Ch. 4: What The HELL Did I Throw?

"You'd better watch yourself Oliver, Harry'll be after that sod pretty soon," Ron said jokingly before shoving half of a pork chop into his mouth with an unpleasant amount of drool trickling out of his lips.

Oliver snorted and crossed his legs as he watched the quickly receding backside of his boyfriend before stating, "I'm not too worried."

Remus smiled gently and stood, picking up his mostly empty plate in the process.

"Are you done with your plate Hermione?" He questioned, gathering her plate at her nod. He then circled around the dining table to gather Harry and Draco's abandoned plates.

Oliver jumped to his feet with undisguised eagerness and said, "Here, I'll help you Remus. Hand me your plate, Ron." Ron handed over his plate grudgingly as Oliver started piling dishes that once held the intact dinner.

After Oliver was loaded down, he followed the werewolf's path into the kitchen, staggering slightly under the weight of his load.

The brunette twenty-year old deposited the dishes into the water Remus had drawn and stepped up beside the older man, drying the dishes that had already been washed.

There was silence all around and Oliver cleared his throat in an attempt to break the rather uncomfortable silence. He finally spoke, "Are you seeing anyone currently, Remus?" in a feeble attempt at civilized conversation.

Remus ran the soggy dishrag over a plate and shook his head. "No, I just haven't met the right person. When you are a werewolf, you have a set one mate and a set particular time to meet your mate from the moment you are bitten. There is no way to find your mate before the determined time and only that person will be able to make you happy and complete."

Oliver took the plate from his hands and held it under the running water briefly before drying it with two quick swipes with a dry towel. "I wish it were that easy in real life as well. You would meet someone and know right away that they would be the one who you would spend the rest of you life with."

Remus shrugged and said, "Yeah, but I admit I'm getting worried. I'm nearly forty and there has been no trace of my mate. I've basically resigned myself to a life of solitude."

Oliver shook his head. "There will be someone, Remy. You're mature, and caring, and if you don't mind me saying so, you are sexy as hell. Have you ever met someone you thought could have been the one?"

Remus drained the cloudy water in the sink and smiled, lost in memory. "One, only one. No one since the man. I thought he was going to be the one, but..."

Oliver lowered his gaze and nodded stiffly, gathering the now clean and dry dishes and placing them in their respective cupboards. "I understand what it can be like to lose someone but don't give up. You'll find the right person. You deserve to be happy."

Remus walked over and placed a light hand on the back of the slightly taller man's head, grinning wearily. "No wonder Harry loves you; you know just what to say to make a man feel wanted."

Oliver smiled cheekily and shrugged. "I try," he stated plainly and planted a small kiss on the werewolf's forehead. "So, should I go check on Harry?"

Remus dropped his hand and made a face. "I don't think so, just let him handle it."

Oliver sighed and walked purposefully towards the living room. "I sure hope he can, Remy."

Remus only grinned and followed Oliver out.

"Open the door Malfoy," Harry called angrily and jiggled the doorknob to his own bedroom.

"No. Go away."

"Malfoy..." Harry said softly and knocked lightly, trying a different approach.

There was a loud thump and a rather harsh sniffle from within the room and a voice nearly snarled, "Go away Potter, I really don't want to talk to you."

Harry pulled his wand out of his pocket and said, "You don't have a choice." Harry turned the knob in the opposite direction, a trick that he found when he accidentally locked himself out once, and the door unlocked. The Gryffindor pushed the door open to reveal the blonde sprawled out on the bed, a thick book resting in his lap and rather subtle tears streaming down his cheeks.

"You're staying with me so you are going to talk to me," Harry said in a slightly softer tone.

Draco threw the book across the room and it landed about a metre from where Harry was standing.

Draco growled and said, "I don't want to stay with you. The only reason I'm here is because you had to be all noble and save me."

"Where the hell would you have gone! All your friends are Junior Death eaters, your parents could care less. Face it, Malfoy, you would be exactly where I found you."

Draco sat up, his eyes blinking wildly as he spat, "It would have been better than having to come here and have you suddenly like me because I can't see. I really don't want you as my friend, Potter. I don't want people to pity me. I don't want you to do everything for me. Like you said, you won't be there every second to cater to me. I have to be able to take care of myself, otherwise I'm screwed. Hell Potter, how are you going to help me learn Braille? You can't even read Braille!"

Harry sat near Draco's feet, judging by the shift of the mattress. "How do you know about Braille?"

Draco only shrugged and said, "My father collected many things, including muggle books written in Braille. I know quite a bit about muggle things. Potter, this is all beside the point. I want to know."

Harry bit his lip and finally said, "I'll learn as you do. It will be interesting, I assure you. You can't do everything yourself, no matter what you say. Please understand that I want to help you and I will help you."

Draco finally closed his eyes and wiped at his eyes as discreetly as possible when you have no vision. "As long as you hold no pity for me."

Harry smirked slightly and said, "Believe me Malfoy, I find it very, very hard to pity you."

"Good. Now, what the hell did I throw?" Draco asked as he scooted closer to Harry, reveling in the familiar linen-scented warmth.

"A very large book," Harry answered, "probably 'Hogwarts: A History' since Hermione always has a copy about." He lay back and yawned loudly.

Draco pushed his hair out of his face and lay back as well. "You know, I've never read that. I suppose Granger has multiple times."

Harry chuckled and nodded, remembering too late that Draco couldn't see it. "Yeah, she's always chiding Ron and me about never reading it. With her around, you really don't have to."

Draco turned his head towards Harry's voice and opened his useless eyes. "I wish I could see your face. I imagine it would be extremely shocking for you to look at me minus the hateful gleam."

"Now that's cold. You are the one with the patented Malfoy sneer. I noticed you have actually smiled a couple of times since being here. It's rather frightening."

Draco grinned and rolled over on his right side, facing the Gryffindor. "People tell me I look quite fetching when I smile."

Harry sat up suddenly, causing the blond to flinch ever so slightly at the abrupt movement. An almost inaudible, "You do," escaped Harry's lips before he completely changed the subject.

"I was thinking about going into Diagon Alley tomorrow. Would you like to come with me? We might pick up an instruction book on reading in Braille; maybe get some clothes of your own. You'll need uniforms as well for the next school year.

The Slytherin's smile flickered slightly and he stammered, "I... I can't. I don't have any money."

Harry stood slowly, a lingering creak coming from the box springs. "Please don't worry about money. We are going shopping together tomorrow. What time do you usually wake up?"

Draco shrugged and laid an arm across his chest. "Five-ish but I will more than likely sleep in."

Harry's jaw dropped. "Five? AM? No way! I'll get up around ten so we'll go then."

Harry noted that Draco still rolled his eyes in disgust as before.

"Potter, this is your room, right?"

Harry scratched his neck and yawned. "Yeah, why?"

"Well...why don't I go to a different room and let you have your bed back?" He patted around behind him until he found a pillow and promptly dragged it out from under the duvet.

Harry got up and started pulling nightclothes from random drawers, throwing them down on the bed. "No, you already know the layout of this room. Plus, it is the most comfortable bed and you need the rest. Stay here."

"I don't want to steal your space and leave you with an uncomfortable bed. I'll leave."

Harry rolled his eyes futilely and said, "I'm not making you leave this room just so I can have the bed."

Draco fell silent momentarily, trying to think of a solution. "Who said I have to leave? I don't mind sharing a bed with you as long as you stay on your side."

Harry snorted. "You're sure? Make sure there is no spooning. I have laid some pyjamas on the bed for you near your feet; I'll be right back after seeing Oliver off."

"Ooh... Ollie has to leave? I was planning on making room for him in the bed."

Harry threw a rolled up pair of socks at the blonde's head and laughed. "Boy Malfoy, you are a riot. Yes, he has to leave. Now change clothes."

After ghosting his fingertips over the duvet near his feet he finally laid his hands on the pyjamas.

"Hey Potter, may I inquire what colour these pyjamas are?"

Harry snickered under his breath and shook his head. "They happen to be black. They are not gold or scarlet, so you can rest easy.

Draco nodded stiffly, if not gratefully, and began to carefully unbutton his shirt.

Thanks to brionyjae for the beta!