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Chapter Five: Start of Term

Harry stared out the window of the Hogwarts Express, idly watching the coils of white smoke occlude the platform. He'd been dropped off early, since his Dad had to arrive before the students. He'd had plenty of time to stow his trunk and claim the perfect compartment. Time had passed slowly, but as eleven o'clock drew near the train had quickly filled with the familiar sounds of his cohorts. Feet stamped down the aisle dragging heavy wheeled trunks, doors slammed open in their haste to chat with friends. Owls screeched. The train whistle blew.

Harry jolted as a body suddenly collapsed down right beside him on the seat, too lost in his own thoughts to notice the sound of the compartment door sliding open. He turned to watch with amusement as his blonde friend sighed and stretched languidly beside him. Draco was, as usual, impeccably dressed. Thought slightly frazzled judging from the mildly ruffled state of his hair. Harry was distracted by the bump and press of Draco's left knee against his leg. Suddenly acutely aware of the nerves in his thigh, at least until Draco finally settled down in his seat. Harry glanced across to the open compartment door as the rest of his friends suddenly burst through the door.

"We're not even at the school! Merlin, I swear these first years are going to drive me barmy." Pansy grumbled, scowling darkly at the closed door for good measure.

Harry raised his brows in surprise at her outburst.

Blaise shrugged, also taking a seat on the opposite side of the room. "They're all gawping in the aisle. We barely made it past."

Greg grunted, "For midgets they sure do take up a lot of space." He sighed, stowing his bag overhead.

Draco's brow crinkled. "Surely, we were never that short." He reasoned, nose wrinkling in distaste.

Daphne, the last to be seated, chuckled lightly. "Harry most certainly was." She contested.

"Hey!" Harry yelped in affront.

Draco waved his hand airily, ignoring his dark haired friend. "Harry has always been small." He dismissed Daphne's statement; as though Harry was somehow an invalid point of reference. (contention?)

Pansy reached across the compartment, from where she sat opposite Harry, and comfortingly patted his hand. "It's alright Ry, it's part of your charm." She soothed, heedless of Harrys insulted spluttering.

Vince nodded. "At least you ain't shortest anymore. Reckon you're taller than at least three other fourth years now." He added cheerily.

Harry's stared around at his friends in disbelief. "I hate you all." He said darkly.

"That's the spirit!" Pansy cheered, beaming at Harry widely.

And if one aspect of the blood adoption was irrefutable, it was that Harry had somehow inherited the infamous Snape scowl.

And put it to good use.

….

Draco lounged in the Slytherin common room, listening to the soft chatter of his friends and house mates. Most of the students were still gossiping about the newly revealed Triwizard Tournament, set to begin on the thirtieth of October. Given that he'd found out almost a month ago, Draco's own excitement had mellowed. The fire popped and crackled in the hearth sporadically, casting flickering shadows on the stone walls of the dungeons. He watched (not without amusement) as Blaise quietly tried to flirt with Pansy in amongst their shared conversation with Daph, Vince and Greg. Draco thought Blaise might have been more successful if he hadn't already garnered himself a reputation. He wondered how long it would be before Pansy realised that their mutual friend was genuinely interested in a relationship.

As was now becoming his habit, Draco's eyes were drawn back to his own conundrum. Harry was half draped across the chaise, one arm trailing the ground, and his slightly chapped lips parted with slow breaths. He'd fallen asleep as the clock neared ten, green eyes growing heavy before shutting in Morpheus. It was moments like these, when Harry looked so young and tousled, that Draco acutely remembered the small eleven year old in Diagon alley. His friend was obviously exhausted, given he was usually the last to fall asleep, and had never done so in such a public place. Draco stared with concern at the shadows under his friends eyes. Despite their chat earlier that morning, Harry had somehow avoided talking to Severus about his troubled dreams, never mind the charm they'd been researching. It was getting to the point where Draco was honestly contemplating outing his friend to their parents anyway.

Draco's eyes caught Blaise's as he looked for a moment away from Pansy. His dark skinned friend nodded towards Harry.

"He won't like waking up there." He murmured quietly.

Draco's eyes flickered across to Harry in understanding, agreeing with his friend. Standing quietly from his chair, Draco padded softly over to Harry. He pulled his out wand and murmured a lightening charm, tucking it away again before reaching down to carefully lift his sleeping friend.

Harry let out a quiet huff of air, shifting slightly as he tucked his face into the front of Draco's shoulder sleepily. Draco stared down at the tousled black head of hair, threaded through with strands that almost seemed to glow umber in the firelight.

As Draco straightened up with his load he met the gazes of his friends.

"Night" Daphne whispered.

Greg grunting in agreement, looking up from his completed Transfiguration homework.

"Putting Sleeping Beauty to bed?" Pansy joked softly, eyes holding laughter.

"Sod off" Draco whispered, but his lips tugged in a smile.

The staircase up to the dorms was slightly awkward, but Draco managed well enough. Only once bumping Harry's foot against the wall. It was light enough that Harry didn't stir at all.

With an awkward manoeuvre, Draco nudged the door open with a combination of his chin and hip, glancing around the familiar green clad bedroom.

Harry's bed was on the far wall, with a clear view into the currently darkened lake. Draco peered at the bed in exasperated contemplation, wondering how he was supposed to get Harry under the blankets without putting him down.

Sighing in regret he looked back down at Harry.

"Harry" he said quietly. Harry only groaned, burying his face in deeper as though to cover his ears from the nuisance that was currently Draco's voice.

Draco chuckled, the movement of his chest rousing Harry further. "Come on, lazy arse. I can't tuck you in with both my arms occupied. I'm not Merlin."

"Rack off" Harry mumbled sleepily.

Draco smirked, walking over to the bed. "You asked for it." he drawled, suddenly releasing Harry.

Harry shrieked, green eyes shooting wide, hands darting out to the closest object. Which happened to be Draco's right arm. Pulled off balance, Draco quickly found himself hitting the edge Harry's bed.

He hissed in pain. "Ow" he complained, pale hands reaching down automatically to rub his sore shins. Which had the misfortune to collide with the bedframe.

"Git" Harry grumbled, burrowing his head into the pillow.

Draco looked back up. "Hey," he complained, reaching forward to poke Harry's shoulder. "I didn't lug your arse up here for you to freeze in your sleep. Get under the blankets, moron." He smirked. It may only be the start of Autumn, but the dungeons were already touched with chill.

Harry tossed him the finger, making Draco chuckled. "Must I do everything, Potter?" he drawled.

" 'S Potter-Snape, tosser." Harry griped right back into his pillow, before wriggling himself in the strangest manner. A moment later Harry had somehow managed to worm under the blankets. "Happy, Mum?" Harry snarked, too tired to make it effective.

"Ecstatic" was Draco's flat reply, rolling his eyes.

Harry shifted, one green eye peering out from the pillow. "wer're the 'thers?" he asked tiredly.

Draco shrugged, making himself more comfortable on the side of the bed next to Harry. Too weary now that they were in a quiet dark room to be bothered shifting. "Common room." he slurred slightly, snatching half of Harry's pillow from under his head for himself.

"Oi" Harry complained half-heartedly, but then contradicted his complaint a moment later by flinging the top blanket over Draco too. "Prat," Harry mumbled.

". . Idiot." Was the only soft reply.

Time passed. Soft grey eyes watched as Harry settled back down to sleep, unconsciously shifting closer to Draco's body warmth. Chest full of content, Draco lay next to his friend, close enough to feel the warm puffs of breath brushing rhythmically along his neck.