Close Enough

Ch 52 Fighting, Again

Between classes and homework, spending time with our friends, and strengthening the bond between Harry and I, the next few months seemed to fly by. Classes during the day and studying with our friends in the evening, Hermione convincing all of us that the end of the year tests were going to be difficult and we needed to study every waking moment of the day, left little time for Harry and I to be alone. However when we found the time, it was amazing. it seems that even though Harry and I had decided it was best not to complete the bond until after school was over, that he was willing to try pretty much every other thing that I could wrap my pretty little brain around; quite the extensive list if I do say so myself.
We spent the majority of our time alone together in bed. Well not always in bed, sometimes on the desk chair (it was a much more appropriate height for Harry when on his knees, even if the chair was a little hard it was worth every second of it. Tongue rings are wonderful; must remember to thank Pansy again.). The most incredible thing was how comfortable Harry was with anything I might suggest, very willing for someone who was technically still a virgin. I kept promising myself that I could wait until after the ceremony, it was only a couple more months, and it would make Harry happy, and so it will be worth it.
I commissioned our friends to help with the plans for the ceremony, seeing as neither one of us really had any family to help us with it; plus it gave Hermione something else to boss everyone around about, she likes that it seems. The plans were coming along quite well in my opinion. It would take place the day after graduation, in the gardens at Malfoy Manor, Severus has offered to officiate. Pansy took over the decisions as far as ‘the look’ as she called it; flowers, colors, attire, lighting, etc. It seems that she really has a knack for that type of thing. Blaise and the rest of the Death kids have been discussing plans for a bachelor party for me, Harry told me it was fine with him if I go with the condition of ‘touch a stripper and die’; somehow I don’t think he was kidding on that one.

There are still two months until graduation when all the plans for the ceremony and the subsequent part are finalized. Something that Harry and I are both very grateful for, due to the added pressure of end of year exams looming on the horizon. Even with all of the studying and classwork that we have, I notice that Harry and Hermione have been spending an exorbitant amount of time together; my mate seems to be very happy to have one of his best friends back, for which I am grateful. At first I was jealous that Harry wanted to spend time with her instead of with me, however I quickly learned that he needed the companionship that only the other member of the Golden Trio could give.
Once a week, Harry would disappear to go practice with the band; sometimes a small gig or just in the studio rehearsing. During these times I would head off into the dungeons to spend time with the Death kids. Most of us had no idea what we were going to do now that school was going to be over; some had family businesses to go make money off of, others planned to travel for a while, while others had no idea now that the war was over and their parents gone what do to with themselves. I personally planned to complete my bond with my mate, and then do whatever else I damn well pleased, but I knew this wasn’t an option for most of his friends.

“Blaise what are you doing?” I asked curiously.
“Why, whatever do you mean Draco?” he replied, hiding something under his homework. “I am working on my potions essay.”
“Liar.” I said calmly as I reached a hand out toward him, “Give it here.”
“Draco…” he said shifting guiltily, “It’s nothing, okay?”
“You are willing to tell me that “it” is nothing, that means that it is something. Gauging from the fact that there is an “It” at all means that it is something. Now what is this “it”?” I asked, reaching toward his homework, to retrieve whatever it underneath.
“Fine.” Blaise sighs, shifting the paper aside and producing a news paper clipping, complete with full moving picture of Harry and the band waving from the page. “Cloe sent it to me.” I snatch the paper up, looking down at the article and scanning it quickly until something caught my eye.
“Blaise, where’s Harry?” I ask as calmly as I can setting the paper back down.
“I don’t know.” The other boy says, shaking his head slightly.
“Where the fuck is he Blaise!” I growl through gritted teeth.
“I don’t know.” Blaise repeated himself, so I reached for his collar and pulled him close to me, narrowing my eyes. It worked because he continued. “Last I knew he went for a walk by the lake. He didn’t know.” Before he finished the last sentence I was out the door, heading toward Harry\'s favorite spot to think; his rock.

“Potter!” I yelled as I closed the final ten feet between us. “How could you not tell me!”
“Draco…” I watched him slowly stand and face me.
“Don’t Draco me… how could you not tell me that you are going to tour after graduation!?! How could you decide to do that!?! Huh??” I stepped right up to him, pushing his shoulders in frustration. “We were waiting to bond because we will need close contact afterward that we can’t have while we are at school. HOW CAN WE BE EXPECTED TO GET IT IF YOU ARE OFF GLOBETROTTING!???!” I pushed him again, harder this time. “I can’t believe this, I can’t believe you. You are my mate! MY SUB! And I have waited, I have denied myself, been painfully patient with you about this whole ordeal! And now I find out that you have been making decisions that will affect us both greatly all on your own!” I push him again, ignoring the tears running down his cheeks, this time he stumbles backward and falls to the ground. “We are supposed to be in this relationship together, Potter!” I spit his surname at him like a bad taste in my mouth. “Here I thought we were getting closer, the bond was so strong. I can feel it, can you feel it?!?! How could you do this!!” I can feel my face flushed with anger as I stare at him down on the ground. “I thought we had something here Potter. I guess I was wrong.” I forced all of my energy to blocking the bond, and walked away; refusing to turn back as I heard Harry’s heartbreaking plea for me to come back.


Heading toward the dungeons the moment I entered the school I decided the first place Harry would look for me to discuss things would be our rooms; and so I headed directly to the potions master’s rooms to see Severus. I knocked on the door twice and waited for the quiet ‘enter’ from the other side before opening the door.
“Draco.” My godfather says in greeting over a large potions tome as I enter and make my way toward the sitting area by the fire. “What brings you to my chambers?”
“I just wished for somewhere quiet to read for a while, you have a new experimental potions magazine don’t you?” He nodded at me curiously and gestured toward the table to my left. After retrieving the aforementioned magazine I sat in the chair closest to the fire and began to read, hardly taking in any of it. My mind wandered to Harry and how insensitive he was for not consulting me on such a huge decision. I spent another ten minutes staring at a single page before sighing heavily and setting it down, looking up at my godfather, only to find him already looking back at me.
“So are you going to tell me why you are actually here?” he asked me with a raised eyebrow closing the book on his lap and setting it aside.
“One word for you: Potter.” I growl, staring into the fire.
“Potter is it? What happened to ‘Harry’ or ‘my mate’ or my personal favorite ‘my sweet intended’?” Severus asked, his eyes alight with curiosity.
“Oh no… he is not mate of mine! A mate of mine would not make life altering decisions without me! A mate of mine would at least talk to me.. get my opinion… something… ANYTHING! Hell any mate of MINE would at least TELL ME something was going to happen. Not allow me to find out from a stupid article given to me by a friend.” I seethed, standing and beginning to pace. “How could he do it? How could he decide to go on tour with the band without even talking to me about it first!! We were getting on so well, ya know? The bond was getting so strong! And we would be bonding soon!!! And then he decides that he is going to leave the country during the time that we are supposed to be in isolation!!”
“Mr. MALFOY!” Severus yells, breaking my concentration and line of thought.
“What?!” I ask annoyed.
“Did you hear me the first five times I said you name you little brat!?” Severus asked me, sounding quite annoyed himself. “I think you have you facts off kilter.”
“I do not Severus! I read the article myself!! It said…” I was interrupted.
“And where did you get this article?” Severus inquired.
“From Blaise, his sister Cloe sent it to him.. You know Cord’s mate.. From the band!! So of course..” I was interrupted again, this seemed to be a pattern.
“And are you aware that the article that you are referring to is one of a series of articles published all this week?” he asked, and my brow furrowed
“No… but what does…..” yet again interrupted, definite pattern.
“Would you like to read today’s... or shall I summarize it for you?” he didn’t wait for an answer, “Today’s article was about how HJ Evans was quitting the band due to a personal conflict, and how he has been spending the past few months working with his replacement Marc Lewbeck, so that he may take over his position in the band before the tours begin.”
“Oh.” I deflate slightly, sinking back into the chair. “Why didn’t he tell me that?” I mumble, feeling utterly stupid.
“Well I have a feeling that you wouldn’t let him.” Severus said with a sigh, “The article goes on to say that he might make special appearances back with the band on occasion later in the tour, however this was not a guarantee due to his upcoming nuptials and subsequent honeymoon.”
“Oh.” I sink farther back into the chair, feeling quite small. “I really need to stop doing this.”
“And what exactly are you referring to?” Severus asked, seeming curious again.
“Jumping to conclusions….. not trusting Harry…” I rub my hands through my hair. “I just can’t seem to get a handle on this relationship thing.”
“Well you are in your first one. And I’m sure with a proper apology Harry will forgive you… even if you are an idiot.” He finishes with a slight smile. “You might want to get a move on. I’m sure Harry is having a melt down about now.”
“Oh… right..” I say, standing slowly. “Thanks Sev. I don’t know what I would do without you.”
“I do, you’d lose the best thing that has ever happened to you due to being an untrusting little prat.”


WATCH OUT! POV CHANGE AHEAD!!


I can see Draco’s retreating back still from my place on the ground. I can’t seem to move, or bear the thought of picking myself up off of the ground. If he had let me speak then maybe it would not have been so bad, but he had not let me explain. He thought I had betrayed the bond we share by not consulting him; now the bond was closed off to me and I could not reach him. It was just another misunderstanding. I wanted to go to him, to fix it, it was my fault for not forcing him to listen to him at the time, I should have made him listen.
Now I sit here, over looking the lake; having decided I should let him cool down first about the whole issue before I go and try to explain to him. I am so wrapped up in thought that I don’t notice the five cloaked figures slowly surrounding me, that is until I hear a barrage of spells being fired at me before I can defend myself. Motionless on the ground now I pick out the spells I could make out; a silencing spell, a magic binding spell, and an immobilizing spell.
My mind races, ‘What’s going on! How did they know how to bind my powers! Why…?” my last thought is interrupted by a familiar voice.
“Oh how the mighty have fallen.” A slight shuffling sound. “Alright boys, let’s take him out of here and have our fun.” Many hands grab onto me at once, lifting me from the ground and I am forced to look directly into a happily smiling face. “I am going to enjoy this, Potter.” My mind reels as my best friend produces an old book muttering, “Portus.” Before the familiar tug of a portkey pulls behind my navel and my captors and I disappear form the Hogwarts school grounds without a trace.