Close Enough

Ch 26 Freak

Harry walked slowly around the lake, his hands deep in the pockets of his sweat jacket, hood up blocking his face from view by anyone who happened to be outside. He was relieved to find that no one seemed to think that this particular Sunday afternoon was a good time to be outside. Harry guessed that it had something to do with the fact that it looked as though it was going to rain at any moment, and was a good 10 degrees colder than was normal for the beginning of September. Reaching the furthest bank of the lake, Harry sat himself on a boulder taking in the view.
He had to admit that the view was spectacular; the dim light shining off of the lake, Hogwarts standing proud and tall behind the opposite bank, the storm clouds rolling in around its turrets. Harry shifted, resting his feet on the rock, pulling his knees to his chest. To anyone who knew Harry, this position said one thing very clearly, ‘I’m thinking.’
‘How is it that I get myself into these things?’ Harry thought. ‘How is it possible that yet again I find myself to be the fated freak of the world?’ his forehead creased deeply at the thought. ‘I can’t believe this, I am fated to be with Draco Malfoy… how do these things happen to me? Why? What is it that I did in my past life to deserve this crap now?’ Harry sighed loudly, looking up at the sky and spoke very clearly, “What is it that I did that was so wrong? Why is this happening to me? After all I’ve done… why?” another loud sigh and Harry rested his forehead on his knees, blinking away the tears that had begun to form, before closing his eyes completely.
Harry didn’t know how long he had been sitting there, when he felt a gentle hand on his shoulder. The hands pressure was reassuring, and familiar just as it was every time that it landed there; it was a well practiced comforting technique that had been devised after many silent nights in Harry’s flat. The presence behind him was close, and unmoving. The mere fact that this particular person found him was comforting, and Harry enjoyed the feeling of not being so alone. The pair remained as they were until Harry spoke softly.
“We should head in, dinner will be on soon.” Harry’s voice was croaky from holding back his tears and the slight bite in the air. No sooner had these words left Harry’s mouth, than the clouds opened up and it began to rain.
“I believe that you are right Harry. We should get back inside.” A soft female voice sounded from behind Harry, and with a gentle squeeze of his shoulder continued, “I’m starved, and if we don’t get back inside soon we’ll both get sick.” Harry stood slowly, stretching out his protesting legs, looking at the girl over his shoulder.
“Isn’t the view wonderful from here though?” Harry watched as Cord smiled softly surveying the surroundings slowly.
“Beautiful… but I must say it would be better if it wasn’t raining.” She responded with a grin.
“What more do you want Cord, I’m using the water repelling charm on a 2 meter radius around us. I am not all powerful you know, I can only repel so much water at one time!” Harry chuckled. Cords only reply was to hit Harry gently on the shoulder and giggle softly, before taking him by the hand and walking back to the castle.

Draco glowered at the pair who had just come through the great hall doors. Dinner had already started, thus most everyone was already there. Draco had taken notice immediately that his mate was not in the room when he arrived, nor did he arrive before dinner began. However, now that he had, Draco wasn’t happy either. Harry had walked in still hand in hand with Cord, laughing, with a big smile on his face.
This bothered Draco more than he wanted to admit. When he had last seen his intended, Harry was upset with him and told him off before leaving for a walk. ‘Since when does a walk alone involve another person?’ Draco thought angrily to himself. He watched as Harry took a seat with his friends a few tables away from where Draco sat with Pansy and Blaise.
When Draco felt eyes on him he looked away from Harry for the first time. The eyes in question belonged to his godfather, who sat at the head table one eyebrow raised in his direction. He knew that Severus was trying to remind him of his parting words form their discussion that after noon.
“Draco, observe him, get to know him, learn about him as much as you can. It will help you win him over so that you can complete the bond. Until he knows that he will be happy with you, and feels as if you could actually love him, he won’t allow this to proceed. You must court him, not just try to force the bond with him.”
It was almost comical how so much could be said with one thin eyebrow, however Draco knew that he needed to follow that advice. He had a feeling that if he didn’t, he wouldn’t be able to live with the consequences. So what Draco needed to do was watch Harry, court him, get close to him on another level than just the bond. He mentally shrugged, looking back at Harry, that shouldn’t be hard. Draco is a Malfoy, spy for the light, Slytherin, Vampire who’s intended just happens to be one Harry Potter. Draco felt he could definitely handle this.
He observed as Harry ate; his bites were small, calculated, and few, barely finishing half of the small amount on his plate. He watched as Harry smiled at something one of the twins said; how his eyes brightened and squinted slightly from their normal widened state. Draco looked on as Harry began to fidget slightly in his seat, seeming inpatient for something, and how he stopped abruptly when Cord placed an arm around his shoulders as she continued to speak to Dex on her other side.

Harry had felt someone’s gaze on him from the time that he entered the hall, but having a fairly positive idea whose it was, he didn’t bother looking around to investigate it. He still felt confused about everything that had happened. He felt as though he had finally come to terms with the fact that he was a Creature, whose life was driven by sex and all things physical which is a very distressing feeling for a virgin to have bottled up inside of himself. But now something else has been tossed into the mix, Draco bloody Malfoy was his mate. Harry had been fated to be with someone who he did not love, and who would probably never love him beyond the physical gratification of being with ones mate. If Harry didn’t feel like enough of a freak being a ‘one of a kind’ Creature, now he was probably the only one ever to actually be depressed about knowing who his intended is.
The meal was uneventful. Small talk with the band, mostly about the coming gig on Saturday. Harry had a feeling that this thought alone was going to get him through the week, and found himself ever grateful that his friends were here and that he was allowed to participate in band related activities outside of school. His mind wandered as his friends discussed what songs should be preformed for the set, and argued about whether or not the twins should dye their hair before or after the show.
It was going to be nerve-racking waiting for the next weekend. The anticipation of the show, and worrying about classes during the week, Harry didn’t know if he would be able to deal with that much stress until the show. When Cord wrapped her arm around his shoulders, Harry instantly felt a little better. His friends were here, and they could get him through anything. Harry sighed softly looking around the table at his friends, who were all smiling and chatting happily.
He had been back at school for less than a week only to get his friends here, be attacked (again), and find out his dominant mate is Draco Malfoy. Harry sighed again, resting his head on Cord’s shoulder and closing his eyes thinking, ‘Why am I such a freak.’