Ventus Aqua Terra Ignis 12/12 + Epilogue
Title: Ventus Aqua Terra Ignis 12/12
Pairing: Harry/Draco/Ron/Hermione
Rating: NC-17
Disclaimer: These characters are definitely not mine, nor is the Harry Potter Universe. I am only borrowing them for my own perverted amusement. No money is made.
Summary: Draco needs an O on his Potions N.E.W.T. to even think about a Potions Mastery, which means he has to go back to Hogwarts for the "eighth year." He has plans to keep his head down, stay out of trouble, and just survive. Enter the Golden Trio who decide that's a bad idea and drag Draco right into the middle of their secret.
A/N: Elemental fic. Lots of magic. Some misuse of magic because I'm pretty sure JK Rowling did not intend for magic to make sex kinky. There are some master/sub themes and some light bondage.
This belongs in the category of EWE (Epilogue? What Epilogue?). It is Book 7 compliant. Mostly. It's been a long time since I read book 7.
This is cross-posted on my Ao3 "ddelusionall" account: http://archiveofourown.org/works/11926701/chapters/26956032
Part 12: Back to School
Using his Wind was intoxicating and sensual. Calling on a small breeze or twisting the air around him into a small tornado had Draco hard as a rock and ready for sex. But it was also gratifying, calming, and loving. Wind brushed over his skin and it felt like a lover’s touch, a soft caress, a firm massage.
He met with Sophia once a day to help control it.
“Miss Granger is amazing and she could also teach you the way she taught the other two, but this will be faster.”
It started small everyday, just little whirlwinds and small blasts of air. He worked up to room-sized tornados and helped Sophia clean up the caked-on dust and grime in the rooms of Grimmauld place. Sophia pushed him until the brink of orgasm, the brink of losing control, and then sent him off to his lovers, who were also learning from their Elemental counterparts and had no problem at all stopping the lengthy lessons to fuck. It turned into a week of a schedule he did not mind at all: magic, more magic, and then sex and more sex.
Professor McGonagall and Madam Pomfrey arrived the next Sunday to talk about them returning to school.
Madam Pomfrey first ran a quick diagnostics on them and nodded in satisfaction. “Your magical core has been restored, Mister Malfoy. You are no longer in danger.”
Draco nodded. “Well, that’s good news. Is there bad news?”
The two exchanged a look and Professor McGonagall said, “Not with most of the teachers, although there is one who is adamant that the four of you do not return to school. We of course will overrule this particular professor.”
Harry coughed something that sounded like Slughorn, and Hermione snorted.
“After talking to Diamber and Sophia, we feel that it is best that you take one more week to learn more control. I will make sure that your homework is sent to you so that you can get caught up and not fall too far behind. And, Mister Weasley, I expect you to have finished that essay on the theories behind Transfiguration before you return next Monday.”
Ron groaned. “Yes, Professor.”
“Professors,” Hermione said carefully. “I ... well, I don’t want to seem judgemental, but ... I can really tell the difference between our new bond and what Ron and Harry and I had before. I feel so much more powerful, and I was ... I mean, why ...” She huffed to herself. “I do not want you to think I’m blaming you. Why ... why ... during the final battle, you never used your powers?”
Professor McGonagall smiled at her. “No,weI did not. The Elemental Bond is so dangerous, as I’m sure you have learned. You are not the first to attempt it after we completed it and we were not the first to attempt it after the Founders. It is a secret, and I’m sure I do not have to tell the four of you that you need to keep it that way. There were many times during the final battle that I wanted to, that I wanted to release fire at all the Death Eaters, but I knew that I could not. There is not a week that goes by that I wonder ‘what if.’ What if I had acted faster? What lives would have been saved?” She glanced over Ron. “Could I have saved Fred Weasley? Remus and Tonks? But imagine for a moment if the wizarding world knew of this bond.”
Hermione nodded. “It’s dangerous.”
“It is. And you four understand danger and what happens when a wizard or witch has too much power. I am not worried about you taking advantage of the power inside you. And I trust that you will keep this secret.”
They all nodded.
---
One week later
School felt strange.
Draco was in complete control of himself and had no worries about random bursts of wind or tornadoes destroying everything. Everytime he felt like he was spiraling (and that was such an appropriate word for how his magic danced inside him), there were three other brushes of control that helped him back to the ground, so to speak.
But the school. It was permeated with magic. So much of it. Draco felt like he could run his fingers through the streams of it as he walked down the halls. He felt like he could sink into the bricks of the castle itself to go for a swim.
They arrived late on Sunday night, after everyone had gone to bed, Flooing in from the fireplace at the newly cleaned and much better smelling Grimmauld place. After three weeks, the idea of getting back into doing homework and going class and studying was a bit mind boggling.
Professor McGonagall escorted them through the halls. “We have stuck to the story of a threat to you four, a serious threat. The Aurors have captured the culprits, just a small band of wayward Death Eaters, and everything is safe now. Please make sure you stick with that story and that you were in a safehouse. Also, I do hope you’ve completed your homework.”
Ron grumbled.
“Don’t worry, Professor. We did,” Harry said. “The only thing Hermione likes more than sex is homework.”
Professor McGonagall snorted. “Speaking of. I’m going to ask you to refrain from sexual relations for a few days. I know you can feel the magic of the castle and adding elemental sex when you are not used to it can cause ... well, let’s just say that back in the day, the giant squid wasn’t so giant, nor as intelligent.” She winked at them. “Just a few days.”
“We will, Professor,” Hermione promised, and Ron grumbled louder under his breath.
“It’s fine,” Harry said. “I sort of just want to swim in it. I’m not sure what will happen if I can’t control myself.”
Draco smiled and said, “A swim sounds good.” He held out his hand and shut his eyes, feeling the waves of magic flow around him.
“Sleep well, children, and we will see you in the morning for breakfast. And on time,” she said with a pointed look at Harry.
He only smiled back.
They entered the eighth-year common room. To Draco, it felt like it’d been years since he’d been there. So much had happened. He felt completely different.
“Do you mind if we crash in your room?” Hermione said. “I don’t want to disturb Hannah or Neville.”
“Sure,” Harry said. “You can sleep in my bed. Merlin knows I won’t be using it again.”
Draco scoffed. “Says you, Potter. I like sleeping--”
“With my vines wrapped around you,” Harry interrupted.
Draco rolled his eyes, but did not dispute what was so obviously true.
Their things had already been brought into the room, even Hermione and Ron’s. The silence between them was comforting, unhurried, and only punctuated with small smiles when their eyes met and small touches to skin when they got close enough to each other. Draco unpacked his essentials, and noticed that Harry didn’t bother, just changing into pyjamas. Even with her things there, Hermione chose to wear one of Ron’s Chudley Cannons long sleeve shirts. And panties. That was all.
Draco wondered if he really did have to keep control of himself.
A shimmering on the desk drew all their attention.
A plate of brownies and steaming mugs of hot chocolate.
Draco lifted an eye at Harry.
“Don’t look at me. That’s not my fault.”
Ron rubbed the back of his neck. “Blimey. I just had a passing through that something sweet sounded good right about now.”
“This is going to be interesting,” Harry said and took one of the mugs. “I was going to give Draco a blowjob before bed, but yeah ... this magic is too strong.”
“I really do hope that we’ll be able to control ourselves,” Hermione said before taking a brownie.
Draco hummed and took one himself. They were soft and rich with a thin layer of dark chocolate frosting. The hot chocolate was tinted with mint.
Hermione started talking about schoolwork, and Draco tuned out after sharing a “Look” with Ron. They finished their treat and then got ready for bed. Harry was curled up under the covers of Draco’s bed first, and Draco followed. Harry snuggled close to him, arm around his waist, head at his chest. He smiled, and Draco felt his happiness through the bond. Warmth, something dark purple, happiness. A cocoon of love. Maybe. It sounded silly in his head.
But when Ron settled on his other side with a heavy sigh, and Hermione wormed her way between their bodies. The cocoon spread for them, tightened around them, and just beyond his vision Draco could see the way that magic warped around them.
Relaxing. Calming. Endearing.
---
Monday Morning
“We are never going to be on time for breakfast,” Harry said, tugging on a T-shirt. His missed the arm on the first try, his voice muffled as he continued. “Buggering ... just ...” A green vine twisted up, righted the shirt, and Harry managed to sling his arm through the armhole.
Draco watched through the mirror, laughing on the inside, only a smile on his lips. He buttoned up his dress shirt and worked on his tie. Hands touched his sides, or what he thought were hands. Vines slid up the front of his shirt, tugging on the buttons. Harry’s hands went to his ass.
“Potter, if you ruin this shirt--”
“I have way more money than I need, Malfoy. I’ll buy you another one.”
A button snapped off. One hand slid into Draco’s back pocket, the other went to the front of him, grabbing at his dick.
“Bloody hell, Harry.”
“Just wanted to see that cock of yours one more time,” Harry said and licked up his neck, pressing against his back for balance.
Draco wavered between giving in and resisting. A brush of wind helped stabilize him and he jerked away from Harry, panting as the lust simmered.
“I love how I can just tug at you and make you want me.”
“Wanting you is a permanent state of being,” Draco said. He caught Harry’s satisfied smirk in the mirror. “It’s a statement of fact. Nothing to get so tossed over.” He ran a hand over his clothes to fix them with a wave of magic.
“I love you,” Harry said.
Draco stopped and looked at him through the mirror again, not really sure what would happen if their eyes met without that small barrier.
Harry hadn’t said that since before the ritual. Draco hadn’t said it back then. He wasn’t sure if he could now. The boiling magic in this body that formed braids and ties to Harry, the castle, the other two that were probably waiting for them in the common room, all wanted him to say it back.
But he stayed quiet too long, and Harry glanced away with a heavy sigh. “You’re beautiful, you know?” He left the room quickly after that, and Draco met his own blank stare and thought about that. Thought about Harry, thought about the other two.
He felt like he needed to say it to all three of them before he could say it to just Harry.
Even if it were true. And it was. Draco thought. Maybe. He loved his mother. He’d do anything for her to keep her alive and well. But then again, he had saved Harry’s life, and Harry had saved his more than once. Was it the same? Draco wasn’t sure.
Taking a deep breath, he straightened his shoulders and nodded to his reflection. It winked back at him and said, “Sometimes reflections show more than just the outer appearance.”
Draco snorted and turned away from it. He grabbed his bag and left the room. When he got to the stop of the stairs, his eyes sought Harry’s, but Harry was turned away from him, face against Ron’s shoulder.
Ron smiled at him, so did Hermione. If Harry told them ... well, they didn’t seem to know that Draco hadn’t said it back.
Merlin. These three.
A wave of water buoyed him up, followed by a flare of heat and a touch of growth. Happiness. He felt his eyes sting and he smirked and sent his own brush of wind back, though with his emotions a bit wonky, it was more than just a mental breeze, and their clothes billowed for a moment.
“Sorry,” Draco said. “Still a bit ...”
“Yeah,” Ron said and pulled him into their hug. “Us too. Let’s get to breakfast. Eating always helps.”
Despite saying that, the four of them stood in the middle of the common room and just breathed, letting their magic settle and twist within them.
As always, Hermione broke them apart with a soft reminder that they’d be late. They shuffled close together all the way to the portrait hole and then separated when they were out in the hallway. Ron and Hermione held hands, walking in front of Draco and Harry.
Draco wanted to reach for his hand, but he wasn’t sure if he was allowed after that brief moment in their room. The look on Harry’s face stayed with him. It had been so brief before he turned away, but he saw it, and felt it. Disappointment, but also acceptance. Harry knew it was too soon, he just didn’t want to be happy about that.
“Mister Malfoy!”
Draco turned at the high squeal from behind him and almost didn’t catch the rushing blonde curls that launched themselves at him. He just managed to drop his bag and step back a few feet to keep them both from toppling to the ground.
“Hi, Alice,” he said.
She beamed at him. “Everyone said you were dead, that someone was trying to kill you, but I told them that you were too strong and too cool to die.”
Draco chuckled and twisted her around until she was on his back, his hands up under her legs. “I’m just fine. It took the Aurors a bit of time to find the culprits, but none of us were injured.”
She smiled widely up at him and nodded. “I told them you wouldn’t be!”
Hermione chuckled. “What is this? The Slytherin Prince making friends with first-year Hufflepuffs?”
Draco huffed. “I’m her mentor.”
“Mentor?” Alice said, and Draco noted the disappointment in her voice.
He wasn’t making anyone happy today.
“Fine, fine. Yes, Alice, you’re my friend.”
“Mikey says you’re mean git, but I told him that he’s just jealous of you.”
Draco smiled and then laughed when Ron scoffed. “Yes. You are definitely my friend.”
Alice nattered on about the three weeks that Draco had been gone, telling him all about flying and how Derek, the arrogant boy, had fallen off a broom and had to take Skele-Gro, but then acted like he was so injured afterward just to get favors from other students and teachers.
“Sounds like someone else I know,” Harry said and nudged Draco in the ribs with his elbow.
Draco cleared his throat. “I have no idea what you’re talking about, Potter.”
Ron rolled his eyes. “Sure, you don’t. Nothing about getting bitten by a hippogriff.”
“Nope, doesn’t ring a bell?”
“You got bitten by a hippogriff?” Alice said. “Cool!”
“Not cool,” Draco said. “It hurt.”
“He was a right prick about it too,” Ron added, “going on and on about how he couldn’t do his work so he made Harry do it instead.”
“That ... you wouldn’t ... but ...”
“It’s okay,” Harry said and patted Alice’s back. “Draco made a mistake, just like everyone else does. It was a poor choice, but he knows that now. He learnt from it. I hope.”
“I did,” Draco said quickly. “That’s what you do when you make mistakes. You apologize and you learn from it and you try not to do it again.”
“You wouldn’t do that now, would you, Draco?”
“Of course not.”
Ron snorted. “Three days ago, after having both Harry and I inside your--”
“RONALD!” Hermione shouted.
Ron grinned. “--I mean, when you said you were too sore to help clean, remember that?”
“I was too sore, and that was your fault!”
“Children,” Hermione said with a sigh, and turned to Alice. “Draco was an evil little git when he was younger, Alice. But he isn’t now. He’s our friend. He’s one of my best friends. Try not to judge your classmates on things they do when they are stupid, okay?”
Alice huffed, the breath pushing at Draco’s hair, and he knew he was going to have to spell it back into place.
The five of them entered the Great Hall, and silence settled among the students, and then whispers.
“I guess I better go eat breakfast,” Alice said with a sigh. “I’m so glad you aren’t dead, Mister Malfoy.”
Draco settled her on the ground and then kneeled in front of her. “Hey, we’re friends. Call me Draco, okay?”
She beamed at him. “Okay, Draco!”
“Look, there are always going to be people who think they are better than you, but don’t let that define who you are. Always be yourself, whoever you want to be, and learn from your mistakes, right?’
“Right!” she said with a firm nod.
“Get to your table.”
She saluted him with another cheerful smile and turned around to almost fly to the Hufflepuff table. As soon as she sat down, her friends were asking her about him, and Draco heard a, “He’s my friend!” that was almost shouted with too much enthusiasm.
He stood back up and saw that only Harry was still by him. “I was an arsehole when we were younger,” Draco said.
Harry’s lip twitched into an almost smile. “You were. Kinda still are.”
“But I’m learning,” Draco said, stepping a little closer to him. “Growing, and ...” He took a deep breath. “I don’t know what that means for you, for us, for this,” he waved his hand and felt the magic of the Great Hall swirl around his hand a little. The candles above them wavered. “I want ... to. You know I want to.” He really hoped Harry knew what he was talking about.
Harry frowned and then nodded. “I know. We’re both still growing. At least we can do it together.”
“Yes.” He held out his hand and instead of grabbing it, Harry stepped into him and kissed him on the lips.
The mutterings around them grew in volume.
“Still lovin’ that attention, Golden Boy.”
Harry smiled. “Just yours. Come on, let’s eat before we have to get to class.”
Draco took Harry’s hand for the short walk to the breakfast table. As soon as they sat down, Hermione said, “I’m sorry about earlier, Nev. I didn’t even think to knock first.”
Draco lifted an eyebrow at her.
“She walked in on Neville changing,” Ron said with his mouthful. “It was epic.”
Hermione huffed and leaned over to Draco and said in a not-quite-whisper, “Let’s just say that there’s a reason why Neville is so good at handling snakes.” She winked.
Harry laughed. “Merlin!”
Draco cleared his throat. “I could have gone my entire life without knowing that. No offence, Longbottom.”
“None taken. I could have gone my entire life without knowing that you know that I’m hung.”
“Very hung.” Hermione winked at him.
Ron growled around another bite of food.
They ignored him.
“I’m sure I'm going to see more of you two than I really want to,” Neville said. “You guys are dating. Just let me know when I have to make myself scarce.”
“It’s fine, Nev,” Hermione said. “We are probably just going to bunk with Harry and Draco now. It’s not like they’re using both of their beds.”
Neville snorted.
Harry smirked. “We use both of the beds, all the time. Sometimes more than once in the same night.”
There were groans around the table.
“Ugh, so what? You’re all happy and bullocks,” Finnigan said and took a bite of toast, tearing it violently. “Couples, couples, everywhere.”
“And not a hole to fuck?” Thomas supplied.
“Only because you haven’t ever asked,” Finnigan snapped at him.
Thomas’s eyes went wide. “What?”
There were sniggers around the table, and it probably took a moment too long for Finnigan to realize what he said.
“Nothing, just ... we’re friends, that’s all. That’s all it will ever be, and whatever.”
Thomas stared with wide eyes, and Finnigan shoved more food into his mouth.
“Was that a confession?” Harry asked.
“No. Just ... wha’ever”.
Dean snapped out of it, shoved a book into his bag and then got up from the eighth-year table and headed over to the Gryffindor table.
Finnigan stared after him, glowering a little when he sat next to Ginny Weasley with a smile. He threw his toast back to the plate and then stood up and said, “Bugger ... just ...” He left the Great Hall almost too quickly.
“Intervention?” Hermione whispered.
“Seems like it,” Ron said. “I’ll talk to Seamus.”
“I’ll talk to Dean,” Harry added.
“Shite,” Ron said. “We have to hurry. We’re going to be late.”
“Bugger,” Harry said. “Nev, I hope you’ve been doing our Herbology work for us.”
“You both owe me.”
Harry smirked at him. “Is that a request because it will take both of us to swallow your--”
Draco covered Harry’s mouth quickly with his hand and ignored the heat in his cheeks. “Sorry. Sorry. Should have brought something to gag him with.”
“There is a tie around his neck,” Neville said and grinned. “But no, it was not a request, and yes, I have been taking care of your projects, though Harry, yours is shite. Draco at least got most of his plans right.”
Harry groaned behind the hand, and that brought way too many images of Harry groaning around ties and his own vines while being buggered. He cleared his throat and hastily closed his robes before standing.
Harry laughed. They said goodbye to Ron and Hermione, and then the three of them headed to the greenhouse.
This time, when Harry walked next to him, Draco had no problems at all holding his hand.
---
Draco sagged into his bed without even taking off his clothes. His entire body ached and his head was throbbing a little just behind his left eyelid. He was exhausted. Even a magical wave of water from Hermione wasn’t enough to get him up. He just wanted to sleep.
Hands manipulated his body. Really warm hands, and he smiled through the exhaustions, letting Ron take his clothes off.
“It will get better,” Ron muttered and kissed his now-bare shoulder.
Draco hummed in agreement. The first day back was always rough, and adding to that the need to keep control of his magic and not start wind storms while ignoring all the muttered curses still being sent his way and Harry’s amusement at their talks of love potions, and teachers’ slightly cautious glances and ...
Yeah, Draco was exhausted.
Harry crawled into bed next to him, lips against his skin and fingertips tracing the very edge of the Sectumsempra scar that wrapped around his ribs. Harry’s gentle touches swept away the last of his tension, allowing him to actually relax in the bed. He was mostly asleep when Harry’s voice whispered into his ear, “You know I love you, Dray, you know I do. Most of me knows that you love me too, but I understand. Don’t ever think I don’t understand.”
Draco turned his head, opening one eye, and Harry smiled at him before their lips met in a kiss. Draco had meant to reply to that, but as their kiss turned a little deeper, their tongues met and twisted more often, he realized that he didn’t have to reply to that.
Harry was right. He understood. He understood everything about Draco. That understanding went both ways, and when Draco was ready to let the affection and lust turn into love, then he would say it.
Harry slowed their kiss down and used his hands more than his mouth to drive Draco toward ruin. Merlin, he wanted Harry desperately. He felt that he always would.
Always. Now there was a loaded word.
Sensing Draco’s sudden worry, Harry pulled away and frowned at him.
“Love?” Harry said, turning the word into a pet name that Draco wasn’t really ready for but one that had his chest swelling with affection.
“My thoughts are too jumbled to make sense of anything right now,” Draco said and cupped Harry’s cheek. He smiled hoping to reassure him and it seemed to work. Harry kissed his palm and then both of them scooted further up in the bed to get under the covers. Once situated, their kisses returned, soft and loving and deep. It felt strange to kiss Harry without any other goals or implications. And it felt positively wonderful.
Their magics danced between them, ebbing and flowing, green and silver, like a meadow of long grass blowing in the soft summer breeze. There were moments when the wind was more like a storm, but they didn’t last long. Exhaustion on both their parts kept them kissing and touching for comfort and love than anything else.
Draco knew he loved Harry, knew it just as strongly as he knew he loved his mother. There were still too many what ifs and issues in his head though, so instead of saying it out loud, he kissed Harry until they both fell asleep, almost at the same time, with their bodies entwined and their lips just a soft breath apart.
---
Tuesday morning...
Draco woke up to an incessant pecking at the glass window. The wind yesterday turned into a storm over night that had drenched the castle grounds. Draco had slept soundly even through the lightning and thunder. The other bed was empty, and Draco frowned, wondering why Ron and Hermione were up so early. Well, it was Hermione. She was probably studying.
Grumbling, Draco untangled himself from the blankets and two vines, one that had wrapped around his thigh and another that had curled around his bicep. But he was only at the edge of the bed before one was back, twisting around his waist.
“Potter,” Draco growled and tried to yank it off again. It just tightened.
Harry was not awake.
Draco wished he could control water at this moment to throw at his most annoying lover. Instead, he said, “Potter” again, but made the sound go right into his ear.
Harry moaned and twisted in the bed, the vine trying to pull him along and back to Harry’s side.
“Harry! Stop it!”
Harry lifted his head, blinking his eyes to wake up. But that did not help Draco at all. When he focused on the vine at Draco’s waist, he only smirked and laid back down, wrapping his arms around one of the pillows, the vine still tugging at him.
“Harry,” Draco said.
“It’s early. Come back to bed.”
“There is an owl at the window, and I’m no longer tired.”
With a heavy sigh in a dramatic show to how very put out Harry was, he rolled to his other side and the vine slipped from around Draco’s waist.
“I’m not sure why you’re so upset,” Draco said. “It’s not like I don’t permanently have one of your monstrosities on me.” He waved his arm at him and the vine on his wrist suddenly tightened. Pain shot up his arm and he forced out, “Fuck you, Harry Potter.”
Harry’s laughter was muffled into the pillow. “Now it has thorns and it’s permanently attached.”
“I will cut off my arm.”
Harry kept laughing, but the thorns disappeared and the vine loosened. Draco winced and tossed a healing spell at his wrist. Still grumbling, he went to the window to open it and let his mother’s owl into the room.
The storm hadn’t died completely, and the cool air flung itself to Draco. He stood in the breeze, eyes shut, soaking it under his skin and into his magic. He probably would have stood there until he had to go to classes, but the owl screeched at him in fury.
Draco closed the window and went to his desk. He wished he had something to give the owl as a treat. No sooner than he thought that did a pile of owl-sized pieces of toast appeared on the table. She started eating and Draco managed to get the scroll off her leg.
Draco Darling,
Word has reached me that you are safely back at school. While I am happy about that, I am ashamed that I had to hear such news from the Daily Prophet of all places. The nerve of you, my son.
But there is some entertainment to be had with the situation. Unlike some fiery headed family, I am not sending you a Howler to make you aware of your mistake. Public humiliation is above the Malfoys.
Do not consider this a reprieve from your own mistake, darling. But I will consider a smaller sentence (No French Chocolate For You Until HALLOWEEN!) if you explain in detail just the way the young Weasley boy reacts to the Howler that he is sure to get this morning. Please don’t warn him. That would ruin our fun.
I am so happy that you are safe. Draco, the Manor is so lonely without you. I have been spending way more time than is socially acceptable at the Burrow with Molly Weasley, but she is a delight and she makes the most delicious fruit tarts. Her puddings are divine.
I miss you. I miss my little dragon. I am working on being more forward with my feelings. I hope that is okay with you. I love you.
Write me soon.
With all of a Mother’s Love,
Narcissa Malfoy
Draco swallowed back tears. He missed his mother so much, too. He wondered if it was allowed for him to take tea with her one of these weekends. He was of age, so maybe the Headmistress would allow it.
He checked the time and was glad that he had enough time to write a reply to his mother before breakfast.
Dear Mother,
I sincerely apologize for my serious lapse in judgment. In the past I would have blamed Harry Potter for it all, but this time, all I can blame is love. It’s strange being so entangled with someone that you feel as if you will be in love with them forever.
Love. I ...
Draco stopped and lifted up his quill, pondering how to word this. His mother would understand, he thought.
I am okay with you expressing your feelings as long as you allow me the same. I feel I am too young to know what love is, but whatever this tightening in my chest is when I’m near Harry, whatever this desperate need to be close to him is, whatever this feeling of losing myself, my magic, and my soul to him when we kiss is, I like it. I like it a lot. I hope you are okay with that.
Ron and Hermione are talking of being bonded over the summer. Harry probably already thinks it will be a double wedding. I guess these couple of months with Molly Weasley will prepare you to have her as my mother-in-law. But I desperately need your advice on this, Mother. It’s too soon, isn’t it?
And you have no worries with me spoiling the surprise. One of my favorite things at Hogwarts is watching Ronald Weasley receive a Howler from his mother.
I will ask the Headmistress if I can come to tea with you on Sunday so we may talk about this.
I love you too, Mother Dear. See you soon!
Draco Malfoy
Draco rolled up the parchment and attached it to the owl. He opened the window again and watched her disappear within the clouds. He wanted to be out there, flying within all the wind. He let the cool air spin around him for a few more minutes and then shut the window. It was still too early for classes, but Draco knew he would not sleep again. Instead, he went to shower and get ready for the day. When he was dressed in slacks, a green button down, tie and his school robes, he glanced back at the bed.
Harry was still sleeping, dead to the world, only the slight rise of the blanket showed that he was breathing. Which was more comforting than Draco knew.
Draco headed down to the common room. He was not surprised that Hermione was awake, sitting on one of the Gryffindor couches and reading a book.
She lifted her head and smiled at him, whispering a good morning to him. He returned the smile and then glanced around the common room. They were alone. Thank Merlin. He hadn’t properly kissed Hermione since Sunday.
He sat beside her, took the book out of her hands, despite her mild protest and then gripped the back of her neck and pulled her to him for a kiss. She followed the pull easily, climbing into his lap to straddle his thighs. She messed up his perfectly styled hair with her hands, yanking his head back to slot their mouths together for a heavier kiss. The hardest part was keeping his hands at her waist, not bunching up her skirt to see what she was wearing underneath.
“Think I have time to eat you out?” Draco whispered.
A flush spread up her neck and she gasped, “I wish, but no. Not without magic.”
Draco hummed in agreement. “Guess kisses are all you get then.”
“Sometimes, that’s all I need.”
Their kiss slowed, more tongue than lips. It wasn’t like kissing Harry who usually followed Draco’s lead when he wasn’t being completely selfish. Hermione had always kissed him differently, and he let her, because her mouth was beautiful, and she knew how to use her tongue. He had no problems at all letting her control the pace and the intensity. And even if they couldn’t do more, didn’t have time to do more, she was so very good at grinding down on his lap and pulling unsophisticated whimpers and moans of lust from him.
Hermione in control was a beautiful thing.
“Merlin,” Draco moaned and finally snaked a hand up the front of her shirt. Just to her stomach though.
“You’re welcome,” Hermione said with a smirk.
Their lips parted just at the right moment. A door from above opened.
With a sigh, Hermione slid off his lap to the other side of the couch and picked up her book. Draco’s hand lingered under her shirt for a moment, trailing fingertips along her belly. Her breath hitched and she smiled at him before winking and licking her lips.
He watched her read for a little while, and then leaned back against the couch and shut his eyes to calm himself down.
“You okay?” she whispered.
Draco nodded. “Did Harry tell you that he told me that he loved me?”
Hermione stilled for a moment. “No, no he did not. What did you say?”
“Not what he wanted to hear.”
“It’s still too soon for you,” she said and touched his neck with soft fingers.
“Yeah.” Draco sighed and tilted his head to the side to give her fingers more room to touch. Still too daring in a common room that was about to fill up with gossiping students.
“Do you want me to talk to him?”
“No. I did. I just ... if the two of us are a little awkward around each other, that’s why. He’s started calling me ’love,’ and I know that he thinks that you and Ron’s bonding ceremony is going to be a double one.”
Hermione snorted. “Ron and I have barely agreed on having a bonding ceremony and he’s already tossing himself into it?”
“That’s Harry, I guess.”
“Yeah. I know the bond won’t make you love us or us love you, Dray. It really won’t. But this,” she lowered her voice, “turning me on and making me horny and leaving me unsatisfied so early in the morning will definitely help.”
Draco laughed and leaned for a kiss, but someone shouted good morning at them and he pulled away, laughter in his eyes.
“Do you want to go wake Harry, or should I?” Hermione asked.
“You have way more control than I do, and I’ll probably just slip into bed with him and never get out.”
“Slip into bed,” she said, settling her book down. “Is that the only thing you’d slip into?”
Draco winked. “Definitely not.”
She laughed and headed up the stairs. Draco watched for a moment and then picked up her book. Obscure Witches and Wizards and the Myths Behind Them. Not even required reading. Well, he didn’t mind if she was in control of him in the bedroom, but he certainly did mind that she was smarter than him. He went to the first page and started reading.
Other students said hello to him as they all got ready for breakfast. Ron settled onto the couch with him at some time and Draco didn’t do more than smile at him. Getting caught kissing Hermione was one thing, but he wasn’t really sure that he was ready to get caught kissing Ronald Weasley. He tried to keep the smirk off his face thinking of the Howler that was sure to be there for him. Vindictive, maybe a little, but as he told his mother, very entertaining.
As always, Harry was the last one to the common room.
He didn’t stop himself from kissing Harry.
“I’d tell you to get a room,” Hermione said, “but then you’d never leave it.”
“Sounds wonderful.”
Draco smiled.
“Come on, let’s get to breakfast.”
Once again, Alice Corner met them halfway to the Great Hall and walked with them, chattering about her classes. The talking in the Great Hall only dimmed a little when they walked in, unlike yesterday when it was almost silent. They said goodbye to Alice and sat down at the eighth-year table.
Draco noticed something almost right away. “Where are Thomas and Finnigan? I don’t remember them being in the common room this morning either.”
Ron and Harry exchanged a look.
“I don’t really want to know, do I?”
Harry laughed. “Probably not, love.”
“Let’s just say that Anthony and Justin are probably going to end up as roommates for the rest of the year.”
They were interrupted by the arrival of the owls, and Draco sat up straighter, trying not to laugh, because sure enough, there was a bright red envelope on its way to their table. It dropped in front of Ron’s plate, almost knocking his goblet over.
He paled, and whispered, “Dear Merlin, now what?”
Draco pressed a hand to hold in his laughter as the envelope started smoking.
“You better open it, Ron.”
Ron wasn’t really able to, and finally the envelope burst into flame, and Molly Weasley’s voice rang out through the Great Hall.
Ronald Billius Weasley, is this what a mother deserves? To hear of her son’s safety not from her son but from the Daily Prophet? How dare you? You are an ungrateful brat, causing harm to the woman that gave birth to you, that changed your nappies!
“Oh Merlin no.”
Draco was outright laughing now, and Harry muffled his own laughter into Draco’s shoulder.
If you do not send an owl to me today, I will send you another one of these that will explain in detail the night of June seventeenth, three years ago. Do you want me to do that, Ronald? I do not think you want me to do that.
The voice died and Ron stared at it in horror.
“What happened on June seventeenth?” Finch-Fletchley asked.
Draco would have asked, but he couldn’t stop laughing.
“Nothing, Circe’s tits, nothing. Hermione, give me a parchment please. Merlin, my mother. Just ... buggering fuck.”
“You can write to her during lunch,” Hermione said. “We’ll be late for class if you do it now.”
“Remind me, please, remind me.”
“I’m not sure we will,” Harry said. “I want to know what happened on June seventeenth too.”
Ron put his head on the table and muttered, “I hate you all,” while they laughed at him.
---
Tuesday afternoon...
“Ron!” Professor Weasley said as soon as the four of them walked into the DADA classroom. He grabbed Ron by the waist and yanked him off his feet. “You gave us all a good fright.”
“I’m fine, Bill.”
“You are now, but there was a time.” Professor Weasley held him at arm’s length, hands tight on his biceps. “When you were first whisked away, that same night, Mum’s clock had you and Harry locked in Mortal Peril for about six hours.”
Ron’s eyes went wide. “Really?”
“Yeah, from just after midnight to almost six in the morning. There was a moment when you flipped closer to ... to Fred’s name.”
Ron gasped and pulled his older brother into another hug. “I’m fine. We were ... we were fine. Yeah, a little scared, but nothing we couldn’t handle.”
Professor Weasley held on to him for a little longer. “Did you write Mum back?”
“Yes, during lunch.”
“Too bad. What happened on June seven--”
“Nothing!” Ron said and pulled away from him.
Everyone in class snickered at him.
“I can guess,” Professor Weasley said. “Did she catch you wanking?”
“Oh Merlin, shut up.”
The class laughed louder.
“All right, all right, settle down,” Professor Weasley said. “The four of you are going to have to catch up with some of the others on your own time. Malfoy, are you still going to be able to brew all those potions for me?”
Draco nodded. “I hadn’t planned on starting the first one until this week anyway.”
Not to mention, Draco now could do them in half the time because of his wind.
“Good. That will really be good for this class. Now, we’ve moved on from defence and now we’re moving on to offence. Get out your wands and form two lines. One of the best spells in a fight is what I like to call a ‘grab and pound’ spell.” He spun around, pointed his wand at Harry and said, “Tiratu Imperium!”
Harry was not expecting it, and he suddenly shot forward, just in the right spot for Professor Weasley to physically take him down, remove his wand and step on his neck with a dragonhide boot.
“Blimey, Bill,” Ron said.
Harry coughed. “That was ... cool.”
Professor Weasley laughed and helped Harry up. “The wand movement is an exaggerated swirl around your head and then a pull.” He demonstrated again.
“Like a lasso!” Finnigan said.
“Exactly.”
“This is a very complicated spell,” Hermione said. “How have I not heard of it?”
Professor Weasley smirked. “Because I created it. Now, some of you might not be able to get it today. It requires a lot of magic, but hopefully for your team’s sake, you’ll pick it up. Now. Teams.” He waved his wand in another complicated circle and Draco felt himself yanked to one side of the room. He ended up facing Longbottom, and he muttered under his breath. Bugger, but Longbottom was a strong wizard. Ron was next to him, with Thomas, Macmillan, Hannah, both Patil twins, and Wayne Hopkins finishing up their team. “First team to pull the others to their side wins. Don’t forget that you can use shields in this as well. Go.”
Draco threw up a shield first and felt the magical pull of Longbottom’s spell. He used the same whipping motion that Professor Weasley had and said the spell. To his surprise, it worked and he yanked Michael Corner over to their team.
“Great job, Malfoy. The first successful one. Corner is now on your team.”
The others groaned.
Draco met Harry’s eyes and he smirked. But his next spell was aimed elsewhere. He had a feeling Harry and Hermione were going to be last on their side. Ron pulled over Eloise Midgen on his second try, and Draco got Anthony Goldstein on his next. Hannah suddenly disappeared from his side, yanked over by Longbottom, and Hermione had pulled Corner to their side again before he even had a chance to try the spell on the other side.
Draco’s shield wavered, and Harry, the little cheater, tried to yank him over with a well placed spell. Draco physically dodged it and shot a spell back. Harry laughed at him as it was deflected off his shield. Draco had just enough time to fling another shield up before Hermione tried the same thing while he was distracted.
Curses were flying from both sides. The word kind of vulgarity, until Professor Weasley said, “Language! We’re in school. A point will be taken from your House for each curse you say from now on.”
After that, it was just spells shouted back and forth, with a little bit of gloating. Draco had no idea how many times he threw that spell, but his arm started aching, his mind going a little foggy. For a long time, both sides were evenly matched, and then slowly, Harry’s side started gaining more of Draco’s teammates. Draco tried a little harder, but to no avail.
When Professor Weasley finally told them all to stop, only Draco, Ron and one of the Patil twins were left on their side. Their heavy breathing echoed in the classroom. A few of them fell to the ground.
“Well done. For the next class, I want to you research spell creation and theorize the different ways you think I created this spell and how you could create your own spell with those ideas. We’ll talk about them in class, and then next week, you’ll have an essay due about how you’ll go about making your own offensive spells.”
Only Hermione seemed excited about the project. Draco was intrigued, but he was way too tired to show any enthusiasm.
Once again, most of the eighth years were falling asleep in their dinner.
---
Wednesday morning ...
Draco thankfully woke up sans vines on Wednesday morning. It was a testament to how much DADA had drained them all that Harry hadn’t wrapped him up in at least three of them while he slept. It was difficult to get up, but yet again, his mother’s owl was at his window, pecking feverishly. He stumbled to the desk, thankful at the sudden cup of tea that appeared. He steadied himself before opening the window and letting the owl in. The wind and storm had died down, and now a small breeze blew over the castle grounds. Draco smiled and hoped they’d have time to go outside during lunch or just before dinner. It was too nice to study indoors.
He took the letter from the owl’s leg and sat down at the desk. Sipping at his perfect green tea, Draco read the letter.
Draco Darling,
I was very happy to receive your letters, especially the one about that Howler. Ah, that must have been very entertaining.
I will be blunt, my dragon.
You are in love.
Draco’s breath stopped and he read that sentence again and again.
There was a time when I felt the same way about your father, even as an arranged marriage, there was love on both sides. I was young and not the best example of discretion back then, as I followed your father around with hearts in my eyes, but he was tall and attractive. I learned quickly that this adoration could be used against me and it was, causing me to bottle up my feelings, and him as well. We were only in love out of the public eye.
I am so very happy that you do not have to do that with your Harry. You can be as free and loving with him as you want.
You are in love. Do not try to stop it. I know that you must be worried about yourself, your own heartbreak, and your own reputation. But never let those things get in the way of the people who are the most important to you.
You love Harry. You need to tell him that. Every day. Every hour. And in your heart, every second.
I do not think it is too soon. You have grown and lived and hurt and healed together for almost a decade. There has always been passion between you and a good dose of grudging respect. Let that turn to love. Let it turn to passion.
Molly told me that Harry told her that he likes you because you keep him honest, you keep him sane, you have never pandered after him for approval and always fought back with the same fervor that he showed you. Harry respects you. And with that respect has come love.
Embrace it. Embrace him.
I want what is best for you. There was a time when I hoped you would be friends with Harry, but that was purely selfish. Now I want you to be with him because he makes you happy. He does make you happy, doesn’t he, sweetheart?
“Yes,” Draco whispered, his chest tightening.
You deserve all the happiness in the world after what you have been through. All four of you do. And if that means that we will be tied to the Weasley family if only in name, then so be it. There are worse fates, and I would no longer consider this one to be all that bad.
I love you, my dragon. Minerva has agreed to allow you to come to tea on Sunday. Bring Harry. I cannot wait to see you and meet him properly.
With all my love,
Your Mother
Draco did not realize that he was crying, not until warm strong arms wrapped around his body and Harry whispered something to him. He heard the tone but not the words, but it was enough. He turned around in the chair and buried his face in Harry’s bare chest.
“I love you,” he muttered into the warm skin.
Harry froze for a moment and then relaxed. It was another moment later that he said, “And you’re crying because of that?”
“Shut up, Scarhead, and just accept it.”
Harry chuckled. “I already have, Ferret. Fucked up elemental bond or no, I’m so glad that I got to know you, I’m so glad to have gotten close to you and that I’m a part of your life.”
Draco nodded and tilted his head back. Harry kissed him and then rubbed the tears from his face.
“I love you,” Draco said again, this time keeping eye contact with those shimmering green eyes.
Harry smiled. “I love you too.”
“I want to love the others too, but I ... I ... it’s too soon.”
Harry nodded. “I know. But if you want to, then maybe one day you will.”
Draco pressed his face to Harry’s stomach and just breathed in the earthy, warm scent of him. He smelled of sleep under an oak tree with a cool summer breeze blowing over his skin.
The parchment of his mother’s letter moved, and Draco realized that Harry was reading it. He did not mind.
“You knew about that Howler?”
Draco laughed. “I did.”
“You should have said something.”
“No way. That was so epic.”
Harry laughed. “It was pretty awesome.” He finished reading the letter with a smile on his face. “You’re lucky you have a mother that loves you.”
“Your mother loved you just as much,” Draco said immediately.
Harry smiled. “Probably. Now, that’s enough of mothers, really. I only woke up early so I’d have enough time to give you a blowjob in the shower.”
Draco shook his head. “Sorry, love.” He paused at how easy it was to say the little pet name. “I am too emotionally out of balance right now to keep control of my magic.”
Harry smiled and nodded. “I understand. In that case,” he took Draco by the hands and pulled him back toward the bed, “come and sleep. We still have an hour before we have to be up.”
Draco knew he shouldn’t, but he allowed himself to be pulled under the warm covers that smelled like Harry and he allowed himself to be coddled and cuddled and touched.
If they woke up late and were almost late to breakfast again, well, at least they were consistent.
It wasn’t until after breakfast that he remembered that he had Potions with a professor that hated him. Well, that just made him more determined to be perfect.
The first thing Draco noticed after walking in to the Potions classroom was Alastor and Chester holding hands on the top of the table. He smirked at them, and Alastor smiled back even though Chester glared.
The second thing he noticed was his private workbench covered in shite again.
Draco sighed and waved a hand at it to clean it, waved again to organize and banish what he needed and didn’t need, and then threw up even more complicated protection spells.
“Tens points from Slytherin for showing off,” Professor Slughorn said from behind him.
He met Hermione’s eyes. She made a very rude two-finger gesture at Slughorn’s back with her hand and Draco laughed, losing another five points for disrespect.
“Careful with those fingers, Granger,” Draco said. “I know where they’ve been.” He winked at her.
“Careful with that mouth, Malfoy,” she returned. “It’s probably been in the same place.”
Draco laughed and sat at their table. He ignored Slughorn’s glare because in the scheme of things, he had someone to love and someone that loved him, he was more powerful than Slughorn by far, and there was nothing in the world that was going to stop him from his goal of being a Potions master; only a few other elemental wizards that would do their best to distract him when he needed it and love and support him through the rest of it.
---
Epilogue
July ...
Draco stood in front of the full length mirror, checking the fall of his elegant blue robes. The color wasn’t quite navy and wasn’t quite blue. A dark color between them that reminded Draco of the sky just after the sun had set before blackness really took over for the night.
“You know that staring at yourself in the mirror won’t make you anymore attracticve, right?”
Draco glanced behind him at Harry. Harry’s robes were a deep silver, a bit brighter than gray but not as shiny as the rings on their fingers. His long hair was pulled back into a slightly organized mess.
Draco smirked. “I don’t know. Have you tried it?”
Harry laughed. “I’m glad you remember that.”
“I am glad that we’ll be spending the rest of our lives together and making even stupider memories.”
Harry’s smiled stayed, but his face went soft. “I love you.”
Draco had to swallow around a tightness in his throat. “I love you.”
“We’re starting in five, so don’t spend too much more time admiring yourself.”
Draco grinned.
“You look fine,” Hermione said and pushed her way past Harry. Her dress was low cut and red, a bright vibrant red that stood out between their darker colors. With her hair piled up on her head and her shoulders and collarbones on display, it was hard to focus on anything else.
“I always look fine, Granger,” Draco snapped. “For this ... for this I need ... to be..” He glanced in the mirror again, at the Golden Trio standing just inside the door. Ron was gorgeous and a burning lust flared in Draco’s gut. The deep green robes accentuated his shoulders and added elegance to his strong frame.
“Perfect, Ferret,” Ron said. “You are perfect and everything we could have ever asked for.”
Draco felt himself flush.
“Give us a second,” Ron whispered. “We’ll be right out.”
Harry and Hermione agreed with smiles. They knew sometimes only Ron was what Draco needed.
Ron strode into the room, coming up behind Draco. He put his hands on Draco’s shoulders and spun him around. “I don’t think I need to tell you any words that you won’t believe, so believe this.”
He cupped Draco’s face in a firm grip, long fingers practically digging into his cheeks. The kiss started surprisingly soft and then deepened. Draco’s hands fluttered at Ron’s arms and then lifted, up into his hair, red, fiery hair that was down to his chin, long enough to pull on.
And Draco was reminded of just two nights ago when he’d pulled on it as Ron swallowed his release, four long fingers buried inside him, their cries echoing through the room and bringing their other two lovers from wherever they had been.
“We are going to spend the rest of our lives together. Eternity. I know you don’t like to thinkg about that, but the company, the love, the joy that you bring to us will make even the longest life more fulfilling.”
Draco tried not to cry into the next kiss.
A wave of water reminded them of the time, and Ron reluctantly pulled back, their lips clinging just a little longer.
“I love you,” Ron whispered. “I love everything about you and every day, every hour, every second, I feel like the luckiest man alive.”
Draco swallowed roughly, blinking and letting tears fall. “I love you.”
“This bonding may be a show between me and Hermione and you and Harry, but you know and we know that it’s for all four of us. We will always be together, always connected.”
“Always in love.”
“Fuck yeah.”
Draco smiled and kissed him again. “Come on. Let’s get out there before people think we’ve run off together.”
“Now wouldn’t that cause a headline.”
“Ex-Death Eater Kidnaps Youngest Weasley Son!”
Ron chuckled. “Youngest Weasley Son Runs off with the Love of his Life.”
“Ex-Death Eater Abandons the Boy Who Lived and Leaves Hermione Granger Crying at the Altar.”
Ron shook his head. “I’m trying to be optimistic.”
“And as always, I’m being realistic.”
“Well, at least during the honeymoon we can be together. I’m going to fuck you so hard you won’t want to leave the bed ever again.”
“Isn’t that what I said two days ago when you three insisted we do this?” He waved his hand toward the window where everyone had gathered for their wedding. “I didn’t want to get out of bed.”
“Neither did I actually, so I guess that means it is all their fault and we should run away together and get to a bed.”
Draco smiled, suddenly realizing they still had their arms around each other. With Ron just a few centimeters taller than him, it was a perfect height for one more kiss, one more shared moment. Their foreheads pressed together, their breaths mingled.
In the silence, Hermione’s voice suddenly said, “Ronald Weasley get your hand off his dick and come and marry us!”
They both laughed. Ron sobered first, touching Draco’s cheek and kissing him softly. “I love you, Ferret.”
“Love you, too, Weasel.”
Part 11: Bondage
Part 10: A Grave Man
Part 9: A Better Week
Part 8: Research is Foreplay
Part 7: Sexy Strategy
Part 6: Broomsticks and Snakes
Part 5: Forgiveness Under the Stars
Part 4: A Few of My Favorite Things
Part 3: Sexy Secrets
Part 2: School Days
Part 1: Home Sweet Home
.
Pairing: Harry/Draco/Ron/Hermione
Rating: NC-17
Disclaimer: These characters are definitely not mine, nor is the Harry Potter Universe. I am only borrowing them for my own perverted amusement. No money is made.
Summary: Draco needs an O on his Potions N.E.W.T. to even think about a Potions Mastery, which means he has to go back to Hogwarts for the "eighth year." He has plans to keep his head down, stay out of trouble, and just survive. Enter the Golden Trio who decide that's a bad idea and drag Draco right into the middle of their secret.
A/N: Elemental fic. Lots of magic. Some misuse of magic because I'm pretty sure JK Rowling did not intend for magic to make sex kinky. There are some master/sub themes and some light bondage.
This belongs in the category of EWE (Epilogue? What Epilogue?). It is Book 7 compliant. Mostly. It's been a long time since I read book 7.
This is cross-posted on my Ao3 "ddelusionall" account: http://archiveofourown.org/works/11926701/chapters/26956032
Part 12: Back to School
Using his Wind was intoxicating and sensual. Calling on a small breeze or twisting the air around him into a small tornado had Draco hard as a rock and ready for sex. But it was also gratifying, calming, and loving. Wind brushed over his skin and it felt like a lover’s touch, a soft caress, a firm massage.
He met with Sophia once a day to help control it.
“Miss Granger is amazing and she could also teach you the way she taught the other two, but this will be faster.”
It started small everyday, just little whirlwinds and small blasts of air. He worked up to room-sized tornados and helped Sophia clean up the caked-on dust and grime in the rooms of Grimmauld place. Sophia pushed him until the brink of orgasm, the brink of losing control, and then sent him off to his lovers, who were also learning from their Elemental counterparts and had no problem at all stopping the lengthy lessons to fuck. It turned into a week of a schedule he did not mind at all: magic, more magic, and then sex and more sex.
Professor McGonagall and Madam Pomfrey arrived the next Sunday to talk about them returning to school.
Madam Pomfrey first ran a quick diagnostics on them and nodded in satisfaction. “Your magical core has been restored, Mister Malfoy. You are no longer in danger.”
Draco nodded. “Well, that’s good news. Is there bad news?”
The two exchanged a look and Professor McGonagall said, “Not with most of the teachers, although there is one who is adamant that the four of you do not return to school. We of course will overrule this particular professor.”
Harry coughed something that sounded like Slughorn, and Hermione snorted.
“After talking to Diamber and Sophia, we feel that it is best that you take one more week to learn more control. I will make sure that your homework is sent to you so that you can get caught up and not fall too far behind. And, Mister Weasley, I expect you to have finished that essay on the theories behind Transfiguration before you return next Monday.”
Ron groaned. “Yes, Professor.”
“Professors,” Hermione said carefully. “I ... well, I don’t want to seem judgemental, but ... I can really tell the difference between our new bond and what Ron and Harry and I had before. I feel so much more powerful, and I was ... I mean, why ...” She huffed to herself. “I do not want you to think I’m blaming you. Why ... why ... during the final battle, you never used your powers?”
Professor McGonagall smiled at her. “No,weI did not. The Elemental Bond is so dangerous, as I’m sure you have learned. You are not the first to attempt it after we completed it and we were not the first to attempt it after the Founders. It is a secret, and I’m sure I do not have to tell the four of you that you need to keep it that way. There were many times during the final battle that I wanted to, that I wanted to release fire at all the Death Eaters, but I knew that I could not. There is not a week that goes by that I wonder ‘what if.’ What if I had acted faster? What lives would have been saved?” She glanced over Ron. “Could I have saved Fred Weasley? Remus and Tonks? But imagine for a moment if the wizarding world knew of this bond.”
Hermione nodded. “It’s dangerous.”
“It is. And you four understand danger and what happens when a wizard or witch has too much power. I am not worried about you taking advantage of the power inside you. And I trust that you will keep this secret.”
They all nodded.
---
One week later
School felt strange.
Draco was in complete control of himself and had no worries about random bursts of wind or tornadoes destroying everything. Everytime he felt like he was spiraling (and that was such an appropriate word for how his magic danced inside him), there were three other brushes of control that helped him back to the ground, so to speak.
But the school. It was permeated with magic. So much of it. Draco felt like he could run his fingers through the streams of it as he walked down the halls. He felt like he could sink into the bricks of the castle itself to go for a swim.
They arrived late on Sunday night, after everyone had gone to bed, Flooing in from the fireplace at the newly cleaned and much better smelling Grimmauld place. After three weeks, the idea of getting back into doing homework and going class and studying was a bit mind boggling.
Professor McGonagall escorted them through the halls. “We have stuck to the story of a threat to you four, a serious threat. The Aurors have captured the culprits, just a small band of wayward Death Eaters, and everything is safe now. Please make sure you stick with that story and that you were in a safehouse. Also, I do hope you’ve completed your homework.”
Ron grumbled.
“Don’t worry, Professor. We did,” Harry said. “The only thing Hermione likes more than sex is homework.”
Professor McGonagall snorted. “Speaking of. I’m going to ask you to refrain from sexual relations for a few days. I know you can feel the magic of the castle and adding elemental sex when you are not used to it can cause ... well, let’s just say that back in the day, the giant squid wasn’t so giant, nor as intelligent.” She winked at them. “Just a few days.”
“We will, Professor,” Hermione promised, and Ron grumbled louder under his breath.
“It’s fine,” Harry said. “I sort of just want to swim in it. I’m not sure what will happen if I can’t control myself.”
Draco smiled and said, “A swim sounds good.” He held out his hand and shut his eyes, feeling the waves of magic flow around him.
“Sleep well, children, and we will see you in the morning for breakfast. And on time,” she said with a pointed look at Harry.
He only smiled back.
They entered the eighth-year common room. To Draco, it felt like it’d been years since he’d been there. So much had happened. He felt completely different.
“Do you mind if we crash in your room?” Hermione said. “I don’t want to disturb Hannah or Neville.”
“Sure,” Harry said. “You can sleep in my bed. Merlin knows I won’t be using it again.”
Draco scoffed. “Says you, Potter. I like sleeping--”
“With my vines wrapped around you,” Harry interrupted.
Draco rolled his eyes, but did not dispute what was so obviously true.
Their things had already been brought into the room, even Hermione and Ron’s. The silence between them was comforting, unhurried, and only punctuated with small smiles when their eyes met and small touches to skin when they got close enough to each other. Draco unpacked his essentials, and noticed that Harry didn’t bother, just changing into pyjamas. Even with her things there, Hermione chose to wear one of Ron’s Chudley Cannons long sleeve shirts. And panties. That was all.
Draco wondered if he really did have to keep control of himself.
A shimmering on the desk drew all their attention.
A plate of brownies and steaming mugs of hot chocolate.
Draco lifted an eye at Harry.
“Don’t look at me. That’s not my fault.”
Ron rubbed the back of his neck. “Blimey. I just had a passing through that something sweet sounded good right about now.”
“This is going to be interesting,” Harry said and took one of the mugs. “I was going to give Draco a blowjob before bed, but yeah ... this magic is too strong.”
“I really do hope that we’ll be able to control ourselves,” Hermione said before taking a brownie.
Draco hummed and took one himself. They were soft and rich with a thin layer of dark chocolate frosting. The hot chocolate was tinted with mint.
Hermione started talking about schoolwork, and Draco tuned out after sharing a “Look” with Ron. They finished their treat and then got ready for bed. Harry was curled up under the covers of Draco’s bed first, and Draco followed. Harry snuggled close to him, arm around his waist, head at his chest. He smiled, and Draco felt his happiness through the bond. Warmth, something dark purple, happiness. A cocoon of love. Maybe. It sounded silly in his head.
But when Ron settled on his other side with a heavy sigh, and Hermione wormed her way between their bodies. The cocoon spread for them, tightened around them, and just beyond his vision Draco could see the way that magic warped around them.
Relaxing. Calming. Endearing.
---
Monday Morning
“We are never going to be on time for breakfast,” Harry said, tugging on a T-shirt. His missed the arm on the first try, his voice muffled as he continued. “Buggering ... just ...” A green vine twisted up, righted the shirt, and Harry managed to sling his arm through the armhole.
Draco watched through the mirror, laughing on the inside, only a smile on his lips. He buttoned up his dress shirt and worked on his tie. Hands touched his sides, or what he thought were hands. Vines slid up the front of his shirt, tugging on the buttons. Harry’s hands went to his ass.
“Potter, if you ruin this shirt--”
“I have way more money than I need, Malfoy. I’ll buy you another one.”
A button snapped off. One hand slid into Draco’s back pocket, the other went to the front of him, grabbing at his dick.
“Bloody hell, Harry.”
“Just wanted to see that cock of yours one more time,” Harry said and licked up his neck, pressing against his back for balance.
Draco wavered between giving in and resisting. A brush of wind helped stabilize him and he jerked away from Harry, panting as the lust simmered.
“I love how I can just tug at you and make you want me.”
“Wanting you is a permanent state of being,” Draco said. He caught Harry’s satisfied smirk in the mirror. “It’s a statement of fact. Nothing to get so tossed over.” He ran a hand over his clothes to fix them with a wave of magic.
“I love you,” Harry said.
Draco stopped and looked at him through the mirror again, not really sure what would happen if their eyes met without that small barrier.
Harry hadn’t said that since before the ritual. Draco hadn’t said it back then. He wasn’t sure if he could now. The boiling magic in this body that formed braids and ties to Harry, the castle, the other two that were probably waiting for them in the common room, all wanted him to say it back.
But he stayed quiet too long, and Harry glanced away with a heavy sigh. “You’re beautiful, you know?” He left the room quickly after that, and Draco met his own blank stare and thought about that. Thought about Harry, thought about the other two.
He felt like he needed to say it to all three of them before he could say it to just Harry.
Even if it were true. And it was. Draco thought. Maybe. He loved his mother. He’d do anything for her to keep her alive and well. But then again, he had saved Harry’s life, and Harry had saved his more than once. Was it the same? Draco wasn’t sure.
Taking a deep breath, he straightened his shoulders and nodded to his reflection. It winked back at him and said, “Sometimes reflections show more than just the outer appearance.”
Draco snorted and turned away from it. He grabbed his bag and left the room. When he got to the stop of the stairs, his eyes sought Harry’s, but Harry was turned away from him, face against Ron’s shoulder.
Ron smiled at him, so did Hermione. If Harry told them ... well, they didn’t seem to know that Draco hadn’t said it back.
Merlin. These three.
A wave of water buoyed him up, followed by a flare of heat and a touch of growth. Happiness. He felt his eyes sting and he smirked and sent his own brush of wind back, though with his emotions a bit wonky, it was more than just a mental breeze, and their clothes billowed for a moment.
“Sorry,” Draco said. “Still a bit ...”
“Yeah,” Ron said and pulled him into their hug. “Us too. Let’s get to breakfast. Eating always helps.”
Despite saying that, the four of them stood in the middle of the common room and just breathed, letting their magic settle and twist within them.
As always, Hermione broke them apart with a soft reminder that they’d be late. They shuffled close together all the way to the portrait hole and then separated when they were out in the hallway. Ron and Hermione held hands, walking in front of Draco and Harry.
Draco wanted to reach for his hand, but he wasn’t sure if he was allowed after that brief moment in their room. The look on Harry’s face stayed with him. It had been so brief before he turned away, but he saw it, and felt it. Disappointment, but also acceptance. Harry knew it was too soon, he just didn’t want to be happy about that.
“Mister Malfoy!”
Draco turned at the high squeal from behind him and almost didn’t catch the rushing blonde curls that launched themselves at him. He just managed to drop his bag and step back a few feet to keep them both from toppling to the ground.
“Hi, Alice,” he said.
She beamed at him. “Everyone said you were dead, that someone was trying to kill you, but I told them that you were too strong and too cool to die.”
Draco chuckled and twisted her around until she was on his back, his hands up under her legs. “I’m just fine. It took the Aurors a bit of time to find the culprits, but none of us were injured.”
She smiled widely up at him and nodded. “I told them you wouldn’t be!”
Hermione chuckled. “What is this? The Slytherin Prince making friends with first-year Hufflepuffs?”
Draco huffed. “I’m her mentor.”
“Mentor?” Alice said, and Draco noted the disappointment in her voice.
He wasn’t making anyone happy today.
“Fine, fine. Yes, Alice, you’re my friend.”
“Mikey says you’re mean git, but I told him that he’s just jealous of you.”
Draco smiled and then laughed when Ron scoffed. “Yes. You are definitely my friend.”
Alice nattered on about the three weeks that Draco had been gone, telling him all about flying and how Derek, the arrogant boy, had fallen off a broom and had to take Skele-Gro, but then acted like he was so injured afterward just to get favors from other students and teachers.
“Sounds like someone else I know,” Harry said and nudged Draco in the ribs with his elbow.
Draco cleared his throat. “I have no idea what you’re talking about, Potter.”
Ron rolled his eyes. “Sure, you don’t. Nothing about getting bitten by a hippogriff.”
“Nope, doesn’t ring a bell?”
“You got bitten by a hippogriff?” Alice said. “Cool!”
“Not cool,” Draco said. “It hurt.”
“He was a right prick about it too,” Ron added, “going on and on about how he couldn’t do his work so he made Harry do it instead.”
“That ... you wouldn’t ... but ...”
“It’s okay,” Harry said and patted Alice’s back. “Draco made a mistake, just like everyone else does. It was a poor choice, but he knows that now. He learnt from it. I hope.”
“I did,” Draco said quickly. “That’s what you do when you make mistakes. You apologize and you learn from it and you try not to do it again.”
“You wouldn’t do that now, would you, Draco?”
“Of course not.”
Ron snorted. “Three days ago, after having both Harry and I inside your--”
“RONALD!” Hermione shouted.
Ron grinned. “--I mean, when you said you were too sore to help clean, remember that?”
“I was too sore, and that was your fault!”
“Children,” Hermione said with a sigh, and turned to Alice. “Draco was an evil little git when he was younger, Alice. But he isn’t now. He’s our friend. He’s one of my best friends. Try not to judge your classmates on things they do when they are stupid, okay?”
Alice huffed, the breath pushing at Draco’s hair, and he knew he was going to have to spell it back into place.
The five of them entered the Great Hall, and silence settled among the students, and then whispers.
“I guess I better go eat breakfast,” Alice said with a sigh. “I’m so glad you aren’t dead, Mister Malfoy.”
Draco settled her on the ground and then kneeled in front of her. “Hey, we’re friends. Call me Draco, okay?”
She beamed at him. “Okay, Draco!”
“Look, there are always going to be people who think they are better than you, but don’t let that define who you are. Always be yourself, whoever you want to be, and learn from your mistakes, right?’
“Right!” she said with a firm nod.
“Get to your table.”
She saluted him with another cheerful smile and turned around to almost fly to the Hufflepuff table. As soon as she sat down, her friends were asking her about him, and Draco heard a, “He’s my friend!” that was almost shouted with too much enthusiasm.
He stood back up and saw that only Harry was still by him. “I was an arsehole when we were younger,” Draco said.
Harry’s lip twitched into an almost smile. “You were. Kinda still are.”
“But I’m learning,” Draco said, stepping a little closer to him. “Growing, and ...” He took a deep breath. “I don’t know what that means for you, for us, for this,” he waved his hand and felt the magic of the Great Hall swirl around his hand a little. The candles above them wavered. “I want ... to. You know I want to.” He really hoped Harry knew what he was talking about.
Harry frowned and then nodded. “I know. We’re both still growing. At least we can do it together.”
“Yes.” He held out his hand and instead of grabbing it, Harry stepped into him and kissed him on the lips.
The mutterings around them grew in volume.
“Still lovin’ that attention, Golden Boy.”
Harry smiled. “Just yours. Come on, let’s eat before we have to get to class.”
Draco took Harry’s hand for the short walk to the breakfast table. As soon as they sat down, Hermione said, “I’m sorry about earlier, Nev. I didn’t even think to knock first.”
Draco lifted an eyebrow at her.
“She walked in on Neville changing,” Ron said with his mouthful. “It was epic.”
Hermione huffed and leaned over to Draco and said in a not-quite-whisper, “Let’s just say that there’s a reason why Neville is so good at handling snakes.” She winked.
Harry laughed. “Merlin!”
Draco cleared his throat. “I could have gone my entire life without knowing that. No offence, Longbottom.”
“None taken. I could have gone my entire life without knowing that you know that I’m hung.”
“Very hung.” Hermione winked at him.
Ron growled around another bite of food.
They ignored him.
“I’m sure I'm going to see more of you two than I really want to,” Neville said. “You guys are dating. Just let me know when I have to make myself scarce.”
“It’s fine, Nev,” Hermione said. “We are probably just going to bunk with Harry and Draco now. It’s not like they’re using both of their beds.”
Neville snorted.
Harry smirked. “We use both of the beds, all the time. Sometimes more than once in the same night.”
There were groans around the table.
“Ugh, so what? You’re all happy and bullocks,” Finnigan said and took a bite of toast, tearing it violently. “Couples, couples, everywhere.”
“And not a hole to fuck?” Thomas supplied.
“Only because you haven’t ever asked,” Finnigan snapped at him.
Thomas’s eyes went wide. “What?”
There were sniggers around the table, and it probably took a moment too long for Finnigan to realize what he said.
“Nothing, just ... we’re friends, that’s all. That’s all it will ever be, and whatever.”
Thomas stared with wide eyes, and Finnigan shoved more food into his mouth.
“Was that a confession?” Harry asked.
“No. Just ... wha’ever”.
Dean snapped out of it, shoved a book into his bag and then got up from the eighth-year table and headed over to the Gryffindor table.
Finnigan stared after him, glowering a little when he sat next to Ginny Weasley with a smile. He threw his toast back to the plate and then stood up and said, “Bugger ... just ...” He left the Great Hall almost too quickly.
“Intervention?” Hermione whispered.
“Seems like it,” Ron said. “I’ll talk to Seamus.”
“I’ll talk to Dean,” Harry added.
“Shite,” Ron said. “We have to hurry. We’re going to be late.”
“Bugger,” Harry said. “Nev, I hope you’ve been doing our Herbology work for us.”
“You both owe me.”
Harry smirked at him. “Is that a request because it will take both of us to swallow your--”
Draco covered Harry’s mouth quickly with his hand and ignored the heat in his cheeks. “Sorry. Sorry. Should have brought something to gag him with.”
“There is a tie around his neck,” Neville said and grinned. “But no, it was not a request, and yes, I have been taking care of your projects, though Harry, yours is shite. Draco at least got most of his plans right.”
Harry groaned behind the hand, and that brought way too many images of Harry groaning around ties and his own vines while being buggered. He cleared his throat and hastily closed his robes before standing.
Harry laughed. They said goodbye to Ron and Hermione, and then the three of them headed to the greenhouse.
This time, when Harry walked next to him, Draco had no problems at all holding his hand.
---
Draco sagged into his bed without even taking off his clothes. His entire body ached and his head was throbbing a little just behind his left eyelid. He was exhausted. Even a magical wave of water from Hermione wasn’t enough to get him up. He just wanted to sleep.
Hands manipulated his body. Really warm hands, and he smiled through the exhaustions, letting Ron take his clothes off.
“It will get better,” Ron muttered and kissed his now-bare shoulder.
Draco hummed in agreement. The first day back was always rough, and adding to that the need to keep control of his magic and not start wind storms while ignoring all the muttered curses still being sent his way and Harry’s amusement at their talks of love potions, and teachers’ slightly cautious glances and ...
Yeah, Draco was exhausted.
Harry crawled into bed next to him, lips against his skin and fingertips tracing the very edge of the Sectumsempra scar that wrapped around his ribs. Harry’s gentle touches swept away the last of his tension, allowing him to actually relax in the bed. He was mostly asleep when Harry’s voice whispered into his ear, “You know I love you, Dray, you know I do. Most of me knows that you love me too, but I understand. Don’t ever think I don’t understand.”
Draco turned his head, opening one eye, and Harry smiled at him before their lips met in a kiss. Draco had meant to reply to that, but as their kiss turned a little deeper, their tongues met and twisted more often, he realized that he didn’t have to reply to that.
Harry was right. He understood. He understood everything about Draco. That understanding went both ways, and when Draco was ready to let the affection and lust turn into love, then he would say it.
Harry slowed their kiss down and used his hands more than his mouth to drive Draco toward ruin. Merlin, he wanted Harry desperately. He felt that he always would.
Always. Now there was a loaded word.
Sensing Draco’s sudden worry, Harry pulled away and frowned at him.
“Love?” Harry said, turning the word into a pet name that Draco wasn’t really ready for but one that had his chest swelling with affection.
“My thoughts are too jumbled to make sense of anything right now,” Draco said and cupped Harry’s cheek. He smiled hoping to reassure him and it seemed to work. Harry kissed his palm and then both of them scooted further up in the bed to get under the covers. Once situated, their kisses returned, soft and loving and deep. It felt strange to kiss Harry without any other goals or implications. And it felt positively wonderful.
Their magics danced between them, ebbing and flowing, green and silver, like a meadow of long grass blowing in the soft summer breeze. There were moments when the wind was more like a storm, but they didn’t last long. Exhaustion on both their parts kept them kissing and touching for comfort and love than anything else.
Draco knew he loved Harry, knew it just as strongly as he knew he loved his mother. There were still too many what ifs and issues in his head though, so instead of saying it out loud, he kissed Harry until they both fell asleep, almost at the same time, with their bodies entwined and their lips just a soft breath apart.
---
Tuesday morning...
Draco woke up to an incessant pecking at the glass window. The wind yesterday turned into a storm over night that had drenched the castle grounds. Draco had slept soundly even through the lightning and thunder. The other bed was empty, and Draco frowned, wondering why Ron and Hermione were up so early. Well, it was Hermione. She was probably studying.
Grumbling, Draco untangled himself from the blankets and two vines, one that had wrapped around his thigh and another that had curled around his bicep. But he was only at the edge of the bed before one was back, twisting around his waist.
“Potter,” Draco growled and tried to yank it off again. It just tightened.
Harry was not awake.
Draco wished he could control water at this moment to throw at his most annoying lover. Instead, he said, “Potter” again, but made the sound go right into his ear.
Harry moaned and twisted in the bed, the vine trying to pull him along and back to Harry’s side.
“Harry! Stop it!”
Harry lifted his head, blinking his eyes to wake up. But that did not help Draco at all. When he focused on the vine at Draco’s waist, he only smirked and laid back down, wrapping his arms around one of the pillows, the vine still tugging at him.
“Harry,” Draco said.
“It’s early. Come back to bed.”
“There is an owl at the window, and I’m no longer tired.”
With a heavy sigh in a dramatic show to how very put out Harry was, he rolled to his other side and the vine slipped from around Draco’s waist.
“I’m not sure why you’re so upset,” Draco said. “It’s not like I don’t permanently have one of your monstrosities on me.” He waved his arm at him and the vine on his wrist suddenly tightened. Pain shot up his arm and he forced out, “Fuck you, Harry Potter.”
Harry’s laughter was muffled into the pillow. “Now it has thorns and it’s permanently attached.”
“I will cut off my arm.”
Harry kept laughing, but the thorns disappeared and the vine loosened. Draco winced and tossed a healing spell at his wrist. Still grumbling, he went to the window to open it and let his mother’s owl into the room.
The storm hadn’t died completely, and the cool air flung itself to Draco. He stood in the breeze, eyes shut, soaking it under his skin and into his magic. He probably would have stood there until he had to go to classes, but the owl screeched at him in fury.
Draco closed the window and went to his desk. He wished he had something to give the owl as a treat. No sooner than he thought that did a pile of owl-sized pieces of toast appeared on the table. She started eating and Draco managed to get the scroll off her leg.
Draco Darling,
Word has reached me that you are safely back at school. While I am happy about that, I am ashamed that I had to hear such news from the Daily Prophet of all places. The nerve of you, my son.
But there is some entertainment to be had with the situation. Unlike some fiery headed family, I am not sending you a Howler to make you aware of your mistake. Public humiliation is above the Malfoys.
Do not consider this a reprieve from your own mistake, darling. But I will consider a smaller sentence (No French Chocolate For You Until HALLOWEEN!) if you explain in detail just the way the young Weasley boy reacts to the Howler that he is sure to get this morning. Please don’t warn him. That would ruin our fun.
I am so happy that you are safe. Draco, the Manor is so lonely without you. I have been spending way more time than is socially acceptable at the Burrow with Molly Weasley, but she is a delight and she makes the most delicious fruit tarts. Her puddings are divine.
I miss you. I miss my little dragon. I am working on being more forward with my feelings. I hope that is okay with you. I love you.
Write me soon.
With all of a Mother’s Love,
Narcissa Malfoy
Draco swallowed back tears. He missed his mother so much, too. He wondered if it was allowed for him to take tea with her one of these weekends. He was of age, so maybe the Headmistress would allow it.
He checked the time and was glad that he had enough time to write a reply to his mother before breakfast.
Dear Mother,
I sincerely apologize for my serious lapse in judgment. In the past I would have blamed Harry Potter for it all, but this time, all I can blame is love. It’s strange being so entangled with someone that you feel as if you will be in love with them forever.
Love. I ...
Draco stopped and lifted up his quill, pondering how to word this. His mother would understand, he thought.
I am okay with you expressing your feelings as long as you allow me the same. I feel I am too young to know what love is, but whatever this tightening in my chest is when I’m near Harry, whatever this desperate need to be close to him is, whatever this feeling of losing myself, my magic, and my soul to him when we kiss is, I like it. I like it a lot. I hope you are okay with that.
Ron and Hermione are talking of being bonded over the summer. Harry probably already thinks it will be a double wedding. I guess these couple of months with Molly Weasley will prepare you to have her as my mother-in-law. But I desperately need your advice on this, Mother. It’s too soon, isn’t it?
And you have no worries with me spoiling the surprise. One of my favorite things at Hogwarts is watching Ronald Weasley receive a Howler from his mother.
I will ask the Headmistress if I can come to tea with you on Sunday so we may talk about this.
I love you too, Mother Dear. See you soon!
Draco Malfoy
Draco rolled up the parchment and attached it to the owl. He opened the window again and watched her disappear within the clouds. He wanted to be out there, flying within all the wind. He let the cool air spin around him for a few more minutes and then shut the window. It was still too early for classes, but Draco knew he would not sleep again. Instead, he went to shower and get ready for the day. When he was dressed in slacks, a green button down, tie and his school robes, he glanced back at the bed.
Harry was still sleeping, dead to the world, only the slight rise of the blanket showed that he was breathing. Which was more comforting than Draco knew.
Draco headed down to the common room. He was not surprised that Hermione was awake, sitting on one of the Gryffindor couches and reading a book.
She lifted her head and smiled at him, whispering a good morning to him. He returned the smile and then glanced around the common room. They were alone. Thank Merlin. He hadn’t properly kissed Hermione since Sunday.
He sat beside her, took the book out of her hands, despite her mild protest and then gripped the back of her neck and pulled her to him for a kiss. She followed the pull easily, climbing into his lap to straddle his thighs. She messed up his perfectly styled hair with her hands, yanking his head back to slot their mouths together for a heavier kiss. The hardest part was keeping his hands at her waist, not bunching up her skirt to see what she was wearing underneath.
“Think I have time to eat you out?” Draco whispered.
A flush spread up her neck and she gasped, “I wish, but no. Not without magic.”
Draco hummed in agreement. “Guess kisses are all you get then.”
“Sometimes, that’s all I need.”
Their kiss slowed, more tongue than lips. It wasn’t like kissing Harry who usually followed Draco’s lead when he wasn’t being completely selfish. Hermione had always kissed him differently, and he let her, because her mouth was beautiful, and she knew how to use her tongue. He had no problems at all letting her control the pace and the intensity. And even if they couldn’t do more, didn’t have time to do more, she was so very good at grinding down on his lap and pulling unsophisticated whimpers and moans of lust from him.
Hermione in control was a beautiful thing.
“Merlin,” Draco moaned and finally snaked a hand up the front of her shirt. Just to her stomach though.
“You’re welcome,” Hermione said with a smirk.
Their lips parted just at the right moment. A door from above opened.
With a sigh, Hermione slid off his lap to the other side of the couch and picked up her book. Draco’s hand lingered under her shirt for a moment, trailing fingertips along her belly. Her breath hitched and she smiled at him before winking and licking her lips.
He watched her read for a little while, and then leaned back against the couch and shut his eyes to calm himself down.
“You okay?” she whispered.
Draco nodded. “Did Harry tell you that he told me that he loved me?”
Hermione stilled for a moment. “No, no he did not. What did you say?”
“Not what he wanted to hear.”
“It’s still too soon for you,” she said and touched his neck with soft fingers.
“Yeah.” Draco sighed and tilted his head to the side to give her fingers more room to touch. Still too daring in a common room that was about to fill up with gossiping students.
“Do you want me to talk to him?”
“No. I did. I just ... if the two of us are a little awkward around each other, that’s why. He’s started calling me ’love,’ and I know that he thinks that you and Ron’s bonding ceremony is going to be a double one.”
Hermione snorted. “Ron and I have barely agreed on having a bonding ceremony and he’s already tossing himself into it?”
“That’s Harry, I guess.”
“Yeah. I know the bond won’t make you love us or us love you, Dray. It really won’t. But this,” she lowered her voice, “turning me on and making me horny and leaving me unsatisfied so early in the morning will definitely help.”
Draco laughed and leaned for a kiss, but someone shouted good morning at them and he pulled away, laughter in his eyes.
“Do you want to go wake Harry, or should I?” Hermione asked.
“You have way more control than I do, and I’ll probably just slip into bed with him and never get out.”
“Slip into bed,” she said, settling her book down. “Is that the only thing you’d slip into?”
Draco winked. “Definitely not.”
She laughed and headed up the stairs. Draco watched for a moment and then picked up her book. Obscure Witches and Wizards and the Myths Behind Them. Not even required reading. Well, he didn’t mind if she was in control of him in the bedroom, but he certainly did mind that she was smarter than him. He went to the first page and started reading.
Other students said hello to him as they all got ready for breakfast. Ron settled onto the couch with him at some time and Draco didn’t do more than smile at him. Getting caught kissing Hermione was one thing, but he wasn’t really sure that he was ready to get caught kissing Ronald Weasley. He tried to keep the smirk off his face thinking of the Howler that was sure to be there for him. Vindictive, maybe a little, but as he told his mother, very entertaining.
As always, Harry was the last one to the common room.
He didn’t stop himself from kissing Harry.
“I’d tell you to get a room,” Hermione said, “but then you’d never leave it.”
“Sounds wonderful.”
Draco smiled.
“Come on, let’s get to breakfast.”
Once again, Alice Corner met them halfway to the Great Hall and walked with them, chattering about her classes. The talking in the Great Hall only dimmed a little when they walked in, unlike yesterday when it was almost silent. They said goodbye to Alice and sat down at the eighth-year table.
Draco noticed something almost right away. “Where are Thomas and Finnigan? I don’t remember them being in the common room this morning either.”
Ron and Harry exchanged a look.
“I don’t really want to know, do I?”
Harry laughed. “Probably not, love.”
“Let’s just say that Anthony and Justin are probably going to end up as roommates for the rest of the year.”
They were interrupted by the arrival of the owls, and Draco sat up straighter, trying not to laugh, because sure enough, there was a bright red envelope on its way to their table. It dropped in front of Ron’s plate, almost knocking his goblet over.
He paled, and whispered, “Dear Merlin, now what?”
Draco pressed a hand to hold in his laughter as the envelope started smoking.
“You better open it, Ron.”
Ron wasn’t really able to, and finally the envelope burst into flame, and Molly Weasley’s voice rang out through the Great Hall.
Ronald Billius Weasley, is this what a mother deserves? To hear of her son’s safety not from her son but from the Daily Prophet? How dare you? You are an ungrateful brat, causing harm to the woman that gave birth to you, that changed your nappies!
“Oh Merlin no.”
Draco was outright laughing now, and Harry muffled his own laughter into Draco’s shoulder.
If you do not send an owl to me today, I will send you another one of these that will explain in detail the night of June seventeenth, three years ago. Do you want me to do that, Ronald? I do not think you want me to do that.
The voice died and Ron stared at it in horror.
“What happened on June seventeenth?” Finch-Fletchley asked.
Draco would have asked, but he couldn’t stop laughing.
“Nothing, Circe’s tits, nothing. Hermione, give me a parchment please. Merlin, my mother. Just ... buggering fuck.”
“You can write to her during lunch,” Hermione said. “We’ll be late for class if you do it now.”
“Remind me, please, remind me.”
“I’m not sure we will,” Harry said. “I want to know what happened on June seventeenth too.”
Ron put his head on the table and muttered, “I hate you all,” while they laughed at him.
---
Tuesday afternoon...
“Ron!” Professor Weasley said as soon as the four of them walked into the DADA classroom. He grabbed Ron by the waist and yanked him off his feet. “You gave us all a good fright.”
“I’m fine, Bill.”
“You are now, but there was a time.” Professor Weasley held him at arm’s length, hands tight on his biceps. “When you were first whisked away, that same night, Mum’s clock had you and Harry locked in Mortal Peril for about six hours.”
Ron’s eyes went wide. “Really?”
“Yeah, from just after midnight to almost six in the morning. There was a moment when you flipped closer to ... to Fred’s name.”
Ron gasped and pulled his older brother into another hug. “I’m fine. We were ... we were fine. Yeah, a little scared, but nothing we couldn’t handle.”
Professor Weasley held on to him for a little longer. “Did you write Mum back?”
“Yes, during lunch.”
“Too bad. What happened on June seven--”
“Nothing!” Ron said and pulled away from him.
Everyone in class snickered at him.
“I can guess,” Professor Weasley said. “Did she catch you wanking?”
“Oh Merlin, shut up.”
The class laughed louder.
“All right, all right, settle down,” Professor Weasley said. “The four of you are going to have to catch up with some of the others on your own time. Malfoy, are you still going to be able to brew all those potions for me?”
Draco nodded. “I hadn’t planned on starting the first one until this week anyway.”
Not to mention, Draco now could do them in half the time because of his wind.
“Good. That will really be good for this class. Now, we’ve moved on from defence and now we’re moving on to offence. Get out your wands and form two lines. One of the best spells in a fight is what I like to call a ‘grab and pound’ spell.” He spun around, pointed his wand at Harry and said, “Tiratu Imperium!”
Harry was not expecting it, and he suddenly shot forward, just in the right spot for Professor Weasley to physically take him down, remove his wand and step on his neck with a dragonhide boot.
“Blimey, Bill,” Ron said.
Harry coughed. “That was ... cool.”
Professor Weasley laughed and helped Harry up. “The wand movement is an exaggerated swirl around your head and then a pull.” He demonstrated again.
“Like a lasso!” Finnigan said.
“Exactly.”
“This is a very complicated spell,” Hermione said. “How have I not heard of it?”
Professor Weasley smirked. “Because I created it. Now, some of you might not be able to get it today. It requires a lot of magic, but hopefully for your team’s sake, you’ll pick it up. Now. Teams.” He waved his wand in another complicated circle and Draco felt himself yanked to one side of the room. He ended up facing Longbottom, and he muttered under his breath. Bugger, but Longbottom was a strong wizard. Ron was next to him, with Thomas, Macmillan, Hannah, both Patil twins, and Wayne Hopkins finishing up their team. “First team to pull the others to their side wins. Don’t forget that you can use shields in this as well. Go.”
Draco threw up a shield first and felt the magical pull of Longbottom’s spell. He used the same whipping motion that Professor Weasley had and said the spell. To his surprise, it worked and he yanked Michael Corner over to their team.
“Great job, Malfoy. The first successful one. Corner is now on your team.”
The others groaned.
Draco met Harry’s eyes and he smirked. But his next spell was aimed elsewhere. He had a feeling Harry and Hermione were going to be last on their side. Ron pulled over Eloise Midgen on his second try, and Draco got Anthony Goldstein on his next. Hannah suddenly disappeared from his side, yanked over by Longbottom, and Hermione had pulled Corner to their side again before he even had a chance to try the spell on the other side.
Draco’s shield wavered, and Harry, the little cheater, tried to yank him over with a well placed spell. Draco physically dodged it and shot a spell back. Harry laughed at him as it was deflected off his shield. Draco had just enough time to fling another shield up before Hermione tried the same thing while he was distracted.
Curses were flying from both sides. The word kind of vulgarity, until Professor Weasley said, “Language! We’re in school. A point will be taken from your House for each curse you say from now on.”
After that, it was just spells shouted back and forth, with a little bit of gloating. Draco had no idea how many times he threw that spell, but his arm started aching, his mind going a little foggy. For a long time, both sides were evenly matched, and then slowly, Harry’s side started gaining more of Draco’s teammates. Draco tried a little harder, but to no avail.
When Professor Weasley finally told them all to stop, only Draco, Ron and one of the Patil twins were left on their side. Their heavy breathing echoed in the classroom. A few of them fell to the ground.
“Well done. For the next class, I want to you research spell creation and theorize the different ways you think I created this spell and how you could create your own spell with those ideas. We’ll talk about them in class, and then next week, you’ll have an essay due about how you’ll go about making your own offensive spells.”
Only Hermione seemed excited about the project. Draco was intrigued, but he was way too tired to show any enthusiasm.
Once again, most of the eighth years were falling asleep in their dinner.
---
Wednesday morning ...
Draco thankfully woke up sans vines on Wednesday morning. It was a testament to how much DADA had drained them all that Harry hadn’t wrapped him up in at least three of them while he slept. It was difficult to get up, but yet again, his mother’s owl was at his window, pecking feverishly. He stumbled to the desk, thankful at the sudden cup of tea that appeared. He steadied himself before opening the window and letting the owl in. The wind and storm had died down, and now a small breeze blew over the castle grounds. Draco smiled and hoped they’d have time to go outside during lunch or just before dinner. It was too nice to study indoors.
He took the letter from the owl’s leg and sat down at the desk. Sipping at his perfect green tea, Draco read the letter.
Draco Darling,
I was very happy to receive your letters, especially the one about that Howler. Ah, that must have been very entertaining.
I will be blunt, my dragon.
You are in love.
Draco’s breath stopped and he read that sentence again and again.
There was a time when I felt the same way about your father, even as an arranged marriage, there was love on both sides. I was young and not the best example of discretion back then, as I followed your father around with hearts in my eyes, but he was tall and attractive. I learned quickly that this adoration could be used against me and it was, causing me to bottle up my feelings, and him as well. We were only in love out of the public eye.
I am so very happy that you do not have to do that with your Harry. You can be as free and loving with him as you want.
You are in love. Do not try to stop it. I know that you must be worried about yourself, your own heartbreak, and your own reputation. But never let those things get in the way of the people who are the most important to you.
You love Harry. You need to tell him that. Every day. Every hour. And in your heart, every second.
I do not think it is too soon. You have grown and lived and hurt and healed together for almost a decade. There has always been passion between you and a good dose of grudging respect. Let that turn to love. Let it turn to passion.
Molly told me that Harry told her that he likes you because you keep him honest, you keep him sane, you have never pandered after him for approval and always fought back with the same fervor that he showed you. Harry respects you. And with that respect has come love.
Embrace it. Embrace him.
I want what is best for you. There was a time when I hoped you would be friends with Harry, but that was purely selfish. Now I want you to be with him because he makes you happy. He does make you happy, doesn’t he, sweetheart?
“Yes,” Draco whispered, his chest tightening.
You deserve all the happiness in the world after what you have been through. All four of you do. And if that means that we will be tied to the Weasley family if only in name, then so be it. There are worse fates, and I would no longer consider this one to be all that bad.
I love you, my dragon. Minerva has agreed to allow you to come to tea on Sunday. Bring Harry. I cannot wait to see you and meet him properly.
With all my love,
Your Mother
Draco did not realize that he was crying, not until warm strong arms wrapped around his body and Harry whispered something to him. He heard the tone but not the words, but it was enough. He turned around in the chair and buried his face in Harry’s bare chest.
“I love you,” he muttered into the warm skin.
Harry froze for a moment and then relaxed. It was another moment later that he said, “And you’re crying because of that?”
“Shut up, Scarhead, and just accept it.”
Harry chuckled. “I already have, Ferret. Fucked up elemental bond or no, I’m so glad that I got to know you, I’m so glad to have gotten close to you and that I’m a part of your life.”
Draco nodded and tilted his head back. Harry kissed him and then rubbed the tears from his face.
“I love you,” Draco said again, this time keeping eye contact with those shimmering green eyes.
Harry smiled. “I love you too.”
“I want to love the others too, but I ... I ... it’s too soon.”
Harry nodded. “I know. But if you want to, then maybe one day you will.”
Draco pressed his face to Harry’s stomach and just breathed in the earthy, warm scent of him. He smelled of sleep under an oak tree with a cool summer breeze blowing over his skin.
The parchment of his mother’s letter moved, and Draco realized that Harry was reading it. He did not mind.
“You knew about that Howler?”
Draco laughed. “I did.”
“You should have said something.”
“No way. That was so epic.”
Harry laughed. “It was pretty awesome.” He finished reading the letter with a smile on his face. “You’re lucky you have a mother that loves you.”
“Your mother loved you just as much,” Draco said immediately.
Harry smiled. “Probably. Now, that’s enough of mothers, really. I only woke up early so I’d have enough time to give you a blowjob in the shower.”
Draco shook his head. “Sorry, love.” He paused at how easy it was to say the little pet name. “I am too emotionally out of balance right now to keep control of my magic.”
Harry smiled and nodded. “I understand. In that case,” he took Draco by the hands and pulled him back toward the bed, “come and sleep. We still have an hour before we have to be up.”
Draco knew he shouldn’t, but he allowed himself to be pulled under the warm covers that smelled like Harry and he allowed himself to be coddled and cuddled and touched.
If they woke up late and were almost late to breakfast again, well, at least they were consistent.
It wasn’t until after breakfast that he remembered that he had Potions with a professor that hated him. Well, that just made him more determined to be perfect.
The first thing Draco noticed after walking in to the Potions classroom was Alastor and Chester holding hands on the top of the table. He smirked at them, and Alastor smiled back even though Chester glared.
The second thing he noticed was his private workbench covered in shite again.
Draco sighed and waved a hand at it to clean it, waved again to organize and banish what he needed and didn’t need, and then threw up even more complicated protection spells.
“Tens points from Slytherin for showing off,” Professor Slughorn said from behind him.
He met Hermione’s eyes. She made a very rude two-finger gesture at Slughorn’s back with her hand and Draco laughed, losing another five points for disrespect.
“Careful with those fingers, Granger,” Draco said. “I know where they’ve been.” He winked at her.
“Careful with that mouth, Malfoy,” she returned. “It’s probably been in the same place.”
Draco laughed and sat at their table. He ignored Slughorn’s glare because in the scheme of things, he had someone to love and someone that loved him, he was more powerful than Slughorn by far, and there was nothing in the world that was going to stop him from his goal of being a Potions master; only a few other elemental wizards that would do their best to distract him when he needed it and love and support him through the rest of it.
---
Epilogue
July ...
Draco stood in front of the full length mirror, checking the fall of his elegant blue robes. The color wasn’t quite navy and wasn’t quite blue. A dark color between them that reminded Draco of the sky just after the sun had set before blackness really took over for the night.
“You know that staring at yourself in the mirror won’t make you anymore attracticve, right?”
Draco glanced behind him at Harry. Harry’s robes were a deep silver, a bit brighter than gray but not as shiny as the rings on their fingers. His long hair was pulled back into a slightly organized mess.
Draco smirked. “I don’t know. Have you tried it?”
Harry laughed. “I’m glad you remember that.”
“I am glad that we’ll be spending the rest of our lives together and making even stupider memories.”
Harry’s smiled stayed, but his face went soft. “I love you.”
Draco had to swallow around a tightness in his throat. “I love you.”
“We’re starting in five, so don’t spend too much more time admiring yourself.”
Draco grinned.
“You look fine,” Hermione said and pushed her way past Harry. Her dress was low cut and red, a bright vibrant red that stood out between their darker colors. With her hair piled up on her head and her shoulders and collarbones on display, it was hard to focus on anything else.
“I always look fine, Granger,” Draco snapped. “For this ... for this I need ... to be..” He glanced in the mirror again, at the Golden Trio standing just inside the door. Ron was gorgeous and a burning lust flared in Draco’s gut. The deep green robes accentuated his shoulders and added elegance to his strong frame.
“Perfect, Ferret,” Ron said. “You are perfect and everything we could have ever asked for.”
Draco felt himself flush.
“Give us a second,” Ron whispered. “We’ll be right out.”
Harry and Hermione agreed with smiles. They knew sometimes only Ron was what Draco needed.
Ron strode into the room, coming up behind Draco. He put his hands on Draco’s shoulders and spun him around. “I don’t think I need to tell you any words that you won’t believe, so believe this.”
He cupped Draco’s face in a firm grip, long fingers practically digging into his cheeks. The kiss started surprisingly soft and then deepened. Draco’s hands fluttered at Ron’s arms and then lifted, up into his hair, red, fiery hair that was down to his chin, long enough to pull on.
And Draco was reminded of just two nights ago when he’d pulled on it as Ron swallowed his release, four long fingers buried inside him, their cries echoing through the room and bringing their other two lovers from wherever they had been.
“We are going to spend the rest of our lives together. Eternity. I know you don’t like to thinkg about that, but the company, the love, the joy that you bring to us will make even the longest life more fulfilling.”
Draco tried not to cry into the next kiss.
A wave of water reminded them of the time, and Ron reluctantly pulled back, their lips clinging just a little longer.
“I love you,” Ron whispered. “I love everything about you and every day, every hour, every second, I feel like the luckiest man alive.”
Draco swallowed roughly, blinking and letting tears fall. “I love you.”
“This bonding may be a show between me and Hermione and you and Harry, but you know and we know that it’s for all four of us. We will always be together, always connected.”
“Always in love.”
“Fuck yeah.”
Draco smiled and kissed him again. “Come on. Let’s get out there before people think we’ve run off together.”
“Now wouldn’t that cause a headline.”
“Ex-Death Eater Kidnaps Youngest Weasley Son!”
Ron chuckled. “Youngest Weasley Son Runs off with the Love of his Life.”
“Ex-Death Eater Abandons the Boy Who Lived and Leaves Hermione Granger Crying at the Altar.”
Ron shook his head. “I’m trying to be optimistic.”
“And as always, I’m being realistic.”
“Well, at least during the honeymoon we can be together. I’m going to fuck you so hard you won’t want to leave the bed ever again.”
“Isn’t that what I said two days ago when you three insisted we do this?” He waved his hand toward the window where everyone had gathered for their wedding. “I didn’t want to get out of bed.”
“Neither did I actually, so I guess that means it is all their fault and we should run away together and get to a bed.”
Draco smiled, suddenly realizing they still had their arms around each other. With Ron just a few centimeters taller than him, it was a perfect height for one more kiss, one more shared moment. Their foreheads pressed together, their breaths mingled.
In the silence, Hermione’s voice suddenly said, “Ronald Weasley get your hand off his dick and come and marry us!”
They both laughed. Ron sobered first, touching Draco’s cheek and kissing him softly. “I love you, Ferret.”
“Love you, too, Weasel.”
Part 11: Bondage
Part 10: A Grave Man
Part 9: A Better Week
Part 8: Research is Foreplay
Part 7: Sexy Strategy
Part 6: Broomsticks and Snakes
Part 5: Forgiveness Under the Stars
Part 4: A Few of My Favorite Things
Part 3: Sexy Secrets
Part 2: School Days
Part 1: Home Sweet Home
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