HERE IT IS! I TOLD YOU SO! Alright bragging aside, I have it finished and put together! This is chapter three! I am so happy to be moving forward in this story you have absolutely no idea! There is some fluff in it, and while I don't go into as much detail as I could, I will in the future, so the rating of the story will probably move towards M in the future. This will in no way be a smutty story, and nor will it be anything without love. I'm happy with this chapter, and while it seems a bit rushed thats how my mind works so just imagine how difficult it was for me to sit down and write for extended times. I love to just watch my own imagination play out and half the time I just don't write it down XP. Annnyyhooo, here you are my lovely readers! I do not own Harry Potter, and this lovely story can only come to be thank's to J.K. Rowling!
Harry had been laying awake in Draco's bed for about an hour when a loud bang alerted him of something going on in the other room. He jumped up, grabbed his wand and burst through the door, to find a half naked Draco stumbling through the room almost blindly.
"Hey, Draco, mate what's wrong?" Harry asked, reaching for the man in front of him. He noticed that while Draco's eyes were open they seemed almost glazed over. It was then that Harry realized that his friend was sleepwalking, and muttering to himself.
"Don't, don't torture them. Don't hurt them! LEAVE ME ALONE." Draco's deep voice bellowed, filled with pain. Harry threw his arms around him immediately, pulling the other man into his chest and holding him there while quiet sobs escaped his open mouth. Harry held him there until he quieted down, realizing that he'd fallen back into a peaceful sleep. Harry sighed, picking up the smaller man with what seemed like practiced ease and walked back to the bedroom. It seemed that a change in sleeping location set the man off, and he'd probably had a nightmare the first night he'd slept at Hogwarts. The new scars on Harry's body throbbed slightly, nothing he couldn't handle but he knew that there was no way he would be the same after that fight. He'd Apparated into the Forest, finding a student who had been practicing spells after hours (much like he used to). Not a moment after however he'd heard growling from behind them in the trees, and a giant wolf, not unlike how Lupin looked when he changed, came charging through the brush.
Instinctively Harry protected the young boy, and received a slash wound and a bite in the process. It knocked him aside and went after the boy, who received similar but worse wounds. Harry healed his as best as he could, not remembering that wounds inflicted by werewolves could only be healed with a special poultice. He shot a binding curse at the creature, and sent his Patronus to Ron, who would clean up everything while Harry grabbed the boy and ran. He wasn't sure what happened after that, all he knew was that he was fucked. Having run into the infirmary seeing Draco surrounded by young girls had set Harry on an unnecessary jealous path, even while being aware that Draco more likely than not saw no interest in them whatsoever. Harry glanced down at the man now clutching his arm in his sleep and sighed. The Draco in front of him was smaller, which was strange for Harry, because Draco had always been the taller of the two. Realizing that he wasn't going to let go any time soon, Harry tucked into the sheets and closed his eyes.
That morning Draco woke up more comfortable and warm than he had in years. He felt rested, and when he moved to get up, he realized that there was something wrapped around both his waist and his chest. Pulling the blanket up slightly and glancing under it he found muscular arms bound tightly around him. Draco glanced over his shoulder, finding one Harry Potter asleep soundly, black hair scraggly from bed head, and no glasses on his face. Draco stopped, at first believing that Harry had snuck into his bed in the middle of the night, but then remembering that he'd been sleeping on the couch, while Harry had the bed. A blush crept up on Draco's face, and he could feel it all the way to his ears. As he moved to get up, the strong arms that were wrapped around him pulled him back tighter and let out a deep sigh onto Draco's neck. A shiver went down his spine and Draco knew then and there that sleeping in the same bed as this man was dangerous. Yet so damned comfortable.
"Fuck…" Draco muttered to himself, having put his hands on Harry's arms to try and pull them off, realizing it would do him no good due to the size of them. The boy he knew from Hogwarts was no longer short and skinny. The man he was snuggled up into was tall, tan, fit and sexy as fuck while asleep. Let alone while awake. Draco forced himself to move, replacing the space he had been in with a pillow and jumping into the shower while he had the chance. As he stripped off his pajamas he couldn't help but wonder how he'd ended up sharing a bed with Harry, and while he knew there was a reason, he hadn't expected it. Not wanting to admit it however, he enjoyed sharing the bed. The water running over his body helped to warm him up but also helped him to wake up as he mentally prepared for the days game of Quidditch. Working the shampoo into his hair and starting to scrub his body, the door to the bathroom opened up. In walked a very sleepy, and very sexy looking Harry. Draco glanced through the curtain and balked at the other man. He seemed to have no shame whatsoever.
"So that's where you went. I thought you ditched me again." Harry muttered, his voice deeper with grogginess.
"You're sleeping in my quarters, I couldn't ditch you if I tried. How did I end up in bed with you?" Draco asked, smiling out at the sleepy man.
"You were sleepwalking and having a nightmare. I carried you to your bed but you wouldn't let go of my arm." He responded, trying in vain to run a brush through his tangled mass of hair. Draco sighed, hoping that hadn't happened in front of Harry, however accepting that he'd gotten help for it.
"Mind if I shower after you? I need to somehow fix my hair." Harry asked, attempting then to remove the brush from his hair. Draco chuckled and grabbed the towel from where it had been left the night before and wrapped it around his waist. Some part of him wanted to tease Harry, and he knew this would do the job.
Harry was working on pulling the brush from the side of his head unsuccessfully when Draco stepped out of his shower, wearing only a towel around his waist and water dripping down his body. Harry's hand froze by his head, and his eyes widened. Draco's body was lean with tight muscles under pale white skin. He seemed fairly hairless, with only a patch of platinum blonde hair running underneath his navel disappearing below the towel. His hair was slicked back by water and he still had the stubble that seemed his new style. Harry felt his body responding to the drenched man in front of him, and slowly moved his hands over where his erection was inevitably showing.
"I'll pass a towel in for you." Draco spoke, seemingly oblivious to the fact that he was naked and walking past Harry. Once the door closed Harry sank down onto the toilet and groaned, feeling his arousal in the pits of his stomach. Living with Draco was going to kill him. The water was still running in the shower, and as Harry stripped off the clothes he wore to bed, he knew he wasn't going to get ride of the erection without doing something about it but in Draco's shower it seemed out of the question. At the same time he could put a silencing spell over the shower and work from there.
Draco stood in his kitchen, fully clothed hair slightly damp, and a huge smile plastered onto his face. He'd seen the reaction that Harry had when he glanced in the mirror. His eyes widened when he'd seen Draco, and that was a reaction Draco was glad he didn't miss. Harry walked into the room twenty minutes later, while Draco was making breakfast.
"Tea?" Draco asked, pouring hot water into a mug and placing it in front of Harry, who still looked significantly asleep.
"Yeah, got early grey?" Harry asked.
"Of course I do, its my favorite." Draco smiled and passed a tea steeper and the container of tea to Harry. Placing two plates on the table and sitting down, Draco realized that Harry wouldn't quite meet his eye. He smiled to himself and dug into his eggs. He was expected to set up the medical tent around 8, and it was 7:30. A smile rose onto Draco's face, thinking about his taunting again. He knew that Harry was going to get him back somehow, and it was going to be similar to what Draco had done, something he looked forward to.
"I have to get ready for Quidditch now, you can come help if you'd like." Draco stood, having finished his meal and was putting the dishes in his sink when two hands placed themselves on either side of Draco's hips on the counter, and warmth radiated into his body. Harry wasn't touching Draco, however the proximity did enough to him.
"I didn't take you as a coy person Draco. But know, I'm not a patient man, nor am I one to back down from a challenge." Harry's voice resounded in Draco's ear, making the man blush harder than he'd ever blushed, and it sent more than just shivers through his body. Draco could hear the smirk in Harry's voice, and even worse, he knew that if he showed any reaction that he'd lost. Turning around where he stood, Draco smiled at Harry.
"I'd expect nothing less." And pecked him on the nose. Harry hadn't worn his glasses to the table, and his hair had covered a portion of his face, however both of his mesmerizing emerald green eyes shown through, in shock and want. Draco ducked under Harry's arm, and walked out of the room attempting to exude confidence, however believing he looked like a fool. A blush had formed on his face, which he attempted to calm as he changed into a nice looking mint green button up shirt and black trousers. Draco ran his fingers through his hair, which was getting longer again, and used a small amount of gel, only to keep it from falling into his face. He grabbed his wand and put it in his pocket, before turning to find Harry standing in the doorway.
"I'll be up in a bit. I'm not a morning person." He spoke, with a small smile and made his way over to where his robes were. Draco nodded about to leave, but stayed a moment to observe Harry. He wore a simple T-shirt, which Draco wouldn't call simple because of the way it stretched slightly over Harry's chest and around his arms, however was slightly looser towards his waist, and jeans. While Draco knew that Harry normally hadn't had a sense of style, he figured that had been remedied over the years.
Harry realized the opportunity in front of him when Draco didn't immediately leave the room. He pulled his shirt over his head using one hand, and began to summon up the shirts he'd brought along with him, when a delicate but skilled hand placed itself on his side. Right where the wound had been. It didn't hurt any more, and because of Harry's strong magic the poultice took well, and the wound looked at least two years old.
"How did this happen?" Draco asked, hand still touching his scar. It was large, and marred the skin. Something Harry wasn't too pleased about however he'd just added it to the list.
"Particularly mean dog. I mean it, this dog had gone rabid in Knockturn Alley and we were sent for it. Took the bite before someone else could." Harry answered. He relied on the fact that Draco hadn't really been outside of work for years, and it seemed to have worked, as Draco let his hand trail across Harry's back, where the scars he'd had for as longer than any except the one on his forehead.
"And these?" Draco asked, his breath tickling the skin of Harry's back.
"I would rather not say now. We can talk after Quidditch about them." Harry stepped forward slightly, pulling himself away. Draco's hand followed him, but he knew when not to press the issue, and stepped back, hand sliding off of Harry.
"You're right. I'm sorry for being nosy. I hope to see you at the pitch mate." Draco pat his back and walked away, grabbing his wallet off of the table in the living area as he passed. Harry breathed a sigh of relief. This was going to be a long day. After getting himself dressed he decided to grab some food before heading over to the medical tent, giving himself some time to think. Draco had flirted with him that morning. He didn't seem intimidated by Harry's challenge comment and even stepped right up to it. That was some of the old Draco coming back, not the bad one, but the cocky and confident one. The one that Harry wanted to see mixed with the kind and thoughtful Draco he knew now. If anything could be learned from the morning, it was that Draco wasn't getting away this time. Harry would be sure about it.
Draco smiled while walking on his way down to meet Poppy. He'd passed students in the hallway, many of them giving him a greeting politely, or asking him what he was doing that day. It was a lot more pleasant than people splitting the hallway and avoiding him at all costs. Looking back on his time at Hogwarts, Draco couldn't help but feel that he'd acted like a complete git to most of his fellow students. He marveled at how little the school itself had changed. Other than the fact that he wasn't looking at it as a student, the school had been rebuilt very much the same as before. Closing his eyes for a moment to take in the smell of the school once again, he ran smack into someone else rounding the corning. Catching whoever he'd run into, Draco apologized.
"I'm sorry, I wasn't paying attention to where I was going." He spoke, righting the person, who had long blonde hair only a little darker than his own, back to her feet.
"Oh, that's quite alright Draco. I was marveling at how the Nargles seem to have left Hogwarts. How are you Draco?" A spaced out voice responded. Her voice was high pitched, with a slight airiness to it, and Draco knew who it was immediately.
"I am doing well, and yourself Luna?" He asked, a small smile on his face. This was one of the people who no matter how he treated her she never seemed to think bad of him. She never seemed to think bad of those who bullied her back when she was in Ravenclaw either.
"I am doing splendid. Preparing my class for a trip into the Forbidden Forest. Since most of them haven't seen anyone die they won't see the Thestrals, I hope to see a blast ended skrewt or two. Hagrid accidentally let a few loose last year, and that could easily mean breeding." Luna spoke in her spaced out but focused way. Draco knew she was the new Magical Creatures professor after they had gotten out of school, however he hadn't seen much of her around. The blonde haired woman was also somewhat of a psychic. At least Draco thought so. She was always able to tell a persons true character, and was never one to judge others.
"If you need someone strong to go along with you Harry is here as well, he's starting as a Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher." Draco offered, knowing that Harry would be glad to see his friend again.
"Thank you Draco. I will keep that in mind. And watch out for any Nargles. I haven't found any yet, but they are usually somewhere." She smiled in her curt manner and almost skipped off. Draco chuckled to himself, marveling at how little that girl had changed. She was older, that was for sure, and he knew from the students that her classes were always a favorite for everyone, mostly because of their teacher who seemed to be slightly crazy. Finally he met with Poppy and the work for Quidditch began. Draco began to prepare most of the potions they would need, mostly skelegrow. Draco pulled his wand out preparing for any injuries that would require more invasive magic. Harry had wandered up not too long after, his hair brushed away from his face, showing not only his scar but his glasses as well. He wore a red sweater and jeans over trainers, and even though it was a casual look, it was sexy to Draco.
"Mr. Potter! Glad to have you're help. I would require Draco to go onto the field to retrieve injured students, however with you here we can both focus on our healing." Poppy smiled, and explained Harry's job to him. The match today was between Ravenclaw and Slytherin, and while Draco held no affinity towards a house, he still felt inclined to cheer for his former one. Harry proceeded to chat with Poppy until the match started. Luckily only one injury occurred through the whole match, to one Slytherin beater, who looked away for one moment and the bludger hit him in the stomach. Once brought to the medical tent however the boy forgot all about his injury to speak with Draco, about how school was back when he was there. Draco opted to not speak about how bad things really had been, and chose to talk about classes, all while running a few diagnostic spells and proceeding to give the boy skellegrow for a fractured rib. The boy was then sent back to his dormitory, with instructions to be careful and not over exert himself.
Three weeks had passed at Hogwarts, and while Draco was becoming accustomed to the flow of student sicknesses and fluctuating schedules, he was also growing accustomed to sharing an apartment with Harry. They had toned down the teasing, due to stress on both sides, and were both content sharing a bed at night. However in the last few days Draco was noticing that Harry was getting more and more easily irritated. He'd thought about turning to Neville to see if this was normal, however he never had the opportunity. Draco was walking with Harry to the breakfast in the morning when they met up with Luna in the hallway. She walked up to them with her usual smile, however she was met by a scowl from Harry.
"A good morning to both of you." Luna said, walking in front of them and turning her head over her shoulder.
"Good morning Luna." Draco smiled back, wondering what had gotten into his roommate to cause him to scorn even Luna's company.
"Harry, you seem unwell." She spoke, turning around entirely to face the two men.
"Do I? I hadn't noticed." Harry snapped back, fighting to keep himself from getting more irritated.
"Maybe it's the moon. Professor Lupin exhibited the same thing when he was here. Maybe you could seek help from Draco. I heard that he has a Mastery over Potions." She spoke, turning to go on ahead of them. While she was hard to figure out, Luna's insight and instinct had helped them many times before. Draco turned to Harry to see that his face had gone white, and he looked scared.
"That's what it is, isn't it. Oh bloody hell Harry." Draco muttered, grabbing the slightly larger man's arm and dragging him back to the rooms they shared.
"You will sit here, and I will be back in a moment, I am running to the potions room." Draco said, more angry with himself than Harry because he hadn't realized the signs when they were presented.
"Draco! Wait!" Harry shot up, looking guilty.
"What, Harry." Draco turned to him, still beating himself up over not noticing.
"I…I'm sorry. I didn't know what to do." Harry admitted, sinking back down to the couch. Draco felt his heart swell for the scared man in front of him.
"I'm sorry as well. I'm not mad at you. I should have realized what was happening, as a healer. And as your friend." Draco placed a kiss on the top of Harry's head and turned on his heels to get the ingredients for a wolfsbane potion. He knew that Harry would rather stay where he wasn't going to destroy anything, however the potion would help to subdue the animosity of the wolf inside him. Draco was determined to help his friend. No matter the cost.
Harry sat alone in the room, still marveling over the fact that Draco was going to help him. He had been dreading this time since the first day it happened, and while he had informed his class that he would be away for maybe two days, he realized that he didn't have a replacement for those days. It was maybe ten minutes later when Draco stalked back into the living space with a cauldron full of supplies.
"I will be brewing this today, and up until the night before you change you will take one vial a day. It will help. It won't taste very nice I'd imagine, but if you shoot it like firewhiskey you won't notice." He smiled, the corner of his eyes crinkling slightly. Harry felt relieved then, that Draco was still his friend. A friend he realized he was getting closer and closer to. They had been sharing the bed at night, and while Draco seemed to be content with that, Harry had wanted to do so much more with the man he lived with. While Draco was the smaller of the two men, that did not mean in any way that he was a small person. Harry had shot up in height after Hogwarts, having gone from a short skinny boy to a broader and taller, 187.96 centimeters to be exact, and while he was taller, Draco still went up to about his nose. Harry walked around behind Draco as he was working, wrapping his arms around him and putting his head on top of the blonde.
"Thank you." Harry smiled, and then let go, moving back to the couch to take a small nap.
"I'll be taking over you're class for a few days, while you can't teach." Draco spoke, still working over the potion. Harry knew that it was a very difficult potion to make, and only a master could produce one successfully.
"Don't you have duties in the infirmary?" Harry asked, a questioning look on his face.
"Poppy has it under control. She has been a healer for a lot longer than I have you know." Draco smirked into his cauldron. Harry nodded, and slipped off to sleep. However, it was not restful in the slightest. Harry found himself running through the woods, breathing hard and feeling terrified of something he couldn't see. He felt his four legs strain to get away from whatever it was, but he knew in the back of his mind and because of his raised guard hairs, that it was catching up. Harry jumped behind a bush, diverting his path at the last second, however as he thought he'd gotten away something clamped onto his shoulder. He bit back a cry and struggled however whatever had him wouldn't let go.
"Harry. Wake up. Love, wake up! HARRY!" Draco's voice broke in and Harry was thrown from his nightmare. He glanced up, finding himself looking into two very worried silver spheres. Draco was kneeling over him by the couch, where Harry had half fallen.
"You were having a very bad nightmare. I let you sleep too long I'm sorry. I've finished the potion. I need you to take the first night." Draco held up a small vial. Harry grabbed it and downed it, feeling the effects almost immediately. When Harry had been changed, for a few days after he was easily disoriented. He could hear things a lot better, and he could see a lot better as well. He'd replaced his lenses with fakes, keeping up the notion that he'd needed them, however finding that he could see perfectly fine without the correction. His sense of smell had increased as well, making it even harder to live with Draco, due to the fact that his scent drove Harry crazy. He smelled of the woods, pine mixed with sandalwood, and then there was something else. A smell that reminded him of the sea. Harry loved it, but he could never really tell Draco why he found himself sniffing his hair in the morning.
The wolfsbane had worked to subdue those senses. He felt moderately human again, not having as much of a reaction to sounds and smells as he did before. However the one smell he was missing was Draco's. It had gotten to be something of a comfort to him, and while it was something that made him crazy with want, it was something he'd associated with home.
Draco's mind was running at a mile a minute. Wondering what he could do to lessen the blow to Harry's mind from the change. The first was always the worst. The wolf was going to be set free, and Draco had no idea where would be best. He knew that he could throw silencing charms and defensive barriers up in their room. That was easy, it was keeping Harry from hurting himself that would be hard. Draco was helpless. Something he didn't like being. Determined to find an answer, he told Harry he would be back soon, and stalked off to McGonagals office. He spoke the password, and knocked on the door to her office.
"Come in." She called.
"I need your advice." Draco said, rather than greeting his Headmistress.
"I'm not sure I have the answer, but go ahead to ask." McGonagal spoke, glancing up from her paperwork.
"I have a friend who recently was changed into a werewolf. How can I help them." He asked, straight forward about what was going on. A shocked expression rose onto the older woman's face.
"This is something you must consult another person for. I know just the person." She smiled, and gestured for Draco to follow her into another room just off of where the office was. In it stood a portrait, empty at the time.
"He should be here soon. Along with another guest." She spoke, leaving Draco to his thoughts. It wasn't a moment before he heard a voice he never thought he would hear again.
"Young Master Draco, it is a pleasure to see you." The voice spoke. Draco's head shot up faster than he ever thought possible, and was greeted by the sight of Dumbledore, inside the picture frame, accompanied by Severus Snape.
"P-Professor! Dumbledore!" Draco spoke, putting a hand over his mouth to cover his shock.
"That it is. What is it you need?" Snape asked in his usual drawling manner.
"I have a friend who was turned into a werewolf. I have no way to help him except brew the Wolfsbane Potion, which I have done. What else can I do? He's going to be alone." Draco asked, speaking quickly.
"I see that you care deeply for this person. May I inquire as to who it is?" Dumbledore asked, a small shine to his eyes.
"Harry Potter sir." Draco said firmly, surprising Snape. Last he had seen the boy, he was brash rude and didn't know when to shut his mouth. The man in front of him was straightforward, however he showed respect for the two men, even while bound to portraits, and true confidence.
"I remember when a group of young men came to Hogwarts. They were loyal only to each other, and did everything they could for their friend who had lycanthropy. They thought they hid themselves well, however when you are an animagi, people can notice." Dumbledore mused, while Snape scowled at the chair next to him.
"Those boys have made their amends, Severus, and have all made their mistakes, for which they have suffered. You have as well." Dumbledore spoke, turning to Snape and patting his shoulder. Draco struggled to follow what was happening at first, once it clicked however he realized that he'd been brewing the potion that could help him for years. Whenever the ministry gets a request for someone to become an animagus, they employ Draco to brew the potion that would show the intended what creature they were to become. If the creature was deemed as dangerous, or if the person did not pass the screening process they could never become an animagus. Draco smiled and thanked both men profusely.
"Also, Draco, please do not inform Potter of our existence yet, we wish to…surprise him." Severus spoke, watching as Draco darted out the door.
Arriving back in the dungeon where the potions closet was, and startling the current Potions professor who was a squirrely man by nature, Draco called back that he would replace the supplies when he could and ran back to his rooms. This would be tricky, and even if he were to do this, he wouldn't be able to help Harry for another month due to the mandrake leaf. Draco sighed and began brewing the potion as he had done many times before. Harry was watching him from the couch, leaning over the back of it with his arms propping him up.
"What potion are you brewing now?" Harry asked.
"Something for sickness, I'm feeling sick." Draco replied, lying to keep this a secret from Harry. Draco knew that it was a difficult process, and the likelihood of him succeeding was less than 50. It took him an hour to brew the potion, having to let it sit and boil for about 30 minutes. Once it was done, he put it in a vial to let it cool. He'd need to do this when Harry wasn't watching him, so he waited until Harry was tucked in bed and promised he'd be there soon. Draco stared at the purple colored potion in front of him. He knew that this would help Harry, but he was nervous he would end up with an animal like a ferret. He knew it was based on personality and nature, however he still feared for what would happen. Even a bird would be better than a rodent. Especially because rodents are food for wolves.
"Well, now's better than never. Bottoms up." Draco muttered, and downed the potion in one gulp. A moment passed before it kicked in, but when it did, it was nothing like Draco expected. His body went limp and he slumped to the table.
Draco was walking through a snow-covered forest. It was quiet, with the occasional crunch under his feet. A clearing came into view up ahead and he turned around entirely to take in the view. He was in a mountain range somewhere, and the view was breathtaking. The silence of the moment was broken by the sound of snow crunching behind him. He turned slowly, hoping beyond hope that whatever was walking behind him was larger than his cat. A small lump formed in his throat. What would he do if his animagus form really was useless to Harry. Like Peter Pettigrew? What if he was something like that? Draco stopped, remembering what he'd told many people before him. Embrace the animal inside you. Don't let fear of what you become rule you. Draco turned entirely and faced his inner animal. Shocking silver eyes met his, and the blonde wolfdog before him watched him stoicly. Draco knelt down in front of the creature with a smile.
"Aren't you just beautiful." He spoke softly. The creature's tail began to wag and he knew then that he'd been accepted. A sigh escaped his lips as his vision fogged. Tomorrow, he'd go to Neville and grab a leaf from the Mandrakes he was growing. One leaf wouldn't be missed. He would claim sickness as his reason for not speaking, and he prayed that Harry had forgotten the process to becoming an animagus. Draco shook the last of the potion off of his body. That night, he rested well knowing that he'd be able to help Harry, even if it took some time. The next morning he found himself in a comfortable position. His head was tucked into Harry's neck with his arms wrapped around the other mans body. It was a Saturday morning and while he knew they didn't have to do anything that day, it was two days before Harry transformed. Draco knew that these next few days were crucial for Harry, and throughout the day Draco was starting to lay down defensive wards. He'd made breakfast for Harry and was preparing for a shower when the other man came stumbling into the living space with a startled expression. Draco turned to ask him what was wrong, when Harry grabbed his face and kissed him. It was quick and then his face was shoved into Harry's shoulder.
"I thought you had left, I couldn't find you." Draco smiled and put his hand on Harry's head, holding him closer. The friendship that they shared had bloomed from acquaintance to life partners. Draco knew that he would never consider Harry as anything less than his best friend, and he hoped that he held that esteem with Harry, without having to compete with Ron.
"I wouldn't leave you. I wanted to make you breakfast." Draco smiled and placed the plate of food, all meat and barely cooked, in front of the other man. He turned to find Harry without his shirt again, the dark hair that always dusted his chest seemed thicker as the days approached the full moon, and the chiseled muscles and that ran down his entire body came to a point at the patch of hair leading down into his pajama pants. Draco turned away, feeling himself lick his lips while using what seemed to be the last of his willpower to resist Harry. He liked the kiss they shared earlier, and wanted it to continue, however he knew that it was a kiss in a moment of desperation, confirming reality as it were.
"Thank you again. I can't seem to be thanking you enough, you've saved my life so many times." Harry spoke, to which Draco had to bite his tongue. Harry had saved Draco many more times than the other way around, and thus far he'd only begun to scratch the surface of repayment. None of the affection and care he'd been giving was out of debt, however he knew that he could do his best to pay Harry back. Draco was making mental preparations for holding the Mandrake leaf in his mouth. Not only could he not speak for the whole time, but he would need to be extremely careful while eating. A sigh escaped his mouth and he knew it would be impossible to hide from Harry unless he could make up an excuse. Not knowing who else to turn to, Draco said that he would be going to visit Luna, and dressed himself in comfortable clothing. He walked out of the castle, knowing that Luna enjoyed being in the area of the forest, and found himself deep within the Forbidden Forest. There he found the strangest creatures. They resembled horses, however they had the wings of bats, and did not whinny.
"Thestrals. They can only be seen by those who have seen death." Luna came over, with a bag hung over her shoulder.
"This is what they look like…" Draco muttered. Luna grabbed his hand and placed something cold and slimy into it.
"This is what they eat." She smiled, tossing a large piece of meat at a thestral near her. One of the creatures dropped down and scooped up the meat into its mouth and ate it.
"You came here to ask me a question didn't you?" Luna turned, her blonde hair being blown slightly by the wind.
"Yes…I did. I need your advice on how to hide the fact that I'm going to be holding mandrake in my mouth for a month." Draco said bluntly.
"Ah yes, producing your animagus form. Well, you could write out for a month, explain that you are visiting family, claim illness, I'm sure you know potions that could cause false illness for a month or so." Luna smiled at him, aware that gears were turning in his mind.
"I do…I couldn't leave for a month and leave Harry here without someone to help him." Draco spoke.
"He wouldn't be alone, however your presence is what has been most calming to him." Luna turned away, pulling an apple out of a different pocket of her bag and taking a bite into it. Draco made a face of mild disgust, mostly for the fact that raw meat and apples did not go together in any way, however said nothing.
"I will do that then, after his change this week is over with and things are normal I'll brew the potion and prepare for a month of laying around and doing nothing." Draco smiled at Luna who looked proud of how she handled their situation.
"Good luck with the classes Luna. You make a great professor." Draco put his hand on her shoulder as he passed her. It was going to be a long night, and Draco hoped that Harry would be able to make it out without any injuries. He had finished the wards in the rooms just before seeing Luna, and that night he promised Harry he would be there when everything was over.
Harry looked at Draco fearfully. He could feel the wolf trying to break free, however it was a lot less pressing than it would have been had he not been taking the wolfsbane potion like Draco had instructed. The blonde haired man in front of him meant so much more than he'd ever imagined, and the fact that he was still helping meant that Harry wasn't going to lose him just yet.
"I'll be in this room. Don't expect to be doing anything for the next few days because you will need to recuperate. I will be handling your classes. Do not worry." Draco spoke reassuringly, glancing at the grandfather clock that rested against the wall. The moon would be out soon, and Draco had secured the bedroom to be used as Harry's "holding cell".
"I'm nervous." Harry admitted, running his hands through his hair. Draco smiled and put his hand on Harry's shoulder.
"The boy who lived, nervous about this? Posh, this will be a walk in the park." Draco used his thumb to rub small circles over Harry's collar bone. Tomorrow Draco would be getting the Mandrake leaf, and the day after that, he'd take the potion that would put him down for a month. He'd found one that wouldn't counteract the Mandrake, and should actually help with the effects. This would be a surprise for Harry that Draco was certain he'd never forget.
There you have it folks! I took extra time going through and editing to make sure it was coherent because when I write late at night it comes out in mumbo jumbo that doesn't seem like english anymore haha. Please tell me what you think! I love to hear what people have to say, and if you have advice or some form of trope or couple or something like that come up in the future, push that little button that says review! Or even better PM me!
In regards to guest reviews. My little sister writes for this website, and she's been receiving some fairly alarming guest reviews, informing her that she should kill herself. She has also told me that she isn't the only person having these problems, so any reviews that are anything other than helpful or supportive in nature will be removed and ignored. She doesn't deserve that treatment, nor does anyone else on this website. It is called FAN FICTION for a reason, because it is a creative outlet for those who can see many other ways for the stories already written to go. In my sisters case she isn't very good at coming up with her own original characters, so she enjoy's having a base to use for it.
Thank you for reading, and I apologize for the small rant about guest reviews, it just has gotten to bother me because of what it does to my sister and her self-esteem. Again, thank you to everyone who has supported my writing thus far!
As always...STAY SHINY!