Draco sat between Neville and Hermione for the Quidditch match between Gryffindor and Slytherin. A few Gryffindors gave him odd looks, but most took little notice. They'd grown accustomed to seeing Harry and Draco together and the knowledge of the pair's courting had caused very little fuss among the lions.
"Do you miss playing?" Neville asked, looking toward the changing rooms as they waited for the players to appear.
"A bit," Draco said. "Harry and I come out to chase the snitch sometimes. It's not quite the same, but it's nice."
"How are you two doing?" Hermione asked, placing her book in her lap. She'd promised Ron that she'd actually watch the game.
"Why aren't you asking Harry that?" Draco asked.
"I'd like to hear your perspective," Hermione shrugged.
Draco nodded, looking toward the changing rooms. "I think it's going well," he mused. "We argue a lot. But we seem to work things out well enough. I get so frustrated with him sometimes," he admitted with a frown.
"What for?" Neville asked.
"He's so stubborn," Draco explained, shaking his head. "And overprotective. He doesn't need to worry about me so much. He's got this compulsion to save everyone at the expense of himself and it makes me want to strangle him sometimes," he concluded with a huff.
Neville chuckled. "That's Harry," he agreed with a fond smile. "But it's also something to be admired. You've got to love that big heart. And you're lucky enough to have him wrapped around your finger," Neville noted, giving Draco a knowing smile.
"Nobody loves like Harry," Hermione agreed. She was pleased when she saw Draco blush and look down at his hands.
The players soon hurried onto the pitch and the game started. Draco's eyes stayed mostly on Harry. He was glad that he'd only recently realized that Harry had a rather spectacular bum. It was distracting. Now that they were together, Draco had no qualms about eyeing Harry's form. Really, it would be a shame not to.
"Shut up Granger," Draco grumbled when he saw her watching him with a smirk.
"I didn't say anything," Hermione giggled.
The two teams were fairly evenly matched. Harry circled above the other players, his eyes scanning for the snitch. Bludgers zoomed back and forth, knocked about by the beaters.
Harry made a sudden dive and the crowd gasped. Draco could finally see the snitch, and Harry was rapidly closing in on it.
And then there was an explosion.
One of the bludgers had slammed into Ginny's side and then exploded as it sped away. Harry zoomed toward her, the snitch forgotten. In the next moment, the second bludger collided with the back of Harry's head and he fell limply from his broom.
Hermione was casting spells feverishly, slowing the falls of her wounded friends. Draco was momentarily paralyzed with horrified shock. And then he was pushing people aside in his frenzied rush to get to Harry. Neville and Hermione were close on his heels.
Ginny was laying on her side, clutching her ribs and gasping for breath through her tears. Harry was lying in a pool of blood, his face pale and unmoving. Draco made to lunge for Harry but was stopped when a pair of arms wrapped around him firmly.
"You've got to let Madam Pomfrey take care of him," Ron growled, not loosening his grip on the squirming blond. "Draco!" he snapped, startling Draco into stillness. Ron had never used his first name before. "Let her fix him up. You'll only be in the way."
Ron felt his throat tighten when Draco's knees buckled. Ron crouched on the ground, keeping Draco in a firm embrace. "This can't be happening," Draco whispered, his gray eyes following Poppy's frantic wand movements. "Harry can't... I just got him!" Draco cried.
"I know," Ron said tiredly. "Just be calm." He glanced over at Neville. "How's Ginny?"
Neville watched McGonagall levitating Ginny off of the pitch before turning to Ron. "A lot of bruising and two broken ribs," he said. "She'll recover. It could have been much worse."
Ron lifted one shaky hand to cover his eyes. He heaved a sigh of relief. His little sister would be alright. As for his adoptive brother...
"How is he?" Hermione asked, her voice tearful.
"I need to get him to the hospital wing," Poppy muttered. "Miss Granger, if you would levitate him..."
Hermione hurried to comply, levitating Harry's body easily. Poppy continued with her spells as they made their way toward the castle. McGonagall followed, levitating Ginny.
"Come now," Flitwick said quietly, urging Draco and Ron to their feet. "I'll be sure that you are notified when Mr. Potter can have visitors."
"Thank you," Draco murmured, standing up and smoothing down his robes. He quickly masked his emotions behind an indifferent expression, motioning imperiously for Ron to lead the way. Seamus and Dean met up with them and wisely didn't comment on Draco's stony expression.
Ron silently led the way through the common room and up to the dorm room. Once there, Ron turned to Draco while Neville closed the door.
"So what do we do now?" Dean asked, sounding shaken.
"We wait for an update," Neville said hoarsely. "Are you two alright?" he asked, looking between Ron and Draco.
Ron shook his head while Draco whispered "No."
Neville nodded and stepped up to wrap an arm around each of them. He pulled them close to himself and hugged them. Dean and Seamus moved to stand behind Ron and Draco, joining in on the hug.
"We're not going to lose Harry," Neville choked out. "He'll pull through this. He always does."
For long moments, nothing else was said. The five young men simply stood together and comforted one another. It made Draco miss Harry every more.
They looked up when the door opened. Hermione walked in, her face pale and her eyes red.
"How is he?" Ron asked anxiously.
Hermione hesitated. "It's bad," she admitted. "But Madam Pomfrey feels confident that she can fix it. A healer from Saint Mungos is coming as well." She bit her lip, tears welling in her eyes. "The bludger cracked Harry's skull. He's got a concussion and some bleeding around his brain."
Draco shuddered, suddenly nauseous.
"Let's sit you down," Ron said when he caught a glimpse of Draco's face.
"No, I-" Draco swallowed hard, his eyes dropping to the ground. "I think I'm going to go rest. Let me know when you hear something." He moved toward the door stiffly.
"You could wait with us," Ron suggested.
"That's alright," Draco responded with a little shake of his head.
"Please," Ron said earnestly. "Harry isn't here to look after you..."
"I don't need to be looked after," Draco snapped, keeping his back to the group.
Ron grimaced. "No, but Harry wouldn't want you to be alone," he said quietly. "As his brother, I should be making sure you're alright."
"He'd want you to take care of each other," Neville agreed.
Draco hesitated and then turned back to face the Gryffindors. His eyes were wet with unshed tears and he held himself stiffly as he fought his impulse to flee from the room.
"You're so important to him," Hermione said softly. "Let us comfort you until he can do it himself."
Draco transformed without a word. Dragon now sat down on the floor, looking miserable. Ron scooped the cat up and held it against his chest. "Let's go sit in the common room," Ron said. Dragon meowed sullenly but made no move to escape Ron's hold.
Draco shouldn't have been so surprised by the fierce loyalty of the Gryffindors. In Harry's absence, they dutifully rallied around Draco in support. When he was in his animagus form, he was constantly being held or stroked by one of Harry's friends. He lost count of the number of hugs that Hermione had pulled him into. Ron was never far away with a joke or a game of wizards chess. Seamus happily shared every dirty joke that he could think of while Dean would roll his eyes and smile at Draco. Neville did his best to encourage Draco when he was feeling down.
Draco was so grateful and overwhelmed by the love and acceptance he'd been offered. Every kindness given to him felt like a reflection of Harry's affection.
Three days had gone by before McGonagall came to announce that Harry could receive visitors. He'd been kept in a secure, warded area with constant care by either Poppy or the Saint Mungos healer. They'd managed to reduce the swelling and bleeding on his brain and preserved his brain function.
Draco and Hermione had rushed out of potions class together when McGonagall stopped by to deliver the message. They ran until they got to the hospital wing. For a moment they stood there, catching their breath. And then Draco pushed the door open and walked into the infirmary.
The Weasley family was gathered around Harry's bed, aside from Ginny. She was seated in the next bed, looking vibrant and healthy. She was being released that day.
Harry's wild hair was almost completely hidden beneath white bandages. He was pale and looked completely worn out. Molly was cooing over him and fretting about whether he was warm enough.
Harry's eyes widened and a tired smile curled on his lips when he spotted Draco. Molly shifted away from the bed, making room for Draco. Harry held his hands out, reaching for the Slytherin.
Draco ran to Harry, just stopping himself from leaping into Harry's outstretched arms. Instead, he sat on the edge of the bed and gently cradled Harry's face. He opened his mouth but couldn't speak, his throat suddenly clogged with emotion.
Harry made a quiet sound of distress. "It's alright Draco," he said. "I'm alright now. Don't cry darling," he added softly, pulling Draco into his chest.
"I thought I was going to lose you," Draco choked out.
"I know," Harry nodded. "I'm sorry Draco." He smiled over Draco's head at Hermione.
"Harry Potter, don't ever scare me like that again," Hermione said sternly, though he could see the profound relief on her face.
"I'll do my best," Harry assured her. He looked back down at a Draco when the blond lifted his head. Harry brushed away Draco's tears with a tender smile.
Molly watched the exchange with wide watery eyes. She hadn't expected such an emotional response from a Malfoy. Harry had been a bit bashful when it came to discussing his love life. But Ginny had eagerly informed her parents of Harry and Draco's blossoming relationship.
"How are you?" Draco asked. "Do you need anything?" His fingers brushed lightly over the edge of the bandages before sliding down Harry's cheek in a caress. "How can I help you feel better?"
Harry's heart swelled with love. It was tempting to let the words spill out of his mouth. But, he had a plan and he didn't want to spoil it. "I feel better already," Harry said. "I'm so glad you're here."
On impulse, Draco leaned close and kissed Harry firmly. The Weasleys would just have to get over it.
Harry closed his eyes at the feel of Draco's warm lips. The kiss was brief but it was enough. When he opened his eyes, Draco's face was pink.
"Alright, Mr. Potter needs to rest," Poppy said, making a shooing motion toward the door.
Hermione glanced at Draco and Harry. "Madam Pomfrey, could Draco stay with him a bit longer?" she aaked. "They've been apart for so long, and I'm sure it would make Harry feel more comfortable."
Poppy frowned. "Miss Granger, I'm here to heal Mr. Potter, not to facilitate a romance," she sniffed primly. She paused and gave Draco a knowing look. "Perhaps Mr. Potter's cat would be sufficient in soothing him."
Arthur frowned. "Harry doesn't have a cat, does he?" he asked. Ginny flapped her hand impatiently at him to silence him.
"That's a good idea," Hermione said. She turned to Harry with a smug smile. "Harry, would you like us to leave Dragon with you?"
Harry glanced between Draco, Hermione and Poppy. "That would be nice," he murmured, doing his best to look pitiful.
"Then that would be fine," Poppy said dismissively. "One of you may bring Dragon here and Mr. Potter is to rest." She turned to Ginny. "Miss Weasley I'll be back in just a moment to give you one final check." She turned and marched into her office without a backward glance.
"She's a sneaky old bird," Ron noted, earning a swat from Molly.
"What did she do?" Arthur asked.
Harry grinned, looking at Draco's smug expression. A moment later, Dragon sat on the bed, still looking very smug.
George snorted with laughter. "That's brilliant," he chortled.
Hermione nodded her agreement, smiling when Dragon nuzzled eagerly against Harry's jaw. "I'll come by and see you tomorrow Harry," she said. She reached out and stroked Dragon's soft fur. "Watch over him," she instructed the cat. Dragon chirruped at her in response before curling up against Harry and purring.
Poppy returned as Hermione was leaving. She nodded in approval at the cat. "I see Mr. Malfoy has gone," she commented as she waved her wand over Ginny. "The poor dear looked exhausted." She winked at Ginny and then tucked her wand away. "Miss Weasley, you are free to go. Return to me if you have any pain and you are not to strain yourself this week. Understood?" she asked crisply.
Ginny nodded and happily left the infirmary with her family. She glanced back to see Harry cuddling Dragon to his chest while Dragon rubbed his face against Harry's neck.
Harry hated being confined to the infirmary. His bandages had been removed but he was still getting terrible headaches that were condemning him to a continued stay in the hospital wing. Draco stayed with him as often as possible, cheerfully spoiling Harry with little gifts, sweet words and cuddles.
Narcissa had sent a large basket of chocolates and other sweets with a note of concern for Harry's health. Draco had been very pleased about that and had dutifully fed Harry some of the chocolate by hand. "Of course, it's only the best for you," Draco said primly, smiling when Harry rolled his eyes.
After a week, Harry was able to get out of bed for more than a few moments without the debilitating pain in his head. Draco waited impatiently on the other side of the infirmary while Poppy did several diagnostic charms. Luna had come to visit and was standing serenely at Draco's side.
"Harry's strong," she commented. "He's not at his full strength yet, but he'll be fine."
Draco's eyes remained on Harry's tired face. Harry was improving and Draco knew that he just needed more time to fully recuperate. But seeing Harry so weak made Draco feel anxious. "I can take care of him until he's better," he said quietly.
"That's sweet of you," Luna responded. "I'm happy to help as well." She watched Harry for a moment, contemplating. "Seeing Harry sick is like a cloud hiding the sun," she decided. She smiled at Draco's bewildered look. "Harry is like sunlight," she said simply.
"I- Alright," Draco agreed helplessly. Really, what was the point in debating such a statement. Harry certainly lit up Draco's world. Draco's own personal sun. He smiled slightly at the idea.
"Alright, you're free to go," Poppy announced, taking a step back from Harry. "You are to eat regular meals and get plenty of rest. You will report to me if you experience more headaches or dizziness. Do not over-exert yourself and stay off of brooms." She peered at him suspiciously, as if she thought he might already be contemplating how to break her rules. "Return here for a check up in one week unless you need it sooner."
Harry nodded solemnly, knowing that he wouldn't get away with breaking those rules. Draco had heard them all and would make sure that Harry was compliant. He turned and headed toward Draco, allowing himself to be led out of the hospital wing.
"Let's go to dinner and then you can relax," Draco said.
"I've been relaxing for almost two weeks," Harry complained.
"You mustn't fight this," Luna chided gently. "You're still healing. We've all been worried."
Harry nodded sullenly, resting his head on Draco's shoulder as they continued down the hall. When they got to the Great Hall, Harry paused and took something out of his pocket. He enlarged the item with a quick spell to reveal a small, slender branch adorned with delicate pink flowers. He held the branch out to Draco with a blush.
Draco accepted the branch with a smile, gazing at the flowers. "What is it?" he asked.
"Those are peach blossoms," Harry replied. Then he kissed Draco's cheek and headed for the Gryffindor table.
Luna winked at Draco and then skipped to her own house table. Draco walked to the Slytherin table and sat down next to Blaise, his eyes drifting continuously to the flowers. Blaise eyed the flowers as well, a knowing smirk tugging at his lips.
Harry patiently allowed Ginny and Hermione to fuss over him and pile food on his plate. It was nice to feel so well cared for.
"Have you figured out what caused the explosion?" Harry asked, taking a sip of the tea that Hermione had prepared for him.
There had been a great deal of speculation on the subject while Harry had been confined to the hospital wing. Blaise had heard some talk in the Slytherin common room but it hadn't been much to go on. The only thing he knew for sure was that it had been orchestrated by someone in Slytherin. Blaise was no longer viewed as neutral now that his affiliation with Harry and Draco was well known.
"Nobody's talking," Ron sighed. "All we know was that someone was trying to take you down without you seeming like the target."
"So they broke my ribs," Ginny muttered darkly, stabbing her chicken aggressively with her fork.
"Draco gets upset when I mention it," Harry said, taking a bite of potato when Hermione gave him a pointed look.
"He's worried sick," Dean informed him. "You nearly died. I wouldn't be keen to discuss it either."
"I don't think he's been sleeping much either," Seamus added sympathetically.
Harry contemplated this for a moment, staring across the hall at his... Boyfriend? Partner? They hadn't discussed a title to go with their relationship. He supposed that it didn't matter much. But, perhaps Harry needed to show Draco how much he was appreciated.
Harry turned his head to look at Neville. "Would you stop by the greenhouse with me tonight?" he asked.
Neville raised his eyebrows in mild surprise. "Of course," he replied. The others exchanged curious looks but didn't question it. Harry and Neville had been up to something for a few months and had refused to go into detail. Surely they'd find out soon. It was already April and they would all graduate at the end of May.
Draco wasn't happy about Harry going off with Neville, but he accepted it without a fight. Neville promised to keep their excursion short and to watch over Harry.
After lunch the next day, Harry took Draco's hand and led him outside the castle and toward the greenhouses. Draco frowned in confusion. "Does this have something to do with the flowers you've been giving me?" Draco asked.
"Yes," Harry replied, smiling shyly.
Draco bit his lip nervously and stepped into the last greenhouse after Harry. The air inside was warm and moist. The smell of earth filled Draco's nostrils.
And then he saw Harry's garden.
Harry had filled this greenhouse with different types of plants. Each grouping of plants had a little white card with writing on it. Draco moved to the closest plant and realized that it was familiar. Honeysuckle. With trembling fingers, he lifted the card and read what Harry had written down.
Honeysuckle - generous and devoted affection
Stunned, Draco shifted to the next plant that was covered in tiny white flowers. They were the flowers that Harry had left at Malfoy Manor the day Draco had his dream of Harry in the forest.
Sweet Alyssums - worth beyond beauty
Harry sat down on a little bench, watching Draco look the flowers over before reading the card to go with each one. Harry's heart was pounding and he desperately wanted to know what Draco was thinking.
Draco's heart rate had accelerated as well. He bit his lip as he stepped up to the collection of red carnations.
Red Carnation - My heart aches for you
Next was a small tree that bore the flowers that Harry had presented him with just the day before. He lifted his hand to brush his fingers over delicate petals before looking down at the little card.
Peach blossom - I am your captive
Draco continued looking at each flower with it's associated card. Each one warmed Draco's heart.
Yellow tulips - There's sunshine in your smile
Blue violets - faithfulness
Gardenia - You're lovely
Red camellia - You're a flame in my heart
Draco heart ached by the time he got to the final plant: A rose bush. It was full of beautiful, perfect red roses. He reached out and picked up the white card that was nestled in the branches.
Red rose - Love
Draco stood perfectly still, staring down at the card in wonder. Growing even more nervous, Harry left his perch and approached the blond. He tentatively reached out and touched the blond's shoulder. Draco turned and looked at Harry with eyes full of tears. Before Harry could say a word, Draco's mouth claimed his in a heated kiss.
Draco's tongue sought Harry's as they wrapped their arms around one another. Draco's tears spilled out, making his face damp, but neither of them cared. After a moment, Draco pulled back just slightly.
"I love you," Draco whispered, his lips still brushing against Harry's. "I love you so much."
Harry laughed, his own tears falling to mingle with Draco's. "I love you too," he said. "I've been dying to tell you. But I wanted to make it special."
"This was perfect," Draco assured him, hugging Harry close. "You're perfect. You take every fear, every insecurity, all the guilt... and you push it all away so I can breathe. To say that I love you seems like too little."
Draco pressed his forehead to Harry's, inhaling shakily. Harry loved him. It was like a wonderful dream. But Harry was standing before him, real and holding onto Draco as if he never wanted to let go.
Harry held Draco close with trembling hands and a thundering pulse. He couldn't have envisioned a more perfect moment. Harry was so happy that he wanted to sing, shout, dance... Anything to express the exquisite joy that raced through his veins.
They stood there in the greenhouse a bit longer, admiring the flowers. Then Draco led Harry back to the castle. They passed by their friends and offered a wave. Their friends wisely chose to leave them alone for the moment.
They ended up in the dorm room, glad that it was a lovely day and that everyone else had ventured outside to enjoy the weather. Draco thought that a bit more fresh air would be good for Harry, but they could go outside later. Right then, he just wanted to be alone with Harry.
"Who would have thought that you'd be such a romantic," Draco said, gently pressing Harry against the door. He entwined their fingers and pressed a kiss to the back of Harry's hand. "You put so much work into it."
Harry smiled. "It was completely worth it," he insisted. "Neville was a big help."
"Well, he won't be getting the same sort of 'thank you' that I intend to give you," Draco said, leading them toward Harry's bed with a smirk.
"Thank Merlin," Harry chuckled, stretching out on the bed once he'd kicked off his shoes.
Draco slowly lifted Harry's shirt and pulled it off. He slowly brushed his hands over Harry's chest and stomach, admiring the firm, lean muscle. Harry had a light dusting of dark hair over his sternum and a trail that disappeared into his trousers. Draco bit his lip and then unbuttoned the trousers. He caressed Harry's stomach again before hooking his fingers over the trousers and dragging them down Harry's legs.
Draco could see Harry's erection straining against his pants. Heat raced through him as he pressed down gently on Harry's groin, wringing a moan from the Chosen One. Encouraged, Draco pulled the pants down and tossed them over his shoulder.
Harry was sure that he was blushing all the way down to his toes. They'd only ever been intimate twice, and in both cases they'd been fully dressed. This felt like a massive step, but Harry eagerly reached for Draco anyway. "My turn?" he requested.
When Draco nodded, Harry began slowly undressing him. Feeling braver, Harry lowered his head to kiss Draco's abdomen. To his delight, he could hear a hitch in Draco's breathing. As much as he wanted to hurry, he forced himself to remove Draco's trousers and pants slowly. His hands lightly caressed every inch of skin that was exposed.
Draco's skin was pale and smooth. His muscles were long and lean. The blush staining his cheeks gave him an almost angelic appearance. Aside from the fact that Draco was rock hard, of course.
This was new but Harry was determined. He curled his fingers around Draco's cock, giving it a firm stroke. Draco gasped and arched his back. "Nice?" Harry asked with a grin.
"Prat," Draco chuckled breathlessly. "Have you... done this before?"
"No," Harry answered quietly. "Not even with Ginny."
Draco considered him for a moment, his hands lightly tracing circles on Harry's abdomen. "I have a little bit of experience, but not much," he admitted. "No penetrative sex. We can go as slow as you like. Whatever you want," he added with a smile.
"Well... There is something I've been thinking about," Harry said slowly, his eyes focusing on Draco's cock again. Draco smiled and made a vague gesture, as if to say "Help yourself."
Harry drew in a shaky breath and then began kissing a trail from Draco's collarbones down to his groin. He delighted in the way Draco was taking deep breaths and running trembling fingers through Harry's dark hair. Harry was feeling intimidated by the task he'd chosen for himself, but he was eager to try. So he dived in.
And promptly gagged when the head of Draco's cock slammed against his uvula.
He jerked his head back up, at least having the presence of mind to keep his teeth away from the sensitive flesh. Harry coughed violently and his eyes watered. Draco sat upright in alarm, and then dropped back again in a fit of laughter.
"Oh my god Harry," Draco giggled. "I'm pretty sure that you can't just swallow my cock whole on the first try."
"I got excited," Harry muttered sheepishly.
Draco pulled Harry down to lay against him. "I certainly admire your enthusiasm," Draco chuckled. He kissed Harry deeply, stroking their tongues together until he felt Harry relax again.
Draco carefully rolled them over so Harry was on his back. He kissed his way down Harry's neck. He spent a bit of time kissing and licking Harry's nipples before moving lower. His tongue dipped briefly into Harry's naval, drawing out a huff of nervous laughter.
Finally, Draco carefully slid Harry's cock into his mouth. He didn't attempt to go very far down. But it didn't seem to matter at that moment. A low moan rumbled out of Harry and Draco knew he was on the right track. Breathing steadily through his nose, he bobbed his head slowly up and down a bit. Not much. Just enough to add a bit of friction. His hand stroked at the base.
Harry's orgasm was so sudden that he didn't have a chance to warn Draco. Suddenly, Draco's mouth was filling with warm fluid and Harry was moaning and trembling. Before Draco could decide what to do with his mouthful, Harry had seized his shoulders to pull Draco into a kiss. Without thinking, Draco hastily swallowed just before his lips met Harry's.
"So amazing," Harry panted. He kissed Draco deeply, another low moan pouring out of him. "I love you Draco."
"I love you too," Draco responded, his hands running restlessly over Harry's warm, naked body. He moaned when Harry rolled them back over and kissed his way down Draco's torso again. This time, when he took Draco into his mouth, he moved slowly and carefully. He savored the taste of Draco's skin and every sound that Draco made.
Harry gladly swallowed Draco's release, his hands stroking the blond's quivering thighs. He crawled back up the bed and snuggled into Draco's side.
"How are you feeling?" Draco asked, his fingers coming through Harry's hair. He was trying not to think about the fact that Harry's skull had recently been fractured.
"I have a slight headache," Harry admitted.
"I'm so stupid," Draco groaned, gently cradling Harry's face in his hands. "You weren't supposed to be doing anything strenuous."
"It's probably nothing," Harry soothed, reaching around to stroke Draco's back. "We'll wait for a little while. If it doesn't get better, I'll see Poppy. A headache doesn't always mean brain damage or dark lords." He chuckled when Draco scowled at him.
"Idiot," Draco grumbled, but he kissed Harry's forehead.
Draco eyed Ginny warily when she sat down next to him by the lake. Harry had fallen asleep and was now resting with his head cradled in Draco's lap. Naturally, Ginny chose to corner Draco when he was unable to escape.
"You look happy," Ginny mentioned lightly. She frowned, looking Draco over as he squirmed uncomfortably. "You did look happy anyway. Now you just look nervous. Do I make you nervous?" she questioned with an innocent smile.
"You're terrifying," Draco replied flatly.
Ginny grinned. "How did it go?" she asked.
Draco glanced down at Harry's peaceful face. "It was so romantic that I'm not even really sure it actually happened," Draco said softly.
"Neville told us about the greenhouse," Ginny said. "Neville helped with all the planting and the atmospheric charms so it would all grow, but Harry researched and picked out every flower in there."
"It's beautiful," Draco murmured.
"And?" Ginny hinted.
"And what?" Draco said impatiently. "Do you need to hear me say that I love him more than anything? That I'll gladly spend the rest of my life trying to make him as happy as he makes me? What sort of response are you pushing for?" he demanded, his face flushed. He hated feeling vulnerable and Ginny tended to make him feel defensive. It was a difficult habit to break. She'd been great while Harry had been in the hospital wing and he felt bizarrely comfortable talking to her. But it had the unfortunate side effect of making him blurt out too much when he got flustered.
Ginny cleared her throat. "I was actually wondering if the sex was good," she commented with a little shrug. "That's good to know though."
"Oh Salazar," Draco groaned while Ginny giggled.
"Well?" Ginny asked expectantly.
Draco bit his lip, glancing down at Harry. "We didn't... completely," he said softly.
"So what did you try?" Ginny eyed Draco knowingly when he blushed. "Oral?" she suggested, glancing around to be sure their other friends weren't listening. Draco reddened even more and Ginny nodded. "How did it go?"
To her surprise, Draco snorted. "We had a rough start," he chuckled.
"Oh Merlin, what did he do?" Ginny asked.
"He was bloody fantastic, but the first time he tried, he immediately gagged himself," Draco explained quietly. "It was so fast that I thought he'd injured himself. Then I laughed at him."
Ginny cackled with delight. "But then he did well?" she asked.
Draco grinned. "Mind-blowing," Draco confirmed smugly.
"Good for you," Ginny said with a wink. "And he'll only get better with practice."
"I'm starting to think that shagging him might actually kill me," Draco quipped.
"I could shag you instead," Harry mumbled, stretching and rubbing his face against Draco's stomach.
"I wasn't referring to topping necessarily," Draco said, petting Harry's hair. "I meant shagging in general."
"Ah," Harry nodded in understanding. He hadn't bothered to lift his head from Draco's lap. His gaze shifted to Ginny, catching her amused look, before looking back at Draco. "You told her," he accused with a frown.
Draco smiled apologetically. "I'm sorry Love," he murmured. "You were adorable."
"If it makes you feel better," Ginny put in helpfully, "he thinks you give amazing blow jobs." She giggled when they both blushed.
"Why are we friends with you?" Draco asked her.
Ginny smiled and kissed his cheek. She was rather pleased to hear Draco admit that they were friends. The fact that the admission came while he was questioning the wisdom of said friendship didn't matter. "Because I love you both and I want you to be happy," she said firmly. "Besides, who else are you going to share the naughty details with?"
"Oh Merlin, please don't give naughty details."
Their other friends had approached and Ron was looking horrified. Hermione looked embarrassed but pleased to see Draco and Harry so happy together. Neville sat down next to Ginny, freezing momentarily when Draco held out his hand. They shook hands briefly, Draco's eyes flicking to Harry's swiftly.
Neville smiled in understanding. "You're welcome," he said sincerely.
"I think I'd feel a bit cheated if I were you," Ginny told Neville, her tone suspiciously casual. "Draco gave Harry a much better 'thank you'."
Neville looked puzzled until he spotted Harry and Draco's twin blushes. Neville's own face reddened and he scowled at Ginny. She grinned.
Ron made a choking sound while Seamus gave Harry a high five. Dean rolled his eyes. Blaise burst into an uncharacteristic fit of laughter. Hermione covered her mouth with both hands, smothering her giggles.
"It was good then?" Luna asked placidly, as if they'd been discussing the weather.
"Sounds like it was pretty damn good," Ginny responded, snorting when Draco gave her a horrified look.
Harry shifted and wrapped his arms around Draco, gladly hiding his red face against Draco's neck. Draco gave Ginny one last warning look before relaxing a bit in Harry's arms. He nuzzled his face against the soft dark hair, firmly ignoring their friends.
Hermione took pity on them and quickly changed the subject to their upcoming exams. Ron clung to the new topic eagerly. After several moments, Harry lifted his head and allowed himself to face his friends, though he continued to rest against Draco. Hermione offered the couple a tiny wink, hardly pausing in her lecture on proper revision scheduling.