Chapter 21
Disclaimer: The main characters belong to JK Rowling (at least, their names do), but the setting, plot and some other characters are mine.
A/N: I broke my writer's block! This is the product. I hope it makes up for the hideously long wait (I'm sorry!). If not, at least the next chapter is in progress; I started it during my free period at school today.
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There were no dreams on Monday night. But on Tuesday, the result of the post-dream agreement remained hanging in the air.
Last period before lunch was Geography – Lupin's lesson. Harry still found it odd listening to a teacher talk about racial demography, then looking up and abruptly remembering that he had been eating said teacher's cooking two days before, and listening to more interesting but infinitely more disturbing words in that very same voice.
Within fifteen minutes, he had taken to staring at his notes as if absorbed, and was writing more down than he had in any Geography lesson since starting at Minster. By the time the lesson was halfway through, the page was even colour-coded.
As Lupin turned to write a word on the board, Harry felt a sudden nudge against his knee, and looked up to his left to see Draco watching him.
"Are you okay?" the blond mouthed.
Harry nodded, smiling reassuringly. He could explain later.
When the bell rang at the end of the lesson, Lupin held up a hand to stop the class leaving. "Before you all go… come prepared for a surprise tomorrow." He said no more, returning to his desk, picking up his pile of folders, and following the first few students out of the room.
Within seconds, most of the class had cleared out, leaving only a few students behind. Mione excused herself and Ron with a brief 'we'll be in the cafeteria' before taking her boyfriend's hand and heading out into the corridor, leaving only Harry and Draco in the classroom.
Draco dropped his diary and textbook into his bag, swung the bag onto the table, folded his arms, and looked steadily at Harry. "Are you really okay? You were concentrating far more than could be considered normal."
With a shrug, Harry picked up his own bag and stood up, starting for the door. "Yeah, it's just a bit weird, you know? What with Lupin and Sirius being…"
"Thought that was it." Draco stood and walked after him. "Feels odd knowing things like that about teachers, doesn't it?"
"Totally." Harry was within a few feet of the door when he said this, and was suddenly cut off as he was unexpectedly seized from behind and hauled backwards. By the time he mustered coherent speech again, it was dark, thanks to the door that had just slammed behind a sweetly smiling Draco. "Um… Dray… what are we doing in the storage closet?"
"Use your imagination," came the murmured reply, the blond's growing smile faintly illuminated by the thin rays of light filtering in around the doorframe.
Scything through the antique scent of the shelves of books pressed against his back, Harry caught a delicate hint of aftershave, and felt his pulse speed up. His stomach suddenly felt lighter, and the air in his lungs felt cold as Draco leaned closer, hands braced on either side of Harry's body. His imagination was working overtime now, until the lightest touch of Draco's breath on his lips made him almost dive forward, and the reaction confirmed that his mind had indeed been working in very much the right direction.
Draco hadn't even hoped for the fervour he encountered in that kiss; he had genuinely not realised that his flippant comment two days earlier had had quite this effect on the brunette he currently had pinned against the shelving. Not that he was complaining.
At length, he pulled away and ran his tongue slowly over his bottom lip. "Wow. You're feisty today."
Harry shrugged one shoulder, his breath coming slightly – imperceptibly – faster than usual. "You're the one who dragged us in here." He fought off the urge to move forward, and stayed leaning casually where he was.
"Indeed I did. Don't tell me you're bored… rather be asleep?"
Raising an eyebrow, Harry managed not to blush. "You're never going to let me forget that, are you?"
Draco grinned. "Probably not." And he moved closer again, lifting a hand to brush Harry's hair out of his eyes. "Take your glasses off."
Without question, Harry slipped them off, folded them, and placed them carefully on one of the shelves. No sooner had his hand returned to his side than Draco pounced, arms leaving their braced position to wrap around Harry's waist as he resumed their previous kiss.
Harry's hands settled in the small of Draco's back, keeping them close together. Slowly, he let one hand slip under the soft material of the blond's sweater, brushing gently over his skin. The contact of the hands on his own back drew him even closer, until the prospects of his dream looked more appealing than ever.
Feeling, rather than hearing, the soft sounds Harry was making, Draco slid his right hand higher, running one finger teasingly along the brunette's neck, eliciting a shiver, before tangling his fingers carefully into Harry's dark hair.
Breaking away for air, Harry's hurried breaths turned into a gasp as he felt Draco's lips trail along his jaw and down his neck, and was surprised by a gentle bite that was sure to leave a mark. At the same time, the hand that was not resting under Draco's sweater slipped lower, almost into the blond's back pocket.
That was when the door opened.
Blinded momentarily by the sudden burst of light, Harry let go of Draco and scrabbled along the shelf in search of his glasses. When he found them and hurriedly put them on, the opener of the door had disappeared, and Draco was tentatively stepping out into the classroom.
"Thank god I didn't come in five minutes from now." The voice was familiar, and Harry's suspicion was confirmed as he emerged after Draco.
"Hi, Mr Lupin." To say that Draco's tone was nervous would be something of an understatement. "We were, ah, looking for something?"
Lupin waved a hand. "There's no point making it up, Draco. I should probably learn to knock when I'm feeling a little suspicious about what's going on behind the door." He gestured to their bags, unceremoniously dropped on the floor. "Please find an alternative venue in the future, though."
"We will, sir," Harry said quickly, finding his voice. "Does this mean… you won't tell anyone?"
"Well, I feel your godfather should know – do you have any idea how much he's been worrying about whether you really accept us or not? – but no, I won't be going to the principal, or anything like that."
Exhaling slowly, Harry raised his eyes to the ceiling for a moment in silent thanks.
"Thank you, sir." Draco was wearing his best 'formal occasions only' smile, and as he spoke, took a firm grip on Harry's elbow with one hand, their bags with the other, and backed out of the room.
Once they were in the corridor, and the door had shut behind them, he at least had the good grace to offer Harry a sheepish smile. "Oops."
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A/N: Verdicts on the slash, please! Or any review is good. I need to practise my slash-writing for the novel I'm doing for National Novel Writing Month in November.
Next chapter is on its way.
