When Harry stood in the doorway he was searching still, dog-earring page after page, and even highlighting sections with the tip of his wand, piling them around him.

His tie was loose around his neck and he was biting on the edge of his wand, eyes scanning the page in front of him.

Harry licked his mouth and whispered, "Draco," loud enough to scare, causing Draco to hit his head on the top of Harry's bed and curse, shutting his eyes.

"Thanks, Potter."

Harry smiled. "Anytime."

He stood against the doorway while Draco rubbed his head, mumbling under his breath. The blonde looked up and asked icily, "So? Urgent news from Hogwarts? Has Longbottom killed some student with an overgrown fern and needs you to use your charms to cover it up?"

Harry sighed and walked to the bed, flipping to one of Draco's marked pages and scanning the words. "This...is nothing," he looked up, "I've already gone through these and..."

"Read the whole page, Potter. You may learn something. I did study extensively to become an Animagus, because unlike you I actually earn my talents."

Harry glared and looked down at the page, scanning.

Animagi are gifted with their own power animal's form, which can be used extensively through their lives. They gain the forms of communication, sight, and sound of their animals and

He looked up. "How is this important? It..."

Draco sighed and grabbed the book, reading aloud, "The essence of the Animagus is, at its heart, pure formed thought and desire--you are what you want to become."

Harry blinked. "Which means?"

Draco growled and angrily hissed, "Do I have to spell it out for you? You're growing into this because you want to, because you have so much power you have no need for practice and time, unlike us mere mortals. In essence, you've decided you're bored with being all around famous Harry Potter who defeated Voldemort and saved the world and now want to be more," he glared and spit out bitterly, "Which, given your record with wants and needs being fulfilled, should come as no surprise."

Harry sat on the bed silently, feeling suddenly about a thousand pounds heavier and a million times more confused. "Nothing to do with Voldemort, then."

"Have you been listening to a word I've said?" Draco asked, causing Harry to look at him, "It has everything to do with him. If you hadn't had to use your power and defeat him, you would not be in this mess now. Maybe years from now, but..."

Harry fell back onto the bed and closed his eyes.

"Neville and Ginny are getting married."

Draco laughed, "They would."

"He wants me to be his best man."

"Potter..."

"She's pregnant, too."

"Potter."

Harry opened his eyes and saw Draco looking down at him. "What?"

"I have no interest in this whatsoever. Are you finished with me?"

Harry blinked.

Draco raised his eyebrows, sighing. "Your project, 'Why is Harry a Lion?' is now over. I'm about to pass out from the fumes of this room."

Harry closed his eyes. "You didn't have to stay."

He felt the bed move and didn't open his eyes, listening to Draco disapparate and falling asleep almost the instant he was gone.

Hermione Granger prided herself on knowing more than most, and was delighted to learn or experience new things.

She actively sought out difficulty, fighting and working her way through spells, problems, and people like most people played games like chess and crazy 8's. So it was not surprising that she could not bring herself to ask Draco about Harry.

Obviously Harry didn't want her to know what was going on, but Draco?

Malfoy?

Her baby kicked at her angrily as she let her body get worked up and nervous over the course of the week, wondering and coming up with fantastic ideas that frightened her more than she was sure the truth would.

Harry was dying.

Harry was losing his mind.

Harry was in love with Draco.

Oddly enough, the latter frightened her the most.

She stared at Draco now as he sat across from her, sipping red wine out of a silver goblet and chewing absently on the edge of a celery stick while he wrote out reports.

"Are you planning on staring at me for the rest of the day or are you going to ask me something?"

She sighed, laid her head on her desk, and whispered, "Is he dying?"

Draco looked up. "Don't you think he would have told you if he were dying?"

"I don't know. I...I don't know if I even know him anymore."

"He isn't dying."

She rubbed at her belly and whispered, "Ron would've," she bit her lip, "...he would've known what was wrong. He...Harry would have..."

Draco sighed dramatically. "Do you want to know?"

"No. He doesn't...want me to."

"If you don't stop talking, I'm going to tell you anyway."

She was silent, mumbling, "Is he gay?"

Draco opened his mouth to speak and Hermione shouted out, "SILENCIO!" just before he got out his words.

He glared at her and she whispered, "I'll stop. I promise," before ending the spell with a wave.

There was a knock at their office door and someone peeked their head inside, "How goes?"

It was Ginny Weasley.

Draco rolled his eyes at her, getting back to his report, while Hermione smiled and replied, "Splendidly. How're you?"

Ginny grinned. "I...," she giggled, "...oh damn it, just..." she thrust out her hand and Hermione saw a diamond ring on her finger, glittering like diamonds should.

"Neville asked! We're getting married in three months and I'm pregnant!"

Hermione gave a strained smile that only Draco noticed, hugging Ginny to her chest and shaking her head at him to keep quiet. "That's wonderful, honey," she whispered, trying to maintain her happy voice.

"And I want you to be my maid of honor. I just can't even think of asking anyone else."

A tear escaped and slid down Hermione's cheek but she didn't let out of the hug.

"I'd...I'd love to," she whispered, tears coming to her eyes and falling onto Ginny's shoulder.

Draco whispered a cleansing spell before Ginny saw her, kissing her on the cheek and beaming. "I'm so happy, Hermione. I...," the younger woman paused and put a hand to her mouth, her eyes wide with shock, "Oh god, I'm so stupid."

Hermione shook her head, laughing it off. "Ginny, it's okay."

"No, it...god, I can't...I..."

Hermione looked at her with tears in her eyes. "It's okay. I've...it's wonderful, Gin. He'd be so happy for the both of you."

Ginny burst into tears and hugged her, while Draco just stepped around them and out the door. He entered the hallway and saw many witches and wizards who he knew but never spoke to, walking right by them and into the office next to his and Hermione's. He shut the door behind him and leaned against it.

"Draco?"

The voice was an unwelcome but expected one, seeing as how he'd just walked into the office with his painting inside of it.

Albus Dumbledore's painting, one of many of the man, stood proudly in the middle of the large office occupied by no one but the former Hogwarts Headmaster's likeness.

The Dumbledore in the painting moved and stood, looking concerned. "Draco, it is you. Is something the matter?"

He sighed and sat on a chair, closing his eyes.

"Is it Hermione? The baby is going to go straight through term, they've assured me of that."

Draco felt his muscles melting as he sat and he willed himself to change form, still hearing the voice.

"Is it Harry?"

He was gone at the question and he slithered around the room, towards the fireplace.

Harry squinted at the snake, then at its owner. "You want me to tell it to stop biting you?"

The wizard impatiently answered, "Yes," tapping his foot while Harry spoke to the snake.

Hello

The snake blinked. You're one of the big ones.

Yes. I...was wondering. Your owner...

Owner?

Um, the man who...feeds you?

A lazy piece of scum that I would rather hope spends the rest of its life in pieces than in an essence around me.

Oh. Well...do you think that you could maybe stop biting him so much?

No.

Please?

No.

Harry blinked. "Um...all done. I...must be going."

He handed the tank back to the man and disappeared out of a side door, sighing and closing his eyes.

Afternoons spent in St. Mungos were some of the most rewarding times of his life but this was not real work. He closed his eyes and apparated back home in his bed.

It took a moment for him to realize he was not alone.

Hello.

Harry turned and saw a yellow snake curled up on his pillow and eyeing him with interest.

"Um...hello.

You are tired?

Harry didn't move a muscle. Yes.

The snake moved towards his hand and lie against it. I am as well.

Do I know you?

A quick tongue licked at his hand and he felt it instantly. Draco.

The snake uncoiled and Harry didn't even flinch when it turned into a man. Malfoy smiled arrogantly. "See Potter? Easy as you please."

Harry stared at him. "What are you doing here?"

Draco leaned on one elbow. "I came to see how you're progressing. Manage more than a tail yet?"

Harry glared and moved to get up but Draco held him down with a hand to his wrist.

"Have you?"

"No."

Draco smirked with practiced superiority and squeezed his wrist. "You haven't even tried yet! You sit here, acting all noble and mighty lion, while all the while you're as frightened as a little baby lamb."

Harry stared at him for a full minute, his gaze steady and controlled, when without a word Draco let go, dazed, and fell onto his back while Harry stared down at him, triumphant.

"That was not my first wandless spell Malfoy, and it won't be my last."

Draco stared at him. "I believe you."

There was a noise and someone suddenly apparated into the room, startling both men.

Hermione stared at them in shock.

Draco, eyes wide and staring back at her, looked to Harry. Harry sighed and did the only thing he could think of doing.

He kissed Draco.

Draco muffled a protest and Harry gripped the back of his head, running his fingers through Draco's hair and silencing him with a thought.

Hermione.

Draco kissed him back suddenly with fervor, arching up off the bed and sticking his tongue in past Harry's lips.

Hermione coughed, loudly, and Harry had to force himself to be pulled away breathless from one of the best kisses he'd ever had. "Hermione..."

She swallowed and whispered, "I was...I wanted to tell you I was all right, and...I have a locator spell on you and..." she stared at Harry, blushing, "...I didn't know he was here. With you."

Draco smirked some, wondering what she must think. "I was just here for that...business...thing. That..."

She held up her hand, smiling brightly now. "No need, Co-Co. I..."

Harry laughed out loud. "Did you just call him Co-Co?"

Draco glared at her.

She bit her tongue. "Shit. I didn't...oh Draco, honey. I didn't mean to. I'll just...um...I..."

"I'm coming with you."

Draco slid out from under him and Harry--still in shock--let him go. Hermione stared at the both of them still, eyes wide and suddenly at a loss for words.

They apparated, Draco holding onto Hermione tightly since she was a bit more tired recently and her spells sometimes less successful. Harry blinked at the empty space they'd just left quietly for a moment before pressing his fingers to his lips.