foreboding from what Harry hoped that it never would come true. But, deep in his heard he knew the truth.
Harald stood speechless before Draco, his skin a few shades paler than before.
Draco looked away from him to Harry. His silver eyes softened and Harry had the fleeting thought that he would drown if he gazed into them to long.
What he didn't know, was, that Draco had the same feeling. With the difference that Draco would love to look all his life into the green orbs, would love it to hold Harry near him forever. Draco smirked slightly. To protect him from everything.
"It is really time." He said. He raised his right hand with the necklace and let the portkey pendant swung between them, back and forth. "It will be a rough ride, so better hold on tight."
Harry swallowed and slung his arms around Draco's waist. A rough ride was an understatement. As they had arrived in the Diagon Alley, they had landed so hard, that Harry had lost his balance and nearly fell on the ground.
"Ready?"
Harry nodded and leaned his head on Draco's shoulder. Soon he felt the familiar tugging under his navel. The last thing he saw, before the portkey apparated them away, was Harald, returning his last look with hate and loathing.
DDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD
Harry mumbled quietly in his sleep and slowly turned around on the other side. Draco smirked and shifted a bit on the bed, so that Harry came to rest against him. The black-haired boy mumbled and laid his head on Draco's shoulder, before he fell back in a deep slumber.
Draco's smirk changed to a tender smile. Carefully he snaked his arm around Harry's waist and brought him closer to his body, so that there were touching from head to feet.
"Sleep, love." Draco whispered, tenderly brushing some dusty bangs out of his face. "You don't need to fear anything."
His fingers made their way down to Harry's cheek. The skin was fresh and tender. Not a single wound had been left over, after Madame Pomfrey was done with cleaning the blood away and rubbing a bad smelling potion on every cut.
Draco was relieved that nothing visible would stay and remind Harry of the incident every time he would look into a mirror. The memories alone would be enough, but no one was able to erase a memory.
After Pomfrey's treatment Harry had instantly fallen asleep on the bed he had sat on, totally exhausted. Neither Draco nor Pomfrey had the heart to wake the boy, even when he needed a bath desperately. But, more important than a bath was a good sleep and Draco had the intention to make sure that his love was getting as much sleep as he needed.
The grey dust had already mixed with sweat and the hair was a total mess.
Draco shook his head and started to tug at some dirt clod tangled in the unruly black hair. It would be one hell of work to get these lumps out of the hair. Even Draco had had a hard time cleaning himself properly after leaving Harry in Madame Pomfrey's care to take a bath. It had taken him over an hour of getting rid of every single dust grain on his body.
"And now I will need another bath." Draco mused, noticing the dirt on his new robe.
Harry moaned in his sleep and his eyes started to roll wildly under his eyelids. Draco slung his arms around his body and soothingly rubbed his stiff back.
"Shhh, love. No fear, no nightmares when I hold you." He whispered, leaning forward, humming a soft lullaby into Harry's ear that he remembered from his own childhood.
Slowly Harry stopped squirming and after awhile he lie still again.
"Sleep." Draco placed a soft kiss on Harry's cheek. "Sleep and let me protect you."
"He is not a person who likes to be protected."
Draco snorted. "That is a well known fact, Professor Lupin."
He turned his head and met Lupins golden eyes.
The old-and soon to be again-DADA teacher smiled and walked to the foot end of the bed. Standing behind him was no other than Sirius Black.
Draco felt the familiar sneer building up on his face. Unconsciously he tightened his grip around the slender body beside him. He would not allow anybody to come between him and his love.
"How is he?" Remus asked, concern in his eyes as he looked down onto Harry, snuggled against the young Malfoy. "We've heard he has been hurt."
"Madame Pomfrey has taken care of him. It was just a few cuts in his face that he had received while digging in the destroyed house." Draco lied, weaving his hand through Harry's hair. "He fell asleep after it. He was very tired after what he had witnessed."
Remus nodded. "Understandable after what had happened. Surely he will take the blame on his shoulders again, so..."
"I will talk to him when he wakes up." Draco said, interrupting the older man. "I will not let him take the blame for it. It was Voldemort's hunger to kill, just he is to blame."
Sirius let out a growl. "Why do you think he will believe such words from you? You and your family are traitors. First, the Malfoy's betrayed the wizarding world by helping Voldemort all those years ago and now you betrayed the Dark Lord. But, who knows if that really is true. Maybe you're lying." He reached a hand out and held it before Draco's face, clenched to a fist. "I do not trust you, Malfoy. And I will not tolerate a relationship between you and my godson."
Draco glared at him, his silver eyes nearly steel grey with hate. "I don't need your trust or your permission, Black. If you like it or not, I already have a relationship with Harry and you can do nothing against it. You can't destroy the bond."
Draco smirked hard. "I can do anything to Harry that I please. Do you want a proof?"
Before Sirius could react Draco bent up Harry's head and kissed him, skill fully slipping is tongue into his mouth. He groaned as he entered the warmness and smoothness of his loves mouth and brushed his tongue over Harry's, making sure that Sirius could see what he was doing, once in awhile licking Harry's lips.
Suddenly he felt Harry flinch. Without ending the kiss, Draco opened his eyes and met widened green orbs just inches from his own. He smiled into the kiss and slowed it down a bit. Harry shuddered as Draco's hot tongue touched his, again and again, coaxing him to respond.
Shyly Harry obeyed, totally oblivious to the fact that his Godfather and Lupin were standing beside the bed. His groan melted with Draco's as he began to kiss back for the first time, surrendering to the wish of his body.
After awhile they had to stop for some air. Panting, Harry and Draco looked at each other in wonder, their faces flushed.
A smile formed on Draco's lips, causing Harry to blush. Draco could feel Harry's embarrassment, but he also could feel the slight excitement. His smile turned to a smirk as he sent Harry the feeling of his own arousal through the bond. Harry's eyes widened and he opened and closed his mouth, unable to voice a word.
He swallowed. Draco's sending was like a burning heat in his belly. A very good feeling heat.
A strangled gagging turned both attentions away from each other. And Harry stiffened as he saw the red face of his godfather just a few feet beside the bed he was laying in. A bed where he was laying with Draco Malfoy.
"Sirius." Harry choked and tried to push Draco away, but the grip of the Slytherin around his waist was tight. "Professor Lupin." Remus smiled back at him, but his eyes were worried as they shifted back onto Sirius. Harry cringed as he saw the hate, anger and loathing in his godfather's eyes. Never had he seen him like that. Not even as he had looked at Pettigrew yesterday night. There had just been hate.
"Sirius?"
"How can you kiss that bastard, Harry?" Sirius asked, his voice trembling from all the feelings in him. "His family works for the man who had killed your parents and now you kiss him. What else did you do with him?" With every word Sirius voice grew louder until he was nearly screaming. "Did you already sleep with him? Have you already surrendered to the bond he has forced on you? Are you his whore already!"
Harry paled and even Remus looked shocked. Draco was raging with hate. He felt Harry's pain like a knife piercing through him.
"How can you..." Draco started, but before he could continue, he felt a soaring anger that was not his.
Harry pushed Draco away and sat up, glaring at his godfather, the hate in his green eyes matching Sirius'.
"How dare you call me a whore! I will take the blame for many things. Yes, you're right. In a way I have surrendered to the bond, I've accepted it, because no one can remove it. And yes, I think I've started to trust Draco and maybe it is wrong because he can give me to Voldemort some day. But, you have no right to call me a whore."
"I can call you what I want. I'm responsible for you. I'm your godfather and when I think you're doing is shameful for the son of James Potter I even call you a whore." Sirius raged, ignoring Remus pulls on his arm. "And it is shameful when I see you kissing a boy. It's sick. And I'm sure James would be disgusted, too."
Harry face went as white as snow.
"Sirius, that is enough." Remus pulled the taller man around to him. His golden eyes burning with anger. "What is going on with you, saying such things to Harry? You can't mean what you're saying. I can't believe it."
"I meant every word of it." Sirius spat. "I hate people who are so sick as to fuck their same gender. Even thinking of it makes me want to puke. I knew this Bastard," he shot Draco a hate filled look, who returned it, " would try something, when I got informed that he placed the old Malfoy bond on my godson, but I never thought Harry would give in to it. That he is one of those..."
"SIRIUS BLACK!"
All four jumped in shock as the voice boomed through the room.
Her face red with anger, her eyes sparkling with rage Madame Pomfrey stood fuming in the door of her study. Behind her stood Lucius Malfoy and his wife Narcissa. Their clothes were still covered in dust, but their faces, with an angry expression on them, were clean.
"I can't believe what is going on here!" Pomfrey shouted, coming nearer with long steps. "Sirius, how can you say such cruel things! And to Harry of all people. He needs to rest and not to listen to your accusations."
Sirius's face set on a stubborn look and he backed away from the bed as the older nurse reached it. His gaze shifted to Lucius instead with hate and disgust. Remus stepped beside him to avoid him from doing something drastic.
Madame Pomfrey threw the black-haired man another disapproved look, before she bowed a little over the bed to look into Harry's white face. "Are you okay, Harry dear? You slept quite long."
Harry met her eyes, though without saying a word. Still he heard just Sirius's voice shouting at him. How could he say such things? He had thought his Godfather would be more tolerating.
Pomfrey winced a bit as she saw the forlorn look in the now dull green eyes and the anger for Sirius Black rose again in her.
Draco tightened his hug around the shorter boy. "He is okay, just angry and shocked," he answered for Harry. As Pomfrey just looked in question at him he forced up a smile, even if he would rather be beating the shit out of Sirius for causing Harry pain.
"I can feel it through the bond. It's like a hot stream inside my mind."
Harry lifted his face. That was what he felt.
"Does it hurt?" He asked quietly, worry in his voice. Nobody should experience pain because of him.
"What?" Draco asked puzzled.
"You said you feel it like a hot stream inside your head. Does it hurt?"
Draco smiled and breathed a tender kiss on Harry's cheeks. He shouldn't raise Sirius' anger again, even if it was tempting to do so.
"No, don't worry. It doesn't hurt a bit."
Harry sighed relieved and leaned back a bit into the comforting hug of Draco's arms. It had become so natural. From this protection he looked back to Sirius through his eyelashes.
Sirius had his attention though on Draco's parents, his face twisting in their hate and anger. His fists clenched and unclenched and he looked like he wanted to attack Lucius, who returned his look coolly, and Harry supposed that only Remus at his side prevented Sirius from following his wish.
Harry turned his gaze away as Sirius shortly glanced at him. He didn't want to see the disgust in his eyes again. It hurt him to see his Godfather in such a state, but the words he had said to Harry had hurt more.
"Here, Harry, drink this." A glass was shoved under his nose and groaning Harry turned his head away. An unbelievable stench was emitting from the grey-green liquid in it.
"Must I drink this?"
Madame Pomfrey frowned disapprovingly. "Of course, Harry. It will help your body to overcome the tiredness left over from your blood loss."
Wriggling his nose Harry took the glass from her hand. Draco behind him gasped as the smell reached his nose and leaned back, nearly lying down onto the bed.
Harry squeezed his eyes shut-and before he could think twice he swallowed the potion with two long gulps.
Madame Pomfrey snorted as he coughed in disgust over the aftertaste. "Potions aren't supposed to taste good, Harry. They are supposed to work."
Harry shuddered. "That is a matter of opinion." He handed the now empty glass back. Since he went to school, no potion ever had tasted good.
Narcissa Malfoy smiled and stepped to the bed, leaving her husband to stare at Sirius. "Young men hate to take any kind of medicine. I remember the fights we would go through when Draco was sick in his childhood, he never wanted to take his potions."
Draco's natural pale skin tinted slightly. "Mother, don't humiliate me in front of my husband."
Narcissa and Pomfrey laughed loudly and even Harry and Remus smiled.
A load growl came from Sirius.
"I don't understand how you can take this so easy!" He shouted his gaze shifting between Pomfrey and Remus. "I mean, doesn't it piss you off too, that this son of a bastard has forced Harry into a relationship he didn't want!"
Lucius grip around his snake staff tightened. "Watch your mouth, Black!"
Sirius threw him a menacing look. "I can say what I want and don't I tell the truth. Has your son asked Harry if he wanted this bond on him? Has he asked? No! And because of that I will take Harry away from him and you."
Harry narrowed his eyes. "You think I would come with you? After you called me a whore!"
Sirius glowered back at him. "It is my right to take care of you. I promised James that I would. And getting you away from that bastard," he pointed at Draco, "is necessary for your safety. He will just turn you over to the Dark Lord when he thinks it will get him a nice big reward."
Harry felt Draco's arms tightened around nearly painfully. He looked around and saw a dangerous coldness in the silver eyes.
"Nobody will take Harry away from me." Draco hissed, letting Harry go, to stand before Sirius. "Not even you. I don't care if you're Harry's godfather and what you think is your right or not. You-will-not-take-Harry- away-from-me!"
"You…..."
"Sirius!"
Remus managed to catch Sirius raised fist before he could hit Draco. The werewolf wrestled with the taller man, dragging him away from the grinning Slytherin.
"Let me go!" Sirius yelled, fighting against Remus grip. "I will kill this bastard!"
"Do this and you're a dead man yourself." Lucius growled. With a swift motion he pulled his wand out of the snake staff, pointing it at Sirius, who froze. "You will not touch my son. And you will not interfere in his relationship with his bonded."
His eyes glowing with hate Sirius stood stock still, opening and closing his mouth without voicing a word. Then, with a loud angered wail, he turned around and stormed out of the room.
Silence. Everybody listened to the footsteps getting fainter and fainter until nothing could be heard anymore.
Finally Remus sighed, shaking his head in dismay. Harry looked at him, at the other friend of his father.
"It is true?"
Remus returned his gaze, tired bags under his golden eyes. "What? That your father would be disgusted with your choice of a partner?"
Harry nodded trembling. "I didn't choose Draco, but yes." He didn't want to hear the answer; maybe Sirius was right, but...
Draco took his hand and squeezed it reassuringly.
"No, it's not true, Harry." Remus answered warily. "Not fully. Yes, maybe your father would have been taken aback of it first, even would have been angry how it happened." He looked shortly at Draco. "But it wouldn't have lasted long. Especially because your mother would have loved it." A grin appeared on Remus face. "Yes, she would have been thrilled."
"What do you mean by that?" Harry asked surprised. That answer he hadn't expected, not in a lifetime. As he looked at Draco he saw the same astonishment he felt. "Mom would have loved it?"
"Yes." Remus chuckled a bit. "But I think the details should be told by Draco's mother."
All eyes except from Remus turned to Narcissa, who seem the hover between anger and amusement.
"Mom?" Draco asked warily.
Narcissa let the grin out she had been fighting and pushed away her anger. "I think that is true. I should tell you from now on. Well, where to start." She stopped for a moment to think. "Ah, I know. First I should confess that I, and your mother Harry, Lily, were friends in our years at Hogwarts. Good friends, even when very few people knew it. At the seventh year we had a fight that broke our friendship, but that is another story."
Narcissa sat down at the edge of Harry's bed, ignoring the questions in Harry's eyes. "But the thing that Remus meant, was a conversation with Lily before that, at the end of six year. We talked about our future and how many children we wanted and what gender our children would be, and of course we talked about how wonderful it would be when our children would fall in love with each other and would marry in the end. Then we would have been related and not just friends."
She smiled with a dreamy expression on her face as she looked at Harry and her son. "How happy she would be when she were still here, that this now has happened. My son and her son have fallen in love and already are bond to each other."
Harry choked. Draco just gaped at his mother, to surprised to say something. He looked at his father but Lucius had the same puzzled expression on his face like himself.
"No wonder you were so carried away when Draco told us that he wanted to bond with Harry."
Narcissa smiled sheepishly at her husband. "Yes, I was very happy when he told us. Finally Lily's and my wish came true." She added and again looked at Harry, who blushed.
Harry couldn't believe it. His mother had been friends with Narcissa Malfoy! Of course, she hadn't been a Malfoy in her years at Hogwarts, but- she had been in Slytherin. And that both girls had wished that their future children would marry was -unbelievable.
He looked at Draco and then down on his stomach. He couldn't believe it. Without knowing it Draco had fulfilled both their mothers wish. Or had he known about it?
Narcissa stood up. "Of course I insist on a real ceremony, a marriage between you two, even when it is not really necessary because of the bond. But I would be happy to arrange everything. So, what do you say?"
Harry looked speechless at her. A marriage?
"Of course, mother." Draco grinned. He grabbed Harry's hand and pulled the stunned boy out of the bed. "But I will leave everything in your hands, you know what to do. Now I must get Harry to a bath. He really needs to clean himself. We will see you at dinner?"
Narcissa nodded.
Harry stumbled behind Draco, as the taller boy dragged him out of the room.
"Did you know?" He asked as they were out of the room. "Your mother and mine?"
Draco shook his head, descending some stairs. "No. If I had knew that they were friends, I would have approached you in a total different way when we met in our first year. But, of course it is really nice to know that our mothers wished this all to happen."
Harry grimaced. "This isn't apologizing your doing. In one way I am on Sirius's side: You didn't have the right to place the bond on me without asking."
"It can't be changed." Draco rolled his eyes. "And what would you have done if I had asked you? You would have laughed at me, called me insane. This way was the easiest way."
They turned around a corner.
"What do you think your little friends will say?" Draco suddenly wanted to know. As Harry just looked blankly at him, he sighed. "I mean your two close friends Weasel and the mudblood. How will they react to the fact that we are now a couple?"
"Don't call them so!" Harry raged. He tried to free his hand, but Draco's grip was tight and he continued to pull Harry behind him through the corridors without much effort, ignoring his struggles.
Angry Harry lifted his other hand and slapped Draco on the back of his head. Or he tried.
With a quick movement, that Harry never had seen from him before, Draco whirled around and caught Harry's hand before it could reach him. "Want to hit me?" He purred, using his grip around Harry's wrists to pull him against the nearest wall.
Harry gasped as the air was pushed forcefully out of his lungs. He glared at the blond.
Draco smirked, keeping Harry's hands on the wall on both sides of his head. "I'm faster now, love." He whispered, pressing his hips against Harry's, smiling as the shorter boy let out another gasp at that, followed by a warm feeling of starting arousal through the bond. "Don't try to hit me, Harry."
Harry groaned as Draco nipped at the soft skin of his neck and half- heartedly tried to push him away. "Stop, Draco. Don't.…..Ouch."
Draco softly licked the hickey he had created, before he lifted his head to look into Harry's dazed eyes. All anger had vanished out of them. He grinned. "A good way to sooth your anger, isn't it love?"
Harry felt his face heat up, not denying it. It wasn't easy to hold on his anger when soft lips were kissing him.
He sighed and slumped his shoulders. "Just don't call them that, okay?"
Draco nodded and withdrew from him. As soon as he let go of Harry's wrist, Harry gave him a quick slap on the head.
"You're not the only fast person here." Harry grinned. He lifted his hand again and pushed some disordered blond strands behind Draco's ear, ignoring his pouting glare.
/How soft it is./
"You haven't answered me."
Harry sighed and leaned back against the wall. "I can tell you, how they will react. Ron will yell murder and try to kill you. Hermione will be shocked, but will try to speak to you about it. Nothing as drastic as Sirius's behaviour."
Draco's face darkened at he mentioned Sirius. "He had no right to call you a whore. And I swear, if he says it again, I will kill him."
Harry turned his eyes away. He didn't want to talk about Sirius. It hurt too much.
For a while, they stood in the corridor, facing each other, but not speaking. Draco stood so near, Harry could feel the heat emanating from him, could smell his scent. It was strangely soothing. With Draco nearly towering over him because of the amazing growth spurt the Slytherin had gone through this summer, Harry felt somehow protected and safe. When he just knew where it came from so suddenly.
Or did he have that feeling all years long? He couldn't remember.
As long as he could think back, there had always been just anger and loathing for the heir of Malfoy.
Could feelings change so much?
Harry let out a deep sigh. If his mother were still alive, surely she would help him through this mess of feelings. Some mother-son talk would surely help.
He frowned. Had Aunt Petunia talked to Dudley about such things? Not with Harry listening, that was sure. But when he thought about Dudley and a girl.
Would any girl wanted to go out with Dudley?
"No."
Draco raised an eyebrow. "Excuse me?"
Harry couldn't stop a grin spreading out on his face. No, Dudley and a girl were impossible to imagine.
"It's nothing. I just thought about something.." He pushed himself away from the wall. "Didn't you want to take me to a bath?"
"Of course. We could already be there if you weren't struggling so much."
Draco took Harry's hand again, but this time Harry followed him without being pulled.
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Harry lie silently on top of his bed, staring up at the ceiling. The light of the fire caused some shadows to dance, creating odd-looking creatures, but Harry didn't pay attention to it. He didn't even bother to lighten the room more. He liked it this dim.
Beside him lay the book Hagrid had given to him at the end of his first year, the book with pictures of his parents. From time to time Harry's eyes wavered to the photo on the open side. The picture of a beautiful woman, her sparkling green eyes full of laughter and love as she looked down at the baby boy in her arms.
"Mum." Harry whispered. He rolled onto his belly and locked his eyes, the eyes of his mother, with Lily Potter's. She smiled up at him and Harry couldn't help but smile, too, even when it was just a picture.
As this picture had been taken Lily hadn't known that she would die so soon, dying because she had protected her son, protected him.
"Mum," Harry whispered, " Today I met your friend, Narcissa Malfoy. She told be about you two, how good your friendship had been. And she told me about the plans you two had had, the one with your children getting married." Harry slipped his hand between his body and touched his belly where the tattoo was, "Mum, it seems that Draco Malfoy, the son of your friend has fulfilled your wish, without knowing it. He had placed the old bond of the Malfoy's on me, has made me his mate, husband, what you like to call it."
Lily Potter bowed her head down and placed a tender kiss on the brow of her child. The little boy laughed with glee and raised his little hands to touch her red hair.
Harry touched his brow, swept his fingers slowly over the skin and the scar. He wished he could remember his mothers kisses, would remember how she had smelled.
"Would you really be happy about it, like Narcissa is? Sirius hates it. He is here, you know. He still must hide from the ministry, but he is here to help Professor Dumbledore. In the beginning I had been so happy to see him, I really love him, you know. But, he caught me and Draco kissing and he yelled at me. He demands that Draco erases the bond on me, though this is impossible. Even Dumbledore said it."
Harry sighed. "I don't know how I feel about it, mum. In the beginning, I was so confused and angry with Draco, that he had done this to me. But now he confuses me more than ever. I hate him-I think- but I like what he does to me, I like the kisses and the touches and most of all-I feel so safe when he holds me. I'm so confused. I don't know what I'm feeling anymore."
Harry diverted his eyes from the photo and let them move around the room. For two weeks it had been his and Draco's room, but tomorrow he would return to Gryffindor tower and his room there, that he shared with his year mates and this room here...what would happen to it.
"I wished you were here, mum." Harry murmured, closing his eyes. "I wish I could talk to you. I need to know so many things."
"I'm here for you." A voice whispered near his ear, warm breath softly brushing his cheeks.
Hands carefully rolled him around. Harry sighed and opened his eyes to look up at Draco, leaning over him.
"How long have you been here?"
Draco smiled ruefully. "Long enough I think. But, I didn't want to. I just opened the door and heard you speaking. I'm sorry."
Harry just nodded. It was his own fault. He should have closed the door when he wanted to be alone. He shifted his eyes over Draco's face above him. For once his pale features were slightly reddened and his blond hair was still wet from his bath. His silver eyes wore a wary look, as if he waited for Harry to yell and scream.
Harry smiled. "I will not yell at you." He mumbled. "It was my own fault. But what do you think about what I said. It involved you after all."
"I was as surprised as you were, Harry, as my mother told us about her and your mother being friends in her school years. I didn't know anything about it and I placed the bond on you because I love you, and not to please my mother. You have to believe that." Draco looked at the picture of Harry's mother beside his head. "You're mother was very beautiful, Harry, and she has given this beauty to you with her remarkable eyes."
Harry blushed at that.
"I truly can say, I would have loved it to meet you mother." Draco continued, smiling at Harry's embarrassment. He lifted a hand and gently stroked Harry's cheek. "And I wish she could be here to help you through you mixed feelings. I will not do it, because I want you to learn it yourself, that you discover on your own what it means to be in love."
Harry blush deepened, but he smiled. "That very honourable of you. Where did you learn such wise words?" He teased.
Draco set on an arrogant expression. " These words are from the Great Wise Draco Malfoy. You would do good to remember them and to do what they say."
"And what are they saying exactly?"
A wicked smirk appeared on Draco's face. He leaned down until his face was just inches from Harry's. Harry shuddered as his warm breath brushed his face, smelling of herbs and mint.
"They say: Give the man a goodnight kiss and go to sleep after it."
Harry couldn't help but to snicker slightly, even with Draco's face before him. This was so much like their first morning together in this room, where Draco had demanded a good morning kiss from him.
But, this now was different. Harry looked at the soft lips and desperately wished to feel them again.
"Anything the Wise wishes." He mumbled, raising his arms to put them around Draco's neck, pushing his doubts away for the moment.
Shortly he met surprised silver eyes, before he closed his own at the moment his lips touched Draco's softly, featherlike. Once, twice Harry swept his lips over Draco's mouth without much pressure, slowly weaving his hands through Draco's wet hair. Even wet it was so soft that he wished he could touch it every time.
As Draco began to kiss back, Harry smiled and turned his head away even when his wild pounding heart begged him to continue.
"That's enough. Good night, Draco."
Draco groaned and buried his face into Harry's shoulder. "Teaser." He growled.
Harry grinned and detangled his fingers from Draco's hair.
Draco sighed and lifted his head again, looking into glittering green eyes. "For now you will get away with this, but don't think I will forget it." He shook his head, amused. "Good night, love."
Draco got up and walked to his own bed, starting to undress. Harry rolled onto his belly again and looked at the picture of his mum. Smiling he leaned forward and placed a kiss on the picture.
"Good Night, mum."
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