I've finally moved house so I had time to post this!
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Harry felt Draco shift in his arms but continued reading, absorbed in the book. He hadn't expected to enjoy it so much since it was about his most hated subject – potions. Harry had rolled his eyes when he found out that the contents of the bookcase was mostly about potions and history. Draco had definitely created this room. The small book was about the history of the preparation of potion ingredients. It was heavily autobiographical and the writer, a potions master who had changed a lot of the ways ingredients were prepared nowadays, had a nice writing style. It included very interesting anecdotes about his travels and family. Harry was so absorbed that he jumped when Draco spoke.
"Why did you keep my watch for so long?" Harry huffed. He'd really thought Draco would have accepted his answer and moved on by now.
"I told you. I forgot I had it and couldn't find the right time to give it back." Harry kept his eyes on the book.
"I don't believe you." Harry sighed.
"Why?"
"Because I can feel your heartbeat." Harry groaned inwardly. Draco's hand had been settled over his heart since he'd sat down and was still there to feel the way Harry's heart had jumped at the question. Harry used his free hand to pull the book from where it was enchanted to float in front of his face and set it down beside him. Draco uncurled himself, leaning back and supporting his body with his hands, to look at Harry smugly. Harry rubbed a hand over his face.
"You're going to think I'm insane."
"I already do." Harry glared at him. Draco's mouth quirked up in a smile. Harry sighed.
"I liked that it smelled like you and I didn't want to give it back immediately."
"is that it?" Draco asked, on eyebrow raised. Harry frowned.
"uh, yes?" Draco snorted.
"Why are you such a drama queen?"
"you are calling me a drama queen?" Harry said incredulously. "and why don't you think it's weird?"
"Smell is the sense most strongly linked to memory. You probably wanted to remember we weren't fighting," Draco explained with a shrug, as if it was the simplest, most normal thing in the world. Harry felt relived with this explanation.
"That, or you're still completely obsessed with me," Draco teased and harry shoved him off his lap. The Slytherin yelped and glared at him. Harry laughed at the crumpled man, thinking that he'd ever seen Draco ever look this graceless. Even in the midst of the war he was pristine and elegant. Minus the bathroom debacle, Harry didn't think he'd ever seen him with a hair out of place. Affection for the blond, with his hair tangled and the few clothes he was wearing rumpled, bubbled up inside of him. Draco picked himself up, huffed, and smoothed himself out.
"It's nearly lunch time. Would you like me to get us some food from the kitchens?" Harry offered. Draco shook his head.
"I want to go with you. But first we need to go to my dormitory. I'm not spending the day in dirty clothes." Harry rolled his eyes. They both got dressed, Draco more reluctantly, and got ready to leave. Harry was thankful for Draco's sake that it was still class time. He was also a bit selfishly pleased no one could steal Draco away from him just yet.
Harry waited in the Slytherin common room, his mind taking him back to second year when he and Ron first went in. He snooped around the place a bit, since Draco was taking forever, looking in bookcases and staring into the dark lake outside. He supposed the rippling of the water and the gentle bubbling was calming but he definitely preferred being in the tower. Harry jumped a mile when Draco spoke from behind him.
"I left a note for Blaise saying I'm okay."
"You took your time," Harry replied to Draco's reflection in the glass. He could see why, though. Draco was his usual perfect self. Harry looked to the stretched jumper and wrinkled jeans in his own reflection. He shrugged a shoulder. At least in his clothes he could sit down without worrying about them getting messed up. He turned to the Slytherin. "let's go, then."
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Sorry this is short! The next chapter is very very exciting and I needed to perfect it first but you guys have waited long enough for an update so here is a little bit to keep you going.