The Dragon Games

Dinner had finished, and everyone was cleaning up their plates.

"We'll clean up the rest, guys," Tonks said, indicating to Lupin and herself. They all agreed, and Harry and Draco started towards Draco's room.

"Where are you two going?" Ron asked, watching them suspiciously as he held onto Hermione's hand.

Draco opened his mouth to say something, but Harry quickly beat him to the punch.

"We're going to talk," Harry said.

"Talk, Harry?" Ginny said, grinning.

Hermione couldn't resist smiling either and Harry caught her grinning behind her hand. He shot her a look.

"Yeah, talk, Weasel; not everything is about sex," Draco said.

"What?" Ron let out. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Come on, Ron," Hermione said, again failing to hide a smile. "Malfoy's just being a twit." With that, she led Ron away, Ginny following after them.

"Yeah, a twit," Harry said, lightly punching Draco in the arm.

"Sorry," Draco said, grinning. "That was funny, though."

"A bit," he admitted. "Now let's go talk."

At that last word, Draco muttered lamentably, "Too bad we're actually talking."

Harry smiled. Once they entered Draco's room and shut the door, Draco collapsed onto his bed, giving a huge sigh. He paused and sat back up to look at Harry before patting the bed. Harry obliged and the two boys laid side-by-side, staring up at the ceiling.

"That letter you had this morning... What was it?" Harry asked.

Draco turned on his side so he was facing Harry. "I can't tell you." He sighed, remembering how Harry had broken down in the hallway early that morning. "Please don't be mad at me."

Harry rolled to his side as well, now eye-level with him, his hair falling into his eyes. "I'm not."

Draco gave him a tiny smile, but his face fell immediately with regret of what he had to tell him next. "I have to go home tomorrow."

"You what?" Harry asked, wide-eyed, as he sat upright. "You said you'd be here for a few days at least. What happened to that?"

The disappointment in his voice rang clear, and Draco knew exactly how he felt, because he was feeling the same way. He slowly sat up.

"I don't want to go. Something's come up, and I have to take care of it before it gets out of hand."

"That's not fair," Harry said sulkily.

A feeling of warmth washed over Draco; Harry wanted him- probably as much as he wanted Harry.

"I know," Draco said, gently stroking Harry's face. "I'll be back before you know it."

"How long till you come back?" he asked.

"I dunno," Draco said, and Harry's face fell. "I can't make you any promises, because I don't want to get your hopes up."

Harry nodded, his green eyes glistening in disappointment. He didn't want Draco to leave him. They'd barely had any time together. He had planned a lot of things, like Quidditch practice and the sorts.

"Maybe you can stay in here tonight?" Draco asked hopefully, his eyes watching Harry's. "Nothing provocative... I just want to be near you."

Harry's eyes were calculating, and Draco wanted him to answer the affirmative.

"Alright," he finally said.

"Great," Draco said, relieved. "You're not going to sneak in here in the middle of the night to escape Weasley catching you, are you? Because if you are, then we have to come up with something creative."

"Huh?" he asked, confused, watching Draco closely.

Draco's face was pulled into a thoughtful expression, as if he was thinking hard. "How about code names?" he suggested. "You'll have to be Nighthawk."

"I... uh..." Harry frowned. "Nighthawk?"

Draco grinned. "Yeah. What, you don't like it?"

"Oh, it's smashing," Harry retorted, sarcasm dripping from each word. "And you'll be Storm."

"What kind of person comes up with the code name Storm?" Draco asked, appalled.

"The kind that names me Nighthawk," his eyes danced with laughter. "But really, I don't think I'm going to sneak in. I'll just not go to my room; he'll never notice."

"Sounds like a decent plan... Nighthawk," Draco mocked.

Harry screwed up his face in protest. "Don't call me that."

Draco laughed and opened his mouth to say it again, but Harry caught on quick and snatched up a pillow, hitting him with it.

Draco fended him off, laughing. "Stop. You'll mess up my hair."

Harry had a wild look in his eye. "Oh, will I?" He tossed the pillow and pounced on Draco, ruffling his hair. Draco protested, but it was too late.

"That's better," Harry smiled, pulling away from him.

Draco pouted. "Fix it."

"Nuh-uh," Harry refused, grinning like mad.

"Fine," Draco said, trying to rearrange his hair.

Harry slinked up behind him, placing his arms around his waist, and Draco stopped caring about his hair completely. He turned around, kissing Harry fiercely on the mouth, and pulled him down on top of him as they fell into a pile of pillows.

All Draco wanted was for Harry to be as close as possible as their mouths met eagerly, Harry's hands roaming his body. Their breathing grew heavy, and as they grew exhausted, sleep came over them and they fell asleep in each other's arms.

---

They awoke very late the next morning - or at least, late for Harry and Draco's standards. Harry was the first to stir; he felt Draco's body lying next to him, and the boys light breath against his face.

"Draco," he said groggily, searching for his glasses - which surprisingly was the only article he had lost in the madness of last night. He found them at the bottom of the bed, and he slid out of Draco's grasp to get them, causing the other boy to stir.

"Huh?" Draco said sleepily, his eyes fluttering open.

"Morning," Harry said, sliding next to him again with his glasses secured on his face.

"Morning."

Draco pulled him closer and kissed him quickly, then put his head on his shoulder. Harry thought about resting his eyes again, but as he glanced up at the time he realized the morning was already almost half finished; it was eleven twenty-three.

"Draco, what time are you supposed to leave?" he asked softly.

"'Bout one," Draco said lazily.

"We should get up, then," he said, stroking the boy's hair.

"Uhm," was the reply.

"It's already eleven-thirty."

"Ugh," Draco groaned, slowly sitting up. He stretched, and then looked mortified. "Oh, you've got to be kidding me."

"What?" Harry asked, sitting up as well.

"My clothes!"

"What about them?"

"I can't believe it!"

He scurried out of bed to check in a mirror. "I slept in my clothes," he said, crinkling up his nose at his reflection.

"You are so vain," Harry said half-jokingly.

Draco tilted his head towards him for a moment. "These are silk; they wrinkle."

"I'm sure they do," Harry said, smiling.

Draco glanced towards him again. "How do you do that?"

"Do what?"

"See passed all the little things." He paused. "Make me see passed all the little things," he added in a mutter.

Harry shrugged, unsure of what to say. "It's just clothing."

Draco shook his head. "Whatever you say, Harry."

Harry soon went to get into the shower, and Draco started up to the attic to pick up the candles from the previous night. When he finished and went to take his shower, Harry began to organize his homework load for the vacation.

"Your shampoo smells really good," Draco said, coming out of the bathroom fully dressed.

Harry looked up at him, placing away his books. Draco looked gorgeous standing there with this damp un-brushed hair, and he immediately realized he didn't want Draco to leave yet; things had just started to get interesting between them.

"I don't want you to leave yet," Harry said his thoughts aloud.

Draco sighed. "I know, Harry. Come here."

He did, and Draco folded his arms around his neck, staring at him with honest eyes.

"I'll be thinking of you the whole time, alright?" Draco whispered.

"Alright," he whispered back, knowing that he would be thinking of Draco the whole time he was gone as well. He leaned down and kissed Draco tenderly, breathing in his scent, which was normal except for the hint of apple shampoo.

"Mr. Malfoy, have you seen..." The voice dropped silent.

Harry and Draco pulled apart to see Lupin, who was staring at them in shock Oddly enough, though, the only thought that went through Harry's head was: Why do people keep interrupting us? Damn it!

"I, uh-" Lupin looked away, clearly embarrassed for barging in, and completely in shock with who Harry was kissing. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to... erm... interrupt..."

Harry was reminded of the day he had walked in on Tonks and Lupin, though that was probably a lot less awkward.

"It's okay," Harry said, pretending like it didn't matter.

"Have I seen what?" Draco asked just as smoothly.

Lupin stared at Harry for a moment with his mouth open. When he recomposed himself, he asked, "I was just looking for Harry... Lunch is up..."

"Alright," Harry said, nodding.

"Right," Lupin said, flustered, and left out the door.

"Perfect timing," Harry said, rolling his eyes.

"Always is." Draco's tone was annoyed. "Are you going to explain anything to him?"

"Yeah," he said. "Eventually."

Draco nodded. "Well, lunch time, Harry."

The two boys joined everyone in the dining room, and Bill and Fleur came in with sandwiches and salads.

"Dig in," Bill said.

As Harry filled his plate with potato and fruit salad, Bill said to Lupin, "Percy says he's going to drop by again soon. He just won't take 'I don't have it' as a reason to leave it alone."

"Do you still have the book, Ginny?" Lupin asked her, further confusing Harry. What were they talking about?

"Oh," Ginny said, setting her fork down. "Yes."

"Well, keep it hidden," Bill said grudgingly. "Perce isn't getting it back; we deserve to know what it says."

"What what says?" Harry finally spoke up.

Everyone turned to him as if they were surprised he didn't know what they were talking about - well, everyone but Draco, but he didn't seem as confused as Harry did.

"The prophecy book, Harry," Hermione answered.

"Percy stole it, and he's after us so he can return it before he loses his job," Ron said as he loaded his plate with a few ham sandwiches.

"Don't you have another brother?" Draco spoke up.

Harry looked at him, confused; Draco's voice had seemed oddly directed, forced, as if he was aiming to find out something specific.

"Yeah," Bill said, not noticing the strange tone. "Charlie."

"Where's he in all of this?" Draco continued. "Shouldn't he be back here to baby-sit you lot?"

Harry stared at Draco, but he didn't catch his glance.

"He's up in Liverpool on some meeting about his work in Romania," Bill said.

"Dragons?" Draco asked, now less interested, giving a warm smile to Harry. He relaxed a bit, but still knew something was up.

"Yeah," Bill nodded.

Harry felt Lupin's eyes fall on him for a moment, and then move away. Harry decided he'd talk to Lupin when Draco left. He still had no idea when he'd talk to Ron about it, though.

---

After lunch, Draco prepared to leave. Lupin was going to take him down to the Leaky Cauldron because he had told him it wasn't safe for him to Apparate. Harry wasn't sure if this was because Draco had failed his Apparating test or because it was genuinely unsafe.

Harry was about to ask him what was up at lunch when he spoke.

"Can I ask you to do me a favor while I'm gone?" he asked in a whisper because Ron, Ginny and Hermione were nearby playing a magical card game.

"Sure," Harry said. "What?"

"Talk to Lupin about getting people prepared for war," Draco said, staring at him intently. "If you give the word, they need to all be ready to appear by your side immediately."

Harry paused; from the tone in Draco's voice, he could tell a battle was coming, and fast.

"Can you do that for me?"

"Yeah, I can," Harry assured.

"Thanks," Draco said in a velvet whisper. "I'll be back in a few days."

Harry nodded before looking awkwardly from Ron to Draco. Giving Draco just a hug goodbye didn't really seem like the sort of thing he wanted to part on. Draco had the same thought, apparently, because he pulled Harry closer to kiss him.

And that's when he completely forgot about being discreet around Ron. He kissed Draco deeply, not wanting to let go. not wanting to let go. Feelings of grief and passion washed over him. He was completely consumed in the kiss; nothing else even entered his mind.

When they pulled apart, he heard a strangled choke from Ron at the table, who had apparently seen them. However, Harry didn't look at Ron yet since he was watching Draco leave; he gave a small wave as Draco left out the front door where Lupin was waiting.

His stomach turned in fear and loss as he turned back to face Ron. There were cards littering the ground where Ron had dropped them in shock, and he was still staring at Harry.

Finally, he spoke. "What was that?"

Harry sighed. "I didn't mean for you to find out like that, Ron."

"What was that?" Ron repeated.

"Erm," he said, unsure what was going on in his best friend's mind. "A kiss."

Ron didn't say anything else for a moment as he processed it.

"Are you dating him?" he asked, voice oddly calm, though Harry could tell this was a façade.

"Yeah," Harry nodded, still feeling nervous. What he wanted more than anything was for Ron to approve.

"I see," Ron said. "Harry?"

"Yeah, Ron?"

The two friends stared at each other, Ron's eyes steadily narrowing.

"What the bloody hell is wrong with you?" Again, Ron's voice was eerily calm, even though his words were not.

"Nothing is wrong with me," he said firmly. He knew that Ron wouldn't approve, but why would he accuse him of misjudgment?

"Oh, for goodness sake, Ron!" Ginny finally let out. "Just tell him what you're thinking! You're driving me insane."

Hermione went to Ron and put a hand on his shoulder.

"How come they don't seem so surprised to see you kiss him?"

"Because I told them already," he admitted.

"Oh."

"Ron, I really like him. Please don't be upset," he said, pleading with his eyes.

"Why would I be upset?" Ron asked, a hint of anger in his voice.

Harry saw Ginny motion to Hermione to leave. Hermione nodded, and the two girls left them alone.

"You're gay?" Ron asked, voice still even. "How did I miss the signs?"

Harry could tell that was meant to be sarcasm, but Ron's conversational tone threw it off.

"I just like him, alright?"

"Yeah, alright." Ron nodded.

Harry wanted to know what was going on in Ron's head; he wanted to know so badly that he actually shouted out the question.

"What are you thinking right now? Why aren't you freaking out or... or doing something?"

Harry didn't know why the question had exploded from his head like that. Soon enough, he realized Ron had something to do with it, because the second he asked the question, the urge to have it answered died down.

"That's all your thinking?" Ron asked. "What I think of all this?"

Ron had used his magic on him.

"Well, yeah, Ron," he said overtly. "It's a big deal."

"Clearly not a big enough deal to tell me when it started," Ron growled. Now, there was tension in his voice. "How long has this been going on? Since the summer? Since that letter? Before?"

"Excuse me, Mr. I'm-Not-Going-To-Tell-You-About-Anything-Either; I wouldn't be talking," Harry hissed.

He immediately regretted snapping at Ron; yes, it was true that both of them had been deliberately not talking to each other, but he hadn't meant to rub his face in it. Although Ron didn't seem to mind (as he hadn't got any redder), he added, "And we've only been dating for a few days- since..."

"Oh really?" Ron asked. "Just a few days, is it? You've been running off to see him since we got back to school!"

"Ron!" he said, aggravated. "Are you mad because I didn't tell you, or mad because I'm dating Draco Malfoy?"

"A little bit of both, actually," Ron said, glaring. "He's Malfoy! We hate Malfoy! You cannot be dating him! He's awful and rude and vile and-"

"And he makes me happy, Ron!" he shouted. "At least your sister understands that."

"My sister doesn't know what she's talking about."

"She knows very well what she's talking about!"

"What does this have to do with Ginny?" Ron shouted back.

Harry frowned, and in a softer voice said, "I dunno."

They were fighting just to fight; mostly because there was so much tension between them.

"Right," Ron said. "Damn it, Harry! I hate Malfoy! He's never been nice to me- not even when he's dating you."

"Ron," he sighed. "I really want you to be okay with this."

"Why?" Ron asked. "You don't care what I think anyway."

"I was going to tell you. I just didn't want you to react like... Well... I thought you were going to react a little differently than this-"

"Look, I don't care if you're dating a guy; that's fine as long as you don't go all snog happy on me. I do, however, care that it's with Malfoy; the guy's a git, and you deserve tons better. And I care that you didn't tell me."

"I'm sorry."

"It's okay." Ron sighed. "We've both been stupid lately."

"Yeah, we have," he agreed.

There was a short pause as both boys grew calmer, and the tension died down. Ron looked up at him with an odd look.

"Malfoy?" Ron asked, sounding much like Ginny had when he'd told her.

"Yeah. Draco," Harry replied.

"You sure, Harry?" Ron asked.

"I'm sure, Ron."

Ron nodded and the two sat in silence.

---

For the next two days, Harry did as Draco asked and told Lupin about getting the Order ready for battle- after, of course, he talked to him about what had happened with him and Draco. He hadn't freaked out like Ron did, which was a relief.

He also talked to Ron about getting along with Draco, since he planned to have him around for a long time. Ron told him it wasn't likely, but he'd try to be civil anyway.

On the third day, at about six in the morning, Harry awoke in a cold sweat because of the memories of the night in the hall with Draco.

The clock. Molly and Arthur, dead. Lucius had killed them. It all flooded back to him, but this time, Draco wasn't there to support him. Harry couldn't get to sleep for the rest of the morning, and he barely spoke throughout the day for fear of breaking down again. He wanted Draco to hold him, to be near him again, but it wasn't possible.

On the fifth day, Harry was missing Draco like mad; every moment free of discussing plans with Lupin he had was spent on Draco.

Hermione and Ron tried to keep him occupied- Hermione with homework, Ron with Wizard's Chess- but Ginny left him well enough alone after she explained to him that she still hadn't managed to control her magic, especially around him.

Being around the Weasley's made everything much harder to cope with, since he wasn't allowed to tell them about their parents. He had to keep his promise, no matter how much speculation they started to have on Molly and Arthur's whereabouts. It hurt, and yet he couldn't tell anyone about it.

It was late afternoon when Harry sat down on the couch to escape from Hermione and Ron's chess match. A loud knock came from the door.

Curiously, he opened it, only to find Draco standing in his doorway with a badly beaten Charlie Weasley.