Ventus Aqua Terra Ignis 5/?
Title: Ventus Aqua Terra Ignis 5/?
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.
I wanted to wait until this was done to post it, but it's turning out to be much longer than I expected and I'm getting bored with not posting stuff. Enjoy!
This is cross-posted on my Ao3 "ddelusionall" account: http://archiveofourown.org/works/11926701/chapters/26956032
Part 5: Forgiveness Under the Stars
They slept separately. They had to. If they didn’t, none of them would get enough sleep.
Well, they meant to.
When Draco woke up to his wand trilling the next morning, Harry was in his bed, pressed against his side, arm around his middle.
And he was starkers. Again.
Draco pondered his life choices and decided for the first time, that if waking up next to Harry Potter naked in his bed was the result of every horrible choice he had made in his life, that he would do it all again the exact same way.
Though there may have been an easier way to have Harry naked in his bed than following the delusions of a Dark Lord and becoming a Death Eater.
He tried to get up and Harry tightened his hold with a moan. Chuckling, Draco pulled at his arms. “I would love to stay in this bed with you longer, but I have to get up and shower. I’ll wake you when I’m through.”
Harry grumbled, but let him loose. “Pompous, perfect, primping prat.”
Draco smiled and leaned over him. He brushed their lips together and Harry smiled, his eyes fluttering open. “You know, if you come get in the shower with me, I’ll probably have time to toss you off.”
Harry’s eyes shut with a heavy sigh.
“You’re actually debating it?”
“Yes. I like sleep. I like handjobs. It’s hard to decide.”
Draco laughed. “Come on, sleepyhead.” Draco tugged first at his arm and then when that didn’t work, on his dick. His hand was shaking when he reached for it, but nothing ventured, nothing gained.
Sodding Gryffindor courage was probably contagious.
Harry moaned and let himself be pulled from the bed. He was whiny and adorable, hair all mussed up, body settling against Draco’s under the warm water. His arm rested around Draco’s waist, his other around Draco’s neck.
“Stroke. Promised.”
Draco pressed a kiss to his neck and said, “I did promise.” With a smooth grip, Draco took him in his hand. Harry’s mouth opened against his other shoulder with a soft sigh.
“Brilliant,” Harry muttered.
Draco agreed. It was almost too easy considering it was only the third time he’d ever touched Harry’s dick. It was rough, not the smooth slide of oil the day before, more twists than strokes. Draco was hard against his side, and whimpered when Harry noticed and turned his body enough to slide Draco’s erection on his soft skin. But the pleasure was short lived as Harry went almost boneless against him, his cock jerking in Draco’s hand and splattering his release on Draco’s body. Both hands went around his neck and he turned his head up for a heavy kiss.
“Tall, so tall, and just ... I want you to fuck me.”
Draco froze for a moment and then held Harry a little tighter. They stood under the shower until a charm full of Hermione’s voice told them to hurry the fuck up already.
“Supposed to have time for ...”
“A handjob,” Draco emphasized. “That’s all I promised.”
Harry pulled away for a moment with a pout. He was still tired, but his eyes had taken on a pleasured, just-orgasmed sort of look instead of a just-rolled-out-of-bed look. Draco pulled him close enough to kiss.
“I almost jumped you on the train,” Harry murmured against his mouth. “My magic was crawling to you, almost pulling at you. I wanted you so badly. ‘Mione had to calm me down.”
Draco chuckled. “I am irresistible.”
“You’re tall and sexy and blond and beautiful.”
“Why does Weasley call you baby?”
“You’re still on about that?” he asked and maneuvered Draco to the side to douse his hair.
Draco filled his palm with body wash and used his hands to wash Harry down instead of a washcloth. That did not really help the ranging problem between his legs, but Harry leaned against the wall and let him, all the way down to his feet.
“It feels nice,” Harry said, head tilted back, water flowing down his head, but not on his face. “He ... he knows about my aunt and uncle, the shit they did. They ... I was always a problem, always in the way. I was never ever good enough. Ron was the first person that I was good enough for. He’s always been ... just there. My best friend. My best everything. I kissed him before he even kissed ‘Mione. I thought a long time about what I wanted to call him. Love. Darling. Sweetie. Honey. You know, all those silly little pet names. And then I realized that I didn’t want to call him anything but Ron, but I really wanted ...” He sighed and turned into the shower spray to rinse off, and then he moved to let Draco squeeze by him. “I really wanted someone to call me those things. He picked baby. It lets me know that he loves me, cherishes me, takes care of me.”
Draco frowned, just a mite jealous, but of Ron. “Is there something I can call you to make you feel the same way?”
He turned his head and smiled. “You’ve been calling me Harry. That’s all I have ever wanted.”
Draco swallowed hard.
“Come on. We’ll be late.”
“First week. Think we can start tomorrow without saying that?”
“No,” Harry said. “If we’re lucky, you’ll actually be late tomorrow because we woke up but didn’t get out of bed.”
Draco laughed and held him for just a moment longer. “One more question.”
“Okay.”
“Why do you let Weasley dominate you?”
Harry smiled. “That one is actually easier. When I’m with Ron, I don’t have to make decisions. He tells me what to do. I don’t have to worry, barely have to think. It makes it all so much easier for me.”
Draco sighed and said, “Yeah. Merlin, I totally understand that.”
“It was sexy as hell when you let him do the same to you.”
Draco grumbled and turned off the water. “My father is probably rolling around in his grave, me letting a Weasel dominate me.”
Harry scoffed. “At least Ron’s a pureblood. He’s probably more rolling around in his grave because you voluntarily kissed Hermione last night.”
“If he wasn’t dead already, that would have done it.”
Harry smiled and said, “Sorry. That isn’t really funny.”
“No, but true.”
Draco led the way out of the bathroom and they both managed to get dressed without groping each other. Draco knew he had potions and had to do his best to impress Professor Slughorn, so he went back to trousers and a nice pale green shirt under his robes, though he left his robes open to show off a bit. His tie was a perfectly twisted knot at his neck. He still did not know what to do about his hair.
New life. New friends. New hair.
He left it down and didn’t even bother to dry it. It would be dry before breakfast ended. Only Granger was waiting for them in the common room.
“Ron went on ahead. He really needs to eat more and he was afraid of dragging you both to a couch if he saw you in private.” Granger looked Draco up and down. “I can see why. Merlin.”
Harry smiled and pulled her into a kiss.
“Why are you so happy?” she asked.
“Handjob in the shower.”
“Ah. Is that why Malfoy is depressed? Not enough time for him?”
“Would have, but he wanted to talk.”
Granger lifted an eyebrow at him.
Draco shrugged. “We didn’t have time anyway. I spoiled him.”
That made her smile. Draco had a feeling the other two spoiled Harry whenever they could. Granger had mentioned about him feeling like a third wheel all the time.
Draco let Harry hold his hand until almost halfway to breakfast. After, they walked close enough that their arms brushed, their fingers brushed, everything brushed and Draco hated that he would not let himself just throw an arm over his shoulder and let Harry tuck against him like he obviously wanted.
Not yet. It was too soon. It was way too soon to throw his entire life and reputation to the owls just for Harry’s green eyes and Weasley’s addicting mouth.
But it was tempting.
Noise faltered a little when they entered the Great Hall. Settling into their usual seats, Granger snorted. “First time they’ve been looking at you like they want to eat you instead of like they want to curse you, Draco.”
“I do not really blame them,” the Gryffindor Patil twin said and both of them leaned over to get a look at him. “I wasn’t really too keen on sharing a tower with the snake, but I can sure get used to this view.”
Draco felt heat rise up his neck and he looked down at his plate.
The girls laughed.
“You look smashing,” Finnigan said from his other side. “It is still mostly in a I want to smash your face in smashing, but Parvati is right. Not bad at all.”
“Actually,” Draco attempted to drawl, though his voice shook a little bit, “I’ve always been attractive, I’ve just been glamouring it down to keep everyone from falling over their robes for me.”
Weasley laughed.
Dean Thomas actually smiled at him. “That is such a lie. You’ve always paraded around school to show off like the poncey git you are.”
“Dean,” Harry said carefully.
Thomas held up his hands and smiled. “The truth.”
Draco did not like the way that Harry had tensed up and he said, “Yes, well, I was just trying to make the rest of you feel better about your own substandard looks whilst in my overflowing beautiful presence. I will start putting the glamour back on tomorrow.”
Dean Thomas wasn’t sure if he was going to laugh or growl. Some of the other eighth-years were glaring at him.
“Merlin, I’m kidding,” Draco said. “It’s really all in the clothes. My hair is starting to turn into Harry’s uncooperative mop. And, I’m too skinny.” He pointed his fork at Thomas. “You, on the other hand, are tall, strong, built almost too much like a demigod and have gorgeous eyes. I pale in comparison.” Draco smirked and looked at his skin, putting his hand next to Thomas’s darker hand. “In more ways than one.”
Harry suddenly grabbed his arm on the other side. “Okay, okay. You’re both gorgeous. Shut up.”
Was he jealous?
Draco looked over at him, at the frown on his lips and smiled. Yep. Jealous.
Thomas stared at him a moment and then huffed and went back to his food.
Harry stabbed at his food, his face glowering.
“Wow,” Draco said, lowering his voice. “Sorry. You can’t deny that Thomas isn’t fit, Harry. But it’s not the same and you know it.”
“What isn’t the same?” Granger asked.
Draco glanced over at her and then at Harry again. “Dean Thomas is fit but I have no desire to touch him or kiss him or --”
“Kiss me now,” Harry demanded, green eyes flaring up at him.
Draco’s eyes went wide. Granger said Harry’s name in admonishment.
“I can’t, Harry. You know I can’t.”
“No, I know you won’t.” Harry huffed and stood up, almost knocking Draco into his breakfast. He watched him stomp away.
“What the ever-loving fuck?” Draco said and looked over at Granger and Weasley. “What was that?”
“That was a very ...”
“Possessive,” Granger supplied.
Weasley nodded. “A very possessive Harry.”
“How exactly do I fix this?”
Granger smiled. “Let him cool down. He’ll be fine in a little bit. His emotions are two extremes. There or not there. He’s been like that since the bond.”
“Well, he was like that before, too.”
“True.”
Draco sighed and stabbed his fork into his eggs, feeling vindicated when the yoke popped and went everywhere.
“Don’t worry, Malfoy. We’ll see him at lunch and he’ll apologize. He always does and his snits never usually last long.”
“I’m going to tell him that you called them snits,” Weasley muttered.
Granger laughed. “Hurry up and eat. I don’t want to be late for Potions.”
Draco lifted his head in surprise. “You’re in Potions with me?”
Granger nodded. “I’m probably the only one in Gryffindor that’s good enough for the Advanced Class that we’re taking, but your skill far outpaces mine. Anthony, Michael, Terry, and Padmil are all in the class too.”
There were a few other seventh-years in the class as well, those showing more promise than usual with potions brewing, including to Draco’s amazement, Luna Lovegood. Crazy bint, but still pretty brilliant. He was sure all the seventh-year Ravenclaws were in the class, and he saw three seventh-year Slytherin students, Alastor Prince, Chester Stonewall, and Diamond McAlister, and two Hufflepuffs.
“Ah, Draco, so good to have another natural blond back at Hogwarts,” Lovegood said.
“There’s more than just the two of you,” Granger said patiently.
“No, no. Most of them are just under a fulvus enchantment, meant to think their hair is blond. You can tell the difference if you really look.”
Thankfully, Professor Slughorn entered the class and smiled at all of them, though his face sort of hardened for a moment when settling on Draco. Or he thought it did. Maybe that was his imagination.
“Welcome to Advanced Potions. I am so very glad there are so many of you in Hogwarts that are so proficient in Potions and now we can move beyond the simple Pepper Up potions and brew some real happiness.” He waved his wand at the board and a series of potions appeared. “These are the potions that we will be brewing this year. Today, I will be discussing each of them briefly and then-- Yes, Miss Granger.”
Draco had been busy writing down the potions and had not realized that Granger’s hand had gone up in the air.
“Yesterday, in our Defence class,” Her mouth opened for a moment and she smiled and continued, “our teacher said that Draco was going to brew some dark potions for his class. There aren’t any dark potions on the board.”
“I am sure your teacher was mistaken,” Professor Slughorn said with a frown in Draco’s direction.
“No, he said that,” Granger continued. “He said he talked to you about it and you agreed.”
“Well, we can’t have just one student doing different work than the rest of--”
“With all due respect, Professor, Draco could brew the potions on the board with his eyes closed.”
Draco felt heat in his face as the rest of the class stared at him for a moment, and then they all looked back at their professor.
“We will all be doing these potions, Miss Granger. The work that Mister Malfoy is or isn’t capable of is not of importance. He is here in school and he is signed up for Potions, so therefore--”
“It’s a bloody waste of his time and nothing more than you not liking him,” Granger continued.
“Twenty points from Gryffindor,” Professor Slughorn said, and glared at Draco, “and ten from Slytherin.”
“But Malfoy didn’t do anything,” Alastor Prince said.
“And you have spoken out of turn. Would anyone else like to lose points for their House?” Slughorn asked almost too sweetly. It reminded Draco of Umbridge and he felt a little sick.
Granger glared.
Draco continued writing down the potions as did all of the other students. After a slightly longer than necessary stare down, Professor Slughorn turned away and started talking about the Revive Potion. He hurried to take notes and noted that Granger did not. She was still sitting stiff on her stool, arms crossed.
Draco nudged her with his elbow. “You’re beautiful when you’re angry.”
She flushed and turned her glare to him, though it was half-hearted.
“Take notes,” he said with a smile. “You’ll regret it later if you don’t.”
It snapped her out of it and she grumbled under her breath. “He’ll regret it more, just wait, until I tell,” again her mouth could not say his name, “the Defence teacher and Professor McGonagall.”
“You don’t have to do this for me, you know.”
Granger glared at him. “Yes, I do because you can’t and everyone in this classroom knows that.”
It was very true. Draco had very little say in anything. He had so much power before the war to get what he wanted, but that was gone. He had to do his best and do it on his own merit, not the false power that his family name had held. What a joke that was now. He would be lucky if he managed to salvage even a quarter of their name, a quarter of their social prestige. If he was honest with himself, and he was slowly learning to be, he didn’t really want that anyway. His father had screwed over and intimidated too many people for that prestige. It hadn’t been earned through respect.
There were a total of twenty potions on the board and Draco noticed a discrepancy in the brewing schedule. He raised his hand.
Professor Slughorn ignored him.
Draco kept his hand in the air while Professor Slughorn talked about the delicacies in brewing an Invigoration Draught.
About ten minutes later, in front of them, Luna Lovegood raised her hand.
“Yes, Miss Lovegood?” he asked.
“I do believe that Draco Malfoy has a question,” she said, “though you may not be able to see his hand up in the air because of the snarklewroughts around his head at the moment.”
Professor Slughorn’s nostrils flared. “Yes, I am sorry, I did not see your hand up, Mister Malfoy. What is your question?”
“Ignus Protegro takes four months to brew properly. We will not have enough time to do it with the position it is at in the schedule.”
“You are mistaken.”
Draco swallowed and shook his head. “I am not mistaken. It takes four months to brew, precisely four full moon cycles and has to be--”
“Ten points from Slytherin.”
The other Slytherins glared first at Draco and then at the professor.
“As I was saying, even the smallest tremble in your hand while stirring this delicate potion can nullify its effects and make the taker fall into a deep depression--”
Granger elbowed him and showed him a corner of her parchment. Want to just take the Potions N.E.W.T. tomorrow and call it good?
It was tempting, but he wanted to learn. He did know most of the potions on the board, but not all of them.
He shook his head and turned back to taking notes.
---
“Of all the bloody wankers and their absolute disregard for fucking human decency. I fucking swear, Malfoy. I am about ready to just go right there and --”
“Granger, shut up,” Draco said on their way to lunch. “And watch your mouth, there are children present.”
Granger huffed. “No, I am not going to shut up. This isn’t fair and you know it. You could brew those potions with your eyes closed--”
“I have never had a potion explode and I don’t plan on making that happen by being stupid enough to brew a potion with my eyes closed.”
Granger sighed. “This is absolutely ridiculous. If I don’t make it back to lunch, I’ll see you in our Muggle Studies class.”
Draco made a face.
Granger chuckled. “It’s required of all students this year.”
“Don’t remind me. Where are you going?”
“To talk to,” she paused, stopping almost abruptly, “the Defence teacher. He hasn’t been coming to meals yet, so I’m sure he’s in the office.”
“It’s about me so I think I should come too.”
“No, go tell Ron and Harry. If both of us don’t show, they’ll tear the school apart looking for us.”
“That is way too vivid of an image for it to not be true.”
Granger bit her lip and then moved a little closer to him, out of the way of the students heading to the Great Hall for lunch. Most moved around them, casting sidelong glances at them. The older ones blatantly glared or grumbled.
“What?” Draco asked.
“You called me beautiful.”
Draco laughed. “Am I wrong?”
Granger crossed her arms and stared at him.
“It’s a Slytherin principle of tact and decorum to stay away from Gryffindors, but that didn’t keep most of us from wishing you’d actually been sorted into Ravenclaw so we could have a go at you.”
“That’s almost flattering.”
Draco snorted. “You’re smart enough for Ravenclaw.”
“I’m plenty angry and impulsive enough to be in Gryffindor.”
Draco chuckled. “Indeed. And brave. And loyal. And--”
“So how are your Slytherin principles dealing with you being with three Gryffindors?”
Draco made a face. “I constantly shut up their disgusted mutterings.”
“Malfoy.”
“I am kidding. Those ideals were a long time ago and I’m going to consider myself lucky to have all three of you.”
Granger smiled. “I have a break after lunch. I’ll gather up those books and notes and leave them on your bed for you.”
“Thank you.”
They had garnered a bit of attention while they talked and Draco did his best to ignore their stares, keep his head up and walk down to the Great Hall. At least the first and second years were a little afraid of him, scurrying out of his way. That made him feel a bit better.
Harry and Weasley were already at the table, tucking into their lunch with fervor.
“Where’s ‘Mione?” Harry asked.
“Sticking up for me again,” Draco said.
“Michael told us what happened in potions,” Weasley said, glowering. “Slughorn is a--”
“A what, Mister Weasley?” Professor McGonagall asked from behind him.
Weasley almost choked and managed to say, “Er. Um, a potions teacher.”
She smirked. “Nice save. The Quidditch team is going to miss having you at goalie.” She walked away.
The eighth-years laughed and Weasley glared at Harry, who was leaning hard against Draco and trying to breathe.
“Is ‘Mione talking to Slughorn?” Weasley asked.
“No. She’s talking to,” --and Draco could not say his name-- “the Defence teacher.”
“It’s so weird that we can’t say his name.”
Weasley nodded. “I can’t even say that he is my--” His mouth opened and no sound came out. “--Defence teacher. Or that he’s married to his work and has ambitions to be the Minister of Magic.” Weasley’s face warped with confusion at the stuff coming out of his mouth. “I mean, he used to work as a teacher at Hogwarts and now he’s a teacher at Hogwarts.”
Harry laughed. “You can’t even write any of it down. Those are some really strong charms on his classroom.”
Draco smiled and finally got around to eating the food on his plate.
“We have Charms next,” Harry said. “What are you doing, Ron? Don’t you have a free period?”
Weasley made a face. “I had a free period. McGonagall is making me take extra Transfiguration classes. I have to sit in with the fifth years today and tomorrow.”
“Tough luck, mate. But you really need the help.”
Books slammed on the desk and Granger sat next to Weasley with an angry huff. “I swear that man ... He refuses to acknowledge that he and the Defence teacher had talked about Draco brewing potions. I swear, I am just so angry ...”
Weasley threw his arm around her shoulders and kissed her cheek. “You’re such a good friend, ‘Mione.”
“Don’t placate me right now, Ronald. I am angry.”
“At least she isn’t mad at you,” Harry said.
“Thank Merlin.”
Which earned him an elbow to his side. He smiled and kissed her cheek again.
“Are you mad at me still?” Draco whispered to Harry.
Harry sighed. “No. I overreacted. Sorry.”
“You know that no matter what I think, I’m not going to go crawl into Thomas’s bed, right? Or anyone else’s for that matter.”
“Yeah. I know.”
“Just yours. Or well, you’ll crawl into mine, like this morning.”
“Harry,” Granger said. “What? You aren’t supposed to be pressuring him.”
“Oops,” Draco said. “Was that supposed to be a secret?”
Harry ducked his head. “I needed it,” he whispered. “I had a nightmare that he was dead, and the only way to prove that he wasn’t was to lay against him and listen to his heart beat.”
Granger face softened and she touched Harry’s hand. So did Ron.
“I don’t want to pressure Draco, you know I don’t, but the nightmares are increasing. I have them almost every night unless I’m tired out first.” He said tired out with a slow sort of smirk that had Draco wishing his robes were closed.
“It’s too soon,” Granger said.
“I know, but ... it’s only September. I do not want nightmares until Christmas.”
Draco shut his eyes and inhaled, trying to gather up the courage to ... do something drastic. Like Kiss Harry In The Great Hall drastic.
But he couldn’t. He just could not do that yet. He did not know how to reassure him. He was only able to scoot just a little closer to him on the bench until they were almost pressed together.
“I’m giving Draco all my notes and books on the subject and he’s going to read up on it,” Granger said.
“In the meantime, I can always come by and help tire you out,” Weasley offered.
“Help?”
“Yes, help. You do have a pretty dashing and shaggable roommate.”
Draco blushed at the unexpected compliment.
Unfortunately, Weasley said that loud enough that Finnigan and Hannah Abbot heard.
“Wait, what?” Hannah said.
“Harry and Malfoy are fucking?” Finnigan demanded, drawing more attention from the other eight-years that leaned over the table to look at them.
“No,” Draco said immediately. Because well, technically they hadn’t yet. “Ron’s just taking the piss, shut up.”
“Ron?” Finnigan said, an eyebrow raised.
“Yes, Ron. That is his name.”
Finnigan looked between the four of them and shook his head. “Still don’t know why you are being nice to the Slytherin Ferret, but whatever.”
Draco had to bite his lip hard against a curse about Muggle-borns and it was very very hard. Finnigan was such an arse to him. Always had been despite his cheery attitude to everyone else. Then again, Draco had been just as much of an arse to him in return. Probably more so. Definitely more so. Since the prat was Irish and all.
“Let’s get out of here,” Weasley said and then said lower, “before I start throwing flame at people.”
He kissed Hermione soundly on the lips before standing. Harry stood up to follow and Draco did a bit more slowly.
“Thank you,” Draco said to her. “Thank you for helping me.”
Granger grinned. “I can imagine that soon you’ll be helping me too, so we’ll be even, Draco.”
And if that wasn’t just the dirtiest, sexiest look Draco had ever gotten from a woman in his life. He made a bit of a show of closing his robes, and Granger’s laughter followed him toward the door.
---
Charms was a lot of fun. Draco had always loved the joy of Charms, just the way that Charms made magic useful. There were Dark Charms, just like all of the seven types of magic, but Charms was the basis for everyday work and life.
Plus having Harry there to fling pillows at and shower with sparkles could be nothing but fun.
With the high still in his body, Draco almost didn’t mind that he was being forced to take Muggle Studies. Though, it was probably super boring for Harry and Hermione and the others that actually grew up as Muggles.
And he only grumbled a little bit when Professor Dangerfield assigned them all a two-foot essay on how to integrate and talk to Muggles. It was a personal essay, and Draco was tempted to just write “Stay away from them” for two feet.
“Harry is willing to suck my cock so I’ll do his Herbology homework,” Draco said. “Anything I can offer you to do this Muggle bullshite for me?”
Granger lifted an eyebrow at him and said, “No. Watch your language around the children. And you and I should really get a nap in if possible, for Advanced Astronomy.”
“You signed up for Advanced Astronomy?”
Granger nodded. “I feel like it will help me understand potions and arithmancy much better.”
“And I can’t,” Draco said. “I have to finish my Herbology assignment today.”
“And mine,” Harry asked with an obscene dick-sucking gesture.
Draco smiled. “Maybe.”
---
Draco had just enough time to finish his Herbology homework and his Arithmancy work before Astronomy. Luckily, Professor Flitwick wasn’t a complete arse and had not assigned them any Charms homework. He wanted to get started on his Potions assignment--Slughorn had demanded that they write a three-foot essay on how the potions they planned to brew in the class were going to be used in their chosen career--but Granger was right and he could do this shite with his eyes closed.
Granger had put all those books and journals on his bed and it had taken a lot of self-control not to shrug off his homework and just read those instead. He was interested in the research, the knowledge, and the procedure of the bond they had created. But that was not all.
For the first time in his life, Draco actually felt like he could belong to something special. Something ... complete. He gripped his forearm as he stared at the books. The Dark Mark had faded, not completely, but it was still there, glaring against his skin. It had symbolized something then: power, control, but also a group to belong to. A group with ideals that he had believed in. Past tense. Now it just symbolized all the barmy choices he’d made in following his father to serve a madman.
Draco had thought more than once about getting something tattooed over it.
Maybe something showing the elements. Maybe. If this was real.
It all still felt too good to be true. He kept waiting to wake up.
Fingers slid over his arm and pried his own fingers off where the Dark Mark lay hidden under his shirt. Draco easily let himself be moved until Harry was in front of him, and then with his arms around him. Draco hugged him tightly, head resting against Harry’s soft mop of hair, and they stood there for a few short minutes of silence.
“We were young and stupid, with ideals and beliefs that were not our own, fighting a war that was not ours for a future we now have to live,” Harry said. “No one that matters blames you for the choices you made.”
“I do.”
Harry hummed against his shoulder. “Hermione’s waiting for you to get up to class.”
Harry turned his head up and Draco did not hesitate to kiss him, just for a moment.
“She probably should have come up herself,” Draco said. “I always get distracted with you.”
“She thought about it, but she’s almost as crazy about you as I am. She’s been having a really hard time keeping herself under control around you.”
Draco thought back to the day before about their talk, Granger hadn’t done anything to show that she was being affected the same way Harry and Weasley were besides a few kisses. But that was the not the same as Harry constantly wanting to touch him and Weasley constantly undressing him with his eyes. He looked at Harry with disbelief in his eyes.
“There’s a difference between mental and emotional attraction and physical attraction, and a elemental bond trying to complete itself by getting you naked attraction. She’s fighting with the last one. Part of her hates that she wants to climb onto your dick and never get off.”
“What about you?”
Harry smiled. “I do not hate that at all. Go, you’ll be late.” Harry released him and headed into the bathroom.
Draco ran his hands over his face and took a deep breath of courage. He wondered how difficult it would be if there was part of his magical core that was trying to drag him into Granger’s bed. He didn’t necessarily mind being there, or having her there, but at the same time, he understood. He’d been a right little arsehole to her and no amount of Elemental Bonds could change that. But he’d try. He was trying.
He left the room and smiled. Granger was in the middle of the common room, staring up at his door, hands on her hips and tapping her foot in irritation.
“Finally. We only have a few minutes.”
“Granger, we live in the Astronomy Tower. It’s going to take maybe a minute to get up there.”
She huffed and spun around in a flurry of hair. He caught up with her at the portrait hole. Instead of going right to head down, they went left to head up. Draco made sure they were alone on their section of the spiral staircase and then reached out and took Granger’s hand. Startled, she jumped, but she did not try to pull away, a small smile on her face.
Progress. Draco smiled too.
They both let go near the top of the tower.
Draco sort of froze and Granger turned, a questioning look on her face.
“I ... I haven’t been up there since ... Dumbledore. I ... I ... ”
Granger nodded in understanding and then took his hand again. “I’ll be right next to you.”
“I should have ... I should have ... done more, done ... told someone sooner. I just ...” He couldn’t breathe suddenly.
“Yes, probably. But you didn’t and here we are. You can’t change the past, Draco. But you can learn from it and help make the future better. That’s what you’re doing. Breathe, it’s okay. Take a deep breath.”
Draco tried to listen to her. It was hard to take the few steps to the tower. It was hard to breathe as he stared at the location of most of his nightmares. He had not wanted to kill Dumbledore. He knew that he could not.
Granger pulled him toward the wall, behind all the other students gathering and waiting for Professor Sinistra.
“Harry was here,” she said. “He was Petrified and under the Invisibility Cloak. He saw everything, including when you lowered your wand. He knew you weren’t going to do it. He knew that you wanted to get out.”
Draco knew that. Harry had said the exact same thing at his trial. But he still should have tried to find a way out sooner.
Granger did not let go of his hand, even when the professor showed up and started class. He tilted his head back to look up at the stars, a wash of light on the dark sky. Almost like the light at the end of a wand that was waved in a dark room.
Granger whispered, “This spot holds demons for you and Harry both, but this is my favorite place in the school.”
“Not the library?”
She shook her head. “I like being here, being reminded that I’m just a small person in a speck of the universe. And reminded that while my choices may not change the way the stars move, my choices can change the way I move and the way those around me move. We are not alone in this world or in this fight to recover. That’s why I help you, why I stand up for you, because if I allow even one person to discriminate against you, then that doesn’t make me any better than the Death Eater shouting for blood purity.”
Draco thought about that. He agreed with that. But sometimes, he did not not know his place in the movement of others. Where did he belong?
Granger leaned her head against his shoulder as they listened to the professor talk about their assignments and how this class would connect to their Potions, Arithmancy, and even their Herbology course. He let go of her hand and put his arm around her shoulder instead. Daring, with so many students that could catch them, but Granger did not try to get away from him. She put her arms around his waist, under his open robes, sliding her hands along the silk shirt.
“At least, the Elemental Bond picked someone who is bloody gorgeous,” she whispered. “Can you imagine if our Ventus was Filch?”
Draco shuddered in horror. “There are things scarier than the Dark Lord. I had no idea.”
Granger muffled her laughter on his chest.
They stood like that until they needed to go to telescopes. Draco loved Astronomy. There was a tower at the Manor where he spent probably too many nights in all sorts of temperatures just to study the stars.
After class, Granger half-grumbled and half-yawned on their way back to their common room.
“What?” Draco asked.
“You’re better at this than I am, and better at Potions, and Ancient Runes, and Arithmancy. And I hate that.”
“Well, you’re better than me at Charms and Transfiguration and probably Herbology. Definitely better at Muggle Studies. I’d say we’re about even with Arithmancy and Ancient Runes. I was reprimanded often for letting some Mud--” He stopped and cleared his throat. “I mean, some Muggle-born beat me as the best in class. Now, I have the opportunity to learn from you instead of compete with you.”
She smiled at him, slow and devious. “It’s still a competition, Malfoy. Second place is always the first loser.”
Draco laughed.
They followed the few other eighth-years into their common room and then said goodnight. Draco had wanted to kiss her. Under the stars would have been even better, but there were too many people around. They settled for a quick hug.
In his room, Draco once again got ready for bed under the green glow of Harry’s light. The letter to his mother lay unfinished on the desk. He sat down to finish it, explaining the problems with Potions and the solution (he could not write “Bill Weasley” at all). He added his doubts and troubles with being on the Astronomy Tower again, but also added how Hermione had helped him.
He stared at the paper. At how he’d actually written “Hermione” and not Granger.
Bollucks.
I’m in deep, Mother. Emotionally invested in the Golden Trio and their friendship. What should I do if it all goes away?
He signed the letter with his normal flourish. Yawning, he stood up to go to bed. But he paused, staring at Harry, sleeping starkers again, and at the way the green light glowed on his skin. It was the most calming feeling, and he felt pulled to it.
Sod it all.
Draco followed the the pull and he slipped into bed with Harry, smiling when Harry curled up against him.
Part 6: Broomsticks and Snakes
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.
I wanted to wait until this was done to post it, but it's turning out to be much longer than I expected and I'm getting bored with not posting stuff. Enjoy!
This is cross-posted on my Ao3 "ddelusionall" account: http://archiveofourown.org/works/11926701/chapters/26956032
Part 5: Forgiveness Under the Stars
They slept separately. They had to. If they didn’t, none of them would get enough sleep.
Well, they meant to.
When Draco woke up to his wand trilling the next morning, Harry was in his bed, pressed against his side, arm around his middle.
And he was starkers. Again.
Draco pondered his life choices and decided for the first time, that if waking up next to Harry Potter naked in his bed was the result of every horrible choice he had made in his life, that he would do it all again the exact same way.
Though there may have been an easier way to have Harry naked in his bed than following the delusions of a Dark Lord and becoming a Death Eater.
He tried to get up and Harry tightened his hold with a moan. Chuckling, Draco pulled at his arms. “I would love to stay in this bed with you longer, but I have to get up and shower. I’ll wake you when I’m through.”
Harry grumbled, but let him loose. “Pompous, perfect, primping prat.”
Draco smiled and leaned over him. He brushed their lips together and Harry smiled, his eyes fluttering open. “You know, if you come get in the shower with me, I’ll probably have time to toss you off.”
Harry’s eyes shut with a heavy sigh.
“You’re actually debating it?”
“Yes. I like sleep. I like handjobs. It’s hard to decide.”
Draco laughed. “Come on, sleepyhead.” Draco tugged first at his arm and then when that didn’t work, on his dick. His hand was shaking when he reached for it, but nothing ventured, nothing gained.
Sodding Gryffindor courage was probably contagious.
Harry moaned and let himself be pulled from the bed. He was whiny and adorable, hair all mussed up, body settling against Draco’s under the warm water. His arm rested around Draco’s waist, his other around Draco’s neck.
“Stroke. Promised.”
Draco pressed a kiss to his neck and said, “I did promise.” With a smooth grip, Draco took him in his hand. Harry’s mouth opened against his other shoulder with a soft sigh.
“Brilliant,” Harry muttered.
Draco agreed. It was almost too easy considering it was only the third time he’d ever touched Harry’s dick. It was rough, not the smooth slide of oil the day before, more twists than strokes. Draco was hard against his side, and whimpered when Harry noticed and turned his body enough to slide Draco’s erection on his soft skin. But the pleasure was short lived as Harry went almost boneless against him, his cock jerking in Draco’s hand and splattering his release on Draco’s body. Both hands went around his neck and he turned his head up for a heavy kiss.
“Tall, so tall, and just ... I want you to fuck me.”
Draco froze for a moment and then held Harry a little tighter. They stood under the shower until a charm full of Hermione’s voice told them to hurry the fuck up already.
“Supposed to have time for ...”
“A handjob,” Draco emphasized. “That’s all I promised.”
Harry pulled away for a moment with a pout. He was still tired, but his eyes had taken on a pleasured, just-orgasmed sort of look instead of a just-rolled-out-of-bed look. Draco pulled him close enough to kiss.
“I almost jumped you on the train,” Harry murmured against his mouth. “My magic was crawling to you, almost pulling at you. I wanted you so badly. ‘Mione had to calm me down.”
Draco chuckled. “I am irresistible.”
“You’re tall and sexy and blond and beautiful.”
“Why does Weasley call you baby?”
“You’re still on about that?” he asked and maneuvered Draco to the side to douse his hair.
Draco filled his palm with body wash and used his hands to wash Harry down instead of a washcloth. That did not really help the ranging problem between his legs, but Harry leaned against the wall and let him, all the way down to his feet.
“It feels nice,” Harry said, head tilted back, water flowing down his head, but not on his face. “He ... he knows about my aunt and uncle, the shit they did. They ... I was always a problem, always in the way. I was never ever good enough. Ron was the first person that I was good enough for. He’s always been ... just there. My best friend. My best everything. I kissed him before he even kissed ‘Mione. I thought a long time about what I wanted to call him. Love. Darling. Sweetie. Honey. You know, all those silly little pet names. And then I realized that I didn’t want to call him anything but Ron, but I really wanted ...” He sighed and turned into the shower spray to rinse off, and then he moved to let Draco squeeze by him. “I really wanted someone to call me those things. He picked baby. It lets me know that he loves me, cherishes me, takes care of me.”
Draco frowned, just a mite jealous, but of Ron. “Is there something I can call you to make you feel the same way?”
He turned his head and smiled. “You’ve been calling me Harry. That’s all I have ever wanted.”
Draco swallowed hard.
“Come on. We’ll be late.”
“First week. Think we can start tomorrow without saying that?”
“No,” Harry said. “If we’re lucky, you’ll actually be late tomorrow because we woke up but didn’t get out of bed.”
Draco laughed and held him for just a moment longer. “One more question.”
“Okay.”
“Why do you let Weasley dominate you?”
Harry smiled. “That one is actually easier. When I’m with Ron, I don’t have to make decisions. He tells me what to do. I don’t have to worry, barely have to think. It makes it all so much easier for me.”
Draco sighed and said, “Yeah. Merlin, I totally understand that.”
“It was sexy as hell when you let him do the same to you.”
Draco grumbled and turned off the water. “My father is probably rolling around in his grave, me letting a Weasel dominate me.”
Harry scoffed. “At least Ron’s a pureblood. He’s probably more rolling around in his grave because you voluntarily kissed Hermione last night.”
“If he wasn’t dead already, that would have done it.”
Harry smiled and said, “Sorry. That isn’t really funny.”
“No, but true.”
Draco led the way out of the bathroom and they both managed to get dressed without groping each other. Draco knew he had potions and had to do his best to impress Professor Slughorn, so he went back to trousers and a nice pale green shirt under his robes, though he left his robes open to show off a bit. His tie was a perfectly twisted knot at his neck. He still did not know what to do about his hair.
New life. New friends. New hair.
He left it down and didn’t even bother to dry it. It would be dry before breakfast ended. Only Granger was waiting for them in the common room.
“Ron went on ahead. He really needs to eat more and he was afraid of dragging you both to a couch if he saw you in private.” Granger looked Draco up and down. “I can see why. Merlin.”
Harry smiled and pulled her into a kiss.
“Why are you so happy?” she asked.
“Handjob in the shower.”
“Ah. Is that why Malfoy is depressed? Not enough time for him?”
“Would have, but he wanted to talk.”
Granger lifted an eyebrow at him.
Draco shrugged. “We didn’t have time anyway. I spoiled him.”
That made her smile. Draco had a feeling the other two spoiled Harry whenever they could. Granger had mentioned about him feeling like a third wheel all the time.
Draco let Harry hold his hand until almost halfway to breakfast. After, they walked close enough that their arms brushed, their fingers brushed, everything brushed and Draco hated that he would not let himself just throw an arm over his shoulder and let Harry tuck against him like he obviously wanted.
Not yet. It was too soon. It was way too soon to throw his entire life and reputation to the owls just for Harry’s green eyes and Weasley’s addicting mouth.
But it was tempting.
Noise faltered a little when they entered the Great Hall. Settling into their usual seats, Granger snorted. “First time they’ve been looking at you like they want to eat you instead of like they want to curse you, Draco.”
“I do not really blame them,” the Gryffindor Patil twin said and both of them leaned over to get a look at him. “I wasn’t really too keen on sharing a tower with the snake, but I can sure get used to this view.”
Draco felt heat rise up his neck and he looked down at his plate.
The girls laughed.
“You look smashing,” Finnigan said from his other side. “It is still mostly in a I want to smash your face in smashing, but Parvati is right. Not bad at all.”
“Actually,” Draco attempted to drawl, though his voice shook a little bit, “I’ve always been attractive, I’ve just been glamouring it down to keep everyone from falling over their robes for me.”
Weasley laughed.
Dean Thomas actually smiled at him. “That is such a lie. You’ve always paraded around school to show off like the poncey git you are.”
“Dean,” Harry said carefully.
Thomas held up his hands and smiled. “The truth.”
Draco did not like the way that Harry had tensed up and he said, “Yes, well, I was just trying to make the rest of you feel better about your own substandard looks whilst in my overflowing beautiful presence. I will start putting the glamour back on tomorrow.”
Dean Thomas wasn’t sure if he was going to laugh or growl. Some of the other eighth-years were glaring at him.
“Merlin, I’m kidding,” Draco said. “It’s really all in the clothes. My hair is starting to turn into Harry’s uncooperative mop. And, I’m too skinny.” He pointed his fork at Thomas. “You, on the other hand, are tall, strong, built almost too much like a demigod and have gorgeous eyes. I pale in comparison.” Draco smirked and looked at his skin, putting his hand next to Thomas’s darker hand. “In more ways than one.”
Harry suddenly grabbed his arm on the other side. “Okay, okay. You’re both gorgeous. Shut up.”
Was he jealous?
Draco looked over at him, at the frown on his lips and smiled. Yep. Jealous.
Thomas stared at him a moment and then huffed and went back to his food.
Harry stabbed at his food, his face glowering.
“Wow,” Draco said, lowering his voice. “Sorry. You can’t deny that Thomas isn’t fit, Harry. But it’s not the same and you know it.”
“What isn’t the same?” Granger asked.
Draco glanced over at her and then at Harry again. “Dean Thomas is fit but I have no desire to touch him or kiss him or --”
“Kiss me now,” Harry demanded, green eyes flaring up at him.
Draco’s eyes went wide. Granger said Harry’s name in admonishment.
“I can’t, Harry. You know I can’t.”
“No, I know you won’t.” Harry huffed and stood up, almost knocking Draco into his breakfast. He watched him stomp away.
“What the ever-loving fuck?” Draco said and looked over at Granger and Weasley. “What was that?”
“That was a very ...”
“Possessive,” Granger supplied.
Weasley nodded. “A very possessive Harry.”
“How exactly do I fix this?”
Granger smiled. “Let him cool down. He’ll be fine in a little bit. His emotions are two extremes. There or not there. He’s been like that since the bond.”
“Well, he was like that before, too.”
“True.”
Draco sighed and stabbed his fork into his eggs, feeling vindicated when the yoke popped and went everywhere.
“Don’t worry, Malfoy. We’ll see him at lunch and he’ll apologize. He always does and his snits never usually last long.”
“I’m going to tell him that you called them snits,” Weasley muttered.
Granger laughed. “Hurry up and eat. I don’t want to be late for Potions.”
Draco lifted his head in surprise. “You’re in Potions with me?”
Granger nodded. “I’m probably the only one in Gryffindor that’s good enough for the Advanced Class that we’re taking, but your skill far outpaces mine. Anthony, Michael, Terry, and Padmil are all in the class too.”
There were a few other seventh-years in the class as well, those showing more promise than usual with potions brewing, including to Draco’s amazement, Luna Lovegood. Crazy bint, but still pretty brilliant. He was sure all the seventh-year Ravenclaws were in the class, and he saw three seventh-year Slytherin students, Alastor Prince, Chester Stonewall, and Diamond McAlister, and two Hufflepuffs.
“Ah, Draco, so good to have another natural blond back at Hogwarts,” Lovegood said.
“There’s more than just the two of you,” Granger said patiently.
“No, no. Most of them are just under a fulvus enchantment, meant to think their hair is blond. You can tell the difference if you really look.”
Thankfully, Professor Slughorn entered the class and smiled at all of them, though his face sort of hardened for a moment when settling on Draco. Or he thought it did. Maybe that was his imagination.
“Welcome to Advanced Potions. I am so very glad there are so many of you in Hogwarts that are so proficient in Potions and now we can move beyond the simple Pepper Up potions and brew some real happiness.” He waved his wand at the board and a series of potions appeared. “These are the potions that we will be brewing this year. Today, I will be discussing each of them briefly and then-- Yes, Miss Granger.”
Draco had been busy writing down the potions and had not realized that Granger’s hand had gone up in the air.
“Yesterday, in our Defence class,” Her mouth opened for a moment and she smiled and continued, “our teacher said that Draco was going to brew some dark potions for his class. There aren’t any dark potions on the board.”
“I am sure your teacher was mistaken,” Professor Slughorn said with a frown in Draco’s direction.
“No, he said that,” Granger continued. “He said he talked to you about it and you agreed.”
“Well, we can’t have just one student doing different work than the rest of--”
“With all due respect, Professor, Draco could brew the potions on the board with his eyes closed.”
Draco felt heat in his face as the rest of the class stared at him for a moment, and then they all looked back at their professor.
“We will all be doing these potions, Miss Granger. The work that Mister Malfoy is or isn’t capable of is not of importance. He is here in school and he is signed up for Potions, so therefore--”
“It’s a bloody waste of his time and nothing more than you not liking him,” Granger continued.
“Twenty points from Gryffindor,” Professor Slughorn said, and glared at Draco, “and ten from Slytherin.”
“But Malfoy didn’t do anything,” Alastor Prince said.
“And you have spoken out of turn. Would anyone else like to lose points for their House?” Slughorn asked almost too sweetly. It reminded Draco of Umbridge and he felt a little sick.
Granger glared.
Draco continued writing down the potions as did all of the other students. After a slightly longer than necessary stare down, Professor Slughorn turned away and started talking about the Revive Potion. He hurried to take notes and noted that Granger did not. She was still sitting stiff on her stool, arms crossed.
Draco nudged her with his elbow. “You’re beautiful when you’re angry.”
She flushed and turned her glare to him, though it was half-hearted.
“Take notes,” he said with a smile. “You’ll regret it later if you don’t.”
It snapped her out of it and she grumbled under her breath. “He’ll regret it more, just wait, until I tell,” again her mouth could not say his name, “the Defence teacher and Professor McGonagall.”
“You don’t have to do this for me, you know.”
Granger glared at him. “Yes, I do because you can’t and everyone in this classroom knows that.”
It was very true. Draco had very little say in anything. He had so much power before the war to get what he wanted, but that was gone. He had to do his best and do it on his own merit, not the false power that his family name had held. What a joke that was now. He would be lucky if he managed to salvage even a quarter of their name, a quarter of their social prestige. If he was honest with himself, and he was slowly learning to be, he didn’t really want that anyway. His father had screwed over and intimidated too many people for that prestige. It hadn’t been earned through respect.
There were a total of twenty potions on the board and Draco noticed a discrepancy in the brewing schedule. He raised his hand.
Professor Slughorn ignored him.
Draco kept his hand in the air while Professor Slughorn talked about the delicacies in brewing an Invigoration Draught.
About ten minutes later, in front of them, Luna Lovegood raised her hand.
“Yes, Miss Lovegood?” he asked.
“I do believe that Draco Malfoy has a question,” she said, “though you may not be able to see his hand up in the air because of the snarklewroughts around his head at the moment.”
Professor Slughorn’s nostrils flared. “Yes, I am sorry, I did not see your hand up, Mister Malfoy. What is your question?”
“Ignus Protegro takes four months to brew properly. We will not have enough time to do it with the position it is at in the schedule.”
“You are mistaken.”
Draco swallowed and shook his head. “I am not mistaken. It takes four months to brew, precisely four full moon cycles and has to be--”
“Ten points from Slytherin.”
The other Slytherins glared first at Draco and then at the professor.
“As I was saying, even the smallest tremble in your hand while stirring this delicate potion can nullify its effects and make the taker fall into a deep depression--”
Granger elbowed him and showed him a corner of her parchment. Want to just take the Potions N.E.W.T. tomorrow and call it good?
It was tempting, but he wanted to learn. He did know most of the potions on the board, but not all of them.
He shook his head and turned back to taking notes.
---
“Of all the bloody wankers and their absolute disregard for fucking human decency. I fucking swear, Malfoy. I am about ready to just go right there and --”
“Granger, shut up,” Draco said on their way to lunch. “And watch your mouth, there are children present.”
Granger huffed. “No, I am not going to shut up. This isn’t fair and you know it. You could brew those potions with your eyes closed--”
“I have never had a potion explode and I don’t plan on making that happen by being stupid enough to brew a potion with my eyes closed.”
Granger sighed. “This is absolutely ridiculous. If I don’t make it back to lunch, I’ll see you in our Muggle Studies class.”
Draco made a face.
Granger chuckled. “It’s required of all students this year.”
“Don’t remind me. Where are you going?”
“To talk to,” she paused, stopping almost abruptly, “the Defence teacher. He hasn’t been coming to meals yet, so I’m sure he’s in the office.”
“It’s about me so I think I should come too.”
“No, go tell Ron and Harry. If both of us don’t show, they’ll tear the school apart looking for us.”
“That is way too vivid of an image for it to not be true.”
Granger bit her lip and then moved a little closer to him, out of the way of the students heading to the Great Hall for lunch. Most moved around them, casting sidelong glances at them. The older ones blatantly glared or grumbled.
“What?” Draco asked.
“You called me beautiful.”
Draco laughed. “Am I wrong?”
Granger crossed her arms and stared at him.
“It’s a Slytherin principle of tact and decorum to stay away from Gryffindors, but that didn’t keep most of us from wishing you’d actually been sorted into Ravenclaw so we could have a go at you.”
“That’s almost flattering.”
Draco snorted. “You’re smart enough for Ravenclaw.”
“I’m plenty angry and impulsive enough to be in Gryffindor.”
Draco chuckled. “Indeed. And brave. And loyal. And--”
“So how are your Slytherin principles dealing with you being with three Gryffindors?”
Draco made a face. “I constantly shut up their disgusted mutterings.”
“Malfoy.”
“I am kidding. Those ideals were a long time ago and I’m going to consider myself lucky to have all three of you.”
Granger smiled. “I have a break after lunch. I’ll gather up those books and notes and leave them on your bed for you.”
“Thank you.”
They had garnered a bit of attention while they talked and Draco did his best to ignore their stares, keep his head up and walk down to the Great Hall. At least the first and second years were a little afraid of him, scurrying out of his way. That made him feel a bit better.
Harry and Weasley were already at the table, tucking into their lunch with fervor.
“Where’s ‘Mione?” Harry asked.
“Sticking up for me again,” Draco said.
“Michael told us what happened in potions,” Weasley said, glowering. “Slughorn is a--”
“A what, Mister Weasley?” Professor McGonagall asked from behind him.
Weasley almost choked and managed to say, “Er. Um, a potions teacher.”
She smirked. “Nice save. The Quidditch team is going to miss having you at goalie.” She walked away.
The eighth-years laughed and Weasley glared at Harry, who was leaning hard against Draco and trying to breathe.
“Is ‘Mione talking to Slughorn?” Weasley asked.
“No. She’s talking to,” --and Draco could not say his name-- “the Defence teacher.”
“It’s so weird that we can’t say his name.”
Weasley nodded. “I can’t even say that he is my--” His mouth opened and no sound came out. “--Defence teacher. Or that he’s married to his work and has ambitions to be the Minister of Magic.” Weasley’s face warped with confusion at the stuff coming out of his mouth. “I mean, he used to work as a teacher at Hogwarts and now he’s a teacher at Hogwarts.”
Harry laughed. “You can’t even write any of it down. Those are some really strong charms on his classroom.”
Draco smiled and finally got around to eating the food on his plate.
“We have Charms next,” Harry said. “What are you doing, Ron? Don’t you have a free period?”
Weasley made a face. “I had a free period. McGonagall is making me take extra Transfiguration classes. I have to sit in with the fifth years today and tomorrow.”
“Tough luck, mate. But you really need the help.”
Books slammed on the desk and Granger sat next to Weasley with an angry huff. “I swear that man ... He refuses to acknowledge that he and the Defence teacher had talked about Draco brewing potions. I swear, I am just so angry ...”
Weasley threw his arm around her shoulders and kissed her cheek. “You’re such a good friend, ‘Mione.”
“Don’t placate me right now, Ronald. I am angry.”
“At least she isn’t mad at you,” Harry said.
“Thank Merlin.”
Which earned him an elbow to his side. He smiled and kissed her cheek again.
“Are you mad at me still?” Draco whispered to Harry.
Harry sighed. “No. I overreacted. Sorry.”
“You know that no matter what I think, I’m not going to go crawl into Thomas’s bed, right? Or anyone else’s for that matter.”
“Yeah. I know.”
“Just yours. Or well, you’ll crawl into mine, like this morning.”
“Harry,” Granger said. “What? You aren’t supposed to be pressuring him.”
“Oops,” Draco said. “Was that supposed to be a secret?”
Harry ducked his head. “I needed it,” he whispered. “I had a nightmare that he was dead, and the only way to prove that he wasn’t was to lay against him and listen to his heart beat.”
Granger face softened and she touched Harry’s hand. So did Ron.
“I don’t want to pressure Draco, you know I don’t, but the nightmares are increasing. I have them almost every night unless I’m tired out first.” He said tired out with a slow sort of smirk that had Draco wishing his robes were closed.
“It’s too soon,” Granger said.
“I know, but ... it’s only September. I do not want nightmares until Christmas.”
Draco shut his eyes and inhaled, trying to gather up the courage to ... do something drastic. Like Kiss Harry In The Great Hall drastic.
But he couldn’t. He just could not do that yet. He did not know how to reassure him. He was only able to scoot just a little closer to him on the bench until they were almost pressed together.
“I’m giving Draco all my notes and books on the subject and he’s going to read up on it,” Granger said.
“In the meantime, I can always come by and help tire you out,” Weasley offered.
“Help?”
“Yes, help. You do have a pretty dashing and shaggable roommate.”
Draco blushed at the unexpected compliment.
Unfortunately, Weasley said that loud enough that Finnigan and Hannah Abbot heard.
“Wait, what?” Hannah said.
“Harry and Malfoy are fucking?” Finnigan demanded, drawing more attention from the other eight-years that leaned over the table to look at them.
“No,” Draco said immediately. Because well, technically they hadn’t yet. “Ron’s just taking the piss, shut up.”
“Ron?” Finnigan said, an eyebrow raised.
“Yes, Ron. That is his name.”
Finnigan looked between the four of them and shook his head. “Still don’t know why you are being nice to the Slytherin Ferret, but whatever.”
Draco had to bite his lip hard against a curse about Muggle-borns and it was very very hard. Finnigan was such an arse to him. Always had been despite his cheery attitude to everyone else. Then again, Draco had been just as much of an arse to him in return. Probably more so. Definitely more so. Since the prat was Irish and all.
“Let’s get out of here,” Weasley said and then said lower, “before I start throwing flame at people.”
He kissed Hermione soundly on the lips before standing. Harry stood up to follow and Draco did a bit more slowly.
“Thank you,” Draco said to her. “Thank you for helping me.”
Granger grinned. “I can imagine that soon you’ll be helping me too, so we’ll be even, Draco.”
And if that wasn’t just the dirtiest, sexiest look Draco had ever gotten from a woman in his life. He made a bit of a show of closing his robes, and Granger’s laughter followed him toward the door.
---
Charms was a lot of fun. Draco had always loved the joy of Charms, just the way that Charms made magic useful. There were Dark Charms, just like all of the seven types of magic, but Charms was the basis for everyday work and life.
Plus having Harry there to fling pillows at and shower with sparkles could be nothing but fun.
With the high still in his body, Draco almost didn’t mind that he was being forced to take Muggle Studies. Though, it was probably super boring for Harry and Hermione and the others that actually grew up as Muggles.
And he only grumbled a little bit when Professor Dangerfield assigned them all a two-foot essay on how to integrate and talk to Muggles. It was a personal essay, and Draco was tempted to just write “Stay away from them” for two feet.
“Harry is willing to suck my cock so I’ll do his Herbology homework,” Draco said. “Anything I can offer you to do this Muggle bullshite for me?”
Granger lifted an eyebrow at him and said, “No. Watch your language around the children. And you and I should really get a nap in if possible, for Advanced Astronomy.”
“You signed up for Advanced Astronomy?”
Granger nodded. “I feel like it will help me understand potions and arithmancy much better.”
“And I can’t,” Draco said. “I have to finish my Herbology assignment today.”
“And mine,” Harry asked with an obscene dick-sucking gesture.
Draco smiled. “Maybe.”
---
Draco had just enough time to finish his Herbology homework and his Arithmancy work before Astronomy. Luckily, Professor Flitwick wasn’t a complete arse and had not assigned them any Charms homework. He wanted to get started on his Potions assignment--Slughorn had demanded that they write a three-foot essay on how the potions they planned to brew in the class were going to be used in their chosen career--but Granger was right and he could do this shite with his eyes closed.
Granger had put all those books and journals on his bed and it had taken a lot of self-control not to shrug off his homework and just read those instead. He was interested in the research, the knowledge, and the procedure of the bond they had created. But that was not all.
For the first time in his life, Draco actually felt like he could belong to something special. Something ... complete. He gripped his forearm as he stared at the books. The Dark Mark had faded, not completely, but it was still there, glaring against his skin. It had symbolized something then: power, control, but also a group to belong to. A group with ideals that he had believed in. Past tense. Now it just symbolized all the barmy choices he’d made in following his father to serve a madman.
Draco had thought more than once about getting something tattooed over it.
Maybe something showing the elements. Maybe. If this was real.
It all still felt too good to be true. He kept waiting to wake up.
Fingers slid over his arm and pried his own fingers off where the Dark Mark lay hidden under his shirt. Draco easily let himself be moved until Harry was in front of him, and then with his arms around him. Draco hugged him tightly, head resting against Harry’s soft mop of hair, and they stood there for a few short minutes of silence.
“We were young and stupid, with ideals and beliefs that were not our own, fighting a war that was not ours for a future we now have to live,” Harry said. “No one that matters blames you for the choices you made.”
“I do.”
Harry hummed against his shoulder. “Hermione’s waiting for you to get up to class.”
Harry turned his head up and Draco did not hesitate to kiss him, just for a moment.
“She probably should have come up herself,” Draco said. “I always get distracted with you.”
“She thought about it, but she’s almost as crazy about you as I am. She’s been having a really hard time keeping herself under control around you.”
Draco thought back to the day before about their talk, Granger hadn’t done anything to show that she was being affected the same way Harry and Weasley were besides a few kisses. But that was the not the same as Harry constantly wanting to touch him and Weasley constantly undressing him with his eyes. He looked at Harry with disbelief in his eyes.
“There’s a difference between mental and emotional attraction and physical attraction, and a elemental bond trying to complete itself by getting you naked attraction. She’s fighting with the last one. Part of her hates that she wants to climb onto your dick and never get off.”
“What about you?”
Harry smiled. “I do not hate that at all. Go, you’ll be late.” Harry released him and headed into the bathroom.
Draco ran his hands over his face and took a deep breath of courage. He wondered how difficult it would be if there was part of his magical core that was trying to drag him into Granger’s bed. He didn’t necessarily mind being there, or having her there, but at the same time, he understood. He’d been a right little arsehole to her and no amount of Elemental Bonds could change that. But he’d try. He was trying.
He left the room and smiled. Granger was in the middle of the common room, staring up at his door, hands on her hips and tapping her foot in irritation.
“Finally. We only have a few minutes.”
“Granger, we live in the Astronomy Tower. It’s going to take maybe a minute to get up there.”
She huffed and spun around in a flurry of hair. He caught up with her at the portrait hole. Instead of going right to head down, they went left to head up. Draco made sure they were alone on their section of the spiral staircase and then reached out and took Granger’s hand. Startled, she jumped, but she did not try to pull away, a small smile on her face.
Progress. Draco smiled too.
They both let go near the top of the tower.
Draco sort of froze and Granger turned, a questioning look on her face.
“I ... I haven’t been up there since ... Dumbledore. I ... I ... ”
Granger nodded in understanding and then took his hand again. “I’ll be right next to you.”
“I should have ... I should have ... done more, done ... told someone sooner. I just ...” He couldn’t breathe suddenly.
“Yes, probably. But you didn’t and here we are. You can’t change the past, Draco. But you can learn from it and help make the future better. That’s what you’re doing. Breathe, it’s okay. Take a deep breath.”
Draco tried to listen to her. It was hard to take the few steps to the tower. It was hard to breathe as he stared at the location of most of his nightmares. He had not wanted to kill Dumbledore. He knew that he could not.
Granger pulled him toward the wall, behind all the other students gathering and waiting for Professor Sinistra.
“Harry was here,” she said. “He was Petrified and under the Invisibility Cloak. He saw everything, including when you lowered your wand. He knew you weren’t going to do it. He knew that you wanted to get out.”
Draco knew that. Harry had said the exact same thing at his trial. But he still should have tried to find a way out sooner.
Granger did not let go of his hand, even when the professor showed up and started class. He tilted his head back to look up at the stars, a wash of light on the dark sky. Almost like the light at the end of a wand that was waved in a dark room.
Granger whispered, “This spot holds demons for you and Harry both, but this is my favorite place in the school.”
“Not the library?”
She shook her head. “I like being here, being reminded that I’m just a small person in a speck of the universe. And reminded that while my choices may not change the way the stars move, my choices can change the way I move and the way those around me move. We are not alone in this world or in this fight to recover. That’s why I help you, why I stand up for you, because if I allow even one person to discriminate against you, then that doesn’t make me any better than the Death Eater shouting for blood purity.”
Draco thought about that. He agreed with that. But sometimes, he did not not know his place in the movement of others. Where did he belong?
Granger leaned her head against his shoulder as they listened to the professor talk about their assignments and how this class would connect to their Potions, Arithmancy, and even their Herbology course. He let go of her hand and put his arm around her shoulder instead. Daring, with so many students that could catch them, but Granger did not try to get away from him. She put her arms around his waist, under his open robes, sliding her hands along the silk shirt.
“At least, the Elemental Bond picked someone who is bloody gorgeous,” she whispered. “Can you imagine if our Ventus was Filch?”
Draco shuddered in horror. “There are things scarier than the Dark Lord. I had no idea.”
Granger muffled her laughter on his chest.
They stood like that until they needed to go to telescopes. Draco loved Astronomy. There was a tower at the Manor where he spent probably too many nights in all sorts of temperatures just to study the stars.
After class, Granger half-grumbled and half-yawned on their way back to their common room.
“What?” Draco asked.
“You’re better at this than I am, and better at Potions, and Ancient Runes, and Arithmancy. And I hate that.”
“Well, you’re better than me at Charms and Transfiguration and probably Herbology. Definitely better at Muggle Studies. I’d say we’re about even with Arithmancy and Ancient Runes. I was reprimanded often for letting some Mud--” He stopped and cleared his throat. “I mean, some Muggle-born beat me as the best in class. Now, I have the opportunity to learn from you instead of compete with you.”
She smiled at him, slow and devious. “It’s still a competition, Malfoy. Second place is always the first loser.”
Draco laughed.
They followed the few other eighth-years into their common room and then said goodnight. Draco had wanted to kiss her. Under the stars would have been even better, but there were too many people around. They settled for a quick hug.
In his room, Draco once again got ready for bed under the green glow of Harry’s light. The letter to his mother lay unfinished on the desk. He sat down to finish it, explaining the problems with Potions and the solution (he could not write “Bill Weasley” at all). He added his doubts and troubles with being on the Astronomy Tower again, but also added how Hermione had helped him.
He stared at the paper. At how he’d actually written “Hermione” and not Granger.
Bollucks.
I’m in deep, Mother. Emotionally invested in the Golden Trio and their friendship. What should I do if it all goes away?
He signed the letter with his normal flourish. Yawning, he stood up to go to bed. But he paused, staring at Harry, sleeping starkers again, and at the way the green light glowed on his skin. It was the most calming feeling, and he felt pulled to it.
Sod it all.
Draco followed the the pull and he slipped into bed with Harry, smiling when Harry curled up against him.
Part 6: Broomsticks and Snakes
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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