𝐍𝐎𝐓 𝐀 𝐅𝐀𝐈𝐑𝐘𝐓𝐀𝐋𝐄

Chapter 14

Chapter Fourteen: To Breathe

Harry never found the package. Despite searching for it during the day, Harry could never figure out where Malfoy had stashed it. Malfoy had no idea that it had been reality and Harry had no chance of telling him that it was.

So several days later, it didn't surprise Harry at all that he was there when the sun went down, bringing Malfoy back into the conscious world.

"Good morning," Harry greeted, perched on the side of the bed as he helped Malfoy out of the nightmare. Fingers twined and palms touched faces, helping Malfoy get a grasp on where he was. Harry made sure to brush away the tears from Malfoy's long lashes to stop them from falling properly.

"Morning," Malfoy croaked out, not at all minding the press of Harry's hand against his cheek.

"How are you?"

Malfoy rolled over, away from Harry and cuddled into one of his pillows. "Horrible." More tears spilled as he tried to hide his face. "I'm sick of seeing everyone die."

"We're all alright."

A sniffle came from the blonde as Harry leant over to him, pressing their bodies together, playfully looking for Malfoy's face under his wispy locks. "You can't be sure about my family."

That was true. "I think I'd have felt it from Voldemort if anything happened to your parents." Also, Harry was certain Snape would get through to him to let him know.

Then again, that would meant he'd have to talk to Snape and Harry wasn't too sure if he wanted that to happen. If Malfoy was right about the package and Wallace, then he'd have to be right about Snape and Remus sleeping together and Harry wasn't sure what he thought of that. It would be nice to have Remus to talk to about his new-found sexuality, but Snape? Tonks was pregnant with Remus' child, yet he was sneaking around behind her back with a man they couldn't admit was actually on the light side of the war — a man the Marauders tortured relentlessly. It made no sense that Remus would have an affair with a man he's supposedly hated all his life and for that man to actually allow Remus to be near him.

This had to be the craziest year of Harry's life yet, and given Harry's less-than-average life, that was one hell of a feat.

Malfoy was really helping that out. He was shaking with sobs as he tried to get over the scenes from his latest dream but he wasn't shying away from Harry's touch. When Harry's fingertips tickled over the prickles of Malfoy's unshaven cheeks and chin, he felt the sudden urge to press his open mouth along that jaw-line and those beautiful cheek bones, but he stopped himself. Kissing Malfoy was out of the question.

But the urge helped prove how crazy Harry's life was.

"How long has it been since you shaved?" Harry asked once Malfoy finally stopped weeping into his pillow.

"Three days. Is it that bad?"

"Dunno," Harry murmured, now trying to move Malfoy's face so he could see. "Let me have a look."

Malfoy let Harry's hand guide him and tipped his head towards Harry. His facial hair had barely poked through the skin, barely visible with how fine and white it was, but Harry couldn't say that he didn't like how it looked.

"What?"

Harry looked away from the line of fuzz to meet Malfoy's grey eye, which was focused on him and him alone. "I'm just realising that I might be a little gay."

That eye rolled and the skin of his lips stretched into a smile. "So you like that I'm looking a little manlier than usual?"

"It's not such a bad look."