Before the Storm

Chapter 8

Chapter 8

It took a while for Harry to figure out what had woken him. He had been sleeping so well. So deeply that he hadn't even dreamed, just one minute he had been awake and the next he was being pulled from sweet slumber by....what was it?

There were a few things that stood out as 'wrong' in his hazy state. The pillow he rolled his face into, chasing after sleep, was too soft and big to be the one had been using lately, it also held a scent that was not his own. Though it was familiar, and nice. And though the blanket that covered him did not feel as heavy as the one he had grown used to, he was still very warm.

But none of these things are what woke him. There was some sort of pressure on his hand, something holding it, tickling movement over his palm, feather light but insistent.

He opened his eyes and...he was not alone! He was also, not in his bed. Tom lay across from him, dark eyes regarding Harry as he slept, between them on the bed their hands lay intertwined. Tom's long fingers cradling his hand as his thumb brushed lazy strokes across his palm. It never faltered, not even when Tom smiled upon seeing that Harry was awake, or when he greeted Harry with a soft and casual, "Good morning."

Harry pressed his face into the pillow to both hide his blush and growing smile. He was in Tom's bed! He had actually done it! And judging by Tom's light mood, and that he hadn't been hexed or tossed out, Tom was rather happy with the situation as well. Tom squeezed his hand, drawing Harry back out of the pillows to face him once more.

"I missed you." Tom said softly. It was so open. So honest. Almost, Harry felt the words as tangible things. Tom had missed him.

"I missed you too." He said with a hesitant smile. Maybe he should feel silly to say it. Embarrassed or worried about giving too much away, but he did not. Several things had fallen into place last night. He could not forget his past, would never dream to. His friends had always been what sustained him through trying times. But he couldn't rely solely on their memory anymore. He had an opportunity for a real friendship here and now, for something more if he were willing. He wanted to take it.

They didn't say anything for a time. Harry was still tired, the rest he'd gotten the night before hadn't nearly been enough to make up for lost time. But this was nice. Laying next to Tom, warm and drowsy. It felt very much like their shared dreams. Easy. Comfortable. Right.

Slowly the light changed around them. Murky grey fading to glittering sea green. The sun was rising. Had risen? It was time for them to start the day. "I should probably-" Harry began, sitting up. He didn't let go of Tom's hand.

Tom didn't rise with him, simply laid back and watched Harry with a smile and bright eyes. Harry squeezed his hand, relished the weight of it, the realness. He didn't want to leave.

He didn't want to explain his absence more though. Alphard would probably have a heart attack if he found out Harry hadn't been in his dorm.

Speaking of.

"Tom?"

"Yes, Harry?" Tom said, smiling still. He lifted their joined hands off the bed and rested them on his chest.

Harry leaned forward and fixed him with a serious look, "Did you punish Alphard because of me?"

Tom blinked at him for several seconds, "Harry-" he started but Harry cut him off quickly.

"You did, didn't you? You gave him detention because I fell asleep in class. He didn't do anything."

"He was tasked with making sure that you made it to and from your classes," Tom said empirically, "As a Prefect he-"