Mine
Five days had passed. Five days, four hours, and 15 minutes since Draco had woken up to find Harry by his side. Five days since Harry had told him all the wonderful reasons why he liked him.
Five days.
Draco breathed a heavy sigh.
Five days seems like an incredibly small amount of time for so much to happen.
Draco no longer slept with his back to his mate, perched on the edge of the bed as if he were afraid to touch Harry. Perhaps he had been. Afraid Harry would push him away in disgust. He was still afraid. Afraid Harry would realize who he was holding and regret ever doing so.
But that didn't stop him from letting those strong arms wrap around him, or enjoying the sound of Harry's heartbeat, or soaking in the safety his warm body offered so freely.
It had been three days since his last nightmare.
It seems having your mate wrapped around you like a vine, was enough to chase them away.
Draco smiled.
Not his usual mocking smirk, or a knowing curl of the lips.
A real smile. The one that had only been present in the young years of his life. When he was loved so openly by his parents.
That love was somehow impure now. Tarnished like a photograph left out in the rain, never to be the clear memory it was before.
Draco let his clear grey eyes look out at the stars, breathing softly as to not disturb the clumsy silence.
Peace.
He shifted on the ledge of their private room window, thinking of only one thing that could make this moment of freedom better.
A familiar presence settled behind him, wrapping him up like a warm blanket. Tanned skin pressed against his pale back.
"Harry."
He said his name as a longing whisper.
The arms enfolding him tightened in acknowledgement.
"Dragon."
Draco let the smile that was tugging at his lips form.
Dragon. Harry had taken to calling him that lately. The term of endearement made him tingle with delight.
Harry's deep voice tinged with concern filtered through the night, pulling the Slytherin from his wanderings.
"What are you doing over here in the middle of the night? Did you have a nightmare?"
The truth was that the young Malfoy couldn't sleep. He was worried. He was worried for what his father would do when he got out.
Lucius Malfoy was not a kind man. Part of Draco wanted to believe his father had deflected to the light side for his benifit, but deep down he knew better. Lucius has and still only cared for his own skin.
He was also worried about the bond between him and Harry. To complete the bond, Harry and him would have to consummate their relationship. Draco was simply not ready for that, no matter how much the veela in him argued that he was.
Not only that. There was something he needed to discuss with Harry soon. He wasn't sure if he was ready to have that conversation.
"Dray?"
Draco turned, resting his head on Harry's bare chest.
"How do you manage to stay warm?"
Harry let loose a laugh, rumbling from his chest to the air around them. He moved to sit next to his mate on the ledge before bringing the smaller boy in between his legs.
"Always been like that. Maybe it's because I'm a lion. And you, why are you always cold?"
Draco sighed, "Must have something to do with being a snake. We're all cold."
Harry cradled him close, warming up his slim body.
"You know what they say. Cold hands, warm heart."
Draco raised a fine eyebrow, "Who says that?"
"Muggle expression."
"Oh."
The silence between them was comfortable, but it held with it a lingering question, as if there was more to come and the world was just waiting for them to hurry along and say it.
"You shouldn't have saved my father."
Harry let the words register, sure that he had heard them wrong.
"What?"
Draco shifted so that he was facing Harry, pausing briefly to gaze into the brilliant green eyes that seemed to follow his every movement.
Draco took a deep breath, preparing himself for his next words.
"Part of me is thankful to you. For making it so that he wouldn't rot in that cell for eternity. That part is the naive little boy that loves his mummy and daddy, and never wants his family to break apart," Draco stopped himself before he let off in a rant, bringing himself back on track.
"But I'm not that little boy anymore. I know what my father has done. What lengths he will go to to remain in power. I have seen the cruelty that is within him Harry, and I'm telling you now; you shouldn't have saved him."
Harry shook his head sadly, "I can't withdraw my defense now. It wouldn't do any good. Lucius will be released in just over a month from now. Does he scare you?"
Draco turned away from Harry, preventing him from seeing just how frightened he truly was of his father in his eyes.
"More than you know."
Harry took Draco's chin in his fingers, moving it so that Draco was forced to look at him.
"I wish I could send him back there forever then, if only to make you feel safe."
Draco gazed at him in wonderment.
"Why would you care so much for me?"
Harry smiled, placing a soft kiss to the blonde's temple.
"I do not know why my heart has chosen you, but it has, and it cannot bare to see you look so sad. I promise you Draco, I will not allow Lucius Malfoy to hurt you, or anyone to hurt you for that matter. I will protect you."
"I don't need protection. I can handle myself."
"I'm sure you can," Harry succeeded, "but I will still protect you. I protect what is mine."
Draco moved closer to read the emotions churning in Harry's eyes.
"And am I? Yours, I mean."
Harry brushed his lips lightly against the others, feeling Draco shudder slightly in his arms.
"You are. Mine, I mean. Undeniably."
Draco smiled, for the first time leaning forward to kiss Harry.
Harry looked at him in happy surprise.
Draco looked down before becoming serious.
"There's something else I wanted to talk to you about."
Harry nodded encouragingly.
Draco rolled the different ways to say what he needed to say over in his mind, trying to pick the least embarrassing.
"Veelas- we have this sense of- loyalty I guess. To our mates. And- well because of that- we can't really- that is to say I've never-"
"I know."
Draco stopped short, staring at Harry with wide eyes.
"How-? I mean-"
"Draco," Harry sighed affectionately, "I can read you know. And I have. I actually did a paper on Veelas for Hagrid once. I happen to know quite a bit about them."
"You do? When did you do that?"
Harry blushed slightly, "I've done quite a bit of extra school work over the summers since I started school. After I figured out how to set warning charms on my door, homework has become slightly easier."
"Warning charms? Why would you need those?"
Harry bit his lip, "That's a story for another time. Right now we need to finish this conversation, that one can wait."
"Harry-"
"I will tell you Dray, I promise. But right now, we are on a different subject, and it is not yet closed."
He nodded his understanding and, albeit reluctantly, started speaking again.
"So... You know that I've never- that I'm a-"
"A virgin."
Draco nodded again, bright red with embarrassment.
"It's not something to be ashamed of Dray. I happen to still be inexperienced as well."
Draco's eyes shot up.
"Really? You mean you've never-"
"Didn't really have the time did I? Chasing Dark Lords doesn't really leave much room for exploration."
Draco frowned thoughtfully.
"I'd always thought that you and Ginny had- you know."
Harry shook his head.
"No. Though she wanted to. Even if I had wanted to with her, I wouldn't have. Dreadfully irresponsible. What if I had knocked her up? Can you imagine? Pregnant 16 year old, father is none other that the boy-who-must-die. It would've been terrible."
Draco nodded.
"Do you want children?"
Harry froze, looking at Draco with a pensive expression. His eyes held a certain fear in them, as if he were afraid of the answer.
"Of my own? No. I am a godfather though, and I plan to make him my heir. I might change my mind when I get older, then I guess we would decide then if we wanted to adopt."
Draco's eyes widened comically as he caught the implications of what Harry was saying.
"We?" he squeaked.
Harry squeezed him tighter.
"Yes we. Me and my partner, which will most likely be you, will have to make that decision together."
Draco couldn't help but smile at him, before sobering up for the next subject he had to bring up.
"So... I'm guessing you also know that Veela's typically have a Submissive/Dominant relationship."
Harry smiled.
"I do."
Draco shifted uneasily.
"Are you ready to- to be in that sort of relationship. It's quite a bit of work. It won't be easy for you, going from-"
"No," Harry whispered, "I am not ready yet. I don't feel like we are ready to bond and make that relationship quite yet. We need to build trust. Learn to understand each other. When I am ready to go through with all that being your mate entails, I will accept you. I will bond to you."
Draco's heart leapt, thought the veela in him didn't take his words as an acceptance, it was enough to satisfy Draco's need for reassurance. At least for now.
"I will be your submissive," admitted Draco, playing with the hem of Harry's shirt, "I know I will. You will have to take on the role of my Dominant. Can you do that?"
Harry placed an honest kiss on his questioning lips.
"I will be honoured my dragon."
The next day:
Severus sat in his leather chair facing the table, sipping at his morning coffee and awaiting the tell-tale knock that would announce his boyfriend's arrival.
Boyfriend.
Severus chuckled, allowing himself to smile at the childish sounding word.
When Bill had first mentioned it, Severus had scoffed.
"I refuse to be referred to like a lovesick teenager. Boyfriend indeed."
Then his blue eyes had bored deep into his and whispered.
"Are you saying you don't want to be mine? To be my boyfriend? I do so want to be yours."
And he had broke.
"Of course I do."
And he had smiled.
He realized quickly that he had just been manipulated, but he couldn't find it in himself to be angry. Not when those eyes were looking at him like that.
"You should've been in Slytherin."
The knock sounded through Severus' thoughts, bringing him to his feet.
"William."
"No need to be so formal Sev. I came to chat, not to have a faculty meeting."
Severus smirked, "I apologize."
Bill moved close enough for him to smell his musky scent, placing a chaste kiss on his lips.
"Accepted. Now, I would like to know if you are any good at chess."
Severus nodded, "I'd say I play fairly well. Why?"
The young man bounced on his heels, like he was full of energy and didn't know what to do with it.
I know what I'd like him to do with it, his traitorous mind thought.
No! We're going slow. That isn't slow.
Bill waved a hand in front of his face.
"Sev! Baby are you there?"
Severus blinked, belatedly noticing that he had just been called baby. He blinked again.
"Have you head a word of what I just said?"
Severus fought the urge to scuff his shoes like a school boy. He hadn't been caught not paying attention since his was in primary.
"Sorry Bill, I got sidetracked. Would you mind repeating yourself?"
Bill rolled his eyes, gesturing for Severus to sit down.
"I was reading last night-"
"You can read? I'm impressed."
Bill crinkled his nose at his sarcastic drawl, zapping him with a mild stinging hex before continuing.
"Ouch!"
"As I was saying. I came across a rather interesting sort of game. You play chess you see, and for every move you get to do something to the other player, or ask them a question. They have to answer with complete honesty, and none of what is shared between the opponents during the game can be repeated to anyone else. Whoever wins the game, gets to do what ever they want to their opponent."
Severus traced his lip with his finger, "I take it you wish to play?"
Bill nodded, "It could be good way for us to get to know each other more."
"Who created this game?"
"Her name is Naadi, she wrote about it in the story Checkmate. It's very good."
Severus nodded, "I might be agreeable to this... game. What are the limitations on what you can and can't do?"
Bill smiled, waving his wand to enlarge the chess board he had in his pocket.
"There are none, but you can trust me not to do anything you wouldn't agree with."
Severus shook his head, bringing out his own chess set instead.
"Then we should begin. I'll even let you play white."
Ginny twirled her fiery red hair around on her finger, deciding to put her plan into motion. She wouldn't use a potion, she decided. Such things were beneath her. Harry would come to his senses without the use of magic, though he may need a little... push.
She pulled the strands to the side, standing to walk to her door.
"Ron! 'Mione!" She called, thankful that they had come back to the burrow with her after Harry's confession. Most of her family was still at Hogwarts, refusing to come home until Fred could.
Fred was still in a coma though, and there was no telling how long it would last. There was a chance that he may never wake up.
Though you might not want to tell George that. He'll have your head.
"What is it Gin?"
Hermione's lips were swollen and her blouse unbuttoned. It was easy to see what they had been doing in the mostly empty house.
"I wanted to talk to you two about Harry."
Hermione frowned at the mention of her best friend. She really didn't have a problem with his new revelations, except for the fact that he wouldn't be her brother now.
Unless he married Charlie. Charlie was bi right? Or the twins, I'm pretty sure they're batting for the other team. Though I'm also pretty sure they bat together.
She crinkled her nose in disgust before coming back to herself.
"We'll discuss it downstairs."
She marched down to plop herself in Ron's lap, making herself comfortable.
"Well," she persuaded, "What did you want to say?"
"I think we should try to be friends with Harry again."
Hermione was about to agree when Ron cut her off.
"Are you bloody jokin'? No. We. Shouldn't. He lead you on, not to mention he's a bloody poof and has been sharing a room with me for the past six years. I bet he was lookin' too. Perv."
Ginny huffed, "I think we should try to get close to him. I think I can get him back, and you know you need him too."
Ron frowned at his little sister, "And why would I need him?"
She rolled her eyes, "Well obviously, being the best friend to the boy-who-lived has it's perks. Money, Ron. Fame. You can't have that as the one who rejected Harry Potter. No one is going to be against Harry now, he killed the Dark Lord. He ended the war. He could probably commit murder and the world would still cheer him on. Harry is a hero."
Ron smirked.
"Looking forward to being the Chosen One's wife? Never having to work a day in your life? I'm sure every quidditch team will want us."
Hermione almost gaped at them.
Were they serious?
"Are you two in then? We can fake it. Being friends to Harry can't be all that hard."
Hermione bit her lip and nodded, agreeing to their plan.
...
That night, as she lay in her boyfriend's arms, she couldn't help but think that yes. Sometimes, being Harry Potter's friend was one of the hardest things in the world.
Then she smiled, remembering the way he had defended her and helped her all through school. The way they had stuck together, even when Ron had deserted them in that forest during the Horcux hunt.
Yes. She knew what she had to do, but right now, burying her face in Ron's neck and breathing in his scent, that seemed nearly impossible.
Checkmate is a really good story on here written by Naadi. I encourage you all to look it up, I really enjoyed it. That story has inspired the game in this chapter, which will be played in the next one.