52Chapter 32
Chapter 32
Harry's Pov
"I'm sorry," he said when they entered the room. Draco turned his head to look at him, brows raised. "For brushing you off. I was worried about Remus and annoyed over our argument. I was going to apologize to you earlier but I didn't want to do it in front of everyone."
"It's okay," the blonde said, turning to face him fully. "I shouldn't have been mad at you. I knew you were upset and worried." Relieved he smiled at his friend, then had to lean his head to see past him and into the room. It wasn't their normal meeting place in fact it looked strangely like a large bedroom.
"Draco, there is a bed?" he asked a little dumbfounded. The Slytherin laughed. Draco grabbed his hand and pulled him towards the bed. "I figured you were tired but didn't want to go back to the dorms."
He thought about resisting because sharing a bed with Draco should have been weird. Sure they had done it before, back when they first arrived but that was because they didn't have another option. He didn't though, because some small part of him wanted to. He suspected it was the submissive part of him. That same part that kept urging him to cuddle with Draco last time they had shared a bed. Truth was those couple of days he had the best sleep he had in years and if Draco was giving him a chance at that again he wasn't going to fight it.
He took off Sirius cloak and crawled into the bed. Draco had already shoved the blankets down and was on the right side of the bed. Harry paused for a second debating if he should just move right up next to the other boy or if he should at least pretend he didn't want to lay that close.
Draco met his eye and grinned. Then the blonde's arm shot out and grabbed Harry's wrist. Harry felt himself being tugged over the bed and then pushed down on the bed right next to Draco. He let out a relieved breath as the blonde settled behind him.
"Can you please explain the plum thing?" he asked some time later. He was comfortable and relaxed, even slowly falling asleep, but couldn't get Draco's reaction out of his mind.
He felt Draco's body stiffen behind him and turned his head to see the blonde. Draco was biting his lip and looking down at Harry.
"Please," he whispered.
The slytherin nodded though he looked worried. Before he said anything Draco laid back down, wrapping an arm around Harry's waist and pulled him snug against his body. Harry turned his head back around and laid on his pillow. His pulse faster as he waited.
"Just don't freak out okay?" Draco mumbled against his ear. Harry shivered from the jolt that went down his spine and nodded.
"I told you before," Draco started, "that creatures uses smell to identify each other. That your submissive side connected me with plums." Harry nodded again. "But I didn't tell you everything. Scent association doesn't just identify submissives or dominants. It helps identify friends, family, even mates. Your family will always smell as something comforting and protected. It's so you always feel safe around them. My father smells like home." Draco took a breath that Harry felt against his ear when the blonde exhaled. "Friends, close friends, smell more like things you enjoy or like. A food or place you enjoy. Sev smells like honeysuckle and burning herbs. Honeysuckle grows wild in his garden," the blonde explained. "I've spent every summer for as long as I can remember there with him. As he taught me every flower, herb, and spice, he has growing there. Don't tell him but it's my favorite part of summer." Draco chuckled, causing Harry to smile. "Mates, according to my father are a mix of those things. Comfort, safety, and ones favorite smells."
It took him a second. It probably shouldn't have giving Draco's earlier warning about not freaking out, but still it took time for the words to sink in. Draco thinks they're mates. His brain said. He opened his mouth to ask but the words stuck in his throat. He tried clearing it only to end up coughing.
"Harry?" Draco asked, Harry felt the other boy sit up behind him.
"I'm okay," he whispered, turning his head to look at the slytherin. "Are you sure?" he asked.
Draco's eyes searched his face. "It's a guess," he said, "I don't know for sure. I don't even know how to prove it, but I think so. We both feel comfortable around each other, too comfortable given our history. Plus your submissive side reacts strongly to me." Draco smiled. "Plus I smell like your favorite fruit." Harry wanted to roll his eyes but he didn't.
"Favorite food," he corrected a little shyly.
Draco's eyes widened. "Oh," he said.
Harry moved his head back and laid back down. Giving Draco a moment to follow suit. "So, what does this mean?" Harry asked after they were again resting against each other.
"I honestly don't know, Harry," Draco said. "If I'm right it means we are almost perfect for each other. Not that it will be easy. Just because we are drawn together and find comfort in each other doesn't mean we won't have to work at a relationship, if you want a relationship that is." A relationship, Harry thought, did he want that?
"It also means we are capable of bonding," he heard the Slytherin continue, but he kept focusing on the relationship part, what would it be like to have Draco as a boyfriend, a mate, instead of just a friend, a rush of warmth shot through him and he had to bite his lip from making a sound. Okay, so maybe he liked that idea.
"A magical link that would tie us together. A marriage of sorts, but I don't really know how to go about it." Shit, should have been paying more attention, he thought.
He heard Draco sighed. "I wish father was here. I could ask him."
"He is," Harry whispered, "he may not be Lucius from our time, but he still may have answers."
He heard Draco hum behind him. "Maybe I'll speak to him," the blonde muttered after a second. They fell asleep shortly after. Draco's arm wrapped around him, holding him as close as possible and Harry fully relaxed and no worry about nightmares.
Draco Pov
He hated that morning. He woke up perfectly comfortable holding Harry only to find they had less than an hour to get breakfast before class started. He had to fight against the urge to keep Harry in bed, in his arms, where he and his cat wanted. From the whine Harry let out when they had pulled apart, the other boy felt the same.
Now he was sitting in Herbology glaring at the Mandrakes in front of him. He heard a snort and turned to his godfather looking at him with a smile, that made him homesick.
"What?" he grumbled, just loud enough to be heard through the ear muffs.
"You didn't return last night," Severus said, "And now you are glaring at anyone or anything that gets close." His godfather's hand pushed his earmuffs to the side, thankfully none of the Mandrakes were crying. "I do believe you would rather be back in bed with your Gryffindor." Draco didn't blush, though he did swallow over a sudden lump in his throat.
"Why do you care?" he snapped. His mind was conflicted, he wanted to talk to Sev about it but this wasn't his godfather, this was a young Slytherin that most likely hated Gryffindors.
Severus cocked his head to the side, then he pushed Draco's earmuffs back over his ears and turned back to his own plant. Draco went to snap at him, because what the bloody hell was that, but the professor walked over and started demanding the start of the replanting of there Mandrakes.
His godfather had disappeared after class and Draco hadn't been able to find him. Frustrated he sought out his father instead. Only he couldn't find him either.
By dinner time, he was worried and annoyed. No one at the Slytherin table had said anything. So he didn't think Sev had said anything to anyone. Which was a plus, but it left Draco trying to understand why not.
He wasn't paying attention to his surroundings on his way back to the common room; which was stupid. He froze when he saw a large silk black panther standing in a darkened hallway. His father's wings weren't out, but Draco would know that feline anywhere. The cat slowly approached him, carefully bumping its head against his stomach in a show of affection.
Draco let out a gasp as a wave of emotions hit him. He wanted to drop down to his knees, wrap his arms around his father. Rant about everything that had been going on and beg for advice.
But as badly as he wanted to this wasn't his father. Not yet at least. He didn't understand why the other Lamassu was acting like this. His father's head brushed against his hand and out of habit Draco brushed his fingers across the cat's head blindly searching for the spot behind his ears he knew his father enjoyed. The cat purred and then shook his hand off. He tried to turn his head and watched as his father moved behind him. There was a push against his legs as his father's head shoved at him. Feeling completely confused, he moved forward.
His father kept it up until they were out of the school and well into the Forbidden forest.
"Are you going to tell me what this is about?" Draco asked, starting to get annoyed with his father. The cat huffed and pushed him on. It took several minutes before Draco found himself on the edge of a small meadow. He felt the magic in the air as his father took his human form.
"I believe we needed to speak," the older Malfoy said. "This seemed the best place." Than to his further surprise his father sat on the ground and gesture for him to do the same.
"I…" Draco started protest but his father gave him a glare. It reminded him so much of his father, that he just swallowed and sat down.
"I thought about the best way to start this conversation and found none," his father said. "It took awhile for me to realize there was no proper way to go about this, so I've settled on blunt truth," his father looked at him, and Draco saw a happy smile on his face, "I have a son." Draco's heart stopped, "I couldn't believe it at first, but looking at you. Even with the glamours you are wearing I can see it." He couldn't find it in himself to deny it. "I see it in your mannerisms and the way you speak. It's in the way you watch the people around you, and more importantly how you look at your mate." He gasped.
"How?" he asked.
"The other night, Lupin and I overheard you and Harry arguing."
"Fuck," he muttered.
"Language, Draco," his father scolded him, and it sounded so right that he ducked his head and mumbled an apology. He heard his father chuckle and realized what he had done.
"You can't say anything," he said suddenly starting to panic. Because oh shit, not only did his father know but Lupin did as well. "You can't…" he couldn't breath. Oh merlin, they had fucked up so bad. What would happen now? Because of them? He wasn't even aware he was panting, because they had one stupid argument where people could overhear them.
"Draco!" his father shouted his name and suddenly he was surrounded by his father's arms and scent. It stopped the frantic thoughts and he let out a sob as he clutched at his father's back.
"We have already agreed," his father whispered, "not to say or do anything. The risks are to great, but we can help you at least. Get you home, where you belong."
"I have to tell Harry," he muttered when he finally calmed down. His father pulled back. "The wolf his handling that." Draco wasn't sure that was a good idea but nodded his head anyways.
"We have a way home," he said. "Or at least we think we do. It kinda depends on well, you," he said with a shrug.
"Me?" his father asked.
"And Sev, and a couple others. In the future," Draco said. His father raised a brow.
"We found a ritual that will take us home, but it needs help from someone in our correct time. We send a few letters through the goblins at Gringotts, to be delivered at a specific time. If everything goes right. You, Sev, a friend of mine, and two of Harry's will get them and set up the ritual on their end."
"What about Lupin?" the older malfoy asked.
"Him too. Not that Harry knows." His father narrowed his eyes. Draco could already see his father's mind trying to puzzle that out.
"Before we came back, Harry found out some stuff. I don't think I can tell you about. It shattered his trust in everyone. Even those he considers family."
"He doubts the wolf?" his father asked, sounding doubtful.
Draco shook his head. "Not really. It's more he fears he is wrong. He knows Lupin loves him and would do anything to take care of and protect him, but he fears he is wrong and he doesn't want to take the chance," he tried to explain.
"Yet he is involved."
Draco ran a hand through his hair. "Where Harry doubts, I don't. That wolf loves Harry too much to ever betray him. So, I sent you to him. Hopefully you listened, because I think if we make it home, Harry is going to need him."
"Draco." He looked up at his father. "We will get you home. Now tell me about this ritual," his father said it so confidently, that Draco found himself believing him.
Harry's pov
"Evan," someone called behind him as he walked towards the library. He had his father's book tucked under his arm and was hoping to find a quiet place to read. He sighed, stopped, and turned around. He smiled when he saw Remus jogging towards him. The sandy haired werewolf looked out of breath and his hair was a mess. It made Harry chuckled.
"Hey Remus," he said when the other student reached him.
"Got a minute?" Remus asked, looking around them, there was a guilty yet determined look in the wolf's eyes. Suddenly Harry was worried he was about to be pranked.
"Sure?" he said a little unsure.
Remus just smiled at him and took his arm. The other boy led him away from the library and towards a portrait. It was a landscape and when Remus reached forward and ran a finger over it the portrait moved and let them to small a hallway. Harry hesitated, he hadn't seen this passage before. Not even on the map.
He looked at Remus. Something in the other's eyes shouted, trust me. Harry took a breath and stepped into the hallway. He heard the relieved breath Remus let out before he followed.
It wasn't a long hallway and it ended in a small room full of books and a couple of large sitting chairs.
"Sirius and James don't know about this one," Remus said, moving around him and sitting in one of the chairs. "I think we all found one spot, we kept to ourselves." Remus smiled at him. "This was mine."
"It's so you," Harry said with a smile. Remus chuckled. "That it is."
"Why tell me?" he asked moving to sit in the chair across from future professor.
Remus sighed. "It was recommended that I speak to you somewhere we can't be overheard." Harry tilted his head to the side. "Why?" he asked.
"Because cub, I know who you are."
A flood of panic hit him and Harry shot forward and out of his seat quickly finding his feet. He wasn't sure why he felt the need to run, but he did. Remus moved just as fast, a hand landed on the back of his neck before he could take a step. There was a squeeze from the hand and Harry's head went fuzzy, just for a second before he felt himself calm down, his mind cleared and the panic faded away.
He dropped down on his chair, Remus's hand letting go.
"The hell?" he mumbled as he realized exactly what just happened.
Remus knelt in front of him amber eyes looking into his. "Oh," the wolf muttered and then he smiled, "you've found your mate. Malfoy, I assume." Harry nodded, before he registered the use of Malfoy instead of Luke. He narrowed his eyes and looked at Remus.
"I don't understand," he said.
"Do you want me to explain what just happened or how I know you're Harry Potter first?" Remus asked.
He thought about it. He wanted to understand what just happened, but if it had to do with Draco he could always ask the blonde later. "How do you know who I am?" he asked.
Remus smiled and stood up, returning to his seat.
"I saw you and Draco go into the tunnel under the willow. I was curious how you knew about it and followed. I admit, I listened to your argument. It sounded insane at first but slowly it started to make sense. Harry, I will not tell anyone. Nor do I plan to change anything." Harry looked into Remus's eyes and could tell he was serious. "I just want to help you get home cub."
"How can you say that?" Harry asked despite himself, "How can you know what's going to happen and not change it?" Because the guilt of it was eating at him. Even though he knew the consequences and that he wouldn't actually change anything. No matter how badly he ached to do so.
"Probably the same way you can," Remus said, sadly. "But knowing that if I save him. I could lose you." Harry swallowed.
"I want to save him," he whispered, looking away from the teen that would one day be a father figure to him.
"Me too," Remus said, moving to kneel in front of him again.
"Cub, look at me." Harry didn't think he could. He didn't want to see Remus eyes, know that he knew, because how could Harry tell him the rest, that it was his fault a madman would kill his parents.
"Cub." There was a growl in the word this time. It sent a shudder through him and Harry found himself having to raise his eyes.
"Whatever you are thinking, stop," Remus said reaching out to whip away a tear Harry hadn't felt fall. "There is so much in this world we cannot control, cub, and this is a cruel way to learn that. If you try to save your father, you could make things better or worse, but you wouldn't know until it's too late. So, you're trapped with a dilemma on whether it's worth it. Knowing that the wrong choice could essentially erase people you know from existence. Leaving you to weigh the value of one life against many. I wish you didn't have to think about that." Remus leaned forward and pressed his forehead against Harry's. Something in the small acted, broke him. It felt comforting yet, sad, and he started to cry.
Remus held him through it. It was only when he had run out of tears that they separated.
"I know I can't save him," he said. "I just hate that I can't."
Remus gave him a sad smile. "I know."
"Moony, you can't tell anyone," he said. The wolf had already said he wouldn't act on what he knew but that didn't mean he wouldn't tell anyone.
Remus looked away. "I wasn't alone in the tunnel," he said.
"Shit," Harry cursed. "Padfoot?" he asked, a little hopeful.
Remus shook his head. "Lucius Malfoy."
"Hell," Harry groaned.
"He is talking to Draco right now. He understands the risks. Harry, he isn't going to say or do anything that would risk his son. Trust me." Harry nodded. He had learned more about Malfoys than he had known before, Draco cared a great deal about his family and Harry got the impression he learned it from his father. If Remus was sure the older Malfoy wasn't going to risk Draco, Harry believed him.
"Now what?" Harry asked, feeling a little overwhelmed.
"Now we see what two very sneaky, very clever, blonde Slytherins come up with," Remus said with a laugh.