Chapter sixteen: Lagoons and Potions…oh my?

Draco was confused. He had thought things between him and Harry were going rather well. They hadn't fought, well not seriously. They spent all day with each other.

In the morning Draco further trained Harry in Purus Vires. The boy was clumsy and he didn't always pick up the moves as quickly as Draco would've liked. But where he lacked in quickness, he made up in sheer discipline. The raven-haired boy positively refused to quit until he had gotten it down.

Harry had a body built through determination and hard work, not to mention grueling Quidditch practices. He used this in his attacks. Harry threw each punch as if it were his last and put all of his weight behind it. He also had a remarkably quick recovery time. A well aimed blow to the face only slowed him down for a moment it seemed. It was like trying to take a giant down with only a thimble of poison and a blow-dart.

Impossible.

Draco had yet to get the boy down and keep him that way. If Draco managed to get the Gryffindor on the ground it wasn't long before Harry would be fighting tooth and nail to get free, Draco figured it was all the life and death battles he had been forced into, and in the end he would tire the blonde out.

Now Draco, on the other hand, was much different. He was a natural. His quick mind could anticipate his opponent's moves before they could even put them into motion. Draco had a naturally athletic body that differed from Harry's. Draco's body was slim and agile. It could be overpowered but where as it was all about brute force with Harry, to the blonde it was a bout speed and grace.

Draco didn't fight like every blow could be his last but as if each blow could be his opponent's last. It was surely his Malfoy nature that brought Draco to this. He sadistically liked to drag the pain out. No going for the throat and showing mercy. Torture the poor soul past its breaking point, as his father had taught him. Draco was a fine-tuned machine.

When the sun rose and it grew far too hot to be rolling around in the grass, the pair would change into less sweat and smelly clothes and go riding through the forest. The thick trees provided shelter from the sweltering sun. The green canvas cooled the forest floor and made it rather enjoyable to leisurely trot through it.

The Malfoys' forest was rather large. It expanded about forty acres. Harry liked riding through it; it had such a claiming effect on him. He felt as if he could forget all the worries he had been subjected too since he was a year old. He enjoyed the solitude with only Draco for company.

With the birds that inhabited the forest creating a lovely soundtrack and the light that manages to filter in through the trees casting a golden-green light about, Draco looked like an unearthly being. The light bounced of his silver hair casting a halo about his head. He and his horse looked as if they were made to be in such a beautiful setting.

Little did Harry know that Draco thought the same thing. The blonde thoroughly enjoyed seeing Harry atop Paoli. Paoli was an Italian black stallion his father had bought in Draco's fourth year. Besides his little mare, Shadow, Paoli was Draco's favorite.

The huge horse was a thing of beauty and what was worse, the stubborn thing knew it. Anyone who tried to ride him had to first be considered worthy of such an honor. Meaning, Paoli bucked you right off and if you had the balls to give it another go you earned his respect. It was quite simply but most were put off after the first try.

Draco really had no aptitude for animals, or at least magical ones, owls excluded. But the muggle beast seemed to have taken a liking to Draco spot on. It allowed the blonde to ride him right away. And all the more Paoli hated Draco's father.

Draco didn't know if the horse could sense something between his father and him or if his father possibly had done something to the animal but when ever Lucius came close to him, Paoli would buck and whinny, doing his best to scare the man off.

He succeeded and almost cost him his life. Lucius was hell bent on putting the animal down but Draco urged him not to. He told the man that it would be a waste of money to simply kill the thing. Lucius agreed and looked for a buyer. He was unable to find one before his imprisonment.

Harry had nearly wet himself when Draco led the massive horse out of its stall.

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"No, no way." Harry protested holding up his hands.

"Oh come on, Harry." Draco said stroking Paoli's nose. "He may look big but he's as gentle as can be." Draco giggled a bit when the horse nibbled his fingers affectionately. Harry watched this. He knew that animals generally hated Draco and he also knew that he had a bit of a flair for them so he figured what the hell? So he agreed.

Harry struggled to get in the saddle and Draco had to help him. But as soon as Draco had gotten Harry in the saddle Paoli bucked and sent Harry to the ground.

"Ow!" Harry cried. "Gentle my arse."

"Aw, he's just having a bit of fun." Draco said lightly and steered Shadow over by Paoli, and slid off. "Sciocco cavallo, essere buono" He chuckled as he stroked the horse's nose. Paoli gave a whinny in response.

"What did you say?" Harry asked picking himself up off the ground and dusting himself off. "Was that Italian?"

"Paoli is an Italian stallion. He likes to hear his native language." Draco explained. "I said 'silly horse, be nice'." Harry's eyes widened and then he chuckled a little as well.

"Give me a phrase to tell him so he'll trust me." Harry asked. Draco shook his head.

"You can't make him trust you with a few words. Words mean nothing to him. I could've very well have called him a stupid, dirty beast and he would know no difference. But what he knows is something very few people do. Words are lies. Horses view the world through open eyes where as most people go through life blind. Some, though, see it through eyes half-open." Draco spoke softly. "Paoli doesn't know what I say to him, but he trusts me just the same. He can sense that I won't hurt him. He knows I care. That's all that matters. Actions speak louder than words and make more sense to a horse."

Draco tenderly petted the horse. He was truly a beautiful animal, so strong and powerful yet as gentle as a lamb. It didn't matter if he were stubborn or vain. Draco loved the horse. It knew what it deserved and it wouldn't settle for less. Unlike Draco who pined for what he didn't deserve and feared what he did. Pulling himself from his reverie Draco turned back to Harry.

"Tell him this, 'Ciao, Paoli. Mi chiamo Harry. Per cortesia premettere mi a cavalcare tu." Draco told him. "'Hello, Paoli. M name is Harry. Please allow me to ride you.'"

Harry gave Draco an odd look.

"That sounds dirty." He said. Draco rolled his eyes.

"To a pervert into bestiality like you, it is but to Paoli who doesn't shag outside of his species than it is just a polite request. Besides he doesn't know what the words mean."

Harry still looked wary but said the words Draco told him to. It was faulty and botched but Paoli seemed to buy it. The horse dipped his head and allowed Harry to climb on. Harry sat rigidly at first, expecting the horse to knock him off. When he didn't Harry grinned at Draco like a two-year old who just learned something new and patted Paoli's neck.

"Good horse." He whispered. Draco smiled as well and climbed back onto Shadow. As the pair made their way out of the paddock Harry turned to Draco.

"Draco?" He asked.

"Yeah?" The blonde looked over to him.

"Where did you learn Italian?" Draco smiled wistfully as a good memory came to him.

"It's part of the training for my social circle. My mother took over that. She had tutors for me in Italian, Greek, French, Spanish, Mandarin Chinese, Latin and Russian among several others, some dead to the world for ages. My tutor said I had an aptitude for languages. Mother was so proud." Harry smiled a bit but didn't say anything. Perhaps he was waiting for Draco to continue but he didn't. He didn't want to tell Harry anymore. If he told Harry about his mother's lessons than he might have to tell the Gryffindor about his father's and he just couldn't do that. Not yet.

Besides, Draco wasn't stupid. He knew that any friendship with Harry would be short lived. So why bother spilling all his secrets to someone who he probably be forced to stop talking to as soon as school starts. Not to mention the war. Harry hadn't even brought up the fact that they would be on opposite sides in the war. Though Draco had switched sides he knew Harry didn't know, and he saw no reason to tell him.

What would it matter if Harry knew? It would just make his job all that much harder. He would still have to keep up pretenses. As far as the other Slytherins knew he would be a Death Eater.

How would it look if he was suddenly mates with Harry Potter? Draco didn't even plan to tell the others about how he spent his summer. As far as he was concerned they needn't know.

Draco led Harry into the forest. The first few trips they didn't go far, just trotted around the paths. He kept Harry close. The Malfoy forest was enchanted. It caused all who were not of Malfoy blood or name to encounter strange events. Some, under a disorienting charm, would never find their way out. Others, under an illusion spells, would believe that time was slowing down and would be forever trapped in a standstill.

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On days when the weather did not permit outdoor activity than the pair would take the training indoors. Draco showed Harry the training room. It was a large room that was carpeted in mats to prevent injury. The walls were lined with weapons of every era, make and location both muggle and wizard a like.

Draco trained Harry in sword fighting on these days. Draco always had a fondness for swords, daggers and knives. He found it a far superior weapon than wands. They took effort, grace and strength. Though magic was no easy task it just didn't have the same appeal as hand-to-hand combat.

Harry seemed to share Draco opinion. The pair worked hard and long hours. Harry seemed to have a thirst for any knowledge concerning this form of combat. He took to it immediately. As with the Purus Vires Harry's style was all about strength and force where as Draco's was about speed and agility. The two complimented each other well. They were like ying and yang. Two sides of the same whole. Though neither boy really understood their strange connection, at this point in their lives neither could deny it nor ignore it but they still tried. Despite it all, they still tried.

It had been a great first week. Draco loved all the time he and Harry spent together. But now things were different and Draco had no idea as to why. It all started about a week after he and Harry had arrived at Malfoy Manor.

Harry had woken up due to another nightmare. Draco had quit asking about them after the second night. Harry kept claiming that it was nothing and would refuse to tell him anymore. Draco desperately wanted to help, but he saw little he could do. He gathered from Harry's first nightmare back at the Dursleys' that he was embarrassed of his nightmares. Draco also saw that the best tactic was to play it cool. Act as if it never happened or as if his screaming was causing Draco to lose sleep rather than to try and pity the boy.

He gathered that Harry hated pity and Draco knew the feeling and vowed never to pity him.

That nightmare had been Harry's last and seemed to have marked the beginning of where they were at now. Harry had vanished when Draco went to take a shower. He at first thought he had gone down for breakfast but he didn't see him in the dining room. In fact he didn't see him for the whole day. No matter where he looked he couldn't seem to find the boy. He figured he could've always have asked Helena where he was but something inside of him told him that Harry would come to him when he was ready to talk.

Obviously something was up with Harry and it was killing Draco not to know what it was. He was normally a very curious person; He did not abide by that 'curiosity killed the cat' rubbish. It was pure muggle swill and nothing more. He fully believed that curiosity was not the cause of death but the lack of it was. Not to mention that the boy learned long ago not to fear death.

No, he feared a far more painful thing than death. He feared love. Love is the most painful thing ever devised by the Great Creator. Love was what caused men to start wars, caused them to fight, caused them to kill and caused them to die. Be it love for a country, a god, or a person. Millions of wise sayings have spawned from this one emotion. Nothing else was more sought after or caused more downfalls. Love caused men to betray their countries, their families and their friends. Love was a horrid thing, really.

Draco had been already in bed and struggling to fall asleep before Harry showed up. The raven-haired boy said nothing. He just slipped into bed and turned away from Draco. And things hadn't gotten much better.

Harry stopped talking to Draco. They still woke up together, ate together, trained together, rode together in the afternoons as always but Harry hardly said a word. He gave short 'yes' and 'no' answers and if the question required more than that he ignored it all together or said 'I don't know'.

At first Draco was worried. Afraid that something was wrong with Harry that maybe the nightmare had more to it than he originally thought and he knew better than to push Harry into telling him anything. But than Harry stopped having the nightmares or at least as far as Draco knew.

The raven-haired boy no longer woke up trembling or cried out in his sleep. But he did keep his distance from Draco while asleep. So that led Draco to believe that Harry was upset with him.

He racked his brain for anything he might've done to anger the Gryffindor and came up with nothing. Draco figured that the best idea would be, to give Harry some space until either Draco figured out what he had done wrong and then fixed it or Harry finally cracked an told him.

But after a day or two Draco realized that he didn't do anything and that was when Draco got pissed. As far as he knew he had done nothing and it was a very shitty for Harry to be angry with him about something and not tell him what he did. So Draco decided that he wouldn't talk to Harry either. But that didn't work very well. For one reason Draco was dreadfully bored without talking to Harry, not to mention, once again, his curious nature.

So one day, Draco decided he would take Harry to his favorite spot in the forest on their afternoon ride. It would lighten the mood and maybe he could find out what the hell was going on.

And he did just that. He led Harry deep into the forest, further than the Gryffindor had ever been. Harry didn't say anything however, not that Draco expected him too. He just mutely followed the blonde.

It took about an hour to reach the large clearing. The whole area had a disillusionment charm on it so unless you knew where to look you would never find it. In the clearing was a twenty-foot high waterfall. Crystal blue water cascaded down sliver stones into a blue-green lagoon at the base.

The ground was carpeted in lush green grass and surrounded by large trees that provided shade from the sun that poured in through the break in the trees. The sun hit the lagoon directly creating rainbows amongst the mist that formed where the cascading water hit the otherwise still pool.

"Feel up to a swim, Potter?" Draco called to the boy who rode behind him, a note of challenge in his voice.

"Didn't bring my suit, Malfoy." Harry called back. His green-eyes were wide trying to taken in the beauty of the clearing all at once. It was the most amazing thing he had ever seen.

"Who needs a suit?" Draco answered, sliding off of Shadow. Harry turned his wide-eyed glaze from the waterfall to the blonde.

"W-what?" He choked out. Draco smirked a little but said nothing. Instead he pulled his grey t-shirt over his head and tossed it on one of the rocks that surrounded the lagoon. He then sat down on the rock and pulled of his shoes and socks. Standing once again, Draco undid his trousers and shimmied out of them leaving him clad in nothing but a pair of cream-colored boxer shorts.

Harry stared at the boy as if he were crazy.

He couldn't possibly mean skinny dipping, could he? Harry wondered.

"Are you coming?" Draco asked and Harry saw that he intended to swim in his boxers. A part of Harry was a relieved, while another was disappointed.

"Of course," Harry said getting ahold of himself. There was a challenge in Draco's voice that he couldn't back down from. Harry pulled off his blue shirt, his trainers and trousers and stepped into the water.

"Oi that's cold." Harry yelped.

"Oh don't be such a big baby." Draco called already in the middle of the lagoon.

"I'm not being a baby. I was just saying it was cold is all." Harry pouted.

"Aw, is lil Harry too cold. Come here and I'll warm you up." Draco said in a cutesy baby voice.

"Shut up," Harry said through chattering teeth. How can it be this cold? It's in direct sunlight!

"Or what Potter? Are you going to shiver at me?" Draco taunted. Harry growled and charged at the other boy through the water. When he was about a yard from where Draco was, Harry suddenly disappeared below the surface.

Moments later Harry shot out of the water coughing and sputtering. Draco howled with laughter.

"You look like a drown rat." He cried. Harry, shook his glasses dry the best he could and glared at the blonde as he doggy paddled over to him.

"You knew that would happen." He accused.

"I did," Draco nodded in agreement. "What are you going to do about it?"

Harry moved to stand in front of Draco and realized that he was now standing on a bit of a pedestal under the water. Draco smirked at Harry's discovery. The raven-haired boy growled again.

"I'll tell you what I'm going to do about it." He said with a mischievous spark in his eye. "This," he said and tackled the Slytherin sending them both backwards and under the water.

Once they were underwater Harry quickly disentangled himself from Draco and pushed himself to the surface. He paddled over to the pedestal and waited for Draco to come up. He waited a moment, then two…no Draco.

"Draco?" Harry called squinting at the water to see if he could see the boy but there was no sign of him. Harry quickly began to panic. "Draco?" He called again, looking around wildly for the boy. Suddenly a flash of white-blonde hair caught his eye from a few yards away.

"Draco!" He screamed. Harry dove into the water and swam as fast as he could to the other boy. He had to reach him. He just had to.

Harry grabbed a hold of Draco's arm and pulled the limp boy to him. It was slow going on the way back to shore as Harry tugged Draco behind him. Once they were on land again Harry laid Draco on a rock.

He had once seen in a movie about a move called CPR. Harry tipped back Draco's head to clear the airway, he then put his ear to Draco's mouth to see if he was breathing. He wasn't.

What do I do now...? Harry wondered in a panic, his mind was drawing a blank on what to do next. Then it hit him like a bludger to the head. I have to give him air!

Harry quickly covered Draco's open mouth with his own and blew three short breaths in. Then he pulled away and pushed on Draco's chest.

"1, 2, 3," He whispered to himself. He sat back, Draco still wasn't breathing. Harry leaned forward and repeated his steps, once, twice, three times, still not breathing.

Harry began to grow hysterical.

"No, Draco, don't die on me, dammit. Don't you dare die on me." He yelled this time slamming his fist into the boy's chest. Harry began to cry. It was like his nightmare but so much worse, because this was real. And it was his fault. Suddenly the Draco's body lurched and convulsed, retching. Water gurgled out of his mouth and flowed down his chin. Then he went still again.

"Draco?' Harry called pushing a wet lock of hair out of the boy's face. "Draco can you hear me?" He asked. There was no response, but he was breathing.

Harry covered the boy's mouth with his own once again, but this time in a breath-taking kiss rather than a breath-giving one. He felt a small pressure pushing back. Harry pulled away. Draco was still motionless except for a small fluttering of eyelids.

Harry looked down at him and a few moments later Draco's eyes slowly blinked open.

"Hullo, Harry," He whispered. Harry let out a sob.

"Hullo Draco," Harry said giving him a watery smile.

"What's the matter?" Draco asked taking deep breaths.

"You almost died," Harry whispered.

"Did I? How nice of you to care, Potter," He said softly closing his eyes again and falling asleep.

"Of course I care Draco." He replied planting a tender kiss on Draco's forehead.

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A few days later Draco had recovered from the incident at the lagoon. He explained to Harry that he was not a strong swimmer. He could swim and do it well enough to have a bit of fun but not when being shoved under the water, caught unawares. Harry had apologized profusely and things between them, though still not as good as they were, were better than they had been for the past week.

Draco decided that they have had enough fun and games and it was time to get down to business. So one day he led Harry down toward the dungeons. Harry was silent but he seemed rather wary of the direction they were taking. Draco didn't know why but he figured that it would be better, as were all things with Harry, if he didn't ask.

He took Harry to his personal potions lab. Draco figured that they could begin with their potions training. Draco's lab was small but still impressive. The room was about half that of Snape's lab at Hogwarts and held three long wooden tables, each with their own cauldron and a small supply closet in the back that was stocked with every potions ingredient known to wizard kind.

Whatever Draco thought Harry's reaction would be, it wasn't what he got. Harry had entered the room and looked around wide-eyed before breaking into pearls of laughter. Though Draco was a little vexed at the boy for the fact that he was laughing at him, it still was good to hear Harry laugh again. Over the duration of the week, even though things were better, Draco had come to miss hearing Harry laugh, spite of himself.

"What, may I ask, is so damn funny?" Draco asked crossing his arms. Harry was now bent over using the desk for support as he laughed. He held up a finger to tell Draco to wait a moment.

After a while Harry had calmed enough to speak.

"I can't believe that you have your own personal potions lab." And with that Harry began to laugh again. Draco glared at the laughing boy.

"I don't see how that is so funny." Draco pouted. Harry looked up grinning but upon seeing the hurt in Draco's eyes (Draco's walls had crumbled against Harry long ago and he could hardly hide anything he was feeling from the Gryffindor anymore.) it turned into a frown.

"I was only joking, Draco." Harry said quietly.

"Yeah, I know." Draco said shrugging it off. "Just watch your pumpkin juice from now on." Harry laughed at the empty threat. "Alright, let's get to work." Draco said and led Harry over to one of the tables.

"Yes Sir Professor Mini-Snape." Harry said biting back a smile. Draco rolled his eyes and ignored the boy.

"I figured we would start with a potion that you'd be interested in." Draco said. Harry smiled mischievously.

"An aphrodisiac? " He questioned in mock-hope. Draco couldn't help but smile. He was glad Harry was in a good mood today. It was a nice change from the solemn, dower Harry that had been floating around the house. Harry hadn't seemed to be able to forgive himself for the incident at the lagoon.

"With a sexy beast like me running around, do you think you need one?" Draco joked flashing Harry a charming smile. It was Harry's turn to roll his eyes.

"Fine, what are we making then?" Harry asked looking at the cauldron with disdain.

"It's called vita curatio. It's a healing potion and I figured that since you have an interest in healing…well, I just thought it make potions more interesting for you." Draco said. Harry stared at him for a minute.

"You…I….that's really thoughtful of you, Draco." Harry smiled. "Thanks,"

Draco blushed and rubbed the back of his neck.

"Yeah, well…let's get started." The pair worked the whole day on the potion with only a small break for lunch and later dinner before stopping near midnight to go to bed.

Harry truly did have a passion for healing. He bombarded Draco with question after question concerning what exactly the potion did and every other little detail, concerning its effect on a person.

Draco truly was a talented Potions Master. He was able to answer every one of Harry's questions fully and explained it in the most basic terms to be sure he understood. Draco was surprisingly patient.

The pair worked well together. Harry had never enjoyed a potion lesson more. Nor had Draco, minus of course the fact that Harry insisted on calling him professor.

It seemed to Draco that though Harry was still a bit standoffish that he seemed to be coming around. Harry had done some major thinking after the incident and realized that he was being hypocritical and that if he truly cared for Draco the way he felt he did then he owed it to the boy to at least talk to him about it.

Besides, the boy needed help and Harry couldn't think of a more suited person them himself to help him in such manners. Harry also figured that his extreme reaction and avoidance of the Slytherin was out of fear. He was afraid to lose Draco. Now that he had found him he didn't plan to let him go.

The problem was how to talk to the boy about this? Harry had no idea. He knew that, though his situation was different, a lot of what his friends said did little to help. Not to mention that Harry still had yet to bring up the subject of Draco joining up with the Death Eaters. Harry had no idea what to do.

All he knew was that he feared for the boy more than ever. It seemed something was against Draco and Harry felt it was up to him to find out what and to protect Draco. At all cost.

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(A/n: I know this chapter is a bit confusing and jammed packed with information, sorry about that…

You prononuce Paoli (pay-o-leh)

The line about curiosity not being the cause of death is from a poem called 'curiosity' by Alistair reed.

I took a CPR class a long time ago but I don't remember exactly how to do it so pardon any mistakes.)