Usual Disclaimer: Unfortunately this world and its wonderful inhabitants do not belong to me, they belong to J. K. Rowling, I'm just borrowing them. I am making no money from this it is purely for the enjoyment of those few who choose to read it. Thanks J. K. for lending me your ready made world of magic.
A/N: Thanks as always to all who reviewed the last chapter and an extra special thanks to those who continue to read this story after the horrendous wait for an update. I can do no better than apologise profusely and hope I am forgiven.
Enjoy
MB
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"What's funny Potter?" Draco drawled, trying to sound convincing but only causing Harry to laugh even harder.
"Harry! Try to look a bit less like a raving lunatic and more like you're on a shopping trip with your archenemy!" Hermione scolded and Harry and Draco both had to stifle their laughter and resolved to looked at their feet while they walked so as not to burst out laughing.
Shopping for their school books, stationary and potions ingredients went relatively uneventfully, Harry and Draco managing to keep their laughter, and their hands, under control. Although, Hermione did have to keep walking between them every so often as they drifted together, rather like magnets.
It was shopping for robes at Madam Malkins that proved to be their downfall.
"Behave." Hermione had warned in a whispered tone as they had separated to go into their respective changing rooms. "Ron, stand between them."
Harry just smiled sweetly, trying and failing to look innocent.
"Just a moment dears, I'll see to the girls first." Madam Malkin told them before flustering out of the room, heading towards the female changing room.
"Oh no you don't!" Ron said as Harry and Draco's eyes connected and both looked particularly lustful.
"Sorry Ron." Harry murmured as he and Draco closed the short distance between them and kissed desperately.
"Eurgh! Come on you guys! Hermione is going to kill me and you two are going to get caught."
Harry pulled himself away from Draco, taking all of his self-restraint. "Ron's right." Draco nodded and Harry backed away. "Sorry Ron."
Both boys still looked torn, as if they were fighting the urge to rush together again.
xxx
"They're so cute together aren't they?" Ginny commented as Madam Malkin took her and Hermione's measurements.
"Shh." Hermione's eyes flickered to Madam Malkin and to the other girl waiting to be measured.
"Oh quit worrying Hermione." Ginny sighed.
"I can't, I keep thinking 'what if...'."
"That'll get you no-where, Hermione but it's got to come out some time. They'll have to face it eventually, they can't stay locked away forever. Harry will get through it and Dr..."
"Shh!"
"They'll be all right."
"I hope so. I couldn't bear to see what would happen if one of them... Now that they're..."
"All done." Madam Malkin finished taking their measurements. "Oh." She said as she looked around for the girl who had been waiting - she was no longer in sight. "Well I'll just see to the boys and I'll be back with your robes."
"I wonder where that girl went..." Hermione bit her lip.
xxx
Harry and Draco tried not to look at each other as Madam Malkin took the measurements for their school and dress robes for fear that they would lose control once more.
xxx
A little while later, they left with their new robes, aware of the eyes watching them. They had decided to head towards Florean Fortescue's, Hermione becoming even more uptight as Harry and Draco's magnetism towards each other was gradually worsening although they themselves were oblivious to this fact. The eyes that had followed them from Madam Malkin's had not failed to notice.
They had almost reached Fortescue's when both boys suddenly stopped short, pulling in a sharp, synchronised breath and rub the spot on their chests where their tattoo's lay above their hearts. The motion did not go unnoticed by the eyes following them, nor did the worried glances they exchanged with each other.
"Time to go I think." Hermione said firmly, everyone nodded and they turned back in the direction they had come, quickly making their way back to the fireplace to return to Grimmauld. The eye's, which had seen more than enough did not follow, but disappeared.
xxx
By the time they had made it back to Grimmauld the pain in Harry and Draco's chests had eased significantly but they still ached to be close to each other. As they closed the door to Grimmauld behind them, they fell together, linking hands and touching foreheads and noses together, leaning against one another for support and soothing each other. Forgetting about their friends surrounding them, they brought their lips together softly.
Hermione and Ginny sighed in unison and Ron groaned.
"Well that was the shopping trip from hell." Harry murmured as they pulled apart and rested their heads together again.
"Do you know what the pain was?"
"Partly from being kept apart but it flared when we left Madam Malkin's, I don't know why... It felt weird."
"Well let's just hope nobody noticed your strange behaviour."
"Hmmm." Harry and Draco murmured, not really listening.
"I think we should go put our stuff away." Ron suggested meaningfully, realising Harry and Draco's desire to be alone. Ginny and Hermione tore their eyes away from the two silent boys and nodded in agreement.
Harry stepped away from Draco and picked up his own bags as everyone else began to do so. Everyone took their stuff upstairs but Harry and Draco did not stay in their rooms but dumped their stuff and carried on to the Den to be alone together.
They sat together in the Den in an armchair in quiet contemplation of how the day had gone. They kissed softly and stroked each other's faces and hair for comfort.
"It's scary isn't it? How much we need each other now." Harry whispered.
"Hogwarts is going to be hell..." Draco voiced the fear that had previously hung in the air, unsaid.
"Did you feel... in danger after we left the robe store? My tattoo hissed... Well I could hear it anyway."
"I felt we were both in danger, I wanted to hold you close to me to protect you. My tattoo was protesting too. I don't see how we can cope with this at Hogwarts..."
"It can't be so... powerful forever can it? I mean, bonded couples have to spend time apart for work and stuff every day."
"Yes but we're not exactly your average bonded couple are we? What are we going to do?"
"I don't know, maybe I could ask Molly about it."
"Mmm." Draco agreed, feeling an insecurity in his mate that he had not felt for a while - since things had been out in the open at least, and he kissed him gently. They kissed for a long time, releasing all their pent up insecurities and reassuring one another that things would be all right - all without need for spoken word.
xxx
"Wonder what they're up to?" Ginny wondered aloud as she sat with Hermione in her room.
"Ginny! You're obsessed!"
"I'm not obsessed... I'm... Curious that's all. Plus you can't deny that the thought of them together is so hot!"
"Yeah I suppose it is!" Hermione giggled in agreement, glad Ron had decided to go for a nap and was not included in this particular conversation. "Never would have thought about it that way but it is pretty hot."
Ginny giggled at this.
"I just wonder what they're doing because they didn't stay in Harry's room."
"I don't think they're... Um... 'Doing it' if that's what you mean. They seemed very subdued, I think they'll just be spending some time together to make up for today."
"It was hard for them wasn't it?"
"A bit too hard I think. I don't think they expected it to be that hard and I don't think they felt very safe by the end of the day."
"It was so cute the way they were drawn together and hardly even noticed they were getting closer and closer to each other."
"They may not have noticed, but I hope nobody else noticed."
"You need to worry less Hermione. They'll be fine."
"What about when they go to Hogwarts? They can hardly stay away from each other for a few hours let alone Merlin knows how long in Hogwarts."
"I'm sure Dumbledore will sort something out for them."
"Hmmm, but he can't very well let them... You know... At Hogwarts!"
"For Merlin's sake Hermione, you can say 'sex' you know you won't get arrested for it!" Ginny rolled her eyes. "What Dumbledore doesn't know can't hurt him."
"Are you kidding? He's not blind or stupid. Have you ever tried to hide something from that man? He knows everything!"
"Your idol eh Hermione?" Ginny joked, only to be hit with a levitated pillow.
"You asked for it!" Ginny exclaimed, brandishing her own wand at a pillow and aiming said pillow at Hermione.
xxx
"Hello Harry dear. How are you?" Molly greeted Harry as he opened the door to Grimmauld two days later.
"Hello Molly." He closed the door behind her and they made their way into the kitchen. "Tea?"
"Oh yes please dear, I am rather parched." She took a seat and Draco also sat at the table after having, as usual, calmed Mrs Black although it took longer each time as she began to distrust him even with his superior Malfoy charm.
"We've got some questions for you if you don't mind us asking that is." Harry said as he sat down, placing mugs of tea in front of them.
"Of course!"
"Well, we... Yesterday.. We found it very hard to stay separated while we were shopping... We don't know if it's normal for us to need to be that close all the time. I mean we were hardly a metre away at any point and we still had to be closer..." Harry said quickly. Molly smiled.
"You've spent a long time close together since the bonding and so you're bond will be very strong the moment and will be unused to you being apart, but it will ease with time. The bond is still fresh and because you're both so young your hormones won't help matters. You'll just need to train yourselves gradually to stay away from each other. The want to be with each other will never disappear completely but the feelings will dissipate with time. No need to worry unduly." She smiled reassuringly at them and couldn't help but think that they made a beautifully perfect couple and despite her worries about how they would seem together, their being together just seemed so inexplicably natural.
"What about our tattoos? Is it normal for them to be..? So opinionated?" Draco asked.
"Opinionated? I don't follow."
"Yesterday they began to squirm and hiss and growl..." He trailed off upon seeing Molly's puzzled look.
"They're supposed to move to mimic the feeling of you and your partner but I've never heard them 'talk' before."
"That's the thing, I think only we heard it."
"There must have been something to trigger it... I'll look into it." She smiled trying to reassure them that it was probably completely normal.
"So how do we train ourselves to keep apart?" Harry reverted back to the first topic before Molly could ask what had happened as their tattoos had protested the previous day. He did not want to worry her by telling her he had thought they were in danger.
"However you feel comfortable. Try staying at opposite ends of the room when you're watching TV instead of sitting together. Do it for longer periods of time each time. Gradually build up to being at opposite ends of the house for a whole day. You'll feel reassured that your mate is nearby and you can get to each other if need be. You'll also be comforted by the fact that you're choosing to be apart rather than being kept apart by someone else."
"So part of the reason we kept drifting together yesterday might have been because our subconscious was telling our bodies that we were being kept apart against our will?"
"Something along those lines yes but that would only account for a small part of it. The strength and freshness of your bond would account for most of the um... magnetism."
"Thanks Molly." Harry smiled.
xxx
Having had their questions answered Harry and Draco felt happier and more at ease knowing that maybe Hogwarts wasn't going to be so hard after all. They vowed to spend that night, after Molly had left, together then begin to train themselves to stay apart the next day. With help from Hermione, Ginny and Ron, they would separate after breakfast, have lunch together but be allowed no more contact with each other than holding hands then separate again until dinner time which would be ruled much the same as lunch. After dinner they would be free to be together. This would be carried out for the following four days then they would be in the company of the whole Weasley family for the day prior to there departure for Hogwarts and so contact would be limited. That would be when they would face their biggest challenge - not being able to spend the night together. This would really test them, as it would involve minimal contact for the twenty-four hours before leaving for Hogwarts, then not being allowed to spend their last night together. Their separation would continue, as they would also need to be kept apart for the train journey, and feast the next day so as not to arouse any more suspicion than necessary.
xxx
"Idiots! This could be the death of them."
"Calm down Severus, we all know that Harry has an uncanny ability to turn situations to his advantage."
"This... Relationship could give the Dark Lord they key he needs to kill both of them and if the wolf is correct and they are bonded, they may as well hang themselves with the rope they've practically throw him."
"Severus, wise as you are, you should know that it is hardly through choice that couples become bonded. If the fates find two souls that fit perfectly together it is they who choose to bond the couple. As much as this could work against them, it could be turned to work for them. Does the dark lord know of their status yet?"
"They were seen in Diagon Alley, the spy figured they were together and also heard the Weasley girl talk of them as a couple. It later seemed that they had some sort of connection. He knows that they are more than archenemies turned friends but is still trying to figure out what the connection between them is. His first inclination was of a telepathic link between them, as far as I know that is still his belief."
"What does he plan to do with this information?"
"He plans to find out more about their relationship and use the information to his advantage of course. He has given orders to Lucius to get back in touch with Draco when he returns to Hogwarts, invite him back into the Malfoy family and extract the information from him. He will have to be warned."
"He will be Severus don't worry and he will of course be given a private room for his remaining year at Hogwarts."
"Don't tell me you're planning on making a cosy little love nest for him and Potter?" He spat.
"I'm doing no such thing Severus, I am merely removing him from a House where his welfare would certainly be in danger no matter how capable he is of taking care of himself. As it would be fairly disruptive and suspicious to move him into another House, I am doing as I feel best in the situation."
"What a mess this has been from start to finish! I have a right mind to go and tell them how stupid they have been."
"You will do no such thing Severus. They will be briefed on the situation upon their return to Hogwarts. Until then they deserve to enjoy the few days left of their summer, which unfortunately they have spent the vast majority of indoors."
"No wonder they were kept inside, look what happened when they did go outdoors!"
"They do not need any more to worry or feel guilty about this summer they have had a lot to get through and need to return to Hogwarts in a calm and secure state of mind, ready to do all that is needed. Any more stress will not help matters." The Headmaster warned the tempered Potions master.
"Fine but be warned I'll be watching them Albus, they cannot afford any more mistakes or it will cost two lives instead of one." With a sweep of his cloak, Snape left the Headmaster's office where the Headmaster was left to sit alone, sucking thoughtfully on a sherbet lemon.
xxx
"I don't want tomorrow to come." Draco sighed.
"We need to try or Hogwarts will be too hard." Harry kissed him softly as they sat once again in an armchair in the Den.
"I wish we could stay here like this forever." He said wistfully.
"We'd get bored." Harry replied. "And fat." He added.
"But I don't get bored when I'm with you." Draco pointed out.
"No the summer wasn't as boring as it could have been... As I thought it was going to be but we have to face the outside world sometime." Draco's hand tightened around his. "And when we do it'll be together and we'll be fine. I promise."
Draco looked into his eyes and, believing that Harry would fulfil his promise, kissed him thoroughly.
"Besides I can't wait to start kicking your ass at Quidditch again!" Harry grinned.
"You wish! I was holding back." Draco grinned in return.
"Oh yeah and why was that?"
"Because you're sooo gorgeous." He drawled sarcastically.
"Whereas I had no such problem seeing as none of the Slytherin team were exactly 'gorgeous'." Harry grinned but was only rewarded with a playful elbow to the ribs. "Okay okay I was joking! There was this rather attractive blonde, looked a bit like you in fact." He joked.
"Really?" Draco raised an eyebrow in feigned ignorance.
"Yeah but I'm sure it was a girl."
"I'll show you girl you cheeky git!" Draco exclaimed before tickling Harry who squirmed, laughed and protested like a... well, like a girl.
They ended up in a relentless play fight of tickling, laughing, kissing and constant battles for domination on the floor of the Den. Harry had just pinned Draco beneath him and was leaning in for a kiss when he saw Ron enter the library through the transparent barrier between the rooms, which looked like the entrance to an empty room from the other side. He watched as Ron pulled a random book from a shelve and flick through it before replacing it and sitting in a chair at the chess set and toying idly with the pieces.
"Harry?" Draco questioned and Harry brought his attention back to his mate whom he was currently crushing by sitting on him.
"Sorry." He smiled and got up, as did Draco.
"It's okay." He took Harry's hand and squeezed it diverting his attention from Ron where it had drifted again. "I'll go back to the room and you can talk to him, okay?"
"But we were supposed to spend tonight together before tomorrow..."
"There's plenty left of the night." Draco smiled. "Plus we'll be starting training early."
"Thank you." Harry smiled gratefully, glad that Draco understood how important his friends were to him. They kissed and walked out into the silent library where Ron turned from playing with the chess pieces.
"Sorry, did I...? Sorry." He mumbled, blushing and standing to make an exit.
"No you didn't interrupt anything and you can stay." Harry told him as Draco released his hand and left the room.
"Sorry Harry, I know you should be spending time with Draco... You should go with him."
"I'm going nowhere. I'm staying to play chess with you and wait till you tell me what's wrong." Ron gave a small smile. Harry hated to see his best friend so down.
They played chess in silence for a while before Harry broke the silence.
"So what's up?" He asked. Ron shrugged. "Come on you can talk to me."
"I dunno..." He trailed off.
"Come on Ron spit it out." Harry cajoled.
"I'm being phased." Ron sighed, toying idly with his chess piece once again.
"Phased?"
"Yeah phased. Phased out."
"Oh Ron of course you're not being 'phased'!"
"I am! You and Draco will be together and Hermione and Ginny will be off doing 'girly things'! I'll be left on my own! Hogwarts is going to be hell!"
"Ron, you are not being phased. I'll always have time for you; this summer has just been a bit messed up. Hermione loves you, anyone can see it and Ginny's not going to leave her brother. Things will be back to... almost normal at Hogwarts and when me and Draco spend time together, Hermione and Ginny will be there for you along with every other Gryffindor. You won't be alone." Harry took a deep breath after his speech.
"Thanks Harry." Ron gave a small smile and as if just trying to prove he felt better won the chess game in one hardly thought out move.
