The sun was just peeking over the windowsill when green eyes popped open. Hands blindly reached across the sheets but found nothing, the linens cold. Slowly, Harry pulled himself up on his elbows and looked toward the bathroom. The door was wide open and the mirrors unfogged. The room was unoccupied.
Swinging his legs slowly over the side, he reached out for his glasses and slid them on. The room came into focus and Harry could see that Ably had opened the drapes again this morning letting the light in too early. He would need to ask him not to do that anymore. But he didn't want to hurt the elf's feelings, so maybe he wouldn't.
Putting his feet down on the step, Harry balanced on his hands as he slid his rump off the bed. Gingerly he stepped down onto the floor and made his way to the toilet. He hated having to use the toilet, which seemed to be too often to count. It was embarrassing to have to sit down for everything now, and practically impossible to heave himself back up. He was afraid that eventually he would need to actually levitate himself up one of these days.
Once he had finished in the loo, he came back out and went to the armoire. He opened it and began touching all the well made and expensive suits and robes inside. He buried his head inside them and inhaled the smells; aftershave, shampoo, cologne, flesh. Harry had to restrain himself from putting fabric in his mouth. He figured Draco wouldn't want his clothes gnawed on, and how would he explain it anyway?
Taking out a button-up blue shirt, Harry slipped it on over his pyjamas, which consisted of a huge cotton t-shirt and sweatpants with the waistband pushed under his stomach. He didn't even try buttoning the shirt, just wore it open and breathed in Draco's scent. Then, he spun on his heel as best he could and made his way out of the bedroom. He walked down the hall and held the banister tight as he managed to get down the stairs without actually seeing a step. When he reached the bottom he walked into the office. Draco wasn't there.
"Ably?"
There was a pop and Harry turned to see their house-elf waiting patiently. He really liked Ably. He was quiet and nice and always seemed to enjoy everything he was asked to do without the over-exuberance that Dobby would have exhibited.
"Ably, when did Draco leave?"
"Master Draco left nearly an hour ago, Master Harry," the house-elf said quietly. "Would Master Harry like Ably to get him anything?"
"Oh, um, no. I'm fine. Thank you." Harry wandered back out of the office and into the main hall. The clock on the wall showed just after seven-thirty in the morning. Draco hadn't gotten home until late last night, after Harry had finally fallen asleep near midnight. Harry rubbed at the arm of the blue shirt and moved into the sitting room. He moved the drapes aside and looked out into the garden. It looked cold out that morning with the snow-covered ground. He wished spring would come sooner.
Harry wandered around the house most of the morning. He walked into the kitchen and looked through the pots. Then he went into the small conservatory on the back of the house and talked to the plants a bit. Then he went into his special room and rubbed his belly. Finally, as he was walking past the stairs he spotted a basket of laundry, which made him pause and stare. In the years he had spent in this house, he had never seen a basket of laundry. The clothes always just disappeared from the floor and reappeared in his dresser drawers. Intrigued, he stepped closer and saw Draco's trousers on top. They would wrinkle if they weren't taken care of. Draco would be mad.
Levitating the basket to the sitting room settee, Harry began taking each article of Draco's clothing out, rubbing his face in it and then lovingly folding it. He made a stack for the shirts and one for the trousers. Harry especially liked rubbing his face in the silk underpants.
