Not Only In Dreams
By Goddess JacquesPierre
Chapter Eight:
Disclaimer: Harry Potter and all associated and/or non-associated things that I don't own do not belong to me. Perhaps it was redundant, but it certainly beats my English substitute, whose comment "Partners is definitely sufficient enough" led me to lose all respect I may have had for her. Anyone who uses the phrase "sufficient enough" should be shot (not necessarily lethal except in the case of the repeat offender. As far as I am concerned, the breed of people who perpetually mix up 'lose' and 'loose' belong in the same category). Moving along, they belong to their respective owners, who are not I. My writing, sarcasm, witty remarks, not-so-witty remarks, comments, ideas, and other creative property, however, do belong to me, and anyone caught filching them without permission will be sentenced to the same fate as those select few for whom loosing their lives is not sufficient enough. (So I didn't feel like coming up with something new. Bite me.)
Author's Note: Sorry this chapter took so long. It was being difficult. I had to spank it soundly and send it to bed early several days in a row. In any event, I got it out (finally).
Kudos to whoever manages to catch the reference to the musical "Cabaret".
Enjoy.
-----
The Great Hall erupted into laughter.
Embarrassed, Harry unsuccessfully attempted to slip away unnoticed. The huge wooden doors of the Hall swung shut behind him amidst catcalls and jeers.
He ran.
Once he'd put distance between himself and the echoes of taunting students, he paused and began to walk, lost in his own thoughts.
Eventually, Harry looked up. Someone seemed to be saying something to him.
"Harry! Yer early! Are yeh feelin' all right?" Hagrid was telling him loudly.
Harry realised his feet had carried him to his first class. NEWT-level Care of Magical Creatures. With the Slytherins.
"Yeah, Hagrid. I'm fine." Harry shifted nervously, hoping that his stance wouldn't give him away. "Just excited about class, is all."
"I've got a great project for yeh all!" Hagrid enthused. "Yeh're gonna love it!"
Harry felt a sinking feeling starting somewhere around his gut. Anything Hagrid was enthusiastic about was bound to send someone to the Hospital Wing at some point.
At that point, the other students got there in a clump, laughing and giggling. Only Draco arrived seperately, glaring fiercely at the gossiping teenagers.
"Partner up!" Hagrid yelled over the din.
Harry looked at Hermione, but she had already grabbed Neville. "Sorry, Harry, it's for our own safety!"
Everyone else had already found a partner. Harry looked desperately around and found that there was one person yet to find someone to work with.
"Potter, as you have no alternative, you are going to work with me," said Draco Malfoy. "We are going to attempt to get through whatever that oaf sets us without any injury."
"He's not an oaf!" protested Harry.
"Harry, darling," Draco said (while Parvati and Lavendar giggled), "no matter how much you like him, he is still incompetent. He may be the most adorable half-giant in existence, but he is not in any way a good teacher."
Harry decided not to answer that and turned his attention to the lesson.
"Today, we're grooming the Southern Stingfish!" said Hagrid brightly. "Come up here and get your grooming cloth, then return to your places." Hagrid indicated several tables, each which had a large tank containing a large, blue-green fish with painful-looking spikes on the fins. "Just watch the prickers, they pack a powerful poison. It won't kill you, but it will be unpleasant."
Harry went and got the grooming cloths. He handed one to Draco in silence.
"I bet they don't even need grooming," groused Draco. "Why do we have to do this?"
"Shut up, Malfoy," Harry hissed between clenched teeth.
"I thought I told you to call me Draco."
"I've decided I really don't like you, even if you aren't insulting my friends any longer."
"Oh? And is that why you're dreaming about me?"
"It's only in dreams I'll even tolerate your prescence."
"Not only in dreams, Potter. You enjoyed that kiss yesterday."
"So maybe you're a good kisser. Doesn't make you any less of a slimy git."
"We'll see, Potter. The pink undies? You sent me those because you despise me?"
"Those were payback."
"Oh, so it wan't because of your mental image of me in them?"
Harry hadn't thought about that before, but now that Draco said it, the thought was curiously intriguing. As he pondered it, distracted with his arms submerged in the tub of water up to his elbows, the cloth slipped from between his fingers and the fish took the opportunity to jab on of its fins into his exposed palm.
Jerked from his thoughts by the pain, Harry yelped and pulled his hand back, cradling it on his other arm.
Draco looked horrified but unsurprised. "Here, Harry," he said gently. "Let me see."
Harry moaned as the stinging intensified into a throbbing, red pain. He barely noticed as Draco gently took the wrist of his injured hand and drew it towards himself. The last thing he felt before the poison took over was the soft touch of Draco's lips on his palm.
Draco caught Harry as the latter collapsed onto his shoulder. He put his hand up. "Hagrid, Harry's passed out. May I bring him to the Hospital Wing?"
Hagrid grunted in consent, too busy critiquing Seamus's grooming technique to catch who exactly was bringing the Boy Who Lived up to the Infirmary.
Draco lifted Harry with some effort, put him back down, cast a charm, and picked him up again, much more easily this time.
-----
Madame Pomfrey was halfway between shocked and horrified when Draco laid Harry down on one of the cots.
"Mr. Malfoy! As long as you are here, I expect you to behave with the best of decorum toward my patient!" she scolded.
"Certainly," Draco drawled, not really listening, more concerned with Harry's well-being. He hadn't even made his conquest yet! It would simply not do to have his prize die of a stupid wound from a Care of Magical Creatures class.
"I'll hold you to that," she warned as she turned to Harry, assessed his condition, and selected a potion. She poured it between his lips, and after he swallowed, Harry's entire body relaxed visibly.
"He should wake up soon," Madame Pomfrey said. "I suppose you'd like to stay with him."
"Please," Draco said, thinking, "Let no one say that a Malfoy can't be polite when it suits his purpose!"
Draco settled into the chair beside Harry's bed. Yes, Draco decided, Harry definitely a worthy goal for him. Asleep, he was beautiful-- almost as much as Draco was.
After a few minutes, Madame Pomfrey stood. "I have to go now. Behave yourself." She bustled out of the room.
Draco nodded until he was sure she was gone, then leaned over and kissed Harry. The lips under his were soft but unresponsive, and Draco found himself fervently wishing that Madame Pomfrey's 'soon' had already come to pass. It shouldn't take this long for him to wake, should it? He felt worry beginning to gnaw at him.
To console himself, he shifted over onto the bed next to Harry and wrapped an arm around the Gryffindor's waist, curling up to Harry's heavy, warm, sleeping body to wait.
Just as Draco had gotten bored and was leaning over Harry to kiss him again, Harry opened his eyes sleepily. It was the single most adorable thing Draco had ever seen, including his own baby pictures.
"Are you all right?" asked Draco softly, not sure how far away Madame Pomfrey had gone.
"Yeah, thanks," said Harry, his voice a bit cloudy. Draco could tell that Harry was still disoriented from the poison, despite the antidote.
He seized the moment. "Mmmm... Harry, you're gorgeous."
Harry was nonplussed. "What?"
"You're beautiful. I want you to be mine."
"You're the pretty one," Harry protested, obviously still out of synch with the world.
Draco was doing happy dances in his head, almost tempted to see that Harry was poisoned more often if this was what the recovery was like. (As a matter of fact, the only thing that put him off the idea was the nasty apprehensive feeling while Harry was still unconscious. Hopefully, Harry would come around soon and realise that he belonged to Draco and Draco alone, making such schemes unnecessary.)
Harry lifted his uninjured hand to touch Draco's cheek. The light touch sent chills down Draco's spine; Harry was finally touching him of his own will (well... sort of).
All too soon, Harry came around and pulled away.
Draco sat back on his heels. "Feeling better, Potter?"
Harry nodded slowly. "Yeah... my hand still tingles, but it's not too bad. Thanks for bringing me up."
Harry lifted his hand to inspect it. There was a light covering of blood where spines had pierced it.
Draco caught Harry's wrist again, and in the moment where Harry was shocked and staring into his eyes, drew it to his lips and licked the blood off.
To Harry, it was slightly creepy and intimate to a frightening extent, but though he tried to pull away, his hand was not released as Draco reached for a roll of bandage and tied it over the wound.
"There," Draco said. "That should be better."
Shakily, Harry said, "Thank you."
Draco stood up reluctantly. "Well, it's almost lunch time, and I really don't want to miss it. Shall we go?" He offered Harry a hand up.
Harry hesitated a moment, then took Draco's hand. "Thanks again."
-----
Draco watched Harry sit at the Gryffindor table, then took his own seat. Lunch promised to be interesting.
-----
Harry turned to Hermione and prodded her in the arm.
Hermione looked at him waspishly. "Did you have to do that so hard?"
"Sorry," said Harry sheepishly. "I just wanted to talk. Is that OK?"
Hermione softened and nodded. "Sure, Harry. What about?"
Harry lowered his voice. "Malfoy."
"What about him?"
"He's acting so... weird. He kissed my hand in Creatures today, did you see?"
"I saw it."
"Then... what happened? Why was he there when I woke up in the Hospital Wing?"
"He carried you there." Hermione repressed a smile.
"Why is he being so nice? What happened to the jerk who used to insult us every time he saw us?"
"Didn't you tell me yourself, Harry, a few days ago?" asked Hermione. "You were the one who told me that he decided that You-Know-Who wasn't good enough for him and that he'd grown out of bigoted insults."
"Yeah, but... it's such a radical change. I don't get it. He could just be neutral to me, couldn't he? Why all the special effort?"
"Maybe he's not fighting the dreams you two are having. Maybe he's being sensible. Maybe he's realised that he is attracted to you, Harry, and isn't wasting his energy trying to change part of who he is."
Before Harry could answer, a large owl dropped a package on his lap.
"Oh no," said Harry. "Not again."
"Open it," Hermione advised, "before Ginny decides to open it for you and inform the whole school."
Harry undid the wrapping and lifted the lid of the box. Something ribbon-like and black flew out of it, and after a few seconds, Harry felt a weight around his throat.
"It's not some sort of flying snake, is it?" asked Harry.
"No..." said Hermione, giggling. "It's a choker."
"Why is Malfoy sending me jewelry?"
"It looks good on you."
"I don't care. I must look like a girl. How do you take it off?"
Hermione leaned over and fiddled with it. "I think it doesn't come off."
"What?"
"I think it doesn't come off. It's fastened by magic."
"Can't you find the counterspell?"
"I could, but it'll take time. Besides, I told you, it looks good on you."
Harry glanced at his reflection in his plate. It was a band of some black material-- possibly dragon hide-- that rested against his skin and felt smooth. Set in silver and resting just above the hollow of his throat, there was an emerald in one of those oval cuts with points at either end. Harry didn't know the name for the cut, but he suspected Draco did. Hermione was right; it did become him. It also looked ridiculously expensive. He resolved to speak with Draco about this whole gift-giving thing; it would have to stop. As he looked more closely at the box, there was a note nestled in the bottom. It read "Don't forget-- Trophy Room at midnight" in what Harry had come to recognise as Draco's signature green ink. He wondered if Snape gave Draco bonus points for essays in the color, and resolved to try writing in green himself.
----
Thankfully, Harry's class in the afternoon passed without incident. There had been so much Malfoy in his life recently that it was refreshing not to have any reminder of the blonde (except the choker, which was a persistent weight at his throat and was impossible to ignore). It gave him time to brood.
---
Hermione's afternoon, however, was not quite so uneventful. She tagged Malfoy just before dinner as he came out of his class.
"Granger!" he exclaimed. "How do you know my schedule?"
She smiled. "I have my ways, Malfoy. Even more ways than you do."
He thought a moment. "Oh, I see. You just asked McGonagall, didn't you? Something about 'I wanted to check my Arithmancy homework, and no one else has done it yet', I expect."
"It could have been Runes."
He looked pleasantly surprised. "I got it right?"
"Just a bit."
"Anyway, Granger, I'm sure you didn't stop me for idle chitchat. What gives?"
"Oh, just something I wanted to tell you."
"Oh?"
"The password to Gryffindor is Veela Hair."
"Why do I need to know that? I don't even know where it is!"
"Oh... you could just follow Harry after your midnight rendezvous."
Draco paused, considering. "I like the way you think, Granger, I really do."
She smirked. "Good."
-----
Just before midnight, Harry left his dorm under his Invisibility Cloak. He wasn't entirely sure why he was going, but he didn't even feel particularly apprehensive; recently the Slytherin had been acting markedly not Slytherinish at all.
Draco was waiting for him, slouched against the wall. Harry let the Invisibility Cloak drop in a soft ruffle of fabric.
The blonde looked up dispassionately. "You're late, Potter."
"Sorry."
"That's not acceptable, but it's a start."
Harry stuck his hands into the pockets of his jeans. "What did you want, Malfoy?"
"First, you're calling me Draco."
"Why?"
"Because I said so."
"Maaaal-foy. I am not doing anything just because 'you said so'."
"Fine then. Do it because I'm pretty."
"You are--" Harry stopped abruptly. He WAS a Gryffindor, and lying is just not in the Gryffindor Nature. Besides, calling Draco not pretty was beyond just lying. It was in the category of Falsehood Worse than Perjury.
"See? I am. You said so this morning, anyway."
Harry blushed, and Draco poked him. "You're so cute when you do that."
Harry glared. "Is that why you got me to come all the way out here at midnight? To see me blush? You see it a lot."
"No, Potter. I got you to come all the way out here at midnight so I could do this." Draco kissed him.
Several minutes later, Harry broke free and ran, somewhere between shocked, confused, and turned-on. Draco grabbed Harry's cloak, put it on, and followed.
-----
Harry collapsed into bed. He was asleep almost instantly, so he didn't feel the invisible weight that climbed into bed right after him.
They dreamed.
-----
It was fourth year, right after the Quidditch Cup. Harry had just ran from the Weasley tent with Ron and Hermione and come across Draco lounging on a tree.
Harry found himself talking. "Herm, Ron, go on without me. I'll take care of him."
After Harry's friends had disappeared, Draco spoke. "Mmmm, Harry. You're going to take care of me? Can you even take care of yourself?"
"Of course I can."
"You went running fast enough, Potter. Or were you worried you'd be unable to protect Granger?"
"I didn't want to take unnecessary risks."
"Oh? What does that make me?"
"Too sexy to pass up."
"Potter, you're beginning to show taste." With that, Draco pounced.
Just as the tree Harry's dream-self was rammed up against became uncomfortable, they woke up.
-----
Draco was watching as Harry's eyes opened.
"How was the dream?" he asked in a whisper.
Harry jumped and scrambled to the other side of the bed. "Draco! I'm naked!"
"That's why I'm here."
"But... but..."
"Quiet. I've cast an Imperturbable charm on your bed so we won't be interrupted. Calm down and enjoy it. It's not as if everyone was offered sex by anyone as remarkably gorgeous as I am."
"I don't want it."
Draco reached between Harry's legs. "Don't you?"
Harry didn't say anything; he was too busy feeling.
"Well?" Draco asked, moving away.
"Don't... stop..." Harry said breathlessly.
Draco smirked. "I didn't think so." He smirked and rolled over on top of Harry. Skin hit skin for the first time in real life, and the smirk disappeared from Draco's lips. It felt like there were fireworks going off every place there was contact.
Afterwards, they were both sweaty and panting. Draco reached out and toyed with Harry's choker. "I was right. The real thing was better than dreaming."
Harry didn't say anything. Draco guessed that linguistic control had yet to return to the Gryffindor, so he went on. "It was definitely worth it." He reached over and pulled out a box. "Chocolate?"
Harry shook his head violently to clear it. "Draco, it's at least two o'clock in the morning. I have just lost my virginity to someone I don't even LIKE. I am seriously contemplating homocide, and you offer me chocolate?"
Draco lifted a piece out of the box and slipped it between Harry's lips. "You like chocolate, I saw you the other day." Right on cue, Harry's head tilted back and a soft noise escaped his lips.
Draco continued. "Besides... I like looking at your face when you've got that orgasmic expression on it, whether it was caused by an actual orgasm or just good chocolate."
Harry swallowed the chocolate, eliminating the distraction. "You're incorrigable."
"You like it." Draco popped another chocolate between Harry's lips.
Harry took the point and was quiet.
They fell asleep again after a while.
-----
Harry woke up the next morning alone, but there was still a warm spot next to him and also a note on the pillow in green ink.
He spent five seconds feeling warm and fuzzy, then the emotion abruptly switched to confusion tinged with a bit of disgust-- though nowhere near as much disgust as there might have been three days previously.
The note was brief ("Sorry I couldn't stay, but obviously...") and unsigned.
He dressed absently and wandered downstairs to find Hermione.
The common room was devoid of people, and when Harry looked at the clock, he noticed he was late for breakfast.
He grabbed his books and ran down to the Great Hall.
Heads turned as he walked in the door. Whispers rustled through the students as wind rustles through leaves durning a tornado in August-- loud, obnoxious, and destructive. Well... perhaps not destructive except to Harry's friendship with Ron and Seamus.
Harry deliberately ignored the gossip and sat down next to Hermione. "We need to talk," he told her.
She looked at him briefly and gasped. "Oh my god. He pounced."
Harry was taken aback. "How did you know?" After a moment, Harry went: "Oh, wait, never mind, you're Hermione."
She smiled, then changed her expression quickly so as not to upset Harry. "If you need advice, go for it, Harry."
"But..."
"Don't think too much about it, Harry. It felt good, didn't it?"
"Well... yes..."
There were loud "oooh"s from the direction of Parvati and Lavender, which Harry desperately tried to ignore.
"Then what's wrong?"
"He's... Draco!"
"You're calling him 'Draco'. That, in and of itself, is indicative of your emotions for him."
"What?"
"You're using his first name; you like him."
"Oh. I do?"
Hermione looked at him fondly. "You're so cute, Harry."
They were distracted by the arrival of the mail.
Across the room, Draco was staring at a plain white envelope as if it night explode. Harry watched, mesmerised, as Draco opened it.
-----
Draco:
I am torn, son. A Malfoy should never deny himself anything he wants, but is Harry Potter really the best choice of lover? You will find yourself disappointed when Lord Voldemort finally decides to kill him, you know.
Your father,
Lucius Malfoy
-----
Draco stood up abruptly, slamming his chair into the wall. "Does the entire world have to know I'm sleeping with Harry Potter?"
Blaise poked him in the shoulder. "It could have to do with the article in 'Witch Weekly' yesterday."
"WHAT?"
"I didn't write it!" Blaise exclaimed.
Draco just glared at him. "Why didn't you tell me?"
"You were too busy trying to seduce Potter."
"Oh." Draco paused, trying to regain his customary calm. "So, shall we kill whoever wrote it?"
Blaise looked at him. "Draco, let's just go to class."
Draco stewed quietly until breakfast was over.
-----
During Transfiguration that morning, Professor McGonagall quietly stopped Harry from where he was finally learning how to turn a desk into a pig. "The Headmaster would like to see you. The password is Butter Rum Cake."
Harry sighed, gathered his books together, and left, leaving poor Professor McGonagall with a classroom of students more interested in discussing Harry's unexplained absence than the lesson at hand.
-----
Harry found the statue and Draco at the same time. The blonde was alternately poking it with his wand and trying to persuade it to let him in.
Harry walked up behind him. "So, no one told you the password?"
Draco jumped, then turned around. "Oh, hello, Harry, fancy seeing you here."
Feeling uncomfortable, Harry said "Butter rum cake" in lieu of a real response.
"What?" For a moment, Draco had an adorable confused expression, then it disappeared. "Oh, the password. Shall we go?"
Before Harry could say anything, Draco caught his hand and whisked him up the steps.
In Dumbledore's office, the Headmaster was waiting. The only thing missing from the office, in fact, was the customary twinkle in Dumbledore's eye.
Harry took a step back. Even Draco, unfamiliar with Dumbledore, realised there was something wrong.
"Boys," Dumbledore began, "I want you to know I am very disappointed in both of you."
"Why?" asked Draco.
"You two are far too young to be carrying on sexual relations. While I will not expel you if such abominable conduct is continued, be forewarned that I shall make the consequences unpleasant. You may go."
Stunned, Harry and Draco left the office.
Outside the door, Harry turned on Draco. "You got me in trouble for practically nonconsensual sex?"
"It wasn't nonconsensual! You were practically screaming 'yes' after the first five minutes!"
"You didn't ask BEFORE the first five minutes!"
"No, because you were too incoherent with lust to answer me!"
"That doesn't matter! You snuck into my dorm at night!"
"You enjoyed it!"
"Draco!"
"See, you're using my first name."
"That does not mean I want to have sex with you!"
"Harry, come with me a moment and I'll show you."
"What?"
Draco dragged Harry out of the hall and into the nearest deserted classroom. "We still have half an hour before lunch. Let me explain something to you."
"Explain wha-- mrphfff!" Harry began to speak but was cut off by Draco, who seemed intent on kissing him.
It was precisely seven seconds later when Harry leaned into the kiss and began responding greedily.
In less than a minute, Draco pulled back. "See, Harry? You want me."
Harry was too dazed to reply.
"Why the fuck are you fighting it?"
Harry had regained control of his senses and wasn't happy. "Because you've lost me one of my two best friends and made me the object of popular rumor! AGAIN! I'm so sick of it all, Draco, I just want to be left alone so I can have relationships that aren't constantly sabotaged by the media!"
Draco sat down on the floor and pulled Harry down with him. "Look, we need to talk."
"Sure. We can talk. Just don't make it cut into my lunch."
"You're fighting this attraction you feel for me. Don't bother arguing or you WILL be late for lunch. You're fighting it and it is not nor will it ever do you any good. I'm sure Hermione's told you this, but it's not a bad thing. You can just let go and feel."
"Why?"
"Why not?"
Harry opened his mouth, then closed it again. After a bit, he said, "I suppose our conversation with Dumbledore ten minutes ago doesn't count?"
"No."
Harry was silent again. Draco waited a full five minutes before speaking. "See, Harry? There's no reason why you shouldn't give me a chance. I promise I won't get you in more trouble with Dumbledore."
To his own surprise, Draco meant it.
Harry scrutinized Draco's face, unsure. "All right, then. I'll give you a chance. Just no more ostentatious gifts in the middle of meals, k?"
And so Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy reached a truce of sorts.
-----
Many thanks to Dragonphly. Her review convinced me to keep writing and posting this, since I was having doubts when I was training this chapter to 'sit' and 'stay'.
By Goddess JacquesPierre
Chapter Eight:
Disclaimer: Harry Potter and all associated and/or non-associated things that I don't own do not belong to me. Perhaps it was redundant, but it certainly beats my English substitute, whose comment "Partners is definitely sufficient enough" led me to lose all respect I may have had for her. Anyone who uses the phrase "sufficient enough" should be shot (not necessarily lethal except in the case of the repeat offender. As far as I am concerned, the breed of people who perpetually mix up 'lose' and 'loose' belong in the same category). Moving along, they belong to their respective owners, who are not I. My writing, sarcasm, witty remarks, not-so-witty remarks, comments, ideas, and other creative property, however, do belong to me, and anyone caught filching them without permission will be sentenced to the same fate as those select few for whom loosing their lives is not sufficient enough. (So I didn't feel like coming up with something new. Bite me.)
Author's Note: Sorry this chapter took so long. It was being difficult. I had to spank it soundly and send it to bed early several days in a row. In any event, I got it out (finally).
Kudos to whoever manages to catch the reference to the musical "Cabaret".
Enjoy.
-----
The Great Hall erupted into laughter.
Embarrassed, Harry unsuccessfully attempted to slip away unnoticed. The huge wooden doors of the Hall swung shut behind him amidst catcalls and jeers.
He ran.
Once he'd put distance between himself and the echoes of taunting students, he paused and began to walk, lost in his own thoughts.
Eventually, Harry looked up. Someone seemed to be saying something to him.
"Harry! Yer early! Are yeh feelin' all right?" Hagrid was telling him loudly.
Harry realised his feet had carried him to his first class. NEWT-level Care of Magical Creatures. With the Slytherins.
"Yeah, Hagrid. I'm fine." Harry shifted nervously, hoping that his stance wouldn't give him away. "Just excited about class, is all."
"I've got a great project for yeh all!" Hagrid enthused. "Yeh're gonna love it!"
Harry felt a sinking feeling starting somewhere around his gut. Anything Hagrid was enthusiastic about was bound to send someone to the Hospital Wing at some point.
At that point, the other students got there in a clump, laughing and giggling. Only Draco arrived seperately, glaring fiercely at the gossiping teenagers.
"Partner up!" Hagrid yelled over the din.
Harry looked at Hermione, but she had already grabbed Neville. "Sorry, Harry, it's for our own safety!"
Everyone else had already found a partner. Harry looked desperately around and found that there was one person yet to find someone to work with.
"Potter, as you have no alternative, you are going to work with me," said Draco Malfoy. "We are going to attempt to get through whatever that oaf sets us without any injury."
"He's not an oaf!" protested Harry.
"Harry, darling," Draco said (while Parvati and Lavendar giggled), "no matter how much you like him, he is still incompetent. He may be the most adorable half-giant in existence, but he is not in any way a good teacher."
Harry decided not to answer that and turned his attention to the lesson.
"Today, we're grooming the Southern Stingfish!" said Hagrid brightly. "Come up here and get your grooming cloth, then return to your places." Hagrid indicated several tables, each which had a large tank containing a large, blue-green fish with painful-looking spikes on the fins. "Just watch the prickers, they pack a powerful poison. It won't kill you, but it will be unpleasant."
Harry went and got the grooming cloths. He handed one to Draco in silence.
"I bet they don't even need grooming," groused Draco. "Why do we have to do this?"
"Shut up, Malfoy," Harry hissed between clenched teeth.
"I thought I told you to call me Draco."
"I've decided I really don't like you, even if you aren't insulting my friends any longer."
"Oh? And is that why you're dreaming about me?"
"It's only in dreams I'll even tolerate your prescence."
"Not only in dreams, Potter. You enjoyed that kiss yesterday."
"So maybe you're a good kisser. Doesn't make you any less of a slimy git."
"We'll see, Potter. The pink undies? You sent me those because you despise me?"
"Those were payback."
"Oh, so it wan't because of your mental image of me in them?"
Harry hadn't thought about that before, but now that Draco said it, the thought was curiously intriguing. As he pondered it, distracted with his arms submerged in the tub of water up to his elbows, the cloth slipped from between his fingers and the fish took the opportunity to jab on of its fins into his exposed palm.
Jerked from his thoughts by the pain, Harry yelped and pulled his hand back, cradling it on his other arm.
Draco looked horrified but unsurprised. "Here, Harry," he said gently. "Let me see."
Harry moaned as the stinging intensified into a throbbing, red pain. He barely noticed as Draco gently took the wrist of his injured hand and drew it towards himself. The last thing he felt before the poison took over was the soft touch of Draco's lips on his palm.
Draco caught Harry as the latter collapsed onto his shoulder. He put his hand up. "Hagrid, Harry's passed out. May I bring him to the Hospital Wing?"
Hagrid grunted in consent, too busy critiquing Seamus's grooming technique to catch who exactly was bringing the Boy Who Lived up to the Infirmary.
Draco lifted Harry with some effort, put him back down, cast a charm, and picked him up again, much more easily this time.
-----
Madame Pomfrey was halfway between shocked and horrified when Draco laid Harry down on one of the cots.
"Mr. Malfoy! As long as you are here, I expect you to behave with the best of decorum toward my patient!" she scolded.
"Certainly," Draco drawled, not really listening, more concerned with Harry's well-being. He hadn't even made his conquest yet! It would simply not do to have his prize die of a stupid wound from a Care of Magical Creatures class.
"I'll hold you to that," she warned as she turned to Harry, assessed his condition, and selected a potion. She poured it between his lips, and after he swallowed, Harry's entire body relaxed visibly.
"He should wake up soon," Madame Pomfrey said. "I suppose you'd like to stay with him."
"Please," Draco said, thinking, "Let no one say that a Malfoy can't be polite when it suits his purpose!"
Draco settled into the chair beside Harry's bed. Yes, Draco decided, Harry definitely a worthy goal for him. Asleep, he was beautiful-- almost as much as Draco was.
After a few minutes, Madame Pomfrey stood. "I have to go now. Behave yourself." She bustled out of the room.
Draco nodded until he was sure she was gone, then leaned over and kissed Harry. The lips under his were soft but unresponsive, and Draco found himself fervently wishing that Madame Pomfrey's 'soon' had already come to pass. It shouldn't take this long for him to wake, should it? He felt worry beginning to gnaw at him.
To console himself, he shifted over onto the bed next to Harry and wrapped an arm around the Gryffindor's waist, curling up to Harry's heavy, warm, sleeping body to wait.
Just as Draco had gotten bored and was leaning over Harry to kiss him again, Harry opened his eyes sleepily. It was the single most adorable thing Draco had ever seen, including his own baby pictures.
"Are you all right?" asked Draco softly, not sure how far away Madame Pomfrey had gone.
"Yeah, thanks," said Harry, his voice a bit cloudy. Draco could tell that Harry was still disoriented from the poison, despite the antidote.
He seized the moment. "Mmmm... Harry, you're gorgeous."
Harry was nonplussed. "What?"
"You're beautiful. I want you to be mine."
"You're the pretty one," Harry protested, obviously still out of synch with the world.
Draco was doing happy dances in his head, almost tempted to see that Harry was poisoned more often if this was what the recovery was like. (As a matter of fact, the only thing that put him off the idea was the nasty apprehensive feeling while Harry was still unconscious. Hopefully, Harry would come around soon and realise that he belonged to Draco and Draco alone, making such schemes unnecessary.)
Harry lifted his uninjured hand to touch Draco's cheek. The light touch sent chills down Draco's spine; Harry was finally touching him of his own will (well... sort of).
All too soon, Harry came around and pulled away.
Draco sat back on his heels. "Feeling better, Potter?"
Harry nodded slowly. "Yeah... my hand still tingles, but it's not too bad. Thanks for bringing me up."
Harry lifted his hand to inspect it. There was a light covering of blood where spines had pierced it.
Draco caught Harry's wrist again, and in the moment where Harry was shocked and staring into his eyes, drew it to his lips and licked the blood off.
To Harry, it was slightly creepy and intimate to a frightening extent, but though he tried to pull away, his hand was not released as Draco reached for a roll of bandage and tied it over the wound.
"There," Draco said. "That should be better."
Shakily, Harry said, "Thank you."
Draco stood up reluctantly. "Well, it's almost lunch time, and I really don't want to miss it. Shall we go?" He offered Harry a hand up.
Harry hesitated a moment, then took Draco's hand. "Thanks again."
-----
Draco watched Harry sit at the Gryffindor table, then took his own seat. Lunch promised to be interesting.
-----
Harry turned to Hermione and prodded her in the arm.
Hermione looked at him waspishly. "Did you have to do that so hard?"
"Sorry," said Harry sheepishly. "I just wanted to talk. Is that OK?"
Hermione softened and nodded. "Sure, Harry. What about?"
Harry lowered his voice. "Malfoy."
"What about him?"
"He's acting so... weird. He kissed my hand in Creatures today, did you see?"
"I saw it."
"Then... what happened? Why was he there when I woke up in the Hospital Wing?"
"He carried you there." Hermione repressed a smile.
"Why is he being so nice? What happened to the jerk who used to insult us every time he saw us?"
"Didn't you tell me yourself, Harry, a few days ago?" asked Hermione. "You were the one who told me that he decided that You-Know-Who wasn't good enough for him and that he'd grown out of bigoted insults."
"Yeah, but... it's such a radical change. I don't get it. He could just be neutral to me, couldn't he? Why all the special effort?"
"Maybe he's not fighting the dreams you two are having. Maybe he's being sensible. Maybe he's realised that he is attracted to you, Harry, and isn't wasting his energy trying to change part of who he is."
Before Harry could answer, a large owl dropped a package on his lap.
"Oh no," said Harry. "Not again."
"Open it," Hermione advised, "before Ginny decides to open it for you and inform the whole school."
Harry undid the wrapping and lifted the lid of the box. Something ribbon-like and black flew out of it, and after a few seconds, Harry felt a weight around his throat.
"It's not some sort of flying snake, is it?" asked Harry.
"No..." said Hermione, giggling. "It's a choker."
"Why is Malfoy sending me jewelry?"
"It looks good on you."
"I don't care. I must look like a girl. How do you take it off?"
Hermione leaned over and fiddled with it. "I think it doesn't come off."
"What?"
"I think it doesn't come off. It's fastened by magic."
"Can't you find the counterspell?"
"I could, but it'll take time. Besides, I told you, it looks good on you."
Harry glanced at his reflection in his plate. It was a band of some black material-- possibly dragon hide-- that rested against his skin and felt smooth. Set in silver and resting just above the hollow of his throat, there was an emerald in one of those oval cuts with points at either end. Harry didn't know the name for the cut, but he suspected Draco did. Hermione was right; it did become him. It also looked ridiculously expensive. He resolved to speak with Draco about this whole gift-giving thing; it would have to stop. As he looked more closely at the box, there was a note nestled in the bottom. It read "Don't forget-- Trophy Room at midnight" in what Harry had come to recognise as Draco's signature green ink. He wondered if Snape gave Draco bonus points for essays in the color, and resolved to try writing in green himself.
----
Thankfully, Harry's class in the afternoon passed without incident. There had been so much Malfoy in his life recently that it was refreshing not to have any reminder of the blonde (except the choker, which was a persistent weight at his throat and was impossible to ignore). It gave him time to brood.
---
Hermione's afternoon, however, was not quite so uneventful. She tagged Malfoy just before dinner as he came out of his class.
"Granger!" he exclaimed. "How do you know my schedule?"
She smiled. "I have my ways, Malfoy. Even more ways than you do."
He thought a moment. "Oh, I see. You just asked McGonagall, didn't you? Something about 'I wanted to check my Arithmancy homework, and no one else has done it yet', I expect."
"It could have been Runes."
He looked pleasantly surprised. "I got it right?"
"Just a bit."
"Anyway, Granger, I'm sure you didn't stop me for idle chitchat. What gives?"
"Oh, just something I wanted to tell you."
"Oh?"
"The password to Gryffindor is Veela Hair."
"Why do I need to know that? I don't even know where it is!"
"Oh... you could just follow Harry after your midnight rendezvous."
Draco paused, considering. "I like the way you think, Granger, I really do."
She smirked. "Good."
-----
Just before midnight, Harry left his dorm under his Invisibility Cloak. He wasn't entirely sure why he was going, but he didn't even feel particularly apprehensive; recently the Slytherin had been acting markedly not Slytherinish at all.
Draco was waiting for him, slouched against the wall. Harry let the Invisibility Cloak drop in a soft ruffle of fabric.
The blonde looked up dispassionately. "You're late, Potter."
"Sorry."
"That's not acceptable, but it's a start."
Harry stuck his hands into the pockets of his jeans. "What did you want, Malfoy?"
"First, you're calling me Draco."
"Why?"
"Because I said so."
"Maaaal-foy. I am not doing anything just because 'you said so'."
"Fine then. Do it because I'm pretty."
"You are--" Harry stopped abruptly. He WAS a Gryffindor, and lying is just not in the Gryffindor Nature. Besides, calling Draco not pretty was beyond just lying. It was in the category of Falsehood Worse than Perjury.
"See? I am. You said so this morning, anyway."
Harry blushed, and Draco poked him. "You're so cute when you do that."
Harry glared. "Is that why you got me to come all the way out here at midnight? To see me blush? You see it a lot."
"No, Potter. I got you to come all the way out here at midnight so I could do this." Draco kissed him.
Several minutes later, Harry broke free and ran, somewhere between shocked, confused, and turned-on. Draco grabbed Harry's cloak, put it on, and followed.
-----
Harry collapsed into bed. He was asleep almost instantly, so he didn't feel the invisible weight that climbed into bed right after him.
They dreamed.
-----
It was fourth year, right after the Quidditch Cup. Harry had just ran from the Weasley tent with Ron and Hermione and come across Draco lounging on a tree.
Harry found himself talking. "Herm, Ron, go on without me. I'll take care of him."
After Harry's friends had disappeared, Draco spoke. "Mmmm, Harry. You're going to take care of me? Can you even take care of yourself?"
"Of course I can."
"You went running fast enough, Potter. Or were you worried you'd be unable to protect Granger?"
"I didn't want to take unnecessary risks."
"Oh? What does that make me?"
"Too sexy to pass up."
"Potter, you're beginning to show taste." With that, Draco pounced.
Just as the tree Harry's dream-self was rammed up against became uncomfortable, they woke up.
-----
Draco was watching as Harry's eyes opened.
"How was the dream?" he asked in a whisper.
Harry jumped and scrambled to the other side of the bed. "Draco! I'm naked!"
"That's why I'm here."
"But... but..."
"Quiet. I've cast an Imperturbable charm on your bed so we won't be interrupted. Calm down and enjoy it. It's not as if everyone was offered sex by anyone as remarkably gorgeous as I am."
"I don't want it."
Draco reached between Harry's legs. "Don't you?"
Harry didn't say anything; he was too busy feeling.
"Well?" Draco asked, moving away.
"Don't... stop..." Harry said breathlessly.
Draco smirked. "I didn't think so." He smirked and rolled over on top of Harry. Skin hit skin for the first time in real life, and the smirk disappeared from Draco's lips. It felt like there were fireworks going off every place there was contact.
Afterwards, they were both sweaty and panting. Draco reached out and toyed with Harry's choker. "I was right. The real thing was better than dreaming."
Harry didn't say anything. Draco guessed that linguistic control had yet to return to the Gryffindor, so he went on. "It was definitely worth it." He reached over and pulled out a box. "Chocolate?"
Harry shook his head violently to clear it. "Draco, it's at least two o'clock in the morning. I have just lost my virginity to someone I don't even LIKE. I am seriously contemplating homocide, and you offer me chocolate?"
Draco lifted a piece out of the box and slipped it between Harry's lips. "You like chocolate, I saw you the other day." Right on cue, Harry's head tilted back and a soft noise escaped his lips.
Draco continued. "Besides... I like looking at your face when you've got that orgasmic expression on it, whether it was caused by an actual orgasm or just good chocolate."
Harry swallowed the chocolate, eliminating the distraction. "You're incorrigable."
"You like it." Draco popped another chocolate between Harry's lips.
Harry took the point and was quiet.
They fell asleep again after a while.
-----
Harry woke up the next morning alone, but there was still a warm spot next to him and also a note on the pillow in green ink.
He spent five seconds feeling warm and fuzzy, then the emotion abruptly switched to confusion tinged with a bit of disgust-- though nowhere near as much disgust as there might have been three days previously.
The note was brief ("Sorry I couldn't stay, but obviously...") and unsigned.
He dressed absently and wandered downstairs to find Hermione.
The common room was devoid of people, and when Harry looked at the clock, he noticed he was late for breakfast.
He grabbed his books and ran down to the Great Hall.
Heads turned as he walked in the door. Whispers rustled through the students as wind rustles through leaves durning a tornado in August-- loud, obnoxious, and destructive. Well... perhaps not destructive except to Harry's friendship with Ron and Seamus.
Harry deliberately ignored the gossip and sat down next to Hermione. "We need to talk," he told her.
She looked at him briefly and gasped. "Oh my god. He pounced."
Harry was taken aback. "How did you know?" After a moment, Harry went: "Oh, wait, never mind, you're Hermione."
She smiled, then changed her expression quickly so as not to upset Harry. "If you need advice, go for it, Harry."
"But..."
"Don't think too much about it, Harry. It felt good, didn't it?"
"Well... yes..."
There were loud "oooh"s from the direction of Parvati and Lavender, which Harry desperately tried to ignore.
"Then what's wrong?"
"He's... Draco!"
"You're calling him 'Draco'. That, in and of itself, is indicative of your emotions for him."
"What?"
"You're using his first name; you like him."
"Oh. I do?"
Hermione looked at him fondly. "You're so cute, Harry."
They were distracted by the arrival of the mail.
Across the room, Draco was staring at a plain white envelope as if it night explode. Harry watched, mesmerised, as Draco opened it.
-----
Draco:
I am torn, son. A Malfoy should never deny himself anything he wants, but is Harry Potter really the best choice of lover? You will find yourself disappointed when Lord Voldemort finally decides to kill him, you know.
Your father,
Lucius Malfoy
-----
Draco stood up abruptly, slamming his chair into the wall. "Does the entire world have to know I'm sleeping with Harry Potter?"
Blaise poked him in the shoulder. "It could have to do with the article in 'Witch Weekly' yesterday."
"WHAT?"
"I didn't write it!" Blaise exclaimed.
Draco just glared at him. "Why didn't you tell me?"
"You were too busy trying to seduce Potter."
"Oh." Draco paused, trying to regain his customary calm. "So, shall we kill whoever wrote it?"
Blaise looked at him. "Draco, let's just go to class."
Draco stewed quietly until breakfast was over.
-----
During Transfiguration that morning, Professor McGonagall quietly stopped Harry from where he was finally learning how to turn a desk into a pig. "The Headmaster would like to see you. The password is Butter Rum Cake."
Harry sighed, gathered his books together, and left, leaving poor Professor McGonagall with a classroom of students more interested in discussing Harry's unexplained absence than the lesson at hand.
-----
Harry found the statue and Draco at the same time. The blonde was alternately poking it with his wand and trying to persuade it to let him in.
Harry walked up behind him. "So, no one told you the password?"
Draco jumped, then turned around. "Oh, hello, Harry, fancy seeing you here."
Feeling uncomfortable, Harry said "Butter rum cake" in lieu of a real response.
"What?" For a moment, Draco had an adorable confused expression, then it disappeared. "Oh, the password. Shall we go?"
Before Harry could say anything, Draco caught his hand and whisked him up the steps.
In Dumbledore's office, the Headmaster was waiting. The only thing missing from the office, in fact, was the customary twinkle in Dumbledore's eye.
Harry took a step back. Even Draco, unfamiliar with Dumbledore, realised there was something wrong.
"Boys," Dumbledore began, "I want you to know I am very disappointed in both of you."
"Why?" asked Draco.
"You two are far too young to be carrying on sexual relations. While I will not expel you if such abominable conduct is continued, be forewarned that I shall make the consequences unpleasant. You may go."
Stunned, Harry and Draco left the office.
Outside the door, Harry turned on Draco. "You got me in trouble for practically nonconsensual sex?"
"It wasn't nonconsensual! You were practically screaming 'yes' after the first five minutes!"
"You didn't ask BEFORE the first five minutes!"
"No, because you were too incoherent with lust to answer me!"
"That doesn't matter! You snuck into my dorm at night!"
"You enjoyed it!"
"Draco!"
"See, you're using my first name."
"That does not mean I want to have sex with you!"
"Harry, come with me a moment and I'll show you."
"What?"
Draco dragged Harry out of the hall and into the nearest deserted classroom. "We still have half an hour before lunch. Let me explain something to you."
"Explain wha-- mrphfff!" Harry began to speak but was cut off by Draco, who seemed intent on kissing him.
It was precisely seven seconds later when Harry leaned into the kiss and began responding greedily.
In less than a minute, Draco pulled back. "See, Harry? You want me."
Harry was too dazed to reply.
"Why the fuck are you fighting it?"
Harry had regained control of his senses and wasn't happy. "Because you've lost me one of my two best friends and made me the object of popular rumor! AGAIN! I'm so sick of it all, Draco, I just want to be left alone so I can have relationships that aren't constantly sabotaged by the media!"
Draco sat down on the floor and pulled Harry down with him. "Look, we need to talk."
"Sure. We can talk. Just don't make it cut into my lunch."
"You're fighting this attraction you feel for me. Don't bother arguing or you WILL be late for lunch. You're fighting it and it is not nor will it ever do you any good. I'm sure Hermione's told you this, but it's not a bad thing. You can just let go and feel."
"Why?"
"Why not?"
Harry opened his mouth, then closed it again. After a bit, he said, "I suppose our conversation with Dumbledore ten minutes ago doesn't count?"
"No."
Harry was silent again. Draco waited a full five minutes before speaking. "See, Harry? There's no reason why you shouldn't give me a chance. I promise I won't get you in more trouble with Dumbledore."
To his own surprise, Draco meant it.
Harry scrutinized Draco's face, unsure. "All right, then. I'll give you a chance. Just no more ostentatious gifts in the middle of meals, k?"
And so Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy reached a truce of sorts.
-----
Many thanks to Dragonphly. Her review convinced me to keep writing and posting this, since I was having doubts when I was training this chapter to 'sit' and 'stay'.