Draco shivered and curled closer to the warmth beside him.

He heard a sleepy groan and a arm pull him closer, so he wrapped his tail around Pup as best he could.

The morning was nippy, but Draco was oblivious. Though he did worry for Pup's back, said boy had felt the need to have his back to the opening of the cave. It made Draco feel equally protected and annoyed. He'd figure out what these emotions meant...later.

So, with one other glance to the sleepy boy, he nuzzled closer, for warmth, he swore, and fell back asleep.

Opening silver eyes, Draco lifted his head, hearing papers move under him.

'Oh...yeah. I was in the library.' He thought, the spring sun warming his back. A chill ran down his spine, the memory from his dream still fresh.

He startled, hearing some fangirls screaming about Harry Potter and whatever he had done recently.

Two years later and he still couldn't get Potter to leave him alone completely, now he thought of it. Oh, they fought and often.

Often, being the problem.

At first it was easy, to be cruel and belittle those who flocked to Harry.

But as time went on, specifically the current year, it turned to more...banter.

He knew Harry was sweet, for Salazar's sake he witnessed it on many occasions. He had a hero complex that honestly...pissed Draco off more than anything.

Wait. Correction, it was the little Weaslette that made him pissed more than anything. The way she chased and clung to Potter, the way she acted like a lost puppy always getting under foot. Oh, don't get him wrong, he wasn't jealous. He was just...

Draco began to feel restless. His tail twitched and he could feel the urge to jump out of his skin.

Glancing to see the weather, wanting to enjoy fresh air away from others, he set towards the greenhouse.

When he entered, Longbottom was there, tending to some of the greenery.

Draco raised a brow. "Longbottom."

The rabbit nearly jumped through the roof as he turned to see who was talking. Draco wasn't sure how he felt at the fact the rabbit relaxed.

"Uh, y-yes, Malfoy?" He stuttered.

'What a nervous nelly.' Draco thought. "I need some of that whomping willow crack. You know, I used it a few weeks ago on the thing." He put his palm up, moving his fingers in a 'gimme' motion.

He saw Longbottom put down the watering can and rummage around, looking for what Draco wanted. "Y-you know we aren't allowed near it though. You're gonna risk losing points?"

Longbottom asked, his voice cracking.

Draco rolled his eyes. "That's why I have you to give me that stuff. Tattle on me if you want, but I assure you, there will be consequences for it."

Longbottom didn't say much after that, but he did find the weed killer container that held what Draco wanted. With that and a wave goodbye, Draco left towards the willow.

He sprayed enough where he could climb up on one of its swaying branches. It was quiet, almost relaxing unlike the energy back at the main castle. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes.

Being up high, not riding a broom or worrying about others seeing, was nice.

His eyes open when he heard footsteps approaching. Looking down, he sneered.

"Potter. What are you doing out here? Meeting up with a girlfriend?"

His tail began to beat irritatedly.

Harry held something in his hands and Draco prepared for a prank.

Harry approached and got close enough where the sun reflected off his glasses.

"No, actually, you asshole. I...wanted to talk to you."

Draco sighed. "How did you even find me? You stalking me? That's illegal, you know. Oh, what would everyone think? Their precious Harry Potter being arrested for stalking a Malfoy. What would the papers say?" He paused his taunting to think and frowned. "Actually scratch the paper idea. They'd take your side. Probably accuse me of threatening you...ha! What a joke."

Draco was only a bit aware he was rambling. But Harry, ever so patient, let him ramble. Oh, he hated it.

He noticed the look on Harry's face. From the distance, and lack of eye visual, he wasn't sure if he was pitying him or was concerned.

"Here. I noticed you haven't been at the main hall. Thought... maybe you'd be hungry." Harry held up a treacle tart. "Wanna come down?"

Harry waved the tart and Draco rolled his eyes, trying his best not to smile.

He just looked at Harry, a odd sense of familiarity to it. One he didn't want to acknowledge.

"Sorry, Potter, no luck. I'm carnivorous, if you didn't know. Sweets are for children and your teeth will rot. So no, I'm not coming down."

Harry grinned at him, almost triumphantly. "Well, good for me, I'm not that dumb." Behind his back he brought out fish fillets, sashimi style.

Draco tried hiding a blush.

"Stupid Potter."

Harry reminded him so much of Pup. It made him let his guard down.

Draco sighed, still smirking. It seemed...two years of attempting to make Harry Potter his enemy, was a pipe dream when he reminded Draco of those little pleasures.

He wasn't about to give in yet, but he wasn't as anger ridden as he was with the initial shock of seeing someone look so much like Pup.

A memory stung at his heart, of he and Pup eating under a tree, Draco even trying to show Pup civility by doing a makeshift dinner table made from a log and forcing Pup to sit at it. His scar burned and his belly felt warm.

Harry tilted his head to hear what Draco said.

Draco hadn't realized he let himself grin. It was quickly wiped away when he felt the branches moving more actively. The tree groaned in protest. He clung to the branch he was on tightly, he had realized quickly how dumb it was of him to climb to one of the higher branches.

Ever since his tail became crooked, his balance wasn't the most graceful.

"Just another thing to add to the growing list of disappointments you've brought."

His father's voice droned in his mind.

"Malfoy, just stay there, I'm coming!" Harry yelled.

He set the food down began to run towards Draco.

Though he heard what Harry said, Draco didn't want that.

His heart was hammering in his chest. He pried his eyes open, though it was hard with the wind surrounding him, making it hard to hear and see.

He saw Harry dodge large club-like branch after branch, a few times having close calls to a branch hitting his side or his head.

It was the close calls that fueled Draco's impulses.

He struggled to hold on and reach for his wand.

Once he wrapped his fingers on it, his body let go of the branch. He tumbled when he landed back on the grassy earth but he saw the willow building momentum.

Harry must've noticed he was back on the ground because he was trying to dodge the branches to get out, instead of in.

Draco couldn't breathe a breath of relief yet.

Something inside was screaming, warning, but he couldn't name it.

As he tried making his way towards the outer parts of the tree, he was yelling the spell Arresto Momentum to try and slow the rabidly acceleration of the aggressive branches.

Draco saw an opening where he could escape unharmed, but it was the opposite direction of Harry.

His Slytherin instincts told him to take it.

He scrunched his brows, frustrated he was about to do the same thing he had tried to 6 years ago.

He ran as fast and agile as he could, which was oddly a tough time, he almost twisted his ankle a couple times.

He felt like screaming, Harry had stopped to see what Draco was doing, not watching his own skin.

'Stupid! Gryffindor!' Draco yelled in his mind.

He tried pushing himself off the ground into a tackle, to tackle Harry to the ground before the branch that was headed towards his back, as he was distracted watching Draco-for some reason Draco wasn't privy to- but the trick wasn't as fluid as it was in his panicked mind as his shoulder collided with Harry, trying to make him fall, only to feel like he ran into a brick wall!

'What is this guy made out of?!'

But Harry did tumble back from trying to twist their bodies away from the branches and not being able to move his feet right.

Harry wrapped his arms around Draco, his legs trapping Draco's between his own. They fell back, tumbling down the side towards the rocks.

They stopped with a loud "oof" and a hiss of pain from Harry under him, the idiotic Gryffindor using himself as Draco's pillow to land on.

They both tried catching their breaths, the willow above calming now that the intruders were away.

Draco recovered first, sitting up quickly to inspect Harry who's face was scrunched into a grimace. He didn't seem to have any broken bones, but he went to lift Harry's head, the other in too much pain to comply.

That wouldn't do.

"Harry...lift your fucking head before I bash it in."

Draco's voice was calm, a simmering fury beneath it. His hands trembled and he tried getting them under control.

Harry opened his eyes, his glasses cracked but most likely by magic, still on his face. He hissed in pain as Draco used one hand to lift his head, the other reaching behind to feel for bumps.

He tried being gentle.

He felt something wet but his nose wasn't good enough to smell it. He hoped it was water, but pulling his hand back, he saw some blood. Harry wasn't bleeding bad, but it was enough to send Draco panicking again.

To his disbelief, Harry looked and just chuckled. "I'm fine. No need to throw yourself at me, Malfoy."

Draco realized. Fucker was trying to be funny. Not wanting to let Harry's head bang against the rock, he set his head back down, Harry lifting it himself.

He knew he was shaking. He hoped Harry didn't feel it.

Harry should've kept his head down, because Draco smacked him. Hard.

Harry glared at him for it. "What the fuck, Malfoy?"

Draco grasped Harry's shirt, pulling him close, his ears pinned back, tip of his tail lashing fast. "How dare you! You listen here, Potter! I'm NOT a Gryffindor. I DON'T enjoy thrill seeking and not caring for my safety. So unless you want to piss me off more, I suggest you quit making jokes and go see Madame Pomphrey."

He got up off Harry as quick as he could, trying not to breathe quickly and stalked over, up onto the hill, waiting till he saw Harry move and get up.

He went to the food and picked it up. Even the fucking treacle tart. Harry didn't deserve it now.

He heard him near and turned, fixing the reckless Gryffindor with another glare.

"I'm taking this, as well as the treacle tart. You don't deserve it."

With that and before he broke into tears, Draco left back towards the castle.

Maybe his years of hiding the hurt behind anger was a benefit.

Draco held his head up high, he knew his bitch face was in full mode as he walked through the castle grounds and inside, passed many students and even teachers and ghosts.

He didn't even care that he looked like he got in a fight with the greenhouse and he still had Harry's blood on his hands.

When he opened the door to the dungeons, the Slytherin dormitory, he spotted Blaise and the honorary Slytherin Longbottom, both sitting on the couch, Blaise listening to whatever the rabbit said.

Blaise was the one to turn his head first, his lion tail flicking lazily. He raised a brow. "What happened to you? Wait. Let me guess." He grinned, trying to be funny and not picking up on Draco's mood. "It was Potter, right?"

Draco went over and placed the food in front of them. He glared at Blaise. "Hardy har, Zabini. You're a right on psychic. Honestly I don't know what Longbottom here sees in you. Here. Have at it. I'm not hungry."

He turned to retreat to his bed but Neville stopped him. "Harry brought them to you right? I'll put them in Blaise's fridge. Which he won't touch right?" The question was directed at Blaise, who rolled his eyes and did a 'eh' motion with his hand.

Draco gave a quirk of his lip. "Suit yourself. I'm taking a shower."

"Ahh. I wouldn't. At least not in the dorm ones. Both are in use." Blaise added, not even looking at Draco. He pulled on Neville's ears.

Draco rolled his eyes. 'Just my luck.' "I'll wait then. Oh. Longbottom."

Neville looked. "Will you make sure to ask Ha-Potter if he went to see Madame Pomphrey? Please. And...thank you."

He left it at that, both other boys shocked beyond belief.

Upon getting on his bed, he rolled himself in the thick fluffy comforter. Here. Here is one place he can be whoever, whatever, doesn't have to be proper or anything. He didn't feel like crying anymore, but he did look at the now dried blood on his hands. A strange feeling went through him.

Harry usually pissed him off. But it was usually with words, defensive gestures, or simply doing something that made Draco more irritable. Things like today were a newer thing. Not the end of it, but the beginning. The peace offering and gentle smile. The lukewarm snarkiness with no bite.

He lightly touched his claim bite. He sighed, a gentle, sad smile. A spark of a memory made him chuckle.

It was silly, how much he thinks Pup would've been like Harry.

He really had no chance of trying to stay enemies with Harry, did he?

A week later and he still hadn't seen Harry. It was breakfast time in the main hall. Pansy traded spots with him so he could glance over at the Gryffindor table without being too obvious.

He had even asked Longbottom about if Harry did go to Madame Pomphrey and he had told Draco, Harry did, though he wasn't happy about it especially after the scolding she'd given him.

Draco had to hide the grin at the imagery and try to not laugh. Maybe this should be how he torments Potter? It'd be entertaining.

He turned his head when he heard the doors open to reveal Harry and his two pals walking in. He couldn't hear what they were saying over all the noise, but he didn't get far in his observing before the Weaslette appeared and seemed to be scolding Harry.

She hit her palm against his forehead, it was getting heated on her end, whatever it was. Draco stiffened though when he saw the muscle in Harry's jaw clench as he tried smiling at her to obviously placate her.

Draco's hand twitched as he fought the urge to walk over. Like it was okay to do so. When really, it wasn't.

He felt Pansy, a Vixen, pat his hand, trying to reassure him, like she knew what was going through his head.

An owl landed next to him, when the mail came, and he grasped the letter. It was fancy and it had his first name. The name on the back was his father's. Sighing and looking around to make sure no one was paying attention, Draco opened the letter, not liking the feeling of dread in his belly.

It seemed he was right to feel so. His father had sent a notice that he should find someone suitable to go over his claim mark, since the one who did is either dead or abandoned him.

It said...it would bring Draco's dignity back. That he would be "mature" enough to go through with it.

His father only sent a letter because it meant he was giving Draco a chance to find someone at Hogwarts first.

His father, he swore, seemed to think Draco older than he was.

He swore it felt like the claim mark was searing into him. Narrowing his eyes, he ripped the letter. He ripped and ripped it until he couldn't anymore, the pieces too small.

His head shot up when he heard the Headmaster begin to speak. As Dumbledore said his usual good mornings, Draco had half a mind to zone it out. He wanted to claw at his mark. He needed reassurance from it.

He noticed Dumbledore call someone up to introduce themselves. Most likely a new DADA professor.

Draco's body felt like it was drenched with ice, when the man who was covered in scars, a wolf's tail and ears, a few chips in them, introduced himself as Remus Lupin.

He was their new professor.

Draco didn't let anything show other than disinterest, though on the inside his heart was bearing so fast it hurt.

He had to wonder. Is it the same Lupin who's married to a Black? Or is this a different Lupin?

He swallowed the lump in his throat. But...he couldn't just outright ask without it raising suspicions. If he were Granger or someone like her, he could.

But not when his family were known for being ancient prudes and borderline blood purists.

His eyes caught a hold of Harry. He swore he could feel happiness radiating off the Gryffindor. But, how could he, when Harry wasn't even aware Draco was looking at him?