𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐕𝐄𝐄𝐋𝐀 𝐄𝐍𝐈𝐆𝐌𝐀

Chapter 11

Chapter Warning: Slash (still fairly mild)

'''''''''''''''''

The Veela Enigma

Chapter 11: Closer to You

'''''''''''''''

Harry and Draco finally broke apart from their kiss to stare into each other's eyes, foreheads pressed together.

"I can't believe you're really okay with this," Draco breathed, a smile playing on his face.  Harry smiled back.

"Yeah, well, believe it.  You know, I knew you were going to get all worked up about this."

"What do you mean?"

Harry put a reassuring hand on the back of Draco's head, on top of the hood of his cloak.  "I just knew you'd be all worried and freaking out about something.  That's why I was so determined to find you.  I wanted you to know everything will be okay.  Neither of us knows exactly what will happen, but we can at least find out togeth - ACHOO!"

Harry cut off his own sentence with an enormous sneeze, turning away from Draco.

Draco sized him up and the realization hit him hard.  "Potter, where's your cloak?" he asked suspiciously.

Harry shrugged.  "Didn't have time to grab it.  Wanted to come and see - ACHOO!" he sneezed again.

Draco was furious. "We have to get inside, you stupid prat!  What were you thinking, coming out here in the freezing rain without even a cloak?  You're going to get sick!" Draco was glaring hard at Harry, who glared right back.

"You're the one who chose the great outdoors during a rainstorm to sit and have a think," he retorted, crossing his arms over his chest. 

Draco gave him a pained and exasperated look. "Yes.  However, veela are not as susceptible to the weather as humans.  They live in forests, you know.  I've got some natural protection from the elements."

"Did you learn that in one of your books?" Harry asked with interest.

"As a matter of fact, I did.  I'm much better off in bad weather than you are, and much less likely to get sick.  And on top of that, I had the common sense to wear my warmest cloak, which happens to be completely weatherproofed.  I am warm and dry right now.  You are soaked to the skin."

Harry shrugged.  "I'm really fi - ACHOO!"

"Oh yes, just fine," Draco said sarcastically.  "That's why you're sneezing so much. Because you're fine." 

Draco looked closely at Harry.  "And you're shivering, you idiot!" He reached out and seized Harry by the arm.  "That's it.  We're going inside."  And he began walking towards the castle at top speed, dragging Harry along behind him.

Harry, now that he wasn't completely focused on Draco, had realized that he was, indeed, freezing.  This included his feet, which were clad only in trainers that were now completely soaked through.  As a result he couldn't keep up with Draco, and kept tripping as the blonde hauled him along.

"Draco, slow down," he panted, as Draco mercilessly yanked him along the footpath up to the castle.  The Slytherin ignored him. 

"Draco!  Oh come on!  Slow down just a bit." 

Draco ignored those pleas as well, intent on getting Harry warm and dry as fast as possible.  Harry's clumsy, frozen feet hit a particularly large rock, and he stumbled violently.  Draco held him securely, kept him from falling, and still didn't slacken his pace.