Defence, Pretence, Offence - Chapter 30 - Responsibilities (Harry/Draco, NC17)
I'm going to have only sporadic internet access for the next two weeks, so I made an executive decision not to leave you all hanging until I get back. Today I will be posting this chapter and six more to tide you over. :) Happy reading.
Title: Defence, Pretence, Offence - Chapter 30/70 - Responsibilities
Author: Beren (aka Tasha)
Pairing: Harry/Draco
Rating: NC-17
Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.
Warnings: This story is canon compliant until the end of Order of the Phoenix and then goes AU. None of the HBP or Deathly Hallows plot will be used, or the Horcruxes for that matter since this story was planned before we knew the details about those things, and hence has it's own fanon. This includes birthdays and other information that have since been revealed on Pottermore and in further productions.
Summary: The threat of open war in on the horizon. The Order and the Ministry are of one accord and both know that where Harry Potter is, Voldemort will eventually be. Preparations are being made and this time the side of the light will not be caught unawares.
Summer classes, sabotage, revelations about Draco's father, teaching and the final showdown with Voldemort all await Harry and Draco in this exciting sequel to Gold Tinted Spectacles ( LJ | AO3 | Wattpad).
Author's Notes: This is the second story in the Hecatemae universe. It starts up just after the end of the first instalment and I advice reading that one first so you understand the premise. Thanks go to my sister Sophie for the beta reading.
It has taken me 12 years to finally get around to finishing this, I very much hope everyone enjoys it.
Link to other parts: LJ | DW | AO3 | Wattpad
New chapters will be posted every Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
Dinner after the en masse trip to Diagon Alley had been a civilised affair around the Weasleys' dining table, and Draco had produced some very nice wine that he had picked up while shopping. It was the last evening before everyone was back off to Hogwarts, so it was something of a send-off. It was after dinner that the firewhiskey and wizards ale had come out, and even Molly was looking a little on the merry side by ten o'clock.
The only one who was sober was Harry, and that was because he had had one glass of wine and then refused anything else. Draco was in no way falling down drunk, but it was difficult to miss the buzz coming from him paired with the slightly less than perfect poise he normally had.
At about five past ten, Harry nipped up the stairs to use the loo in the upstairs bathroom. A few minutes after that he opened the door and found Draco leaning on the wall outside with a predatory smile on his face.
"They're busy downstairs doing family things," Draco said while pushing himself away from the paintwork in a surprisingly graceful manner, "I thought we could use this to our advantage."
Staying with the Weasleys was fun and restful in a frenetic family kind of way, but there was very little chance for personal time. Silencing charms did not seem to work well in Percy's room, and after a quick word with Ron, Harry had found out this was something to do with an experiment of the Twins' and eavesdropping on their brother.
This meant that, for their entire stay, if either of them breathed loudly someone had been likely to hear. Since Harry did not feel like broadcasting his love life to his surrogate family, he and Draco had not had sex since they set foot in the house. That was a record for them, barring time spent unconscious.
Given how his libido was these days, Harry did not argue as Draco pushed him back into the bathroom and closed the door behind them. It seemed that alcohol made Draco horny, if the waves of unadulterated lust coming off the Slytherin were anything to go by. Harry found himself grinning like a loon at the prospect of hot and heavy sex with his slightly inebriated lover.
Now the Weasleys' bathroom was not overly large, so when Harry stepped back as Draco kissed him, his knees hit the bath tub.
"Oh bugger," he said as he began to lose his balance.
Luckily for him, Draco might have been a little merry, but he also had the reflexes of a cat. The feel of Draco magic surrounded him as Draco went for his wand and, by the time Harry landed, the bath had a very soft cushioning charm, which deflated like a balloon and lowered him into the tub. He was, however, in a rather compromising position.
"Oh," Draco said, grinning a very wicked grin, "now I've got you."
Given that his legs were hanging over the side of the bath and he couldn't move, Harry had to agree.
"I've been so very good haven't I, Harry?" Draco said, licking his lips. "I only hexed one of them, and that was totally justified. Don't you think I deserve a treat?"
"Definitely," he agreed. "Why don't you come here so I can give it to you?"
Draco threw a locking charm absently over his shoulder before putting his wand down on the sink, all under Harry's watchful gaze. Harry wasn't quite sure what was coming, but he didn't really mind what it was. When Draco released the fastenings on his trousers and climbed into the tub over Harry, Harry got the idea.
"Oh," he said with a grin, "mine to play with?"
"If you play nice," Draco replied.
"Always," Harry replied, "unless you ask nicely."
Lifting his arms, he put his hands on Draco's waist and helped him lower himself down until he was resting against Harry's legs. The fact that Draco was already hard was more than obvious from quite so close. It wasn't the most comfortable position in the world, but, with the cushioning charm and what was on offer, Harry didn't overly care.
Harry was nothing if not resourceful and he pulled Draco's trousers down a little as his lover wiggled to help. The view was tantalising. With a little more manoeuvring he quickly had Draco's erection free from the confines of annoying cloth. However, there really was no room for his arms to be any more useful than that.
There really was only one thing for it. Leaning his head forward, he sucked the head of Draco's cock into his mouth and employed his tongue.
"Merlin's balls," Draco said, voice strangled in the way of someone trying not to be too loud.
[I'm far more interested in yours,] Harry replied and sent his soulmate a mental image of what he would have been doing with them had they been within reach.
Draco moaned in a most gratifying manner and pleasure sparked between them. It lit up Harry's nerves like little prickles of lightning as Draco failed to hold anything back. He hummed his enjoyment, which only increased the experience for both of them.
In the back of his mind he realised they probably didn't have a whole lot of time. There was a house full of people and someone was bound to want to use the bathroom sooner or later, so he set about giving Draco his reward with supreme focus.
By now he knew exactly what Draco liked. He was lacking finesse given the position he was in, but, with his hands supporting his soulmate, he did his best to drive Draco to distraction. He sucked, he licked, he bobbed his head and Draco responded to every move.
At times Harry had to concentrate hard to keep his mind on what he was doing, because Draco was reflecting everything back at him without reservation. Draco's fingers wound into his hair, pulling just enough to be exciting.
"Harry," Draco moaned quietly.
Draco was so close, it was more than obvious because Harry was teetering on the edge as well. As soon as Draco went, Harry knew he would as well. This was more about mutual gratification than anything else now. Using Quidditch trained muscles, Harry lifted himself up just a little and gave himself enough leverage to take in as much of Draco's cock as he could get to and sucked hard.
"Nghhrrr."
One of Draco's hands disappeared from his hair and he had the distinct impression of teeth digging into flesh before Draco's orgasm hit him like a tsunami. He swallowed, pulled back and gasped his way through his own shuddering completion as most motor power failed him.
There were many wonderful things to be said for a mutual orgasm, but it being good for higher brain function was not one of them. The way the pleasure bounced back and forth between them made him shake to his very core. It was, quite frankly, amazing.
[Harry, talk to me,] Draco seemed to have regained his wits first.
[Give me a sec,] he replied, but did open one eye to peer up at his soulmate.
Draco gave him a very pleased smile. It was then Harry realised Draco's clothes looked a lot more mussed than he remembered. He didn't really recall his hands doing a great deal, but apparently they had been busy while his brain was otherwise occupied. The only way to describe Draco was debauched. Not that his soulmate seemed to mind.
[Do I look as bad as you?] he asked and grinned.
[Yep.]
Harry would have laughed, but just about then Draco's cushioning charm failed and he discovered there was a plug loose in the bath and it was sticking in rather delicate places. Extracting himself from the tub, although he was rather enjoying how close he and Draco were, was becoming something of a priority for Harry. When he heard a noise outside on the landing it became even more urgent. As the handle on the door moved, he shook Draco's shoulder and pointed.
"Harry, is that you in there?" Arthur's voice sounded through the door. "Molly noticed you were gone; is everything all right?"
"Yeah, fine," Harry called back as Draco climbed off him and then helped him out of the bath, "won't be a minute."
From the slightly panicked feelings coming from his soulmate, Harry decided that Draco was probably completely sober by now. It was the Slytherin who found his wand first as well and cast a couple of mild cleaning charms while Harry sorted out their clothes. As it turned out, scrabbling to rearrange semi-formal attire without making too much obvious noise was quite difficult and there was at least one grunt from Draco as they bumped into each other.
"Are you sure?" Arthur asked, and Harry was not clear if it was concern or amusement he could hear in Ron's dad's voice. "Nothing disagreed with you did it?"
"No, everything's fine," Harry replied while praying that he did not look quite as debauched as Draco did, even with clothes back in place.
[Give it up, love,] Draco said silently, as Harry tried to straighten his shirt for the fifth time, [we have been caught red handed.]
An amused grin was forcing its way onto Draco's face and eventually Harry slumped against the wash basin in defeat. This was going to be so embarrassing, but he had to smile. With a resigned grin he reached for the lock and opened the door to find Arthur standing there looking totally innocent.
"Sorry for taking up the bathroom, Mr Weasley," Harry said, trying not to go too red.
"That's alright, Harry, Draco," Ron's dad replied, the mirth clear in his eyes.
They inched past the man and were almost to the stairs before Arthur finished his comment: "I was young once too."
* * *
Draco watched the effect seeing Harry Potter on the platform was having on the parents and children arriving for the train to Hogwarts. It was quite amazing how Harry changed things without even realising it. All the new assistant staff, in their new black robes, had taken up positions at the far end of the platform, next to the train, and sooner or later, usually sooner as far as Draco could tell, all eyes ended up on Harry.
In most cases some of the worry fell off the faces of the adults and many seemed to stand a little straighter as well. Even some of the Slytherin parents appeared relieved when they saw the retinue of ex-students there to guard their children. Draco knew for a fact some were Death Eaters, but he was beginning to suspect not all of the Dark Lord's followers were as faithful to their master as they once had been. The ripples of Lucius' failure to destroy Harry Potter were yet to settle.
Since he was in Harry's head, Draco knew his soulmate was far from oblivious, but Harry was doing a very good job of pretending not to notice the attention. Harry was keeping an eye on everyone as they arrived, checking for dark magic with his Hecatemus abilities, and it helped to keep him occupied.
Draco was not fond of the stares, but he was nowhere near as uncomfortable as Harry usually was. All it took was one look from him and most eyes moved off of his person, but Harry had yet to master that particular expression, no matter how Draco tried to teach him. Harry's last comment about it had been: "If I manage a stare like that The Prophet will be printing that I'm the next Dark Lord before the day's out. You're scary enough for both of us, Love."
At that point Draco had given up. He knew which battles to fight and when.
"Smile Harry," came from the right and Harry turned just in time for a flash bulb to go off.
"Creevey," Draco said in a very dangerous tone.
Of course it was their resident photographer, now in his final year. At this rate he wasn't going to make it to his first day if Draco had anything to do with it.
"The Prophet will want a picture," Creevey said, as unrepentant as usual; "if I don't provide them they'll do something stupid like sending in their own photographer."
"That's true," Harry said and Draco gave his soulmate a glare.
"Don't encourage him," Draco said, but Harry grinned since Draco had said it out loud.
"I do always get your good side," Creevey added, pushing his luck.
"Be very, very glad you don't see my bad side," Draco replied and gave the younger boy his most unsettling smile.
"God, you're too good at that," Creevey said with a mock shudder; "I almost believe you're still the bastard who hexed me when I was thirteen."
"Oh I am," Draco said, "I just hide it better most of the time."
Unfortunately that just made Creevey laugh.
"Please let me hex him," Draco begged Harry in a whining tone.
"Maybe later," his soulmate said.
* * *
They all maintained their positions on the platform until nearly all the pupils had boarded the train. Only then did they all come together as a group.
"Are we ready for this?" Pansy asked with a resigned tone.
"Sitting with ickle firsties might be fun," Seamus said with a laugh.
"We already told you, you are not allowed to convince any of them there is a spell to turn water into rum," Hermione said and the eye-roll was implied.
"Now there's me fun gone to pot," Seamus complained, but his oft-present smile was still firmly in place.
"You're already embarrassing us with that eye," Michael Corner complained.
At some time over the short time they had all been away from Hogwarts, Seamus had somehow managed to gain a black eye. Since this was Seamus the Gryffindors had barely noticed, but some of the other ex-seventh years didn't like it much.
"I told you, I was defending a damsel from a dragon," Seamus replied without hesitation.
"I thought it was your mother from a ghoul?" Susan Bones said.
"Was it?" Seamus said. "Well I'm such a heroic type sometimes I forget."
Draco laughed, he couldn't help liking Seamus, even against his better judgement. If he hadn't known there was a brain in the other boy's head he never would have guessed.
"Come on," he said, before anyone could challenge for a straight answer, "we need to board. Remember, we're Hogwarts representatives now, and we're here to keep everyone calm."
The whole group nodded then and he knew no one would let the side down.
* * *
The Hogwarts express was a ridiculously long train, but there were plenty of them to go around, so they spread out.
"God I love you in that robe," Draco said as they walked down the train. "Dumbledore knew what he was doing when he ordered them."
Harry looked back from where he had taken the lead. Draco could see the cogs twirling in Harry's mind.
[So that's why you let me on the train first,] he said, [I'm being ogled.]
"I don't really think Dumbledore was taking your kinks into account when he had them designed," is what Harry said out loud.
"Never be too sure with the old man," Draco replied, "never be too sure."
Harry flattened himself against the side of the train to let some excited-looking first years past. Draco put his arm out to make sure the group didn't come into contact with Harry too much. He might have been ogling, but he still took protecting Harry very seriously. Harry sent him the most endearing look of thanks.
"That's it," Draco said, "I can't resist anymore."
Then he was stepping into the space the first years left and moved in to give Harry a very sound kiss. He was pretty sure that given the way Harry's brain was directly wired to his hormones when it came to him these days, his soulmate wouldn't even consider doing anything but kissing back. He was right.
Draco didn't let the kiss last long, nothing indecent, but it was passionate enough that he felt the blood beginning to leave his brain for parts further south. Harry beamed at him when he pulled back.
"What was that for?" Harry asked, even as his eyes flicked to the audience they had gained in the corridor.
"To get me through this wretched train journey," Draco said, but he put no heat behind his words.
"Okay," Harry simply agreed.
Draco couldn't help thinking he might have just given away that his joking around about the robes was less of a joke and more of a fact.
He needed to take charge before Harry got it into his head to tease him. Draco set off again, this time in the lead. They found a carriage that still had two seats available relatively quickly and opened the door. Inside there was three third years, two Ravenclaws and a Hufflepuff, and two lost-looking first years. All eyes turned to them as they leant in.
"Mind if we join you?" Harry asked with a smile.
They had mutually agreed Harry would do the initial talking since he was less intimidating than Draco. It was just an obvious fact that Draco didn't mind in the slightest. He enjoyed watching the effect Harry had on people just by being Harry.
"Of ... of course not," the Hufflepuff managed to stammer out as the rest of the carriage gawped at them.
"Thanks," Harry said and pulled Draco in to sit in two of the three vacant seats. "I'm Harry and this is Draco," as if everyone didn't already know, "well unless we're taking lessons, then it's Professor Potter and Professor Malfoy, which sounds so weird. I'm sorry, I've seen you three around, but I am hopeless with names."
"I'm Mal," the Hufflepuff said, "and this is Jack and Laura."
"Aren't you the Hufflepuff reserve Seeker?" Harry asked as if the three weren't still staring at him as if he had two heads.
Mal nodded.
"Well reserve, reserve," the boy corrected.
"You had some nice moves in that friendly against us last year," Harry told him.
That caused even more of a goldfish impression for a few moments. Clearly the great Harry Potter giving out complements about Quidditch was not something the third year expected.
"Not really hard against your rabble," Draco decided to step in before it got any worse and complete awe broke out.
Of course Harry laughed, just as Draco had expected.
"We still beat your lot," he said.
"I still claim the ref was blind in that last match," Draco played along.
"I'll tell Madam Hooch that next time I see her," Harry said, "and we'll see how comfortable you are in the staff room after that."
"I have evidence!"
Their audience was beginning to look perplexed.
"Aren't you two supposed to agree about everything?"
It was one of the first years who finally found the courage to speak. At which point Harry almost fell off his chair laughing. Draco rolled his eyes and gave a very dramatic sigh.
"What my oh so embarrassing soulmate it trying to say," Draco said as Harry continued to laugh, he was almost crying, "is that we wouldn't be much good to each other if we just blindly agreed with whatever the other said. I believe what you're thinking of is that we always support each other, even if we don't agree."
The first year made a little 'o' with her mouth and then nodded. At least she was looking less star struck now. It was probably going to take a while, but Draco was sure they could get everyone talking by at least Yorkshire.
This entry was originally posted at http://beren-writes.dreamwidth.org/380793.html.
Title: Defence, Pretence, Offence - Chapter 30/70 - Responsibilities
Author: Beren (aka Tasha)
Pairing: Harry/Draco
Rating: NC-17
Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.
Warnings: This story is canon compliant until the end of Order of the Phoenix and then goes AU. None of the HBP or Deathly Hallows plot will be used, or the Horcruxes for that matter since this story was planned before we knew the details about those things, and hence has it's own fanon. This includes birthdays and other information that have since been revealed on Pottermore and in further productions.
Summary: The threat of open war in on the horizon. The Order and the Ministry are of one accord and both know that where Harry Potter is, Voldemort will eventually be. Preparations are being made and this time the side of the light will not be caught unawares.
Summer classes, sabotage, revelations about Draco's father, teaching and the final showdown with Voldemort all await Harry and Draco in this exciting sequel to Gold Tinted Spectacles ( LJ | AO3 | Wattpad).
Author's Notes: This is the second story in the Hecatemae universe. It starts up just after the end of the first instalment and I advice reading that one first so you understand the premise. Thanks go to my sister Sophie for the beta reading.
It has taken me 12 years to finally get around to finishing this, I very much hope everyone enjoys it.
Link to other parts: LJ | DW | AO3 | Wattpad
New chapters will be posted every Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
Dinner after the en masse trip to Diagon Alley had been a civilised affair around the Weasleys' dining table, and Draco had produced some very nice wine that he had picked up while shopping. It was the last evening before everyone was back off to Hogwarts, so it was something of a send-off. It was after dinner that the firewhiskey and wizards ale had come out, and even Molly was looking a little on the merry side by ten o'clock.
The only one who was sober was Harry, and that was because he had had one glass of wine and then refused anything else. Draco was in no way falling down drunk, but it was difficult to miss the buzz coming from him paired with the slightly less than perfect poise he normally had.
At about five past ten, Harry nipped up the stairs to use the loo in the upstairs bathroom. A few minutes after that he opened the door and found Draco leaning on the wall outside with a predatory smile on his face.
"They're busy downstairs doing family things," Draco said while pushing himself away from the paintwork in a surprisingly graceful manner, "I thought we could use this to our advantage."
Staying with the Weasleys was fun and restful in a frenetic family kind of way, but there was very little chance for personal time. Silencing charms did not seem to work well in Percy's room, and after a quick word with Ron, Harry had found out this was something to do with an experiment of the Twins' and eavesdropping on their brother.
This meant that, for their entire stay, if either of them breathed loudly someone had been likely to hear. Since Harry did not feel like broadcasting his love life to his surrogate family, he and Draco had not had sex since they set foot in the house. That was a record for them, barring time spent unconscious.
Given how his libido was these days, Harry did not argue as Draco pushed him back into the bathroom and closed the door behind them. It seemed that alcohol made Draco horny, if the waves of unadulterated lust coming off the Slytherin were anything to go by. Harry found himself grinning like a loon at the prospect of hot and heavy sex with his slightly inebriated lover.
Now the Weasleys' bathroom was not overly large, so when Harry stepped back as Draco kissed him, his knees hit the bath tub.
"Oh bugger," he said as he began to lose his balance.
Luckily for him, Draco might have been a little merry, but he also had the reflexes of a cat. The feel of Draco magic surrounded him as Draco went for his wand and, by the time Harry landed, the bath had a very soft cushioning charm, which deflated like a balloon and lowered him into the tub. He was, however, in a rather compromising position.
"Oh," Draco said, grinning a very wicked grin, "now I've got you."
Given that his legs were hanging over the side of the bath and he couldn't move, Harry had to agree.
"I've been so very good haven't I, Harry?" Draco said, licking his lips. "I only hexed one of them, and that was totally justified. Don't you think I deserve a treat?"
"Definitely," he agreed. "Why don't you come here so I can give it to you?"
Draco threw a locking charm absently over his shoulder before putting his wand down on the sink, all under Harry's watchful gaze. Harry wasn't quite sure what was coming, but he didn't really mind what it was. When Draco released the fastenings on his trousers and climbed into the tub over Harry, Harry got the idea.
"Oh," he said with a grin, "mine to play with?"
"If you play nice," Draco replied.
"Always," Harry replied, "unless you ask nicely."
Lifting his arms, he put his hands on Draco's waist and helped him lower himself down until he was resting against Harry's legs. The fact that Draco was already hard was more than obvious from quite so close. It wasn't the most comfortable position in the world, but, with the cushioning charm and what was on offer, Harry didn't overly care.
Harry was nothing if not resourceful and he pulled Draco's trousers down a little as his lover wiggled to help. The view was tantalising. With a little more manoeuvring he quickly had Draco's erection free from the confines of annoying cloth. However, there really was no room for his arms to be any more useful than that.
There really was only one thing for it. Leaning his head forward, he sucked the head of Draco's cock into his mouth and employed his tongue.
"Merlin's balls," Draco said, voice strangled in the way of someone trying not to be too loud.
[I'm far more interested in yours,] Harry replied and sent his soulmate a mental image of what he would have been doing with them had they been within reach.
Draco moaned in a most gratifying manner and pleasure sparked between them. It lit up Harry's nerves like little prickles of lightning as Draco failed to hold anything back. He hummed his enjoyment, which only increased the experience for both of them.
In the back of his mind he realised they probably didn't have a whole lot of time. There was a house full of people and someone was bound to want to use the bathroom sooner or later, so he set about giving Draco his reward with supreme focus.
By now he knew exactly what Draco liked. He was lacking finesse given the position he was in, but, with his hands supporting his soulmate, he did his best to drive Draco to distraction. He sucked, he licked, he bobbed his head and Draco responded to every move.
At times Harry had to concentrate hard to keep his mind on what he was doing, because Draco was reflecting everything back at him without reservation. Draco's fingers wound into his hair, pulling just enough to be exciting.
"Harry," Draco moaned quietly.
Draco was so close, it was more than obvious because Harry was teetering on the edge as well. As soon as Draco went, Harry knew he would as well. This was more about mutual gratification than anything else now. Using Quidditch trained muscles, Harry lifted himself up just a little and gave himself enough leverage to take in as much of Draco's cock as he could get to and sucked hard.
"Nghhrrr."
One of Draco's hands disappeared from his hair and he had the distinct impression of teeth digging into flesh before Draco's orgasm hit him like a tsunami. He swallowed, pulled back and gasped his way through his own shuddering completion as most motor power failed him.
There were many wonderful things to be said for a mutual orgasm, but it being good for higher brain function was not one of them. The way the pleasure bounced back and forth between them made him shake to his very core. It was, quite frankly, amazing.
[Harry, talk to me,] Draco seemed to have regained his wits first.
[Give me a sec,] he replied, but did open one eye to peer up at his soulmate.
Draco gave him a very pleased smile. It was then Harry realised Draco's clothes looked a lot more mussed than he remembered. He didn't really recall his hands doing a great deal, but apparently they had been busy while his brain was otherwise occupied. The only way to describe Draco was debauched. Not that his soulmate seemed to mind.
[Do I look as bad as you?] he asked and grinned.
[Yep.]
Harry would have laughed, but just about then Draco's cushioning charm failed and he discovered there was a plug loose in the bath and it was sticking in rather delicate places. Extracting himself from the tub, although he was rather enjoying how close he and Draco were, was becoming something of a priority for Harry. When he heard a noise outside on the landing it became even more urgent. As the handle on the door moved, he shook Draco's shoulder and pointed.
"Harry, is that you in there?" Arthur's voice sounded through the door. "Molly noticed you were gone; is everything all right?"
"Yeah, fine," Harry called back as Draco climbed off him and then helped him out of the bath, "won't be a minute."
From the slightly panicked feelings coming from his soulmate, Harry decided that Draco was probably completely sober by now. It was the Slytherin who found his wand first as well and cast a couple of mild cleaning charms while Harry sorted out their clothes. As it turned out, scrabbling to rearrange semi-formal attire without making too much obvious noise was quite difficult and there was at least one grunt from Draco as they bumped into each other.
"Are you sure?" Arthur asked, and Harry was not clear if it was concern or amusement he could hear in Ron's dad's voice. "Nothing disagreed with you did it?"
"No, everything's fine," Harry replied while praying that he did not look quite as debauched as Draco did, even with clothes back in place.
[Give it up, love,] Draco said silently, as Harry tried to straighten his shirt for the fifth time, [we have been caught red handed.]
An amused grin was forcing its way onto Draco's face and eventually Harry slumped against the wash basin in defeat. This was going to be so embarrassing, but he had to smile. With a resigned grin he reached for the lock and opened the door to find Arthur standing there looking totally innocent.
"Sorry for taking up the bathroom, Mr Weasley," Harry said, trying not to go too red.
"That's alright, Harry, Draco," Ron's dad replied, the mirth clear in his eyes.
They inched past the man and were almost to the stairs before Arthur finished his comment: "I was young once too."
* * *
Draco watched the effect seeing Harry Potter on the platform was having on the parents and children arriving for the train to Hogwarts. It was quite amazing how Harry changed things without even realising it. All the new assistant staff, in their new black robes, had taken up positions at the far end of the platform, next to the train, and sooner or later, usually sooner as far as Draco could tell, all eyes ended up on Harry.
In most cases some of the worry fell off the faces of the adults and many seemed to stand a little straighter as well. Even some of the Slytherin parents appeared relieved when they saw the retinue of ex-students there to guard their children. Draco knew for a fact some were Death Eaters, but he was beginning to suspect not all of the Dark Lord's followers were as faithful to their master as they once had been. The ripples of Lucius' failure to destroy Harry Potter were yet to settle.
Since he was in Harry's head, Draco knew his soulmate was far from oblivious, but Harry was doing a very good job of pretending not to notice the attention. Harry was keeping an eye on everyone as they arrived, checking for dark magic with his Hecatemus abilities, and it helped to keep him occupied.
Draco was not fond of the stares, but he was nowhere near as uncomfortable as Harry usually was. All it took was one look from him and most eyes moved off of his person, but Harry had yet to master that particular expression, no matter how Draco tried to teach him. Harry's last comment about it had been: "If I manage a stare like that The Prophet will be printing that I'm the next Dark Lord before the day's out. You're scary enough for both of us, Love."
At that point Draco had given up. He knew which battles to fight and when.
"Smile Harry," came from the right and Harry turned just in time for a flash bulb to go off.
"Creevey," Draco said in a very dangerous tone.
Of course it was their resident photographer, now in his final year. At this rate he wasn't going to make it to his first day if Draco had anything to do with it.
"The Prophet will want a picture," Creevey said, as unrepentant as usual; "if I don't provide them they'll do something stupid like sending in their own photographer."
"That's true," Harry said and Draco gave his soulmate a glare.
"Don't encourage him," Draco said, but Harry grinned since Draco had said it out loud.
"I do always get your good side," Creevey added, pushing his luck.
"Be very, very glad you don't see my bad side," Draco replied and gave the younger boy his most unsettling smile.
"God, you're too good at that," Creevey said with a mock shudder; "I almost believe you're still the bastard who hexed me when I was thirteen."
"Oh I am," Draco said, "I just hide it better most of the time."
Unfortunately that just made Creevey laugh.
"Please let me hex him," Draco begged Harry in a whining tone.
"Maybe later," his soulmate said.
* * *
They all maintained their positions on the platform until nearly all the pupils had boarded the train. Only then did they all come together as a group.
"Are we ready for this?" Pansy asked with a resigned tone.
"Sitting with ickle firsties might be fun," Seamus said with a laugh.
"We already told you, you are not allowed to convince any of them there is a spell to turn water into rum," Hermione said and the eye-roll was implied.
"Now there's me fun gone to pot," Seamus complained, but his oft-present smile was still firmly in place.
"You're already embarrassing us with that eye," Michael Corner complained.
At some time over the short time they had all been away from Hogwarts, Seamus had somehow managed to gain a black eye. Since this was Seamus the Gryffindors had barely noticed, but some of the other ex-seventh years didn't like it much.
"I told you, I was defending a damsel from a dragon," Seamus replied without hesitation.
"I thought it was your mother from a ghoul?" Susan Bones said.
"Was it?" Seamus said. "Well I'm such a heroic type sometimes I forget."
Draco laughed, he couldn't help liking Seamus, even against his better judgement. If he hadn't known there was a brain in the other boy's head he never would have guessed.
"Come on," he said, before anyone could challenge for a straight answer, "we need to board. Remember, we're Hogwarts representatives now, and we're here to keep everyone calm."
The whole group nodded then and he knew no one would let the side down.
* * *
The Hogwarts express was a ridiculously long train, but there were plenty of them to go around, so they spread out.
"God I love you in that robe," Draco said as they walked down the train. "Dumbledore knew what he was doing when he ordered them."
Harry looked back from where he had taken the lead. Draco could see the cogs twirling in Harry's mind.
[So that's why you let me on the train first,] he said, [I'm being ogled.]
"I don't really think Dumbledore was taking your kinks into account when he had them designed," is what Harry said out loud.
"Never be too sure with the old man," Draco replied, "never be too sure."
Harry flattened himself against the side of the train to let some excited-looking first years past. Draco put his arm out to make sure the group didn't come into contact with Harry too much. He might have been ogling, but he still took protecting Harry very seriously. Harry sent him the most endearing look of thanks.
"That's it," Draco said, "I can't resist anymore."
Then he was stepping into the space the first years left and moved in to give Harry a very sound kiss. He was pretty sure that given the way Harry's brain was directly wired to his hormones when it came to him these days, his soulmate wouldn't even consider doing anything but kissing back. He was right.
Draco didn't let the kiss last long, nothing indecent, but it was passionate enough that he felt the blood beginning to leave his brain for parts further south. Harry beamed at him when he pulled back.
"What was that for?" Harry asked, even as his eyes flicked to the audience they had gained in the corridor.
"To get me through this wretched train journey," Draco said, but he put no heat behind his words.
"Okay," Harry simply agreed.
Draco couldn't help thinking he might have just given away that his joking around about the robes was less of a joke and more of a fact.
He needed to take charge before Harry got it into his head to tease him. Draco set off again, this time in the lead. They found a carriage that still had two seats available relatively quickly and opened the door. Inside there was three third years, two Ravenclaws and a Hufflepuff, and two lost-looking first years. All eyes turned to them as they leant in.
"Mind if we join you?" Harry asked with a smile.
They had mutually agreed Harry would do the initial talking since he was less intimidating than Draco. It was just an obvious fact that Draco didn't mind in the slightest. He enjoyed watching the effect Harry had on people just by being Harry.
"Of ... of course not," the Hufflepuff managed to stammer out as the rest of the carriage gawped at them.
"Thanks," Harry said and pulled Draco in to sit in two of the three vacant seats. "I'm Harry and this is Draco," as if everyone didn't already know, "well unless we're taking lessons, then it's Professor Potter and Professor Malfoy, which sounds so weird. I'm sorry, I've seen you three around, but I am hopeless with names."
"I'm Mal," the Hufflepuff said, "and this is Jack and Laura."
"Aren't you the Hufflepuff reserve Seeker?" Harry asked as if the three weren't still staring at him as if he had two heads.
Mal nodded.
"Well reserve, reserve," the boy corrected.
"You had some nice moves in that friendly against us last year," Harry told him.
That caused even more of a goldfish impression for a few moments. Clearly the great Harry Potter giving out complements about Quidditch was not something the third year expected.
"Not really hard against your rabble," Draco decided to step in before it got any worse and complete awe broke out.
Of course Harry laughed, just as Draco had expected.
"We still beat your lot," he said.
"I still claim the ref was blind in that last match," Draco played along.
"I'll tell Madam Hooch that next time I see her," Harry said, "and we'll see how comfortable you are in the staff room after that."
"I have evidence!"
Their audience was beginning to look perplexed.
"Aren't you two supposed to agree about everything?"
It was one of the first years who finally found the courage to speak. At which point Harry almost fell off his chair laughing. Draco rolled his eyes and gave a very dramatic sigh.
"What my oh so embarrassing soulmate it trying to say," Draco said as Harry continued to laugh, he was almost crying, "is that we wouldn't be much good to each other if we just blindly agreed with whatever the other said. I believe what you're thinking of is that we always support each other, even if we don't agree."
The first year made a little 'o' with her mouth and then nodded. At least she was looking less star struck now. It was probably going to take a while, but Draco was sure they could get everyone talking by at least Yorkshire.
This entry was originally posted at http://beren-writes.dreamwidth.org/380793.html.