Memory Loss (Harry Potter Drarry slash)

32: [Parallel Universe 5] The Heat Is on

"What's wrong with you?" Piper asked as she sat down at the breakfast table the following morning. "You look as if you've been haunted by nightmares all night and been deprived of all your sleep."

Draco chewed in silence. When Harry and he had risen in the morning to take Joz to the magical day-care centre, they had agreed never to speak of last night again. It was best if they simply forgot it ever happened. Therefore, he cleared his throat nervously and shrugged. He kept chewing on his toast, hoping that Piper would drop the subject.

"Where're all your children?" Harry asked in a brave attempt to make conversation and change the subject without raising too much suspicion.

"They're with Yousuke," Piper informed them, yawning. "Man, you never get any sleep when you have babies," she complained, and rubbed her sleepy eyes.

"Guess not," Harry said.

All of a sudden, Piper started in her seat as if she had been hit by lightning, but Draco assumed that she had merely been hit by one of her very rare epiphanies. "Oh! Right! Before I forget-" She pointed at Harry. "-you have Quidditch practice this afternoon between noon and four! Harry left me his schedule and said it was very important that you attend all practice sessions. And there was something else ... er, something important, too ... Dammit, where is my memory this morning?"

She furrowed her brow in a most thoughtful manner. "Oh, yeah! Now I remember! Thursday is September 1, and you are expected to be at Hogwarts at least two hours prior to the Sorting to participate in the preparations."

When she had finished, she looked at the raven-haired man in silent expectation.

Harry merely blinked sheepishly at her. "Wha'? But I graduated six years ago ..."

"Silly! You're not going back to school! You're teaching!" Piper howled with laughter and bent double over the table.

Harry dropped his toast. Gaping like a fish, he emitted small squeaky noises.

Draco watched him, torn between the old need to laugh at him for looking so dorky and a weird urge to pat him consolingly on the shoulder.

Piper did not seem to understand Harry's panicked face. "What? Too much information at once? Should I repeat the last part for you?"

Harry slowly shook his head. Then, an expression of utmost despair on his face, he sank back in his chair and sank down a foot or so. "I'm supposed to teach?" he echoed blankly.

"Um, yeah, that's right," Piper said, her mouth full of grapefruit.

"Teach what?"

"Students, I presume. I don't believe they accept goblins now, do they?"

Harry ignored the irony in her tone and shouted: "What bloody subject is it I'm supposed to be teaching?!"

"Defence Against the Dark Arts."

"Defence Against the Dark Arts?"

"Uh-huh."

"Did they ever consider that maybe that's not so clever since my parents are working directly under Voldemort?!"

Draco almost fell out of his chair. "Don't say his name!" he shrieked, his hand clutched over his heart. "You almost gave me a friggin' heart attack!"

Harry gave him a sceptical look. "You're his right hand man and you can't even bear hearing his name? You're fucking pathetic, Malfoy. You're always acting so tough, but when it comes right down to it, you're nothing but a wuss."