Disclaimer: JK Rowling has every right to canon Harry Potter because she wrote it.
Karina saying: Snore. I'm sure many of you may have fallen asleep whilst waiting for me to update. Sorry. Lol. But better late than never. Also, there are only a few more chapters left of The Hermit so thanks so much for sticking by the story and reading thus far! Xxx
Thank you to my beta who pinched this chapter into shape. And for encouraging me and for helping out and just being her really.
Chapter Nineteen – Hedgehog
'Harry,' Draco whispered urgently. 'It's a quarter to eight.'
'Mmmm,' Harry moaned softly and snuggled closer to Draco.
'Oy, no,' Draco gently pushed at him, after dropping a quick kiss amidst his hair.
'Harry, you awake?' Finnegan cried out.
'Fuck, Harry, get up, wake up,' Draco jostled him urgently and Harry let out a disgruntled groan.
The charm around the bed turned blue and Draco's eyes widened in horror. He elbowed Harry hard in the ribs and Harry yelped. 'Wake up, dickhead,' he hissed.
Harry grumbled, his green eyes opening in an instant and flashing furiously at Draco. Draco quickly grabbed his wand and undid the silencing charm.
'Harry?' Finnegan again.
'I'm awake, I'm awake,' Harry shouted out, glaring at Draco and rubbing his side. Draco sighed quietly and lay back on the pillow. Harry sat up and stretched, yawned and rubbed his eyes and then turned to look down at Draco, poking his tongue out. Draco made a face back as Harry reached under the pillow and chucked the invisibility cloak at Draco.
He sniffed loudly in an indignant fashion and then climbed off the bed and out of the curtains. Draco let out a jaw-splitting yawn and threw the cloak over himself to follow Harry. He loved being able to spend the night with Harry but sneaking around like this, literally undercover, did get tiresome at times. He muffled another yawn as he sidestepped a few of the boys in the room. Harry's roommates were not particularly pleasing to the eye first thing in the morning. Draco usually preferred not to linger and make his way quickly back to his dorms. He yawned for the third time as he approached the doorway and then suddenly stopped and eyed the corridor with a mischievous smile
Harry was stumbling groggily towards the bathroom and Draco quietly followed him, chuckling under his breath. Harry was wearing a white t-shirt and blue boxers and made quite a comical picture in his bare feet and sticky-up hair. It had grown quite a bit since the year had started and Draco could now happily run his fingers through the once again long, soft, black strands.
Once inside the bathroom, Draco ducked to the side, narrowly avoiding some of the Gryffindor boys as they piled in towards the sinks and showers.
Harry went towards the urinal and Draco amused himself by knocking down Thomas's toothbrush and flannel under the toilet stalls.
A minute later, Harry came back towards the sink and cracked a huge yawn and then sleepily started to open the taps. Draco grinned inwardly and came up behind Harry, pressing his cloaked body close up behind him.
Harry froze in surprise and looked up in the mirror that hung above the sink. Of course he couldn't see anything. Draco lightly pinched his bottom and saw Harry grin at himself in the mirror. He pushed back slightly into Draco and Draco caught him around the waist lightly, rubbing his behind slowly through the cloak and boxers that covered Harry's bottom.
Draco had never got back at Harry for the lab incident all those months ago. This wasn't exactly payback; more of a taste of things to come, Draco thought wickedly, as he placed a soft kiss on Harry's left shoulder. Finnegan came and stood beside Harry and began splashing water in his face. A few more Gryffindor boys came in and they all started talking about this and that whilst Draco rubbed at Harry slowly through the invisible material.
Harry was trying not to moan and sigh as Draco's hands slipped lower and in front on his stomach.
It was probably approaching eight o' clock and Draco thought he really ought to be getting back to his dorms. He hugged Harry lightly and kissed his neck and reluctantly whispered in his ear, 'I better go. See you later.' He pressed a soft kiss on the back of Harry's neck and then slipped his hands away. Harry grinned into the mirror again and then quickly caught Draco's hand and squeezed it lightly before letting go. It was a little bit beautiful being in love, Draco thought blissfully.
The days were passing alarmingly and February was finishing much too quickly for Draco's liking. Yet again. He guessed that it was the thought of school finishing and his time with Harry coming to an end behind safe walls that made him so uneasy. He was so completely enamoured by Harry and having Harry love him back made him the happiest he had ever been. He wasn't holding back any affection at all and instead smothered Harry with kisses and touches. Just thinking about Harry made him smile and when they were together he felt blessed and he wasn't even religious.
One negative aspect to it all would be his mother still not talking to him. She hadn't owled him since he had come back from the holidays but he had heard through the grapevine - as in Pansy – that his mother was safe and sound in France. She would come around, he was sure of that. It would just take time, as it had done with his fellow Slytherins. Miraculously, Pansy had started to speak to him again. She had come up to him a few weeks ago with tears in her eyes and a quivering lip, telling him that he had made it so hard for her to trust him (he successfully had tried not to snort) but had decided that they were old friends and she didn't want to lose his friendship. To that he had been genuinely surprised, thanked her and left it at that. They weren't as friendly as before, not that he cared really, but Pansy was at least talking to him and not dropping her eyes every time she saw him, avoiding him. That had proven quite difficult for her as they were in the same house.
Vince and Greg had acted similarly; however, Draco had been the first one to reach out to his oldest friends. He had sent them each a Christmas card and, when he returned from the holidays, he had waited for them to initiate the first greeting. Vince had said, 'hello' first followed by Greg. Draco had appreciated their gesture and again, not even coming close to the friends they were once, being on talking terms with them was a great achievement. As for the rest of the Slytherin's, they generally ignored him – which was still a weird feeling. He wasn't used to being ignored. Surprisingly enough he spent most of his time with Blaise when he wasn't with Harry. He never would have thought that he could be friends with Blaise. But she was clever and smart and sarcastic and, actually, he rather liked her company.
In other news, all the coursework for the year was to be handed in very soon and Draco was determined to do well on his finals so he made sure he left himself enough time to achieve his goals. He had even rubbed off on Harry – who had completed most of his outstanding pieces of course work from last year as well as his essays for this year. Harry had told him that Hermione had been forced to admit that some part of Draco had been a good influence on Harry. Draco could respect Granger for that comment. After all it was true. Not that Harry was stupid, he was just unmotivated when it came to writing essays and Draco knew that Harry and Weasley had always heavily relied on Granger. Now Harry relied on Draco – which was rather nice. In turn, Draco had received a lot of help from Harry in practical magic. Harry was easily the most powerful wizard in their year; he found that charms and spells came easily to him without much effort at all. He could light up the whole of Hogwarts with candles with barely any exertion. Draco knew this to be true as Harry and he had experimented once with creepy Knightly.
Harry's raw magic was leaps and bounds ahead of any of his classmates and the fact that he could now control his magic made him a force to be reckoned with for which Draco was eternally grateful. Harry had to keep his own when he faced Voldemort. He had even recently begun extra, private tutorials with Professor Snape for duelling. Draco had gone to watch for a bit the other day till his housemaster had chucked him out of the room. But Harry told him later on that he was doing all right and was glad for the extra skills. Thank goodness for small mercies.
One Saturday afternoon in March, after eating lunch, Harry and Draco ventured to the grounds searching for potion ingredients that Professor Snape had instructed them to find for class. As final year students, they should be able to identify many herbs and plants by sight and smell and, of course, Professor Snape had set them a particularly tricky mock practical for the coming class. The students had to pick their own ingredients from the grounds and then concoct the potion during class. Draco had always been better than Harry at this kind of assignment. Draco took his time observing and looking; Harry would rather cast a quick spell and zap the ingredient into his hand. He was so impatient.
'Let's go down the hill?' Draco suggested, pointing down towards the thick trees that were on the other side of the lake and Harry trudged after him, dragging his feet.
'I'm bored,' Harry moaned. They had spent half an hour of looking for his first plant and still hadn't found it. 'I can just do a locating charm and…' he griped as Draco pushed him along.
'Stop whining, for crying out loud. That's not the point. Just summoning it. The task is to be able to identify it.'
'Who cares?' Harry yelled out indignantly, digging in his heels. 'Who cares, as long as I have the right ingredients and make a wonderful potion?'
Draco ignored him and shoved at him again as they walked along the grass and towards the hill. Sulky Harry was rather cute. He was rather cute all over really. And he didn't even know it. Wasn't even aware of the effect he had on Draco. Draco smiled fondly and stopped himself from reaching for Harry and kissing him.
'All right, say you don't have your wand and you have to find the vital ingredient by sight.'
Harry snorted loudly and turned back to face Draco, 'then I'll concentrate really hard and focus.'
'And what if your raw magic is out of whack that day? What if you're hurt and can't focus?'
'Urgh, Hermione,' Harry rolled his eyes at Draco and Draco gave him a look back. 'What, Hermione, is something wrong?' Harry teased but walked along with Draco nonetheless.
Draco ignored him, 'we know that your stupid plant grows near the base of trees, so there is a whole thick of them down there…' Draco was now standing on top of the hill looking down.
Suddenly he felt Harry's hands around his waist and let out a shriek as Harry pushed them over the hill and toppling down.
'Hey,' Draco exclaimed as they rolled to the bottom.
Harry had landed on top of him, his green eyes sparkling behind his glasses.
'What?' he said innocently. 'I'm just trying to make your nature walk more fun.' And with that he placed a wet, sloppy kiss on Draco's lips. They were virtually hidden down here, under the hill with the large trees shielding them, so Draco kissed Harry back unconcerned. He suddenly realised that sometimes he didn't close his eyes when kissing Harry; when he was conscious of it, he didn't want to close his eyes, because looking at Harry's face was so much better.
He laughed breathlessly as he grasped Harry tightly above him.
'Oy,' he said after a moment, 'what did Granger say when she didn't see you come back to the common room last night?'
Harry shrugged and bent his head down and sucked at Draco's neck gently. He pulled back after a few seconds. 'Nothing. I said that we were talking and it got late so we stayed in the room of requirement is all.'
Draco smirked, 'she knows, you know that right? I mean how else explain your occasional non-occurrence in the Gryffindor dorms at night? How many other ''friends'' have sleepovers with their non-housemates?
Harry looked down at him thoughtfully and brushed Draco's hair back from his face.
'Yeah, I think she kinda does know but Ron really, really doesn't; so, as long as she is playing along, I'm gonna too. I mean we don't act all together exactly when we are together in front of them or anyone else really.'
Draco stroked Harry's face and then pulled him down for another kiss. True, they never acted ''together'' in front of people, but they did appear to be very close friends. Laughing and joking constantly, talking amongst themselves and ignoring other people, finishing each others sentences… Draco was beginning to think that Blaise was starting to catch on as well but, like Granger, if she was playing along, so would he till the time came to come clean.
'But,' Draco said, thinking out aloud. 'Your friends must have noticed that you've perked up a bit since we sort of became ''friends'' right?'
'Yeah, course,' Harry said casually. 'Obviously they have noticed a change since you and I have been spending time together. But cos they aren't going to be thinking things like, ''Malfoy and Harry are together'', they must be justifying it to themselves in other ways. Like ''Harry probably needed a friend who wasn't in Gryffindor'', or ''Harry needed something different''.'
Draco raised a brow and Harry laughed, 'I don't know. But people will make up their own stories won't they? On why I'm acting the way I am… it's natural isn't it?' He shrugged and then pressed his face in the crook of Draco's neck.
'Anyway, let's have some fun before we start looking again,' Harry mumbled against his neck and Draco felt a pleasurable shiver run through his body. He couldn't resist Harry's kisses, the feel of Harry's breath on him. He couldn't resist Harry full stop. How had he existed before loving Harry? He grinned slightly, he was becoming quite romantic in his old age, or you know, Harry had brought out the romantic side to him. He didn't even know he had one before.
'Ok,' Draco sighed exaggeratingly, clearing his head. 'If I must.'
He quickly engulfed Harry in his arms tightly and rolled him over flat onto his back, pressing down on him with his weight. Immediately Harry let out a pained cry and Draco quickly moved back and looked down at Harry face.
'Owww,' Harry cried out as his face contorted in a pained expression.
'What?' Draco panicked, looking at Harry frantically, 'what's wrong? Shit, have I broken something?'
'Oww,' Harry groaned pitifully again, writhing uncomfortably in the grass.
'What the hell's the matter?' Draco's heart was starting to beat faster as he ran his hands over Harry's doubled over form.
'Something hurts,' Harry gasped. 'Owww,' and his hands went down towards his legs. 'Somewhere…'
'Wait,' Draco said and sat up. 'Where does it hurt exactly?'
Harry's brows wrinkled, 'umm dunno… I think my bottom…'
'What?' Draco said and his eyes shot down to Harry's arse. 'Where?'
'On my butt somewhere,' Harry said angrily and then he squeezed his eyes shut.
'Ok, well turn over, you might have rolled onto something.'
Harry gingerly rolled over with another, 'owwwwch.'
'Right, well,' Draco ran his hands over Harry's cloak-covered bottom. Harry instantly winced. 'Ok, ok, sorry,' Draco said and looked at the black cloth, frowning. 'Harry, I can't see anything…'
'Well, it's still there and it fucking stings,' Harry shot out and Draco knew the pain must have been bad as Harry hardly ever swore.
'Well let's take off your cloak,' he suggested and Harry undid the front as Draco pulled it away from him. He peered closer at Harry's now trouser covered bottom. 'Still can't see anything,' and he lightly ran his hands over Harry's bottom again.
Harry instantly jumped, 'oww,' he said crossly.
'All right, fine,' he sighed. 'But I can't see anything so I can't take it out.'
Harry went silent and then flexed his bottom and Draco smiled in amusement, till Harry gasped in pain again.
'It's still there,' he complained. 'I can feel it!'
'Well, we're gonna have to take your trousers down.'
'No,' Harry snapped back.
'Do you want me to get it out or not?' Draco admonished. 'It could be a nettle or a splinter…'
'Fine,' Harry huffed, turning his head back to look at Draco. 'Just whatever…just get it out.'
Draco lifted up Harry's jumper. 'Undo your trousers then…'
Harry unbuckled his trousers and loosened them and Draco tugged them down along with Harry's boxers in one swift motion. Before he had a chance to admire Harry's exposed arse, he caught sight of a small, dark, pointy protrusion on the left curve of Harry's bottom.
'Well?' Harry snapped, craning his head back again.
'Umm,' Draco looked closer. 'I think…it's a bee sting…'
'Huh?' Harry's head jostled to the side as if trying to see it as well. Obviously he couldn't.
'Well, I think you rolled over on a bee…' Draco leant back and automatically looked about for a crushed bee.
'Who the hell cares about the bee?' Harry yelled, 'just get the damn thing out. In pain here.'
'Sorry, yes ok,' Draco quickly said and grabbed his wand. He leant down again and wrinkled his nose at the bee sting. The little sucker had gone in rather deep as Draco could see a faint dark mark under the skin. It kind of did look like a splinter, a sort of large, painful looking one… He frowned at it and then said, 'ok, just take a deep breath all right?'
'Yeah, yeah,' Harry muttered and wiggled side to side for a second.
Draco tried not to laugh and pointed his wand at Harry's bottom. 'I really shouldn't be aiming this at your arse…'
'Well you had better ''focus'' then,' Harry said pointedly and Draco nodded, sitting up on his knees properly and trying to focus.
In the next second he had summoned the bee's stinger out and, quickly, blood droplets formed where the stinger had gone into Harry's skin. Draco froze for a second as the bright- red blood welled up.
'Is it out?' Harry swivelled his head again, looking back at Draco.
'Huh?' Draco said, 'oh, sorry, yes,' he answered, shaking his head. He immediately pressed his thumb over the blood and then wiped it away, smearing it a little. He hated to see Harry bleed, and it was totally ridiculous as this was barely an injury, but the sight of Harry's blood was upsetting him. He sucked his thumb instinctively, now coated with the taste of Harry's blood. He never wanted to see Harry bleed, ever again. His heart constricted suddenly and he told himself to get a grip and stop being so irrational over such a little thing.
'Wait, I can heal it,' he said and cleared his throat. He cast a small healing spell on the sting. 'All better,' he whispered. 'You're all right now.'
'Thanks,' Harry chuckled, his eyes catching Draco's. Draco gave him a quick smile. He was being silly. It was stupid but Harry gazing at him with his sweet, green eyes and lovable glasses and cute lips… he felt an outrageous urge to want to be able to protect Harry forever. From all harms' way. Was that even possible? It wasn't was it? Harry was watching him now, in fact looking a little concerned.
He cleared his throat again and then smiled playfully, trying to shake away his gloomy thoughts. 'Want me to kiss it extra better?'
Harry grinned and he did look rather funny and adorable, leaning on his elbows, flat on his stomach, in the middle of the grass with his bottom exposed and his trousers around his knees.
'Umm,' Harry hesitated and then peered at Draco over his glasses. 'Umm ok.' He took in an uneven breath and Draco grinned as he lowered his head and placed a soft kiss on where Harry had been stung. Harry moved slightly and then let out a soft sigh as Draco's lips dragged across and over onto the other side.
His breathing laboured as Draco paused for a second and then brought his hands up to glide over Harry's skin. Soft, gentle caresses and now Draco's breath was coming faster and suddenly it didn't seem so innocent anymore. He wasn't just kissing away Harry's injury, he was… he flickered out his tongue and lapped at a spot before sucking and Harry gasped or moaned; which ever it was, Draco was sure it was a pleasured sound.
He gripped Harry's hips and his kisses became a little more hungrier, more wet, more tongue and Harry moaned again and let out a throaty, 'Draco…'
'Mmm,' Draco murmured as he sucked on Harry's skin, tasting the soap from a recent shower and feeling Harry's skin beneath his tongue.
'Harry…' he said, his voice a little hoarse. 'You want to turn over?' he swallowed and drew his head back a little, his breath fanning hotly over Harry. He thought he could almost feel Harry's gulp and his fingers ghosted along the sides of Harry's waist, down his hips. He wanted this.
'Umm,' Harry said again, obviously incapable of saying much else at the moment. But then there was an, 'err…'
'It's ok if you don't want to...' Draco said, clearing his throat but found his lips dropping onto Harry's skin again. 'I just…' and his fingers squeezed Harry's hips again, his thumbs tracing over the curves.
He felt Harry move slowly, slightly onto his side. Small, uncertain movements and he rubbed Harry's bottom again and kissed the side of his hips as Harry finally turned over. Draco couldn't help but let out an appreciative groan and his tongue automatically strained to get closer, as his hands drew Harry's trousers lower so he could gain more access. He looked up at Harry and dilated green, hazy eyes looked back at him. Harry's mouth was open taking in small breaths. He was so turned on and Draco felt a rush of passion jolt through him and his palms became a little sweaty, or Harry had broken out in a nervous sweat…He managed to mumble, 'you ok?'
Harry nodded, closing his eyes and leaning back on his elbows.
Draco ducked his head forward and shot out his tongue to taste Harry. He had really wanted to do this for a long time but had always tried to put that side of their relationship on hold or away. But he realised now that they could take it further. They were together. They trusted one another. They loved one another and this was a natural progression even though neither of them had mentioned yet. Well, apart from now, because this was happening. Now. Finally.
He wanted to devour all of Harry and there was no method to his approach. Just lots of tongue and then lots of sucking and engulfing, fingers digging into Harry's hips as Harry eventually collapsed onto his back with breathy moans. His hands had found their way from ripping shreds of grass, to pulling gently, but forcefully, on Draco's hair.
'Dray…co,' he groaned, 'I'm gonna… wait…you ermm…'
But that made Draco go all the more faster, more teasing licks, his one hand coming up to take Harry in his fist; rubbing and touching as his tongue licked the tip and around.
He really wanted Harry to feel this, feel good, feel him and he was so aroused himself; he wanted to hump against something like a rabid dog.
'Draco, I'm gonna come, really,' Harry cried out and Draco pulled his hips further in, his mouth closing over Harry just as Harry's hips thrust upwards and he moaned his way through as Draco felt a gush of warm fluid in his mouth. He had never tasted it before. But that didn't deter him. It was his first time with Harry and frankly he wasn't willing to miss a single drop. He determinedly sucked and swallowed till Harry's body lay lax and his breath came in short pants, the pressure relaxing from Draco's hair.
Draco swallowed again and then drew his head back, licking his lips as Harry puffed away; his eyes closed, his cheeks red.
'Ok?' Draco asked, his fingers stroking inwards towards Harry's thighs and in between his legs. Harry started at the contact across his sensitised skin and Draco smiled and placed a small kiss there before rubbing Harry's hips soothingly.
'I'm ummm,' Harry tried to articulate and then opened his eyes and perched himself back up on his elbows. His hand trailed over to Draco and around his neck, coaxing his face for a kiss, which Draco gave willingly. He lay Harry back down on the grass, his hands around Harry's back, his lips kissing Harry's lips, his tongue entangling with Harry's, his breath rushing into Harry, his aroused body lying over Harry.
'That was ok, yeah?' he breathed onto Harry's lips and Harry nodded.
'Yeah… yes… that was…um.'
'Better not just be umm,' Draco chuckled and kissed Harry again.
'No,' Harry laughed breathlessly, 'it was incredible...I... I never imagined what it would feel like. And wow…' he chortled then and Draco hugged him tightly.
'I love you,' he murmured under his breath so Harry quite easily could not heave heard his declaration as he pressed his face into Draco's neck.
'I'm still kinda exposed…' Harry mumbled and Draco let his hands drop further down to give his bottom a squeeze.
'Yup you are,' he said, his eyes closed. 'Can you imagine someone walking past now…' and with those words Harry yelped out and leaned back.
'I think I'd like me done back up now,' and he quickly pulled up his boxers and trousers. Draco sat back on his knees looking a little mournful as Harry was hidden out of sight again.
'That was like an accidental blow job, 'he said thoughtfully.
'Accidental?' Harry laughed. 'Like you were walking by with your mouth open and I was flapping my dick around and you fell on it?'
Draco lifted a brow, 'nice,' he said, 'pretty picture.'
Harry laughed and sat up, reaching out to stroke Draco's cheek. 'Sorry, but just the thought of an accidental blow job. It's funny.'
'Well,' Draco shrugged, smiling and catching Harry's hand and kissing it. 'I wasn't all like, ''baby, today I'm gonna give you a blow job'' was I?'
Harry sniffed and shook his head.
'So, technically, it could have been an accidental blow job.'
Harry snorted and laughed again, 'well I want more accidental blow jobs like that, thank you very much. I mean it was rather nice.'
'You want more, huh?' Draco said playfully, thinking that he could do with one himself about now.
'Yep,' Harry said with conviction and Draco couldn't resist leaning forward and kissing his lips once more. Harry sighed with a happy sound and drew his arms around Draco and kissed him thoroughly for a minute before pulling back. 'Do you think we can experiment and I can try and give you an intentional blow job?' He looked quite sincere about it and his words went straight to Draco's nether regions and he shifted uncomfortably with his obvious excitement.
'Err... well, I really wouldn't say no. When you were you thinking of comporting said experiment?'
Harry grinned back at him, 'now?'
'Now?' Draco laughed.
'Well now as in, "how quickly can we run back to the room and I can get your trousers off'' now?'
'Well,' Draco said, getting up, 'let's not waste any time then. Far be it for me to get in the way of your discoveries,' and then he grinned. 'Plus I think my dick's going to burst through my trousers and I kinda need to do something quickly.'
Harry guffawed and squeezed Draco's hand as he stood up and hugged Draco lightly before he raced Draco back towards the main building with a smirk on his face.
Thank you to - themoviewitch, Grimy Grunhilda Grunt, xxbabysparklesxx, AloraBraken, Vessa8, Vampire Angel of Death, dreamerdoll, Pink Cherry Blossom, California smells funny, DazedandConfuzed, Godlovesme, FlamencoPenguin, Sagey Pagey, Robin the bird, biisis, emeraud.silver, ice, DracoPotterMafloy-JackEnnis..., ivich sartre, spiritualwitch, Cordelia Tonks -For Reviewing The Hermit.
And thank you to all the kind readers who have reviewed my other stories.