Decorus Draco

Chapter 7 - Potter's punishment

Draco Malfoy woke up the next morning looking forward to the day ahead. He was feeling a lot better this morning, compared to the previous morning. He had woken up the previous morning with a sinking feeling in his stomach. He had remembered losing control and turning into his Cattus form the previous night, and seducing Blaise. Not only that, he had basically outed himself to all of Slytherin, and the news that he was not as straight as he seemed would soon reach his father's ears.

Draco had trudged along to the Great Hall, where he found, to his surprise, that everybody thought that he had attacked Blaise, not seduced him. At least his façade of heterosexuality was intact, and this little incident could do nothing but help his bad boy image. Maybe it wouldn't be that bad after all. Beside him, Blaise sullenly picked at his food, obviously worried about his reputation as well. Then Potter had stormed to his table and pretty much announced to the world that not only was Draco gay, but he was with Blaise, and was deeply desired by the Boy Who Lived. Draco's fury had erupted when Potter had manhandled Blaise, trying to get his way yet again. Draco had not been able to control his transformation and had lifted Potter right off the ground. But when Potter had touched him, it had sent the most wonderful calming feeling through Draco. Luckily, he had been able to control his emotions and had managed to get Potter and Blaise to agree to woo him.

Draco grinned as he thought of Potter's first unsuccessful attempt at wooing him. To be honest, the shirt had amused him, but he was not about to let Potter best him yet again. Although he had been tempted when Potter had taken off his shirt and thrown it at him. Who knew that Potter had been hiding that under his oversized clothes?

Draco shook his head, hoping to shake away those thoughts. The only reason he had agreed to be wooed was to embarrass Potter and get one up on him. There was no way he was letting Potter win this game.

Draco got up and showered and dressed for the day. Making sure his hair was set just right, he left with Vince and Greg for breakfast.

Draco walked confidently to the Slytherin table, and his eyes dared anyone to make fun of him. With his two henchmen by his side, it seemed like the rest of Slytherin had accepted his sexual orientation and his entanglement with Blaise and Potter.

Draco casually looked over to the Gryffindor table where Potter was deep in conversation with a sixth year - Barnes or something. Draco's eyes scanned the hall and rested on Blaise, who was sitting a couple of seats away, smiling warmly. Draco grinned back.

Midway during the meal, the regular host of owls descended upon the students, dropping letters and packages. Blaise's dark brown owl dropped a neatly wrapped package tied with a red ribbon for Draco. Draco carefully opened the package to find a box of Honeyduke's Super Deluxe Chocolates. There was a silver note attached to the box, which read,

Not as sweet as your kiss,

That is what I most miss.

Do accept my gift so true,

For my darling, it's you I woo.

-Yours, Blaise

Draco first frowned at the sappy and badly written poetry, and then shrugged. After all, it had been his idea to be wooed, so he supposed he'd have to deal with the inevitable candy, flowers, and silly sonnets it involved.

Draco opened the box and popped one of the chocolates into his mouth, closing his eyes as the delicious sweet melted in his mouth. He opened his eyes and thanked Blaise for his gift, and then looked over at Potter, who was glaring furiously between Draco and Blaise. Draco caught Potter's eye and gently shook his finger at him, and Potter looked away.

The rest of the meal went on as usual, but when Draco was leaving the Great Hall with Blaise, Vince and Greg, he was accosted by Potter, who had his wand pointed at Draco. The Slytherin's heart skipped a beat, wondering if he had pushed Potter too far this time.

Potter muttered under his breath, still pointing his wand at Draco, and a shower of rose petals appeared on the floor before Draco. Draco let out a breath of relief at still being alive, looked from Potter to the petals, and then walked a few steps, noticing that more petals appeared before him as he walked, like a red carpet.

"Mr. Potter," Snape's voice sounded just before him, and Draco turned back to hear what the professor had to say. Snape was now standing in front of Potter.

"Who, may I ask, did you expect would clean this up?"

"Won't the house elves do it?" Potter asked, rather cheekily, in Draco's opinion.

"Ten points from Gryffindor for talking back to a teacher. And I expect you to stop that spell this instant and clean up the mess you have created.

"But Sir," said Potter, looking faintly panicked, "the spell works for a day and I don't know how to end it."

Snape grinned evilly. "Then I suppose you will just have to follow Mr. Malfoy wherever he goes and clean up after him, won't you?"

Potter opened his mouth, presumably to yell or shout or protest in some way, but apparently thought the better of it and nodded.

"Oh, and one more thing, Potter," said Snape, conjuring up a duster, a dust pan, and a big plastic bag. "You will clean it up manually, without magic. Have fun," So saying, Snape swept away with a swish of his robes.

Potter stared at Snape's back for a few minutes before Draco called to him, "You heard the man, Potter, on your hands and knees. I have places to go and you have floors to clean."

Draco walked leisurely out of the Hall, soft red petals appearing before his feet as he walked. Behind him, Potter scrambled to collect the petals, hastily scooping them into the bag, while the rest of the students looked on incredulously.

Draco enjoyed the next few hours considerably. He walked along with Blaise through the corridors of Hogwarts, having ditched Vince and Greg at some point. Draco had his arm around Blaise as they talked and laughed while Potter furiously swept up the rose petals behind them. The look on Potter's face as Draco ambled on with Blaise was priceless, and Draco decided that Potter torture was definitely his favourite hobby.

Potter followed Draco into every class, glaring and muttering what must surely have been obscenities. Finally, classes were over and dinner was done, and Draco retired to the Slytherin Common room, still followed by Potter.

Draco paused at the entrance of the Common Room, wondering if Potter would follow. Potter did, and Draco sat there for the next couple of hours, talking to his friends, while Potter sat in a corner, getting up every few minutes to clean the petals.

Eventually, it was time for Draco to retire for the night, and he said his goodnights and headed to the Head Boy's room. Potter made to follow him, but Draco stopped him short.

"Just where do you think you're going, Potter?"

Potter looked rather smug for someone who had been following Draco on his hands and knees all day.

"Professor Snape's orders," Potter replied. "I have to follow you till the spell ends, which should be around breakfast time tomorrow. I suppose that means I get to come into your room as well."

"No way!" shouted Draco. "This is my personal space and I won't have it contaminated by the likes of you."

"Maybe you should go to Professor Snape then and have my punishment repealed," Potter challenged.

Draco thought about doing just that, then remembered that Longbottom had turned Snape's hair purple during their last class, and Snape was undoubtedly still in a foul mood even now. Draco decided that allowing Potter in his room was the lesser of the two evils. So he whispered the password to his door, and the wood elf who was guarding the entrance to his room let both him and Potter in.

"I'm going to shower now," said Draco, looking back at Potter. He was shocked at the lusty look he saw in Potter's eyes. "And before you think it, there's no way in hell you're following me in there, you hear? You can clean up in there after I'm done."

Potter looked crestfallen, but agreed to this, and sat on the armchair next to Draco's bed.

A short while later, Draco, freshly showered and feeling (and he was sure, smelling) wonderfully clean, emerged from the bathroom. Potter's eyes widened as he gripped the arms of the chair tightly.

"Down, boy," Draco teased, and continued, "I think I'm going to turn in now. You can sleep anywhere you want, except in my bed."

Draco got into his bed, then added, "And you'd better not touch anything in here and get your germs all over it, Potter."

"Good night Draco." Potter's soft voice floated over to him a short while later.

"Mm-hmmm," Draco replied sleepily, as he flicked his wand and turned off the lights in the room. He vaguely registered Potter using the bathroom and then settling on the sofa for the night.

~~~~~

Harry lay awake for a long time, listening to Draco's gentle snores. He would never have imagined that the proud, sophisticated Slytherin could do something as common as snore. Of course, Draco made it sound so sexy, it wasn't even snoring, more like a sensual humming.

Harry closed his eyes and mulled over the day's events. He had been sure that showering the Decorus with roses for a day would win him his attention, but his plan had backfired. Following Draco on his hands and knees, and sweeping up after him had been frustrating and humiliating. Seeing Draco purposely cosy up to Blaise had been even worse. But Harry had reminded himself that this would all be worth it once he got his hands on the irresistible blond, and somehow managed to survive without hexing a single person all day. More importantly, Harry had prevented himself from being hauled to Azkaban for the well deserved murder of one Blaise Zabini.

The evening in the Slytherin Common Room had been bearable, since most of the Slytherins had just ignored him after a while.

But now, he was sleeping in Draco's room, just a few feet away from the creature that had invaded his fantasies and dreams for the last few days and nights. Right now, Harry wanted nothing more than to creep into Draco's bed with him and turn all his dreams into reality.

But Harry couldn't do it, couldn't take advantage of Draco like that. But Merlin, he wanted Draco so much right now. When Draco had stepped out of the shower, looking every bit an angel, it had taken Harry everything he had to keep himself from attacking the heavenly creature in front of him.

No, Harry was determined that he would woo Draco, and have him willingly. Even if every moment without the blond was pure torture.

Harry sighed and tried to go to sleep.

~~~~~

Draco was awakened in the middle of the night by the sound of pained shouts and thuds. He got up and cast a quick Lumos, only to see Potter thrashing about on the sofa, clutching his head, screaming, 'No, please...No!' followed by loud sobs. Without any conscious decision, Draco transformed into his Cattus form, sprouting blond hair all over his body, and shrinking in height a bit.

The Decorus got on his hands and knees and crawled towards Potter, who seemed to be crying in pain. Draco got up onto the sofa and gently nuzzled his way past Potter's hands and curled up against Potter's chest, still purring comfortingly.

Potter, who had curled up into a ball during his nightmare, brought his arms around Draco, and continued crying into the soft fur. After a while, Potter's sobs subsided and he seemed to drift into an uneasy sleep.

~~~~~