Ghost at the end of the table

by SweetSalt23

Harry stared, even though he tried not to, his eyes constantly going back to the ghost that sat at the end of the seventh-year table. He felt something in his chest as he took in the mere shadow of a person who for years had always had his attention. This attention was vastly different however, the feelings fluttering in Harry' chest unfamiliar when it came to the new Draco Malfoy.

9. Chapter 9

Warning: MxM Sexual themes present

Rating: Mature!

Disclaimer: READ FIRST CHAPTER

O0O

Chapter 9

Harry groaned, blinking up at a white ceiling and frowning in confusion. He struggled to sit up, huffing as he tried to push the heavy covers off his legs and waist. Just as he was about to just roll off the bed, he heard a sound from beside him and snapped to attention. "Draco!" He exclaimed, relieved to see the blonde. "What happened?" He asked, gazing at the hospital wing he was in. Around him empty beds sat, dust swirling in the thin glow spearing through the windows. Sunlight barely filtered through the gossamer curtains, the sun gently peeking out from the clouds.

"You gave me a heart attack is what you did." Draco muttered; his silent vigilance broken at the Gryffindors question. "Do you remember what happened in the forest?" He waited for Harry to nod before continuing, his voice filled with tangled emotion. "When we got to the castle you had a very bad episode. One of the worst I have seen from you yet. Nothing I did helped. In the end I just decided to stun you and carry you here."

Harry sucked in a breath, concerned at such raw feeling that filled the Slytherin's expression. "I'm s-sorry. I couldn't control it…." He whispered, staring down at his lap. He felt hands suddenly frame his face and he startled; eyes wide.

"No, Harry love. You did nothing wrong. I would have been surprised if you hadn't had some sort of attack. I am just ashamed in myself that you got so far gone that I couldn't bring you back." He leaned forward and pressed his lips against the Gryffindors temple, hands shaking slightly. "You scared me to death. Especially after….whatever the fuck the shadow creature was in the forest."

Harry shuddered as memories swam past his vision but he squashed it, not wanting to remember the thing that haunted him constantly. "I don't know. It has never appeared like that. I didn't think anyone could see it!" He wrapped his arms around himself, cold sweat breaking out across his forehead. "Draco. It was right there! It was in the clearing with us! I have never seen it so….clear before."

Draco nodded, sitting on the bed and crossing his legs. "It was strange. You said you have never seen it before except in your nightmares?" He pursed his lips, voice coming out slowly as he struggled to find the right words. "Then why now? There has to be a reason. It also didn't care in the slightest that I was there and showed no outward emotion at all."

Harry took a deep breath and nodded, calming slightly as he realized how quickly the Slytherin was jumping on this in order to resolve the issue at hand. "The only emotion I have ever seen is when it…smiles. Other than that is usually looks like what you saw before in the forest." Harry leaned forward, pressing his forehead against the man's shoulder and trying to center himself. He took a deep breath, eyes closed. "Whenever it is around, all I feel is pure terror. It's like…it can control what I am feeling. I can't move when it is around, I can't even breath." His voice filled the air between them, soft and nearly broken with weariness and residual terror. "Nothing I do in my dreams could make it go away. It controls what I see when I sleep and what I see when I am awake. It makes my shadow move and I think it is the cause of why my magic looks the way it does." He whispered, voicing the worries that had been plaguing him for weeks.

"It's connected to you."

Harry nodded, fear bubbling up. "It started when I….died." He shuddered again, sighing when the other man's strong arms surrounding him. "I don't like talking about it." He buried his nose into the blondes shoulders and swallowed the panic down.

"I know, but Harry. If this thing can move around in the daytime now, you aren't safe. I need you to be safe." Draco gripped the Gryffindors arms and pushed him slightly away, their gazes meeting. "We need to find out more about whatever it is and try to either get rid of it or somehow sever its connection with you." He sighed and leaned away, running pale fingers through golden strands of flaxen hair. "However, since this sudden realization, I think we might have been looking in the wrong place."

Harry frowned; eyebrows pinched together. "What do you mean?"

"I think we should start researching necromancy."

Harry recoiled, the thought causing bile to swim up his throat. "Necro-?"

Draco nodded, eyes burning like melted glass. "It shouldn't be so surprising. What with what happened with the Dark Lord and his merry band of horcruxes." Harry flinched. "It might somehow be connected to that in some strange way. Or it could be none of it and we exhaust this avenue of thinking until we reach the end." Draco shrugged, reaching forward and squeezing Harry's leg. "If this does bear fruit I will rejoice, however necromancy is sticky business and not for the faint of heart. Once we do this we must see to it till the end. Then we will know if this is the right path or not to go on to solve the problem we have on our hands."

Harry nodded, fatigue beginning to creep up as his mind raced. "I understand." He rubbed his eyes, face lined with exhaustion. "Now, can we leave? I want to crawl into bed and sleep." He threw the covers off his legs and stood, grabbing his wand and glasses from the side table. He paused as he slipped the long piece of wood into its holster, cheeks glowing pink. "Could you stay with me? While I sleep?" He shifted nervously on his feet, gasping when Draco grabbed him and crushed him against his much broader chest.

"You would have to barricade me from the room to stop me from being by your side. Now that I know you can't move when it is around, I am going to make damn sure you are not alone." Draco whispered; eyes filled with such ferocious intensity that Harry felt his knees weaken. "I will make sure that no matter what, that that thing can't get you when I am around. I swear it, Harry."

Harry nodded numbly, shocked by how vicious the blonde could be. "T-Thank you…"

Draco immediately shook his head, wrapping his arms around the Gryffindors waist and pressing them as close together as he could get. "There is no need to thank me. As your partner it is expected of me to help you. One because we are in this together, and two because I want to keep you happy and safe." Draco allowed a small smile to rest on his lips before he rubbed their noses together, the early light of dawn haloing his hair. "Now, let us head to bed. I think we both need some rest." He quickly released Harry and took him by the hand, dragging them back to the Seventh-year tower.

O0O

Few days later

Harry gasped and bolted upright, cold sweat sliding down his back. He quickly reached over the bed and grabbed Draco's hand, panting in fear as the nightmare receded. He felt the Slytherin shift beside him and he rolled over, immediately wrapping around the blonde and burying his face in the mans neck. The man lifted Harry up slightly so the Gryffindor could wrap his leg around his stomach and waist.

Harry felt a hot spark between their skin where they were pressed together but he ignored it, just wanting comfort from the blonde. He felt Draco rub his hip through his clothes, the man not touching his bare skin even in his half awake state.

"You alright, love?" Draco whispered, his voice a low growl as he became more aware. "Another nightmare?" He asked, humming when Harry nodded. "Would you like to go for a walk?" He chuckled when Harry quickly nodded. "Alright, get some shoes on. Lake or tower today?"

Harry shrugged before he pursed his lips. "Lake please….." He muttered, groaning when Draco lifted him easily off his chest to stand. "I hate how strong you are." He said, dropping back onto the bed as he watched the man dress. The Slytherin only ever wore underwear and silk pajama pants to bed, the only other thing on his body being his gold bracelets and collar. The Lumos necklace that Harry had given him rested in the hallow of his throat, the color a dull green. The man was criminally handsome, muscles rippling as he moved. Harry's mouth went dry, the sudden surge of arousal pushing away the lingering cold feeling of acid fear. He quickly looked away and stood, hurrying to put on his shoes so they could leave. He knew the blonde wouldn't mind his ogling, but it still made Harry uncomfortable for the blonde to see his desire.

"Ready, sweetheart?" Draco asked, shrugging on a shirt and slipping on a pair of slippers. He smiled when the smaller man ran up to him, linking their fingers together. "Make sure to keep your wand at the ready." He muttered, leaning forward and kissing the top of the Gryffindors head before opening the door and stepping out.

They slowly walked toward the large double doors of the castle, the flames around them flickering and waving. Shadows danced along the walls and ground, causing Harry to reach forward and wrap both arms around Draco's. The fear from before swelled up but Harry choked it back, staring resolutely ahead and sighing in relief when they reached the moonlight that spilled across the grounds.

The two were silent as they made their way to the lake, the quiet comfortable. Draco made sure to steer them as far from the Forbidden forest as he could, smiling when Harry sighed in relief. "Almost there."

Harry nodded, not once looking at the forest to their far left, fearful that the shadow would be lurking in the depths of the trees. He clutched tighter at the other mans arm, his fingers curled so tightly around his wand that his fingers glared white.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Draco suddenly asked, the silence around them shattered from his quietly uttered question.

Harry frowned before he sighed, shaking his head as they took a seat on a large boulder close to the lake. "It was the same as before. Thankfully it took much longer to show up. Hopefully that means I will go back to having the nightmares randomly than a large string of them." He slid his wand into its holster, casting a wandless and wordless warming charm around them. He knew that Draco wouldn't fade like he once did, but it never hurt to be sure.

Draco hummed, wrapping his arms around the man. "I hope so as well. However, tomorrow night I want you to take Dreamless sleep. It will help." He ran the pads of his fingers up and down the Gryffindors arm, ignoring the spark between them. "Thankfully the weekend is almost upon us."

Harry nodded, nearly moaning as the heat from the Slytherins bare skin raced up his arm. "Y-Yeah….." He whispered, eyes closing at the rhythmic stroking. "That feels nice….touch me some more, please." He turned more towards the man, knowing that he had to give permission before the blonde touched him. He gasped when Draco immediately slipped his fingers underneath his shirt. He mewled at the burning heat, knowing how quickly his mind would cloud with pleasure at the man's confident touches. "Draco." He moaned, reaching up and clutching the man's shirt. He felt the blonde's nails dig into his skin, the Gryffindor knowing how much the man loved his reactions to pain. They sat there for long moments, the pleasure between them slowly swelling. Harry shivered when the man slid both hands along his spine, a high keen leaving his lips at the sparks that burned white hot against his skin. He felt Draco paused and he flushed, burying his head into the mans shoulder.

"So gorgeous, Harry love." Draco muttered, voice deep and dark at the full-on shudder that rippled down the mans body. "Ready to go back? Because I am….." He smirked heatedly, running his rough palms against the soft skin of Harrys spine.

Harry swallowed thickly and nodded, yelping when the Slytherin suddenly stood and threw him over his broad shoulders. "Draco!" He gasped, his hands flying down and grabbing the man's back. "Put me down!" He snarled, his cheeks coloring bright red as his eyes suddenly locked onto the man's arse. Desire slammed into his body, his cock twitching against the Slytherins shoulder. He gasped when Draco paused and squeezed his thigh, obviously feeling how hard Harry was becoming but not bothering to mention it. The blondes pace quickened as he walked through the castle, long strides eating up the distance.

Harry gasped at the speed, hand flying up and pressing against his mouth to contain his moan. Every step the blonde took Harrys hardened length rubbed against the man's shoulder. Mortified he pressed his palm against the blondes back and tried to wiggle free, embarrassment flooding through him at his obvious desire. "Draco! Put me down!" He hissed, cheeks and neck hot and pink. He heard the blonde laugh and he growled, reaching down with his free hand and tugging on the blonde strands that brushed against his side. "Now!" He pulled harder, gritting his teeth.

"Fuck." Draco snarled at the pain, grabbing Harry around his waist and slamming him into the wall beside them. Harry yelped, desire coursing heavily through his body at the rough way he was being handled. They were right beside the portrait to the Seventh-year dorms, the painting a forest with a centaur in the middle. "You are vicious." He pressed his front to Harrys, eyes hot and causing Harry to nearly melt. "Better be careful, love. I only have so much restraint."

Harry shook, panting heavily. "I-I warned you! You can suffer the consequences." He wiggled against the blonde, huffing when the man merely snarled and pressed him farther into the stone. "Draco! Not out here! Someone could see us…" He was growing more comfortable with how hot Draco made him, but out in public was a bit much. "Get inside. We don't want to be caught out." He grabbed the man's arm and pulled him through, glancing around quickly before the two of them headed to Harrys room. The past few days the blonde had been sleeping in his bed, the thought alone causing Harry to blush. It made the Gryffindor squirm a bit at the thought of them sharing a room, but the constant nightmares were a very good reason for them to get so close so suddenly. Harry knew that Draco wouldn't take advantage of the fact that Harry couldn't be alone, but the man made it clear that whenever Harry wanted to be touched or held, the blonde wouldn't hesitate. Right now was one of those moments, the fear from before so far from Harrys mind its as if it happened days ago. Draco just did that to him. Made it so hard to think that nothing else mattered but the moments they were together.

Harry pushed the door open, gasping when Draco slammed it shut behind them and locked it wandlessly. The Gryffindor moaned as he was picked up and thrown onto the bed, the blonde following quickly after him.

Draco rolled a bit to the side, not wanting to crush Harry or make him uncomfortable. "This alright, love?" He asked, smirking heatedly when Harry quickly nodded. "You are getting much more comfortable with this." He reached up and pressed his palm against the mans hip, pulling so they were facing each other.

Harry blushed, reaching up and wrapping his arms around the blondes neck. "Yeah, I guess so." He glanced at Draco from beneath his lashes, the places that the Slytherin touched sparking bright and quick. "You just make me so comfortable. I trust you to not hurt me or to stop when I want to stop." He muttered, smiling shyly at the blonde. "It makes me feel very loved."

"You are." Draco replied quickly, his expression softening. "I would never hurt what is the most precious to me." He whispered, framing the other mans face and kissing him slow and deep. He pulled back and growled, the sound dark and husky. "I might get a little rough, but I know how much you like it."

"Draco!" Harry hissed, embarrassed. He covered his burning face with his hands, shivering at the soft chuckle that left the Slytherins mouth. "D-Don't talk about it…." He muttered, still not liking mentioning anything sexual aloud. He knew he would get used to it eventually, but now was not it.

"Sorry, Harry love. I just enjoy teasing you." He pulled the man's hands away from his face, smiling at the Gryffindor. "Do you want to continue, or do you want to sleep?" He asked, patiently waiting as Harry gnawed on his bottom lip.

"Sleep, I think. If we continue, I might get to heated…." He whispered, shifting against the mattress and trying to ignore how hard his cock was. "Also, we only have a few more hours to sleep." He mentioned, waving at the window that was curtained off. "Don't want to be too exhausted for tomorrow."

Draco hummed and kissed the Gryffindors forehead, cradling the man's hands against his chest. "Whatever you want, Harry mine." He groaned as he heaved himself up, grabbing his shirt and pulling it off. He toed off his shoes and kicked them under the mattress, not realizing the effect he was having on the Gryffindor.

Harry nearly swallowed his tongue at the lean back of Draco, reaching up without thought and running his fingers down the knobs of the Slytherins spine. He blushed when Draco arched and gasped, the flash of hot light startling intense. He quickly retracted his hand and scrambled to sit up, eyes wide. "S-Sorry! Sorry, Draco." He stuttered, raising his hands as Draco whipped around and pinned him with a stare so hot that a shiver worked its way through Harrys body. "I wasn't t-thinking." He faltered as he realized how blown the blondes pupils were, the desire from before surging. He gasped when Draco stood, looming above him. He adverted his gaze and slid farther back, knowing that a horny Slytherin was an insatiable one. "W-Why don't we just get ready for bed?"

Draco smirked, quirking an eyebrow at the obvious way that Harry tried to calm his libido down. "Fine, but if I feel you touch me like that again, I might just ravish you." He growled, grabbing the edge of the covers and lifting them up. "Come on, you wanted sleep, didn't you?" He purred; gaze wicked.

Harry nodded, cheeks burning bright at the obvious restraint that the man showed. "You are going to be the death of me." He muttered, slipping his shoes off and burrowing under the covers. He heard Draco snort, the sound rough.

"I should be the one saying that."

"Oh, shut it."

"Whatever you want, Harry love."

O0O

A few days later

Harry groaned and leaned back, his spine popping. He sighed in relief and turned toward Draco, the Slytherin reading through thick tomes. He smiled and felt a ball of warmth sit heavy in his chest, almost giddy with happiness as he leaned against the arm of the chair and stared at the man. They were in the Black house, both of them holed up in the library and reading through texts that might help Harry with his 'Shadow Problem'.

"I can feel you looking at me." Draco hummed, writing some quick lines on the notepad beside him before setting down the book he was reading. He turned to Harry and smiled; the expression soft as his mask fell away. "I know I am handsome, but all this staring is going to inflate my head."

Harry snorted and rolled his eyes, grinning quick. "Oh, hush you." He leaned over and rested his head against Draco's shoulder, sighing as the man wrapped an arm around his waist. "I am just happy, that's all." He muttered, snuggling closer. "You can't blame me."

"Of course, I won't." Draco replied, shifting to get more comfortable as he used his free hand to prop the book he was reading up on his lap. "I feel the very same." He flipped a page and hummed, content to cuddle while he read. An entire hour passed this way, Harry dozing against the Slytherins shoulder. Just as Draco reached halfway through the heavy tome, he heard the Floo chime. He growled and slammed the book shut; nudging Harry awake. "Love, there is someone trying to call you."

Harry groaned and stood, rubbing his eyes. "Who in the world? I told everyone to leave me alone this weekend." He growled, quickly standing and walking toward the ringing fireplace. He knelt and waved his hand, accepting the Floo call. He blinked when he realized it was Kinglsey, the man looking a bit haggard. "Minister? What is it?"

"Sorry to bother you Harry, is it alright if I come through?" He asked, voice pitched low as his head floated in the green flames. "It is a bit urgent."

Harry frowned and nodded, stepping back and dropping the wards to allow entry. Within moments Kingsley stepped through, brushing soot of his expensive robes. "What is it? You usually wait until our regular Sunday luncheons to give us any news." He walked over to one of the couches and fell into it, gesturing for the man to do the same. "Did someone get hurt?"

Kinglsey shook his head and threw himself into the loveseat across from the Gryffindor, rubbing his temple. "No, thankfully not this time. However, I have gotten some worrying news." He sighed and tipped his head back, his arms resting on the chair's plush arms. "Do you remember that chimera case a few months ago?" He waited for Harry to nod before continuing, his irritation clear. "Well, we apparently didn't round them all up. They have found out about the bills we want to push through the council, and they have sent amble warning through vague messages. Luckily, they have not sent us a body yet, as they are prone to do. However, it is a great cause of concern for your safety."

Harry nodded, fingers gripping his knees hard. "Why would they care about me?" He asked, his tone angry. "We aren't trying to single them out, even though they are just as bad as the Death Eaters from before. All we want is to improve Dark Creatures right!"

"That is exactly why, Harry. They have been using creature parts paired with human and animal to achieve the act of creating a chimera. Luckily, it hasn't worked as far as we can tell. But it is gruesome business and they mainly use Dark Creatures for the body. Which means that if they become protected under the Government it could make it very hard for them to continue what they have been doing. Now, I don't condone it anyways, but the Auror's are only really worried about the people disappearing and not so much the Vampires or Mermaids or Centaurs." Kinglsey shook his head, his disapproval clear. "They haven't been too urgent with stopping the group until I stepped in. But they did a sloppy job and let some of them escape as we have seen from the letters that have been sent to me." He rolled his eyes and shrugged, his lips twisting. "Now, the lack of seriousness towards the chimera case has caused me to be more involved in the Auror program than before. That is why I have been targeted with threats and vague warnings. Nothing to extreme but this is just the beginning if they are continuing with how they did things a few months ago."

Harry nodded, the acid taste of anger rising. "If I am being targeted so is Draco." He muttered, worry immediately creasing his brow. He suddenly raised his hand and cast a wandless Patronus charm, sending it towards Draco to call him into the parlor. "Draco, I need you here. It is urgent." He sent the stag away and slumped, not having to wait long as Draco quickly appeared. He raised his eyebrow at the blondes bared teeth and raised wand, just now realizing how his message sounded. "I am not being attacked, Draco. Put the wand away."

Draco stood for a second before complying, his mask settling firmly into place as he realized that the Minister was smirking from the armchair. "Your message worried me." He took long strides towards Harry, sitting close to the Gryffindor. "Do try not to give me a heart attack please." He muttered, running fingers through his flaxen locks. "Now, what is so urgent that you couldn't just fetch me from the library?" He quirked an eyebrow, careful to remain platonic towards Harry since they had company. His expression slowly changed to anger however as Kinglsey relayed what he told Harry. "That is worrying….." He leaned forward and pressed a finger against his lips, his mind obviously racing from his posture and creased forehead. "When did this start?" He suddenly asked, directing his attention fully on Kinglsey. His expression was flat, but his eyes burned.

"About two weeks ago. It is obvious they had inside information." Kinglsey reached into his robes and pulled out a very small folder, enlarging it with a tap from his wand. "This is from the chimera case. I knew you would want to know as much as possible since your safety is at risk. I would also like to set up some security for you two. At school and at the press conference." He leaned forward and handed the file to the blonde, watching as the Slytherin started to flip through it with a bland expression. "I would also like to screen your mail incase they start sending you harmful things through messenger birds. I know it feels like an invasion of privacy, but I would rather have you two safe."

Draco shrugged, snapping the file closed and handing it to the Gryffindor beside him. "I don't care either way. I don't get much mail anyways." He leaned back and crossed his arms, eyes bright. "Whatever you have to do to ensure Harry's safety I will agree with. You don't have to worry about school much. Me and Harry both have protective items on us." He raised an arm and shook his sleeve down, gesturing with his other hand to the bracelets and collar. "We both have a matching set. I melted in the charms so there really isn't a way for someone to counter them."

Kinglsey raised an eyebrow and leaned forward, his eyes tracing over the protective runes on the bracelets. "These are very nice work…..may I?" He asked, reaching out and grabbing the bracelet that Draco slipped off from his wrist. He turned the metal around his hands, blinking in surprise at the hum of power that seemed to make the bracelet vibrate. "You made these?" He waited for Draco to nod before a low whistle left his mouth. "How long did it take to finish?"

"Only about a week. I have to be careful when layering spells but once I have it down it becomes quite easy." He grabbed the bracelet back and slipped it on, shaking his arm when it resized to fit his wrist. "They are completely customizable. I only used gold since it works well with healing spells."

Kinglsey leaned back and hummed, expression thoughtful. "I would love to get some of these for my Auror division. I'll have my lawyer send you a draft. Your choice if you want commission or for us to buy you out." He smirked when Draco blinked, the blonde's mask slipping slightly in his surprise. "These are masterfully crafted. If you keep it up and create more items like these, I might even be able to get you in with a division that specializes in crafting." He smiled when Harry gasped.

"That would be great!" Harry exclaimed, bouncing in his excitement as he closed the folder and threw it onto the coffee table. He turned to Draco and grabbed his arm without thought, freezing when the skin-on-skin contact sparked bright. He locked gazes with Draco and paled, hoping that Kinglsey hadn't seen anything.

"Harry, what the fuck was that?"

Well, shit.

Harry quickly turned and pasted a fake smile on his face. "What is what?" He asked, dropping the blondes arm. He shifted nervously when the Minister merely stared at him with an unreadable expression, sweat sliding down the Gryffindors back.

"Harry, it isn't every day that I see a literal spark from someone touching another person. What is going on? Really?" He asked, noting how the Slytherins mask was now firmly set in place. "If you don't want to say that is your choice. However, I can't help but be worried." He frowned, his gaze heavy and penetrating.

Harry tensed before he slumped, glancing at Draco for confirmation. His eyes traced over the blonde's mask, seeing the slight quiver of concern underneath. "Can I?" He asked softly, voice timid. "I trust him with my life."

Draco stared for a moment before nodding, flashing a quick smile towards Harry. "Whatever you want, Harry." He turned towards the minister and grabbed the Gryffindors arm, ignoring the hot flash between them. "How much do you know about compatible magic?"

O0O

A few hours later

"Well, this is not what I expected from a lazy Friday afternoon." Kinglsey sighed and leaned back, noting how close the two men where. "I am to assume you have it under control?" He asked, raising an eyebrow when Harry's face began to flush. "Harry?"

"We do…but the spark still hasn't gone away." He replied, biting his lip. "We don't know if it will, but it hasn't gotten worse over time even when we try to combine our cores together." He shrugged one shoulder, raising his hands. "I am not to worried about it. Draco and I don't touch much. You are the only one that has found out by accident. Not even Ron and Hermione know, but we will tell them eventually. Just a matter of the right time, I guess."

Kinglsey nodded, eyes thoughtful. "I would definitely bring them up to speed, but I very much doubt that it is urgent." He sighed and stood, smiling when Harry did the same. "Just be careful. If you need me, I am a Patronus charm away. Especially if it has to do with you two combining cores. I know that the Unspeakable would have some information so owl me if you want it." He nodded his head towards Draco and clapped Harry on his shoulder. "Now, I better head out so you two can enjoy your weekend. Make sure not to be late on Sunday."

"We won't be. Thank you, Kinglsey." Harry smiled and waved the man off, immediately slamming the wards back up when the man disappeared in a roar of green flame. "Well…..that was insightful." He rolled his eyes when the blonde snorted, turning and watching the man's mask slowly slip. "Nothing to do for it, I guess." Harry fell into the couch and slumped against the Slytherins shoulder. "I am getting a headache." He mumbled, growing agitated as the chimera file glared at him from the coffee table.

"It is alright, Harry. Kinglsey will make sure that in public you won't be harmed. I will do the same but in private." Draco pressed a soft kiss against Harry's temple. "Would you like to spar? I know how much it helps your anxiety."

Harry nodded and stood, reaching for Draco's hand. "Yes, please. We can always talk about the case later." He started to pull the blonde along, a smirk suddenly gracing his lips. "Let's do two out of three. Think you have the energy?" He teased, laughing when Draco growled at him. "Okay, okay. What are you? A dog?"

"I would say more like a tiger, but sure."

Harry snorted, amusement flashing bright as he pushed the training doors open. He pulled Draco with him and closed the door, the click ringing in the empty hallway.

O0O

Next day

Harry hummed as he plated his and Draco's breakfast, the dish covered in food. He laughed when Draco took a bite and moaned, happy that the man seemed to enjoy his cooking. "Good?" He asked, shaking his head when Draco merely shoved more into his mouth. He sighed in exasperation and slid a glass of orange juice towards the blonde. "Find anything in the files?" He asked, gesturing towards the chimera case that lay open beside the Slytherins elbow.

"Nothing concrete at the moment, but the Auror's did an awful job in grabbing information. Honestly, I think we should start our own investigation into this. We have a list of victims and relative people, and with you leading it I doubt they would argue." Draco shrugged his shoulders and stabbed a fork into the mess on his plate. "It is up to you, love. There isn't a lot of information with this case. I am shocked they even managed to find the ones they did bring in. I can also ask my lawyer what other measures we can put into place for safety, but I assume Kinglsey has it covered."

Harry sighed and nodded, nibbling on a piece of toast. "I think that would be a good idea. We should also put a tracking device on each other. Worse case scenario one of us gets taken, but at least we would know where the other is."

Draco hummed in agreement; brow creased in thought. "I could just add it to our bracelets since we never take them off. However, they are too easy to remove. I will try to create some sort of pseudo tattoo for tracking. Harder to find and harder to remove. Might hurt though." He winced at the thought of causing the Gryffindor pain.

"It is alright. I have dealt with pain enough to not make such a big deal of it. As long as you are the one putting it on, I wont mind." Harry smiled reassuringly towards the blonde, grabbing his glass to drink from as he watched Draco nod and close the file. "When should we start our questioning?" He asked, leaning on the table and snatching a piece of bacon from the Slytherins plate.

Draco scowled teasingly at the other man before he waved a hand, his expression pensive. "Let us wait until after the press conference. It is only a week and a half away and it will be easier for us to start questioning people about the chimera case if they are already familiar with us and pushing Dark Creatures rights."

Harry nodded at that, pursing his lips. "That sounds good." He took a bite from the apple slices on the edge of his plate, chewing before he paused. "About the conference. Is Rita Skeeter going to be there?"

"Of course, she will. However, I had my lawyer create a draft for a cease and desist." Draco smirked wickedly; eyes hard. "Since what she prints hurts my reputation, it is only fair that I use blackmail when I can. However, that is last resort. If she heeds the legal contract sent to her I wont have to lift a finger. Thing is though, I assume she will merely ignore it." He sighed and pushed his plate away. "That woman is vile, but she could be leveraged towards our advantage if we play this right."

"You know I suck at all that Slytherin stuff. I will trust you with it, so I don't have to do anything." Harry grinned at the blonde, waving his fork. "You are the sneakiest man I know. I very much doubt that Rita could get the upper hand on you."

"I am pleased by the confidence, love." Draco drawled, standing and grabbing their plates to put into the sink. "Now, I think we should leave the chimera case to rest until we can tell Granger. She would definitely be able to pick this apart."

Harry nodded at that, knowing how true that statement was. "That is fine. We are supposed to meet her tomorrow anyway. Ron said he couldn't make it since his mum is feeling a bit sick, but he sends his hello's." The Gryffindor stood and started walking towards his room, humming happily when Draco was quick to grab his hand.

"Well, I will send my well wishes to his mother. It is about time we end the bloody feud between Weasley's and Malfoy's. I have never truly understood why my father hated them so much. They aren't so bad once you get past all that red hair." Draco smirked, gesturing to his own head.

Harry smiled wide, pressing a kiss to the man's cheek. "You know, if you had said that to me two years ago, I would think that someone was Polyjuice as you. I know Ron was shocked when you actually greeted him the other day. You might just give him a heart attack if you aren't careful." He giggled at the thought, knowing that Draco and Ron wouldn't be friends, but he knew they would be cordial for his sake.

Draco sighed, expression a bit pained. "Yes, a heart attack would be nice. That way I wouldn't have to watch him eat." The blonde shuddered, disgusted. "The man really has to learn some table manners."

"Oh, don't worry. His mother has tried. It hasn't worked, even with Hermione breathing down his neck." Harry rolled his eyes and pushed his bedroom door open, falling into the large bed that sat in the middle of the room. "But go ahead, it would be amusing to watch you try to teach Ron how to eat with his mouth closed."

Draco snorted, falling beside Harry and gazing up at the ceiling. "I would never." He muttered, sighing and closing his eyes as he felt Harry shift and nuzzle into his neck. "Cuddles?" He asked, voice low. He kept his eyes closed as he wrapped an arm around the Gryffindors shoulder. Draco ran his fingers through Harry's hair, rubbing the strands together as he relaxed into the plush mattress.

"Actually…. can we do something else? Like kissing and stuff?" Harry whispered; voice colored with hesitation. He felt Draco freeze, the man's fingers slowly tightening in his hair. "Draco?" He glanced up, feeling heat slowly swell in his stomach at the intense desire that lay naked on the mans face. Without thought Harry sat up and reached towards his face, taking his glasses off and throwing them off to the side. He immediately leaned down and pressed his lips to the Slytherins, moaning when the other man quickly reached up and fisted his hair in both hands.

"Merlin, you are so fucking gorgeous." Draco muttered, pressing their mouths together roughly and savoring the low moan that left the Gryffindors mouth. "What do you want, love? Gentle? Rough? Do you want me to ruin you or just let you enjoy it?" He asked, growling low in the back of his throat. He blinked when Harry flushed and bent his head, the embarrassment and hesitation clear. "Harry?" He whispered, confused when the man didn't speak. "Everything alright?"

Harry nodded, biting his lip before glancing at Draco from underneath his lashes. "C-Could we do more? Maybe….?" He stuttered, timid. "I w-wouldn't mind if we went…. farther today." He chewed on his lip at the resulting silence, nervous to look up. "I would t-tell you when I w-want to stop." He chanced a glance up and gasped, the amount of heat in Draco's eyes making his arms weak. "C-Can we?"

"Of course, Harry." Draco lifted himself off the bed and rolled Harry under him, making sure that most of his body was more to the side so the Gryffindor wouldn't get anxious. "How far?" He asked, eyeing the mans flushed face.

Harry gnawed on his bottom lip, shifting restlessly. "T-Till the end?"

"The end?" Draco frowned, confused. "What…." He froze, eyes widening. "Until you orgasm?" He breathed, nearly choking when Harry nodded sharply. "Oh, Merlin." He moaned, quickly sitting up and pulling his shirt off. "Is it alright if I get on top? It will make this more comfortable for you."

Harry swallowed, nerves lighting up his back as he saw the primal hunger in the blonde's face. "T-That's fine…." He answered, gasping when Draco grabbed his legs and spread them. "Draco!" He yelped, startled. He moaned when Draco dropped between his legs, pressing him into the mattress. The regular surge of nervousness roared through him, but he wrestled it down. He didn't want anything to get in the way of what he knew would be an amazing experience.

"This alright?" Draco whispered, cheeks starting to flush a pretty pink. "Not to uncomfortable?"

Harry shivered and shook his head, the amount of care that the blonde had toward him mind boggling. "N-No, I am okay….." He answered, eyelids fluttering closed when Draco ran a hand up his shirt and stroked the skin of his side. "Oh, fuck."

"Tell me if you want to stop." Draco moaned, pressing his palm beside the Gryffindors head. He locked eyes with Harry before allowing his hand to go higher, his fingers brushing against the mans nipple. The Slytherin smirked at the resulting gasp, quickly rolling it between his fingers.

Harry twitched, the sharp pleasure from his chest startling. He shouldn't like this. He wasn't a woman after all, but Draco caused that thought to fly right out of his head. He gasped and grabbed the man's wrist with both hands, shifting against the bed as Draco scraped his nails around his nipple before pinching it roughly. "Fuck!" He mewled, squeezing the Slytherins wrist as pleasure caused him to tremble.

"You are so gorgeous like this, Harry. Makes me want to take you apart." Draco hummed, voice dark and shaking with desire. He stopped fondling Harry's chest and lifted his shirt, a question in his eyes as he paused and raised an eyebrow. "Can I?" He asked, waiting for the man to nod before he dropped his head and tugged on Harry's nipple with sharp teeth.

Harry gasped and arched slightly, feeling his cheeks heat as he stared down at the blonde head. His eyelids fluttered when Draco started sucking hickies into his chest, the feeling overwhelming. "Draco! Fuck!" He moaned, threading his fingers through the Slytherins hair and tugging whenever the pleasure edged to much with pain. He would never ask him to stop though, the feeling of being claimed with purple bruises causing something to swell in his chest.

"Pretty….." Draco whispered, barring his teeth up at Harry before running his nails down the man's side and shivering at the high keen that left the Gryffindors mouth. He slowly started to kiss a path down Harry's body, sucking and biting and claiming on his way down. He started to get rougher as he slid lower, the Gryffindors pants and moans music to his ears.

Harry trembled harshly, fists clenching the covers beneath him. He knew that doing things with Draco would be intense, but it was insane the amount of arousal that filled his body as Draco played with him. He felt his cock twitch when Draco bit his hip, his pelvis thrusting up in reaction. "Fuck! Please, Draco." He whimpered, glancing down at the blonde. He didn't know what he wanted, but he knew that the Slytherin would give it to him.

"Merlin, look at you. Already so hard…" He muttered, smirking sharply as he grabbed the band of Harrys pajama pants. "Is it alright if I take these off, love? I won't touch your underwear, but I don't want to rub you too roughly." He waited for long moments before Harry nodded, the Gryffindor covering his eyes with his arms. "Raise your hips."

Harry shivered and lifted up, feeling Draco slip his pants down his legs before tugging them off completely. He refused to look at the Slytherin, feeling like he was about to burst with nerves and raw desire. He paused when he felt the blonde get up, peeking out from beneath his arm and almost swallowing his tongue. Draco was standing near the edge of the bed, stripping his pants off and standing in only his underwear. "Holy shit." Harry breathed; his gaze locked on the very prominent bulge between the man's legs. "Oh, my fucking god." He trembled when Draco flashed a heated smile his way before climbing onto the bed. He moaned when the Slytherin ran rough palms up his legs, pushing them apart to settle between them. Harry nearly sobbed as their erections pressed together, his underwear beginning to become wet with pre-cum. "Draco!" He keened, becoming overwhelmed with desire.

"I got you, love." Draco growled, grabbing Harrys hips and lifting them to press their bodies more closely together. He groaned roughly, slowly beginning to thrust against the panting Gryffindor. He trembled when Harry dug his nails into his back, the spark between them more intense than it has ever been. "Fuck." He snarled, the pain shivering down his spine. He twitched his hips, slamming their pelvis together and bowing his head at the pleasure that raced through him.

"Oh, god!" Harry sobbed, voice high and trembling with need. He felt the blonde pick up speed, their bodies pressed tightly together. His legs fell open unconsciously, arching his back. "Feels so good!" He panted, his eyes rolling back when the blonde snarled and bit him harshly on his shoulder. "FUCK!"

Draco growled low, digging his teeth in a he rutted against Harry. He squeezed the man's hips and lifted him even higher, starting to get rough as Harry began to buck and claw at his back. He sucked on the bite mark that indented the Gryffindor's skin, purring as he eyed the bruise that started to bloom on his shoulder. "Beautiful." He quickly dipped his head and latched onto the mans nipple, rolling it with his tongue before tugging harshly with his teeth. He felt the shudder that tore through Harry, the man shifting restlessly under him.

"PLEASE! Please, please, please!" Harry chanted, voice gaining volume as the heat in his body started to spiral higher and higher. "Oh, Merlin!" He reached up and tugged hard on the Slytherins hair, the pleasure pain from the mans biting causing a wave of arousal to roar through him. He sobbed as Draco grabbed handfuls of his arse and ground down hard, their erections pressed roughly together. "Fuuuccckkkk!" Harry keened, head thrashing side to side. He felt tears prick at the edges of his eyes and he blushed, his body sensitive and high strung.

"Feeling good, love?" Draco purred, voice so low and rough that it sent a shiver down Harry's spine. "Gonna make you cum…." He muttered, gaze glassy as he locked eyes with the man under him. He picked up the pace as punched out moans started to leave the Gryffindors mouth, the wet spot between them growing as the air between their bodies grew hotter and hotter. "Fuck, baby. Want to see what you look like when you orgasm."

Harry shuddered hard, back arching and head thrown back and his legs snapping closed around the man's hips. Their bodies slid together roughly, the noise from their cocks rubbing together obscene as the fabric of their underwear clung tight. He cried out when Draco suddenly sat up and dug his nails in deep, the blonde gazing down at him.

Draco's pupils were blown wide, the blackness nearly drowning the brilliant blueish gray tints. His cheeks were flushed pink, hair in disarray and sweat beading down his neck. The sight alone caused Harry to mewl weakly and his hips to twitch, fisting the covers under him.

"Draco, holy fucking shit, please!" He moaned, the sound filled with naked want. He suddenly spread his legs wide and thrust up, eyes rolling back at the lash of pleasure. "Oh, gooddd." He panted, shuddering hard.

"Merlin, love. The sight of you is making me lose it." Draco snarled, rubbing hard and smirking when Harry keened. "Are you close?" He asked, humming in satisfaction when Harry frantically nodded and squeezed his eyes shut. "Wanna see it. Come on, baby."

Harsh pants left his mouth, chest heaving and flushed. Desire strummed though him and he began to tremble, the wave of ecstasy swelling before suddenly crashing down. He cried out loudly, tugging so hard on the covers that he heard the threads pop beneath his fingers. His thighs shook uncontrollably, his cock twitching. Harry heard Draco groan and he blinked his eyes open, gaze nearly blind as his orgasm slammed into him.

A long drawn-out moan left his throat at what he saw, his body continuing to tremble as the waves refused to recede, Draco rubbing them hard together as he reached his own climax. The mans head was thrown back, throat bared and back arched. His arms strained and chest heaved, a blush sitting high on his collarbones and sweat sliding down his skin. The Slytherin shuddered, eyelids fluttering and cock pulsing as the wet spot between them grew with their combined release.

Harry keened as he came down, panting and shivering. He gasped when Draco dropped him onto the mattress and slumped on top of him, biting back a moan as his over sensitive cock slid against Draco's. "Holy fucking shit, Draco." Harry muttered, feeling the desire from before beginning to slowly recede. "That was…..goddamn." He heard Draco chuckle but he didn't have the energy to respond, doing nothing but laying there and trying to get his breathing under control. "Fuck, that was amazing." He murmured, closing his eyes. He felt Draco sit up but he refused to move, to drained to even twitch. He heard a whispered spell and he sighed as the mess they caused was spelled away. The sweat on his body also disappeared, the cold air forcing a shiver to go up his spine.

"Come on, sweetheart. Move over. I think it is time to take a nap." Draco hummed, laughing as Harry groaned and halfheartedly rolled over. The Slytherin rolled his eyes and tugged the covers from beneath the unmoving Gryffindor, eyes shining with satisfaction at the state of the other man. "That good?" He asked, slipping beneath the covers and gathering Harry into his arms. He pulled the Gryffindor's shirt down from around his neck, nuzzling the mans throat with a purr.

Harry immediately popped up, staring down at the smirking blonde. "If I had the energy to hit you, I would. You know how bloody amazing it was." The Gryffindor slumped and allowed Draco to pull the covers over him. "I knew I was sensitive but fuck that was intense." He shivered, trying not to remember because than he would want to go again.

"I am glad you enjoyed it." Draco muttered; voice colored with pleasure. "I definitely did. You were a sight, lovely. All flushed skin and gorgeous moans…." He whispered, pressing a kiss against the top of the mans hair. "You are so beautiful, Harry mine." He purred, squeezing the Gryffindor in his arms. "I hope you weren't too anxious during all that."

Harry shook his head, glancing up and smiling. "No, I was completely fine. I doubt I would want to go any farther for a bit, but I definitely was not anxious. Nervous, sure." He shrugged and nuzzled into the Slytherins throat, ignoring the hot spark between them. "You make me feel safe." He whispered, pressing a kiss into the hollow of the blonde's neck. "Thank you for being so patient."

"You take all the time you need. There isn't a need to rush." Draco murmured, resting his head on his arm as he gazed up at the ceiling. "You are a treasure, and I don't want to make you feel like less than." He hummed and ran his fingers down the mans back, not even noticing the heat that trailed where he touched. "Now, take a nap." He shifted and settled deeper into the mattress, sighing when he heard Harry purr and wrap around him like a Devils Snare. "Rest, Harry."

Harry hummed and slowly relaxed, his eyes closing as he drifted off. The last thing he felt was Draco kiss his head, a smile stretching across his mouth as he fell into a light doze.

"Goodnight, Harry love."

O0O

Next day

Harry groaned, ready to smack his head into the table in front of him. He heard Draco chuckled and he almost growled, ignoring him instead. He heard camera shutters go off and he groaned again, not wanting to look up at the mass of reporters that were undoubtably standing outside the restaurant. "I hate this so much. Why couldn't we have had dinner at my place? This way we wouldn't have to deal with the annoying bugs that the Prophet sent." He muttered, sitting up and leaning back into his chair. He felt Draco squeeze his thigh under the safety of the table, a shiver working its way up his spine. Unbidden images from last night surfaced, causing him to flush and cough roughly into his hand.

"Alright, Harry?" Draco asked, not looking at the Gryffindor as his eyes traced lazily over the menu in front of him. "Do you know what you want? I am thinking of getting the duck. I have always liked it roasted, but it doesn't sound half bad the way they prepare it." Draco quirked an eyebrow, his expression flat and nearly lifeless.

Harry hated when the Slytherin put a mask on, but he knew that in public the blonde would never go without it. He sighed and shrugged, glancing at the door and waiting for Hermione and Kinglsey to join them. "I am not sure. Why don't you pick for me?" He smiled at the blonde, hearing a flurry of camera shots being taken from behind the wall of glass beside him. "You know what I like eating after all. Plus, I don't know what half of those words even mean." He gestured lamely towards the menu, hearing a soft snort leave the man.

"Alright, I think I can find something to your liking." He muttered, setting the laminated paper down and running a hand through his hair. "Now, whenever the other two decide to show, we should probably put up a silencing charm. Don't want to allow the wrong people to hear our conversation, now do we." He turned to the Gryffindor, the metal collar around his neck glinting softly.

Harry nodded and shifted closer to the Slytherin, ignoring the reporters as best he could. "Well, I know that we are going to bring up the case from yesterday to Hermione. Other than that, I suppose we should talk about the progress we are making with the bills." He huffed, resting his chin against his palm. He didn't notice when his sleeve fell, revealing the bracelet that lay snug against his wrist. "It is only a week away, after all."

Draco smirked; the expression miniscule. "Yes, I am excited about beating the reports into the ground." He growled, nearly baring his teeth. "I haven't had a reason to argue with them but passing these bills will give me an excuse to put them in their places." His eyes burned, mask still firmly in place.

Harry snorted and rolled his eyes, knowing how much the blonde hated reporters. After all, they had gone out of their way to tarnish the Slytherins reputation after the war. "I can't wait to see it." He smiled but paused when he heard a commotion from the front, knowing without looking that the Minister was walking into the restaurant. He was proved right when a large hand clapped down onto his shoulder, glancing up with a grin at the much larger man. "Hello, Kinglsey."

"Good afternoon, Harry." The Minister quickly took a seat at the table, nodding his head politely towards the Slytherin in front of him. "Hello, Draco. I take it you two weren't too harassed by the reporters outside." He raised an eyebrow, smirking when Harry nearly growled. "Well, they can't do much but stand there." He shrugged, glancing up and waving at Hermione as the woman walked towards them. "Good afternoon, Hermione."

Hermione grinned, sitting in-between the older man and Harry, scooting her chair close to the table. "Hello, everyone. Sorry I am a bit late, some of the first years tried to follow me out of the gates." She snorted and rolled her eyes, glancing over the menu before throwing it back onto the table.

Harry chuckled, nodding as their waiter set out cups of water. He saw Draco out of the corner of his eye tap his wand against the glass, the man humming when nothing happened. "Well, I am glad you got free. They are very determined when they want to be." He grabbed his glass and switched it with the blondes beside him, making sure the waiter saw it. "If only they were like that with classes, we wouldn't have so many doing summer school."

Hermione nodded, raising an eyebrow at the two men. She didn't comment on their antics, knowing the spell that the blonde had used was one to detect poisons. "Not any of my business. I am too busy to be too worried about them." She sipped from her own glass, chuckling when she saw Draco glance at Harry before sighing. "Anyways, lets order. I am starving."

The others agreed and quickly relayed their orders, the waiter nearly shaking in his shoes when he took the Slytherins order. They all found it very amusing, conversing quietly until their food arrived. Draco quickly waved his wand and set up a silencing charm around them before beginning to eat, not commenting on the snort that left Hermione.

"Well, I don't have any news for any of you at the moment. However, I would like to bring up the chimera case." Kinglsey sipped from his wine glass, sighing and leaning back in his chair. He quickly caught Hermione up to speed, quirking an eyebrow when the witch snarled.

"I swear, if I could get my hands on those Dark wizards…." She muttered, voice filled with anger. "There wouldn't be anything left for the Auror's to pick up." She stabbed a fork into her meat pie, smirking when Harry flinched.

"Well….." Kinglsey paused, clearing his throat a bit nervously. "I have all sorts of security ready to be dealt out when school starts again tomorrow. Nothing to tight, but there will be Auror's stationed outside the school." He bit into the fish on his plate, nodding to himself in satisfaction at the flavors. "The conference next week has also been covered. Past that we will play it by ear."

Harry hummed, sipping from his glass. "Sounds fine to me." He muttered, more focused on eating then the conversation. He already knew all the specifics and if he missed something the blonde would relay it to him later. He heard the Slytherin shift beside him, the man not speaking much as two in front of them began arguing over something or another. He felt a tap on his leg and he glanced up, smiling before he locked eyes with the Slytherin. "Yes?"

"If it isn't too much trouble, I would love to go to the apothecary after our luncheon is over."

Harry shrugged, scraping his plate clean. "Sure, I don't mind. I have nothing planned for us today." He hummed and finished off his water, sighing and smacking his lips together. "Can I ask why we are going?" He muttered, his eyes trailing down the blondes face absentmindedly.

"I need to gather some things for the tracking tattoo. If we use plants and ink instead of our wands it will be harder to find with magic and harder to remove." Draco tapped his mouth with a napkin and placed it on the table in front of him. "You can even choose a color if you want."

Harry grinned, leaning back in his chair. "White would be cool. Not yellow or orange though, it would clash with my skin color." He wrinkled his nose and smiled when the blonde chuckled. The two of them almost completely ignored the others that sat at their table, getting to invested in their own conversation. "It would be funny if I did green and you did red. You know, parading around our rival house colors would be hilarious."

"Red looks horrible with my complexion, Harry." Draco complained, tone bland except for the hint of amusement that only Harry could hear. "Now, white would be a thought. It would blend in pretty well with our skin tones. Make it harder for someone to find it at a glance." He pursed his lips, fingers fiddling with the empty glass in front of him. "We should definitely find a fitting place to put them though."

Harry nodded; expression thoughtful. "Does it matter where we put it?" He smiled as Draco shook his head, the blonde's hair shining under the overhead lights. "Well, definitely not on our lower back. I would prefer not to have a tramp stamp, thank you." He smirked when Draco choked back a laugh, eyes twinkling. "Shoulder, maybe?" He hummed and paused, about to make a dirty joke when he heard someone clear their throat in front of him. He blinked and whirled around, completely forgetting that Hermione and Kinglsey were sitting right there. "Yes?"

"You are getting a tattoo? Why?" Hermione asked, a crease forming on her brow. "This isn't some weird cult stuff, is it?"

Harry laughed and shook his head, leaning his arms against the table. "No, it isn't. Me and Draco are going to give each other tracking tattoos. Apparently, it is easier to use ink and potions than our wands." Harry shrugged, hair brushing against the collar on his neck. "It won't be permanent, mind you. However, it would be good for me and Draco to have if the chimera group manages to slip through security and somehow get to us."

Hermione nodded; eyes distant. "That is a good idea…." She muttered, her thoughts racing. "What potion would you use?" She asked, snapping to look at Draco. "I am guessing you will be the one to prepare all this?"

The Slytherin nodded, crossing his arms. "Nothing to fancy. It is just a simple potion that will allow me to place a magical signature into the tattoo itself. It will make it to where Harry would be able to find me by just concentrating on the mark. I will also have one placed on me with Harrys magical signature embedded into the ink."

"Why don't you use just a simple tracking charm?" Kinglsey asked, interested.

"It would be too easy to find and remove. It also doesn't go very far. Maybe a hundred meters at best. The tattoo could go several miles, maybe more. It will also be more difficult to find since it lays dormant unless activated." Draco waved his hand, shrugging. "In all honesty I want to make sure that someone couldn't just remove what I place on Harry, and vice versa. A tattoo that is made from plants and ink, will be much harder to eradicate than a simple tracking spell."

Kinglsey nodded, rubbing his chin. "Will it hurt?"

"Not much, since the ink will have a numbing agent in it."

"Well, I definitely approve." Kinglsey smiled, finishing off his glass of wine. "Now, I am sorry to cut this short, but I have a meeting to go to." He stood and waved at the three wizards that sat at the table, posture relaxed. "Ill see you all at the conference." With that he walked out of the restaurant and disappeared from sight.

Harry waved after him and stood, smiling at Hermione. "That is our cue to leave." He chuckled, pushing his chair in and waiting for Draco to step towards him. "Meet in the library tomorrow?" He asked, accepting the hug that Hermione shoved at him. "I'll see you later."

Hermione nodded and smirked, walking with them towards the door and disappearing.

Harry sighed and turned towards the blonde, ignoring the reporters who began to shout questions at them. "Want to walk there?" He smiled when Draco shook his head, the man's displeasure at being surrounded clear. "Sidelong?"

"Yes, please." The Slytherin thrust his arm out and waited for Harry to grab him before he twisted on the spot and left the rowdy group behind.

O0O

A few days later

Harry sighed and shifted the bag on his shoulder, walking quickly through the library towards his and Draco's hiding spot. He rounded the corner and paused, eyes widening as he saw Ginny leaning casually against the table and chatting with the statue like blonde.

"So, you can actually transfigure your hair into knives. You will literally never run out and honestly the shock factor is enough for anyone to pause." Ginny smirked; teeth bared. "I used it during the battle. It was pretty damn effective." She chuckled and crossed her arms.

"Well, I hate to say this, but you terrify me." Draco drawled, voice and expression bland. "I am glad I never truly got on your bad side. I would take your brother on any day if it means I won't bump into you."

Harry stared at the two, dumbfounded. He heard Ginny chuckle and he quickly made his way over, not liking them meeting. It wouldn't go over well if the two joined forces. The Gryffindor's violence and the Slytherins cunning combined would be to much for Harry's health. "What the hell are you two doing?" He asked, throwing his bag onto the floor and dropping into the seat besides Draco.

Ginny shrugged, smirking. "Oh, nothing. I was going to come over to catch up with you, but Draco got here first. I didn't want to just stand here so I started to talk to him about fighting and the like." She pushed herself off the table and stood, laughing when Harry paled. "Don't worry, Harry dear. We won't be taking over Hogwarts."

"I think the Ministry would be better suited, honestly."

"Draco!" Harry snapped, not wanting to give the redhead any ideas. "You, shut your mouth." He pointed at the blonde before whirling around towards the other Gryffindor. "You, leave now or I will tell Luna what you did to Neville." He threatened, watching in satisfaction as the woman frowned.

"You wouldn't."

"I would." Harry smirked and laughed when Ginny grumbled and walked quickly away. He knew the redhead would get him back, but he would be worried about that later. He sighed and slumped forward, shivering when he felt the blonde rub his neck with the pads of his fingers. The resulting spark between them was largely ignored, the two of them getting better at not reacting to it. "I can't believe you two had a conversation without fists flying." He grumbled, growling when Draco laughed. "Oh, hush you. That woman scares me."

"I don't blame you at all. The way she describes violence is unsettling." Draco hummed, squeezing the man's neck. "Now, do you want to head to our room?" He asked, smiling when Harry shot up. "I am taking that as a yes then?" He drawled, laughing when Harry grabbed his bag and started to push him to get up. "Alright, I am going!" The two quickly headed towards their room, ignoring the people around them who even now continued to whisper behind their backs.

Harry frowned at them and rolled his eyes, rushing through the Seventh-year portrait and making a beeline towards his bedroom. "I can't wait to graduate." He grumbled, hearing the blonde snort behind him as they both entered his room. He groaned and threw himself onto the bed, his bag dropping to the floor.

"You are so dramatic, Harry mine." Draco muttered, placing his bag into the chair at the desk and taking a seat on the mattress. He kicked off his shoes and shrugged his robes off before laying back. "I almost finished the potion by the way. We can do it this Friday night when we head to the Black residence."

Harry hummed and lifted his head, glancing at Draco from the corner of his eye. "That sounds fine to me. What do the designs look like?" He asked, rolling onto his back and sitting up. He tucked his feet under him and grabbed a pillow, hugging it against his chest as Draco straightened.

"Have any paper I can use? I left the sketches in my room. It isn't too difficult to draw." The Slytherin started to rummage through Harry's desk, suddenly pausing.

Harry frowned, wondering what caught the blonde's attention when he realized his list from before was held between the Slytherins fingers. He gasped and went to lurch forwards, not wanting the man to read it. It wasn't embarrassing, however Harry still felt himself getting defensive. "Give me that!"

Draco easily avoided the Gryffindors hands, eyebrows raised as his eyes quickly scanned down the small piece of parchment. "Harry…..what is this?" He asked, turning to look at the man beside him. He handed the paper back to the Gryffindor, confusion filling his deep, clear water eyes.

Harry stilled, anxiety crawling up his throat before he pushed it to the side. "It's nothing…." He muttered, staring at the paper that was clenched in his fist. "It was just something I did when I first started to interact with you." He sighed and threw the parchment onto his desk. "I wanted to see what would make you more aware. When I realized heat did I kind of completely forgot about the list in favor of getting to know you." He murmured, voice soft and nervous. He started to squeeze his fingers tightly, head bowed. "It doesn't matter….." Harry whispered, startled when Draco suddenly reached forward and pulled him closer.

"It does matter. I am happy you even put in a little bit of effort for me." He growled, eyes dark. He gently ran his hands down the Gryffindors clothed back, smirking when Harry shivered. "Now, I have half a mind to absolutely devour you." He snarled, digging his nails into the other man's thighs. "Can I?"

Harry hesitated before nodding, yelping when Draco threw him onto the bed. Well, I am not going anywhere. He thought before his thoughts completely ceased to exist. The only thing that mattered was Draco in that moment. The blonde made good on his promise, the room filling with moans and gasps as the sun began to set outside the curtained window.

O0O

OMFG! It has been a while...as in a few months! So sorry for the late update but i made sure it was long and somewhat spicy! I was actually moving and getting a promotion for work so i was very busy! However, I know have plenty of time to type in my new home! I was very excited about it honestly~ I hope you like this update. After this we will get more into plot and more anxiety stuff and nightmares so far warning. This will be a slow burn as well, however i will add plenty of steamy scenes to build up to that! Let me know what you guys think~ I really do enjoy reading the reviews you guys leave behind! Love ya'll