Ficlet: "At Night" [Harry/Draco]
This is a ficlet set in the Precipice verse, but it also stands on its own, I think. For those familiar with the Precipice verse, this takes place a few weeks before In Those Days.
Written for pocketroxy, who requested h/d in a snowstorm. Thank you to akahannah for reading this over.
Title: At Night
Pairing: H/D
Rating: PG-13
Category: Hurt/Comfort; mpreg
Disclaimer: Don't own anything, etc.
~*~*~
First my left foot then my right behind the other
Breadcrumbs lost under the snow
Tori Amos, "Mother"
This was no night to sleep outside, Draco told himself whenever the wind tugged at their improvised tent. Every gust blew icy air through the thin walls of the transfigured cloak, but at least the snow was kept outside. The storm had surprised them on a country lane just after sunset, with no shelter in sight except for a small crop of trees in the middle of a field. It wasn't the first night they'd spent outside this winter, but it was definitely the coldest.
Draco couldn't keep warm, not even wrapped up in his cloak, lying in a thick sleeping bag with Harry's body against his back. If he could only go to sleep, the shivering would stop, but his little girl had other ideas, merrily pushing her tiny feet against whichever organ was closest to her current position. Pressing his hand against the side of his belly, Draco hoped to convince her to move, and let out a silent sigh when she did. Unfortunately, her new resting point put even more strain on his back, and Draco felt the pain crawl slowly up his spine, making it impossible to remain on his side. He rolled onto his back, dislodging Harry, who made disgruntled noises in his sleep, but settled against Draco without waking up.
For two minutes, everything was tolerable, until the muscles in Draco's lower back decided to tense up, seemingly twisting into tight little knots. Scrambling to sit up, Draco pushed Harry away from him.
"Merlin, why…" Draco whispered to himself as he bent over his drawn-up knees. His belly touched his thighs before the tension in his muscles could ease.
"Draco?" Harry asked sleepily.
Draco could only muster a groan in response.
"Something wrong with the baby?"
The baby, of course. Wasn't it always about the baby these days? "Yes. No."
"What?"
A warm hand moved up and down Draco's back, lacking the pressure to provide comfort. It was only an added weight against Draco's skin, even if it took away some of the chill. He turned away, feeling the hand slide off his back. "It's nothing."
Some rustling, then, "Lumos."
Draco squinted against the pale light, taking in the worried look on Harry's face.
"What's wrong?" Harry sounded concerned. "You said…"
One part of Draco wanted to hide away in Harry's arms, wanted to be comforted and taken care of with a backrub and soothing words. Another part wanted to tear open the tent and run out into the field to scream until his voice was hoarse. But he didn’t move.
Harry cleared his throat. "The baby…is everything...there's nothing wrong, is there?"
Draco's patience had worn thin, and Harry's nervous words snapped it apart. "The sodding baby is fine. More than fine, probably, considering that she's warm and well-fed and in a bubble that protects her. Have you thought about who's sustaining all of that? Maybe she isn't the one who needs-" Draco bit his tongue.
A few moments passed, then Harry asked softly, "What do you need, love?"
Fucking big-hearted Gryffindor, always so selfless. He couldn't even get angry at Draco anymore, it seemed, most likely because he didn't want to upset someone in such a delicate condition. "I need you to stop treating me like I'm nothing more than an incubator for your precious baby, that's what," Draco replied icily.
Harry's jaw clenched, but the only thing he said was a terse, "Nox."
The tent plunged into darkness and Harry lay back down, pulling most of the sleeping bag with him.
Draco's satisfaction over provoking Harry enough to show signs of anger only lasted for about a minute. Then the frost-filled air wrapped itself around Draco, and the pain in his back flared up, both of which left Draco absolutely miserable. He tugged on his cloak, but it was already stretched as taught as possible.
A lump formed in his throat and the corner of his eyes prickled despite Draco's best efforts at staying calm and collected. Maybe the part of him that wanted Harry's coddling was stronger than he'd thought. Something between a sob and a sigh escaped him then, impossibly loud in the stillness all around.
Draco froze when he felt movement behind him.
Nearly instantly the warm hand was on his back again, but hesitant now, as if asking for permission. Draco reached out, fumbling until he found Harry's fingers, which were as cold as his own. Harry's arms were around Draco before he even had time to properly register what was happening.
"Lean back," Harry instructed, pulling Draco gently towards himself.
Draco hesitated for the briefest of moments, then allowed himself to be gathered into Harry's arms. Draco's eyes closed when warmth surrounded him.
"Don't ever say something like that to me again." Harry's voice almost cracked, providing a glimpse of the hurt underneath.
Draco's heart threatened to bleed out into his chest at those words. His eyes prickled again, and he squeezed them shut. One of his hands closed around the edge of Harry's jumper, the wool bunching between his fingers.
Harry's hold tightened in response, and his breath flowed over Draco's neck. "Let's try this again. Is everything all right with you?"
Draco hated the way his voice wavered when he answered. "My back hurts."
"Again?"
"Yes." The word turned into a hiss when Harry's cold fingers touched Draco's skin. They warmed up quickly enough, firmly kneading tense muscles.
"Good?"
Draco hummed in response.
"We'll find a bed to sleep in for tomorrow night, okay? I promise."
With Harry's hands moving over his body, Draco thought of things that had little to do with sleep. "Hmm'kay. Sounds good."
Time slipped out of Draco's grasp as Harry continued with his ministrations. Pieces of conversations and other fleeting memories from the past day drifted through Draco's mind. He was on the brink of sleep when Harry's voice pulled him back.
"Do you…do you really think that I only see the baby when I look at you now?" Harry asked uncertainly.
"No," Draco answered instinctively.
Harry sighed in relief. "I'm glad. If you'd've said yes, I don't know what I'd…I mean, I want you to know that-"
"Tell me tomorrow?"
Harry paused for a moment. "Okay. I just-okay. Are you comfortable like this?"
Comfortable was a word that didn't exist in Draco's vocabulary at the moment, but he would be able to sleep, and that was what mattered. "Yeah."
"Good night, love."
"Night."
Harry's hand remained on Draco's back, warm and reassuring, a safeguard against more than just the cold winter night.
The End.
Read the sequel: Promises Kept.
Feedback is always welcome!
Written for pocketroxy, who requested h/d in a snowstorm. Thank you to akahannah for reading this over.
Title: At Night
Pairing: H/D
Rating: PG-13
Category: Hurt/Comfort; mpreg
Disclaimer: Don't own anything, etc.
~*~*~
First my left foot then my right behind the other
Breadcrumbs lost under the snow
Tori Amos, "Mother"
This was no night to sleep outside, Draco told himself whenever the wind tugged at their improvised tent. Every gust blew icy air through the thin walls of the transfigured cloak, but at least the snow was kept outside. The storm had surprised them on a country lane just after sunset, with no shelter in sight except for a small crop of trees in the middle of a field. It wasn't the first night they'd spent outside this winter, but it was definitely the coldest.
Draco couldn't keep warm, not even wrapped up in his cloak, lying in a thick sleeping bag with Harry's body against his back. If he could only go to sleep, the shivering would stop, but his little girl had other ideas, merrily pushing her tiny feet against whichever organ was closest to her current position. Pressing his hand against the side of his belly, Draco hoped to convince her to move, and let out a silent sigh when she did. Unfortunately, her new resting point put even more strain on his back, and Draco felt the pain crawl slowly up his spine, making it impossible to remain on his side. He rolled onto his back, dislodging Harry, who made disgruntled noises in his sleep, but settled against Draco without waking up.
For two minutes, everything was tolerable, until the muscles in Draco's lower back decided to tense up, seemingly twisting into tight little knots. Scrambling to sit up, Draco pushed Harry away from him.
"Merlin, why…" Draco whispered to himself as he bent over his drawn-up knees. His belly touched his thighs before the tension in his muscles could ease.
"Draco?" Harry asked sleepily.
Draco could only muster a groan in response.
"Something wrong with the baby?"
The baby, of course. Wasn't it always about the baby these days? "Yes. No."
"What?"
A warm hand moved up and down Draco's back, lacking the pressure to provide comfort. It was only an added weight against Draco's skin, even if it took away some of the chill. He turned away, feeling the hand slide off his back. "It's nothing."
Some rustling, then, "Lumos."
Draco squinted against the pale light, taking in the worried look on Harry's face.
"What's wrong?" Harry sounded concerned. "You said…"
One part of Draco wanted to hide away in Harry's arms, wanted to be comforted and taken care of with a backrub and soothing words. Another part wanted to tear open the tent and run out into the field to scream until his voice was hoarse. But he didn’t move.
Harry cleared his throat. "The baby…is everything...there's nothing wrong, is there?"
Draco's patience had worn thin, and Harry's nervous words snapped it apart. "The sodding baby is fine. More than fine, probably, considering that she's warm and well-fed and in a bubble that protects her. Have you thought about who's sustaining all of that? Maybe she isn't the one who needs-" Draco bit his tongue.
A few moments passed, then Harry asked softly, "What do you need, love?"
Fucking big-hearted Gryffindor, always so selfless. He couldn't even get angry at Draco anymore, it seemed, most likely because he didn't want to upset someone in such a delicate condition. "I need you to stop treating me like I'm nothing more than an incubator for your precious baby, that's what," Draco replied icily.
Harry's jaw clenched, but the only thing he said was a terse, "Nox."
The tent plunged into darkness and Harry lay back down, pulling most of the sleeping bag with him.
Draco's satisfaction over provoking Harry enough to show signs of anger only lasted for about a minute. Then the frost-filled air wrapped itself around Draco, and the pain in his back flared up, both of which left Draco absolutely miserable. He tugged on his cloak, but it was already stretched as taught as possible.
A lump formed in his throat and the corner of his eyes prickled despite Draco's best efforts at staying calm and collected. Maybe the part of him that wanted Harry's coddling was stronger than he'd thought. Something between a sob and a sigh escaped him then, impossibly loud in the stillness all around.
Draco froze when he felt movement behind him.
Nearly instantly the warm hand was on his back again, but hesitant now, as if asking for permission. Draco reached out, fumbling until he found Harry's fingers, which were as cold as his own. Harry's arms were around Draco before he even had time to properly register what was happening.
"Lean back," Harry instructed, pulling Draco gently towards himself.
Draco hesitated for the briefest of moments, then allowed himself to be gathered into Harry's arms. Draco's eyes closed when warmth surrounded him.
"Don't ever say something like that to me again." Harry's voice almost cracked, providing a glimpse of the hurt underneath.
Draco's heart threatened to bleed out into his chest at those words. His eyes prickled again, and he squeezed them shut. One of his hands closed around the edge of Harry's jumper, the wool bunching between his fingers.
Harry's hold tightened in response, and his breath flowed over Draco's neck. "Let's try this again. Is everything all right with you?"
Draco hated the way his voice wavered when he answered. "My back hurts."
"Again?"
"Yes." The word turned into a hiss when Harry's cold fingers touched Draco's skin. They warmed up quickly enough, firmly kneading tense muscles.
"Good?"
Draco hummed in response.
"We'll find a bed to sleep in for tomorrow night, okay? I promise."
With Harry's hands moving over his body, Draco thought of things that had little to do with sleep. "Hmm'kay. Sounds good."
Time slipped out of Draco's grasp as Harry continued with his ministrations. Pieces of conversations and other fleeting memories from the past day drifted through Draco's mind. He was on the brink of sleep when Harry's voice pulled him back.
"Do you…do you really think that I only see the baby when I look at you now?" Harry asked uncertainly.
"No," Draco answered instinctively.
Harry sighed in relief. "I'm glad. If you'd've said yes, I don't know what I'd…I mean, I want you to know that-"
"Tell me tomorrow?"
Harry paused for a moment. "Okay. I just-okay. Are you comfortable like this?"
Comfortable was a word that didn't exist in Draco's vocabulary at the moment, but he would be able to sleep, and that was what mattered. "Yeah."
"Good night, love."
"Night."
Harry's hand remained on Draco's back, warm and reassuring, a safeguard against more than just the cold winter night.
The End.
Read the sequel: Promises Kept.
Feedback is always welcome!