52Chapter 24
Chapter 24
Harry's POV
Early the next morning Harry scanned the Great Hall for Malfoy. He had checked the Room of Requirements the night before but it had been empty. He was worried, he didn't know how Malloy was taking the news about his father and Snape.
"You okay?" He jumped and turned to look at James who had at some point sat down next to him. He nodded, voice caught in his throat. He hadn't spoken much to either of his parents since meeting them. It was too hard, too tempting to just blurt everything out and ask for help. So, as bad as it sounded he was avoiding being around them, especially if they were alone. Like they seemed to be right now, where the hell were the rest of them housemates? It was easier talking to Lily and James if they were surrounded by other people. Less tempting to make a fool of himself.
"Evan?" James asked looking worried. Harry shook his head, "I'm fine." He gave his father a smile.
James looked around the large room for a second, then leaned in close and whispered, "Remy told me about you, it might not be too helpful, but I have my families journal on our inheritance. If you want to read it over? See if anything helps?"
He couldn't speak but he nodded his head, a lot, he probably looked like an idiot, but his mind was kept saying, Finally!
James gave him a concerned look.
"Sorry," Harry muttered, "I...I'm just surprised. None of the books in the library are from any of the families." He smiled at his father, "I didn't think I would get any help. You offering your family book...its…" he shrugged like he couldn't find the words, which he couldn't. "Thank you."
The other Potter gave him a big smiled and brought his hand up to give Harry's shoulder a squeeze. "Glad to help. If you have any questions let me know."
There was another squeeze and the hand started to pull away, as James started turning to face his breakfast something in Harry cried out. He didn't want his father to pull away, to stop talking to him, to stop comforting him. He must have made a sound because James head shot up and he looked Harry in the eye.
He tried to look away embarrassed, but the hand squeezed again and started rubbing soothing circles on his shoulders. He felt his body relax and despite telling himself not to, he leaned against his father.
"He okay?" he heard Siri whisper a few minutes later and he opened his eyes to see Remus and Peter behind his godfather all three moving to join them at the table. He felt his father nod, and he closed his eyes again.
He wasn't sleeping, he wasn't even tired, but there was something warm and cozy about just sitting there with his eyes closed leaning against James, and if his father wasn't bothered or telling him to move, he was going to stay there as long as he could.
Unfortunately, like with all his good ideas, Malfoy ruined it.
He hadn't heard the blonde walk over to the table, but suddenly there was a hand wrapping around his wrist, "let's go, Evan."
He groaned at the pulling and tried to tug his arm back. There was a frustrated sigh and the hand tightened, and that strange tingling at the back of his neck was back.
His eyes shot open and he actually growled at Malfoy. Who looked sad or maybe guilty? His brain registered that people were staring at them and that Malfoy still hadn't let go. Part of him wanted to ask why the blonde was sad, but the other part wanted to go back to the comfortable, relaxed, safe feeling he had been experiencing. He tried again to pull his arm away.
Malfoy's eyes darkened, his fingers went from strong and tight around his wrist to gentle and his thumb started sliding back and forth, Harry felt his anger start to slip, and he breathed in deeply, smelling plums?
Confused he stood from the table and followed the scent, straight to Malfoy. He leaned in close and yeah, the blonde smelled like plums. He inhaled again, liking the smell. He heard a soothing sound from the blonde, and for some reason when Malfoy pulled on his wrist this time, tugging him away from his family. He followed.
He followed the Slytherin all the way back to the room of requirements. Once inside, Malfoy shoved him towards the couch and knelt in front of him. Causing his stomach to drop, because it felt odd, almost wrong.
"Potter," Malfoy said gently, "you okay?" and just like that Harry's head started to clear. He wasn't sure if it was the oddity of having Malfoy kneeling before him talking gently or if whatever just happened wore off, but suddenly he could think again, and he realized how strange he had been acting. His heart speed and he tried to move away from the blonde, put Malfoy caught both his hands before he could move.
"It's okay," Malfoy said.
"What the hell was that?" he asked, trying not to sound as freaked out as he was.
Malfoy sighed. "You were relaxed, and I mean completely relaxed, not just your everyday comfortable, but the kind were the world slips away and you just want to stay forever. You were content., which meant your guard was down." he opened his mouth to say, so what? How did that explain his strange behavior? But Malfoy held up a hand.
Harry growled low in his throat frustrated. Malfoy shot him a grin.
"Anyways," the blonde said with a pointed look. "You father, Remus, and Black are your family, they make you feel safe and happy, but they also make you drop your guard. That's why I had to get you away. If they had started talking to you, questioning you, we have no idea what you might have said."
"I growled at you," he pointed out. Malfoy chuckled, "Potter, you were safe. How often do you feel that way? Of course you growled at me. You were pissed I was trying to take you away."
Seeing that he had calmed down, the blonde stood up and sat down next to him on the couch.
"How did you get me to follow you? And why the hell do you smell like plums?" he asked turning to scowl at the other teen.
"Plums?" Malfoy asked, head tilted to the side. Then he got a happy smug look in his face. Giving Harry a feeling he had just revealed something he shouldn't have. He glared. Malfoy held up both his hands as if to say he surrendered, but the smirk didn't go away.
"Believe it or not Potter, you trust me," the Slytherin started, "when I realized you weren't cleared headed and wouldn't come just because I said so. I pulled my creature forward, and let my scent wash over you. It helped you feel calm and settle like before, but toward me, and the smell of plums," said with a huge grin, "was how your submissive side identified me."
"What do you mean before?" he asked.
"When we first got here, you kept seeking me out in your sleep. Remember, you wanted to feel protected and your submissive side felt that around me. Or when in Gringotts when you saw your bindings," Malfoy growled the word, it sent a chill down Harry's spine, "I calmed you down."
Harry blushed remembering how he ended up in the blonde's lap.
"Yeah, okay. So you going to explain the plums thing?" he asked looking back up.
Malfoy's smirk widened. "Nope."
Harry groaned and dropped his head. "I'll figure it out. You know?"
The damn Slytherin smiled at him, "I'm sure you will, Potter, but for now what are our plans for tomorrow?"
He looked up, "tomorrow?"
"Hogsmeade," the blonde said rolling his eyes.
"Oh, well the shrieking shack is outside the anti-Apparitions wards,and no one will see us there. So, we sneaking in there apparte to Diagon Alley, deliver the letters and come back. Hopefully before anyone notices we are gone."
"Great plan," Malfoy said, "except neither of us can apparate."
Fuck, he had forgotten that. He knew he couldn't, he just expected Malfoy to know how.
"I'll think of something, just meet me tomorrow at the Three broomsticks." The blonde gave him a doubtful look but shrugged.
"Now we should probably get to class." Harry said, moving off the couch.