Ch. 17: Happy Birthday, Happy Birthday, etc...

"Do you have any news, my Lord?"

After bowing his head and pressing a kiss to the back of the Dark Lord's hand, Lucius Malfoy stepped aside to allow his master to rise.

Voldemort crossed his arms over his withering chest and sneered, his scaly, reptilian lips pulled so tight that they cracked. "His mind is weak Lucius; I assumed it would be stronger."

Lucius wrinkled his nose slightly and sighed. "He didn't like the idea of having enough mental superiority to control someone's mind. As punishment, I refused to teach him Occlumency."

Voldemort narrowed his crimson eyes. "Any other time I would find this completely unacceptable, but it works to our advantage. We can no longer penetrate Potter's guarded mind, but your son..."

Voldemort unfolded his arms and lay his long fingertips together, the sneer still plastered to his lips. "Your son is an open book. He may not know it yet, but he is our best chance at getting to our dear Harry Potter."

"My Lord?"

The Dark Lord beckoned Lucius to follow him and they began to walk slowly down the expanse of hallway leading deeper into the cavern-like corridor.

"I'm gaining strength Lucius, strength I could never have dreamed to possess. Soon, I will have mastered certain spells that will allow me to bring Draco to us without having to risk being seen in public. There are a few things that will have to be taken care of, seeing as the house he is holed away in has the Fidelius charm etched all over it, but that will be simple enough. When we have Draco, it's only a matter of time before Potter comes running. You and I both know of Potter's inevitable lust for heroics."

Lucius smoothed the front of his robes, the gentle click of the pair's shoes and Lucius' cane echoing around the circular passageway.

"But, my Lord, how are we to be sure that Potter will come to rescue Draco? I'm quite sure that Potter felt burdened when that old fool Dumbledore dumped my disabled son on him.

Voldemort's eyes glinted dangerously and he hissed, "You underestimate the power of time, Lucius. Trust me, my servant."

Lucius inclined his head slightly and said, "Of course, my Lord. You know best."

"WHAT are you blathering on about?"

"Yes."

"Yes what?" Draco grumbled, half-asleep.

"Yes, I fancy you."

All that met Harry was an inaudible mumble and a snore.

Harry's eyes shot open and he sat up quickly, throwing Draco's arm off of his abdomen.

He let out a shaky breath and scrubbed his face with both hands, looking over at the blonde sprawled next to him.

Harry had almost completely forgotten about his little slip of the tongue, but of course his subconscious just couldn't leave well enough alone.

The Gryffindor had never been completely sure if Draco had heard him that night, but all signs pointed to no. Draco had never acknowledged any knowledge of what he had heard, but there was always that lingering question...

"What are you doing?"

Harry jumped, Draco's voice pulling him out of his thought-induced stupor. "I had a dream, that's all. I'm sorry if I woke you."

Draco sighed into his pillow, pulling the blanket up over his chest and snuggling in deeper. Not even bothering to open his eyes, he said, "No, it's fine. I've been meaning to talk to you.

Harry settled back against his pillow and stammered, "What about?"

"Anything but what's going on with Voldemort."

"T-talk?"

Draco sighed impatiently and said, "Yes Harry. That's when what comes out of your mouth is not only understandable, but possibly intelligent." Draco rolled over, careful not to head butt his bed partner or otherwise flop on top of him.

Harry turned over to face Draco. "I know what talking is, you prat." The ebony-haired teen brought his right arm around a little more forcefully than needed and accidentally slapped Draco's neck.

"Oh shit, I'm sorry Draco! I couldn't see!"

Draco pushed Harry's arm away and muttered, "I can't either, but you don't see me walking around beating people around the face and neck. It's uncivilized."

"I said I was sorry," Harry grumbled, turning back away from Draco. "I'm not sure I want to talk to you now."

Draco rubbed his throat and said, "Fine. Just... lay there. I'm going back to sleep."

Harry huffed. "No, I'M going back to sleep. You lay there."

"Fine."

Both were silent for a long while before Draco said, "You're forgiven."

Harry only sounded an exaggerated snore and pulled the duvet over his head.

It was a mere matter of minutes before Potter was back to sleep. Draco grinned.

The Gryffindor was a sleep cuddler.

"Happy Birthday, Happy Birthday, Happy Birthday!"

"Sleep now. Sleep."

"Oh, get up! It's your birthday! Happy Birthday, Happy Birthday, Happy Birthday!"

"Granger, off the bloody bed."

Hermione bounced once more for good measure and threw herself between Harry and Draco, giving both teens kisses on the forehead. "I'm glad to see you two are so friendly in the morning. Now, get up! People are starting to arrive."

Harry rolled over, accidentally breathing in a mouthful of Hermione's brunette hair. After successfully removing all of her hair from his throat, he grumbled, "People? Did you invite the whole bloody school? Did you forget that we're in hiding?"

"Must have slipped my mind," Hermione said softly. "I'll go and tell Gilderoy and Jane to go."

Draco snorted and Harry slapped Hermione on the arm. "There isn't anyone here, is there?"

"No," Hermione confessed. "I just wanted you two to get up. It's quite boring in this house alone. I can't imagine how Sirius coped."

Harry didn't say anything, only found something incredibly fascinating on his fingernails.

Draco cleared his throat and said, "What, Lupin and Severus are still in bed?"

"I assumed so," Hermione said, a faint blush tingeing her cheeks.

The Slytherin didn't have to see the girl to know she was embarrassed. He also didn't need sight to know how oblivious Harry was to the entire situation.

"They are probably both dead," he grumbled. "Better still, Remus tore Snape apart and is trying to dispose of the remains."

Hermione landed a sound punch in Harry's abdomen and Draco simply said, "Remus may have torn him apart Potter, but most certainly not in the way you are thinking."

At that, he rose from the bed and began to gather clothes from the chest of drawers that Harry had set up for him.

"W-What?"

Draco smirked, held up his outfit for Hermione to see and said, "Granger, colours?"

Hermione turned from a deep-in-thought Harry and said, "Brown jumper with antique-washed jeans. I picked out that one, I thought it would look good with you colouring."

"Wait, What!"

Draco's smirk widened and he said, "Harry, quit interrupting. Thanks Granger. Could you pick me some shoes that would go?"

Hermione made to scramble out of the bed but Harry grabbed the back of her shirt, pulling her back. "Wait, I want to know why... why aren't you two surprised?"

Draco massaged the bridge of his nose and said, "Because we have known for a long time. It's not uncommon or new knowledge. I'll be in the shower."

Harry's eyes narrowed slightly as he watched Draco retreat to the loo. Then he said, "When did this happen and why did no one bother to tell me?"

Hermione settled back down next to Harry, refusing to meet his eyes. "It... I'm not sure when it happened exactly. It was just one of those things that was just there, you know?"

She expelled a breath and resigned herself to the fact she still had a question yet to answer. "And as for the not telling you... well, I thought you already had enough to worry about. Plus, you don't have a very good track record with Professor Snape, have you?"

"And Draco? He knew? Did you tell him?"

Hermione snorted. "Of course not. I think he knew before I did, to be frank. I think that he had something to do with it. He's sneaky."

Harry smirked and kicked the duvet off his bare chest. Hermione made an annoyed face and laid her head on his stomach, her lips pursed in concentration.

"Yes, just as I thought," she said, "You're entirely too skinny. Underfed, judging by the sheer magnitude of your grumbling stomach."

Harry rolled his eyes and pressed a palm to his forehead. "How long do I have left, doctor?"

"It's not life threatening. Nothing a bit of birthday cake can't cure."

Harry laughed and said, "Good. Now, get off of me so I can use the toilet."

Hermione shook her head and said, "No."

"I'll pee on you then."

"You wouldn't."

"Try me."

Hermione snorted and began to feign sleep, making sure it was impossible for Harry to escape.

"Oy 'Mione, shove off!"

His only response was to have her cover herself with the duvet and let out a laugh/snore.

Harry was about to make another attempt at shoving Hermione off of him when there was a short knock on the door.

Needless to say, Hermione awoke in an instant.

She threw off the duvet and lifted her head in time to see Ron enter the room, looking both uncomfortable and slightly hurt.

"H-hi," he said in a soft voice, averting his eyes from the pair in the bed.

"Hello mate," Harry said in the most normal voice he could muster. "Hermione has just diagnosed me as malnourished."

Hermione forced her blush away and said, "When I can feel all of your ribs and the contents of your stomach from the outside, there is definitely something wrong."

Ron looked relieved, but still reluctant. "Right. Where is Mal- err...D...Draco?"

"Shower," Hermione replied shortly, "which, incidently, is where I should be. I'll see you two in a bit. Harry, pick Draco some shoes."

Hermione passed by Ron and planted a kiss on his cheek. Ron seemed to control his blush rather well.

Harry reluctantly climbed from the bed, kneeling to pull the brown loafers from under the bed. He then walked around and lay them, as well as matching socks, on the foot of the bed on the right side, where he always put Draco's shoes. Not once during this did he steal a glance at Ron.

"H... Harry," Ron began, twisting his fingers nervously. "I... well, I'm sorry for how I acted. It was wrong of me to... act like that. I just felt abandoned."

"Abandoned," Harry said incredulously. "Just because I wanted to help him!"

Ron sighed. "I know. I'm completely daft. I'm just... sorry. I'll try not to say too much about him."

Harry nodded slowly and said, "Fine. Thank you. I'll make sure and tell Draco to be friendly as well."

"That would be greatly appreciated," Ron said with a grin, resigning himself to a seat on Harry's bed. "So, I noticed the large pile of presents in the middle of the table. You really raked it in this year, eh?"

"You don't come of age every year Ron," Harry said with a grin. "Plus I threatened a couple of people. That sometimes works."

Ron nodded, watching Harry gather his own clothes and rap on the bathroom door. "Faster Draco," he said loudly as there was a clatter from inside the bathroom.

"Shit Harry, you gave me a start! I'll be out when I'm..."

"No," Harry interrupted. "You won't be out when you're out. I'll move the hair dryer out here for you. I need to use the loo."

"Use the other one then!"

Harry rolled his eyes and yelled, "Hermione is using that one."

"Go ask Remus to use his!"

"NO!" Harry screeched. "I want to use MINE! Now unlock the DOOR!"

He heard Ron mutter something about 'being around the ferret too long' and Harry heard the lock click.

The Gryffindor said, "Thank you," in an exasperated tone and burst into the bathroom, nearly choking on his own tongue due to the sight on from of him.

Draco was shaking out his silky black pants, his back to Harry.

"Uh... can, c-can you hand me the blow dryer so I can get you set up," Harry said in the most neutral voice he could muster as Draco bent over smoothly to pull the pants on over his bare buttocks.

No matter how hard Harry tried he could not help but allow his eyes to map out every smooth, ivory curve of Draco's body. He also couldn't help the drool and the glazed gaze.

Needless to say, he was startled when he felt the plastic handle of the hair dryer pressed into his chest. "Here," Draco said with a huff, his vacant, scarred eyes lowered to a point somewhere near Harry's left hand.

The Gryffindor made to grab the dryer, but his eyes had a mind of their own. They had found Draco's bellybutton. If only his cronies knew that their fellow Slytherin had an outward bellybutton.

"You're staring, Potter. Why?" Draco said with a laugh, stepping back half of a step at a time until his now pant-clad bum collided gently with the sink.

Harry literally felt his face catch on fire. Well, maybe not literally, but as close to literal as Harry had ever experienced.

His mouth opened and closed a couple of times before he said, quite lamely, "Your... your tummy..."

Draco reached to his right and found his trousers, pulling them on with practiced ease. "Wow, I haven't had a 'tummy' since the last summer I spent with my Grandma Adrienne. I was five, I believe. She thought my outtie bellybutton was the cutest thing. I daresay that Grandfather regretted marrying her."

Harry silently agreed with Grandma Adrienne about Draco's outtie. And, seeing as his mind was busy with something, he had to bodily smack himself in the head. Repeatedly.

Harry gave up speech and left the bathroom, pressing the dryer's plug into an outlet and said, "Come on Draco. Dryer's ready."

Draco smirked as he pulled on his jumper, trailing the fingers on his left hand on the wall as he made his way to the point where Harry's voice had sounded from.

"Hi Weasley, by the way," Draco said in a friendly tone, waving vaguely in Ron's direction.

"Malfoy," Ron said in a less-than-hostile tone.

Harry dropped the blow dryer in Draco's outstretched hand and said, "Blow away. Ron, if you want to go downstairs I'm sure Remus is up by now."

"Or Severus," Draco supplied, tapping his fingers lightly on the dryer. "It's bound to be nearly lunch time, yeah?"

Ron's eyes widened slightly and he mouthed 'Snape?' Harry only nodded morosely. Ron rose and said, "I'll go loiter around 'Mione's room first, see if she's done getting ready. Oh, and mum told me to wish you a Happy Birthday. She would have come, but she thought it would be safer if not many people were coming in and out."

"I'll have to write her a letter," Harry said softly, the smallest grin on his face.

"If you two don't mind," Draco said slowly, "I prefer to be alone when I'm fixing my hair."

Harry snorted. "If we are extremely quiet, how are you to know we are here?"

Draco crossed his arms and said, "I just know, Potter. I can feel people around me, I can feel the air colliding with your body, warming, and bouncing back to me. Everything seems different, smells different, when I'm not alone. Plus, you breathe terribly loud."

Harry shook his head slowly and Ron said, "Poetic, Malfoy. And on that note, I'm gone."

"I'll be in the shower," Harry said, trying to cloak his laughter. Draco nodded once and switched on the hair dryer.

"Merlin," the blonde said over the sound of warm air blowing out of the dryer, "I can still here your bloody breathing!"

"Shut up Draco," Harry yelled back. "Just primp in the corner like a good closet case."

"Just put it on."

"No."

"Please?"

"No."

Hermione made an irritated noise and thrust the party hat at Draco again.

"Come on Draco, everyone else has one on."

Draco crossed his legs and straightened his sunglasses. "You lie. There is no way you got Severus to put on a bloody party hat."

Hermione snorted with laughter. "I didn't, Remus did. Just put it on, you're the only one without one."

"I'm also the only one who can't look at the lot of you and laugh cruelly about how ridiculous you look. I'm not putting on the sodding hat."

Harry shrugged as he plopped down at the head of the table, pulling his own sparkly party hat off his head, sending a fine spray of green glitter everywhere. "If Draco doesn't have to wear one, I don't want to."

"Put... the... hat... back... on," Hermione hissed through gritted teeth, pointing a slightly shaking finger at Harry.

Harry did as he was told.

Remus entered the dining room with the cake, easing some of the tension. He placed the chocolate-iced confection in front of Harry with flourish. It read: 'HAPPY 17th BIRTHDAY, HARRY!' in mint-green icing.

Severus came in a few moments later, wiping his hands on a tea towel and looking sour, despite the festive party hat. "Draco, where's your hat?"

Draco shrugged. "Don't know. I'm not wearing one."

Remus glanced over to a huffy Hermione, who was adjusting Ron's horribly clashing orange hat with a little more force than needed. "Ah well," he said gently, "Every party needs a pooper."

"And why exactly," Snape said carefully, avoiding looking at Hermione, "does everyone have to wear a hat but Draco? Can I take mine off?"

"No," both Remus and Hermione said at once. Severus sneered and sat, rather sulkily, next to Draco.

Remus pulled out a box of matches and began lighting the candles. Harry looked over to Draco, who was smirking into his right hand and toying with a bow with his left.

The Gryffindor couldn't help himself. He kicked Draco hard in the shin.

"Ow," the blonde hissed angrily, drawing his legs into his chair and rubbing his shin. "That hurt. I don't think I want to give you your present now."

"How do you know it was me who kicked you?" Harry said over his flaming cake.

"Breathing changed," Draco said simply.

"Okay everyone," Hermione said, clapping her hands together. "Let's sing Happy Birthday. NOW."

And everyone did as they were told, (excepting Severus and Draco, who simply mouthed the words.)

Remus whisked the cake away to his seat, bullying Severus into helping him cut and serve the cake. Harry, however, opted for the pile of presents.

"That one is from me," Hermione said as Harry picked up a carefully wrapped package.

"Thanks 'Mione," Harry said as he pulled the paper off, what else, a book. "It's..."

"It's an 'Ask Me' Journal. You write in a question and it will answer it for you. You can ask it anything and it knows. It wipes itself clean unless you tell it not to. I thought it was rather smart."

"Wicked," Harry said sincerely and flipped through it lazily, then handed it over to Draco. Draco knitted his brows together and set it down in front of him.

Harry picked through all the presents and gathered all of them from Remus, deciding to open them all at once. The first was a wand servicing kit, which Harry was in dire need of.

The second was a scrapbook that had been made by Harry's dad, Remus himself, Sirius, and Peter during school. There were notes scrawled to each other, doodles, homework with dismal grades, and photos, muggle and wizard alike.

Harry was speechless. "Re... Remus, I don't know what to say. This is brilliant. Thank you."

Remus smiled warmly and said, "You're welcome. There's more still. Go on."

Harry carefully lay the bulging book aside and pulled a thin box to him. Inside was a spell-checking quill, topped with a phoenix feather.

Remus seemed slightly uneasy about Harry opening the last one. Harry tore off the paper hastily only to find another layer of paper, and a card.

Harry recognized the writing on the front of the card in an instant. The wrapping paper was faded, the present hastily and messily wrapped. The card simply read 'Harry' in spindly, cramped handwriting.

"I... I found it in the back of his closet," Remus said softly, tears dancing around the edges of his eyes. "I don't know how long he had it wrapped, I don't even know what it is. I think he would still want you to have it."

Harry looked around at everyone seated at the table. Ron was fingering his glass slowly, Hermione was crying silently, Severus was stealing worried glances at Remus, and Draco had his head bowed, his glasses low on his nose.

Harry slid his finger under the edge of the envelope. It opened rather easily.

Inside was a generic 'Happy Birthday' card. Harry opened it a read a short, quickly scrawled note that read:

HAPPY BIRTHDAY HARRY!

I actually don't know how close to your birthday you will receive this. I'll try to send it to you as close as possible, but I'm not going to guarantee anything.

I hope to see you or talk to you sometime soon, possibly this summer. I'll see what can be worked out.

Anyway, I hope your 16th birthday turns out great, no matter how dismal the company.

Yours,

Sirius

P.S. Remus sends his love as well. He doesn't know that I have this wrapped and everything. You'll probably have another with both of our names on it. Don't be surprised.

Talk to you soon.

Tears riddled the birthday card and Harry handed it to Remus, who took it hesitantly. Harry took his time removing the paper, folding it up carefully and laid it gently by the envelope his birthday care had come in.

Draco's hand had somehow found its way onto Harry's knee, and Harry suddenly felt better. Safer.

He opened the box.

The first thing that caught Harry's eye was a small, golden ball that he recognized instantly as a snitch. It was brand new; there were no scratches or tarnished marks. It held a few fingerprints, presumably Sirius', but otherwise it was unblemished.

Next was a pair of Seeker's gloves made entirely out of dragon skin. Harry pulled them out of the box and sniffled, trying not to get the leather wet. Draco's grip on his thigh tightened and Harry resisted the urge to reach down and take the blonde's hand into his.

Underneath the gloves was a frame nestled in tissue paper, face down. Harry picked it up and nearly dropped it again.

The picture inside the frame showed a younger Sirius, his hair longer than it was when... when Harry last saw him. Picture-Sirius was bouncing a wild-haired, smiling baby on his hip, occasionally tossing him into the air and catching him, a broad smile on the man's face. There was both a bespeckled man and a woman with flaming red hair in the background, laughing along with Sirius.

Another figure entered the frame but Harry couldn't look at it anymore. He laid the picture back in the box and took a deep breath.

"You okay?" Draco whispered and Harry watched Remus slide the card back into the envelope.

"Yeah," he said softly as he looked up to see Hermione wiping her eyes on her shirt sleeve. Ron smiled at him weakly and Snape steepled his fingers, resting his chin on the tips.

"Well," Harry said a little too loudly, grabbing the next present, Ron's, and pulling it in front of him. "Moving on. Thanks for... damn, they actually wrote one?"

Harry laughed as he read the title aloud. "Just what you need Potter," Draco said with a sneer. "Something else to make your head immeasurably big. I wonder if it comes in Braille?"

Everyone laughed. Even Remus managed a smile. "Thanks Ron," Harry said again, "I'm sure it will prove to be an enlightening read."

He opened the lumpy package Dobby sent next. Inside the package there were sixteen completely different socks. Everyone but Harry found it amusing.

Next came a care package from Mrs. Weasley full of all kinds of homemade cakes and biscuits. Harry made a mental note to write Mrs. Weasley an extra long thank you letter.

Next was an unidentifiable article of furry clothing from Hagrid. Harry could have sworn it was... moving...

A rather rumpled-looking and ugly baby bird squawked and fell out of a pocket in the fur. The bird crawled over to Harry and squawked again. It seemed to grow before his very eyes, and it was. Before long was a full-grown, pitch black owl with startling blue eyes. The owl made a sort-of purring noise and side stepped to Draco, who reached out with his free hand and stroked the owl slowly.

"Wicked Harry," Ron said softly. "You got a new owl. Hedwig would have been so jealous."

"That was really thoughtful of Hagrid," Hermione said with a smile. "And she's beautiful."

Severus watched Draco stroke the owl for a few moments then scooted his uneaten cake over closer to the owl in case she was hungry.

Harry smiled and reached for the last present, from Tonks.

Inside her package was a book called The All Inclusive Guide to Becoming an Auror. Harry beamed and decided to add another person to the list of people to send thank you notes to.

Everyone sat around the table in silence for a while until Severus said, "Everyone eat your cake. It took too long to make to just sit and get stale. Eat up."

Harry grabbed his saucer and fork and said, "I'm going to go up to my room, okay? Thanks to everyone again."

"Harry..." Hermione began, getting up out of her seat.

Harry smiled sadly and said, "I'm fine. Really."

"What about this stack of cards, mate?" Ron said as he motioned to a pile across from him on the table.

"I'll get them later," Harry said softly.

Remus took a bite of his cake, trying not to look at the box containing Sirius' present of to Severus.

Hermione sniffled and pulled off her pink, glittering hat. "This was a bad idea. It was stupid of me."

"It was not a bad idea," Ron said softly. "It was a really good idea. You just wanted to do something nice for Harry. You wanted to help."

"It's my fault," Remus hissed, looking from Hermione to Severus. "I shouldn't have given him..."

"It's no one's fault," Severus said sternly. "It just isn't the best time for a birthday party."

Draco gave the owl one final stroke and stood. "I'm going to go check on Harry."

Everyone nodded, despite the fact that Draco couldn't see them. The blonde followed the well-worn path to the bedroom. The door was closed, but not locked.

"Harry, you on the bed?" Draco said softly, hoping that Harry would respond. "Yeah," the Gryffindor whispered. "Do you want some cake?"

The blonde strode over to the bed and crawled on, resting his head on Harry left shoulder and sighing. "No thanks, I had some of the owl's. It's pretty good, yes?"

Harry simply responded, "Yeah."

"Harry?"

"Yes?"

"Do me a favour and grab that black box over on the desk."

The bed shifted as Harry crawled off, gathering the box, and rejoined Draco on the bed.

"What is this, Draco?"

"Your present. Open it."

"Draco, I..."

The Slytherin pushed his sunglasses up his nose and said, "Please."

Harry nodded and pulled the lid off the box, slowly extracting a long chain. On the end was a rectangular charm with one Braille word on each side.

Draco took Harry's hand into his, guiding Harry's fingers over one side. "That says Potter," Draco supplied, then turned the pendant over. "And this," Draco whispered as goose bumps rose on the back of Harry's neck. He suddenly had the urge to kiss Draco. "This says Malfoy."

"It's beautiful," Harry said in a hoarse voice, closing his eyes and allowing warmth from Draco's body to flood him.

Harry looked back at the box and saw a folded piece of parchment inside. It, too, had been typed in Braille, and Harry was suddenly rather frustrated by the fact he could not read it.

"Do you want to know what it says," Draco breathed, gently tracing Harry's fingers with his own.

"What?" Harry croaked, feeling suddenly hot.

"It says," Draco said softly, "'I fancy you too'."

"You... you heard? M... me?" Harry stammered.

"Of course I did," Harry said with a smirk. "I'm a light sleeper."

"You... you fancy me too? Really?"

"Would I have told you I did if I didn't?"

"...No?..."

"Of course not. Now..."

"What?"

Draco took off his own glasses, then Harry's. "Just to level the playing field a little," he said with a smile.

"Are you sure about this?" Harry said softly as Draco reached forward and ran a gently, exploring hand over the side of Harry's face. His fingers ghosted over the rise petal soft skin on Harry's eyelids, down his nose, to finally rest over his lips.

Draco smiled again and said, quite simply, "I have scarcely been more sure about anything."

Thanks to brionyjae for the beta!