Hogwarts

Draco was now sitting in Headmaster's Dumbledore's office after refusing to leave Harry to him. It was half wanting to be there for Harry and half self preservation- he didn't want to have to deal with Snape's arguing. Even after being in Dumbledore's office several times- he was still a rebel, even though he had to babysit a boy- it still freaked him out quite a bit. Everything in the office seemed to peer directly into his soul, especially the phoenix perched above Dumbledore's chair. And Dumbledore himself. Draco had never liked him, his father loathed him, but knowing Harry's personality, he was sure to be enthralled with Dumbledore's habit to leave out everything important.

Draco had also dealt with the lovely nature of Dumbledore, especially when he was first asked to sign a contract to do something 'top secret' as Draco had called it when he was eleven- just to get half-answers about what he was doing until he was about sixteen. That was when he found out Harry was still alive. Draco had never thought too hard why he was being given extra time to learn powerful magic, a Slytherin never questions their own gifts or privileges. So when he found out he was going to possibly enter a blood bond with the boy he had thought about endlessly ever since his father had first told him about it? It had caused him to think more deeply on why he found him quite so interesting.

The bloke in question was staring with half-concealed wonder at the phoenix, who seemed to like him way more than he ever liked Draco. Which wasn't a surprise, animals always hated Draco. The fact that Harry caused even a defensive phoenix to stare at him with interest should cause anger in Draco, and it did- Draco wasn't that secure in himself- but it also caused another emotion Draco liked to kick down with his expensive black loafers. He subconsciously moved closer in his chair to Harry when the phoenix batted his wings when Dumbledore raised his voice a little. That was another thing about the relationship between Draco and his headmaster- he hardly ever listened.

Draco looked back at Dumbledore slowly to see if he was talking to him. Dumbledore was staring at him as he was talking to Harry, as if expecting Draco to reveal all secrecy. He had that manipulative look in his eyes that many students thought was because he was nice, but if you asked Draco, that sparkle in his eyes was to convince you he wasn't using you for something or other. Draco almost shivered when he thought about the last time Dumbledore tried to 'relate' with him on some level. But, Draco attempted to at least try to listen to some part of the conversation as he didn't want to be made fun of for not listening later by Harry.

And that's when he realized why he wasn't listening in the first place. Dumbledore was telling him more about his past, his past family, and it made his fists clench. But Harry never asked Draco to leave, and that made Draco selfishly feel better. Draco wanted to tell Dumbledore to stop, but he knew it would be better to hear from someone much older. Even if Draco questioned Dumbledore's intentions... the man could talk. Harry's face betrayed his emotions, but he said that he still had no memory of his old family. Dumbledore replied that it was perhaps because he refused to remember. Draco wished he didn't have to.

Harry's house

When Draco had to face the consequences of his actions and take Harry home, he was so ready for another inconvenience that he already memorized the necessary healing spells if Harry or him got splinched on the apparation back to his neighborhood. Surprisingly, Dumbledore said nothing about apparating Harry in the first place, even though Harry had so much untapped power it could easily splinch one of them if it went wrong. Maybe he was stupid enough to trust the power of love. Maybe he just thought Draco was smart enough in his training. No, it was definitely the former.

"Are you all in one piece?" Draco asked as they landed in the same spot Draco did when he first apparated outside Harry's school. Harry didn't seem to notice he had taken this route, or hadn't questioned it. Harry's car was waiting for them, and Draco prayed to Merlin himself that no one questioned stray cars around here. "Yes. Even though we ended up getting... yelled at, I still enjoyed it." Harry said awkwardly, sounding like Draco had taken him out on a date. Don't blush don't blush don't blush Draco screamed internally as he felt his cheeks redden anyways. Damned pale skin. He hoped it was too dark to notice.

Draco started off towards Harry's car with a tight nod hurriedly. Harry ran after him, way too fast for someone who was wearing robes that were way too big for him. "Wait." He called out, even though Draco didn't think he had even made that much distance. Deciding to humor the prat, he turned around, his blush now thankfully gone by now. "Thanks for not leaving me alone in there as well. I'm used to being alone." Harry admitted. Merlin's pants. Draco couldn't do this. He couldn't comfort the boy he'd grown up simultaneously hating and loving. Who he'd now had way more than platonic feelings for. "It was nothing, really."

"I know... I just wish we could go to Hogwarts together. Without... him." Draco's heart quickened and Draco cursed it. Harry was obviously just being nice, and Draco had to go and get romantically attached to him like some pervert. He really needed to meet other Hogwarts boys, even if it was Weasley, Draco decided. Harry needed a better friend than someone who found himself staring into his eyes more than actually listening to him. As Draco found himself sweating in the winter air, Harry kept on talking. "I wonder what'd house I'd be in. You're Slytherin, so I'd probably be the opposite of that..." Harry joked with a smile.

Draco didn't realize it was a joke and stared at him intensely for a moment. He then opened the door to the car so Harry could change out of his robes without Draco's lecherous arse watching. "Right. You should go change. I don't want you to crumple up my robes." Draco tried, before looking off into the other direction. Harry just got closer to him. "What's wrong? Did what happened to me scare you off that much?" Harry asked, looking more disappointed than Draco ever wanted to see him. Draco wanted to say something, really, but Harry's face was a bit too close to his, and what would it do if Draco wasn't to kiss him for it?

TBC -