Waking During the Night

Parallel fic to Black

Waking During the Night

Harry started awake, his breath freezing in his lungs. Unsure exactly what had brought him from sleep, he blinked a few times and rolled onto his back. That was when he realized what was wrong. He jerked up in bed, the sheets slipping down his chest as he cast about blindly in the darkness.

"Draco?" he whispered, afraid of raising his voice too loudly. He didn't want to wake anyone else if Draco was just going to the bathroom or something stupid like that. When he got no reply, he slid from the bed. The floor was cool under his skin, and he shivered and drew his shirt closer against his body. Rain beat against the windows in a desperate pattern, but Harry couldn't concentrate. His mind had one single focus.

He tiptoed out of the bedroom, quietly shutting the door behind him, and worked his way down the stairs. He heard voices coming from the kitchen and though there was no light coming from the room, he headed towards the noise.

"Draco?" he murmured as he approached. Even in the non-light he could pick out Draco's unnatural blonde.

"Harry, stay out of here," Draco snapped. Harry frowned and kept moving closer. His chest tightened as he approached the other.

"Draco, you weren't in bed," Harry said, leaning against the warm comfort of Draco's body. Draco's hand closed around his arm and drew him towards his back. Harry heard Ginny's voice.

"Malfoy, don't be stupid. She's not going to be daft enough to hurt him in front of all of us."

"I'm not taking any chances." Draco's voice rumbled reassuringly through his back, and Harry drew closer, only to notice who sat at the Weasley's kitchen table.

"Is that Pansy? What's she doing here?" Harry gripped Draco's shoulder.

"Why don't we just wake up the entire house?" Ginny growled in frustration. "Harry what are you doing up? It's three a.m."

"He came down to add to the freak show, I'm sure," Pansy smirked, a malicious little twist of her lips.

"Pansy, shut up. You still haven't answered my question." Draco trembled impatiently.

"Malfoy, give it a rest already. I think if she was here to do something she would have - "

"Ginny you trust too easily. I know her family. I know all their kind." Draco's shoulders were tight, he was scared of something. Harry slowly worked his thumbs in gentle circles in Draco's back. However, this only seemed to agitate him more. Draco snapped his hand out of Ginny's grip. "Don't touch me." He kept his wand out, and forced Harry another step backwards.

The sound of water boiling drew the four from their stand-off. Harry glanced over at the stove and saw that Ginny had put on something to make hot chocolate with. Unfortunately during their argument, the water had been left too long and was boiling.

"I never thought I would see you so desperate to protect someone, Draco," Pansy whispered suddenly. Some of the tension left Draco's muscles, and he felt looser under Harry's palms.

"What did they do to you?" he asked. Harry slipped his arms around Draco's waist, pulling him against his chest. Draco was just as tired as he was, and naturally, he was better at hiding it.

"I'd rather not say. But I can't go back."

"I don't trust you. If you come within three meters of Harry without me near him, I will kill you." Harry tightened his grip, pressing his lips to the back of Draco's neck.

"I wouldn't expect less," she replied coolly.

"Come on, Harry, you're asleep on your feet," Draco murmured into Harry's ear as he turned into the embrace. Harry felt rather than saw Draco's arm slide around his waist and support him.

"I woke up and you weren't there," Harry managed through a yawn as Draco led him back up the stairs.

"Idiot, why did you come after me?" Draco's voice was husky with exhaustion.

"Because last time..." Harry's voice choked off in his throat. Draco's hand tightened around his waist with a firm, sure grip.

"That was last time. I told you it wouldn't happen again. I've been studying with Snape," Draco whispered as they passed through the halls of the sleeping household.

"I can't... Merlin, Draco..." Harry swallowed past the lump growing. He couldn't erase the image from his head. He had been so sure Draco was dead; his skin had been so pale... He had been barely breathing when Harry found him that night, splayed out on the kitchen floor like some abused rag doll, shattered glass scattered around his head like an ethereal halo.

Draco drew Harry into their room, and clicked the door shut behind them. Before Harry could even draw a breath, Draco's lips were upon his, a heated testament to how much he wanted to take Harry's pain away. Draco's teeth pulled at Harry's lips, tugging and trying to break the hold that memory had branded on Harry's mind. Draco's arms snaked around his waist, and Harry felt himself being shuffled backwards. The backs of his knees fetched up against the bed, and Harry let himself fall, knowing that Draco wouldn't let him be hurt.

Sure enough, Draco almost crushed the wind out of his lungs, but propped himself up on his elbows in time to give Harry a moment. Harry fisted a hand in Draco's shirt and pulled him down, meshing their lips as Draco growled his approval. Harry felt desperate heat from Draco's body wash over him through their thin nightshirts. Draco's fingers already grappled with the buttons on his.

Once Draco had his shirt off, his mouth wandered. Harry arched into his lips as Draco trailed a hot, slippery path down his skin. He just barely managed to suppress a gasp when Draco bit a tender spot on his right hip. Draco smirked, his lips pressed tight against Harry's skin, his breath rushing out hot and wet, and making Harry's skin tingle enticingly. Draco opened his mouth and dipped his tongue against Harry's skin, one hand splayed out across Harry's chest; the other tugged gently at the waistline of Harry's sleeping slacks.

Harry shivered as Draco's tongue scraped against his skin, leaving a trail of quickly cooling saliva. Draco smirked despite himself as he gently pulled the waist of Harry's pants back and dipped his tongue into the gently curve of Harry's hipbone.

"All right, all right. Enough."

Draco jerked, accidentally snapping Harry's elastic waistband against his skin. Harry jumped as well, and almost didn't feel it. Ron sat up in his bed, his long hair frizzed a bit on the end and sleep shining in his eyes.

"Just because I tolerate him doesn't mean you two can get off in my room. It's enough with you two making eyes at each other all day long." Ron scowled.

"I beg your pardon. I do not make eyes at the Boy Wonder, thank you very much," Draco gasped indignantly. He slithered from his position at Harry's crotch to hover over the prone boy.

"Yea, whatever. Let me sleep without having to think about your lusty moaning." Ron spun around in his bed and flopped back against the pillows, drawing the covers up to his ears. Within minutes he was snoring.

"You heard the weasel," Draco murmured in Harry's ear, his breath coasting tantalizingly over his neck.

"Shut up and move. You're on top of the blanket." Harry shoved Draco out of the way and pulled the tussled blanket back. Draco shifted, slipping under the blanket and folding his body around Harry's. Harry relaxed into the embrace. "Draco..."

"Don't say it," Draco growled in his ear, as if reading his mind.

"How do you know - "

"I know you, Potter. I don't want to hear it now." His voice turned gentle suddenly, so much so that Harry twisted his neck to look at him. "Tell me after the war." In a surprising display of tenderness, Draco kissed the top of Harry's head. "After the war I'll listen, okay?"

Harry swallowed past the lump forming in his throat, and turned his head away. Draco's arms tightened around him almost imperceptibly, and Harry realized why he had to defeat Voldemort. He had to win, he had to make the world safe, so that Draco didn't have any more nightmares, and the tattoo wouldn't haunt his waking hours, and so he could tell the man he loved just how much he meant.