Gilded Soul

Chapter 16 Hot Cocoa

It was almost dinnertime when Harry and Draco finally awoke from their peaceful slumber. It was Harry who wokefirst, and he just laid there staring at the sleeping Malfoy for several minutes before he got an elbow embedded into his ribcage.

“Stop it,” Draco muttered, his voice still thick with sleep. “Didn’t anyone tell you it’s creepy to watch a bloke sleep?”

Harry smiled and placed a warm kiss squarely on Draco’s cheek. “I was just waiting for you to wake up.”

Draco pressed the back of his naked body into the frontof Harry’s, eliciting a soft sound of contentment from the Gryffindor. “Can we keep staying here do you think?”

Harry yawned and thought it over for a moment. “There’s no one left in my dorm over the holiday, how about you?”

Draco realized he didn’t actually know who was left over in his room. “No one that would miss me if I was gone.”

Harry was making slow soft circles into Draco’s side making him squirm slightly. “I suppose this could easily be our room then through the holidays at least.” The events of the last several hours came back to him suddenly and he leaned over, peering cautiously at Draco. “How are you feeling?”

Draco tried, but couldn’t stop the blush that found its way onto his face. “I’m a little sore, but otherwise fine.”

Harry laughed. “I actually meant, from the poison.”

Draco blushed deeper, laughing. “Right. Well then. I feel mostly better. It’s hard to tell right now, because I feel weird sleeping in the middle of the day. I feel a little disoriented. You know?”

Nodding, Harry got up from the bed and slipped into his previously discarded trousers. With a flick of his wand the time floated in front of them letting them both know it was time for supper. “We had best get downstairs before Dumbledore sends out a search party.”

They took turns getting ready and quickly made their way down to the Great Hall. They looked at one another briefly as they approached the entrance, neither boy sure if they should sit together. Harry shrugged and as if in silent consent and they made their way in, sitting together at the far end of the table, and paying no attention to the heightened sounds of whispering and gossiping from the students there.

--

“How are you feeling today, Draco?” Dumbledore asked with a slight twinkle in his eye.

He blushed slightly as he thought of his earlier conversation with Harry, “I feel much better, sir.”

Dumbledore nodded, “I’m glad.” Harry and Draco both shifted in their seats waiting for the Headmaster to proceed with his reasoning that brought them into his office that evening. “I see you two have eliminated your issues with being seem in public together.” It was not a question, but both boys nodded in unison and it made the Headmaster smile.

There was silence for what seemed like hours and Harry could no longer stand it. “Professor? Might I ask 

why you brought us here?”

The Headmaster laughed a twinkling laugh, “ah, yes. The second trial will be coming up soon, and I assume MissGranger has requested you not do anything… rash while she is away. Am I right?”

The boys looked at each other dumbfounded for a moment, then nodded once again.

“I have no doubt that the maze cares nothing for your pact with Hermione, and will once again deposit you both inside again this evening. However, as you may already realize, it is not safe to linger in one place for too long.”

It was Draco who spoke first, “what would you suggest then, Professor?”

The Headmaster sighed, “I have been giving this much thought lately. I have been trying to find a method to get you the information you may need to survive the maze, yet preserve the vow I took years ago.” The boys waited patiently for the Headmaster to continue, “I procured several books that I think it would be prudent that the two of you study in your spare time.”

The Headmaster levitated several large volumes over to the boys, who looked at them in dismay. “So the secrets to the maze are in these books?” Harry asked.

“I used material from all of these books when creating the maze.” Dumbledore pointed to the small red flags stuck to several of the pages, “I have marked some of the sections you will find most useful. I would start with those.”

Harry grinned. Dumbledore always managed to come through for him. They gave the professor their thanks and levitated the books to the Room of Requirement, where they sat pouring over the marked pages for hours.

--

“I want hot chocolate,” Harry said remarked out of the blue.

Draco laughed and rolled his eyes, “you’re insufferable. Where do you expect we get hot chocolate at this hour?”

“Dobby,” Harry said simply, and within moments the scraggly house elf popped into view, his already overlarge eyes growing wider as he saw Draco.

“Is the youngest Malfoy be hurting Master Potter, Sir?” the house elf squeaked.

Harry laughed, “No Dobby, Draco’s my…” Well he didn’t exactly know what to say Draco was. It didn’t seem to matter though, because Draco finished for him.

“Friend,” Draco said, “I’m Harry friend.”

The house elf looked suspicious and Harry felt slightly saddened at the statement, though he didn’t know exactly why. It’s not as if they had discussed it at any rate.

“Dobby, I was hoping you could bring us some hot cocoa?” Harry asked at last.

Dobby snuck closer to Harry and spoke in tones, that Harry was certain the house elf believed were hushed, “does Master wish me to poison the youngest Malfoy’s drink?”

Harry tried to bite back his laughter, but failed, “Merlin, no Dobby. Draco really is my friend. I wish him no harm.”

Dobby nodded and disappeared with a pop, leaving Malfoy sneering at an empty space. “I can’t believe that bloody house elf wanted to poison me! After all my family did for him.” Draco looked at Harry, “how can you call him anyhow? Father said he was freed.”

Harry shrugged, “he just likes me, I guess.”

Draco rolled his eyes, “yes, everyone is in love with the great Harry Potter.”

Laughter filled the room moments later as Draco was pinned and tickled mercilessly. Draco managed to free himself and had Harry held down at his shoulders, when Draco’s head started to swim and he fell to the ground knocked out.

Harry was confused at first but when he sat up he saw Dobby with a large tray in his hand with a Draco shaped dent in the center of it. “Dobby! Did you just hit Draco over the head?”

Dobby nodded and grinned, “yes. Dobby saved Master from the evil boy.”

Harry sighed and took the mugs of hot cocoa that Dobby had removed from the tray. “Thanks, Dobby.” It seemed useless to try explaining that Draco was a friend any further. He just dismissed the elf and set about trying to revive the Slytherin, knowing he would be in a foul mood once he woke.

He wondered, not for the first time what hope he could have for a future with Draco, when even a house elf couldn’t believe the truth.

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