Dragon Hunt

Draco awoke with a shiver. It was cold. He wrapped tighter around the egg and glanced over his shoulder to see the dragon missing. Something in him told him that he needn’t be concerned. Instead, he sat up, the egg on his lap and pulled their supply sack closer. He pulled out some biscuits and began munching away. He was signaled to his mate’s return by the wind. He stood and turned when it had stopped and he knew Harry had settled to the ground behind him. The dragon sagged in weariness and pain.

“I don’t have enough food to feed a dragon,” Draco commented. The dragon belched in response and Draco groaned. “Oh, gods, what did you eat?” he asked as he turned. The clump of fur stuck in the dragon’s teeth was too much information. He’d rather think of Harry as starving. “You need to turn back, Harry,” he said simply. The dragon looked at him quizzically. Draco gulped. “Do you even understand me?” he asked. The dragon blinked. “Harry?” he asked, the concern in his voice growing. “If you understand me, nod your head.” Instead, the dragon shook his head. “You don’t know who I am,” Draco said to himself, dropping back to the ground beside the egg.

Mate. Draco heard in his head. He smiled in relief. At least he had that much. Harry recognized him as his mate, if nothing else.

“What do you remember?” Draco asked.

The snake was hurting you. I needed to stop him.

“Before that?” The dragon looked confused again. “All right. Your name is Harry Potter. You’re a man, not a dragon. You’re seventeen. At the moment, we both live together at Hogwarts, a school for wizardry. Does any of that sound familiar?” The dragon shook his head. “I need you to try and return to being a human.” Again, Harry looked confused.

Draco picked up the egg and placed it closely against Harry. He then began to strip down again. When he stood naked in front of his mate, he looked up at the beast. The dragon growled with anger.

The blonde looked down at his chest, seeing the barely healed wounds carved deeply into his chest, twin lines stretching from right shoulder down to his belly button and slightly lower. I did not stop the snake in time, the familiar voice said softly.

Draco ran a finger along the lines. They were still tender, sore. In all honesty, he should still be under medical care, but he needed to handle Harry first. You’re still beautiful, the dragon added, reaching with his tail to brush Draco’s hair from his eyes, and then down his shoulder and back side.

Draco rolled his eyes. “Yeah, well, I’m not having sex with a dragon or as a dragon, so you better learn to turn back,” he spat. His skin shimmered and his body expanded. Now, just like me, you need to turn back, he explained. His skin shimmered again and he was human standing before the dragon. “Now concentrate on being human.”

The dragon closed his eyes and concentrated. Draco was about to give up, but then Harry’s body began to shift and change and soon, a very naked Harry Potter appeared collapsed on the ground. Draco cringed at the sight of him. As a dragon, his skin was covered by scales, but as a human, he looked like a giant bruise. His face was swollen, his arm hung limply, too limply, and every inch of skin was marred by either scratch or bruise. “Oh gods,” he gasped, quickly sliding onto the ground beside him. “I didn’t know that—“

Harry reached up, grabbing the necklace hanging from Draco’s neck. “What’s this?” he asked, studying the dragon wrapped around the green stone.

“You gave this to me,” Draco responded easily. “Now, let’s get you settled in to rest while I figure out how to make some kind of shelter.” Draco put his own clothes on and then pulled a sweater over Harry’s head, covering his chilled skin and then helped him struggle into a pair of jeans. He pulled a thin blanket from the pack and laid it out, settling Harry onto one side with the egg against him and then wrapping the other side of the blanket over them both before moving the pack to a place where Harry could use it as a pillow. “Are you comfortable?”

“What’s your name?” Harry asked quietly instead of answering. The blond looked startled by the question. “You said that my name is Harry, but what’s yours?”

“Draco. My name is Draco, love,” he answered. “Now, rest. It’ll be cold soon and we’ll need shelter.” Draco took a few steps away and stared into the trees trying to figure things out. He was not used to being helpless, and he pretty much was at the moment. He’d never spent a night outdoors. It was unseemly for a Malfoy. And outside without the aid of magic? Ludicrous! He doubly cursed that bastard Voldemort for breaking his wand.

“Draco?” Harry asked from behind him.

“Yes, love,” Draco asked without turning.

“Can I help?” Harry asked softly. Draco turned and saw Harry sitting up wrapped in the blanket. His heart broke looking at him. He was so hurt, so exhausted. He wanted to wrap him in soft blankets and lay him out on a feather bed. He wanted to bath him in warm water scented with sandalwood and lavender. He wanted to hire a band of armed guards to protect him and slaughter anyone who dared to even look at him wrong. He wanted to hide him away from any hurt in the world.

“Rest, please,” Draco begged.

“I can’t,” Harry said. “I need you next to me.”

Draco sighed, his heart breaking. Maybe they should just go back to Hogwarts and the wizarding world? But then he realized that they would be bombarded and Harry was in no condition to be bombarded, not when he had no memory. But, they would have healing. Ugh— He was about to voice his dilemma when Harry began again.

“Did you check through these supplies?” Harry asked, pulling things from the pack. Draco groaned when he realized that he had not looked through the supplies. And guilt seeped through him when he saw a bottle of healing potion from his godfather’s private stash. “Why are you upset?” Harry asked.

“I’m not!” Draco defended.

“You’re panicked,” Harry said simply. “I can hear it.”

Draco smiled weakly. “I’m not good in a crisis,” he admitted. “I—I’m worried about you, and I don’t really know what to do.” He knelt down in front of Harry and opened the potion he had spotted. “Drink this,” he instructed. Harry did obediently. Draco watched the bruises lighten only a tiny but, not even close to disappearing. He frowned.

“I feel better.”

“You don’t look it,” Draco grumbled.

“Please relax,” Harry asked.

Draco didn’t respond, instead he dug deeper into the pack, searching for anything that may help him keep his family warm for the night. “Ah-Ha!” he shouted, jumping up. “Dobby, you’re a genius!”

“What?” Harry asked.

“Dobby packed a magical tent. Now, you sit there and relax while I get this thing put up and then we can curl up together and sleep,” he said. Harry moved to stand up. “No!” Draco called, stepping back and easing Harry back to the ground. “You need rest. You need to rest. I—“

“Can you explain what is going on before you work?” Harry asked.

Draco gave a weak smile. “I’m sorry. It’s difficult to remember that you don’t have any memory.” He sighed, speaking while he began to pull the tent poles from the bag. “Basically, I was captured by a man named Voldemort.”

“Why?”

Draco shook his head. “It doesn’t matter,” he dismissed. “You rescued me. But, in order to do that, you turned into a dragon.”

“Why are we hiding? I killed him.”

“Yes, but he had many followers. They will be looking for us. And we’re too weak to fight them right now,” Draco explained, frowning at a tangle of tent poles. He threw them to the ground and began again. “I think it’s best that we stay hidden for now. We’re being hunted and our allies will be going after our hunters. It’s our job to stay safe, now.” Draco smiled when the poles finally seemed to make sense. “It’s my job to keep you safe.”

Moments later Draco had the tent up and it was Harry’s turn to frown. It was a tiny little thing, barely big enough for the two of them, not that he minded being close to his mate. “Why can’t I remember anything?” he asked.

Draco shrugged, taking the pack and tossing it into the tent. “When I first turned into a dragon, I lost my memory for a few weeks.” Harry nodded. Draco leaned in the tent opening to place their egg inside. “Can you crawl in?” he asked his mate. Again Harry nodded. He gasped when he moved, cradling his arm against his chest as he made his way slowly to the tent. Draco flinched. He wanted to lift Harry and carry him in, but was unable because of the height of the entrance. He did everything he could to help and scooped him into his arms the moment they were inside.

“Did I pass out? Where are we?” Harry asked.

“You didn’t pass out,” Draco said lightly. “We’re in the tent.”

Harry looked around. It was large and comfortable. A large 4 poster bed was against one wall covered with amber and rust colored silks. The floor was covered with rugs of similar shades and at the other side was a claw footed copper tub and a curtained area behind which he assumed was the rest of a bathroom. “How does it all fit inside?”

Draco laughed. “Magic, love. Remember, we’re wizards.”

“Right. And dragons.”

“That too,” he said. “Now, let’s get you into bed so I can have a look at that arm,” Draco said confidently.

“No, I want a bath,” Harry whined. Draco nodded and set Harry gently on a stool beside the tub. Draco filled it with warm water and found some scented oil to add. After he had Harry stripped down, he helped the wounded man into the water.

“Let me find you something to—“

“No,” Harry whined weakly. “Join me.”

“I—“

“Stop panicking!” Harry growled. Draco froze. “Please,” Harry sighed. “I just—“ His eyes fell closed, stopping all his argument. Draco pulled his own shirt off and knelt beside the tub. He took a sponge and began bathing his mate. “Please,” Harry whispered, half sleeping. “Mate.”

“I’m right here,” Draco whispered.

“Afraid to touch me,” Harry said softly.

Draco nodded reluctantly. “I don’t want to hurt you.”

“Postponing the inevitable will make neither of us feel better,” Harry replied easily. Draco smiled broadly. “What?”

“I think that I used that same line once. I—“

“I just need rest, Draco. And I need you for that.”

“I—“

“Quit freaking out and get in the damn tub!” Harry shouted, accenting it with a cough. Draco moved to pat him on the back, but Harry pulled away and shot him a dirty look. “If you don’t want to be near me, just go away,” he snapped.

Draco stripped down the rest of the way and slid into the tub behind Harry. “I’m just worried about you,” he whispered as he wrapped his arms fully around his mate.

Harry settled backwards with a contented sigh. He could feel the scars from Draco’s chest on his back. He could feel the warmth between their bodies. This was what he needed. Draco felt their magics, shifting and swirling, blending together. He relaxed happily into that peaceful, magical cocoon.