Harry lifted Draco off of the chair he had fallen asleep in, not the least bit bothered that he wouldn't get to have any fun tonight. How could he possible be mad when Draco snuggled into him like that?

He laid him down gently onto their bed (technically his bed, but Draco had yet to sleep in his own) and absently ran his fingers thorugh his soft hair.

Draco's grey eyes peeked open.

"Harry?"

Harry smiled at him, "Just go to sleep, okay? I'm going to take a quick shower and then I'll join you."

Draco stretched up, tugging at Harry's arm.

"No. You can shower in the morning."

"Draco-"

"Lay down," the Slytherin commanded.

Harry sighed, "I will. Okay? No shower, but let me change yea?"

Draco pouted, releasing him.

"I s'pose."

Harry snorted, pulling off his shirt and jeans. He shimmied into a pair of silk sleep pants before leaning over to free Draco of his shoes and jeans.

"Now I'm cold," Draco whined, looking at Harry pitifully from underneath his lashes.

Harry smiled indulgently, crawling in and pulling Draco on top of him.

"Better?"

Draco nodded, happily burrowing himself in the crook of Harry's arm.

"Draco?"

The pale boy, gave a noise of acknowledgment, clearly unwilling to get up.

"What if I can't block Tom out? I'm supposed to be a natural occlumense, but he can still get in."

Draco rose up on his elbows to study Harry's features.

"I think you just need to think about it. Focus on putting a wall between your mind and his. I shouldn't have to teach you anything."

Harry bit his lip in concentration.

"What do I build the wall out of?"

Draco shook his head.

"Doesn't matter. The wall is just a tool. It could be made of paper and he still wouldn't be able to get through if you were strong. Considering you're a natural now, once your shield is up, no one should be able to get through. Not even Snape."

Harry gave him a wry smile.

"That's good news."

Draco smiled back, leaning up for a kiss.

Harry obliged, gripping Draco's chin to bring him deeper.

He pulled back slowly, sucking on Draco's bottom lip for an extra second.

Draco opened his eyes with a dazed look before growing upset.

"What's wrong?" Harry asked.

"We were supposed to- Well I mean- We were going to-"

"Don't worry about it. You weren't sure about it anyways, and now we're ready for bed. Another time, eh?"

Draco frowned.

"I'm sorry."

Harry tugged him back down to rest against his chest.

"No worries, Dray. It's not a big deal."

Draco nodded, scrambling for something to say. He wasn't ready to drift off yet.

"Uh, Harry?"

"Yea?"

"How did your godfather die?"

Harry closed his eyes against the memory, picturing the man falling backwards.

"Bellatrix got him with a spell, and he fell through the veil in the Department of Mysteries."

"Oh. Was he a good man?"

Harry frowned thoughtfully.

"He tried. He was childish, and loud, and a bit arrogant, but his heart was in the right place."

Draco squeezed him in comfort.

"I'm sure he's happy where he is."

Harry shook his head and gave a dry laugh.

"I have a feeling that that's where he wanted to be anyways; with my father. They were like brothers, or so I heard."

"Certainly, he would rather be with you. You're his godson after all."

He stared at the ceiling, pulling Draco's body flush against his own.

"I don't think so. Do you want to know what the last words he said to me were? 'Nice one, James.' I feel like that's all he ever saw me as. I was a replacement for the friend he lost, and I can't even be mad about it! I'm upset, of course, that I wasn't enough for him, but I was happy to be my father. I was happy to be able to do that for him, and I was happy to feel connected to someone who didn't like me because I was the boy-who-lived. It's just as bad though, to be loved as someone else, than to be loved as a celebrity, or even to not be loved at all."

Draco shifted up to nuzzle his neck.

"Not being loved at all? Surely you've never been so alone?"

"The past has passed, and I'd rather not drag it up. Not tonight. Perhaps another."

Draco nodded his acquience.

"I guess I'm not loved at all right now, though surely my mother would miss me if I were to go."

"Don't be silly! I love you. Severus loves you. Maybe even your father; in his own twisted way."

"You can't love me, Harry. You hardly know me."

Harry smiled, kissing his head and settling down for the night.

"I'll admit I'm not quite in love with you yet, though I'm not far off. You complete me in every way. I do love you though, same as I love Hermione and Remus, and even Ron. Not all love is the romantic sort."

Draco smiled against Harry's throat.

"You're comfortable, and I like the way your neck and chest hum when you speak."

Harry chuckled, taking his words as a sign that the serious topic was done for the night.

"You're not so bad yourself, though you are a tad thin. All the same, I like being able to wrap my entire being around you."

Draco scowled.

"I am not too thin. I was made this way so that I could caccoon myself in the crook of your arm, obviously," he drawled.

"Of course."

"Go to sleep, you great lug."

Harry gave a light laugh, tightening his hold for a moment in a hug of sorts.

"Sleep well, my dragon."

Harry did not sleep well that night. He had many nightmares, waking each time to feel Draco running his hands up and down his chest soothingly, seemingly still asleep.

He didn't even know that he was Harry's latibule.

At a quarter to five, Harry shook Draco awake, feeling verklempt as he rose without complaint of rising early, nor of Harry's restless night.

"I hope I did not keep you from you sleep too terribly? It was a rough one for me last nigh'"

Draco shook his head, resting his head against Harry's chest as they stood in the kitchen.

"I've had my share of bad nights. Once you build your wall, the nightmares should lessen some. Occlumency really helps to calm yourself sometimes."

"How long do you think it will take?"

Draco turned thoughtful for a moment, fixing himself a steamy cup of coffee as he mulled it over in his mind.

"You'll need at least an hour or so to yourself. No interruptions. You'll feel really tired afterwards as well, at least mentally. It will take as much mental energy from you as it would physically if you were to build a wall by hand."

"Yikes."

"I could help you, if you would like, but it would give me access. You wouldn't be able to block me out, should I wish to see into your mind. Not that I would ever do so without your permission. That's a serious breach of privacy."

Harry nodded.

"Okay. I think, with our bond and everything, that you would be able to anyways. Sometimes, a Vyspa pair develop telepathic abilities."

Draco looked as if he couldn't decide if this was a good thing or not when Harry cut off his train of thought.

"I would never look into your mind without permission, Draco."

Hermione walked in, scowling at them.

"Morning, Hermione," Harry greeted.

"Stuff it."

"Hey now, who peed in your morning joe?" Draco asked.

"Ron and his bloody lack of sense. He didn't pack, and then he came to me, and I had to help him so we wouldn't all be behind today. The idiot hadn't gotten anything together!"

Harry sighed.

"I'm sorry 'Mione. If we didn't have such a big mission today, I wouldn't worry about it, but we do. I have a feeling it will be time to leave Grimmauld soon."

"Why?" Draco questioned.

Harry frowned, stirring his cuppa.

"Things are going to smoothly. I'm Harry Potter, something is bound to go awry."

In case you didn't know...

Latibule- a place of hiding; a place of safety and comfort.

Verklempt- completely overcome with emotion.

Sorry for the total lack of smut, but I decided it was too early for the younger ones. We will have to have them together a bit more, only a bit! Snupin of course, are fully grown wizards of which have been smitten with one another for awhile, so they didn't waste much time.

Love you all. Updates coming soon. Ministry is next!