Draco and Harry: Escorts

Chapter Four

When Harry and Ron returned to Number 12 Grimmauld Place, no one was there to greet them. They dropped their purchases in the already-crowded parlour and Ron headed straight for the kitchen. Harry went to the study where they had left Draco and Hermione. It was empty, though the profusion of parchment and books gave evidence that they had been working for quite some time.

Ron met him in the hall, munching on a rolled-up leftover crepe.

"Bloody prat can really cook, can't he?" Ron mumbled around a mouthful.

Harry smiled. "Yeah." Harry had lost the waifish thinness he'd acquired since the war, but if he kept eating Malfoy's cooking, he'd start to look like Dudley.

"Where do you suppose everyone went?" Harry asked.

"Dunno. Maybe Hermione killed Malfoy and she's in the cellar burying the body," Ron suggested hopefully. If that were true, Harry felt it would likely be the other way around and he was suddenly worried about having left them alone. Surely Malfoy wouldn't hurt Hermione, no matter how much she annoyed him.

He took the stairs calmly at first, but by the time he got to the top, Harry was definitely hurrying. Harry's room was empty, as was Draco's. He bypassed the third floor, knowing Draco would never intrude on the Lupins' floor. Harry heard laughter when he reached the room where Ron and Hermione were staying.

The door was open, so Harry barged in without pausing. He stopped short at the sight of Hermione lying on her stomach on the bed, leaning over Draco's shoulder.

Draco sat on the floor with a huge book propped on his lap--his back rested against the bed. Hermione was practically breathing in Malfoy's ear as she tried to read the book he held. She was tapping the book with her wand and giggling. Draco rolled his eyes, but he had an amused grin on his face.

The scene seemed innocent enough, but what the hell were they doing in the bedroom? Harry found himself shaking with rage and had to physically control himself from stalking into the room and... and what? Hexing them both? He took a deep breath to calm down.

"Harry!" Hermione burst out. "I didn't hear you come in."

Malfoy smiled at him pleasantly enough, but Hermione leaped off the bed. Harry studied her face carefully for signs of guilt. She looked flushed, but that might have been due to the realization that Ron's reaction would make Harry's look positively mild if he should stumble on the scene. Harry glanced over his shoulder to see if Ron had followed him, because chances were good that Ron would actually try to kill Draco without waiting for an explanation.

Hermione must have had the same thought, for she hurried past Harry and bolted down the stairs to head off Ron.

Harry turned a glacial look on Malfoy, who climbed slowly to his feet and tossed the book on the bed. Harry did not trust himself to speak.

"We found a reference to this book and Granger remembered seeing it in here last night," Malfoy said mildly.

It was still "Granger" at least, but then again, Draco still referred to Harry as "Potter" in the company of everyone they knew.

"You two seem to be getting along much better," Harry gritted, wondering why Hermione hadn't just walked upstairs herself and grabbed the book. Draco's grey eyes widened and his brows rose.

"Why, Harry Potter, can you be jealous of Hermione Granger?" he asked in amusement.

"Certainly not," Harry snapped.

Draco grinned and walked forward. He reached up a hand to caress the edge of Harry's jaw and his thumb trailed across Harry's cheekbone. His eyes were argent flame. Harry felt his anger draining away and struggled to hold onto it, but he couldn't keep himself from reaching up and touching Malfoy's hand. He pressed Draco's palm against his face with a sigh.

"I need some air," he said abruptly and slipped out of Draco's grasp. He took the stairs again and went to the attic, which doubled as an owlery. Harry pet Hedwig and fed her an owl treat before giving the same to the tawny owl that belonged to Tonks.

Harry sensed Malfoy in the doorway before he spoke.

"We have to go back to Malfoy Manor," Draco said. Harry looked at him askance.

"We? As in you and me? Or you, me, and Hermione?"

"You brought Granger into this. I doubt you can stop her from intruding now. My father's notes cross-reference other material and I need to find his private journal."

"You don't need to do this, you know," Harry said. Draco made a sound of disgust.

"You've been obsessing over this for months and now that I'm trying to help, you want me to quit?"

Harry pulled at his hair. He was being irrational. There was nothing between Draco and Hermione. They despised each other and had only been alone for a couple of hours. And Hermione was married! What the hell was wrong with him?

"I just didn't think you would want Ron and Hermione in your house," he said lamely.

"I don't. Especially Weasley. But if we use Granger's clever little mind, we may be able to solve this problem faster. Even I am willing to admit that."

Harry nodded. He still felt out of sorts. "Where are Tonks and Remus?" he asked. Draco made a face.

"Out purchasing some sort of furnishing for the eventual arrival of the diminutive nursling. You know, once the squalling carpet rat is born, you can stay at my place when the sound level becomes intolerable. Which should be approximately sixteen minutes after they bring it inside."

"You hate kids?" Harry asked.

"Of course not. I just choose not to be in the same domicile with one."

"By 'your place' are you referring to the Pristine Palace?"

"What do you have against my flat?"

"I'm afraid to touch anything there; I'll either break it or mar the unspoiled whiteness."

"I give you leave to redecorate," Draco said dryly. "Toss out everything white, if you wish."

Harry laughed. "That would be the whole place, wouldn't it?"

"You're impossible, you know that?" Draco asked and Harry felt a weight lift off his chest. He grinned.

"I know."

ooOoo

Ron was a problem.

He seemed to regard a trip to Malfoy Manor as just barely preferable to a jaunt to the ninth circle of hell for a bit of sadistic torture. Harry suggested that Ron could return home while Hermione accompanied them to Draco's home alone, but Ron shook his head.

"This library of Malfoy's; lots of books?" he asked.

"Dozens," Harry said.

"How long do you think it would take Hermione to read them all?"

Harry began to see Ron's concern. "Months."

"Exactly. If I don't go along and persuade her to leave, she'll stay there until spring."

"I don't think Malfoy would let her stay that long."

"I don't want her getting too chummy with that Slytherin git, either. It's bad enough you're friends with the bastard." Harry felt a bit uneasy to have his thoughts about Hermione and Draco mirrored. Ron glowered. "I wouldn't put it past him to try and seduce her just to put one over on me."

Harry blinked for a moment. Put that bluntly, it sounded ludicrous. "Come on, it's Hermione we're talking about."

Ron nodded, but did not seem reassured. "Yeah, but it's also Malfoy we're talking about."

ooOoo

Draco decided to return to Malfoy Manor alone, against Harry's protests. What was worse, he planned to leave that evening.

"You can't go alone! And at night? It's too dangerous," Harry said and pushed away from the doorway of Malfoy's room. He watched Draco carefully pack his sunglasses into a protective pouch and fold the two shirts Harry had bought for him.

Draco gave him an incredulous look. "Potter, I ran this business for two years before you came along. I made the trip to Malfoy Manor and back hundreds of times. Day, night, pouring rain, snow, and mist thick as chowder. I think I will be fine."

Harry bit his lip, knowing Draco was right.

"Can't you at least wait until morning?"

"No, I want to get up early and get started. You know I've only got the one bedroom completed; if I'm to have guests they will need a place to sleep. Even Weasleys deserve the proper Malfoy hospitality. Bring them along when Granger is finished with her shopping or whatever they came to London for. In the meantime, I'll look for Father's journal."

Harry yanked furiously at his hair, knowing it was futile to argue once Malfoy had made up his mind, but still determined to try. Draco grinned.

"Don't cling, Potter. It's not becoming."

Harry's eyes flashed. "I'm not clinging," he snapped, knowing it was a lie and knowing Draco knew it was a lie. "Fine! Go then, damn you."

Malfoy sighed and picked up his wand to flick it toward the door, which slammed shut obediently. Draco walked to Harry and embraced him tightly before planting a sweet, teasing kiss on his lips. Harry twined his hands into Draco's silken hair and deepened the kiss, hoping to make Malfoy regret his decision. Draco groaned and reciprocated, but broke the kiss and stepped away a few moments later. He wagged a long finger at Harry.

"No you don't. I'm still going."

Harry sighed in frustration, knowing he was beaten.

"All right. I'll see you by the end of the week."

"Be careful," Harry said quietly. Draco grinned, Accioed his pack, and departed.