Harry bit his lip in order to stifle his giggling when Hermione nudged his shoulder and gave him a look. He noted, however, that Hermione herself appeared to be having a hard time controlling the grin on her face. Ron was a lost cause; rolling on the ground, face red with the force of restraining his want to cackle out loud.
Looking back through the bushes, Harry had to cover his mouth to keep from shrieking in mirth. When he'd found the information that Snape had lived in Spinner's End he didn't have much hope that the man would be stupid enough to just go home. In truth, Harry thought that this might be a futile lead, but as he had few other options, he decided to give it a shot. What he never even thought to expect was the odd sight of Draco Malfoy's bony legs ungracefully sticking out of a poufy black skirt with an extravagant white tutu-like petticoat.
Draco sat on the steps of the porch, arms crossed, wearing a rather petulant expression as he glared towards the bushes. Earlier, none other than Peter Pettigrew had shoved Draco out of the house and slammed the door. As far as the trio knew, those were the only people in the house.
In retrospect, Harry decided that looking back at Hermione chiding Ron and trying not to giggle at that had been the big mistake. But he'd thought he'd heard a slap, but it turned out to be a loud smack from kissing. He wrinkled his nose at how his sensible female friend was suddenly acting so very much like a girl. She almost put Lavender to shame sometimes. It made him wistful for Ginny. He was just beginning to have a rather pleasing daydream when he felt a hand on his shoulder and was spun around to face Draco's angry, grey eyes.
"What the... Scarhead?" He peered over Harry's shoulder at Hermione and Ron snogging. "Ugh." At first Draco appeared angry, then shocked, then his face fixed into his usual sneer.
Hermione and Ron looked up before Harry had formed a response. They jumped up appearing guilty as if a parent or someone who actually mattered had just interrupted. Then they pulled their wands, ready to strike if Draco was going to start something.
Draco waved them off in spite of having his wand tucked into the elastic of his fishnet stockings. Harry eyed the stockings and the belt. He was only brought back to the present by Draco snapping his fingers to wake him out of it. He looked between the three, calculating something. For a moment, Harry wondered if he might yell for help. If there were more people inside... well, Harry had high hopes for everyone's Apparation abilities.
After a long consideration, Draco asked, "Well? What's going on? What are you lot doing here?" He was outnumbered, out drawn, and likely there was no one to call for help. Only Draco Malfoy could stand in bushes dressed like a complete ponce and somehow make everyone else feel stupid.
"We were looking for Snape," Harry piped up.
"He's not here," Draco snapped.
"So it's just you and Pettigrew?" asked Harry.
Draco leered at Harry, his gaze scanning him like a critical predator. Suddenly, Harry was a little self-conscious about how unclean his clothing was and the stubble that was starting to form on his chin that he hadn't taken care of. "At the moment, yes."
"Why are you dressed like a maid, Malfoy?" Ron pocketed his wand and stepped forward along with Hermione, who still looked a bit sheepish at being caught in that particular position.
"I'm shocked you'd know what a maid looked like, you can't have had any experience with having one. Although I suppose that it's possible your family has spawned a few." Draco seemed pleased at Ron's lunge for him; Hermione and Harry pulled him back before he got into hitting range
"Come on. Let's just go," Hermione whispered.
Harry was torn. He couldn't forget that wavering voice, the faltering wand. He'd wondered what might happen to Draco at Dumbledore's funeral, but he had to admit that he hadn't thought about it much since then. Now that he was here and witnessing the humiliation that Draco must be enduring, he wasn't sure he wanted to leave him. He slowly peered over Draco's form, his eyes resting on his blank forearm. He blinked. "Wait."
Hermione and Ron traded shocked looks. Draco's expression was neutral. "Just go already if that's what you're going to do. Someone's bound to come out." Noticing that Harry was looking at his forearm, he quickly turned it inwards.
It was no good. Harry grabbed his arm and yanked it out to show his friends Draco's pristine arm. "What? But we saw you... you showed Borgin your arm... and he... you had a... you're..." Hermione rambled. Ron just glared at the narrow expanse of uninterrupted skin and shook his head in disbelief.
"I..." Draco started, but then the fact Harry was touching him seemed to register and he snatched his arm back and folded them over his chest. After a moment of deliberation, Draco flicked back his hair and gave a haughty sigh to add to the drama of his report, it was clear he was rather proud of himself. "It was one of those edible dark marks from your brother's store. Borgin was too ignorant to know the difference. I wasn't to be marked in case I was caught."
For some reason, this made something in Harry's stomach flip excitedly, but he tried to keep his expression grim. "Then why are you staying here when you're treated like..." he indicated Draco's clothing.
Draco looked down at his dress as if it had just appeared on his body. "Well, there is the little matter of my family who might be slaughtered if I don't play nicely. Pettigrew is obviously just enjoying no longer being the whipping boy."
Ron snorted and nudged at Harry. It was clear that he thought Draco deserved this, and Harry agreed with him as much as he didn't. Maybe a couple of years ago he would've relished this opportunity to enjoy a bit of schadenfreude. But now that he'd seen so much and because he'd been watching Draco the previous year, he just couldn't feel the glee that the others did. He heard Hermione start to say something, but cut her off. "Malfoy, you're coming with us."
"Hah!" At first Harry thought it had come from Ron, but instead, Draco was shaking his head and rolling his eyes. "As much as I'm sure you'd love to turn your ménage e toi into a full-blown orgy, I did mention that my mother was at stake here? I think I'll pass."
The day had begun to dull into night and the blue hour lit up the white lacy frills of Draco's ridiculous costume as if under black light. It somehow made the scene both comical and dismal. Harry couldn't really admit to Draco that he'd been there when Dumbledore was bargaining with him. That he knew that if Draco could find a better deal for his family that he'd take it. "The Order can protect your mother."
Again, Draco laughed. Harry caught something glimmering in Draco's eyes, an extra wetness, but he lowered his head before Harry could really see it for what it was. "You're not in a position to make such an offer, Potty. No one is."
Harry opened his mouth to say something, but there weren't any words that made sense. Draco had been there to see Dumbledore, the most powerful wizard, cut down right before his eyes after making such an offer. Just why would Draco believe him?
Just then, the cottage door opened and Pettigrew came barreling out. The bright white of Draco's costume illuminated their hiding place and in an instant, Pettigrew making a beeline for them. "Go," spat Draco.
The moment Harry laid eyes on Pettigrew; he felt his heart grow cold. The man who had betrayed his parents, his friends, everything he believed in was heading towards them. He'd sworn revenge. Before he'd had time to even think of making a plan, his wand was out and pointed at the approaching man. He could've Disapparated, or grabbed Ron and Hermione and run. But he was tired of running. He'd left the Dursley's to make a stand and this was where it started. "Stupefy!"
Pettigrew's eyes were fixed on Draco, so he was quite shocked to have been hexed and stilled onto the ground. "Good one," Draco hissed. "Any plan to go with that, or is this the usual Gryffindor bravery with no brains rigmarole?"
Hermione stepped forward and peered down at Pettigrew and then over her shoulder to Harry, Ron and Draco. She was biting her bottom lip, considering what to do now. Ron appeared nonplussed, but had his wand out as well. He looked warily around and asked Draco, "You're sure it was just you and Pettigrew?"
For a moment Draco looked as if he were going to say something scathing. A few comments about how many people could be packed into a house being proven by the Weasley clan percolated, but that was a decidedly impolitic thing to say to someone with his wand out and all of the power, so he bit it back. "As far as I know."
"Is the house being watched?" Ron continued.
"Evidently by you moro-- err... people. Beyond that, I have no idea." Observing Ron's look at him, he shrugged. "Sorry, they didn't trust me enough to mark me, do you think they would tell me if they were watching me here?"
"What I don't understand is why you two were here at all," Hermione broke in, after pulling her wand and mobilizing Pettigrew's body. She lifted it from the ground behind her like a shocked-looking bloated man-balloon over her shoulder. "Wouldn't this be the first place the Ministry would look for Snape? Or Pettigrew?"
"They've been here and gone. We hid. They didn't look particularly hard. Pretty much just walked in, stole a few rare potions ingredients and then left." Draco looked around one last time, as if he could see someone peering out at them. No one was there.
"Do you think that there are people in the Ministry working for Voldemort?" asked Harry as he nodded to Hermione. She started to lead the way into Snape's home, keeping Pettigrew aloft as they went.
Draco followed, fidgeting with the hem of his dress to hide his flinch at the invocation of Voldemort's name. "Do you think there aren't?" Realizing that he was still wearing a dress, he rolled his eyes at himself and pulled his wand. "Finite." He was back in his fashionable, now slightly rumpled robes.
Ron smirked as Draco caught his glance at him. "Nice legs."
"Shove off, pervert."
Ron stifled another giggle behind his hand at Draco's sneer. "Seriously, Harry, what's the plan here?" Though he was asking Harry, Ron looked at Hermione.
"We should definitely take Pettigrew into the Ministry so he can be sent off to Azkaban." Harry peered around the decrepit little cottage and finally flopped down on one of the dusty chairs like he owned the place.
"And Malfoy too?" Ron looked hopeful and sat in another chair, watching Draco switch nervous glances to each of them.
"Well, we can turn him in but he technically hasn't done anything that serious."
At this, Malfoy was aghast. "What? I cast an Unforgivable! I had Rosemerta at my will for months! And I almost killed Bell! I snuck Death Eaters into Hogwarts castle on my own!" Draco snapped before realizing that was terribly unwise.
"Yes, yes, Malfoy, you're very scary." Harry waved him off dismissively. He had other things on his mind; coddling Draco's ego was the last thing he really cared about. There were real dangers out there.
Draco looked to the other two for cries of outrage and shock, but they also appeared bored with this revelation. He huffed and kicked the corner of the couch before flopping down on it.
"Do you want to go to Azkaban, Malfoy?" Harry leaned forward in his chair.
"At least I know people there. Besides, I can't help but think that the reason he set us out here. We probably weren't supposed to hide. I'd've been safer in Azkaban." Draco rubbed his knuckles into his eyes. Harry realized suddenly how tired Draco looked and how tired he was.
"Why did you hide when the Aurors came, then?" Hermione asked. She set Pettigrew down in front of a fire like an awkward, chubby bear rug and sat on the arm of the chair that Ron had settled into.
"Instinct? Or maybe because Pettigrew was hiding. I thought Gryffindors were supposed to be brave. I guess that wears off when it's no longer useful." He looked over at where Pettigrew was set and sniffed in such a way that almost seemed like a laugh. "So you lot came here looking for Snape figuring he wouldn't really be here? That was really the plan?"
"We thought there might be leads to where he went," Harry answered. He'd pulled off his glasses and rubbed his eyes.
"Didn't bring your girlfriend?" Draco turned on his side on the couch.
"She's not my girlfriend anymore." He pushed his glasses back on and eyed Draco's expression. He seemed genuinely surprised. "People around me tend to get hurt."
Draco looked over at Ron and Hermione, who were looking at one another with expressions of disapproval. It would seem that Harry's choice in this matter was fairly controversial. Turning his attention to Harry, he said, "Then I'm going to have to insist you leave."
It took Harry a second to catch on that Draco was mostly kidding. "I meant people I care about."
"That hurts my feelings, Potter. I thought we had something special with you following me around all last year. I guess I was just another of your flings. Perhaps the Weaslette and I should form a support group." In spite of Ron's glare in his direction, Draco smirked at Harry.
That was an almost flirty tone, and Harry wasn't really sure how to take it. He assumed that Draco was just being a prat, but he was unsettled by it just the same. It had made that flipping twinge in his stomach happen again. He blushed and looked away.
Draco's eyes widened at Harry's reaction and suddenly he found the fireplace very interesting. He sniffed again and looked down at Pettigrew. "I don't think this will be a problem for tonight, but beyond that, if you lot are planning to stay, then we'll need a plan."
Harry shifted in his seat. "I don't think we were planning on staying so much as taking you with us."
"What?" Ron sat up, nearly unseating Hermione, who appeared uncertain.
Draco turned back from the fire and let out a tired sigh. "We've been over this. I'm not leaving. The Dark Lord could still get to my mum. I don't have the option of 'breaking up' with her."
"He's right," said Hermione. "It would put his mother and risk."
"I don't need you on my side," Draco snapped.
Ron looked murderous, but Hermione just shook her head in disapproval.
"Malfoy, you're stuck. You need our help, at least try to act civilized." Harry sat back in his chair, strange tingling feelings about Draco obliterated. But he still couldn't just leave him here. Hermione's expression told him that she didn't want to leave him either. "Look, we can give this place a thorough look over for the next couple of days and maybe in that time we'll figure something out to help your mum."
"Nothing here will tell you where Snape is..." Draco sniffed the air, cursed and then fled to the kitchen.
--
The roast was a bit dry at the edges, but overall it was better than anyone would've expected for Draco to cook. "This isn't too bad, Malfoy." Harry gave Draco an affable grin.
"It's overcooked, the rosemary burned. Anyway, it's not exactly Arithmancy, is it? Even Muggles can cook." He rolled his eyes and flicked his hair back.
"Maybe the practice of making potions helped?" Hermione asked. In spite of how he'd been to her, having your family held hostage couldn't be much fun. She took Ron's hand under the table.
Ron still wasn't pleased with this, but he had to admit that maybe going through Snape's things for a couple of days might help get some leads.
Draco's eyes hardened at the sound of her voice, but after weighing his options, he decided it wasn't really worth it. "I'm sure Snape would be pleased to know that the application of his knowledge made me quite the homemaker." Ron snickered and Draco shot him a look and then shrugged and smirked at the notion.
Hermione frowned at Draco, but at least he hadn't been rude to her. Noticing that everyone appeared to be done with their food, she pulled her wand and began reciting a series of spells that set the chipped cups and plates from the table, into the sink, and then washed and to their proper places in the cupboards. That action was rewarded with a nod of thanks from Draco.
Dinner over, they moved back to the sitting room, and as if they had been assigned the seats they were previously in, Harry and Ron moved to their arm chairs and Draco took his spot on the couch. Hermione settled on the arm of the chair again and Ron wrapped his arm around her. They all sat staring at the fire until Ron broke the silence by asking, "You don't think there's anything here that would lead us to Snape?"
"Snape's with the Dark Lord. Even if you find them, not sure what you plan to do about it. You're outmatched even if I were to help you. But I do know this... " Draco looked around at the trio as if he were going to say something terribly important, but his visage clouded over with doubt and he continued with less fervor. "Snape's promised to drop by from time to time to check on me. I'm not sure what good it would do you to see him, but if you need to talk to him, this would be the place to stay. But just talking. No halfwit attempts at revenge." After looking sharply at Harry, he rolled onto his back on the threadbare couch and let his hair spill over the side of it. It reflected golden in the fire and candlelight.
Harry watched him, deep in thought about what he might say or do when Snape stopped by. He was moderately insulted by being called a halfwit, but this was Draco, after all. If he felt motivated for revenge when he saw Snape, Draco wasn't going to stop him. But those were thoughts for another time. Right now he wondered what it was Draco might've said had he been more comfortable. He put it out of his mind for now. "At the very least, we'll stay here tonight and search this place by the light of day. We can make a plan then. What does Pettigrew do around here?"
Draco sighed. "Not much. Sometimes he comes up with petty things he wants me to do. Eats loads of cheese. Talks about Weasley naked."
"WHAT?" shrieked Ron.
Draco snickered.
"Fuck you, Malfoy."
Even Hermione grinned a little at that one. "I think what Harry was getting at is how important it is for him to be visible or around. Or if we can leave him like that."
Draco appeared to have ignored her, but answered, "Well, I could use the Imperious curse on him. Keep him in here in case there's a fire call. They do check in from time to time to see if we're still here and to leave us food. You lot would have to stay away from here and I'd... well... I might have to wear that little costume so things don't appear out of sorts. At least when I'm around this room."
Harry wasn't sure if that was an altogether bad thing. That thought jolted him. He couldn't think of a rational reason why Draco in a maid's uniform was a particularly good thing. Well other than that spot where the stockings met the belt, the way that it stretched over Draco's thin thighs, and... Raising his brows, Harry tried to control his blush and just nodded. "That sounds like a plan." His voice cracked since it came out about an octave higher than usual. Everyone stared at him.
Hermione cut eyes from Harry back to Draco. "It's been a long day. Maybe we should get some rest. Where are the bedrooms?"
"Ah, well, there's only two, Pettigrew's is the master. You lot can share it. I'll just stay in mine and Pettigrew looks comfortable where he is. I'd rather cast the Imperious in the morning, deal with it when I'm fresh," drawled Draco. He rolled off of the couch and smoothed his robes out as if it mattered. He avoided looking at Harry as he led them out of the book-lined room down a short hall where there were two bedrooms, a master and a smaller one that appeared to have been Snape's growing up. It was likewise lined with books and dusty phials with a few sizes of cauldrons lined up in front of a lone, narrow window.
Draco turned in surprise that everyone had followed him to this room. He pointed back to the other room. "That's the master. The bed is bigger as is the room." The trio continued to stare at him if for no other reason than to keep form looking at each other at the awkward arrangement of all sleeping in the same bed. "What?"
"Well, it's just that... maybe we should let Hermione have the room to herself?" Harry tried.
Giving them all a withering look, Draco shook his head. "Haven't you lot been playing 'camp out' for a while now? I'd think you'd have had this arranged on your end. Besides, doesn't Weasley want to sleep next to his girlfriend?"
Ron and Hermione blushed brightly and exchanged glances. They both eyed at Harry and then gave Draco and imploring look.
Draco shot back a pained expression that left Harry looking mystified. "What?" asked Harry.
Rubbing his face with his hand, Draco looked up, appearing like he was going to tell them all off and then swept into Snape's old room and slammed the door.
The trio sighed, each for their own reason. Then they all turned around to trudge to the master bedroom.
--
The master bedroom did have a vast bed, which Hermione transfigured to be even larger, stretching the span of the cramped room. The two wardrobes were dusty and creaked in protest when opened. Doxies fluttered out of the first one and Hermione slammed it shut, coughing from the dust they'd stirred up. The room also featured its own bathroom, which Harry decided to take advantage of first since Ron and Hermione didn't seem to mind.
It felt nice to wash away the grime. In spite of what Draco thought, Harry had spent the first month of his summer vacation at the Dursley's to complete the blood bind that protected him. Then he spent the next month at the Burrow helping to prepare for Bill and Fleur's wedding. It was a last, perfect day for all of them, and it had ended all too soon. The next morning, Harry had packed his things intending to leave alone, but Ron and Hermione were right there with him. They'd spent a few days searching Grimmauld Place for the missing locket with no luck. After happening upon correspondence between Snape and Regulus in one of the old closets, they found that Snape lived on Spinner's End and had gotten lucky with finding Draco outside.
As he washed his hair, using his wand to conjure soap, he pondered how awkward the summer had been with Ginny. They were broken up, but he'd intended to come back to her after all of this was over. But her behavior rankled him. While he understood that she was probably just playing the game that had worked for her before, when she'd started owling Seamus and being very vocal about his attentions, it left Harry feeling sour. It wasn't a game; he was seriously worried for Ginny's life. Not to mention that he had no guarantee that he would survive this. He wasn't playing cat and mouse. It struck him as immature that she'd believe he was.
Finished with his shower, Harry toweled off, pulled on his pyjama pants and a t-shirt and opened the door. He'd distantly heard the sound of squeaking springs when he opened the door. He was too deep in thought to really register what it meant. There was a squeal, Ron's white, freckled arse exposed by the candlelight of the bathroom for a tick and then the sound of covers and quick movement. "Harry!" Hermione gasped.
"Oh. I umm... err... there's a book I wanted..." he stuttered out as he fled the room. Starting towards the sitting room, he remembered the possibility of a fire call. Dismissing the idea that if someone did pop in, Pettigrew stupefied on the floor would provide a problem, he trudged to Draco's room. He knocked and heard a very loud, put out sigh.
"Come in."
Harry let himself in and found Draco in a huge bed squeezed to one side. His hair was wet, obviously having the same idea about cleaning before bed as Harry had. Draco had the sheets pulled up over his chest, but his shoulders were bare. Harry wondered if he were naked under there. "I um..."
Draco sighed again and rolled his eyes. "I heard the bedsprings. Just keep to your side of the bed. Good night." With that, Draco rolled on his side with his back to Harry and the lights went out.
Left to navigate the pitch-black and unfamiliar room, Harry stood there for a moment to let his eyes adjust. It didn't help much, so mostly he had to feel his way, stubbing his toe a couple of times before he felt the mattress against his knee. He fancied he could hear Draco snickering. "I don't hear the springs anymore, maybe I should just go..."
"I silenced the room. It was making me nauseated."
Harry nodded, not that Draco could see that. He pulled his glasses off and stuck them on the nightstand, his wand next to them. "Well, thanks for this... and for... silencing the room."
"You were gone a while. I thought maybe you'd joined them."
Was that a note of jealousy? Harry frowned at himself. What would he care? "I had a shower." He slipped under the covers and rolled onto his back. The mattress was old and lumpy, but it was better than the floor.
Draco groaned. "They're dirty and doing that? Foul."
"I guess they haven't had much time alone lately."
"Cockblocking, Potter?"
"Not on purpose. I guess I didn't know they'd... gotten that far."
"I wish I didn't know." Draco rolled onto his back and sighed again. "Know what day it is?"
Harry tried to do the mental math to add up to the day. He vaguely remembered celebrating his birthday before he left and Molly chastising him for not having a proper party. But he was ready to get on with his destiny. In theory, he'd have more birthdays. If not, well, at least it would be over. "I've no clue."
"September first. We'd be spending our first night in the dorms. Those comfortable beds, the perfect sheets..." Draco sounded dreamy.
"Oh. It seems like just yesterday was my birthday." Yesterday or a year ago it could've been his birthday. Time seemed to be slippery lately.
"Yesterday? Happy birthday. I didn't have time to shop. You're terribly hard to buy for, I hope you'll accept Pettigrew in the spirit in which he was intended."
Harry grinned. "That's very thoughtful of you, Draco. You really didn't have to. Especially since it just seems like yesterday was my birthday. It was a month ago, really."
"Even still, I insist. Take Pettigrew. He's all yours." Draco smirked back and pulled his arm up over his face.
This was utterly ridiculous, but Harry was amused. "Are you so sure he's yours to give?"
"I guess he will be tomorrow," answered Draco grimly.
"Why didn't you use the Imperious on him sooner?" Harry rolled onto his side, he could only see the outline of Draco, but he was glad to have a reference of where he was. At least he could stop imagining him coming at him with his wand now.
"I don't know if he can shake it off or not. I figure with the three of you there, if it doesn't work, I'll have some back up. Plus, if the Dark Lord does catch us, then I'll just claim you put me under Imperious and I'll be covered."
"Clever, but he's a Legilimens."
Draco turned on his side to face Harry. "I'm an Occlumens."
"Oh. Well. Then I guess you have it all covered." Harry wasn't sure exactly how he felt about being a cog in the wheel of Draco's machinations. He further wondered how it was that Draco came up with such an intricate plan in the time it took him to shower. Or maybe he formulated it during dinner. Slytherins were obviously more adept at plotting. Harry decided he would've just run away from here and taken off with his mother. But then, Draco never had Harry's luck when it came to Voldemort, so perhaps he made the right choice.
There was a drawn out pause before Draco spoke again. "Don't you miss school?"
Harry blew a stray piece of hair from his face. "I try not to think about it."
"We would've had the feast instead of a desiccated roast."
"You're taking the wrong approach to not thinking about it."
"I had my birthday here," Draco groused. "Snape came for a little while and brought my mum. Then they left me with Pettigrew again."
There was something disturbingly hollow in Draco's voice and it clutched at Harry's heart and rattled him a little. "Does Pettigrew..."
Draco shot Harry a warning look.
Harry decided to try it from a different angle. "Does he make you wear that maid's uniform?"
"Oh no, Potter, I just enjoy feeling pretty. I'd've worn it to bed if I'd known I was having company." He rolled his eyes at Harry's gaping surprise. "Yes, of course he makes me wear it."
"Why... is he... does he... like boys?" Harry tried.
"I'd have to say that if he liked boys he might prefer me to dress as one. But I don't think it's about either of those things, to be honest. Snape evidently treated him like a servant when he was stuck here last summer and now that he has someone beneath him that Snape is fond of; he's taking it all out on me."
"Oh... so... it's not about ..."
Draco cut him off. "I just wish I could go back to school. It was lame and I hated everyone, but it was still better than this dump."
"Right. But Malfoy, did someone hurt you? Was it Snape?"
"Goodnight, Potter."
Harry heard Draco turning over again. Deciding that he wasn't quite done with the conversation, he reached out and found Draco's shoulder and gave it a squeeze. He was shocked to hear a sniffle. "Draco..."
"It's allergies, Potter. Don't get too excited. And call me Malfoy."
"Shut up, Malfoy," Harry insisted as he grabbed him by the shoulder and turned him around. Maybe it was overkill to hold him, but he had the idea that Draco was crying, and it bothered him. Or maybe he just wanted to be held. He decided it didn't matter because already he had protectively wrapped his arms around Draco who pressed his face against Harry's neck, but remained otherwise motionless. Harry felt the resurgence of urge to kill both Snape and Pettigrew. "Did they touch you?"
"No... no, it's not anything like that. No one's touching me but you. I just... I just want to go home." Draco sniffed again, but he didn't sob.
Harry slid his hands up and down his back, surprised at how easy this was to do, how comfortable he was doing it. But he also felt burdened. He needed to end this war; it was the only way that everyone could go home. He kissed the top of Draco's head and opened his mouth to say something when he felt warm, soft lips against his own. Automatically, he parted his lips and leaned in to stroke at Draco's tongue to coax it out. It didn't occur to him how odd this was until Draco was pushing back from him like a cat that had gotten too much affection and had enough. Harry let go of him.
Draco wiggled back to his side of the bed and said nothing.
Lying there in the bed, Harry's mind whirled. What had just happened? Of course, he realized what had physically happened. He'd cuddled Draco and for whatever reason Draco had kissed him. Not that he'd had any inkling before tonight that Draco might... kiss a boy. The word gay was too extreme for Harry to even think about right now. He pulled the covers up only to feel them snatched away as Draco rolled over.
Grabbing them back, Harry gave a sharp tug that spun Draco back round and next to him. The look of defiance on Draco's face was almost frightening. Harry let go of the blankets and Draco took them and rolled back over. Edging a little closer, Harry took as much of the blanket as he could. He realized he could easily overpower Draco and take it, but at the moment he was a little too freaked out by what had happened. Draco Malfoy had kissed him, which was weird enough on its own, but it was slowly dawning on him that he'd kissed back. Not only had he kissed him back, but he'd been disappointed when it ended as well.
That idea made his stomach tighten and his head feel light. Maybe he'd been without a girlfriend for too long. Only, he was pretty sure that a lack of girls only made you gay on boats or in prison. Or maybe he was just surprised? Although that kiss had gone on a bit long and with too much participation for him to completely write it off. Maybe Draco had some answers. He rolled onto his side. "Draco?"
The forced snore was his only response. Harry reached out and jostled Draco's blanket-covered shoulder. "Draco."
Draco swatted his hand away. "Leave me alone," he whined.
"I just... I wanted to know why... "
"I don't know why."
Harry leaned forward. "You don't know why you kissed me?"
Draco pulled the blankets over his head. "Leave me alone!"
"I'm sorry. It's just... that you..."
"Go back in the other room."
Looking at the door and then the wall that he could see the outlined shapes of bottles and books on, Harry feared what Ron and Hermione might be doing that he couldn't even hear. "No."
The covers lurched and the bed wiggled in protest until Draco yanked them off of his head, his white hair left in a static coronus around his head. "What did you say?"
Harry glared back at Draco. Static hair boy didn't intimidate him. "I said no. No, I'm not leaving this bed."
"Maybe I'll leave." Draco tilted his head up pompously.
"Good."
Draco sat up and tried what must've been in his mind, his most intimidating sneer. "This is my bed!"
It was almost cute. "You said I could stay."
"I changed my mind!"
Harry shrugged. "You know, considering that I'm helping you with your little situation here, I think that you at least owe me your bed."
"I didn't have a choice!" Draco sounded desperate; his eyes darted around the room as if looking for some idea to gain control of this conversation back.
"Which would make you my prisoner, then. So technically, this is my bed and I'm just letting you sleep in it." Harry beamed at Draco's silence. "Good then, now that that's settled," he continued as he pulled at the blankets to cover himself.
Draco crumpled against the bed and punched his pillow a couple of times to form it to a preferred position. Or out of frustration. He turned his back on Harry again and remained still.
Though Harry felt victorious, it took him a few minutes to realize that Draco still hadn't answered his question. But by this time he was terribly tired himself and decided to let it pass till the next day.