AN: NO! I'm not dead…how weird is that? I'm just extremely busy…not a good excuse I know but hey! At least I still update every once in a blue moon right?
Warnings Disclaimers and Ratings are as usual…see chapter one for a refresher.
"Well…We already had breakfast so I guess at least we'll get to deal with them in pieces." Draco mumbled with a sigh, bringing a hand up to his temple. The truth was that it didn't really bother him that people knew since he'd had time to adjust to the fact that he cared about Harry. What he was worried about was that now because of the Gryffindor idiot Harry would be bombarded by questions from people. The blonde wasn't quite sure that he would be alright, especially since he'd had such a rough night before. "Do you have any plans Granger?" he asked then, hoping the all-knowing girl had some sort of suggestion.
"None. Unfortunately." Hermione replied with a small sigh. "Are you going to be okay? Because…I have some more bad news." She added then, looking to Harry with an almost motherly amount of concern. She pulled a piece of folded parchment from her pocket, watching for her friend's reaction. Harry just shrugged slowly. He mumbled: "I'm…not okay, but I think I can deal with this stuff for now…more bad news how? You found my sweater and it's destroyed or I'll fail some class?" Hermione looked increasingly uncomfortable as she handed him the parchment. Harry raised an eyebrow but accepted it, unfolding it and holding it out so that Draco could read it over his shoulder as well. It was an excerpt from some sort of wizard journal. A lot of big words, something about magical transfer mediums. Harry barely understood a word of it. Draco, however, was slowly tightening his hold on Harry as he read on. "Please explain…" Harry mumbled, looking back up to the Gryffindor girl.
"Well…I was thinking about how you got attacked. I was talking to professor Slughorn who told me they were under the Imperius curse. The strange thing about it is that they had been in detention the whole morning, then in potions class and then the infirmary. There was no one around to curse them. That's why I went to the library to research it a bit more, and I found that." She started explaining, pausing for a moment to catch her breath. She tended to forget to breathe when she was speaking about something important. "This is not good." Draco mumbled as he finished reading, looking up at the girl with an uneasy glance.
Harry was still more confused than awake, but he decided to wait for Hermione to finish explaining before he complained that she couldn't explain anything. "Basically..." she continued, seeing Harry's confused expression. "The article talks about a way to perform magic from a distance. There's a special magical connection that you can make with someone, and as long as you're powerful enough, you can use them as a magical medium to relay your magic to someone around them. It works similarly to a telephone. If someone, and I'm guessing Voldemord, wants to curse you but not come all the way here, he can use someone inside Hogwarts to do it. The worst part is that that person might not even know that their magic is being used, but if you're around them, he can see you and curse you. So…he's watching you, and we don't even know through whom. And when he wants to, he can use that person's magic to transfer a curse to you."
"So…I can't trust anyone?" Harry whimpered quietly, shocked stiff. Hermione sighed at that. "Only Draco and yourself. He needs a different person to target you, he can't curse you directly and Draco's magic works differently what a wizard's so this type of connection doesn't work. So…stick together for now." She suggested. Harry nodded. "We have to anyway, since the bond is new…but thank you for the warning. Please tell me that this is the extent of the news you have for me today, I don't think I can handle anything else today." The raven haired boy mumbled quietly.
"Wait…you guys kissed?" the girl beamed, moving to hug Harry closely with a grin, momentarily forgetting their grim conversation. "Way to go." She whispered into his ear, causing him to blush slightly, but only slightly. "Come on, we have to get to class…don't worry too much for now, as long as you're with Draco you'll be safe…and I don't think he's planning on abandoning you anywhere anytime soon. Right?". Draco huffed slightly, annoyed that the question even had to be asked. "Of course not." He mumbled quietly. There was no way he was leaving Harry alone, especially now.
Somehow, they all managed to find their way to potion's class where a wave of people practically crashed into them, crying out anything from 'you're so disgusting' to 'when can we go shopping together'. Somehow, Draco was expertly fending off the comments while Harry just sat next to him, dazed. He was infinitely grateful when the class finally started and professor Snape quieted everyone down in a matter of seconds. The rest of the day seemed to be just their morning on repeat. Go into hallway. Get ambushed. Let Draco do the talking and cower away from screaming girls. Start class in relief. End class. Repeat. He didn't even get a moment of spare time to talk to Ron, and he was secretly a little relieved because of that. He just wasn't ready to have another giant yelling session with him just yet.
When they were finally done with classes for the day, it was just himself and Draco walking outside. Harry was instinctively heading for Hagrid's and Draco was following without complaint, seeing as the boy looked ready to murder. "Are you alright?" the blonde asked then, his voice quieter and concerned as he spoke to his newfound mate. "Yeah, just…sleep deprived and sick of screaming people. I just want to say hi to Hagrid, that's okay right?" the Gryffindor replied, finally able to look at Draco today without having fifteen girls blocking his vision. "Of course." The Slytherin replied softly. "After today…you deserve a break." Harry gave him a small smile, grateful that Draco was being so understanding. It was strange to think how differently he saw him now.
As they arrived at Hagrid's hut Harry got up to push the door open, not needing to knock as by now, he was one of his main visitors here. "Harry!" Hagrid beamed as he saw him enter. "I'll make some tea, sit down, fang and I missed you!" he called out, ushering both Harry and Draco inside. Having heard from Hermione and Seamus already that Harry was Draco's mate, he was quite interested in talking to them. After all…a Dragon Veela was another magical creature. Harry looked to Draco quickly before sitting down. The blonde seemed surprisingly content with having to spend time in the hut with Hagrid, which made Harry feel a lot better. They spent their time making small talk, Hagrid leading the conversation, Harry replying occasionally and Draco sipping tea quietly.
"And as I was sayin' before, Professor Dumbledore gave me permission to keep a dragon in the forbidden forest, being careful and secret of course…and I was thinkin' of getting one, but I miss Norbert." Hagrid was saying, petting fang as he spoke. "Norbert?" Draco mumbled then, his curiosity having been attracted by the talk of dragons. "Yeah, he was this baby dragon that Hagrid got when he was still an egg. He got taken away." Harry explained with a small shrug. "Yeah." Hagrid added. "I had to give him up cause I couldn't keep him then, I don't even know where he is now…I'm sure he misses me too...".
When Draco and Harry finally got back to their rooms, Harry was ready to collapse. He hadn't eaten since breakfast and he was exhausted. Draco felt that and went straight for the kitchen, starting to prepare some food for him. "Today…really sucked." Harry mumbled, his voice muffled as he was speaking into a pillow, having crashed straight into a couch when they got back. "I know. It's Saturday tomorrow though, you'll get to sleep in." Draco reminded as he was cutting up some potatoes. A few minutes later, Draco came to sit beside the boy on the couch, seeing as he hadn't moved an inch. "You're still worried about what Granger said aren't you?"
"I just…I wish I had a day off…from all of this." Harry admitted finally, sitting up to look at his mate. "Everyone wants to kill me and they're finding new ways to do it every few days, school had just gotten intolerable with everyone asking me to go shopping or date them, the Dursleys are…I just want a day off, I'm going crazy." He added, catching himself before he started to talk about the Dursleys and their treatment. He whined quietly, letting his head drop onto Draco's shoulder.
"Hey." The blonde replied then, moving a hand to Harry's cheek and bringing his gaze up to his own. "I'm not going to let anyone hurt you. I know you're worried, but you can trust me on this. Really. I'm not letting anyone touch my mate. Promise. I'll keep you safe." He mumbled, his lips finding Harry's for a slow but wonderful kiss. "Now, come on, I made you something to eat, I know you're starving." The Slytherin added, causing Harry to smile softly as he got up. He was so happy that Draco was being understanding and civil with his friends and just so…wonderful.
"Draco…" Harry started, but paused then, the words hitching in his throat. "Eat." The blonde said, placing another kiss on his cheek as he sat him down at the table in front of his plate. "Do you want to sleep in my room again tonight?"
Harry nodded slowly as he ate. "Do you mind?" Draco sighed slightly. "O course not. It'll be easier for me too, with the bond being so new. About your day…tomorrow is Saturday. You can sleep as long as you like and when you wake up we can go to Hogsmade for brunch. We'll steer clear of anyone we know and I'll keep you safe and we'll do absolutely nothing important all day. It can be your day off." Draco suggested then, looking to the raven haired boy.
Harry's mood brightened considerable at the idea of doing nothing for a day except spend time with Draco. "That…sounds awesome." He replied with a grin, causing Draco so smile slightly in relief as well. "Done?" the blonde asked then, seeing as Harry had practically cleaned off the plate while they were speaking." "Yep." Harry answered. "I'll go get ready for bed…I'm exhausted." He added, getting up and heading for the bathroom, but not before flashing Draco another happy smile. When he finished and headed back to Draco's bedroom, he could see the blonde had already gotten ready and was lying on the bed reading a potion's book.
"I almost forgot that you can see in the dark now…must be cool." Harry mumbled with a yawn as he crawled in next to Draco, laying his head on the other's chest, one of the most comfortable way's to sleep now. "Just get some rest." Draco mumbled, draping an arm around the boy as he kissed his hair. He still had trouble showing affection, all Malfoys did, but when they were alone, things were just a little bit easier.
As Harry was falling asleep, he heard a strange voice that was quietly whispering something, but as soon as he had noticed it, it had already disappeared. Seeing as Draco hadn't stirred under him, he figured he was just going crazy. For some reason, that voice had reminded him of something, but he couldn't quite figure out what until it finally hit him and his eyes flew open as he shuddered. The voice…was almost the same as the one he had been hearing in his second year here, the voice of the Basilisk.
"Harry? What's wrong?" Draco was asking now, looking to him with concern.
"Can...Can that medium thing…be an animal?" he asked fearfully.