What a Terrible Mess

Chapter 23

"Hey Harry," Ron said, exiting the hospital wing, and sitting next to his friend in one of the waiting chairs. Harry looked up at him and grinned.

"Hey, Ron, how's everyone else doing?"

"Good, they'll be out soon. Ginny's gotta spend the night. Hermione's just helping Madame Pomphrey with Neville. Blaise and Malfoy are giving them hell to let them go- right along with their Mothers. Interesting lot, that one." At this Harry laughed.

"Listen, Ron..."

"No, Harry, it's okay. I'm not going to pretend to be overly excited about this. I'll never like the prat- ever. But, in the end, if he's what you want, then I'll not stand in the way. Just don't expect us to get along. I'm pretty sure he feels the same way."

"Thank you, Ron, it means a lot to me. Though, honestly, I don't know that he is what I want. There's just so much happening. It's hard to figure all this out."

"Just know that I'm here when you need me Harry. Brothers. Here comes your ferret," Ron teased, "I assume you're not coming back to the tower tonight?"

Harry blushed hard, seeing Draco approach, his head bandaged- robes tattered but still flowing gracefully behind him. Then turning to Ron,

"No, probably not. He needs me."

"The question here, Harry, is do you need him?" Ron whispered. Harry blushed even harder, standing to greet Draco.

"Harry." Draco said, rather shortly, eyes glaring at Ron, "Weasel."

"Goodnight Harry. Ferret." Ron said, leaving to go probably check on Hermione again.

"Will you be coming with me?" Draco asked, his voice icy.

"Yes, if you're okay with that... are you angry about something?" Harry asked, watching Draco who was glaring daggers at Ron's back as he went through the Hospital Wing doors. Harry grinned and, taking Draco's arm in his, began to walk down the hallway- sort of pulling Draco along.

"Why would I be *angry*?"

"Oh, I don't think you're angry now. I think you're jealous."

Draco made something of a growling sound but said nothing more until they reached their destination. He was pacing back and forth, looking as though he wanted to kill someone.

"Draco, are you jealous? Really? Of *Ron*?" Draco stopped pacing, growled a bit and headed into the bathroom, not to be seen again for an hour. While he was gone Harry got his things out of the same bag, and picked up the book Draco had been reading. History of Veelas? Harry began to flip through the book, stopping to read occasionally.

"Harry, I'm sorry, I don't like the Weasel, and seeing you two whispering and you all bright red just didn't bode well," Draco said, having emerged from the bathroom clean and in pajamas.

Harry looked up from his reading to see Draco actually looking apologetic. Closing the book, Harry smile and made his best disgusted face for Draco's benefit,

"Ron is the last person you'd need to be jealous of. Believe me." Harry paused, looking carefully at Draco, wearing charcoal gray silk pajamas, the Slytherin crest emblazoned on the chest. He rolled his eyes, "do you ever *not* look good?" Now it was Draco's turn to blush.

"I, Harry, take care in my appearance. What do you mean 'not look good'? I didn't look good in your robes nor did I today- all dirty and covered in blood, or over the past few days. Not to mention the scars. I swear, Harry, being in Gryffindor has rotted your brain. Maybe you should go see Madame Pomphrey again."

Harry rolled his eyes then stood and headed for the bathroom, his own pajamas in his hands. When he emerged, Draco was sitting on the couch eating food that he assumed Lacey had brought. Filling his own plate, Harry went to sit beside him.

"Draco, what is it exactly that you like to do?" There was a pause as Draco finished chewing and took a drink of juice,

"what do you mean?" He asked, turning to face Harry.

"I mean, what is it that *you* like? What gives you joy?" Then, thinking briefly, Harry added, "and don't say me. Besides me, Draco."

"Well, there's that. I also greatly enjoy Potions. I'd like to be a Potions Master one day, I'm going to apprentice under Severus and maybe take his place. I enjoy Quidditch, but I'm sure you knew that... Duelling. Blaise and I like to duel quite a bit though there are rules so that neither of us wind up dead. I like to shop and spend time with Mother. I think I take after her, in all her eccentricities. Of course, I don't know my father so I don't know what I get from him. I enjoy reading and learning new things, terrorizing Weasley, dark magic is a hobby of mine, and cooking though I relate that to Potions I believe. Hmmm... what else? I like fruits but so does Mother, so that could be a Veelan thing, I don't know. I have to have coffee in the morning, or I'm an arse. Other than that, there's you. That's about it."

"Why do you hate Ron so much? Dark Magic?"

"Well, as far as Dark Magic goes, I just enjoy learning a lot of it. You should too, know thy enemy and all that. It's not that I'm running around hurting or killing people, Harry, honestly. Though, if the situation came up that I needed to, I would be more than able to. Weasley is... I don't know. I just don't like him. He grates my nerves. He's unrefined, rude, loud... everything I can't stand, I suppose."

"I guess I can understand the dark magic, it makes sense. Though you have to be careful, Draco. It can consume you... and Ron is my best friend. We're not that different you know, like you and Blaise." Draco snorted into his pumpkin juice at this. A very un-Draco gesture. Wiping his mouth, Draco turned to laugh at Harry,

"you and Weasley are completely different- don't be daft. Though I can admit you two do share the Gryffindor qualities. Blaise is... I don't know. He's a strange person Harry. I'd suggest not get tangled up with his oddities. Did you know he has to brush his teeth three times? I don't mean three times a day. Each morning, afternoon and at night, no. I mean three times each time. He does a lot of weird stuff like that. Snores too, it's annoying."

"Yes, I've noticed that he's... different. Your mother's a muggle? Honestly?"

Draco genuinely laughed at this, remembering Hogsmeade. Trying to calm himself and regain his composure,

"I suppose he knew that would enrage her. She sent an Unforgivable at him after that. Believe me, even if she'd hit him with it, he would have said it again. Most likely would have thrown something in there about sleeping with her mum too. Good call, by the way, you saved my life back there. More than once. Pansy has had a huge thing for me since we were small children and you pissed her off beyong reason. What was that... whatever it was you said to the snake?"

"Paseletongue. I can speak to snakes. That should have been me Draco, not you."

Harry swiftly leaned in to kiss Draco- more forceful than last time. His hands on either side of Draco's face, tilting the blonde's face up to meet his. Draco felt himself melt into the kiss and into Harry, letting his bondmate lead the way. Silently he was hoping this kiss would last longer than the last one. Answering his prayers, Harry lightly nipped his bottom lip, moving himself to be in Draco's lap. Subconsciously the Veela arched into his mate and bravely returned the force of the kiss, his hands grabbing Harry's hips to pull him closer. Harry gasped for breath for a moment before going back to Draco's mouth, his tongue begging for entrance. Of course Draco was more than accomidating, one hand going to entangle itself in Harry's hair. The heat pooling in Draco's stomach coursed through his body and he fought to control himself, to not go any further.