Title: Becoming Bestial

Email: tirel@pcnuthut.com

Site: https://www.angelfire.com/tv2/firebird_ascending/

Author: Constant Vigilance

Disclaimer: JK Rowling is God. I own nothing.

Distribution: Sure. Just lemme know where my baby’s going.

Spoilers: Err…book 4? Book 5 never happened. *Growls at Rowling*

Summary: Draco, Harry, animagi…and angsty lurve.

Dedication: To Ashy. Who told me to hell with what people think. Write what you want. This dedication will make more sense after part 2 goes up. *wink*

After six months of practice with no results, Draco was prepared to just give up. However, he was out here freezing his arse off in the early Scotland spring just one last time…hoping that by some miracle, he’d just ‘get’ it this time. He closed his eyes and began concentrating; focusing on the form his father had ordered him to attempt. He said the words. He made the gestures. He got…nothing. Again.

With a hoarse yell of anger, he kicked a nearby tree and fell to his arse in pain. “Fuck! Why the hell can’t I do this?” He flopped back and threw his arm up over his eyes. “I’m just a hopeless failure,” he whispered.

Harry sighed. It was killing him, watching Draco try again and again. Failing again and again. He wished he had some of that Gryffindor nerve everyone kept talking about. He’d step up to the beautiful blonde and tell him how to fix his error. But he didn’t. Instead, he sat here night after night watching in silence as Draco became ever more frustrated and sure that he was somehow lacking.

In the end, it was that thought that drove Harry out from his hiding place. The fact that Draco seemed to think he was less just because he couldn’t get this one spell. He cleared his throat and wasn’t surprised to see Draco shoot up like a startled animal. Unlike any animal, however, Draco had his wand trained on Harry before the dark haired boy could blink.

“What the hell are you doing here, Potter?” he demanded. “Following me?”

Harry shrugged. “Actually, yeah.” Draco looked surprised at the honest answer. “I know what you’re doing wrong,” Harry offered.

Draco closed down again, a sneer making it’s way onto his face. “You don’t even know what I’m doing, much less what I’m doing wrong…so bugger off.”

Harry ignored him, making his way to a tree directly across from Draco’s form, and tugging his cloak off. He arranged it carefully on the ground and eased himself down onto it, giving a sigh of contentment as he did so. He pretended not to see Draco’s rising anger. “Perhaps not,” he agreed, arranging his cloak to cover his knees, “But…I think that you are trying to perfect the animagus spell. And I think that you’ve gotten to the point where you have the spell down perfectly and can’t understand why you just won’t change already. I also think that I know why that is and I think that if you could stop being such a prat for a fucking minute, that I might be able to help you with that.”

Draco’s grip tightened on his wand and Harry looked up at him with a quirked eyebrow. “Well? Am I close? Or should I just bugger off?”

Draco bit his tongue against the words he wanted to say. He finally managed, “How would you know anything about being an animagus? I don’t recall seeing your name on the registered lists.”

Harry grinned. “I’m actually very familiar with the spell. My father was one. As were two of his best friends.”

Draco sneered again. “Oh, yes…the traitor and the escaped lunatic.”

Harry’s jaw dropped and he stared at Draco in shock. “What did you say?”

Draco rolled his eyes. “Oh, don’t go getting all defending-the-family on me, Potter.”

Harry waved his hand restlessly. “No, what you said” the traitor and the escaped lunatic. You know that…?”

Draco smiled wryly, “That your precious godfather isn’t a mass murderer? That Pettigrew is a traitor and a kiss arse? Yes, I know. All the Death Eaters know,” he added haughtily.

Harry narrowed his eyes. “And apparently so do their sons,” he retorted.

Draco flushed. “Just because I haven’t taken the mark doesn’t mean I won’t.”

Harry shrugged again. “True. And just because I’m the fucking Golden Boy of Hogwarts doesn’t mean that I haven’t broken so many rules that I can’t count them.”

Draco grinned. “Well, I knew that too, actually.” Harry returned his smile. “So, is one of these rules letting your godfather teach you how to become an animagus?”

Harry nodded. “Sirius taught me two years ago.”

Draco looked impressed and jealous. “So, Pettigrew is a rat. What are Black and your father?”

Harry looked proud. “My father was a stag. Prongs was his nickname. As for Sirius and myself, I can’t tell you that because you’ll more than likely pass it along to your death eater father and his friends.”

Draco looked petulant. “I don’t tell him everything.”

Harry didn’t look convinced. “Name one thing you haven’t told your father that is half as important as this?” Draco flushed and looked around the clearing uncomfortably. Harry’s eye’s widened. “Really? There really is something you haven’t told him? Wow, it must be good.” Draco’s blush increased. “Okay, secret boy,” Harry smirked. “You tell me your secret and I’ll tell you my form. I won’t give up Sirius, but I’ll share mine with you.”

Draco looked horribly torn and Harry suppressed a snicker. Finally, Draco sighed. “Very well, but I guarantee you this, Potter. If anyone hears of this I will go straight to my father with your secret,” he threatened. Then he paused, looking worried. “Or…someone,” he added, brow furrowed in thought.

Harry nodded. “You have my word, Malfoy.”

Draco snorted. “Oh my, the word of a Gryffindor.”

Harry raised an eyebrow. “Might I have your word as well, then?”

Draco laughed bitterly. “Would you believe the word of a Slytherin?”

Harry cocked his head. “I’m not asking for the word of a Slytherin. I’m asking for your word.”

Draco hesitated and then nodded. “You have it, for whatever you believe it’s worth.”

Harry inclined his head in a short bow. “You’d be surprised what I believe at this point in my life, Malfoy.”

Draco eyed him momentarily, and then sighed in resignation. “Fine. I’m gay,” he blurted out.

Harry raised an eyebrow. “Really? You hide it very well.”

Draco snorted. “My father would lose his bloody mind if he knew.”

“Why is that?”

“Who would carry on the Malfoy line if I decided to shack up with some rentboy?” Draco asked bitterly.

Harry drew his knees up and wrapped his arms around them. “Well, I suppose if that’s what you’re planning on doing, I can see why he’d be irritated. However, you can carry on the Malfoy line perfectly well by legally marrying another male and either adopting a child or taking a male pregnancy potion.”

Draco looked shocked. “You can do that?”

Harry looked curiously at him. “You’re a pureblood. Didn’t you know that?”

Draco blushed again. “I never took the risk to find out.”

Harry nodded in understanding. “Oh, well then, yes. It’s quite legal, a binding contract between two men. Marriage vows and consummation and all.” Draco began fidgeting at ‘consumation’ and Harry covered a smile. “Any child born of the two is considered a true heir.”

“And what is this about a potion?” Draco recovered enough to ask.

“One of the two men can take a potion that allows for conception. Granted the baby will have to be surgically removed, but that allow tha partners to have a child f both bloodlines instead of artificial insemination with only one parent’s sperm or adoption.” Draco looked fascinated. Harry grinned. I can’t believe you’ve never looked any of this up.

“I can’t believe you apparently did,” retorted Draco.

“Well, I felt I rather needed to know my options,” Harry tossed out casually, his insides clenching.

Draco’s jaw dropped again. “You’re gay?”

Harry grinned. “Surprise?”

Draco looked infuriated. “Well, this just sucks arse!”

Harry looked confused. “Why?”

“Well, now I know a secret about you and you know one about me and now I have no bartering material with which to get your animagus form!” he snapped.

Harry chuckled. “Not so fast, blondie. My being gay isn’t a secret. Just not a lot of people outside of my house know about it. And we made a deal. My admission of homosexuality was my choice.”

Draco frowned. “I’d have made you spill something else.”

Harry looked at him thoughtfully. “No, I don’t think you would have.”

Draco sneered. At least, he attempted to sneer. It rather faltered mid lip curl and he sighed. “Yeah, well, maybe not.”

Harry nodded. “And now for my part. I’m a wolf.”

Draco looked at him, a rather dreamy expression on his face. “Really? I’d like to be a wolf.”

Harry smiled. “The wand picks the wizard and your heart picks your form. Actually, that’s your problem,” he continued. Draco looked confused.

“You know, why you can’t finish the transformation? You aren’t listening to your heart. You’re trying to force your form. I bet you have an idea of some hugely evil and nasty creature you would like to be to impress your father, don’t you?”

Draco flushed.

“And you’re trying so fucking hard to make the transformation into that animal that you’re getting headaches and nausea and all your energy is being sucked out of you like you’re in a giant sieve, right?”

Draco nodded, fascinated. “That’s it exactly! How did you know that?”

Harry shrugged. “I had the same problem. My father was a stag. In his heart, he was the leader of his herd. He was majestic and graceful and part of a larger whole. I wanted to be a stag so badly I could fucking taste it.”

“But?” Draco asked softly.

Harry looked up wryly at him. “I’m not a herd animal. I know it may look like it, with the hordes of ‘friends’ I have. But really, all I have are acquaintances. I’ve always known that in the end, I’d stand alone; I’d face Voldemort alone.” He sighed. “Actually, it’s always been that way. I’ve always had my friends around me, supporting me, standing by me, but when it comes down to it…I face whatever fucking nightmare gets thrown at me alone.”

Draco had crept closer during Harry’s admission. He now eased to the ground and curled his legs up under him. Harry pulled his eyes back down to Draco. “Sirius told me to stop begging my heart to listen to my head and just let my head hear my heart. So, I tried. I realized that loneliness is a huge part of who I am. Sometimes, it’s all I have that I can be sure of: being alone. And once I accepted that, I realized that my strengths lie in solitude. When I can act without fear of harming those I love, when I can throw caution against the wind and just be me…those are the times that I’m the most powerful. After I’d figured that out, everything fell into place. I just concentrated on the change, not the final product. And it worked.”

“You transformed?” Draco asked breathlessly

Harry smiled. “I transformed.”

Draco looked hesitant. He opened his mouth and snapped it shut again, bit his lip and finally just looked Harry in the eye, Can…can I see?” Harry felt the antagonism he’d always felt for Draco just melt away at the quiet longing in his voice. He watched the emotions flicker over Draco’s face and knew that no matter what happened, even if Draco broke his word, he had to see what Draco’s animagus form would be.

“Sure,” he replied softly.

He pushed himself up off of the cloak and knelt before the Slytherin. Gathering his will to him, he ‘pushed’ against his human body and watched Draco’s eyes widen in amazement as Harry Potter melted away and a silvery wolf took his place.

Harry knew what he looked like. He’d spent nearly an hour in front of a mirror the first time he changed, just staring at himself. He was much larger than an average wolf, perhaps half again to double sized. He knew that his eyes didn’t change color, but they self corrected the flaws in his vision. He also knew that there was a blinding white lightening shaped marking on his grey fur.

Draco caught his breath at the transformation. It was so smooth. Harry melted from one form into another like water. And oh, dear Merlin, what a form it was. Harry the boy was gorgeous…he’d long since given up trying to convince his raging hormones of that fact, but Harry the wolf was just…beautiful, ethereal, ghostly.

He shuddered and clenched his hands into fists to keep from reaching out to his archenemy

Harry lolled his head and opened his mouth in a wolfy grin. He took two steps forward and sat down in front of the blonde, silently giving permission

With a trembling hand that he didn’t even recognize as his own, Draco reached. His hand came into contact with the thick, soft fur and his fingers sank into it

Harry was humbled at the sheer awe with which Draco regarded him. He ducked his head and chucked Draco under the chin gently, playfully.

Draco smiled shakily and brought his other hand up to run over Harry’s head, neck and ears. Harry saw the first tear fall from Draco’s eye and his jaw closed. As another quickly followed it, he perked his ears up and gave a tiny whine. Draco choked back a laughing sob at the noise and brought both hands up to hold Harry’s face still.

Tears began streaming down his face but the smile never left his face. “You’re beautiful, Harry,” he whispered.

Harry whimpered again and licked the boy from cheek to hairline, tasting the tears…tasting Draco as he never would have had the courage to do in human form.

Draco giggled slightly and the tears abated. He lunged forward suddenly and threw his arms around the wolf, burying his face in the soft ruff. Harry snuffled the back of Draco’s neck and sat contentedly, being held by Draco Malfoy and loving every second of it.

Long moments later, Draco pulled back, wiping his eyes in embarrassment. “Sorry, don’t know why it affected me like that,” he smiled shyly. “Go ahead, turn back if you want to.”

Harry didn’t move, he just ‘pushed’ again and suddenly Harry the wolf was replaced with Harry the human, still sitting oh, so very close to Draco. They stared into each other’s eyes, neither one wanting to break the fragile peace between them. Eventually, Draco blushed and looked away.

“That was bloody well amazing, Potter,” he confessed.

“Thanks,” Harry returned. He scooted back a few inches, watching the relief spread over Draco’s face as he did. Why was it he ever thought Draco was cold and unfeeling? Once he allowed his guard to drop, even infinitesimally, he was like an open book. “You think you’re ready to try?” Harry asked.

Draco looked nervous. “I guess I could.”

“What were you trying to turn into?”

Draco looked mortified. “My father wanted me to be a basilisk or a huge snake of some sort,” he admitted.

Harry looked at him thoughtfully. “No, that’s not you at all.”

Draco snorted. “Really? So what am I, oh master of the animal form?”

Harry smiled slightly. “Don’t get pissy. I just meant that I couldn’t picture you as something as cold and unfeeling as a reptile.”

Draco looked shocked. “Really? I thought everyone pictured me cold and unfeeling.”

Harry shook his head. “Not in the least. Well, I never did, anyway.” Draco waited, the impatience growing on his face. Harry finally relented. “You’re sleek, graceful, proud. You own the space around you. I see you as a loner as well, but stronger somehow.” He cocked his head to the side. “I see fierceness but I see playfulness as well. Draco just stared at Harry, until the Gryffindor was squirming under his gaze. “What, damn it?” he growled.

“I just never knew you spent so much time contemplating who I am.”

It was Harry’s turn to blush. “It’s hard not to be on the same planet as you, Malfoy, much less in the same room without having one’s attention drawn to you. You’re like a magnet. Eventually, even the most stubborn eyes rest on you.”

Draco smiled. “You are aware that you’re describing yourself?”

Harry started. “What?”

Draco laughed. “I understand what you mean, actually, because I feel it every time I’m near you as well. It’s like the whole room disappears and there’s only you, what you’re doing, what you’re saying, how you’re acting. It’s all very fucking annoying.”

Harry smiled slyly. “Well, either I’m extremely magnetic, or you’re just in love with me,” he drawled. And was startled to see all the color drain from Draco’s face. “Are you okay?” He asked concernedly.

Draco jumped to his feet. “I’m not really feeling so well. The transformation attempt made me a bit sick. I-I’m going to go in now…go to bed. Maybe I’ll try again tomorrow.” He tucked his wand into his robes and turned to walk briskly away from an astonished Harry.

“Draco? Wait!” Draco winced but stopped obediently. Harry ran to catch up to him. “Can I help you with it? I won’t be a bother, I promise. And I guarantee I won’t tell anyone what you’re doing. Please?” he wheedled, the thought that Draco might not let him know, might not let him see…was nearly choking him.

Draco sighed. “Fine,” he said dully. “I’ll meet you here tomorrow at 10 pm.” And he pulled back away from the Gryffindor. Harry watched him walk away, and wondered why the normally proud head was lowered; the normal strut was reduced to a shuffle.

“What did I do?” he asked quietly of Draco’s retreating back. But he received no answer. He didn’t expect one. He followed the Slytherin back up to the castle, keeping his distance. But it wasn’t until morning crested through his window that he was able to sleep. The vision of Draco’s horrified look stuck in his head…strangely superimposed over the tearful awed expression he had when witnessing Harry’s animagus form.

As he finally slipped unto unconsciousness, he felt again, the strong grip of Draco Malfoy’s arms circling his neck. And he let slumber claim him with a smile.

_________________________________________________________________________

The next morning, Harry could hardly focus. Partly from sleeplessness and partly from anticipation of the coming evening.

He missed breakfast and spent most of transfiguration and divinations having Ron poke him awake. Even when lunch rolled around, he just sat in a daze, blindly shoving bites of food in his mouth each time Hermione looked pointedly at him. He surreptitiously stared across the tables, hoping to get a glimpse of blonde hair and soft grey eyes but Draco missed lunch.

That afternoon, he woke up enough to avoid the loss of fingers as Hagrid introduced them to their newest assignment, something furry and cute with inch long fangs and an absolute hatred for chocolate. Considering they had chocolate pudding for lunch, Harry wasn’t the only one with a problem. Thankfully it distracted the rest of his classmates from asking why he was so out of it.

He didn’t fare so well in DADA. They partnered up and Harry agreed to pair Neville, a momentary lapse of sanity in his sleepiness. The other Gryffindor had a brief period of genius, or just really screwed up the blocking spell they were working on, and Harry’s confundus hex rebounded off of the shield and smacked him right between the eyes. He spent the better part of an hour sitting in the corner, babbling to the wastebasket as the rest of the class went on without him. The professor decided the best lesson for Harry would be to suffer the effects of the hex until the end.

Goody for Harry. By the time dinner rolled around, Harry was sleepy, cranky and determined to get some sleep before meeting Draco that night. He begged off evening activities and went straight to bed. When next he awoke, he checked his clock. 9:30 p.m. He grabbed up his cloak and snuck out of the common room. He made a quick stop at the kitchens to gather up some snacks from Dobby and he was on his way out to the clearing to meet Draco.

Draco made his way to the clearing quite early, he was there by nine o’clock, determined to make peace with his inner voice by the time Harry got there. All day, he’d been fighting off urges to go looking for Harry and see if that kind and understanding…and interested look was still in his eyes. He’d just about had a heart attack when he realized that Harry had been correct. The feelings he’d described having about Harry…did indeed sound like love. And what the hell was he supposed to do about that?

Love didn’t figure into a Malfoy’s existence. Of course, neither did being gay, but he managed that quite nicely. He sighed. So. He was gay. Harry was gay. He was…fond of? In love with? Losing his mind over? Harry. Harry was…well, he really didn’t know what the hell Harry was feeling. He couldn’t very well just out and ask either. Oh, Potter, by the way. I seem to be in love with you. Might you feel similarly towards me, old chap? He snorted.Or, Potter, I seem to be enamored of you and would truly enjoy fucking you into the mattress. How about it?

“Fuck!” He cried. “Why can’t things like this ever be easy?”

“If they were easy, then everyone would do it,” Harry replied, grinning as he dropped the basket of food up against a tree.

Draco squeaked and then glared at having been caught talking to himself…and squeaking. “I wasn’t talking about being an animagus, for your information.” he snapped.

Harry quirked an interested eyebrow. “Oh, so what were you talking about?”

Draco looked like a deer in headlights. “I er, actually…it’s none of your fucking business, Potter,” he finally growled.

Harry shrugged. “Okay, whatever. You ready to try this?”

Draco stood and shucked his robes, standing clad in muggle trousers and a button down shirt. Harry watched, mouth watering, as the material pulled tight across Draco’s taunt stomach. Catching himself just before Draco turned back around, he chastised himself mentally for being so easily distracted. “So what do I do?” Draco asked.

You strip off the rest of those clothes and let me lick you until you scream? Harry thought, and then flushed.

“Um…” he took a deep breath and whooshed it out, forcing his thoughts away from his cock. “Okay. First, close your eyes and picture the spell.”

Draco narrowed his eyes before he closed them, but he did cooperate eventually.

“Now. Ask yourself: Who am I? What makes me the person I am? Push away anything your father told you that you are, or anyone else for that matter. They don’t count. Their opinions are nothing. You are the only one who truly knows who you are. Others may think they have a clue, but no one person truly knows another.”

Draco nodded and let his head loll back as he concentrated. He discovered it really wasn’t that hard to block out his father’s words and demands. It was a bit harder to ignore the reputation he’d carefully constructed around the school, but in the end he managed it. He began searching his mind for words, feelings that would describe who he truly was.

And he was stymied. He had no idea. He suddenly realized the mask he’d put on as a child, the mask he’d added layers to as a teen, was too thick. He couldn’t peel it away. What kind of fucking idiot has no idea who he is? He thought panicked. This is hopeless. I can’t do this.

Harry watched Draco’s face smooth out as he relaxed. He smiled, seeing the faint worry lines disappear from around the blonde’s eyes and mouth. Good fucking lord, he’s beautiful. Then the lines came back. And they deepened. Harry watched Draco’s muscles tighten and could feel the tension in the air.

“What’s wrong, Draco?” he asked softly.

Draco squeezed his eyes shut. “I can’t find me,” he whispered shortly.

Harry frowned. “I don’t—“

“I can’t find who I am, Potter,” Draco snapped. “I can’t find anything under my father and my m-mask.” He seemed to collapse in on himself.

Harry could no more stop himself from moving forward and taking hold of the other boy’s shoulders than he could have just walked away. “It’s okay, Draco. You’re just a little lost,” he whispered. “Everyone gets that way. I did. I was lost too. Sirius talked me through it, though. And I’m going to do that for you. All right? You’re not alone in this.”

Draco opened his eyes carefully, drinking in Harry’s sincerity, drowning in the certainty. He nodded.

“Good,” Harry smiled. “Now close your eyes again.” Draco complied and Harry lifted his hands up to cup Draco’s face. The Slytherin stiffened for a moment, then relaxed completely into Harry’s hands. Harry felt his chest grow tight at the surrender. “Remember what I told you last night, Draco. Remember how I saw you. Listen to those words. Pick out the ones you feel work for you. Focus on them. Remember. You’re proud, untamed. You’re sleek and graceful.” He watched the calmness fall over Draco’s face once again. He kept his voice soothing and low.

“You possess the air around you; you own the earth you tread upon. You stand apart from the crowd, unique and beautiful. You’re strong, fierce, loyal and confident.” He didn’t realize he’d begun stroking Draco’s cheek slightly. Draco had closed his eyes and let Harry’s voice flow over him. The husky tone sent shivers up his spine and the words melted against him. Harry saw all of that in him? Harry believed that was who Draco Malfoy was? And then Draco realized that, even if that wasn’t whom he was in the past, that just being near Harry made him want to be everything the other boy was murmuring. He wanted to be all of it…for Harry.

“You’re elegant and powerful. You’re charming and playful. You’re—“

“In love with you.” Draco opened his eyes, meeting Harry’s startled green ones. A feeling of pure serenity filled him and he smiled…and pushed against his humanity.

He could feel his skin slipping around the bones in his body, his body lengthening, and his point of balance lowering. It felt good. It felt right. He didn’t really care what he ended up as, just as long as Harry would never stop looking at him like that. And then it was over. His vision cleared and he was looking up at Harry.

Harry stopped short at Draco’s declaration. –in love with him? Draco Malfoy was in love with him? Oh, pleasepleaseplease, he begged silently. Don’t let this be just a heat of the moment confession.

He watched in awe as Draco’s human form melted away, smoothly, and effortlessly. And then Draco was gone. Harry found his hands cupping the furry jowls of the largest leopard he’d ever seen. A pure sleek, black coat glistened under the moonlight, showing minute patterned leopard markings just a bit darker than the body fur. Huge and muscled, quivering whiskers and tiny ears. A long tail thrashed back and forth and deadly claws glinted at the tips of huge paws. The only thing not to change was the clear, crystal grey of his eyes, and the love shining out of them.

Harry’s legs gave out from under him and he dropped to the ground with a thud. His hands came away from Draco’s face and he pulled them, shaking, into his lap. His eyes filled with tears and his breathing developed a hitch. “Oh, Draco…” he whispered. “You’re gorgeous. You’re…you’re perfect. You’re beautiful.” Harry ran out of words and just stared.

Draco stepped forward and butted his head under Harry’s chin, letting out a purr on his exhale Harry gave a gasping, laughing sob and raised his hands to stroke the silky fur again. Draco curled into a crouch and nestled in Harry’s lap, allowing the dark haired boy to run his hands over his head, his chest, back and flanks

“I’ve never seen anything as gorgeous as you, Draco,” he breathed as he stroked the glossy fur.

Draco gave a last purr and pushed again at the animal form. Harry wound up with a lapful of transformed Draco. “Really?” the boy asked huskily. “Cause I was thinking the same thing about you.” Harry stared, transfixed by those eyes again.

“I meant it, Harry,” Draco said, sitting up but not moving away. “I love you. I figured as long as I was being honest enough to ‘find myself’ I might as well go all the way in admitting how I feel.” He ducked his head. “I’m sorry if I upset you or make you feel uncomfortable. I promise you that this is where it ends. You’ll never have to hear it again. And I’ll make a point of leaving you and your friends alone. But I needed to tell you. I—I just needed to.”

He looked back up at Harry, still staring in a daze, and smiled. “You gonna say something, Potter?”

Harry snapped his jaw shut and drew in a breath. “Please,” he breathed. “Please don’t.”

Draco frowned. “Don’t what? I told you, I wouldn’t bother you with it.”

Harry shook his head frantically. “No! Don’t leave me. Not when I’ve just found you.”

Draco looked wary. “What are you saying, Harry?”

Harry pushed Draco out of his lap and moved to straddle him, planting a hand on either side of his head and swinging a leg around his waist. I love you, too. It was Draco’s turn to gape insensibly even as Harry lowered his lips to Draco’s, gently brushing them across his lower lip and over his cheek. “I love you,” he breathed into Draco’s skin. “Please don’t leave me.”

Draco caught his breath at the pure emotion in Harry’s voice…in his eyes. He smiled, blinking back the burn in his eyes. “You have my word,” he whispered.