Hello everybody! This is a short little ficlet in honor of Tora's birthday (XxRoguexHeartxX). She's finally legal, people! Make her day by going to her link and reading/reviewing My Hero. That story is good.
Spellbound will be updated by the weekend. I got sick for a few days, and it put me behind, but I'm working to get back on schedule.
There will be a more "adult" version of this ficlet posted on my site in the near future (Christmas, hopefully), but I won't be able to post it here, otherwise I'll get kicked off again. 0.o;
Please review!
Disclaimer: JKR owns them. I now own demented monkey ant socks.
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Weather at Hogwart's had never been predictable, but no one had expected the ice storm that had festered throughout the dark England sky and unleashed its fury upon the unsuspecting countryside that December afternoon.
Harry Potter, who had been making his way back from Hogsmeade, had no welcome for the stinging bits of ice as they pelted him through his heavy winter jacket. He trudged on, boots crunching over the pellets that now covered the dirt path, causing him to slip and stumble every few feet.
Eventually the frozen downpour became so harsh that it bruised Harry's skin through his jacket. Harry deviated off the path, taking refuge under a hunched rock overhang about fifty meters off the road. The ground underneath was cold but dry, and Harry lit a magical fire, a meager attempt to keep him warm until he could continue on his way.
Soon the heavy pitter-patter of ice chunks was drowned out by the howl of the blizzard wind, whipping the sharp pieces mixed with snow into Harry's makeshift shelter. Harry burrowed further back, the rock scraping against his jacket and catching the threads of his scarf, but he didn't care. The wind couldn't touch him.
Harry figured he must've dozed off, because he opened his eyes and the white swirl in front on him had turned into a white wall of wind, the black background seen only through miniscule glimpses every few milliseconds. Harry considered himself blessed for getting out of the storm so early.
Harry was beginning to wonder if he should have brought food when he saw a vague silhouette unsteadily approach the overhang. Peering out, Harry noticed that the figure was struggling against the wind, digging its boots into the snow with great effort to even take the smallest steps. Harry crawled to the mouth of his overhang, stretching out a hand to grab the person's wrist and jerk them inside before the storm could whisk them away.
Rational thought left Harry for a brief moment. He didn't stop to think if the stranger posed a threat to his life or if it was an innocent bystander. He began to unwrap the thick scarf that covered the stranger's face, unable to tell the gender due to various layers of thick winter clothes.
Harry pulled the scarf down just enough to see that the stranger's eyes were a deep, piercing gray, then moved the frozen body towards the fire for added warmth. Within minutes, it sat up, untwisted the scarf from it's neck, and stared at Harry.
Harry stared right back at Draco Malfoy, half shocked and half despairing, though he showed neither. They sat and stared in silence for a long while, then Draco rolled up his scarf, placed it under his head, lay down, and fell asleep.
Harry raised an eyebrow, but soon folded his own scarf and lay down, on the opposite side of the fire, the wind howling as he fell into a deep slumber.
When he awoke, an icy chocolate frog package was presented at eye level, and Harry hungrily snatched the damp cardboard from the pale hand that offered it. Tearing open the packaging, Harry ripped into the squirming candy, catching Draco's eye and receiving a steady stare in return.
The blonde was sitting in his corner, stockinged feet as close to the fire as they could come without being scorched, chewing on his own assortment of Honeyduke's candy. His boots were lined neatly against the wall, along with various other winter garments that Draco had devested himself of. The blonde reclined gracefully, clad in a thick pair of black trousers and a silvery gray v-necked sweater, his neatly cut golden fringe brushing against his shoulders
Harry's eyes widened hungrily as he watched Draco unwrap an Ice Mouse and pop it into his mouth, the long, pale fingers moving ever so slowly as the manicured nails made sure no sugary bits were left in his teeth. Momentarily, the wind outside their shelter quieted, overruled by the deafening rush of blood in Harry's ears.
Malfoy widened his eyes in question, and Harry nodded, deftly catching the Ice Mouse that Draco tossed to him.
Self-consciously Harry placed the candy in his mouth, not daring to make eye contact with the only other inhabitant in the cave. The chunk of candy was large, and Harry had to lower his jaw to keep from forcing it down his throat, where it became a choking hazard. While trying to move the sweet candy from one side of his mouth to the other, his tongue slipped, and a wet smacking noise reverberated off the miniscule walls.
Harry felt himself flush. Glancing over at Draco he noticed the laughter in the other boy's eyes, although the mouth was as silent as ever. One long arm came up behind the blonde head to cushion it's rest against the wall, and he continued to watch Harry noiselessly.
Harry wondered if the temperature in the cave had suddenly risen, as if a rogue heat wave had penetrated the biting cold of the storm and nestled itself between Harry and Draco. Harry's palms sweated, and he could feel the warm drops slide down his neck and soak into the woolen shirt he had underneath the jacket. With as little movement as possible, Harry shrugged out of his overcoat and jacket, revealing the long-sleeved red woolen button up shirt that he wore over his t-shirt. He unceremoniously dumped his gloves and boots in the same pile, then studiously avoided Draco's gaze as he stared out into the storm.
The storm showed no signs of letting up, and Harry had to push back the growing ice and snow drifts that threatened to block the entrance to the cave. Some of the snow had blown in, leaving a powdered-sugar dusting wherever the heat from the fire hadn't melted it away.
Harry crawled back into his crevice, searching for something, anything, to keep him entertained. Finding nothing, his brain began to suggest sleep once more, a suggestion that Harry did not disapprove of. Lying down where he been, he closed his eyes, determined to sleep off the boredom.
Harry was on the brink of sleep when his eyes flew open to find a complacent Draco watching him with acute interest. Harry glanced at the fire, which Draco had maneuvered to hover on the complete opposite side of the overhang. Harry realized that Draco had covered him with the blonde's own full-length coat, the edges tucked underneath Harry.
Harry blinked once, closing his eyes as he felt warm breath ghost over his face. He thought he felt cool lips graze the skin of his forehead, right where his scar was, but sleep engulfed him before thought could catch up with conscious.
When he woke, Harry found himself wondering if the blonde ever slept anymore, especially since he was again watching Harry. Harry's stomach growled, and a pale blush crept into his cheeks as Draco extended a hand with a purple Jelly Slug sitting in the palm.
Harry sat up and reached a hand towards the Slug, but Draco snatched it back with a shake of his head. Harry, confused, sent a questioning look in Draco's direction, but received no answer. Draco extended his hand once more, but snatched it back when Harry reached for it again.
Harry's stomach was now protesting wildly, infuriated by the offered but unreachable treat that would satisfy its hunger. The next time Draco's hand was outstretched, Harry leant forward and closed his mouth entirely over the slug, giving the blonde's hand a wet lick before pulling away.
He chewed the gummy fiercely, eyes blazing with triumph as he watched Draco's lips slowly part, revealing a pink tongue that wet his own lips in a hunger quite unlike Harry's.
At the next offering of candy, Draco held the Slug between two fingers, his eyes daring Harry to capture the sugary bug. Harry crawled forward, clasped two fingers around Draco's wrist, and lifted the arm so that he didn't have to bend his head down. Without breaking eye contact, he took the Slug whole in his mouth, sucking on Draco's fingers and twirling his tongue around the slim digits before dislodging the Slug and moving away.
By now Draco's breath was coming in long, breathy drawls, the heated exhalations creating small clouds in the warm cave. He reached in the candy bag and pulled out one last garnet colored Slug and placed it between his lips, his eyes narrowed in the final dare.
Smirking, Harry straddled Draco's waist, the top of his hair brushing the low ceiling. He placed his hands firmly on Draco's biceps, pushing them into the wall so firmly the rock bit into the pale, flawless skin, and roughly lowered his lips onto the tail end of the Jelly Slug.
The moment his lips made contact the Slug was sucked into Draco's mouth, and Harry delved his tongue in so deeply that he almost choked the blonde, but came into possession of the Slug rather quickly. He pulled away and swallowed the candy whole, the lubrication of his saliva mixed with Draco's enough to make it slide down easily.
Harry's smirk was soon replaced with a look of pure ecstasy and shock as Harry threw his head back. Draco's hands roamed underneath the t-shirt, perfect nails scraping and smooth pads ghosting, the sheer lack of warmth in the hands causing Harry to shiver with pleasure.
"C-cold hands," Harry stammered, shivers racing up and down his spine as Draco traced a pattern over his neck. The icy hand stopped on the back of Harry's neck, threading through the thick strands and pulling Harry down to meet moist, waiting lips.
Draco smiled. "Warm heart."