Rivaling Affections

Authors Note: Many thanks to my beta Robert for his work on this fic. I'm so pleased with my team awesome. They take such good care of me!

Chapter 11 Protective

“They’re touching,” Minerva announced with a wry grin.

“What? When did this happen?” Narcissa asked excitedly.

“It’s hardly noticeable unless you’re looking for it, but obviously I am,” she giggled. She hadn’t felt so young in years as she did chasing after those two stubborn boys. “It’s small things so far, a graze of the fingers as they pass each other something during a meal, a carefully placed hand at the small of the back, I even saw Harry push back a lock of Draco’s hair the other morning,” she cooed.

Andromeda nodded. “They do the same things at home now, Harry even makes a special dessert most nights and he never used to bother cooking while school was in session except occasionally on the weekends. And they spend almost every evening in the garden talking.”

“But it’s still only talking?” Narcissa asked.

“I haven’t even seen them kiss even once since the weekend Draco arrived,” Andromeda commented.

“Me either,” Minerva noted. “Though they both take their career at Hogwarts very seriously, so I would be quite surprised if they ever did anything of the sort on school grounds.”

Narcissa nodded. “Draco might press the issue, but I doubt Potter would agree to it. He has a heavy sense of responsibility to the students.”

“But things are certainly progressing,” Andromeda offered. “Slowly,” she added with a grumble.

“What can we do to speed things up?” Narcissa asked. “Maybe a weekend alone?”

Minerva’s eyes lit up. “Brilliant, Cissy.”

Andromeda nodded in acceptance. “It looks like I’ll be coming to visit you this weekend, dear sister,” she added with a grin.

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Things had remained polite between Draco and himself, and every once in awhile Harry thought the other man might be considering a romantic relationship with him. However, whenever this would happen, things would quickly cool and he would be left wondering if Draco even noticed the chemistry between them or if it was all just a figment of his own imagination.

It was fairly quiet for a Friday.

Normally students were anxious for the weekend, but since Hogsmeade weekend was held on the previous week, they were slightly more subdued at present. His first class after lunch was a group of first year Slytherin’s and Ravenclaw’s and Teddy was among them.

It had been easy enough to assure Teddy that he didn’t care about the sorting and that he loved him regardless, but seeing him surrounded in a sea of green was still slightly hard to swallow, though he vowed never to let the teen know of his inner turmoil. He did love Teddy, and he knew that boy’s character outweighed the stigma given to Salazar’s house, much like Draco’s did.

His godson beamed at him as the students began to file in. Harry had vastly escalated the curriculum when he began teaching the students, and that day’s lesson was on werewolves, not previously taught until third year. Harry however knew that because of Voldemort, there were far more werewolves in wizarding society than ever before, and thought the students would gain more from knowledge over them rather then, say bogey curses. Not that Harry was opposed to a good bogey curse, but he tended to give those sorts of studies as homework. Just imagining the common rooms filled with students performing the curse on each other would lighten his mood.

Harry moved to the front of the classroom, scanning the crowd of attentive students and leaned against the back of his desk. He told Draco to warn Teddy of the lesson, knowing it would be a touchy subject, and a brief nod from his godson confirmed he had gotten the message and looked at least mostly ready to hear about his father’s condition inside the classroom. Harry wouldn’t be going over anything that Teddy didn’t already know, as they had talked extensively about Remus on several occasions, but Harry knew that it must still be difficult for the boy.

Folding his arms across his chest he took a deep breath and began his lesson. “Werewolves,” he started to a slight gasp from some of the giggling Slytherin girls. “Who can tell me the name of the strain they carry in their blood that makes them different from the rest of us?”

A few hands went up and Harry was pleased to see that Teddy’s was among them. “Mr. Lupin,” he called, feeling a twinge of pain from the instant feeling of loss he felt at the name. Sometimes it was easy to forget he was Remus’s son: he rarely ever used the boy’s last name after all, but every time he did, he felt that sharp pain in his heart, the same as he felt it for Tonks whenever the boy used his morphing abilities.

“Lycanthropy,” Teddy answered brightly, and Harry nodded.

“That’s correct. In the past it’s been looked on as a disease or infection, but the facts are that this strain in the blood cannot be cured and that the wolf becomes part of the human. They are regular human beings just like you or I except for twelve or thirteen days out of the year,” Harry stated.

A Ravenclaw boy with dusty blonde hair raised his hand and Harry nodded for him to ask his question. “Isn’t it true that some werewolves stay in their wolf form?”

“Werewolves do have the ability to prolong their transformation using potions and spells, but it’s not very common,” Harry answered. “The vast majority of people with this affliction cannot be distinguished from others while they’re in their human form. They eat, sleep and work the same as you and I. They have relationships, they have children, and they lead relatively normal lives outside of the full moon,” Harry added with a wink toward Teddy.

Harry started levitating out Ministry-issue pamphlets to each student. “Tonight I want you all to read this article written by Mrs. Granger-Weasley on the affects that prejudice against werewolves has on their daily lives and how that might be changed with the passing of her proposed law to prevent discrimination on werewolves and others who are similarly persecuted.”

“Why is everyone afraid of them if they’re so harmless,” a Slytherin girl asked snidely, and Harry didn’t miss the scathing look she shot Teddy.

“People are often afraid of what is different. That’s not to say that werewolves aren’t dangerous. In their wolf form they cannot usually discern between friend and prey, and they can easily kill a loved one if provoked in that form, but wizarding society paints an ugly picture of them that simply isn’t true,” Harry cautioned.

“Good thing your father’s dead,” a portly Slytherin boy directed at Teddy. “Or else he might have eaten you as a baby!”

Teddy’s face turned bright red and he sank a little lower in his chair. Harry’s entire body began to shake with the rage building up at the young child’s comment. He knew children could be cruel, but Teddy did nothing to elicit such a response.

“In fact, how do we know that you’re not a werewolf?” the same boy called across the room at Teddy. “Next full moon we should lock you in a cage and find out!”

“Get out,” Harry demanded, making the Slytherin boy turn his cold eyes on Harry in question.

Harry could feel his power begin snaking down his fingertips and he placed his wand carefully on the desk so as not to be tempted to aim the full force of the gathering power at that one student.

“Professor?” a brunette Ravenclaw girl asked in question. Harry could only imagine what he must look like to the students, trying to rein in his fury.

“Harry?” Teddy called, looking more concerned than the others.

“Get out!” Harry practically yelled through gritted teeth. “All of you. Class dismissed. Leave. Now!”

He clamped his eyes shut against the pain that lashed through him from trying to hold all that power inside of his body. He heard chairs scrape the floor and feet running hurriedly from the room and then silence. When he opened his eyes again, the classroom was empty so he let go.

A frightening white blaze burst from his body, searing the walls and floor and sending anything not bolted down flying through the air to crash into the other side of the room. Desks flew into the air, turning to splinters as they hit the wall before dissolving into ash, and textbooks popped into little balls of flame before disappearing. If there had been anyone else in the room there would have been numerous injuries, if not death.

The blast lasted nearly three full minutes, and when the power finally receded back into Harry’s body, he nearly sighed out loud with relief. A power flare like that could have killed another wizard wielding the force, but it didn’t even leave Harry dizzy. He was fine: more than fine, in fact, and that fact worried him more then the surge itself.

There was nothing to keep him from getting addicted to such powerful magic: no side effects, no lasting physical damage, not even a headache. Only his conscience allowed him to fight with it on a daily basis, and his ability to resist using magic for common things he could just as easily accomplish without the use of magic.

His wand was virtually useless to him, and had been since the war ended. He carried it so as not to draw unwanted attention, and it was also useful to focus and pinpoint his magical energy, but otherwise an antiquated toy.

“Potter, are you alright?” a voice asked from the door, and he ripped his eyes from the wreckage of his classroom and faced his friend and mentor.

“I’m fine, Minerva, but I can’t say the same for this room,” Harry attempted to tease, though the monotone delivery lacked any and all humor.

“Teddy told me you were acting strangely and I came at once,” she told him, stepping over broken pieces of desk and singed parchment to get to where Harry stood. She placed a gentle hand on his shoulder and sighed. “What happened?”

“I lost my temper,” Harry replied plainly. “One of the students started harassing Teddy about Remus and I just lost it,” he told her, shaking his head in dismay.

“I think you should take the rest of the day off, Harry,” she replied quietly, her voice laced with nothing but concern.

Harry sighed and sagged to the floor, his head falling against his knees. “I should take the rest of my career off,” he muttered. “I have no business here, I could hurt these students.”

“Any of us could hurt these students,” Minerva huffed. “Do you think you’re the only professor who has needed to hold their powers back in order not to harm an insolent student?”

“But I-“ Harry began to protest, but the Headmistress cut her off.

“Just because you can cause slightly more harm doesn’t make you unfit to teach. You’re the one of the best professors we’ve had at this school, Potter, and I’ll not having you talk rubbish about my favorite employee,” she added sternly and with a slight smile.

Harry rolled his eyes and attempted to return Minerva’s smile, but fell drastically short.

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Harry spun round and round his office chair, waiting for Draco to arrive so that they could go home. He was trying to clear his mind, but all thoughts kept lingering on whether or not he should tell Draco about what happened earlier and what it might mean for him.

“Would you stop treating that chair so horridly, you’re making me dizzy,” a voice shouted from the portrait above him.

Harry gave the chair one last spin, much to Snape’s chagrin and then stared blankly up at his old professor. “I take it Minerva told you what happened,” Harry said dryly.

“Of course she did, she also said that you might need some cheering but as much as I protested that I was hardly the right person for that job, she still sent me,” he replied.

“She’s pretty worried, I’m sure,” Harry muttered, leaning back in his chair and twirling his thumbs.

“She’s worried for you, not about you,” Snape told him.

“Is that supposed to mean two different things?” Harry asked sarcastically.

Snape rolled his eyes dramatically and leaned into his frame as if he might reach out and smack Harry across the face. “It means that she’s more concerned about how you are feeling since the incident, rather then the incident itself.”

“That’s ridiculous. I could have killed someone and she’s worried how sad I might be?” Harry asked incredulously.

“Would you think Minerva McGonagall capable of anything less?” Snape sneered.

Harry sighed and began pacing his office, trailing his fingers over the dusty tomes. “No, I suppose I wouldn’t, but that doesn’t make it any less foolish to continue to let me teach here.”

“Potter, you and I both know that I don’t attend your pity parties,” Snape droned. “So get over yourself and be the kind of professor those students deserve.”

“Yes, sir,” Harry sulked.

“Ten points to Gryffindor,” Snape teased and Harry couldn’t resist the subtle smile curling his lips. “So, can I report you as sufficiently cheered, lest I find my frame on fire next time I show up in the Headmistress’s office?”

“You can report me as mostly cheered, but not completely,” Harry corrected.

“Yes, I imagine it will take young Malfoy to finish the job,” Snape replied with a knowing smirk, and left Harry alone with his blushing cheeks.

A moment later the door clicked open and Draco stepped inside. “You’re here early,” he nearly shouted, startled by Harry presence. Typically it was Draco who was found waiting for Harry.

“It is my office,” Harry replied sarcastically.

“I know, it’s just that sometimes I wait for you here for an hour or so before you arrive,” Draco admitted, looking suddenly awkward at having said so.

“Really? What do you do in here all that time?” Harry asked, grinning widely.

“I rummage through your things of course,” Draco replied with a smirk.

“Really?” Harry asked, slightly shocked by his bluntness.

“No, not really. I usually read, or grade papers,” Draco answered, gesturing to the rolls of parchment under his arm.

“So you don’t snoop around in my desk or anything?” Harry attempted to confirm.

“It’s no fun after the first time. One can only come across the same ‘Wand’ magazine so many times before losing interest,” Draco told him. “You really should get some new reading material.”

Harry blushed and sent Draco a rude gesture before activating the floo. “Are you ready?” he asked Draco from over his shoulder.

Draco nodded and followed him home. “So, you never told me why you were early,” Draco noted when they arrived in Harry’s study.

“Minerva sent me home, I only came back to fetch you,” Harry told him and escaped quickly downstairs to the kitchen.

“What did you do?” Draco asked curiously.

“Nothing,” Harry lied, feeling immediately woozy from it.

“Liar,” the blonde replied.

Harry sighed and leaned against the counter. “I was caught kissing a bloke in the hall.”

Draco’s mouth fell open and he narrowed his eyes. “Who?”

“Very handsome fellow, you wouldn’t know him,” Harry replied with a casual wave.

“You… but- you can’t,” Draco stammered.

“Why ever not. It’s not as if I’m dating anyone else,” he replied and turned to leave the kitchen before he started laughing.

Draco grabbed his arm and turned him around, scowling as he saw the smile on Harry’s face. “You were lying to me again,” he growled.

“A little,” Harry conceded. “Were you jealous?”

Draco took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “Yes,” he huffed.

Harry’s eyes shot up, again shocked by Draco’s words. “Really?”

“Yes. I… I know that I’ve been difficult, but the thought of you with someone else made me a little crazy,” Draco admitted.

“You know what that means, right?” Harry asked brightly.

“I’m sure you’re going to tell me,” Draco muttered.

“It means you want to date me,” he replied in a singsong voice

“It does not. It only means that I’m fond of you and that I don’t trust just anyone to be your boyfriend,” Draco told him haughtily. “I’m just over protective with my friends.”

“Would you give it up already?” Harry huffed, shaking off Draco’s grip on his arm. “Why is it so hard to admit that you fancy me?” he demanded.

“Why is it so hard for you to tell me that you blew up the Defense classroom this afternoon?” Draco countered furiously.

Harry’s gaped for a moment, but quickly recovered. “I lost control of my magic,” he said at last.

“It took an awful lot of magic to do what I saw today,” Draco whispered.

“How did you even find out?” Harry asked.

Draco rolled his eyes. “How does anyone find out anything at that school?”

“Are there really rumors flying already?” Harry asked, looking sullen.

Draco sighed and shook his head. “No, I came to see if you wanted to take a trip around the pitch and I found McGonagall in your classroom, which no longer resembled a classroom.”

“And she told you?” Harry groaned.

“No, she didn’t. I guessed and you confirmed it just now,” Draco muttered.

“So, I imagine you’ll want to be moving out now?” Harry asked, turning around and walking back toward his room without an answer.

“Who said that?” Draco protested, chasing after him.

Harry whirled on him. “You should move out, in fact you should probably take Andromeda and Teddy with you,” he shouted. “I’m dangerous.”

Draco ignored him and opted to ask another question instead. “How did you do it?”

“It’s Voldemort’s power,” Harry told him. “When I killed him, I absorbed every last drop of his magic through our connection.”

“That’s impossible,” Draco scoffed.

“I had a fraction of his soul inside me my whole life,” Harry whispered. “And even though I died to kill off that piece of me, something in his powers must have recognized me when I killed him,” he finished. “At least that’s what Minerva thinks based on Dumbledore’s journals.”

“So the old man is solving mysteries from the grave,” Draco mused.

Harry merely shrugged. “Minerva thinks that if I just use the power that eventually everything will level out and I’ll get used to it, but I just can’t take the chance.”

“Why not? If she thinks it will help it probably will,” Draco offered.

“You saw what I did to the office today, and I’ve done even worse then that,” Harry countered.

“Well, I’m not leaving, at least not until my house is finished, which won’t be for another few weeks,” Draco told him firmly. “That is unless you’re throwing me out,” he added, looking much less sure of himself.

Harry’s face softened immediately and he shook his head. “I would never toss out a friend,” he replied, putting careful emphasis on the last word.

Draco shifted in place uncomfortably and nodded. “Right, so what do you want to do this weekend? We should get your mind off of the incident today at school.”

“Well, Andromeda went to stay at your mother’s house, so we’re on our own this weekend,” Harry informed him.

“All alone?” Draco replied, his eyebrows rising into the fringe of his platinum hair, and Harry nodded.

“Don’t worry,” Harry said with a wink. “I’ll behave,” he added as he walked into the living room, hearing Draco mutter something along the lines of ‘that’s what I was afraid of’, and Harry chuckled in response. “Movie night?” he offered, calling over his shoulder at the approaching blonde Slytherin professor.

“Can I pick the movie?” Draco asked. He found he quite liked muggle movies and they usually offered a good distraction from wanting to fuck Potter senseless. Except lately, movie night tended to consist of the two of them sharing a blanket on the sofa, eating warm buttered popcorn and drinking hot cocoa, which made him want to sleep with Harry more, as opposed to less.

“I could be amendable to that,” Harry said as he went to make popcorn and hot cocoa and prepared to settle into a warm and peaceful night with Draco.

Authors Note: I have good news! I'm not as far behind as I thought with the fics so I might not need to miss a posting!