Fragile
Draco slammed the book shut. The thud seemed to shake Hermione out of her trance over the huge tome her eyes were glued to. They had been here for hours with Harry and Ron, the whole day in fact. Every time one of them would have a free period in their timetable they would come into the library and pick up where the others left off. But yet still there was no mention of using Unicorn Blood for a menacing purpose, apart from the whole, 'Drink it and you live a cursed life' deal. They were getting no where and they had already searched through half of the library. The other half would be checked out through the night, although they were seventh years and were allowed to use the restricted section as they wished within reason, they'd rather not anyone read over their shoulders while they searched for menacing uses for Unicorn Blood. Someone may think they were up to something.
"This is completely useless!" Draco exclaimed as the muggle born looked up. Not only were the words beginning to scramble on the page but his head also felt like someone had slammed it into a heavy metal block.
"Calm down Draco, there has to be something in here. This Library hasn't failed me yet..." She paused for thought for a second before retracting her statement, "Well there was that one time in Fourth year, but that was because the book had been borrowed before I...could...Sorry." She trailed off at the blank look coming from her research companion.
"There's nothing here." The blonde pushed the book away from him, "I know that I've read something about Unicorn Blood I just can't remember where."
"Probably a book in the Malfoy Library." Hermione chipped in, "Can't you just go to your manor and find it?"
"No chance, Dumbledore won't give me permission to leave."
"But you're an adult."
"It doesn't matter while I am on Hogwarts grounds I am technically under his thumb." He ran a tired hand through his hair.
"What about next Hogsmead trip?"
"It'll have to be, but that's ages away. I want to save Harry the stress. He's getting himself so worked up about it all."
"Really? That doesn't sound like Harry."
"I know, he's been taking second glances at everything he sees just in case it's a threat."
"Wow, that's definitely not normal Harry behaviour."
"It's the baby I think. He just wants to keep her safe."
Hermione just nodded and closed the book that was in front of her. She sighed as she surveyed the large pile they had managed to drag up from the depths of the shelves and she couldn't understand that they hadn't found anything yet.
"Draco?"
"Yes?"
"You're good for him...I've never seen Harry so-" She hesitated, "Happy. The whole blood thing aside."
"He's good for me. I don't think I've ever been this happy in my whole life."
"I need you to promise me you'll protect him."
"Of course I will, but what's-"
"I just...I have a feeling that I'm not going to be here much longer."
"What? But-"
"I don't know, maybe it's just me being female, but I've been having so many bad feelings about the future. I need to know that my brother is safe."
"He will always be safe with me."
"I thought as much myself."
"Hermione," Draco murmured, "I promise you I will do anything within my power to keep him safe."
"He's fragile, Draco. His magic is strong, stronger then ever in fact, but his body and his emotions are fragile."
"I know."
"Of course you do, you're married to him." She gave him such a melancholy smile that it had him frowning in response.
"Nothing's going to happen to you Hermione, I won't let it."
"No, no of course you won't." Her words seemed to be assuring herself rather then Draco.
Their mood was interrupted by a shrill bell in the distance, signalling the next period starting.
"I have to go; I have an Astronomy theory class."
"I'll see you later, and don't worry." The Gryffindor nodded before turning on her heel and striding out of the library.
"I'm not fragile you know." Draco jumped out of his seat at the disembodied voice coming somewhere from his left, "Sorry." and as the word was said his husband materialised in front of his eyes.
"I'm not you know." The Elf enforced as he took a seat in the chair Hermione had just left.
"How did you-?"
"One of my speciality powers, I just discovered it when I wanted to hide from Filtch."
"Not too bad. How long were you there for?"
"I got here right around the fragile part. What's wrong with Hermione anyway?"
"Nothing, she's just a bit skittish."
"Oh...okay." Harry flicked a book spine with two fingers, "How's the search going?"
"Nothing's come up so far, except this headache." The Slytherin stated as he sat down again and pressed two fingers to his temple.
"Oh poor baby." The Gryffindor teased as he stood up and made his way around the table so he was directly behind his husband. He pressed his fingers to the sides of Draco's head and began to create small circles on the soft skin.
"Just relax. Come on darling, let's put these books away. We should go relax in our rooms for the rest of the night it's been a long week."
"That's an understatement." Draco murmured. Harry smiled sadly down at his mate as he began to card his fingers through that soft blonde hair that he loved so much.
"I know we'll find something. With you and Hermione doing research as well as me and Ron, I think Blaise and Pansy are going to help too, it'll be impossible to find nothing."
"Fancy going home for the next Hogsmead weekend?"
Harry leant down so that his chin was resting on Draco's shoulder and his mouth was directly in line with the blonde's ear.
"I'll go anywhere with you." He straightened before adding; "Besides we can check out the Manor library as well."
"That was the plan."
"And, if they don't mind giving up their weekend, we could invite Ron and Hermione along."
"I am not staying in the same place with a bunch of Gryffindors I need some backup."
"Fine, we can invite Pansy and Blaise as well. Why not? Might as well bring the whole group, six eyes are better then two or even four in fact." Harry wrapped his arms around Draco's shoulders and held him tightly to his chest.
-----
"Hey Ron! Hermione!"
The two Gryffindors turned to face their Best friend running full pelt down the corridor towards them. His cloak was hanging off one shoulder and his bag was slightly skimming the floor each time he took a step.
"Hey Harry." The pair chorused together with a shared grin at the state of the Saviour.
"Not planning on going anywhere looking like that are you? You'll give someone a terrible fright."
"Haha, aren't you the funniest. It was Draco's fault he kept me up all night, and he wouldn't let me leave the bed this morning to get a shower. So I haven't actually had any breakfast."
Hermione just rolled her eyes and took the bag from his hand so he could fasten his robe properly and tuck in his shirt.
"Thanks. It's not my fault, jut wait until you're married and your husband has certain demands that you need to fulfil" She blushed.
"Harry! Please, can you not give me a visual. It's not a nice picture." Ron exclaimed while pulling a look of complete distaste while Harry and Hermione laughed at his slightly immature behaviour that would always be their best friend.
"Sorry mate."
"Yeah you'd better be."
"So where is Draco?" Hermione asked
"Said he was going to talk to Pansy and Blaise about spending the next Hogsmeade weekend at the manor. He's beating himself up about the Unicorn thing."
"He really shouldn't, this kind of thing happens to me all the time."
"Yeah well that's Draco for you. He seems to think he should constantly keep me safe."
"It's his nature as a dominant Veela I bet as soon as you have your child he will calm down and back off a bit."
"I hope so." Harry said as the trio walked into the charms classroom and sat on the back row. Only seconds before the lesson started Draco rushed into the room and sat himself next to Harry, giving his husband a chaste kiss on the cheek as he sat.
"Today class we will be studying the theory behind glamour charms. The main principle is to change the appearance of something or even someone but the only way glamour charms work is to focus on individual details. For example if I was to change the appearance of the person I would change things like eye colour, hair colour, birthmarks-"
Harry drowned out Flitwicks explanation as the mystery of the Unicorn blood seeped back into his mind. Why would this person send them such a morbid message? Obviously they wanted the marriage between Draco and himself to be over but did they want him to be dead or did they just want them to split. And why unicorn blood? There was only one person he associated with the substance and that was Voldemort, but there was no way Voldemort sent the message he was very dead.
Focus on individual details...
Unicorn blood.
Individual details...
Unicorn. Blood.
Individual...Details...
Blood.
"I know!" Harry exclaimed stopping Professor Flitwicks speech mid word.
"Mr Pot-Sorry- Malfoy, do you need a few minutes outside?"
"Erm-" Harry sent a look towards Hermione, Ron and then Draco, "Yes, I think I need to go to the infirmary. I'm not feeling quite so well today."
"Very well, you may leave." Harry grabbed his bag and with a soft squeeze of Draco's hand he slid out from behind the desk and quickly left the room.
A/N – My apologies for the very late update. I know it's been months since I last gave you guys a chapter but 5 members of my family have died in the last few months and one was quite close to me so I kinda put it on hold and brought some ideas together.
I hope you like this new chapter :) and thanks for still reading.
E.V.S.