X.
The plan was to work on the magic for three sessions in a row and then see if more time was needed.
Even after a solid first day, Malfoy was still nervous. He hadn't successfully cast even the simplest leviosa.
"Stop staring, Potter!"
Harry didn't comment on the name.
"I have to look to tell you what needs to be done!"
Malfoy dropped his wand arm, though he was careful not to touch the wand to the side of his leg, Harry noticed.
"It's hopeless," he said, "isn't it?"
Harry shook his head. "You'll do it."
In Harry's mind, once they tackled Malfoy's sensitivity and magical instability, control would return. Then, they'd be in a position to start working with Malfoy's phobia of fire.
"Let's go back to repetition," Harry tried. "I'll even do it with you. Together: wingardium leviosa, wingardium leviosa, wingardium leviosa…"
Reciting a mantra could work to calm Malfoy, focus his mind, and cope with the blocked energy.
"Shut up," he snarled, cutting off Harry's chanting. "I'm shaking, Harry."
The discreet monitoring charm that displayed Malfoy's vitals to Harry was, actually, telling him that Malfoy's blood pressure was high. It could have been a side effect of the calming potion as it worked to regulate heart rate, but Malfoy's worry probably also contributed.
He couldn't seem to gather any control to collect himself. Magic was part skill from practice, part power, but also heavily depended on will. The psychology of magic had been very interesting to follow, when he'd begun studying, and that fact had pushed him to finish his studies in a condensed period and end up at the top. For once, it had because of his hard work, Hermione at his side.
Harry thought about it, rolling the word around in his mind. Control. Their relationship had always been a struggle for it. For them, it was always about dominance, be it relative or absolute.
Control.
Without thinking too much, Harry stood and circled around Malfoy slowly.
"Lift your arm and assume duelling position," Harry instructed.
Malfoy, arm unsteady, raised it. He tensed, slowly, as though feeling the slide of Harry's gaze over his skin.
"We'll say it together, right?"
Malfoy nodded, swallowing before parting his lips. Harry watched them move to form the words of the spell.
"On three. One, two, three. Wingardium leviosa, wingardium leviosa—Draco, I don't hear you." A very small bead of sweat escaped from Malfoy's fringe, trickling just down the side of his face.
Harry stopped his movement when he caught Malfoy's profile exactly. Malfoy's eyes moved to the side to see him.
"Eyes forward, wand up," Harry said. Malfoy obeyed.
"Harry—"
"Malfoy, you're going to listen and do as I say. We're trying something here."
A small nod.
"Shift your legs a little wider."
Malfoy did as he was asked, balancing his weight more securely.
"Bend your knees. Good. Again, we'll repeat the words. One," Malfoy's shoulders rose with a small breath, "two," Harry's stomach clenched, "three."
"Wingardium leviosa, wingardium leviosa, wingardium leviosa." They spoke together, words joining in the air. The spell was as familiar as breathing, but Harry could see the panic in Malfoy's eyes when it was clear that it wasn't working.
"This one," Harry said. "Try to cast it. One, two, three!"
"Wingardium leviosa!" Malfoy's wand sailed gracefully through the air, his words precise and clear. His intonation was perfect, his stance strong. Harry could see the effort behind the movement, the moisture that was showing through the thin material that stuck to Malfoy's back.
The ice cube on the countertop didn't move.
"Fuck!"
Harry was shocked into movement when Malfoy tried to storm past him. He stepped in Malfoy's path, causing them to bump chests.
"Get out of my way, Ha-Potter."
Harry stepped to the side with him, not allowing him to pass. They were close, and Harry could feel the nervous heat that radiated from Malfoy. He was angry, that much was clear, but he looked embarrassed. His breath came in short puffs that Harry felt against the skin on his cheek, brushing softly.
"You can't run away," he said. "I won't let you do this. We have to face this. I'll even help you."
Malfoy looked uncertain, narrowing his eyes at Harry. They stayed there, altogether too close, for too many seconds for Harry not to take note. Malfoy looked hesitant to step back, and a flash of annoyance sparked in his eyes when Harry took the initiative to do so.
Something crazy occurred to Harry.
"Malfoy," he said, voice low and serious. "Freeze."
Confusion and a trust that made Harry ache for no particular reason burned bright in Malfoy's eyes. He relaxed, rocking back on his heels.
"Fine." He exhaled sharply.
Harry circled him again, a small radius keeping him within arm's reach of Malfoy. The blond was stiff in front of him.
Then, Harry pressed right up to him, body flush against Malfoy's. Draco's.
"What are you—"
"Shut up, Malfoy." Harry whispered into his ear, close enough to feel him shy away from the tickle of hot air.
There was a brief moment in which Harry was sure Draco would wrench away from him, but it never arrived. In fact, Harry felt him relax against him, straightening his back so that it was as close to Harry's chest as possible.
Harry realized he hadn't really thought the idea through.
"Er…" his voice was weak. "Let's try the spell again. Turn with me, slowly, and we'll raise the wand together."
Harry's shoulder was pushed back as Draco rotated, their feet shuffling as well. Harry reached one hand forward, aligning it with Draco's after he relaxed from an initial recoil. He allowed his fingers to rest against Draco's, wrapping them around the wand in a second grip.
Draco's fingers felt delicate under his, weak.
Once they faced the ice, Harry resisted the temptation to bury his face in the crook of Draco's neck—he was tired, clearly, and probably mad. Slowly, they raised the wand. It was a bit unwieldy to stand right behind Draco's slightly larger frame, but Harry stretched, practically stuck to Draco.
"Together?" Draco asked, surprising Harry.
"One."
"Two."
"Three."
As one, they breathed in, moving together as though they'd been made to fit perfectly. "Wingardium leviosa!"
The wand made no sound as it moved, or it was because Harry's ears were ringing with energy. There was a current that ran through them, magical and sparking, and Harry gasped, breath stolen.
CRASH.
The ice cube flew right through the ceiling above the desk. A loud scream sounded out a moment later, along with some more clattering.
Harry found his cheek pressed against Malfoy's, both looking up at the ceiling in shock. After a moment of complete stillness, Harry's body was shaking. The sensation pulled him back to the present, and he realized Draco—er, Malfoy?—was laughing.
"I did it!" Joy saturated the exclamation, and Harry was so overcome with the feeling of success that he almost didn't miss Draco's warm body when the blond took a few steps forward. Almost.
Draco stopped under the hole, peering up to inspect it, then looked back at Harry with wide eyes and a wider grin.
"Harry—I…" he fumbled for words. "Fuck! I didn't think…"
Harry's ability to breathe finally returned to him. "I knew you could do it, Draco."
"Do you think I can do it again?"
There was some noise to be heard through the ceiling, angry tones that filtered through, and then sparks flew through the hole, burning blue until it was repaired.
Harry turned a smile on Draco, pushing physical memories from his mind and focusing on the success. A futile effort, but he tried.
"As long as you don't break anything else," he said.
Draco lost all control of himself, bouncing up on his toes and looking at his wand in wonder. Then, turning that same childish glee to Harry, whose breath escaped him, he returned to where Harry stood.
"Thank you, Potter."
He extended a hand to Harry, looking at him with all the openness of an eleven year old.
Harry took the hand, shaking it twice. The grip was firm, though Malfoy's fingers were still thin and rather frail, but there was an element of magic to the touch. It didn't change anything, Harry assured himself.
Still, he couldn't stop his elation—a mirror of Malfoy's—at the breakthrough.
"It's my pleasure, Malfoy."
And it was.