𝐈𝐂𝐀𝐑𝐔𝐒 𝐑𝐈𝐒𝐈𝐍𝐆

Chapter 6

To the surprise of all who knew them, Harry and Draco managed to settle into a simple routine fairly quickly. Harry always woke up first -- Draco seemed to need more sleep -- and always the blond Veela would be in the bed next to him. It didn't start out that way. On a number of occasions, Harry could talk Draco into falling asleep in his own room. Invariably, however, the former Slytherin would sneak back into Harry's before the night was through.

Eventually, Harry resigned himself to sharing his bed on a more permanent basis. It wasn't so terrible, really. Draco kept his hands to himself, although seemed immensely relieved whenever Harry would willingly touch him. It was as though Draco walked around taut as a coiled spring all the time and only when Harry touched him could he become untangled. Harry would reach out to touch the Veela's hair, or encircle his wrist with his fingers, and Draco would be putty in his hands.

Touching Draco came to be such second nature for Harry that he began doing it even with company around. Ron never got used to it no matter how often he stopped by but he bit his tongue. Hermione, on the other hand, nearly fell out of her chair the first time she visited and say Harry lay a hand on Draco's knee while she was talking to him. She was equally as surprised when Harry said Draco wanted to thank her for his new wardrobe.

Remus' visit had been altogether different. Draco could smell the werewolf in him immediately and wouldn't let the man come anywhere near Harry. Despite Harry's numerous assurances that Remus was harmless, Draco wouldn't release his tight grip on Harry's hand. Such an overt gesture of possessiveness on the part of the Veela unnerved Harry. Draco was becoming more and more emboldened when it came to expressing his feelings. Harry made a mental note to mention his concern to Dumbledore in his next owl.

When Dumbledore came, Draco appeared much more relaxed. While his memories of life before the war proved sketchy at best, Draco apparently retained enough knowledge to perceive the elderly man as a non-threatening entity. To Harry's increased consternation, Dumbledore didn't appear at all alarmed by the arm Draco snuck around Harry's waist or the way the former Slytherin nuzzled his face into Harry's neck right in front of him until Harry pointedly told him to cut it out so that he could have a talk in peace. Draco pouted blatantly, but obeyed nonetheless.

"He seems quite attached to you, Harry," the Headmaster commented with a glint in his eye.

Harry leveled him with a baleful look in response. As if the man should act surprised! This had all been his idea to begin with, Harry felt sure no one else could have talked him into this insane way of life. Well, Draco wasn't that bad. Not all the time. He quickly relearned how to play wizard's chess and Exploding Snap. He made for good company while watching old muggle movies on the telly Harry had bought during his last trip into town.

Draco, strangely enough, seemed fascinated by all things muggle. The telly was only the first thing he couldn't stop toying with. The next week, it became the microwave; the week after that, Harry's electric toothbrush. Harry's new computer was nearly Draco's undoing. The blond didn't understand the machine at all and Harry gave up trying to explain it to him. He could follow the idea that it was an apparatus on which one could read documents but Harry lost him with the entire concept of the internet.

Most of the items Harry bought -- including the proper food stock for a perpetually hungry Gryffindor and his carnivorous Slytherin flatmate -- had to be delivered to the house. The first time Harry tried leaving Draco alone ended in disaster. Despite Harry's repeated explanations that he would return shortly and Draco could bide his time trying to decipher the stereo system while he was away, the Veela was a complete and utter wreck by the time Harry returned.