Surprise Mate

Chapter III


“So are any of you going to tell me how this friendship came about?” Hermione asked them as she took one on the treats from off the plate.

“I stopped Harry from jumping the Astronomy Tower one night.” Draco told her, he felt Harry tense against him then dropped his head.

“YOU WHAT?!” Hermione shrieked, “Harry why would you do that?!”

“I just wanted it all to end.” Harry told her his voice soft.

“Wanted what to end?”

“To this day he has never said what he wanted to end.” Draco said as he stroked Harry's head that was pressed against his shoulder. “It took me two hours to talk him into coming here. Another four to get him to go to sleep peacefully. I was scared shitless the whole time.”

“Not that I am not grateful for you saving but why did you care?”

“I could tell you it was because I didn’t want to lose my greatest rival, because lets be honest you and Weasel aren’t enough to keep me entertained. But I don’t really know what made stop him from jumping, and that was probably why I was scared the most. When he woke the next day I had to call an house elf for a calming draught since he was still frantic. We spent the whole day and night in here. I talked to him got him to calm down and respond to me. The main reason I didn’t want him to go that ay was because I was afraid that after he was out of my sight that he would try again. But I made him take an oath that he wouldn’t try to kill himself again and I promised that I would have time to talk with him everyday to try and keep his demons at bay. Since then we meet up a couple hours a day and Friday nights we come here and return in the morning or close to lunch.”Draco said as he rub smoothing circles on the smaller boys back.

“Why didn’t you come to Ron and me Harry?”

“I was afraid of what you would think of me. With Draco it didn’t matter, he was going to tell me what I need to hear not what would make me feel better. He wasn’t going to push to find the skeletons in my closet. Skeletons I wish to stay there until I am ready, and when I am ready to share them I will.” Harry said his face never leaving Draco's shoulder so he wouldn’t have to look Hermione in the eyes.

“Well I hope you know that I will wait for you to tell me what is bothering you Harry and that I am always here for you.”

“Thanks 'Mione.” He said turning to give her a smile

“How did you up part of group Parkinson?” Hermione asked turning toward her.

“I was in the common rooms one night when Draco was trying to sneak out, couldn’t sleep that night. He saw me and you should have heard the string of curses coming from his mouth. Before I could even ask what he was up to, he told me to go pack a quick bag and that I had five minutes to do so, of course it took me fifteen because I had no clue what to bring.” Pansy said chuckling while Draco just snorted. “When I got back he was slightly pissed because I was making him late. I was wondering what was the big rush was I mean it was one o'clock in the morning, anything in the castle we still be there.” Draco rolled his eyes at her but she kept going.

“Big shock to me when I follow him here and Harry is sitting by the fire curled in the fetile position. Draco made a beeline to him and wrapped him in his arms whispering comforting words to him. Harry had gotten here earlier that day fell asleep and had a terrible nightmare about Diggory and Voldemort. Draco I guess was accustom to finding Harry in the state of hysteric gave him a Dreamless Sleeping Draught and held him till he heard Harry's breathing even out then put him to bed. The whole time I was standing there speechless, I had never in all my years knowing Draco, and that has been since we were both in diapers, seen him take care of anyone like he took care of Harry that night. That night Draco told me about the three months he had been seeing Harry to keep him sane he was so concerned that I couldn’t fault him for taking care of little Harry.” Pansy said her voice filled with adoration for both Harry and Draco.

“The time that I have had to get to know Harry he has become like a brother to me as much as Draco has, but he is my little brother so I would look out for him a bit more than Draco seeing how Draco is the oldest he can take care of himself.” Pansy teased.

“I'm not a baby Pansy,” Harry said turning around pouting at her

“To me little Gryffindor you will forever be the baby.”

“Well she has a point Harry, you are the youngest 6th year in Gryffindor and of all your friends so you are the baby.”

“I doomed.” Harry said hiding his face back in Draco's shoulder as they all laughed at his expense.

They spent the rest of the night talking about their summers, classes that they were taking, about embarrassing memories of each other and laughed at the others expense, they talked about the disappearance of several wizards and witches, the terror Voldemort was wrecking on England. Anything that came to mind they talked about it. By the time the sun came up they were just getting into their sleeping bags. Draco and Harry slept in one bag while the girls go there own. Draco felt his heart sore to a new level at the feel of Harry sleeping against him. He fell asleep with a smile on his face and holding Harry close.

Harry woke up before anyone else, he smiled as he looked up a Draco's sleeping face. Though he had seen it many times he it still brought a smile to his face. He turned to look over his shoulder slowly not to wake Draco up to check the time. It was quarter to one. Cursing to himself when he realized they had slept through lunch and probably had everyone looking for them. But then he suddenly didn’t care. He was warm safe and wrapped in Draco's arms, not that the blond knew what type of comfort it brought him, but for now he could live with that. Draco didn’t need anymore of his baggage that he was already taking on. So till the blond begun to stir he lad in his arms his head on his chest listening to his heartbeat and even breathing.

“Bloody hell we slept the day away.” He heard Draco say his voice filled with sleep. “And you weren’t planning on waking us were you?”

Harry always wondered how Draco knew he was awake especially when he never moved or indicated he was awake.

“Didn’t feel like it. We were up all night talking and to be honest with you I needed that sleep I didn’t get to many undisturbed hours of sleep this summer.” Harry said as he folded his arms on Draco's chest and placed his chin no them. “Besides you all needed it to after the entertainment last night.”

“You know I think I was a good idea for you to bring Hermione. Pansy needed a girl in this group and you need one of your best friends here too. I think it may help you in the long run.”

“Help me with what?” Harry said feigning ignorance as he tried to get out of the sleeping bag and away from Draco, but he was stopped when Draco caught him around the waist to ensure he stayed where he was.

“Do not play me for stupid Harry.” Draco's voice was icy, but when he spoke again it wasn’t as cold. “You scare the shit out of me sometime, you don’t know what it does to me to see you so broken, hurt. And sometimes there isn’t a damn thing I can do for you except drug you into a dreamless sleep or into a calm state. It is maddening to see you so weak when I know you are a strong person. All I want to do is help you Harry, you are important to me. I do not know what I would do if anything was to happen to you. Do you understand me?” Draco told him. It was more than just Harry being his mate that had him scared of losing him but the fact that he had grown to genuinely love and care for Harry.

“I understand Draco. I just don’t want to tell you it is right now. Maybe one day when I feel enough is enough but that day is not here yet. My demons are my own for the moment. I already made you the promise that I won't to kill myself but I have not reached the point were I need to share my darkest secrets.”

“Will you ever?” Draco asked gray and emerald eyes locking onto one another.

“I don’t know, but if I do then I will come to you and tell you. Till then Draco, please let's not bring the topic up again.”

“I won't Harry. I just want you safe and happy.” Draco said brushing the hair out of Harry's eyes.

“I know Dray.” Harry said smiling at him kissing him on cheek then he got up and headed for the showers. “You better wake the girls up and call an house elf for lunch seeing how we slept through it.”

By the time everyone was showered, dressed and fed till the point they were all about to burst they had for their respective houses. Harry and Hermione for the Tower. Draco and Pansy for the dungeons. Most of the walk was in silence as the Gryffindors headed for the Tower, Hermione slipped her hand into Harry's and smiled up at him leaning on his should he was just slightly taller than her but not by much.

“Thank you for taking with you Harry. Those snakes were a riot.” Hermione said smiling up at the boy she thought of as a brother even if to others their position seemed a bit romantic.

“I know. I love them, always have a good time when I'm with them. And now I am not the only Gryffindor and Pansy has someone she can confide instead of two boys. Sometimes Herm she makes us down right queasy with some of the things she says. I mean I understand me and Draco are the closet thing she has to friends but there are only a few thing a guy can take, even if he is gay!”

Hermione outright laughed at him and didn’t regain her composure till they were outside of the Fat Lady. “Well I need a female friend myself to spare you and Ron. I know I have Ginny but I need someone, different.”

“I know what you mean.” Harry said nodding his head in understanding then turned to the Fat Lady and gave her the password. “Whinged Tortoise.” She nodded her head accepting the password then the door swung open. “Where do you all get these passwords. I didn’t even know there was a Whinged Tortoise.”

“There are, mostly found in the swamps of America, they are rather gorgeous creatures.” Hermione told him.

“Of course you would know.” Harry said teasing here, she just rolled her eyes at him but her lips were upturned in a slight smile.

“I have a book for you if you want to read up on them. I believe you may find them interesting since they speak Parsaltongue.” She said as they set down on the couch just as Ron entered the common rooms.

“WHERE HAVE YOU TWO BEEN?!” He bellowed from behind them making the jump since they didn’t know he was there. “I have been looking everywhere for the two of you since neither of you were at breakfast or lunch! If you were going to sneak around you didn’t have to lie to my face Harry!” Ron said still yelling at them drawing attention from everyone in the area.

Hermione looked dumbstruck but Harry just looked at Ron as if he had lost his mind. “I am not sneaking around with Hermione Ron. We had this conversation last night, did we not? Hermione and I left early this morning to talk and hang out.” Harry said telling most of the truth he just didn’t say who they were talking and hanging out with.

“And you two excluded me? So am I no longer a part of this friendship? Or is my intellect not great enough to converse with the Chosen One and the Insufferable Know-It-All?” Ron snapped at them.

His words cut through the both of them but it brought tears to Hermione's eyes. That really set Harry off. “If you want to know the truth,” Harry said his voice cold, almost venomous from the sound of it people in the room were inching away from him all except Hermione who was trying to stop the tears spilling from her eyes. “We were discussing matters that probably is out of your intellectual range considering how you can't keep your mouth shut long enough to see all the pros and cons. You blatantly say whatever the hell comes to your mind first without thinking of the consequences or what they may imply to the safety of those around you! And even if I was going out with Hermione what business would it be of yours when I know for a fact that you have been trying to suck the tonsils out of Lavender Brown. We appreciate your concern for worrying about us when we didn’t show up for breakfast and lunch but I will not allow you hurt Hermione's feeling just because you refuse to grow up!” Harry grabbed Hermione's hand and led her out of the Tower leaving behind a very pale Ron and stunned Gryffindors.

“Come 'Mione lets get you some fresh air.” he said soothing her as he lead her out of the castle so they could sit by the lake while she collected herself.
“Thanks Harry.” She said her face still buried in his chest her tears soaking threw his clothes.

“Anytime 'Mione, anytime.”