Pulling Him Up

Harry stared fondly at Draco and resisted the urge to snuggle with the silver-haired Slytherin. Draco was studying the rune in his hand again with astonishment and curiosity. It struck Harry how innocent Draco looked at that moment and how at ease he was to be in a position where others would have screamed due to their past experiences.

"Here."

He blinked at the sound of Draco's voice and when he looked, Draco dropped the stone back into the pouch and pushed it toward his hand.

Harry shook his head. "No, Draco. This is yours."

"What?" Draco scowled. "But I don't..." His voice trailed off and Harry smiled upon seeing the blush spreading on Draco's cheeks. "For me?" Draco whispered and his gray eyes gazed searchingly at Harry.

"Yes. It's for you." Harry smiled. There was a flutter of wings and Harry's eyes were immediately drawn to the window. The purple sky was slowly turning pink. Morning had arrived. Now, what on earth are we going to do today? He gazed back at Draco who appeared contemplative.

"Harry, can I ask you a question?" the Slytherin asked somewhat shyly.

"What?" There was something different in the way Draco had called his name and Harry was thrilled to hear it.

"Why - why do you look at me differently sometimes?"

"Er, I'm not sure if I understand your question," Harry said sheepishly.

"Harry, you ... are you ... gay?" Draco mumbled the question.

"Does it bother you?" Harry asked quietly and Draco shook his head frantically.

"It's just ... why do you give me the same look that you give Severus?"

Bloody hell ... is this the right time? Harry looked on nervously. "Uhmmmm ... Draco, can we talk about this another time?" Next month maybe?

He winced when Draco gave him an injured look.

"Never mind then. I don't want to know," Draco said sulkily and turned his face away.

I'm getting to a very bad start here. Harry winced again. He took a deep breath and raised his hands to cup Draco's face. "Draco." When the Slytherin tensed under him, he started to caress his face the same way Severus often did. Draco's gray eyes started to go out of focus at the attention. "Draco, do you understand?"

He waited for a long time before Draco responded.

"Do you love me the same way you love Severus?" There was a flicker of fear, and then hope, in Draco's eyes.

"We don't have to talk about this now, Draco." Harry was beginning to feel a little uneasy.

"No." Draco looked at him pleadingly. "Answer me."

Harry bit down on his lip briefly. "Yes."

"Is it possible?" Draco's voice was soft and his eyes had a yearning look.

"What is?"

"To l-love two at the same time?"

"Your example is right here," Harry mumbled. Then he sighed. Yup, this was definitely the wrong time to have told Draco, Harry thought the moment Draco started to laugh and mercurially became grave the next second.

"I thought I was just imagining things, but I guess knowing that the person you fancy fancies you back tends to make you a little fuzzy-headed," Draco said somewhat ruefully.

"Caught your fancy, did I?" Harry murmured, embarrassed.

"It is the damned hair. It catches the attention quicker than the red the Weasleys have."

Harry could scarcely believe it but Draco was actually bantering with him.

"So what are you going to do about Severus?" Draco asked abruptly.

He is talking to me. Harry felt astonished. He is talking to me. Before breakfast.

"Harry. Pay attention," Draco said grouchily. "How are you going to help him?"

He flushed a bit. "I'm not sure, but we can start off by helping him relax for two days."

"We?"

Harry grinned. "If he's going to shout, he might as well do it to the both of us."

Draco looked shocked. "Harry, you're a Gryffindor!" he exclaimed.

"So?"

"You're not supposed to think like a Slytherin!"

"Well, I'm dealing with two Slytherins right now..."

The silver-haired teenager gaped at him.

Harry laughed. He wanted to hug Draco, but he felt that he should ask for permission first, despite their current position. "Draco, may I hug you?" he asked in a hushed tone. This must be the most ridiculous question I've ever asked.

Draco's face turned bright red. "I thought we were already doing that." He waved vaguely at their bodies.

"But I thought a hug means to squeeze tightly in one's arms," Harry said dubiously.

"Oh, shut up, Potter." Slowly, Draco's arms encircled Harry's waist, and Harry wrapped his arms around Draco's shoulders.

Harry sighed softly as he placed his chin in the junction of Draco's neck and shoulder. He closed his eyes and squeezed gently, then flushed with pleasure when Draco returned it. It felt good and refreshing, to allow himself to be close to someone. Then he released his hold and slowly lifted his body from Draco. He sat up and smiled as he gazed down at the other wizard. It's a start.

Gray eyes returned his gaze. "It's a start," Draco began cryptically, "to a new day."

~oOo*oOo~

Draco lingered in the bathroom and he brushed his hair as an excuse. He could still hear their voices in the main room. Professor Dumbledore had apparently sent Granger to give Harry some of Severus' clothes.

He sighed and let his mind wander. Not surprisingly, Draco found himself thinking of the embrace he shared with Harry earlier. A faint smile touched his lips as warmth filled his heart. He considered it fortunate that his body had not reacted to the embrace in a sexual way. Then again, he would not be able to think it had been sexual because the effects of Harry's embrace were concentrated on his heart.

Draco felt renewed.

Silver eyes looked blankly at his reflection and he shook himself gently to break out of his daze. Then embarrassment rushed inside him the moment he saw his red cheeks. Merlin ... why in the hell am I blushing like a bloody girl?

Someone knocked on the bathroom door gently. "Draco?" Harry's voice called softly.

Is she still there?

He opened the door and his eyes roamed the room quickly.

"Hermione's gone," Harry said in a dry tone and Draco smiled crookedly in response. "Breakfast is ready."

Draco nodded and walked toward the desk but Harry made no move to follow. "Aren't you eating?" he asked the Gryffindor. Harry was hovering near the divan and he was looking at Severus somewhat anxiously. "Harry?"

"What? Oh." Harry grinned. "Later. I need to wake Severus first."

"Good luck." Draco sat down. He became amused when Harry glared at him.

The silver-haired wizard shifted in his chair so that he could watch Harry and eat at the same time. At the moment, Harry was whispering something in Severus' ear.

"Leave me alone."

Draco dropped his spoon, surprised at the sudden growl, and he quickly snatched it back before it could make too much noise.

"Come on, Severus. You have to get up and wash. Then you have to eat something and drink your medicines," Harry said persuasively.

Severus grumbled something inaudible and started to sit up. Then he grasped Harry's lower arm to pull himself up and without another word, he shuffled slowly into the bathroom.

"Do you need help, Severus?" However, the door shut in front of Harry's face. "Please be careful!" Harry stepped back and appraised the door with a gloomy expression. "Grouchy man," he muttered.

Harry was walking toward him and before he was asked, Draco pushed the tray of potions across the table so that Harry could examine them.

"Thanks," Harry said and started to read the labels on each bottle carefully.

Draco continued to eat his porridge. Harry frowned heavily and Draco looked questioningly at him.

"Do I give this before or after he eats?" Harry asked in a perplexed tone.

"Let me look at it." Draco held out his palm and took hold of the bottle. He read the label carefully. "This is supposed to revitalize him and it works best when his body is relaxed. Give this to him just when he is about ready to go back to sleep."

"Okay. Thanks."

He seems to be taking his caring duties very seriously, Draco observed. "This is his breakfast." He pointed his chin at a bowl marked 'S' at one side.

"Okay. Try to finish yours if you can, but don't force yourself if you can't."

Draco ducked his head shyly. He's giving me that look again. He brought the spoon up to his mouth but dropped it the moment the bathroom door opened and Severus came storming out.

"Who gave you the right to undress me, Potter? Do not treat me like a bloody invalid because I'm not!" Severus snarled. Draco could see his right eye twitching in anger.

The silver-haired wizard sighed. "I did, Severus," Draco said and placed his spoon calmly beside the bowl. "I agreed with him about getting your work-clothes off. If you're wearing something casual, it might encourage you to stay here and rest." Severus was not paying attention to him however; he was still glaring at Harry.

Well, I did tell Harry that Severus would never believe that it was my idea. Draco sighed.

"So you're not an invalid but a grownup. Then you should know by now that it would be pointless to argue about the matter, Professor," Harry said in an emotionless voice, but he had a deceptive smile on his lips. Draco could not tell if it was a real smile or if it was to mock the older man. "You've been given two days to rest, so please take advantage of it. And you are to do that here - not down in your dungeons or anywhere else."

When Harry took Severus by the elbow and led him to a spare chair, an astonished look encompassed the older wizard's face. It was as though Severus could not believe Harry's boldness and determination.

Draco's eyes focused on Harry, who smiled impishly.

"You know," Harry started and Draco followed the Gryffindor's gaze to the bed, "I think you should share the bed."

While Severus simply sat down, shocked by the suggestion, Draco protested. Loudly.

"POTTER! ARE YOU MAD?"

"No, I think I'm quite sane ... and logical." Harry smiled briefly. "That bed is capable of holding four people. It can certainly accommodate two," Harry continued. "Or you can sleep on the divan, Draco," he said sweetly. "Severus is an elder after all."

There's no way in hell I'm going to sleep on that piece of stiff furniture. Draco scowled.

"And I'm not going to sleep on the floor or conjure another divan - there's no place for an extra furniture, and I'm certainly not going to be chased out of here," Harry announced rather firmly. "So please be considerate."

"That's it. I'm going-"

Harry gave a loud groan. "How stubborn could you be, Severus?" Harry sighed and then he marched toward the bed. Draco saw him retrieve the pouch of rune stones from beside the stack of pillows. "Pick one, Severus."

Severus crossed his arms and looked back at Harry with a defiant expression.

"Isn't it too early to have a brawl?" Draco looked at Severus and Harry pleadingly. "And Harry, what good is a rune reading going to do for him?"

"I'm sure it would make him cooperate, at least a little. Choose one, Severus."

~oOo*oOo~

Severus had never felt so embarrassed in his life before. Spurred on by Draco's pleading voice he started to choose a stone. It managed to distract himself from the thoughts of the younger wizards undressing him and looking at the scars his body had accumulated, as well as the idea of sharing the bed with Draco.

It's not as if you haven't done it. A small voice said reasonably in his mind. Not in a bed perhaps, but you held each other while you slept.

Absently, he drew a rune stone from the pouch and saw that it had a symbol closely resembling 'R'. He stared hard at it and the stone whispered,

"I am the Rune of Surrender. Relinquish your control and allow yourself to heal."

He froze when Harry placed his hand on top of his, and he looked up into brilliant green eyes.

"Severus, do you think that you are unworthy to be cared by others?" Harry inquired softly. "Do you think that it'll make you a lesser man if you receive it?"

For some reason, that inner voice that had always reminded him to be cold and apathetic was silent.

"Just because the Ministry doesn't acknowledge your worthiness, doesn't mean I don't. I know - we know that you're worthy."

Then before Severus could react, he was kissed gently by Harry, on the middle of his forehead. He blushed slightly when Harry stroked his hair with great tenderness.

"Now, will you be a good man and 'relinquish your control'? Let us take care of you for a little this time."

Severus dropped his gaze and started to eat in silence. He could almost sense the smirks coming from the younger wizards and looked at Draco from under his eyelashes. He saw that the young Slytherin wore a bemused expression. Severus quickly stared down at his soup.

Harry then joined them for breakfast and ate quietly. When they were nearly done, Harry spoke. "Since we can't take Severus out for a slow walk, we'll have to massage his feet," Harry said suddenly.

"Massage?" Draco sounded very interested much to Severus' alarm.

"Yes. It's supposed to help raise his blood pressure."

"Oh. And you know this how?"

"Hermione."

"You - no," Severus said and groaned silently when Harry's eyes gleamed.

"Scared?"

"Ticklish?"

Severus glared at the two of them briefly and examined the bottles of medicine in the small, orange tray.

"Do you know they say that people with lower blood pressure have the ability to live longer?"

"You mean to say that 'Hermione' said that." Draco snorted.

"No. A book that she gave me actually told me that."

Severus set a bottle down and scowled at them. "If you wish to eat - eat. Do not talk. Bloody, irritating brats." He did not see Harry and Draco exchange a conspiratorial glance.

After several moments of silence, they said, "We surrender, Severus. You win."

He stared at them helplessly. What are they trying to do? Why are they acting so, encouraging my feelings? Why do they want to be close to me? And why do I feel as though they have conspired against me?

"All right," he growled. "What are you up to?" Although his question applied to both of them, he only looked at Harry.

Harry appeared startled and confused. "I'm not up to anything," Harry answered hesitantly. "I just-"

"We," Draco corrected.

"Oh, er, well ... we just want to care for you."

"And why do you think that I need the two of you to care for me?" Severus asked with an arched look. He did not care if they were able to hear the bitterness and sarcasm in his voice.

"Because..." Harry was looking down at his hands. "Because," he repeated in a whisper, "you deserve it."

Severus' throat became slightly dry when Harry looked piercingly at him.

"You know, Severus. You need it."

No. I need you.

"Is it so hard to do?" Draco's voice interrupted his silent musings. "To take off the cold, dispassionate mask?"

Severus opened his mouth to answer but no words came out.

"But I have seen you," Draco said softly. "I've seen the worry and weariness in your eyes. Something needs to be done."

"It's more important-"

"You are equally important," Draco said fiercely. "May I ask you something?"

The Potions Master frowned slightly and nodded.

"Do you want to see me happy?"

I do.

"Let us take care of you while you're on sick leave. That'll make me very happy."

Merlin ... I think I have fallen. Severus closed his eyes. After all these years, trying to ... I still fell.

"Surrender."

Slowly, he nodded.

And not just one. But two. Harry and Draco. I can't remember for the life of me how this happened.

It was still difficult for him to accept it entirely, but at least he was not going to deny his feelings anymore. He sighed.

"If you're done, Severus, then it's time for you to take your potions and go to sleep. We can rub your feet while you do that," Harry said.

"Severus, when was the last time you had to drink your own potions when you'd gotten sick?" Draco asked curiously.

"The two of you talk too much," he complained and feigned a pained expression.

"What to do? I miss talking to you."

Severus held his breath after Harry said those words. Draco, Severus noticed, wore that same bemused look. Harry however, had gone slightly pale.

"I did not say that aloud. No, I did not," Harry started to mutter to himself.

---

To Be Continued On Chapter Twelve