Adult-FanFiction.org : Harry Potter

Survival of the fittest	By : Sasunarufan13 Category: Harry Potter > Slash - Male/Male > Harry/Draco Views: 18501 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 9
Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter nor profit from it. Everything belongs to J.K. Rowling

Chapter List
- 23
- 24
- 25
Author's note: Wow, okay, this is later than the previous ones, but I had to finish this chapter today as I've been busy the past few weeks. At least I still managed to keep my schedule, right? It also turned out quite long (around 10 000 words).
Thanks to the following reviewer: staar
Warnings: implied lemon; some drama; some fluff; Valentine's day. I think that's it. After all those angsty, heavy chapters, I figured we were due for some fluff.
Additional note: in the near future (normally) there will be two side oneshots posted for this story: the Valentine's day between Severus and Lucius and Remus' talk with Sirius after the ordeal in Dumbledore's house. Once they are posted, I'll announce it in this story.
Also apologies if there are mistakes left behind.
I hope you'll enjoy this chapter and a happy Halloween

Chapter 24: Trust in us
9th of February
One moment Harry had been mumbling something inaudibly while Draco tried his best to snap him out of his shock and the next, Harry slumped forwards and the blond barely managed to grab him on time.
"Harry?" Draco said sharply and cursed when he saw how pale Harry had become. Apparently the shock had made him faint.
He threw a hate filled glare at the cause of Harry's distress; if only he could find that son of a bitch! He didn't know how the old man had discovered their baby's existence, but that was the least of his concerns at the moment. He needed to get Harry back inside and call Lupin so he could examine Harry.
A spell tied up the package messily; tight enough so that the content wouldn't spill. He'd rather destroy the box, but he knew either Lupin or Severus would want to take a look. At the very least they should be alerted.
"Mara, can you bring that package with us? I'll take Harry," Draco instructed and the snow leopard released a confirming growl.
Before Draco picked up his lover, he sent a Patronus to both Lupin and Severus, so that they would be there when he arrived. He'd rather not waste too much time waiting for either one of them.
After pocketing his wand, Draco rearranged the limp body of his lover; he slipped one arm around Harry's shoulders and one arm underneath his legs. Once he was certain that he had a firm grip on Harry, he stood up, making certain that Harry's head rested against his shoulder and he wouldn't be jostled around too much.
Setting a brisk pace to the castle, Draco didn't spare the curious bystanders a single look. Trying to ignore the disgust and fear swirling around in his stomach, he focused on getting Harry in his quarters as soon as possible. He didn't know how bad the sudden shock had been, but he wasn't taking any chances.
He gave the portrait the password in a terse voice and upon entering, he was met by the concerned face of Lupin and the unreadable one of his godfather.
"Sirius is on his way. What happened?" Lupin asked worriedly and his eyes sharpened when they caught sight of Harry.
Draco lowered Harry on the couch, busying himself with removing both their robes and the rest of their winter gear.
Without prompting, Mara dropped the box on the table and stepped back with an angry snarl.
"Draco," Severus said sharply.
Draco stilled and stared down at Harry, unconsciously gripping his shoulder firmly.
"Dumbledore sent Harry that package," he murmured and tightened his jaw. "I think Harry fainted from shock; can you examine him?"
Lupin nodded tersely and after shooting the box a distrustful look, he crossed the room and started chanting spells; some of which Draco recognized from his Healing lessons.
Now that Harry was receiving proper help, Draco forced himself to relax a bit and calm down his muddled thoughts. He needed a clear head if he wanted to explain what exactly had occurred outside.
"Didn't you use spells to check for Dark magic?" Severus scowled and before Draco could reply, his godfather used various spells to check the box for any lingering magic.
"Yes, we checked. Do you really think we would open a package without checking first?" Draco answered flatly. He didn't need to look at the older man to know whether he had opened the box; his low hiss of disgust was clear enough.
"Nothing seems wrong with either Harry or the baby," Lupin announced and took a step back. "The shock made his body shut down, but he'll wake up soon."
"Thank Merlin," Draco sighed and his shoulders slumped in relief.
Lupin caught sight of the open box and he inhaled sharply. "Is that …"
"All right, what the hell is going on?" Black burst in the room, coming to an abrupt halt when he saw his godson on the couch.
Draco took a deep breath to steady himself and then relayed everything that had happened to the three older men, including the letter which had burned up.
The silence that had fallen over them after Draco stopped talking was broken by Black.
"How the fuck did that son of a bitch discover the pregnancy?" he snapped, smacking his hand against the wall.
"I don't know. Harry wears a belt every time he leaves this room and we don't talk about the baby where others can hear us," Draco replied and sunk down on the couch; his face hidden behind his hands. Fatigue was sneaking up on him; just how much would they have to endure still before they could live their lives without constantly having to guard themselves?
"Maybe the person who cursed Harry's broom is the same one who discovered the baby?" Lupin suggested with a faint grimace; lines of worry marred his forehead.
"It wouldn't be the first time Albus made use of a spy," Severus murmured contemplatively.
"We need to inform Minerva and Kingsley," Lupin said firmly. "If Albus can send a package like that through all the wards, we need to adjust them."
"Should we send Harry elsewhere?" Black asked in a strange subdued voice.
Draco's head shot up; sending Harry away?
"Like where?" Lupin inquired, tilting his head.
Black shrugged. "Maybe Potter or Malfoy Manor? Those are fairly well protected. My cousin can look after him; I doubt that bastard will be able to get past those wards."
"You can't send Harry away!" Draco protested, his hands forming fists.
Black scowled at him. "What, you don't care about Harry's safety?"
"Of course I care about his safety!" Draco snapped and rose up. "But do you think Harry would want to be send away for Merlin knows how long?"
"If we explain why …" Black began, frustration slipping in his voice.
"You really think Harry will be willing to leave the school?" Draco lowered his voice, glaring at his cousin. "Besides, have you considered his luck throughout all these years? He probably has the worst luck of everyone. He always manages to get in trouble. At least here we can keep an eye on him at all times."
"I would appreciate it very much if you stopped talking about me as if I was a child," an annoyed voice piped up.
"Harry!" Draco turned around quickly, helping his lover sit up.
Harry pushed his fussing hands away and scowled at him. "I fainted, but I'm not an invalid. I can sit up on my own, thank you very much."
Draco couldn't help but roll his eyes. "I just wanted to help."
"How are you feeling, Harry?" Lupin asked and peered at him.
The dark haired wizard sighed, rubbing his forehead. "I'm fine. Don't really know why I fainted, though," he muttered.
"Can you remember what happened before you lost consciousness?" Lupin inquired.
A shudder went through Harry and Draco reached out to grab his hand, giving it a comforting squeeze.
"Yeah, I remember what happened," he mumbled and swallowed. "I just don't understand what he was aiming at by sending me that … that package."
"He probably hoped that the shock would cause a miscarriage," Black spoke bluntly, crossing his arms.
Harry looked stricken; his free hand pressing down on his stomach.
"Subtle as always, mutt," Severus murmured.
Lupin threw his lover a scathing glare.
"What is going to happen now?" Harry asked uncertainly and he seemed to do his best to avoid looking at the box.
"We will warn Minerva about this," Lupin answered; his mouth a thin line. "The wards around the school need to be strengthened."
"Do I need to leave?" Harry asked softly; the hand on his stomach balled into a fist.
"Do you want to?" Black asked and raised an eyebrow.
Soundlessly Harry shook his head, biting his lip.
"You're playing with fire, Potter," Severus muttered darkly.
"I'm not letting him drive me away," Harry retorted stubbornly.
"We'll let you rest now," Lupin announced calmly and then his face hardened when he picked up the box. "We need to alert Kingsley too. Maybe this will speed up the search."
Severus left the room without another word; Black and Lupin following closely behind. Lupin offered them a strained smile and Black gave them both a rough squeeze in their shoulder.
Harry relaxed somewhat once the box was gone; his fist curling open until it laid flat on his stomach.
"How are you feeling?" Draco asked softly.
Mara and Ruby had temporarily retreated to Harry's bedroom, leaving Sapphire and Garin to keep the two wizards company.
"Still a bit shaken, but I'll be all right," Harry answered after a short bout of silence. "I can't believe he knows about the baby now. We've been so careful about it!"
"I know," Draco murmured and crept closer to his lover. He made certain that Harry could see his arms reaching for him – too quick movements still startled him – and embraced him as tightly as he dared. His face was hidden in soft, dark hair while Harry's face was pressed against his shoulder. He felt trembling arms coming around his shoulders and Harry let out a shuddering sigh.
"He won't be able to harm our baby, I swear," Draco whispered. "I won't allow it."
Harry merely nodded and tightened his grip.
Draco felt helpless; he had assumed they would be able to keep the child a secret from Dumbledore, but somehow their cover was blown. Somewhere in the school a spy was keeping an eye on them and probably reporting everything he or she saw. Did this person know about their outings? Draco didn't think that was the case. If the spy knew about them, they would have encountered Dumbledore at either Potter Manor or his own house.
They would need to hurry up with their search. The sooner they could perform the ritual the better. The longer this whole ordeal was dragged out, the more dangerous it would become for Harry.
Draco tightened his jaw when he remembered a particular conversation he had had with his father during the Christmas holidays.
It was Boxing Day and Lucius had requested Draco's presence in his office after he had finished eating his breakfast.
Leaving his pregnant boyfriend in his mother's care – who was more than delighted to talk with him – Draco made his way to his father's office; curiosity blooming up in him.
He knocked on the closed door and upon hearing his father's voice granting him permission to enter, he slipped inside; the door closing with a soft 'click'.
"Draco, take a seat," Lucius murmured and finished signing a letter.
Draco sunk down in the chair in front of the desk, vividly remembering the last time he had been here.
"Thank you for the present, Father," Draco spoke as soon as he had the complete attention of the older man.
"You are an adult now. You will be receiving more duties from now on," Lucius replied. "That file is just the beginning."
"I won't disappoint you," Draco promised solemnly, thinking back at the file safely tucked away in his desk for the time being.
"I know you won't," Lucius retorted calmly. He leant slightly forwards, placing a thin file in front of him, while his son basked in the glow of his father's acknowledgement. "I called you here, because we need to discuss an important matter."
"Which matter?" Draco inquired curiously. Would it be about one of his father's investments?
"It is about the pregnancy," Lucius answered, opening the file.
Draco's back was ramrod straight at the mention of his child. "What about it?" he asked tersely.
"I finished my research regarding the baby yesterday," Lucius continued, looking down at the gathered papers with a slight frown on his face.
"Did something come up?" Draco asked apprehensively. His father's frown wasn't exactly comforting him. Was there something wrong with the baby?
"There was a lot of interesting information left behind by our ancestor," Lucius started slowly, tapping the paper on top of the pile with a finger. "I looked at the practical information first and this is something that Harry needs to hear as well. He'll need to take a potion a month before his estimated due date, which will help accommodate his body during the birth. I'll talk to Severus about it, so that he can brew it. I'm not going to risk the health of my grandchild and my son-in-law, because of an incompetent brewer. According to the information left behind by Lucian Harry won't be in labour for long."
"What exactly is 'not long'?" Draco interrupted him puzzled.
"Lucian mentioned that it wouldn't take more than six hours for the baby to be born if there are no complications," Lucius replied; his eyes flitting over the papers absentmindedly.
"Was there other information present?" Draco pressed further, having heard the faint hesitant tone in his father's voice.
The older man sighed suddenly and looked up from his contemplation of the documents. He clasped his hands together and said soberly, "I'm certain you have heard before that male pregnancies are rather delicate."
Draco nodded warily, already not liking the way this conversation was going.
"It seems that the bond between you and Harry is both a curse and a blessing," Lucius continued slowly; his eyes hooded. "Blessing in that it makes protecting each other easier, as it will give your magical power a boost should you need it, but it also makes the pregnancy more difficult than it already is."
"How so?" Draco managed to bring out, despite the sudden dryness of his mouth.
"Harry will need your presence near him the further his pregnancy progresses. In his current state, it doesn't matter much yet if you stay away from him for a few weeks. However, once he is past the seventh month mark, leaving him alone for a longer period of time can be dangerous." Lucius took a deep breath. "As you are aware of, the baby saps his energy, both physical and magical, but the bond between you two uses both your magic as well. So in reality, Harry's magic is currently being shared between him, the baby and the bond. Your magic – and therefore your presence – is needed to make sure the balance is maintained. Without your presence, his magic won't be able to ground itself and will end up giving too much to either the bond or the baby."
His father didn't need to tell him what would happen if Harry's magic couldn't ground itself; Draco clenched his hands in his trousers and gritted his teeth. Certainly he had known that Harry would be more vulnerable the further the pregnancy progressed, but he hadn't expected him to be that vulnerable. If Harry would be attacked in the last trimester of his pregnancy, chances were that he wouldn't be able to defend himself properly with his magic being distributed between the bond and the baby.
"Listen, Draco, I did not tell you this to make you afraid," Lucius spoke softly and his grey eyes gazed at his son concerned. "I simply wanted to warn you of the potential danger Harry can face if you are not by his side."
Draco licked his lips, trying to order his thoughts. "So as long as Harry and I stay near each other, there shouldn't be any problems?" If so, that wouldn't exactly be a problem; he had never been planning on leaving Harry and having the other man carrying his baby had only solidified his feelings even more. If there had been any doubt about his feelings for Harry – not that there ever was – then this pregnancy had made him realise just how much he loved the other wizard.
Lucius inclined his head. "Exactly. This does not mean you can never leave him alone, but there shouldn't be too much time passing either."
"Thank you for letting me know, father," Draco murmured, feeling slightly overwhelmed.
"It was the least I could do."
"Draco?"
Draco shook his head when Harry's voice broke through his thoughts; dark green eyes were regarding him worriedly.
Mara padded over, pressing her nose against his back in a silent offer of support.
"Sorry, I was a bit lost in thought," Draco apologized, absentmindedly patting Mara's head.
Harry's eyes slid away from him; a peculiar look crossing over his face. "Can you help me with the Potions' homework? I have trouble finding the answer to the fifth question," he asked out of the blue, pulling himself out of Draco's one armed hug, though he kept a hand on Draco's knee.
Draco floundered a bit at the unexpected, random question until he realised Harry's real intention and his face softened; Harry was trying to regain some normalcy after Dumbledore's unwanted 'present'. Harry would have preferred to go flying now, Draco knew, eager to try out his new broom, but his condition forbade him from flying now. Pregnant people past the four month mark were cautioned not to fly after all.
Still feeling somewhat shaky, Draco accepted the offer. "Yeah, I'll help you."
Anything that would distract him from his dark thoughts was good.

The next day, both Draco and Harry were called to the Headmistress' office, where Shacklebolt was waiting for them. They were requested to give their memories of Sunday afternoon. The Head Auror suggested the presence of a couple of his most trusted and highest ranked Aurors near the school, but Harry vehemently denied the offer, stating he had enough protection. He noticed how Draco opened his mouth to argue about it, but seemed to consider it and he closed his mouth with a look of resignation on his face.
Shacklebolt didn't agree with Harry's decision, but ultimately he couldn't do anything without Harry's permission – knowing by now that the young man would find a way around his guards – and so he left, cautioning both wizards to stay on their guard.
There were students who pestered Harry and Draco about Harry's sudden fainting spell on Sunday, but they backed off once they were faced with either a wand or the large, glinting teeth of either Ruby or Mara.
The rest of the week went by without much trouble; the students became too jittery with excitement for Valentine's day to pay attention to either Harry or Draco and the couple was left alone.

14th of February
Despite the previous couple of weeks, Harry woke up with a smile on Valentine's day; anticipation thrumming through his body.
He snuggled deeper in his bed, pulling the blanket to his shoulders, enjoying the warmth that surrounded him. He had fallen asleep with Draco last night, but the latter wasn't there anymore. The faint sound of a shower running alerted him about Draco's whereabouts.
Softly Harry tugged at his hair; pondering about the gift he was planning on giving to Draco. Suddenly he wasn't certain anymore whether the gift was appropriate for Valentine's day; it was certainly unique and something Draco wouldn't have received before, but maybe the meaning behind it would be too heavy for this particular holiday.
Harry let out a sigh, which made some of the black strands flutter weakly. Well, there was no use in doubting it. He wanted to convey his feelings and this gift seemed the best way to do it. It had taken some time to look it up, but he had found it with Draco none the wiser. He could only hope that Draco would accept it.
Biting his lip, he rolled over to his side; eyes staring blankly at the opposite wall while his mind was miles away, mulling over the gift, wondering whether it would have been smarter to get another present as some sort of back up, in case the first one went completely wrong.
His thought process was interrupted by a pair of warm lips.
He blinked and focused on the blond in front of him. Draco was kneeling on the ground; his arms crossed, pressing into the mattress; his eyes glittering softly while some droplets of water fell down from his wet hair on his shoulders. He was still naked, save for the towel wrapped around his hips.
"Happy Valentine's day," Draco murmured, sticking out a hand to caress Harry's cheek, while he dropped another kiss on Harry's lips, clearly not minding the morning breath.
"Happy Valentine's day to you as well," Harry replied softly, returning the kiss. "You're up early," he continued when his eyes caught sight of the clock, which showed that it was not even seven o'clock.
Draco shrugged; rising up so that he could sit down on the bed, next to Harry. "Woke up early and couldn't go back to sleep, so I decided to take a shower already. Sorry if I woke you up."
"You didn't," Harry murmured, rubbing a hand over his cheek; blinking drowsily.
Sapphire jumped on the bed and made her way to Harry, bending her head to but it against his hand – a silent demand to be petted. With a soft chuckle, her owner acquiesced and rubbed with two fingers behind her ear, making the cat purr loudly while she started kneading the blanket softly.
Fingers tucking a stray lock of his hair out of his face made him blink and look up, right in amused, grey eyes.
"What do you say of skipping dinner in the Great Hall tonight and staying here instead. We can have a house elf bring us food," Draco suggested in a soft voice.
A smile tugged at Harry's lips and he grabbed the hand, pulling it away from his hair to press a kiss on the knuckles. "I'd love that," he murmured and they shared another tender kiss before they were interrupted by Garin slithering into the room.
"The whole castle smells too sweet," the snake complained, twisting around one of the bedposts until his whole body – which by now was quite an impressive length – was wrapped around the wood.
Harry muffled a chuckle, ignoring Draco's inquisitive look. "It is Valentine's day after all. The smell should be gone by tomorrow."
Garin hissed annoyed, twisting himself even tighter around the bedpost. "I will get a headache if I have to stay outside for too long," he hissed darkly; his eyes glowing softly.
"You can stay in my quarters," Harry retorted, sitting up. Sapphire looked at him with narrowed eyes when he stopped petting her, but laid down and curled up, closing her eyes with a sigh. "I doubt anyone will try something today."
"It is better to be safe than sorry." Ruby padded into the room, his tail swishing softly back and forth. "Mara and I will accompany you."
"Although we will stay away once you retire to your rooms again," Mara added cheekily. "I have never been interested in the human mating rituals."
Harry spluttered in embarrassment while Draco let out an exasperated groan.
Not waiting to hear whether Mara would say something else, Harry nearly jumped out of his bed, pulling his shirt down which had been riding up. "I'm going to take a shower," he mumbled and fled the room. The last thing he heard before he closed the bathroom door was Draco asking Mara whether it had been really necessary to say that.

Like Harry had predicted, none of the students were interested in taunting him today. They were all too busy flirting with their crushes or handing over their presents if they were in a relationship. Everywhere in the castle, couples were softly giggling, whispering sweet nothings in each other's ears while their hands never strayed far from the other person's body.
When Draco and Harry had arrived in the Great Hall for breakfast, they had seen Blaise handing over a large bouquet of red and white roses to Daphne, who had blushed and averted her gaze, but had accepted the bouquet with a small smile. Later that day, Harry spotted Blaise with a vivid red mark in his neck, his tie crooked, a satisfied smirk on his face and his wrist adorned with an expensive looking watch.
Throughout the entire day, butterflies were kicking up a storm in Harry's stomach whenever he was reminded of what would happen once he and Draco returned to his quarters. None of the lessons managed to capture his attention for long; after a few minutes his mind would start drifting, trying to predict Draco's reaction when he would receive his present.
Draco noticed his absentmindedness and during lunch, he softly asked whether something was wrong. Harry simply shook his head and resolved to not think about his present anymore for the rest of the afternoon. He couldn't change it anymore, so he would just have to live with whatever Draco's reaction would be.
Finally, after an afternoon that seemed to drag on, seemingly intent on making Harry's nerves even worse than this morning, his classes were done and the entire evening would be dedicated to him and Draco only.
Once Hagrid announced the end of the class, Harry stuffed his quill and notes back in his bag and hurried back to the castle, after waving goodbye to the half giant.
Draco was already at their designated meeting spot, having just finished his Healing class. A smile bloomed up on his face when he looked up and saw Harry approaching him.
"Hey," he breathed out and placed his hands on Harry's hips, pulling him forwards until they were closely pressed together. "You're cold," he muttered in Harry's neck when Harry's cold nose touched his cheek.
"Being outside for an hour will do that to you," Harry replied dryly. "The warming charms didn't really help much."
"Well then, let's go warm you up," Draco smirked and with a wink, he straightened his back and grabbed Harry's hand, tugging him along.
Ignoring the loud chatter of the other students filling the hallway, they slipped between them and disappeared into the dungeons where they encountered nobody as there were no Potion classes taking place during the afternoon.
Mara was already curled up in front of the fire with Sapphire sleeping on her back. Ruby shook out his fur and joined the two cats while Garin made himself at home on the lion's broad shoulders.
"I thought we could start with dinner first," Draco suggested and as soon as those words had left his mouth, the table in front of the couch was filled with several plates of steaming food and bowls of fruit covered with a thin coat of chocolate.
"How did you manage to convince the house elves to prepare a separate meal for us?" Harry inquired curiously, staring at the various dishes while the delicious smell was tempting him to dig in.
Draco smirked and placed both their bags against the wall before helping Harry removing his cloak, gloves and scarf.
"As soon as they heard who would be eating it, they practically fell over each other to be the one preparing the dishes," Draco explained amused and led his lover to the couch.
"I don't think I can eat everything," Harry mumbled, sinking down on the couch while he eyed the various dishes.
Draco joined him; sitting down next to him, their thighs touching each other; the warmth of their skin seeping through the cloth of their trousers.
"Eat as much as you want," Draco said and filled a wineglass with a red liquid which looked like wine.
When Draco offered the glass to Harry, the latter raised his hand to ward it off.
"I can't drink wine, remember," Harry reminded the blond.
"I know," Draco retorted dryly. "That's why I asked for grape juice. I figured that would be slightly fancier than water or apple juice."
"Oh, thank you," Harry said surprised and accepted the glass. He took a tentative sip from the juice and was pleasantly surprised to note that it tasted sweet – though not in an overpowering sense – and not slightly sour as he had expected.
"Here." Draco offered him a small toasted piece of bread, covered with some kind of white meat with a droplet of some red sauce on it, holding it in front of Harry's mouth.
Harry raised an eyebrow. "I can feed myself," he remarked amused and felt slightly embarrassed.
Draco shrugged. "I know, but I want to do this. Lately we haven't really had any time for us alone …" he trailed off; his eyebrows slightly furrowed.
Not wanting the memory of the last couple of weeks to loom of them, not now they were slowly becoming at ease again with each other, Harry opened his mouth and was greeted by a dazzling smile when Draco placed the toasted bread on his tongue; his fingers sweeping quickly over Harry's lips.
Before Draco could pick something else to feed him, Harry reached over and picked out a piece of apple; one side of it covered with chocolate and hold it up in front of Draco's mouth, tapping the chocolate covered bit softly against his upper lip.
Without complaining, Draco opened his mouth and let Harry slip the piece of fruit inside. Right when Harry wanted to retract his hand, Draco gripped his wrist and his tongue licked Harry's thumb, removing the small speck of chocolate that had been left behind.
Harry shuddered slightly; his fingers seemed strangely sensitive tonight. Before Draco could do anything else, Harry pulled his hand back and selected a strawberry.
Grey eyes seemed to smoulder and they spent some time feeding each other, letting their lips teasingly meet each other between every few bites.
Harry made sure not to let it progress too far yet – he wanted to give his present before they would do anything more than some light kisses.
Eventually he pulled back and studied Draco carefully. His cheeks were dusted a very light pink; his lips reddish and his eyes glittered softly like diamonds.
Grey eyes lowered and Draco grabbed Harry's hand, intertwining their fingers.
"I have a present for you," he murmured with a faint smile.
"So have I," Harry replied and he felt himself becoming nervous again.
"Would you mind if we moved this to your bedroom? The couch isn't exactly comfortable," Draco asked and his faint smile seemed to tremble slightly.
Harry took a deep breath, reminding himself to remain calm. "Yeah, yeah, let's go," he mumbled and stood up.
Their pets regarded them through half lidded eyes when they walked past them, but they didn't say or do anything.
As soon as both men were in the bedroom, Harry closed the door behind him; his heart thudding quite loudly. He wondered whether Draco could hear his heart beating from where he stood.
Draco climbed on the bed after kicking off his shoes and held out his hand in a silent invitation for Harry to join him.
After removing his own shoes, Harry sunk down on the bed as well, shuffling backwards until he was sitting against his pillows.
The silence hanging between them was tense, both waiting to see who would move first. Strange how they hadn't been this nervous last year.
Draco abruptly turned around and leant over the edge of the bed, riffling through his bag. He came back up with a round vial clutched in his hand.
He didn't look at Harry when he said, "I … This is your Valentine's gift. I decided to brew it myself, because otherwise it wouldn't have arrived on time." He relaxed his hold on the vial and allowed Harry to take it.
It was a rather plain vial, Harry mused when he stared at it, turning it back and forth. There was no label telling him what kind of potion it was – and there wouldn't be one, considering Draco had brewed it himself. The vial was a dark green and the liquid inside was even darker; it sloshed gently against the glass when Harry turned it around in his hand.
"What does it do?" he asked softly and looked up again.
Draco bit his lip and rubbed the back of his neck – an uncharacteristic gesture that made Harry raise an eyebrow.
"You know how memories in a Pensive work?" Draco started slowly, bringing his hand down again. He didn't wait for Harry's affirmative nod and continued, "Well, this one works a bit like a Pensive, except that it's capable of bringing up memories that people don't even remember, because too much time has passed between the events and the age they are now."
Harry furrowed his eyebrows; he had never heard of such a potion before and the purpose still eluded him. "I don't really understand," he said hesitatingly.
Draco took a deep breath and seemed to steel himself, finally looking Harry right in his eyes. "If you take one sip of his potion, you can visit a memory of an event that took place when you were still a baby."
Harry stared blankly at the vial, which suddenly felt a lot heavier. "You mean I can …"
A hand touched his knee, squeezing it gently. "You can relive your first birthday with your parents. It will be like you are right there. I mean, obviously you were right there, but you don't remember it anymore. This vial will be able to bring that memory to the surface so you can relive it again. It can bring back all the memories you have of them," Draco replied and he sounded nervous.
Harry's throat constricted and he swallowed with some difficulty. "I can see my parents again?" he managed to bring out; his voice slightly strangled.
"Yeah," Draco murmured. "I know you have pictures of them, but that isn't the same as actually remembering them. So I thought that with this you can remember them more clearly and … that way you'll remember how much they loved you. Being told that they loved you isn't the same as actually experiencing it after all."
Carefully Harry placed the vial on his nightstand and then leant forwards to hug Draco tightly, ignoring how his back protested at the strange posture.
"Thank you," he murmured thickly, pressing his face in Draco's neck. "You don't know how happy that makes me."
Arms encircled him slowly and Draco pressed a soft kiss against his temple. "I'm glad you like the present," he murmured. "I wasn't certain whether I was overstepping some boundary."
Harry pulled back a bit and shook his head. "You didn't. This gift is perfect," he reassured the other one with a trembling smile. He took a deep breath and pressed his hands against his eyes, willing the few tears to disappear. He wouldn't ruin their evening by crying – even if his tears would be from happiness.
When he felt composed enough, he lowered his hands again and looked at Draco, who returned the look with a soft smile.
"My turn to give you your present," Harry muttered and hesitated. Then he shook his head; he couldn't back out now. He had read the chapters dealing with it thoroughly and he had made sure to practice the spell until there was no chance he would accidentally screw up.
Yes, he would be taking a risk with this gift, but hadn't Draco taken a risk as well?
The next breath he took was a measured one and once he felt like he had enough control of himself, he opened his eyes again – when had he closed them? – and grabbed his wand.
"Your present isn't a material one," he murmured and shifted around until he was sitting more comfortably against the pillows. He crossed his legs and tapped his wand softly against the bed.
"All right," Draco said slowly and he shuffled closer; he rearranged himself until he was facing Harry completely and his knees touched Harry's.
"It's … I've been looking through some books about bonds and they mentioned a spell that people sharing a bond like ours could perform," Harry started to explain; a touch of uncertainty affecting his voice.
"What does this spell do?" Draco asked curiously; his bright grey eyes fixated on Harry.
The blond's calm demeanour caused Harry to relax more and he continued, "It's called the Heart of the Soul spell." Despite Draco's sharp intake of breath – signalling that he knew what the spell did, he went on, "This spell would bind our souls for a while and allow us to see each other's past for lack of a better word. Everything in our soul would be shown without an possibility of holding back." He fumbled with his wand, gripping it tightly. "I understand if you'd rather we don't use this spell, but I … I wanted to show you how much I trust you," he ended in a whisper; not trusting his voice to remain even if he spoke any louder.
He could feel his cheeks burning from embarrassment and he looked away, while a voice in the back of his mind mocked him, questioning why he thought the spell would be accepted by Draco.
Draco's silence tugged at his nerves and he swallowed rather loudly. Still refusing to look up, he mumbled apologetically, "I'm sorry; I know it's a weird gift, but …"
A hand cupping his chin made him shut up and though unwillingly, he allowed the other wizard to raise his head. Fingers brushed against his cheek and a thumb stroked the fragile skin underneath his right eye gently.
"Don't apologize," Draco ordered vehemently and Harry stared at him startled. "I'm honoured that you're willing to share yourself with me. I know how much you value your privacy, so you can't imagine what an amazing present you're giving me."
Harry sat speechlessly while grey eyes shone with excitement and something that seemed to resemble … awe?
"The spell won't allow us to keep secrets," Harry brought out once he was fairly certain his voice wouldn't crack and his thundering heart had calmed down. Even though this was his present, he didn't want Draco to feel obligated to undergo the spell.
This spell was incredibly invasive: everything they had experienced – every memory, thought and emotion – would be bared to the other one. There would be no hiding or shielding possible; Occlumency wouldn't work as long as the spell was active.
There were memories that Harry preferred to keep private: memories containing his life with the Dursleys for example. He preferred not thinking about them; they belonged to his past and they would stay there. Mentioning them would probably upset Draco and Harry didn't want to do that. He didn't want his past with the Dursleys to taint his relationship with Draco. Talking about them to Snape had been bad enough; Harry was all too happy to never mention them again.
But this spell would be the best way to show that he trusted Draco completely. Stating it out loud didn't seem enough. He had decided months ago that he wanted to spend the rest of his life with Draco and he needed Draco to know how much he loved and trusted him, as words and even actions didn't seem adequate enough.
"I know," Draco replied softly and transferred his hand from Harry's chin to his rounded stomach, where he was met by a soft, but determined kick. He smiled. "I don't need to hide myself from you. Are you certain about this?" His eyes softened. "You don't need to prove anything to me."
Harry shook his head; a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth as he relaxed again. "I want to do this," he stated firmly and raised his wand. "Are you ready?"
Draco ceased caressing his face and instead gripped Harry's free hand; their hands slipping into the hold naturally – two halves of a whole.
"Ready." He nodded and held Harry's gaze.
Feeling his baby giving another soft kick, Harry took that as encouragement and started chanting the Heart of the Soul spell.
The time of hiding was over.

Draco felt as if he was tumbling down, surrounded by a deep green that beckoned him. Harry's voice filled the space between them, dancing around them; acting like a rope which bound them together.
Anticipation, gratitude and awe were waging war inside him and he had to remind himself to keep breathing. It wouldn't do to faint while Harry was chanting the spell that would link their minds together.
Harry.
Harry, who had given him one of the most intimate presents a person could receive. Harry, who was now allowing him to see him without any barrier. Harry, who loved him so much, who trusted him so much that he didn't mind baring his all to Draco.
With this spell, there would be no going back. Strangely, that thought didn't bother Draco at all.
One moment he was still drowning in green and now he suddenly became aware of the sudden lack of Harry's voice.
His surroundings existed out of a dim, lime green light which pulsed. He was standing on in a grass field and around him, several sparks of golden light were emitted by the ground. As soon as they reached the level of Draco's eyes, they sprung apart with a high sound, as if someone tapped a knife against a wine glass.
There seemed no end to the grass and the golden sparks. Curiously, Draco took a step forwards and paused when the lap of ground underneath him trembled. Another step forwards and the trembling grew worse until he thought he was experiencing a mini earthquake.
Right when he started to worry, the ground stilled again and then purple mist rose up in front of him, twisting and turning slowly.
Fascinated, he kept standing there until the mist was done twisting itself and he was facing a thin screen, not unlike the ones he saw when he used Legilimency on someone.
Would this spell work like Legilimency? Only one way to find out.
Bracing himself, Draco reached out and quickly brushed his fingers across the screen; something cold touched his hand and he pulled back hastily with a muffled shout of surprise.
A low ticking sound reached his ears and he watched wide eyed how an image slowly filled the screen, as if it was floating upwards like a berry greeting the surface of a potion when it was thrown in the cauldron.
Once the last ripples faded away, he was staring at Harry, who was hunched over something; only his profile visible from where Draco stood.
Without realising it, Draco leant forwards until his nose touched the screen. Before he could pull back, tiny, cold hands grabbed him and pulled.
Opening his eyes – his arms still flailing around trying to steady himself – he could see Harry sitting on a toilet in a familiar bathroom with an even more familiar vial clenched between his hands.
Then Draco gasped and fell on his knees; his arms wrapped around his waist when a wave of despair and fear hit him like a sledgehammer.
He trembled when panic struck through him and for a few moments he was floundering, not knowing why he was feeling panicked and in despair when nothing had happened.
Until he realised that he was feeling what Harry felt in this particular memory.
Taking a deep breath, he forced his muscles to stop trembling. Trying to ignore the fear and despair lurking in him, trying to drag him down, was difficult, but he managed to push them down long enough to concentrate on Harry again.
And now he could hear his voice even when his lips didn't move.
Should I do this? If I take it, there's no going back. But that would be better, right? I'm still in school, Dumbledore is hunting me … How can I put the baby in danger? Nobody would blame me … right? Can I do this? I need to do this. It's too dangerous now; I can have children later. Yeah, once Dumbledore is gone and I've graduated, there'll be plenty of time to have children. This wouldn't make me a bad father.
But should I? It's not the baby's fault that my life is fucked up.
On and on the thoughts went until Harry opened the vial with trembling hands. As soon as the vial was uncorked, his thoughts abruptly stopped as if the sight of the potion paralyzed him.
Numbly Draco watched how Harry raised the vial in the air; watched how tears started to roll over his cheeks.
I'm sorry.
He nearly jumped when the vial fell down on the ground, shattering on impact. Harry had wrapped both his arms around his waist and he was rocking back and forth, muttering, "I can't do it. I'm so god damned stupid, but I can't do it." His voice was choked and the fear was sneaking back again, threatening to overwhelm Draco.
Before he could see the scene further unfold – but really, did he need to when he had been there? – he was pushed out of the screen and he fell on the grass with a grunt.
Instead of brushing off the grass blades and standing up, Draco sat immobile for a while; trying to come to terms with what he had witnessed. He remembered how scared Harry had looked when he had entered the bathroom upon hearing the glass shattering, but he hadn't quite realised just how scared Harry had been, how terrified while trying to make the decision about the baby.
Guilt stirred inside him; how could he not have noticed how much his lover had been suffering? But there was not much he could do about it now. There was no use in wasting energy with 'what ifs'.
Resolutely he stood up. Yes, it hurt to realise how Harry had been suffering silently, but there was nothing he could do to change the past.
He had known that the spell would show both the good and the bad memories; he could whine and curse himself every time he thought he could have handled something better, but that would be a waste of time and energy. What he could do, was look at the memories and be there for Harry when he needed him.
The second memory he encountered showed a younger Harry, standing in front of a haggard and dirty looking Black, who was clasping his godson's shoulders. This had to be a memory of third year then, when Black had been on the run.
It was a short memory – Black telling Harry how much he looked like his parents – but the cocktail of emotions that had brewed in Harry left a lasting impression on Draco. A deep longing welled up in him, mixed with frustration and apprehension. Draco wondered what Black had told Harry to leave behind such a confusing mixture of feelings. Simply informing him of their bond and even his innocence shouldn't have brought out such a deep longing.
He was pushed out of the memory before he could try to find out the reason.
There seemed to be no clear reason behind the sequence of the memories: a memory of a toddler Harry petting a stray cat was followed by a twelve year old Harry who argued with Granger about the Polyjuice Potion they were brewing. Draco felt the joy when Harry flew on a broom for the first time; the burning jealousy the dark haired wizard felt when he was forced to watch how many presents his fat cousin had received; his irritation flashing up whenever Draco taunted him.
The deep, slumbering fury when Draco had suffered underneath the curse of the Ravenclaw student made the blond wizard swallow and flex his fingers.
Memories popped up every time Draco took a few steps forwards, pulling him inside; making certain that he knew every thought flashing through Harry's head; felt every subtle shift in his emotions. He shared the excitement of Harry when Black was declared innocent; the wonder when he finally heard who his parents really were; the shimmering shame when Harry had fainted thanks to the Dementors' presence. He experienced the awed elation when their baby kicked for the first time; the happiness when he made his first friends; the terror when Voldemort had returned.
The attraction Harry felt for him made him blush fiercely; the deep, overwhelming love left him speechless and he had to shut his eyes tightly to prevent some tears from leaking out, while his heart sped up in response.
Harry had told him he loved him a couple of times before, but actually feeling it was quite different. The words 'I love you' just weren't enough to encompass the range of Harry's love for him, didn't seem sufficient enough.
When he opened his eyes again, he was back in his own mind and Harry was looking at him with flushed cheeks and shining, deep green eyes.
"I …" Draco started and then stopped, not knowing how to word his thoughts out loud.
"Yeah," Harry muttered, sounding overwhelmed.
"This was … Thank you." Those words of gratitude seemed too inane to properly express his gratitude and admiration, but they would have to do for now.
Harry smiled shyly in response, ducking his head, while his hand rubbed self-consciously over his arm.
"Don't hide your face," Draco murmured and shuffled closer to Harry. His hands cupped Harry's cheeks and he tilted his head so that his lover faced him. As soon as Harry's eyes fell on him, he bent his head and captured Harry's mouth; smiling faintly when he heard the other's muffled gasp. It didn't take long for Harry to respond enthusiastically to the kiss and slender arms slipped around Draco's shoulders, pulling him closer while their kiss increased in intensity. Tongues peeked from between bruised lips and they jolted as if stung by electricity when their tongues met.
Mouths opened wider; their kiss growing wetter and hotter while their bodies shifted and moved around until Harry ended up on his back with Draco leaning over him. Despite his brain becoming foggy with arousal, he was mindful of Harry's stomach, making certain he wasn't putting too much weight on it.
A whispered spell rid them of their clothes until the only barrier between them was their underwear.
Harry turned his head to the left when Draco made a trail of kisses, starting from the corner of his eye, ghosting over his cheek until he ended up with his mouth in Harry's neck, sucking harshly on a patch of skin. A soft keen escaped Harry's mouth at the sensation and their panting resounded through the room when Draco pulled back, eyeing the vivid red purple mark adorning Harry's neck.
"Don't look so smug," Harry admonished him, but the scolding tone was weak thanks to his breathless voice.
"Just admiring the way you look," Draco replied smoothly, touching the necklace – his previous Valentine's gift to Harry – lightly, the metal chain warm thanks to Harry's body heat.
The gemstone set on the ring gleamed in the candle light when Harry removed his hands from Draco's shoulders; only to place them on Draco's chest, tracing invisible patterns on his skin that left goose bumps in their wake.
"Admiring me or your marks on me?" Harry inquired amused and raised an eyebrow sceptically.
Draco grinned; one of his hands trailed over Harry's side to his hip, making him shiver, and gripped his leg. He pushed Harry's leg in the air, so that he could turn his head and place a kiss on Harry's knee.
He lowered the leg again and answered, "Both. Is that a crime?"
"Are you going to do anything else?" Harry smiled, dropping his hands on the bed.
"Do you want me to do anything else?" Draco retorted teasingly, his hands resting on narrow hips while his thumbs rubbed slow circles on the jutting hipbones.
"You can do whatever you want," Harry responded and Draco froze, staring at his lover with wide eyes. Harry looked back; his eyes glowing in the candle light.
"Saying things like that can be dangerous," Draco whispered; his fingers slid between warm skin and cloth, lingering.
Harry hummed and rose up so that he could kiss Draco again. "I trust you," he stated simply.
Draco smiled and returned the kiss with more force, pushing the other one back into the pillows. Their moans were covered by their mouths when their hips pressed together and their hands caressed each other with more urgency, sliding over arms, caressing shoulder blades, touching stomachs. Draco arched his back when he felt nails ranking teasingly over his skin; the slight sting only adding to his arousal.
Somehow they managed to get rid of their underwear and their naked skin felt quite warm and became faintly slick. Removing his mouth, leaving Harry panting and with red, swollen lips, Draco lowered himself until he was placing kisses on Harry's chest; pausing to swirl his tongue around a nipple which hardened in response. A low groan rumbled through Harry's chest and his hand clamped down on Draco's shoulder, while the other one covered his mouth to attempt to muffle the sounds pouring through – which turned out to be in vain.
"Sensitive, huh?" Draco mumbled thoughtfully and before Harry could say anything, he closed his mouth around the hard nub again while his hand came up to caress its twin.
A violent shudder ran through Harry and Draco swore he could hear the faintest whine escape from his lover.
"Draco, more please," Harry pleaded and he squirmed underneath him, letting the blond know how pent up he was becoming.
Draco shivered with pleasure at hearing Harry's pleading – it wasn't often that he got to hear that – and licked his lips. He retreated slightly, though he still kept his body between Harry's raised legs. His hand hovered above Harry's crotch.
"More what?" he whispered; his grey eyes half lidded.
Harry threw him a frustrated glare, which only made his desire flare up almost painfully when he noticed how enlarged Harry's pupils had become. The brilliant green was almost completely swallowed up by black.
"You know what I want!" Harry snapped and wriggled his hips impatiently; his hand shot out to grasp Draco's wrist with the intend on pushing it down.
Draco wriggled out of his grasp and ignored Harry's annoyed hiss.
"I can't read your mind, Harry," he teased. "You'll have to tell me what you want."
The dark haired wizard – by now a squirming mess with flushed skin – let out a frustrated groan. "I need you." He licked his lips and looked away; his next words almost inaudible. "In me."
There was a time for teasing Harry and there was a time when he was just making them both frustrated by holding back. Clearly they were approaching the second situation, because Draco's mind suddenly became blank; all his teasing remarks disappearing like smoke in the wind.
"I can do that," he managed to bring out and he was rather proud of himself for not doing something as undignified as squeaking.
He fumbled a bit while trying to extract the bottle of lubrication from Harry's nightstand – pointedly ignoring the soft chuckle his actions drew from his bed partner. When he turned back to Harry, he saw that Harry was leisurely touching himself and he nearly dropped the bottle in surprise.
"Draco?"
Harry's breathy tone danced across his spine and Draco gulped; yes, they definitely needed to proceed before the fun ended too early.
Their mouths found each other again when Draco laid down next to Harry and he slipped his slightly sticky fingers between Harry's legs until he found his entrance. The first finger made Harry frown slightly and squirm a bit, while he muttered something against Draco's lips. As he wasn't pushed away or stopped in any other way, Draco assumed he could go on and added a second finger as soon as he thought Harry was relaxed enough. He spread the two fingers, taking care to stretch Harry gently while he distracted the other wizard with his mouth. A third finger joined the other two soon and this time he deliberately started to search for the one spot that would drive Harry crazy if he touched it in just the right manner.
Harry's loud, surprised moan alerted him to the fact that he had found the spot and he kept pressing against it, rotating his wrist slightly until he thought that Harry was prepared enough.
"You ready?" he whispered against sweaty, damp skin and when he received the nod of confirmation, his fingers slipped out of Harry, making the dark haired man hiss softly in protest.
For a moment Draco pondered how exactly they would do this. Harry's stomach wasn't that big yet that it would be a hindrance if Draco laid on top of him, but he didn't want to make him uncomfortable and kissing him would be a bit more difficult. The thought of Harry riding him flashed through his mind, but he disregarded that one as soon as it appeared. Harry riding him would be an incredibly amazing sight, but that wasn't what he wanted now.
What he wanted was …
"Harry, lay down on your side," Draco instructed him and despite the confusion swirling around in the depths of those green eyes, Harry nodded and rolled over; wriggling around until he laid comfortably.
As soon as Harry stilled, Draco slipped behind him; his chest pressing against Harry's back. He wriggled one arm underneath Harry's waist and he used the other arm to guide Harry in spreading his legs a bit.
"Draco?" Harry sounded curious, not apprehensive and he inhaled sharply when he felt Draco's arousal pressing against his entrance.
"Ready?"
"Yeah."
Harry's hand grabbed the one Draco had slid underneath him and squeezed firmly when Draco pressed forwards. Draco's own eyes nearly rolled upwards and he couldn't hold back the moan when he felt himself being surrounded by tight heat, muscles that slowly relaxed and accepted him.
Both their breaths came out laboured when Draco finally halted and he focused his attention on Harry's neck, pressing kisses on it while he waited for Harry to give him the go ahead.
Harry sighed and let his head fall back against Draco's shoulder. His eyes were slits when he stared up at the blond.
"You can move," he whispered and Draco nodded, not trusting his voice to stay steady.
They fell into a slow rhythm; Harry pressing back every time Draco pushed back in. The muscles in their legs started to groan in protest after a while, but both ignored them, more focused on exchanging quick, soft kisses – a drawback of this position was that they couldn't kiss each other properly.
Draco made up for that regrettable fact by showering Harry's skin with kisses, sucking marks on his shoulders and neck, while his one free hand caressed every patch of skin it came across.
Sweet moans and deep groans filled the room and Harry was the first one to fall over the edge; his breath halting while his body shook, his inner muscles clenching tightly around Draco; Draco's name escaping in a long, drawn out hiss while his eyes were shut tightly.
Draco followed him soon, his face buried in Harry's neck while his hips stuttered through the waves of his climax.
Draco's body felt boneless when he pulled back after a while and Harry used his wand to clean them both.
"That was …" Harry began and seemed lost for words.
"Amazing?" Draco suggested with a tired laugh.
"Yeah," Harry agreed with a satisfied sigh and they wriggled around until they were cuddling each other underneath the covers; Harry's leg thrown over Draco's hips while Draco's arm laid across Harry's chest.
"I love you," Harry whispered, turning his head so that he could look at the blond – though judging at his eyes that kept falling shut, he was losing the battle of trying to fight off the sleep.
Draco wasn't exactly faring better. "I love you too."
They shared one last tender kiss before both their eyes closed and they surrounded themselves to the sweet embrace of sleep.

The last class of that day – Transfiguration – had just ended and Harry and Draco were discussing the assignment Sirius had assigned the class as homework for next week while they made their way to the staircase that would take them down to the dungeons.
"I'm just saying it's rather hypocritical of him to give that particular assignment, considering he wasn't exactly a stickler of the rules," Draco argued and shook his head.
Harry rolled his eyes good-naturedly. "Trust me; he's aware of that. That doesn't take away the fact that this assignment needs to be done."
"When did I ever say that …"
"Harry, can I talk to you?"
Both wizards froze and after casting each other a wary glance, they turned around.
Pale faced, with slightly red rimmed eyes and hair even frizzier than normal, Hermione Granger stood behind them; a mixture of weariness and apprehension dancing in her brown eyes.

AN2: So what are your thoughts about this? Did you like it? Please leave a review behind with your thoughts!
Next time: The three Founders have found a way to discover Hufflepuff's whereabouts and the group sets out to retrieve her portrait. One would assume that after Dumbledore's house, it can't become any worse ... Making assumptions doesn't always end well.

See you all in the next chapter!
Cuddles
Melissa
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Survival of the fittest