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See disclaimer in Chapter 1. I don' t own 'em.
Much love to Avana65 and FaeryQueen07!
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February 1999
The bed dipped, springs squeaking in protest under the weight of an additional body. Harry rolled to the side slightly, not removing his face from the pillow it was buried in as he made room for the visitor. His wards were solid, and only a few select people were allowed through. That, coupled with the fact that several of those people had no compunction about interrupting his sleep to hound him about homework or relay their relationship woes, left him unconcerned by the intrusion.
"I already told you I'm not going to the damn dance," Harry growled, burrowing his head deeper into the soft fabric. "You'll just end up sneaking off to shag Blaise in some broom cupboard anyway. You don't need me there."
The faint scent of sandalwood caught his attention, but before it fully registered, a voice that was most definitely not Ginny spoke.
"I know it's been a few weeks, but that doesn't mean I'm desperate enough to stoop to Blaise."
Heart racing, Harry scrambled to sit up, heedless of the way the motion stripped off the blankets he'd been wrapped in. Draco's mouth went dry at the sight of Harry's naked torso on display.
"Draco?" Harry blinked, trying to clear the muzziness from his brain. He took the glasses Draco handed him, shoving them on his face roughly. As the blond's face swam into focus, Harry's stomach clenched in panicked awareness. "Your probation! Being here could get you sent to Azkaban!"
Draco's smile lit his entire face, taking what was left of Harry's breath away.
"My sentence has been rescinded," he said, hardly able to believe it himself, even though he'd had forty-eight hours to process it. As far as the Ministry was concerned, Draco Malfoy, Death Eater, no longer existed. He was simply Draco Malfoy, head of the soon-to-be-restored Malfoy Estate. His family seat on the Wizengamot was even being reinstated, something that had been stripped from his father after the First Voldemort War.
"Rescinded?" Harry asked, his mind finally coming to full wakefulness.
"Remember how they wouldn't allow my father to testify at my trial? After that, he refused to cooperate with the Wizengamot's investigations into other potential Death Eaters."
Harry nodded, not trusting himself to speak or move. His hands were fisted at his sides, clenched tightly with the effort of not reaching out to touch Draco. The blond still hadn't explained how he'd gotten his sentence rescinded, let alone why the Ministry had allowed him to come back, not only to Hogwarts but to Harry as well. Draco's presence also seemed to imply that he wanted to be back, which sent a tremor of hope through Harry. The last time he'd seen Draco the other boy had been too disgusted to even touch him; could this mean Draco no longer hated him because of the bond they shared?
"He's been in solitary confinement in Azkaban since my trial," Draco said, his voice wavering a bit. He and his mother hadn't been allowed any contact with his father, so they'd had no way of knowing just how badly Lucius was being treated.
Draco's lips curved into a bitter smile, his mercurial eyes hardening.
"We thought the reason we hadn't been allowed to visit him because of our own probations. When I petitioned to see him so I could question him about my Mark –" Draco glanced down at his left arm, which was between them on the bed. Even though Draco was fully clothed, Harry could pinpoint exactly where the Mark was; he felt drawn to it, aware of it in a way he couldn't exactly explain.
Draco reached out suddenly with his right arm, leaving the left braced against the mattress. His fingertips fluttered over Harry's stubbled jaw, and his heart leapt at the way green eyes slid closed as Harry leaned into the touch.
"I was wrong. The Mark, the bond – it has nothing to do with the way you make me feel." Draco closed the gap between them, his mouth closing over Harry's before the other boy could protest. Harry melted into the kiss, his hands unclenching and sliding up Draco's body to cradle his head.
"The only way to force obedience through the Mark is Legilimency," he gasped, his lips moving against Harry's as he spoke.
"I'm crap at Legilimency," Harry murmured, drawing a chuckle from the blond.
Harry pushed Draco back, peppering kisses over jaw, mouthing against pale skin until Draco's eyes fluttered shut. Harry pressed chaste kisses against his brow, pouring all the frustration and hurt of the last few weeks into memorizing the planes of Draco's face with his lips.
Unsatisfied by Harry's gentle ministrations, Draco wrapped his arms around Harry's back, pulling him down until their bodies were flush. Slender fingers roamed over warm, tanned flesh as he explored the bunched, trembling muscles of Harry's shoulders, teasing their way down over the planes of his back before coming to rest against curve of his naked arse.
"I know," Draco whispered, his grey eyes nearly black with arousal as unblinkingly stared into Harry's, demonstrating just how unconcerned he was. "You couldn't make me do this if you tried."
"I've never been so happy to be inadequate," Harry agreed breathlessly, ducking his head once more and silencing Draco with his a hard kiss that left them both gasping for air.
During his Ministry-imposed absence, Draco had resolved never to waste any of the precious time he and Harry had together again, should he be lucky enough to find himself in the dark-haired boy's arms again. Adrenaline coursed through him, stripping away his inhibitions as he slid his hand around Harry's waist, seeking the heavy erection that was pressed against his hip.
"Just at Legilimency." Draco palmed Harry's cock, pumping it slowly. "And thank fuck for that."
Harry groaned, rolling to the side. Before Draco could protest, he grabbed his wand, Banishing Draco's clothing with a nonverbal spell. Draco shivered as the magic caressed his skin, his Mark responding to Harry's magical signature by undulating slightly. He cried out when Harry's callused palm covered his own aching erection, the slightly rough skin sliding across the sensitive head, spreading the slippery precome that had gathered there down his shaft with a deft movement.
He arched his hips up insistently, hissing out his approval when Harry's other hand slid underneath him, a blunt fingertip circling his entrance. Harry's breath hitched in surprise when he found the ring of muscle already lubricated and stretched, his cock throbbing painfully at the thought of Draco carefully preparing himself before coming to see him.
Draco bit his lip, holding back a moan as Harry obligingly slid first one, then two fingers inside him, pumping Draco's cock faster as he fingerfucked him.
Draco whined wordlessly, his eyes squeezed tightly shut as he tried to thrust himself against Harry's fingers, trying to find the angle that would bring the most pleasure. When Harry started to add a third finger Draco stilled his arm, reaching down to wrap his hand around Harry's cock again and leaving no question as to what he wanted.
"Are you sure?" Harry positioned himself at Draco's entrance, and though everything in him was begging him to thrust into the blond, he wanted to be certain this was what Draco wanted.
Grey eyes flicked open, meeting Harry's searching gaze. Harry was asking for more than permission to fuck him, and Draco knew it. A brilliant smile curved his lips as he nodded, giving himself fully to Harry, body and mind. Knowing Harry required more but unable to put voice to his feelings, Draco opened his mind, pushing everything he wanted to say but couldn't past Harry's weak Occlumency shields.
Harry knees nearly buckled as images and emotions flooded his mind, too jumbled for him to follow any one thread but all infused with an overwhelming sense of love and need. Smirking slightly, Draco focused on what he'd been doing right before he came to Harry's room. He'd arrived at Hogwarts while the students were at dinner, meeting briefly with the Headmistress before slipping into his old room unnoticed. He'd stayed there until he'd been sure everyone else was asleep, not wanting an audience for his reunion with Harry. For the last hour he'd been unable to help himself, so excited at the prospect of seeing Harry – touching Harry – again that he'd given in and allowed himself a leisurely wank. He'd come spectacularly once already tonight, with his fingers buried in his arse much like Harry's had been just seconds ago, watching himself in a mirror for the sole purpose of being able to tease Harry with the memory later.
"Fuck," Harry bit out, shutting his eyes to stop the flow of images as soon as Draco pictured himself shaking with the force of his orgasm, his legs falling open fully, exposing him fully to the mirror.
Harry drove forward with one hard thrust, burying himself deeply inside the trembling blond underneath him. Draco hissed out a breath, curling his legs around Harry's hips to keep him from pulling out too far. Harry reared back, pistoning his hips forward again with a few spastic thrusts, too far gone to care that he was coming so soon. He reached out blindly for Draco's left forearm, his fingers finding the Dark Mark as if guided there by magnets. As pads of his fingers slid over the slightly raised flesh, Draco arched up into him, forcing Harry deeper and milking the last of Harry's orgasm from him as he began to come as well.
Harry leaned forward, resting his head against Draco's collarbone as he caught his breath. Loathe to break the connection between them, he withdrew carefully, easing the sting by pressing a kiss against Draco's Mark.
"Welcome back," he whispered, curving his body around Draco's on the small bed.
***
Harry woke to soft lips mouthing against his shoulder blades. He and Draco had spent the night alternating between sleeping and shagging, finally exhausting themselves and falling into a deeper slumber just before dawn. He was sated, sore in places he'd never imagined could hurt and happier than he could ever recall being. Harry stretched and sighed, blinking in shock when he the clock on the nightstand swam into somewhat blurry focus.
"Fuck me, is that the time?" He tried to scramble up, grunting when Draco's arms tightened around him and pulled him back against the bed, pinning him to the mattress.
"Let go, Draco. I have class!" When Draco failed to release him, Harry shoved at him. "I have a paper due in Charms, and Flitwick won't accept late work."
"I'd rather focus on the fucking you part," Draco purred, rutting against Harry's hip, already hard. When Harry didn't relax into his embrace, he sighed, letting the other boy go. Harry was off the bed in seconds, tugging his legs into a pair of rumpled trousers on the floor.
"Ginny came by about twenty minutes ago to get your essay. McGonagall's given us both the day off classes to adjust –" Draco snorted, rolling his eyes. "– to our new situation."
"Situation?" Harry questioned, hopping on one foot as he struggled to free himself from the fabric he'd hastily pulled on when he realized he'd put his leg down the wrong hole.
There hadn't been much room for discussion last night, between several rounds of sex and a few hours of drifting sleepily, wrapped around each other. In the light of day – artificial as it may have been, thanks to the underwater window – hundreds of questions flooded Harry's mind as he realized just how much they had to talk about.
Draco sat up, the blankets pooling around his waist. He'd hoped to lure Harry back to bed for more sex and another nap, but that didn't seem to be in the cards. Still, he was already feeling more refreshed than he'd been in weeks, if not months, from the small amount of sleep they'd already managed. Sleeping next to Harry was the first time since the end of the war that he'd avoided having a nightmare.
"Even though you can't effectively control me through my Mark, the bond still exists," Draco said, waving his tattooed forearm in the air. "The Unspeakables wanted to put some sort of barrier in my mind keyed just to you to prevent Legilimency, just in case."
Harry finally won his battle with his trousers, fastening the fly on the brushed wool uniform slacks and dropping onto the bed beside Draco, his expression troubled. That the Unspeakables worried about him using the inadvertent bond to control Draco confirmed his suspicions about the Ministry worrying he was dangerous.
"I didn't let them." Draco's lips quirked, his hand coming up to absently stroke the Mark. "I didn't know if it would interfere with the way you can, er, manipulate it."
"Like this?" he hissed in Parseltongue, enjoying the way both Draco and the Dark Mark squirmed at the sibilant sound.
"I thought you wanted to talk." Draco whimpered when Harry hissed again, tanned fingers fanning out over the writhing Mark, making Draco gasp out loud.
"We have the day off, don't we?" Harry whispered, his lips pressed against the smooth skin of Draco's torso as his tongue sought out one of his flat, pebbled nipples, licking a swath across it and eliciting a soft moan from the blond.
Draco's fingers fumbled with Harry's trousers, clumsy with arousal as he struggled to unfasten them. Harry lifted his hips so the blond could ease the fabric over them, and moments later they were once again pooled on the floor beside the bed. His hand closed over Harry's thick length, making the other boy hiss with pleasure. Draco's own cock jumped at the sound, and a wicked smile spread over his face. It looked like his plans of sex and more sleep hadn't been derailed, after all.
***
The boys stayed holed up in Harry's room, eating pumpkin pasties from the last Hogsmeade weekend and drinking Butterbeer from the drawer that Hermione had charmed to stay cool. They'd agreed that in order to actually talk – and they both acknowledged it was important to discuss their situation, as McGonagall had described it – it would be best to get dressed, a decision which Harry was fervently grateful for a few hours later when a sharp knock sounded on his door moments before it banged open, revealing Ginny and Blaise.
"Damn."
Ginny smirked, holding her hand out expectantly. Blaise rolled his eyes, reaching into his pocket and withdrawing a small sack of coins, which he dropped into her palm.
"Something must be wrong with them," Blaise declared, ushering Ginny into the room and closing the door behind them just as several curious faces peeked in from the corridor. "If I hadn't seen you in weeks, I'd be shagging you senseless for days afterward."
Harry wrinkled his nose, scooting a bit so Ginny could join him, perched on the trunk at the end of his bed.
"Some of us have self-restraint," he said, slapping Ginny's hand away as she bent the collar of his shirt back, exposing a rather spectacular hickey.
"Some of you have probably been going at it like bunnies for hours. McGonagall told us Draco got in last night."
"More ferociously than bunnies," Draco sniffed in mock offense. "More like wolves. See, they do this thing –"
Blaise cut him off with a disgusted look, making Harry and Ginny snicker. Draco grinned wickedly, shrugging his shoulders.
"McGonagall told you Draco was back?" Harry questioned, leaning over to open the drawer he stored his refreshments in and extracting two more bottles of chilled Butterbeer.
"Only a few of us," Ginny explained, popping the top off her drink. She fished in her pocket for a small bundle of sandwiches she'd begged off the house-elves, since she and Blaise were missing what was left of lunch to see Harry and Draco. She tossed one to each of the boys, unwrapping her own and taking a large bite with gusto.
"She wanted to be sure your friends understood the parameters of the bond," Blaise explained, shaking his head at Ginny before taking a smaller, more polite bite of his own sandwich.
"Sod off. I missed breakfast, and you know it," she said, getting a saucy wink from Blaise in return. Harry could imagine just exactly why Ginny had missed breakfast, and the thought put him off his own lunch a bit. "Anyway, Harry, yes, McGonagall met with a few of us. She thought we should all know that stupid slave bond wasn't controlling Draco and that the Ministry had issued him a full pardon. She also said something about you two being allowed to room together, which is so unfair. Ron and Hermione were there, and so was Pansy." She frowned slightly. "She's a bit of a nutter, that one."
"We can room together?" Harry asked at the same time Draco voiced concern about Pansy.
"Yes, you lucky bastards. The bond gives you rights, apparently. And yes, Pansy lost the plot a bit," Ginny said with a smirk.
"She didn't know you and Harry were involved," Blaise said, putting dramatic emphasis on the last word as he draped his forearm over his face, pretending to swoon. It was exactly the type of thing Pansy would do, and it made Draco laugh. "She's pretty pissed at you for that. Not the shagging Harry part, the not telling her part."
Draco shot him a wry glance, and Blaise snickered.
"Alright, maybe a little over the shagging Harry part." Ginny snorted at Blaise's words. "More because of Harry than you, though. I think he was her last hope of finding a rich wizard to marry who wasn't disgustingly old. That's what she's setting her sights on now that she's found out Ginny's brother is off the table, so to speak."
Blaise grimaced when Draco waggled his eyebrows suggestively and everyone in the room laughed.
"Hey, don't look at me! I'm not the first born. No title to inherit," he said, holding his hands up.
"First you miss out on being Mrs. Harry Potter, and now no Baroness Zabini? Tough break, Gin," Harry teased, wincing when Ginny's fist clipped the bottom of his jaw hard enough to snap his mouth shut, making his teeth click loudly.
"Well, my brother did say he thought she was pretty fit when she visited at Christmas," Blaise said, holding a hand over his heart. "She might get the title yet."
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Last chapter tomorrow!