𝐖𝐇𝐄𝐑𝐄 𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐘 𝐒𝐇𝐀𝐋𝐋 𝐍𝐎𝐓 𝐏𝐈𝐍𝐄

Chapter 7

Holding Draco again felt wonderful. Closing his eyes, Harry reveled in the feel of Draco's skin against his, Draco's breath in sync with his, Draco's willingness to belong to him. Harry did not want to let this feeling go.

"Tell me what to do, Harry," Draco whispered, brushing his fingertips against Harry's scar.

"What do you mean?"

'Tell me what to do to make it so that you won't leave me again. Should I give up my friends? Or buy a House Elf so that it can escort me everywhere when you can't? Or marry you?"

Harry's grip tightened and he squeezed his eyes shut. Tears beaded in the corner of his eyes. Draco had spoken so quietly, but surely, as if he'd resolved to ask Harry that awhile ago, as if he was ready to do it.

"Tell me what to do and I will do it. I love you so much, and I can't stand being out of your favor. I only want to make you happy… with me."

Kissing his temple, Harry said, "Don't change," he said. "Don't change for me, Draco, but be mine, and only mine, and I will be the happiest wizard in the world. There's nothing more that I want, just you."

~

Potions class with Snape had always been a tremendous ordeal, but today's lesson seemed to reach the pinnacle of Harry's torment at the professor's hand. He was especially foul to all Gryffindors, and surprisingly snide to some of the Slytherins, with whom the Gryffindors had Double Potions twice a week.

Harry had paired with Neville and they sat towards the back of the room, hoping that the distance would make Snape pick on them less. It did not. They were learning about Scarpin's Revelaspell, the primary technique used to analyze the ingredients of an unknown potion. Snape walked briskly up and down the aisles, sneering at everyone as they attempted the complicated wand movement and said the incantation (Resero). Harry had had his wand snatched away three times already, and had even gotten a smack upside the head for muttering under his breath. This was highly unusual. What the bloody hell was wrong with the professor today? He usually didn't hit students – Harry was the only exception to that rule in the seven years of his attendance – and never quite that hard. As he rubbed the sore spot on the back of his head, Harry wondered if Snape was angry because of his fight with Draco. Not that it was any of his business….

The lesson ended, and Harry couldn't get out of there fast enough. He shoved his books into his satchel haphazardly and made a beeline for the door, getting caught in the rush of students eager to get away. Snape scowled at them as they left, looking like he was pondering giving them each a nasty hex as a parting gift.

"Bloody hell!" Harry exclaimed once he was out the door. Draco sidled up to him. "Do you know what's wrong with that abusive prat? He better have a good excuse for using me as a stress reliever, I tell you."

"Did he hurt you?" asked Draco, smirking.

"Not really," Harry reluctantly admitted, still rubbing his head. He thought he might bruise. "I don't think he tried very hard. But still, it's the principle."

Laughing, Draco caught Harry mid-stride and pressed a condescending kiss to the crown of his head. Harry rolled his eyes in annoyance, but slipped an arm around Draco's waist as they continued up to the library for a study period.

"He's just having a very bad day," Draco explained. "Last night he went to make a bit of Soporous potion for a client and found a few hundred galleons worth of potions ingredients missing from his personal storage room. We were up all last night doing inventory."

"A few hundred galleons worth?" Harry replied, eyes going wide in disbelief. "What did they bloody take: barrels of unicorn tears and dried lacewing?"