Close Enough

Ch 5 Important Talks

After Draco left Harry couldn’t seem to concentrate on the book he was reading anymore. He began just staring at it blankly while unconsciously playing with his necklace, it seemed this has become somewhat of a habit for him. Harry sighed thinking of how much he missed his friends and playing with the band on the weekends. It was the first day back, well actually the first few hours, feeling this way all year was not going to be okay. Harry closed the book setting it on the table next to his bed and went over to his desk. Sitting down he decided to write the headmaster and ask a favor, hoping against hope that he would allow him this one comfort.

Dumbledore,

I enjoyed your speech today, very entertaining. The new dorms are nice, having me share with Malfoy is kind of cruel but I guess I will never completely understand your reasonings for things will I? I do hope you have a reason, you do don’t you??

I am writing to ask you a favor. You see I have some friends who don’t attend school here, I was wondering if I could have them come and visit me once in a while. My old friends here and I have kind of fallen out, and I really miss the friends I do have. Also, these friends and I have started a band, I was wondering if there was anyway that I could be let out of school for practices or gigs. Or at least let them come here so we can practice maybe?

Just give it some thought. Please.

Thanks for everything,
HJ Potter

Once Harry had finished the letter he read it twice more. It seemed a little odd to be asking, but he figured there was no other way to go about what he wanted. Harry left the room letter in hand and walked over to the fireplace tossing in a small amount of floo powder intoning “headmasters office” before throwing the letter into the fire. Once the letter disappeared, Harry walked over to one of the book cases examining the books there and smiled. Hidden among the books there were two of Harry’s journals from home, how they ended up here he didn’t know but he was almost grateful that they did. Taking down the one full of poems and songs he sat comfortably lounged on the chair closest to the fire feet dangling over one of the armrests.


When Draco made it to his destination he knocked twice and waited. When the door swung open to reveal his godfather he looked up at him seriously, “We need to talk.” The potions master seemed taken aback; Draco never acted like this when he came to see him he was always happy to come visit never so serious. The door quickly opened farther and Draco slipped in, making his way over to the chairs by the fire and sitting, waiting for Severus to join him.
“What is this about Draco?? You seem… upset.” Severus sat in the chair across from Draco and looked at him intently waiting for him to explain the intrusion on his privacy when Draco himself was supposed to be in his dorm.
Draco leaned back in his chair and sighed heavily, “Well first I should probably tell you that I have found my mate.” At this Severus looked very excited.
“That’s wonderful Draco! I’m so happy for you! Who is it?” Severus asked leaning forward in his chair slightly. Draco grimaced slightly and shook his head.
“Well its not that wonderful… yet… anyway… it’s Potter.” Draco looked up from his fidgeting hands in his lap to his loving godfathers face hoping for some type of reaction that he could read, but found none. Severus just sat back in his chair and sighed softly. “Now that brings me to the second thing, apparently the headmaster got it in his coddled old brain that Potter and I should share a dorm room. Under normal circumstances I would be overjoyed to be sleeping in the same room with my intended this whole year. However, I don’t know how I’m going to get through to him, and there he is, smelling so good and calling to me like a siren at sea!! I don’t know if I’m going to be able to control myself. I mean, I know that I’m gay I’ve known for what seems like forever. But what if he’s not? What do I do then??” During this part he had looked down again, so now he attempted one more time to read something in his godfather’s face but still found nothing readable. “And that would be what brings me here to you. When I arrived at my rooms, Potter was sitting on his bed reading a book he says that YOU loaned him. Not only that he was talking about you in almost an, I don’t know, affectionate way. He even called you Sev.” This time when Draco looked up into the other mans face there was something there, a smile. A genuine, happy smile.
“Ah, now I understand why you have come to me about this. I was worried I was going to have to keep playing the game of “I hate Potter” longer.” Severus smiled at his confused godson and continued. “Harry and I have become some kind of friends over the past few years. He has learned to confide in me for many things, especially after…” here Severus paused closing his eyes wishing away the memories, “especially after the final battle. We had already begun spending time together due to a request by the headmaster for Harry to learn how to control his mind and natural magic. But after the battle, everything changed, he changed. Or maybe everything changed and he didn’t, who really knows which.” Another sigh and he looks seriously at Draco, “but you are not here about that… yet… you are here about the book I loaned him. Well I sent it to him after I received a very concerning letter from him after his birthday this past summer. Our dear Harry seems to have gone through some changes due to an inheritance situation and I had a book that would be of service.”
“But I had an inheritance this summer, why did he get to borrow the book and I didn’t?? I mean you have never even let me touch any of your private potions books because they are too rare and valuable and yet you send one off to Potter for a whole summer?? How can you trust him more then you trust me??”
Severus closed his eyes for a second attempting to control his emotions, “Draco, where did you spend your summer?”
“What?? What does that have to do with anything??”
“Where did you spend your summer, Draco?”
Looking slightly confused, “With you… but I don’t see...”
“And do you know where Harry spent his summer?” Severus interrupted.
“Um.. no… I don’t...” trying really hard to follow, but still looking very confused Draco looked at Severus, “I don’t understand…”
“Draco, most wizards, when they come into their inheritance, have someone to be with them. Someone to talk to, or at least a parent or family member to warn them that it is going to happen. Harry’s aunt and uncle wouldn’t have told him even if they knew which they didn’t. Harry also moved out on his own over break and thus was alone when the change occurred. Now where you knew your change was coming, he didn’t. He didn’t even know that he had Creature blood running through his veins. And if it wasn’t for Cord being there on his birthday, I shudder to think what could have happened to him. So where you had me to be with you and help you through your change, as someone who understood turning into a Vampire and knew all of the things to do, protections, precautions and potions to use to keep you safe. He was alone. And upon his letter I was unfortunately detained and the only comfort I could offer a scared young man was a book. And the reason I never lent you any of my books is because I would rather you come to me and we can work things out together.” Severus finished with a small smile at the boy.
They sat in silence for a good long time. It was a comfortable silence though, and they both just watched the flames in the fireplace burn themselves down. Until finally Severus spoke again, “So Harry is your intended?” he asked with a smile.
Draco smiled and let his mind wander to the thought of his intended, how he smelled, his pull, how just his voice could send shivers up Draco’s spine. “Yea, he is.”
Severus watched Draco, knowing that his mind was exploring all his thoughts of Harry, and all the newfound feelings towards him. He smiled knowing that Draco would be good for Harry, would be able to give him all the things that he never had. The only problem was going to be getting Harry to be okay with it. With everything else that has happened to him in his life, the last thing Harry needed was to have a sex crazed Vampire chasing after him. Severus’ mind flowed back to the conversation that he and Harry had before the end of last year….

*flashback*

“Sev?” Harry asked from his seat on the floor by the fire.
Severus looked up from his desk, “yes?”
Harry was staring into the fire as though he could almost see something in it, but not quite. “do you think I will ever know love, Sev? Do you think anyone will ever just love me for me?”
Severus was a little startled by the question, “Of course Harry. Why would you ask me something like that?”
The boy just blinked and kept staring into the fire, “because I don’t think anyone ever will, how could they..”

*end flashback*

“Draco, I need you to promise me something.. I need you to promise me that you will go slow with him, be as patient as you possibly can. I need you to promise to show him how very special he is.”
Draco looked very concerned for a moment then nodded, “I promise Sev. I just want to be near him, ya know? Make him happy, be with him. I will wait forever if that’s what he needs.” He looked at his watch, “I should be getting back now, thanks Sev.” Draco stood and left without another word, and wandered back to his dorm.

When Draco entered the dorm, Blaise looked up at him from one of the couches smiling and putting a finger to his lips to tell Draco to keep quiet before nodding his head toward the chair closest to the fire. Walking closer he saw the curled up, sleeping form of his intended, firelight flicking over his angelic face, open book in his lap. Blaise stood walking past Draco with a pat on the back and went to his bedroom. Leaving Draco to decide to wake Harry or not. Walking closer he looked down at the book in boys lap, the pages were blank. Draco looked quickly for a fallen quill but found none or any other writing instrument, he frowned. Shaking Harry’s shoulder gently, “Potter, hey, Potter.” He whispered. Harry began to stir and Draco took a small step back and smiled down at Harry, “Maybe you should try sleeping in your bed, I’m sure it’s more comfortable then that chair.” Draco extended a hand out to the slowly waking boy, “Come on.” As though Harry was on autopilot in one fluid motion he took the book from his lap in one hand, Draco’s hand in the other and stood.
Draco stood for a second gaping at the fact Harry actually took his hand, he smiled and squeezed Harry’s hand before leading him down the hall to their room. Draco tried to memorize how Harry’s hand felt in his, not knowing how long until he would feel it again, not even really sure how he was feeling it now. Looking back at the still half asleep Harry behind him, Draco couldn’t help but laugh a little to himself. ‘he is so cute. I wonder if he knows that.’ As he watched Harry follow him, trusting his lead with his eyes half closed clutching the book to his chest with one hand and holding Draco’s hand tightly in the other. With a small smile, “You’re so cute, Harry.” And he watched a soft smile creep onto the other boys face while a blush rose on his cheeks.
When they reached their door Draco opened it and led Harry inside, once he made it through the door Harry slowly uncurled his hand and removed it from Draco’s and walked over to bed. Draco watched as Harry climbed into bed his hand resting on the fallen open ‘blank’ notebook on the bed. He chuckled at how quickly Harry fell back asleep as soon as his head hit the bed. Draco began to wonder if Harry was ever even really awake in the first place. As Draco changed into his pajamas and walked over to the bed looking down at Harry again noticing something has changed. The notebook now had writing on it, it seemed the words and ink were spreading from where Harry’s fingers were touching the pages. Harry moved in his sleep and his hand fell off the notebook, the ink began to fade into the pages again. Draco was in awe at the little trick the notebook just played, and picked it up looking at it closely. The notebook looked just like any regular, he couldn’t feel any magical aura around it, and yet he had just seen it with his own eyes, he had seen the words appear and then disappear with Harry’s touch. Draco set down the notebook on the table next to the bed before he brushed a few strands of hair off Harry’s sleeping face. “You are an amazing angel, Harry.” And Draco climbed into his bed where he fell asleep quickly.