HOME IS WHERE HIS HEART IS

Chapter Fourteen


Harry woke up the next morning just when the sun was setting in the horizon. He leaned up on his elbow and looked down at the sleeping blond.

“I love you, Draco,” he whispered, then leaned down to place a soft kiss on the unresponsive lips. He carefully got up, careful to not wake him, used a quick cleansing spell, then dressed for the day. Once he was outside the tent, he inhaled the crisp, clean morning air, sighing at the rightness of it all.

“Damn Gryffindors. Always so happy,” Harry heard from his left. He looked and saw Severus sitting by the fire, preparing a pot of coffee over the fire.

“You don’t look as snarky either, Sev,” Harry smirked, walking over to the horses to check them, giving them a few chunks of apple as he talked quietly with them. He then sat beside Severus on the log they found the day before, gratefully accepting his first cup of coffee.

“It’s been nice to be back with Remus,” Severus replied, watching as Harry dug out the magically sealed eggs and potatoes to fry. “I’ve accepted a position at the wizarding hospital here.”

“That’s great, Severus,” Harry smiled. “Doing the same thing?”

“Yes, I want to research some Muggle diseases also, maybe help find a solution without using magic.”

“Like cancer?” Harry asked, thinking of Cheyanne and her mother.

“Yes, like cancer. I’ve never heard of a wizard or witch with that disease, but with so many of us marrying Muggleborns, I’d like to see if there’s anything that could be done; not that we can share our knowledge with the Muggle world, but maybe there are certain ingredients that the Muggles haven’t realized they could use. I’ll also be assisting the Mediwizards at the hospital.”

“Will you be staying with Remus?” Harry asked.

“Yes, but we’re undecided if we should find a place of our own. We both like the ranch, but feel we need our own space also.”

“Sounds like you’ve made your decision then,” Harry smiled.

“We’d always be a call away,” Remus spoke up, coming up behind Harry. “Did you tell him about silencing charms?” He grinned, looking at Severus.

“You think the savior of the wizarding world would remember a simple silencing spell,” Severus teased.

“Oh, I know them,” Harry smirked in satisfaction.

“You never put one up?” Draco said, coming over to them hearing the conversation in the tent as he was dressing.

Harry shook his head and reached for Draco’s hand to pull him down. “No, you moan so prettily, it distracted me,” he teased quietly, reaching up to kiss the blond.

“Hmmm, so do you,” Draco whispered against Harry’s lips.

Harry’s hand went to the back of Draco’s neck, tangling his fingers in his hair as the kiss continued. He vaguely felt the spatula get taken from his hand as Draco straddled his legs.

“Did you get that?” Severus asked, flipping the eggs and potatoes in the frying pan.

“Yes,” Remus smiled, putting the camera back in his pocket.

“Do you think you two could tear your lips from each other to eat? We still have a full day before we get to the canyon,” Severus loudly said.

Draco reluctantly pulled away from the kiss. “Later,” he grinned, ghosting his lips over Harry’s.

“Bet on it,” Harry smiled, stealing a quick kiss before Draco moved away to sit across from him, accepting a plate of food.


After the four of them ate, cleaned the grounds, and packed everything away, they were on their way. Draco’s soreness from the saddle wasn’t there, but there was another that made him squirm a little in the saddle for a bit. About an hour later he threw Harry a thankful look when he felt a tingle of magic, then no discomfort.

They stood at the edge of the canyon, their horses hooves thumping the dry ground. “This is amazing Harry,” Draco said, admiring the canyon.

“There’s a crevice around the corner of the floor of the canyon that leads to the glade. Muggles would see a dead end, but there’s a decline where we can walk the horses,” Harry said, looking at Draco and Severus in particular. “Remember to give your horses their heads on the way down. They know the way.”

“He means to loosen the reins,” Remus explained gently, when Severus began muttering about ‘fool-hardy senseless horse heads.’

“And lean back, but don’t move around too much,” Harry added, taking the lead.

Severus and Draco silently followed Harry’s black stallion to the decline with Remus at the rear. Nix started down with ease, since he and Harry had been down in the canyon numerous times before. Draco tried to give his horse as much free rein as possible, keeping his hands glued to the saddle horn, occasionally looking down over the drop-off and swallowing nervously.

As they came to ground level, the path widened to come to open ground. “We’ll let the horses rest for a few minutes then continue,” Harry said, sliding off his horse, stroking the head and neck of Nix. Harry walked to the stream that flowed through the floor of the canyon, followed by his horse.

“Have you been to this glade before, Harry?” Draco asked from beside Harry.

“Not the glade itself, but I’ve been through the barrier. It usually looks pretty much the same as here, but with some creatures that aren’t found in the Muggle world,” Harry replied.

“Like what?” Severus asked, filling his canteen with water.

“I’ve seen Runespoors, Hippogriff, Jarveys, and even a baby dragon. I believe that there’s a cave where he came from,” Harry grinned. “They pretty much leave you alone, unless you bother them first.”

“Next trip, I want to bring Colby and Michael. They’d love it here,” Harry grinned, climbing back on Nix’s back. “We should be there in another hour.”

Harry led them again, following the flow of the stream until they came to a wide crevice on the wall of the canyon. When they passed through, the four of them felt the tingle of magic pass through them, accepting them. The little light they had came through the narrow opening that ran the length of the crevice. As they continued on, it grew wider until they could see deep green heavy foliage. They followed the jagged path until they came upon the stream again.

“Where are we settling?” Severus asked, seeing some of the wizarding plants around him.

“I hear the rushing of water getting louder as we get closer. Sounds like a waterfall. Maybe there’s a clearing there where we could set up camp,” Harry said, glancing back at the three behind him.

“And this only appears a few times a year?” Severus asked Remus who was ahead of him.

“That’s what they say,” Remus replied, smiling back at Severus.

“Will these creatures, mainly the negrasus, back off because of my wolf?” Remus asked.

“I honestly can’t say,” Harry replied, shrugging his shoulders. “You’re in control of your wolf. Creatures can sense that. I did think of that when I picked your horse. You’re not riding one of the mares just in case the scent turns the negrasus off.”


The four of them came to the narrow river at the end where a large waterfall cascaded down a side of cliff above them. They continued down another side path to come across a small clearing. They all agreed to set up their camp there. While Draco and Remus magically set up their tents, Severus and Harry settled the horses. Harry separated the two mares on one side of the camp, slipping off their saddle and reins. The horses sensed the magic surrounding them and grew restless. They were used to magic from the ranch, but this was a different kind of magic. Harry soothed the mares as he brushed them down, calming them. He transfigured a piece of wood into a trough and poured some oats in it, giving them some carrots after they calmed. He then went to the other side of the camp where Severus has just taken the saddle off of Remus’s horse. He was about to try Nix’s when the horse kept backing away from him.

“He doesn’t let too many people tend to him,” Harry grinned, coming over to stroke Nix’s forehead, reassuring the beast that everything was okay. He slid the saddle off and reins easily, glancing over to see Severus brushing down the other horse.

“Aren’t you going to tie them here?” Severus asked once done and walking away.

“No. I’ve put a shield around the males, in case the negrasus tries to attack them. For the mares, I put up a shield to let others in but not let them loose. I’m not worried about them running off. I just don’t want them coming across something that could hurt them.”

“You really like what you do, don’t you?” Severus asked, as they walked back to the camp.

“Yeah, it’s challenging at times, but it relaxes me like Quidditch never did. Did you bring something to gather potion ingredients in?” Harry asked, smirking over at Severus who picked up a type of mushroom from the ground.

“No, someone forgot to mention that there would be an opportunity to do so,” Severus mockingly replied.

“I brought some for you,” Harry laughed. I can’t believe the greatest Potions Master in the world didn’t think of that,” he cheekily added.

“Prat,” Severus smirked, picking more of the mushrooms.

The tents were set up, and a protection charm set on the food before the four of them decided to have a quick swim before they prepared dinner. They transfigured their jeans to swimming shorts, then made their way to the river. The water was cool when they first went in, but warmed as they got used to the temperature. The floor of the river was made of mostly smooth stones and gritty sand. They felt the occasional fish swim against them, but were mostly left alone as they splashed around or drifted in the water. It felt very refreshing after a few days in their saddles.

Remus caught a few fish for their dinner, then decided to head back to the camp, with a shared look with Severus. “We’ll prepare dinner. Don’t need to rush back,” Remus called out to them.

Draco swam over to Harry who was floating on his back. “They’re doing it again,” he grinned, standing straight up, the water up to his shoulders.

“Maybe they wanted some time alone,” Harry smiled, glancing over to Draco.

“Possible, but I think we should take advantage of this time alone,” Draco said, smoothing his hand up Harry’s thigh.

Harry let his lower body sink in the water, moaning when Draco’s hand glided over the outline of his growing erection, then to his waist. He reached down to guide Draco’s hand back over his cock, arching his neck back as Draco’s mouth descended on his shoulder.

“You.”

Lick.

“Felt so.”

Nibble on the neck.

“Good inside me last night,” he finished by Harry’s ear. “It’s your turn tonight, Harry. First I want to have a taste of you. I want to lick and swallow your cock. I’ve wanted you for so long Harry,” he huskily said, kissing his way up Harry’s jaw, as he lightly rubbed Harry’s erection through the shorts.

Harry’s hands went to Draco’s back to pull him closer. He looked into Draco’s eyes, and his heart began to race when he saw the raw emotion in them, something more than just lust. He leaned in to softly kiss Draco’s mouth, softly brushing his tongue over the lips, moaning into the teasing kisses as Draco’s tongue stroked against his.

Draco glided his hand up Harry’s back to the nape of his neck as he deepened the kiss, while the other rested on Harry’s hip. He felt Harry’s hand slip in the waist of his shorts, his fingers pressing into the flesh of his buttocks. He bucked his hips forward, their cloth covered erections bumping and softly grinding against the others.

Harry’s kisses left Draco’s lips to trail across Draco’s jaw, across to his ear where he drew the lobe into his mouth. “Missed you,” he huskily whispered by his ear, his lips ghosting down the arched neck. He pushed harder against Draco, their erections grinding together, the friction of their shorts urging them on faster.

Draco slid his hands down Harry’s shorts, his fingers sliding down the crease of his arse. He pressed his finger against the hole, then moaned out loud when Harry bit harder onto his neck, his cock spasming against his as he came. He soon followed with an added thrust of his own hips.

Harry’s arms tightened around Draco’s back, not wanting to let him go.

“I missed you, too,” Draco quietly said by Harry’s ear, before kissing the cool cheek.

“I guess we should go back before they come and get us,” Harry smiled, pulling back to look at Draco.

Draco leaned in for a quick kiss then stepped back. “Or before we turn into merpeople,” he smirked, holding up his hand to see it very wrinkled.

Harry took the pruney hand and kissed the fingers, then led them out the water, not letting go until they came to their towels. They smelled the frying fish, their stomachs beginning to grumble in anticipation.

The four of them enjoyed the fish, roasted potatoes, and corn on the cob that night, each eating more from the long ride and the swim afterwards. They talked long into the night before the fire, roasting marshmallows and snuggling with their mates.

They were about to turn in for the night when they heard light tinkling laughter and the splashing of water. They all looked at each other, their eyes suddenly awake and excited. They silently crept to the edge of the trees to look over the lake. Little people who stood about a foot high; pixies by the look of them, were laughing and frolicking in the water, their iridescent wings flapping droplets of water around them. A red dragon, not quite into adulthood, lay at the lake’s edge, drinking from the water, his wings flapping when one or two of the little pixies aggravated him. The twittering grew louder when a new presence came through the trees on the other side of the water.

The creature seemed to sense the wizards and raised its neck proudly as he snapped the large black wings out at his side. Harry was taking insistent pictures of the mystical creatures before them. His breath caught when the magnificent black horse came into view, the wings black as night.

“That’s him?” Draco whispered.

“Yeah, gorgeous,” Harry quietly said in awe.

Then it seemed to fade away, to appear on this side of the lake. His head bowed to nudge the dragon’s shoulder in greeting, which was returned with a flap of the wings and a puff of smoke from the dragon’s snout. The negrasus then waded into the water, chest high, the wings close to its sides, looking almost invisible against the black hide. It turned its head then looked right at them, judging these four strangers in his glade. He then shook his head, shaking off the little pixies that were playfully pulling on his mane.

“Let’s go,” Harry whispered, bowing his head respectively to the grand beast, who in turn bowed in response. He quietly backed away from the magical sight before him then turned to walk back to the camp.

“That was . . . ” Severus began.

“Amazing,” Remus finished.

“Hope the pictures turn out,” Harry said, looking down at the camera. “C.J. and Michael will love to see that.”

“That was worth the whole trip, even if it doesn’t breed with one of the mares,” Draco grinned. “It looked dark, evil, but it felt, good. You know what I mean?” He asked, looking at the others.

“There have been some instances that they were raised to be dark creatures, their magic bound to their masters. I felt the goodness of the creature also; the acceptance from him,” Remus said. “If one were to be raised with love and care, it would be a kind soul with the owner, like a familiar to an extent.”

“They are very loyal creatures,” Harry agreed. “They can sense danger, and the good in people and other creatures apparently from what we just saw. When in danger, the horse and rider can fade away and appear somewhere else. They are also able to use the wings to fly.”


They talked a while more on what they seen, then went to their tents. Harry went to see the horses to make sure they were all right, spending a bit of time with them as he talked quietly with them. Once he was reassured they were okay, he went to his tent, slowly slipping the buttons loose on his shirt as he went. Inside he stopped short, seeing Draco lying on his back in the two zippered slipping bag, fast asleep. He quietly finished undressing down to his boxers, then slid in beside Draco, smiling to himself when Draco turned to him in his sleep to snuggle into his side. His arms went around him, holding him close as he soon drifted off to sleep.

tbc