Chapter Eight.
The next few days went by in a blur. Harry was getting better at his classes, especially potions, thanks to Blaise and Draco's help.
The rest of the Slytherin's were slowing getting used to him, talking to him every so often, albeit shyly, and he had returned their acceptance by helping some of the younger snakes with their school work.
Harry learnt that the Slytherin's were like a family, they didn't go anywhere on their own, always in groups of three or more, and helped each other when ever help was needed. One of the first years had come to Draco and Blaise; they were the equivalent of the Slytherin guardians, now that Snape wasn't there, to confess that he was being bullied by the Gryffindor's. Draco had smiled kindly and sorted out two older Slytherin's to escort him around school until the bullying stopped, which 'it wouldn't' Draco told him when they were alone again.
A week later he received George's reply. He was reading a new book, which he had got as a welcome gift from a small first year, when Wynne flew in from the open window. She landed on the headboard on Harry's bed and screeched to attract his attention. He smiled widely when he saw her and the grin widened even further when he read George's reply. "I have to tell Draco." He mumbled before jumping off of his bed.
He found his mate in the library doing his Arithmancy homework. He immediately sat in the chair next to him and shoved the letter under the Blonde's nose. Draco gave him an annoyed look but obediently read the letter, "well, this is good. He's already sent it to the Weasel." Draco smiled and glanced up at Harry with mischief in his eyes, a rare sight to see on the blonde Slytherin, Harry immediately felt uneasy.
"That gives me more time to take you out." the blonde mumbled and then stood, simultaneously pulling Harry out of his chair. "Let's go" Draco then dragged his, not so enthusiastic, boyfriend out of the library.
"Where are we going?" Harry asked dumbly as he begrudgingly let his mate drag him out of the library and down the hall. He heard his mate chuckle quietly. "Hogsmeade of course you silly sod."
When they got to Hogsmeade Draco pulled Harry into the first clothes shop they spotted and immediately set about finding multiple outfits to try on. Harry was obedient and tried on everything he was given and even added a few items of his own choice to the steadily growing pile. Draco had eagerly added a pair of tight leather trousers that Harry had been looking at to the pile and had even gotten himself a pair.
Once they had finished Harry found himself with twelve shrunken bags of clothes in his pockets. "I could have paid for my clothes, Draco. And anyway this is way too much for me." Harry mumbled as he fiddled with the tiny bags in his pocket. He heard his mate sigh before he was pulled into an alley and then gently pushed up against a wall. Draco looked into his eyes and smiled softly "Harry, I paid for it because I wanted to treat you, you deserve this. No, don't shake your head. You have done so much for the Wizarding world and what has it given back? Nothing, that's what, and you just stand there and smile like it doesn't matter, but it does. You deserve to be spoilt just as much as anyone else and if I'm the only one who's willing to see that, then so be it." Draco grinned and pressed a quick kiss to the tip of Harry's nose "I'll spoil you to my heart's content and all I ask in return is that you try and enjoy it."
Harry was quiet for a moment; his teeth nibbling on his bottom lip, then he nodded hesitantly and Draco smiled gently, kissed him on the lips and then dragged him back out onto the busy street.
They made their way to the three broomsticks, after a quick debate or where to go for lunch, and Harry was painfully aware of the stares and whispers. He tried to ignore them and when Draco grasped his hand it made it a little easier. Blaise was in the pub, standing by the bar with a half empty Butterbeer. He waved them over when he saw them. "You here for lunch?" he asked with a smile and Draco nodded. "Let's get a table." Blaise motioned to an empty one in the back of the pub and they wove through the throng of witches and wizards to claim the table before somebody else did.
Once they were seated a young Witch came over to them and handed out three menus. Draco placed his menu on the table without looking at it. "I'll have a steak, well-done, with a Butterbeer." The Witch nodded and a quill floating by her head jotted the order down on a notepad. "Tuna salad and another of these." Blaise waved his empty goblet and the waitress smiled at him then she turned to Harry with a dreamy look in her eyes. "What can I get you, sweetie?" she asked and Harry saw Draco's shoulders tense up. "Err, I'll have a steak and a Butterbeer as well, please, but could you make the steak rare." The Witch winked at him before leaving and he shuffled nervously in his seat.
"Well aren't you the popular one?" Blaise smirked and Harry blushed "leave off him, Zabini." Draco growled and then placed his hand on top of Harry's. Harry immediately turned his hand over and grasped the blonde's hand like a lifeline. He didn't like being in crowded places. There always seemed to be some sort of anonymous attack in over populated places.
"Were you waiting for someone before we got here, Blaise?" Draco asked nonchalantly, studying his immaculate nails. Blaise shrugged as he picked at a chip in the wood distractedly "just Pansy" he said simply and then their food arrived and they continued polite conversation as they ate.
Pansy turned up just as they were finishing. "You're late" Blaise stated as she sat beside him. Her hair was windblown and her cheeks pink from the cold. "Damn McGonagall gave me detention for hexing some second years." She huffed as she ran her fingers through her hair. Blaise chuckled before wiping his mouth with his napkin, "well, maybe you should stop bullying them. I'm sure a lot more people would like you if you were a bit nicer." The ear-splitting grin on his face confirmed Harry's guess that he was joking and Pansy huffed but otherwise ignored Blaise's japes. "Draco. Potter." She practically spat out Harry's name, he nodded and looked down into his goblet.
Pansy waved a waitress over and ordered a plain salad and a Butterbeer with caramel and then Draco added a chocolate sundae with two spoons to the order. He smiled at Harry warmly causing a blush to heat his cheeks.
Their hands were still clasped and Draco's thumb had begun to rub small circles on the back of Harry's hand. It was creating a warm feeling in the pit of his stomach and he couldn't help the ecstatic smile that appeared on his face. Draco noticed the smile though and chuckled before lifting their hands to his mouth and kissing Harry's knuckles, one by one. He glanced at Harry with hungry eyes and the heat pooled in his groin. Harry shifted nervously and Draco chuckled again, "is there anywhere else you want to go before we have to head back to Hogwarts?" he asked and Harry had to struggle to force his brain to start working again. "Err, um, can we go to Honeydukes?" Draco kissed the back of his hand quickly "of course we can. I need to stock up on more sugar quills anyway." And then pansy's salad and the ice cream arrived and Draco handed Harry a spoon before taking his own and digging it into the cold dessert.
Harry let out a quiet moan when the chocolaty goodness touched his tongue. Between the two the ice cream didn't last long and soon they had paid for their meal and were heading to Honeydukes. They had said goodbye to Blaise and Pansy outside of the three broomsticks and had told them they would meet them at Hogwarts. They strolled unhurriedly to Honeydukes, chatting leisurely about meaningless things.
Draco strode straight to the shelf of sugar quills when they walked into Honeydukes and Harry wandered around picking up sweets here and there. In the end he bought three chocolate frogs, a small handful of liquorice wands, a sugar quill, a box of chocolate fudge, and for some reason a canary cream.
They got back to Hogwarts just as the sun was setting. They skipped dinner and instead went straight up to their room. Harry took his shopping bags out of his pockets and unshrunk them and then began hanging them in his wardrobe. Draco had bought him new boxers just as he'd promised. They were made of high quality silk and had a small silver dragon on the front; he kept them out along with suitable sleeping clothes. "Do you want to take a shower first, Dragon?" Harry called over his shoulder as he stashed his sweets in the drawer of his desk. His mate's arms snaked around his waist "why don't we take one together?" the blonde whispered huskily in Harry's ear and a shiver ran teasingly down his spine.
Harry smiled but shook his head "ah well, maybe next time" Draco sighed and then grabbed a change of clothes before disappearing into the bathroom.
TBC.
A/N: sorry about the shortness of this chapter, it's just a filler really.
Thank you everyone who pointed out my mistakes. I have now(hopefully) corrected them. I'm still working on the next chapter and still stuck on deciding Ron's punishment...
Thank you everyone for the reviews and favourites they really got me going to start the next chapter. I want to get this story finished before I start posting up more (yes I have many more stories that are almost finished) please don't get bored with me? :'(
Also I'm having a rather difficult time deciding on what Ron's punishment should be. Any ideas? XD