Chapter Four

The light from the window was pale lavender when Draco woke up to Theo humming softly and drawing runes on his lower back. Theo's cool fingertips made him shiver with desire.

"Finally awake Dragon?" Theo smiled, chin in one palm, as Draco looked over his shoulder at the other young man.

Draco gave a noncommittal grunt, wriggling closer to Theo's naked body.

"Are you going to tell me what's bothering you?" Theo asked breathing into Draco's neck and kissing him lightly where the bite mark stood bright against the unblemished porcelain of Draco's skin. "No secrets, Dragon."

"I'm supposed to have a trial and might go to Azkaban. I'm allowed to be a little stressed Theo, especially when I deserve to be punished." Draco sighed and turned his face into the pillow.

"Oh is that all?" Theo pulled Draco closer and wrapped his arms about Draco's middle.

"All?" Draco squeaked and before he could throw a full Malfoy tantrum and ruin their morning cuddle session, Theo covered Draco's mouth.

"Stop worrying. They can put you on probation but you can't be sent to Azkaban."

"What are you talking about?"

"Dragon, I'm a protected species. You are my marked mate and you accepted our bond. I will quite literally die without you. They aren't taking you anywhere. And if they tried the Veela would tear the Ministry down with its bare hands. I'll write to my solicitor today. It will all be handled very hush hush, so I don't want you to worry. Legally, they can't take you away from me."

"Oh."

"Oh indeed. What do you say to a little physical affection before breakfast," Theo kissed Draco's throat, sucking behind his ear and leaving a little bruise. "You are so pretty. Do you feel how hard you've gotten me?" Theo pressed his erection into Draco's back.

Draco let out a low moan and Theo rolled on top of him, taking that sound as a yes. Kissing his mate deeply, Theo nipped his lip and toyed with his nipples while he rubbed their hard cocks together until they both came, grunting in pleasure. Theo rolled over onto his back and had Draco lick him clean before giving his mate the same treatment, going further down and taking all of Draco's length into his mouth until the blonde came again down Theo's throat. Draco immediately fell back asleep and Theo snuck out to his own room to get cleaned up and dressed for the day, but not before kissing Draco one more time on his temple.

Theo was grateful that claiming Draco had been so painless. He'd have to be careful though, Draco was so likely to tantrum that it was only a matter of time before Theo had to soothe his lover. He needed to keep his mate happy and convince his other mate to accept him.

Theo felt slightly less confident this morning and wondered if some Felicis Felixis would be a good investment.

...

Waking up after several rounds of nightmares, Hermione appreciated the separate eighth year dorm and having a private bedroom that she could put wards and silencing charms on more than she could say. Especially when she learned that Ginny couldn't come in unless someone invited her despite being Head Girl, a title that she had thrown in Hermione's face last night at dinner.

Hermione had seriously considered stabbing Ginny with one of the dinner knives. Hermione had wanted to be Head Girl. She had worked for it her entire Hogwarts career and to have the Headmistress take it away from her just because she was repeating a year made her blood boil.

Last year would have been her shot at Head Girl, but she'd been on the run with Harry last year. So she was out of the running. How did that make any sense? Hermione realised that it was probably just anti-Muggleborn sentiment rearing its ugly head again. No surprises there.

At least she still had a private bathroom and if it wasn't as nice as the Head Suite's bath, she tried to tell herself that she did not care.

She was showered and dressed before she even heard the sounds of anyone else moving around. She had thought she'd heard someone having sex last night, but they'd remembered their sound wards before she'd heard more than a moan or two. The sounds had gone right to her core though and she'd found herself turned on surprisingly. She'd taken matters into her own hands, something she rarely had to do, but her fantasy lover (who looked disturbingly like Theo Nott) had made her orgasm so hard that she thought that adding masturbation to her daily timetable for the stress relief might be a good plan.

She peeked out her door, planning to head down to coffee before having to deal with anyone, especially Dean or Seamus, both of whom had seen her outburst yesterday on the train. She'd like to avoid Theo Nott as well, considering her bizarre reaction to him yesterday on the train as well as the fact that she'd fantasised about him touching her last night. She'd probably die of embarrassment the next time she ran into him.

Carefully, while wishing she had Harry's map and the invisibility cloak, she started to sneak through the eighth year common room.

A voice in the corner startled her.

"And what," Theodore Nott said, smiling as he leaned against the fireplace mantle, "Is the Golden Girl doing up this early? Up to something naughty?"

Hermione felt her face flame.

...