Icarus Rising: Chapter 5 by Ryokoblue
Chapter 5: "Icarus Rising 5"
5.
"I can't believe you're going through with this!"
"Ron, for the last time, Dumbledore and I came to this decision together and we believe it is the right one. There is no reason for you to be here."
"The hell there isn't! He could be here any minute, tearing you limb from limb with his razor-sharp claws! I want to be ready to hex him into next century if he tries!"
"He won't hurt me, Ron. And as much as I appreciate your sentiment, I am capable of taking care of myself."
Ron looked slightly abashed. "Well, of course you are, Harry. I just meant, you know, friends should have each other's backs and stuff."
"Is that why you didn't want Hermione to come?"
"Are you crazy? Like I'm letting her anywhere near that gorgeous Veela!" Harry snickered. "Oh Merlin, I did it again! I called Malfoy gorgeous!"
"That reminds me, did you take your anti-toxin before coming here?"
"Yes."
"The one for males?"
"Yes, Harry, I'm not stupid."
"I know you're not."
"Hermione gave it to me and everything," Ron grumbled.
Harry smothered a grin. Before he could respond, a loud knocking sounded from the front door. Nervously, the pair moved to open the door for their guests. Two large Aurors held a handcuffed Malfoy between them. The Veela appeared to be subdued, head down in a restrained position. "I appreciate your assistance. You may release him," Harry instructed.
Draco's head jerked up at the sound of Harry's voice, a huge grin spreading across his face. Harry found himself smiling back. The Aurors glanced at each other, hesitantly banishing his binds and letting the blond go. Everyone waited with baited breath for Draco to make a move, but he didn't budge, simply stood still, staring at Harry. Shrugging, one of the Aurors said, "He's all yours," before they both Disapparated from the house.
The minute they were gone, Draco lunged forward and wrapped Harry up in his arms. The shorter man struggled within the strong embrace. "Draco, let me go!"
Immediately, the Veela drew back and stood at a more appropriate distance away from Harry, looking at him expectantly. Harry took a moment to catch his breath and glanced at Ron, who had his wand drawn and aimed at an oblivious Malfoy. "How did you do that, Harry?"
"I told you, he does whatever I tell him to."
"Make him do something funny. Like dance in a circle on one foot."
"I will not! Ron!"
"Oh, come on. How many times during school would we have died to get Malfoy in this situation?"
"This isn't funny, Ron. He can't control himself. How would you like being under Imperius twenty-four hours a day?"
"Yeah, alright." Cupping his hand around his mouth, Ron yelled, "Sorry about your brain, Malfoy!"
Harry spared his friend a glare. "Honestly, Ron, he's not deaf. He hears and understands everything we say."
"Everything? So... do you think when you get him back to normal, he'll still be mad about that dancing in a circle bit?"
Harry rolled his eyes and reached a hand out to Draco, who clasped it at once. I'm sorry about Ron, Harry thought at him. He means well.
Draco smiled. He doesn't bother me.
Harry smiled in return. I'm glad.
"Hey, I know you guys are thinking about me!" Ron protested.
"Are you hungry?" Harry asked aloud. Draco nodded. "For anything in particular?"
Draco looked a little embarrassed. Meat.
"Oh right. Dumbledore told me about your diet."
"What about his diet?" Ron wanted to know.
"He'll need to eat a lot of meat for awhile. The rarer the better."
"Gross," Ron made a face.
"Let's go into the kitchen and see what I can dig up."
Draco reluctantly let go of his hand and followed them into the kitchen. Ron stopped him in the doorway. "Just so you know, Malfoy, I'm here in case you get any funny ideas about hurting Harry."
Draco scowled at him, lightly touching Harry's elbow. Does he live here too?
Harry laughed out loud. "No, he doesn't."
"I'm right here, you know!" Ron protested.
"Well, stop antagonizing people if you don't want to be talked about."
"Hmph," Ron groused, plopping down at the kitchen table.
A wicked gleam appeared in Draco's eye as he reached out to run his hand through Ron's hair. The redhead leaned into the touch and closed his eyes contentedly, until his senses came over him. He flew out of the chair, back against the wall. "Harry! Keep your Veela away from me!"
Harry frowned thoughtfully, tossing a few frozen bangers into a pan. "I guess you'll have to tell Snape that the anti-toxin for male Veela isn't strong enough yet."
"Bloody right it isn't strong enough! Stay away from me, Malfoy!" Ron yelped, sitting down at the opposite end of the table. "I don't see what the point to all this is, obviously he's still Malfoy."
"He is and he isn't," Harry sighed.
"Aren't you going to scold him or anything?"
"For what?"
"For touching me!"
"What would you have me do, Ron? Spank him? I'm not his mother."
"Ugh, no! Just... send him to his room or something."
"He's hungry."
Draco nodded seriously, sitting down across from Ron and staring at him until the redhead was forced to look away, grumbling. "Stop looking at me, Malfoy. You're making the hairs on the back of my neck stand up."
Shrugging, Draco turned in his chair to watch Harry prepare his food. After a few minutes of light frying, Harry had a whole plate of various meats ready for him to eat. Placing the dish in front of Draco, Harry sat down beside him. "You could try making conversation, Ron."
"How am I supposed to make conversation with a guy who can't speak?!"
"Touch his hand, then you can hear him in your head."
"God, no!"
Draco looked at Harry and shook his head. "What, it wouldn't work?" Draco shook his head again. "It only works with me?" Harry guessed. Draco nodded. Harry looked back at Ron. "Looks like it only works with me. Sorry, Ron."
"Yeah, I'm really sorry I don't get to have your Veela mucking about in my head."
"Stop calling him my Veela, Ron, he's not a thing."
Draco seemed too satisfied by the food on his plate to care that they were talking about him. "He eats like one," Ron muttered. "They're called forks, Malfoy! Welcome back to the world of the civilized!"
"Ron!" Harry barked, handing Draco a fork. "Here, try this."
Draco looked at it like he had forgotten its purpose. Grabbing it in his fist, Draco speared a sausage and resumed eating. Ron made a face. "I don't get it. He can speak to you telepathically but he can't remember how to use a fork?"
Harry favored Ron with a long-suffering look. "He operates on instinct, primarily. He can speak to me because somewhere in his mind he remembers language. The fork, on the other hand... Merlin knows how Voldemort was feeding him. Probably threw chunks of meat at him through a cage."
"That's vile."
Harry could only nod his agreement and decided to change the subject. "So, everything all prepared for my big surprise birthday party?"
"You aren't supposed to know about that, Harry."
"Know about what?" Harry smirked.
"Yeah, well, just act like you're surprised, okay? Hey, maybe you'll actually get something new this year. Something non-sweater-shaped, perhaps?"
"I'll be excited to see Hedwig bring whatever it is."
"Hedwig? You're not coming to your own party?"
Harry shook his head. "I can't leave Draco so soon, and he can't leave the house. I've taken time off from work, you know."
"Maybe we could have the party here instead? Mum wouldn't mind."
"I don't think Draco could handle being around so many people at once. One wrong move by someone and we'd have angry, protective Veela all over the place."
"Damn. You're a right pain you are, Malfoy."
Draco looked up at Ron but otherwise showed no reaction. Harry reached out mindlessly, running his fingers over Draco's long hair. "Maybe we should give you a haircut today," he mused.
Draco's fork clattered to the plate as he leaned into Harry's hand. "Harry!" Ron balked. "You're touching him!"
"What?" Harry jumped, pulling his hand away. "God, you scared me. I'm supposed to touch him."
"Yeah, but... do you have to make him purr?"
"He was purring?"
"Yes."
Harry shrugged as though it couldn't be helped. "I guess he does that sometimes."
"Not around me, he doesn't!"
Draco pushed his empty plate away. "Do you want anything else?" Harry inquired, standing to put Draco's dish in the sink. The blond shook his head.
"Thank Merlin! Watching him eat is worse than watching Bill and Charlie fight over the wishbone!"
"Ron, really, you could be less critical."
"Since when do you care if I'm critical of Malfoy?"
"Do I really need to answer that question?"
"No, don't. I don't want to know. This is all so insane."
Draco extended a tentative finger and touched the back of Harry's hand. Tired.
"Of course. Ron, wait here while I take Draco up to his room."
"What? No way am I leaving him alone with you!"
"You're going to have to leave eventually, Ron, you can't stay here forever."
"Yeah, well. I'll go when I have to go."
The three walked up the stairs into the second room on the right, decorated in pleasant blues and ivories. Draco paused as he entered and sniffed the air. Reaching out, he took Harry's hand in his. My mother spent time here.
"You can still detect her scent?"
"Whose scent?"
"His mother's."
She and Aunt Andromeda would visit every summer, but Aunt Bella couldn't come because she didn't get along with their cousin.
Harry's face darkened and he wrenched his hand out of Draco's grip, not wanting to hear anymore. Draco looked pained at the inexplicable reaction. Confused, Ron glanced between the two of them, waiting for someone to move. When Draco did reach out to Harry, the dark-haired wizard pretended not to notice. Instead, he opened up the closet, displaying a rack of robes, shirts, and trousers. "Hermione selected your new wardrobe, so you'll have her to thank the next time you see her. You're about the same size as Ron so they should fit."
Draco looked at Ron, bewildered by the sudden change in mood, but Ron could only shrug. "Everything you need should be here or in the connecting bathroom. You don't have a wand, so you won't be able to use magic to help with anything. Unless you know any wandless magic. You don't, do you?" Draco shook his head. "I didn't think so. Make yourself at home. Ron and I are going back downstairs."
Draco looked after them agonizingly as Harry and Ron left the room, shutting the door behind them. "What was that all about, Harry?" Ron wanted to know as they descended the stairs. "Did you see what you did to him? He looked like someone just gave him a dozen kittens for his birthday and then you went and drowned them all."
"It's nothing, Ron. He just... said something. Something I didn't want to hear."
"What?"
"Something about Sirius. And Bellatrix."
"Did Malfoy even know Sirius? I mean, I know they were related and all, but..."
"I don't know. But I don't ever want to hear that woman's name mentioned in this house again. This is Sirius' house."
"Er, not that I'm trying to stick up for the git or anything, Harry, but do you think it's possible he doesn't know she killed Sirius?"
Harry plopped down on the settee in the parlor and scowled. "I don't know. I don't really care. I just can't stand to hear that bitch's name."
"Okay, Harry, okay. Why don't we play some wizard's chess to get our minds off things."
"Yeah, alright," Harry yielded.
A few hours later, Harry finally talked Ron into going home. Still mumbling about crazed Veela, Ron left Harry with an amused grin on his face and a lighter mood. Dragging his tired feet up the stairs, Harry walked down the hall to his room and shut the door. Tugging his clothes off, Harry slipped on a pair of pyjama bottoms and fell into bed. Only when he turned his head did he notice the blond already asleep there. "Draco," he nudged. "Draco, wake up."
The Veela's eyes shot open and he flew off the bed, falling back into Harry's armoire. "Whoa, Draco, it's okay. I didn't mean to startle you."
Harry instinctually extended his arm out to comfort the frightened blond, and Draco grabbed his hand immediately. Harry, I'm so sorry. Whatever I did, I'm really sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you. I would never hurt you.
Harry blinked at the sudden onslaught of apologies. "Draco, it's alright. You didn't hurt me. Something you said just reminded me of something I didn't want to remember."
What? Tell me what it is so I won't make the same mistake again.
"Maybe later," Harry yawned. "Draco, what are you doing in here? How did you know this was my room?"
I'm really sorry. It just... it smelled so much like you, and you were so mad... I could sense how mad you were, and I just wanted you to not be mad at me.
"Wait, you can sense it when I'm mad?" Draco nodded. "Then you can sense that I'm not mad now, right?" Tentatively, Draco nodded again. "Good, then you can go back to your own room and sleep there."
It just... it smells so much like you in here. Can't I stay? I swear I won't touch you!
Harry groaned. "It's your first night here and already you're in my bed?" Draco looked sheepish. "Alright, climb in. But you stay on your side of the bed or I'm kicking you right back out."
Draco nodded sharply, momentarily releasing Harry's hand to scramble under the covers, before grabbing it again. Thanks, Harry.
"Draco, I'm not going to sleep with you holding my hand." The Veela looked aggrieved. "Stretch your arm out." The blond did as he was told, rumbling happily as Harry laid the back of his hand against Draco's arm. "There. Now go to sleep."
The Veela managed to keep quiet for two whole minutes. Harry?
Harry opened an indolent eye. "Yes?"
Why are you doing this?
"Ask me some other time when I'm not so exhausted."
Draco tucked in his chin. Harry?
Groaning, Harry slapped the covers with his free hand. "What, Draco?"
I love you.
Harry choked on his own response. "I... okay."
If the Veela felt distressed that Harry didn't return the sentiment, he gave no sign. Instead, Draco snuggled deeper into the sheets and promptly fell asleep. Harry, on the other hand, was suddenly and uncomfortably wide awake.
>>6
5.
"I can't believe you're going through with this!"
"Ron, for the last time, Dumbledore and I came to this decision together and we believe it is the right one. There is no reason for you to be here."
"The hell there isn't! He could be here any minute, tearing you limb from limb with his razor-sharp claws! I want to be ready to hex him into next century if he tries!"
"He won't hurt me, Ron. And as much as I appreciate your sentiment, I am capable of taking care of myself."
Ron looked slightly abashed. "Well, of course you are, Harry. I just meant, you know, friends should have each other's backs and stuff."
"Is that why you didn't want Hermione to come?"
"Are you crazy? Like I'm letting her anywhere near that gorgeous Veela!" Harry snickered. "Oh Merlin, I did it again! I called Malfoy gorgeous!"
"That reminds me, did you take your anti-toxin before coming here?"
"Yes."
"The one for males?"
"Yes, Harry, I'm not stupid."
"I know you're not."
"Hermione gave it to me and everything," Ron grumbled.
Harry smothered a grin. Before he could respond, a loud knocking sounded from the front door. Nervously, the pair moved to open the door for their guests. Two large Aurors held a handcuffed Malfoy between them. The Veela appeared to be subdued, head down in a restrained position. "I appreciate your assistance. You may release him," Harry instructed.
Draco's head jerked up at the sound of Harry's voice, a huge grin spreading across his face. Harry found himself smiling back. The Aurors glanced at each other, hesitantly banishing his binds and letting the blond go. Everyone waited with baited breath for Draco to make a move, but he didn't budge, simply stood still, staring at Harry. Shrugging, one of the Aurors said, "He's all yours," before they both Disapparated from the house.
The minute they were gone, Draco lunged forward and wrapped Harry up in his arms. The shorter man struggled within the strong embrace. "Draco, let me go!"
Immediately, the Veela drew back and stood at a more appropriate distance away from Harry, looking at him expectantly. Harry took a moment to catch his breath and glanced at Ron, who had his wand drawn and aimed at an oblivious Malfoy. "How did you do that, Harry?"
"I told you, he does whatever I tell him to."
"Make him do something funny. Like dance in a circle on one foot."
"I will not! Ron!"
"Oh, come on. How many times during school would we have died to get Malfoy in this situation?"
"This isn't funny, Ron. He can't control himself. How would you like being under Imperius twenty-four hours a day?"
"Yeah, alright." Cupping his hand around his mouth, Ron yelled, "Sorry about your brain, Malfoy!"
Harry spared his friend a glare. "Honestly, Ron, he's not deaf. He hears and understands everything we say."
"Everything? So... do you think when you get him back to normal, he'll still be mad about that dancing in a circle bit?"
Harry rolled his eyes and reached a hand out to Draco, who clasped it at once. I'm sorry about Ron, Harry thought at him. He means well.
Draco smiled. He doesn't bother me.
Harry smiled in return. I'm glad.
"Hey, I know you guys are thinking about me!" Ron protested.
"Are you hungry?" Harry asked aloud. Draco nodded. "For anything in particular?"
Draco looked a little embarrassed. Meat.
"Oh right. Dumbledore told me about your diet."
"What about his diet?" Ron wanted to know.
"He'll need to eat a lot of meat for awhile. The rarer the better."
"Gross," Ron made a face.
"Let's go into the kitchen and see what I can dig up."
Draco reluctantly let go of his hand and followed them into the kitchen. Ron stopped him in the doorway. "Just so you know, Malfoy, I'm here in case you get any funny ideas about hurting Harry."
Draco scowled at him, lightly touching Harry's elbow. Does he live here too?
Harry laughed out loud. "No, he doesn't."
"I'm right here, you know!" Ron protested.
"Well, stop antagonizing people if you don't want to be talked about."
"Hmph," Ron groused, plopping down at the kitchen table.
A wicked gleam appeared in Draco's eye as he reached out to run his hand through Ron's hair. The redhead leaned into the touch and closed his eyes contentedly, until his senses came over him. He flew out of the chair, back against the wall. "Harry! Keep your Veela away from me!"
Harry frowned thoughtfully, tossing a few frozen bangers into a pan. "I guess you'll have to tell Snape that the anti-toxin for male Veela isn't strong enough yet."
"Bloody right it isn't strong enough! Stay away from me, Malfoy!" Ron yelped, sitting down at the opposite end of the table. "I don't see what the point to all this is, obviously he's still Malfoy."
"He is and he isn't," Harry sighed.
"Aren't you going to scold him or anything?"
"For what?"
"For touching me!"
"What would you have me do, Ron? Spank him? I'm not his mother."
"Ugh, no! Just... send him to his room or something."
"He's hungry."
Draco nodded seriously, sitting down across from Ron and staring at him until the redhead was forced to look away, grumbling. "Stop looking at me, Malfoy. You're making the hairs on the back of my neck stand up."
Shrugging, Draco turned in his chair to watch Harry prepare his food. After a few minutes of light frying, Harry had a whole plate of various meats ready for him to eat. Placing the dish in front of Draco, Harry sat down beside him. "You could try making conversation, Ron."
"How am I supposed to make conversation with a guy who can't speak?!"
"Touch his hand, then you can hear him in your head."
"God, no!"
Draco looked at Harry and shook his head. "What, it wouldn't work?" Draco shook his head again. "It only works with me?" Harry guessed. Draco nodded. Harry looked back at Ron. "Looks like it only works with me. Sorry, Ron."
"Yeah, I'm really sorry I don't get to have your Veela mucking about in my head."
"Stop calling him my Veela, Ron, he's not a thing."
Draco seemed too satisfied by the food on his plate to care that they were talking about him. "He eats like one," Ron muttered. "They're called forks, Malfoy! Welcome back to the world of the civilized!"
"Ron!" Harry barked, handing Draco a fork. "Here, try this."
Draco looked at it like he had forgotten its purpose. Grabbing it in his fist, Draco speared a sausage and resumed eating. Ron made a face. "I don't get it. He can speak to you telepathically but he can't remember how to use a fork?"
Harry favored Ron with a long-suffering look. "He operates on instinct, primarily. He can speak to me because somewhere in his mind he remembers language. The fork, on the other hand... Merlin knows how Voldemort was feeding him. Probably threw chunks of meat at him through a cage."
"That's vile."
Harry could only nod his agreement and decided to change the subject. "So, everything all prepared for my big surprise birthday party?"
"You aren't supposed to know about that, Harry."
"Know about what?" Harry smirked.
"Yeah, well, just act like you're surprised, okay? Hey, maybe you'll actually get something new this year. Something non-sweater-shaped, perhaps?"
"I'll be excited to see Hedwig bring whatever it is."
"Hedwig? You're not coming to your own party?"
Harry shook his head. "I can't leave Draco so soon, and he can't leave the house. I've taken time off from work, you know."
"Maybe we could have the party here instead? Mum wouldn't mind."
"I don't think Draco could handle being around so many people at once. One wrong move by someone and we'd have angry, protective Veela all over the place."
"Damn. You're a right pain you are, Malfoy."
Draco looked up at Ron but otherwise showed no reaction. Harry reached out mindlessly, running his fingers over Draco's long hair. "Maybe we should give you a haircut today," he mused.
Draco's fork clattered to the plate as he leaned into Harry's hand. "Harry!" Ron balked. "You're touching him!"
"What?" Harry jumped, pulling his hand away. "God, you scared me. I'm supposed to touch him."
"Yeah, but... do you have to make him purr?"
"He was purring?"
"Yes."
Harry shrugged as though it couldn't be helped. "I guess he does that sometimes."
"Not around me, he doesn't!"
Draco pushed his empty plate away. "Do you want anything else?" Harry inquired, standing to put Draco's dish in the sink. The blond shook his head.
"Thank Merlin! Watching him eat is worse than watching Bill and Charlie fight over the wishbone!"
"Ron, really, you could be less critical."
"Since when do you care if I'm critical of Malfoy?"
"Do I really need to answer that question?"
"No, don't. I don't want to know. This is all so insane."
Draco extended a tentative finger and touched the back of Harry's hand. Tired.
"Of course. Ron, wait here while I take Draco up to his room."
"What? No way am I leaving him alone with you!"
"You're going to have to leave eventually, Ron, you can't stay here forever."
"Yeah, well. I'll go when I have to go."
The three walked up the stairs into the second room on the right, decorated in pleasant blues and ivories. Draco paused as he entered and sniffed the air. Reaching out, he took Harry's hand in his. My mother spent time here.
"You can still detect her scent?"
"Whose scent?"
"His mother's."
She and Aunt Andromeda would visit every summer, but Aunt Bella couldn't come because she didn't get along with their cousin.
Harry's face darkened and he wrenched his hand out of Draco's grip, not wanting to hear anymore. Draco looked pained at the inexplicable reaction. Confused, Ron glanced between the two of them, waiting for someone to move. When Draco did reach out to Harry, the dark-haired wizard pretended not to notice. Instead, he opened up the closet, displaying a rack of robes, shirts, and trousers. "Hermione selected your new wardrobe, so you'll have her to thank the next time you see her. You're about the same size as Ron so they should fit."
Draco looked at Ron, bewildered by the sudden change in mood, but Ron could only shrug. "Everything you need should be here or in the connecting bathroom. You don't have a wand, so you won't be able to use magic to help with anything. Unless you know any wandless magic. You don't, do you?" Draco shook his head. "I didn't think so. Make yourself at home. Ron and I are going back downstairs."
Draco looked after them agonizingly as Harry and Ron left the room, shutting the door behind them. "What was that all about, Harry?" Ron wanted to know as they descended the stairs. "Did you see what you did to him? He looked like someone just gave him a dozen kittens for his birthday and then you went and drowned them all."
"It's nothing, Ron. He just... said something. Something I didn't want to hear."
"What?"
"Something about Sirius. And Bellatrix."
"Did Malfoy even know Sirius? I mean, I know they were related and all, but..."
"I don't know. But I don't ever want to hear that woman's name mentioned in this house again. This is Sirius' house."
"Er, not that I'm trying to stick up for the git or anything, Harry, but do you think it's possible he doesn't know she killed Sirius?"
Harry plopped down on the settee in the parlor and scowled. "I don't know. I don't really care. I just can't stand to hear that bitch's name."
"Okay, Harry, okay. Why don't we play some wizard's chess to get our minds off things."
"Yeah, alright," Harry yielded.
A few hours later, Harry finally talked Ron into going home. Still mumbling about crazed Veela, Ron left Harry with an amused grin on his face and a lighter mood. Dragging his tired feet up the stairs, Harry walked down the hall to his room and shut the door. Tugging his clothes off, Harry slipped on a pair of pyjama bottoms and fell into bed. Only when he turned his head did he notice the blond already asleep there. "Draco," he nudged. "Draco, wake up."
The Veela's eyes shot open and he flew off the bed, falling back into Harry's armoire. "Whoa, Draco, it's okay. I didn't mean to startle you."
Harry instinctually extended his arm out to comfort the frightened blond, and Draco grabbed his hand immediately. Harry, I'm so sorry. Whatever I did, I'm really sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you. I would never hurt you.
Harry blinked at the sudden onslaught of apologies. "Draco, it's alright. You didn't hurt me. Something you said just reminded me of something I didn't want to remember."
What? Tell me what it is so I won't make the same mistake again.
"Maybe later," Harry yawned. "Draco, what are you doing in here? How did you know this was my room?"
I'm really sorry. It just... it smelled so much like you, and you were so mad... I could sense how mad you were, and I just wanted you to not be mad at me.
"Wait, you can sense it when I'm mad?" Draco nodded. "Then you can sense that I'm not mad now, right?" Tentatively, Draco nodded again. "Good, then you can go back to your own room and sleep there."
It just... it smells so much like you in here. Can't I stay? I swear I won't touch you!
Harry groaned. "It's your first night here and already you're in my bed?" Draco looked sheepish. "Alright, climb in. But you stay on your side of the bed or I'm kicking you right back out."
Draco nodded sharply, momentarily releasing Harry's hand to scramble under the covers, before grabbing it again. Thanks, Harry.
"Draco, I'm not going to sleep with you holding my hand." The Veela looked aggrieved. "Stretch your arm out." The blond did as he was told, rumbling happily as Harry laid the back of his hand against Draco's arm. "There. Now go to sleep."
The Veela managed to keep quiet for two whole minutes. Harry?
Harry opened an indolent eye. "Yes?"
Why are you doing this?
"Ask me some other time when I'm not so exhausted."
Draco tucked in his chin. Harry?
Groaning, Harry slapped the covers with his free hand. "What, Draco?"
I love you.
Harry choked on his own response. "I... okay."
If the Veela felt distressed that Harry didn't return the sentiment, he gave no sign. Instead, Draco snuggled deeper into the sheets and promptly fell asleep. Harry, on the other hand, was suddenly and uncomfortably wide awake.
>>6