Close Enough

Ch 56 Purring

Severus flew into the hospital wing, the look of a protective mother in search of their cub covering his face. Stopping when he reached the only occupied bed in the room and looking down at the peacefully unconscious figure. Raking his eyes over the still form, seeming to check for any obvious sign of lack of well being, Severus slowly sweeps the hair off of Harry’s forehead and sighs. Now shifting his gaze to the only other figure in the room, he looks at Draco.
“He was awake?” Severus asked flatly.
“Yes.” Draco responds curtly.
“And he is not now, why?”

“Sleeping potion.” He says, looking concernedly at his mate.
“And he needed one after waking from a near coma why?”
“He was panicking. He wouldn’t let anyone touch him.” Draco looked at his hands in his lap, “Even me.” he finished softly.
“Not even you?” Draco shook his head. “And how did you get him to take the potion?” Severus watched as Draco’s face fell and he twisted his hands nervously.
“I used the bond.” he murmured nearly inaudibly.
“You did what?” Severus hissed. “Draco! You know you are not supposed to do that! Do you have any idea how upset he is going to be with you?”
“Severus,” Draco said with a glare, “I do believe that my getting him to take a potion for his health is the least of our concerns right now.” He narrowed his eyes, “What are we going to do? He won’t let anyone touch him, when Madam Pomfrey tried he threw himself off of the bed to get away from her. How is he supposed to get better if I can’t even be near him?” he sighed, rubbing his temples, closing his eyes, “I can feel him… He’s scared and feeling alone… and there is nothing I can do.”
“I’m sure he will get over this Draco.” Severus conjured a chair and sat looking between Draco and the sleeping Harry. “While he was awake did you gather any information about what happened?”

“No.. he just panicked when I tried to touch him, and then she had me make him take the potion.” Draco looked up at Severus, eyes glassy, “I should be able to touch him no matter what right? This is really bad that I can’t touch him…. that means that something is really wrong.”
“Possibly.” Severus says bluntly. “However, I have a feeling that it has more to do with what has happened to him than with you. There was a violent assault on his person, and until we know exactly what happened there is no way for us to help. We must wait until he wakes and then attempt to get the information we need.”

Harry didn’t wake for another four hours after that. And when he did it was like lightning had struck him because he sat bolt upright in his bed frantically looking around the room his chest heaving as he gasped for air.
“Harry… you’re fine… you’re in the hospital wing..” Draco said, leaning closer toward his mate. “How are you feeling?”
“Sore.” Harry whispered, leaning back on the bed again.
“Here, this will help.” Severus said from his seat next to Harry, handing him a vial, “Pain relieving potion.” He added at Harry’s reluctance in taking the vial from him.

“Oh… thanks.” Harry reached out slowly for the vial, touching it as far away from Severus’ fingers as possible, eliminating the possibility of skin to skin contact. The two men watched as Harry downed the potion in one large gulp before setting the vial aside on the table next to his bed. Closing his eyes and letting the potion work through his system Harry’s hand unconsciously went to the collar of his shirt, finding nothing there his eyes went wide again and he looked at Severus frantically.
“My necklace.” Harry gasped, almost clawing at his neck at the lack of the necklaces comforting presence.
“It’s fine Harry. We’ll acquire a new one for you, as soon as we have this sorted.” Severus said reassuringly.
“But the draw…” Severus stopped this argument by raising a hand.

“Harry, would Draco be sitting so calmly next to you if there was a problem? Would I for that matter?” he didn’t wait for a answer before continuing, “After intercourse your powers are naturally lessened until such a time as your body is positive that you are not with child. From the research done, we have a few weeks before we need to worry about you being without your charm.”
“You’re saying…. That because they… I don’t have the draw anymore?”
“Yes.” Severus sighed, knowing what was coming. He could have counted down the moments on his fingers, and then it happened.
“Are you telling me that whoever did this could have gotten Harry pregnant? He could be carrying one of their children?” Draco asked heatedly, standing quickly from his seat next to Harry’s bed.

“No, but Harry’s body doesn’t know that.”
“Severus, how could I be pregnant anyway, I don’t have the right body parts for that.” As soon as the words left Harry’s mouth his mind began to work overtime remembering what he had been told. Harry began to shake his head from side to side muttering, “No….. no…. not possible…. She’s crazy…. No……. no…..”
“Harry… Harry what’s wrong?” Draco asked, sitting on the edge of Harry’s bed, careful not to touch him.
“It’s not true…… no no no no no….” Harry continued to mutter softly, his hands gripping his hair as he began to rock slightly.
“Harry, it is possible that you become pregnant but only from your mate, you need not worry about that. It’s a matter of the magic in your blood and the bond, not body parts.” Severus explained, trying to calm the boy.

“She said… she said that Dumbledore made…… made them change me….” Harry whispered still rocking. Draco and Severus shared a look before looking back at Harry; they both realized Harry was talking about the attack.
“Who Harry, who said that?” Draco asked gently.
“She said… she said that… she… i… wouldn’t have been strong enough…..” Harry continued to rock and shake his head, tugging on his hair.
“Who Harry?” Draco asked again, more forcefully this time; attempting to fight the urge to touch his obviously troubled mate.
“Hermione” Harry whispered.
“How wouldn’t you have been strong enough, for what?” Severus asked, trying to figure out if this was about the attack at all.
“If I was a girl, I wouldn’t have been strong enough to defeat Voldemort.” Harry murmured, removing his hands from his hair and holding tightly to himself.
“And when did Granger say this?” Severus pressed, figuring that getting the information now while Harry was volunteering was a good idea.
“In the room… before they… before…” Harry felt sick as images and sensations washed through him from the attack; he could still hear the sickly sweet words they spoke while raping him. Draco could feel the stress radiating off of his mate, like he was moments away from shattering into a million pieces right before their eyes.
“Harry, it’s okay. We’re right here.” Draco said in a reassuring voice, still fighting not to just reach out to his mate like the bond was calling him to do.

“NO!” Harry screamed and threw himself off of the bed again sliding down the wall in the corner near the window. “no….. please….. stop….” Draco and Severus watched in rapt attention as Harry pressed himself into the corner as far as he could, attempting to be as far away from them as possible. After the scream and soft plea for ‘something’ to stop Harry’s lips moved forming soundless words as he rocked back and forth.
“Draco, leave him.” Severus said as Draco made a move to stand and go to his suffering mate. “I am going to firecall Cord from Poppy’s office, I will be right back.”

Severus returned, Cord in tow, moments later. Draco sat gripping the chair arms rightly to keep himself seated, his head snapped up when the door opened and the pair entered. Cord moved wordlessly toward Harry, sitting mere inches away from him next to the wall.
“Harry… Harry love, look at me.” Cord pleaded softly, “Please.” Harry’s eyes slowly rose to meet hers showing pain, fear, and desperation. “I know…. Harry why don’t you let Bolt come out to play?” Harry’s eyes changed slightly and he shook his head, not breaking eye contact with his friend, “Harry, please, it will help I promise. Cloe will be here soon to help.” Cord moved to be crouching in front of Harry, sitting on her feet, hands flat on the floor. “Please.” Harry nodded slowly.

Draco and Severus stood near Harry’s vacated bed watching closely the interaction between Harry and Cord. Both of them gasped as first Harry’s eyes changed to have slit-like pupils and then slowly the rest of his body transformed into that of a sleek black panther. They watched as the panther stood and stretched slowly still not removing it’s eyes from Cord.
“Good boy…” Cord said as she slowly reached forward to scratch him behind the ear. Not removing her eyes from Harry she spoke to Draco and Severus, “Human and animal thought processes are different just like their emotions. You should be able to touch him soon… he’ll be better once Cloe is here.”

Slowly the doors to the infirmary opened and Cloe entered, finding Cord still sitting on the floor with a black panther nuzzling into her hand. Only one quick glance toward the other occupants of the room and she moved to sit next to Cord on the floor.
“What’s going on? Your mom just told me I needed to make my way here as quick as I could…” Cloe asked looking at the panther and not her mate.
“There was an attack, we have no specifics, and he won’t let anyone touch him in his human form.” Cord said softly, continuing to scratch behind the large cats ears. “I was hoping that you would be able to help. I thought maybe if you were here..” she trailed off, looking out of the corner of her eye at Cloe.
“Ah, no problem.” Cloe stood gracefully and slowly transformed into a leopard slightly larger than the panther Harry had transformed into. Cord slowly stood and walked toward where Draco and her father stood giving the two large cats room.

“Cord, what the bloody hell is going on?” Draco asked, not taking his eyes off of the pair.
“The band is called The Pack for a reason, Draco.” Cord said smiling softly, “We are his pack, his tribe, his family. His animalistic side sees being with us as safe and comforting. His human side was shying away from contact due to the attack, so I figured this would help.” The trio watched as the two cats nuzzled and rubbed their heads against eachother, before Harry lay down and Cloe began grooming his head.
“So what you are saying is that you are all Animagi?” Draco looked away from the two large cats to look at Cord.
“Yes.” She answered with a smile. “Not that anyone knows really.” Her smile grew into a smirk.

“Then why didn’t you transform? Why did Cloe have to come?” Draco asked, his brow furrowed.
“She is more comforting than I.” Cord smiled as she watched the two animals snuggle close to each other in the corner. “I imagine you can touch him now.” At that statement Draco moved forward, at first sitting only a few feet away from his mate.
“Are you sure?” Draco asked carefully watching the two purring cats.
“Yes, I’m sure. Just go slow.” Cord said. A curt nod was his only acknowledgement toward Cord before he slid closer toward Harry, slowly reaching his hand out toward his mate.

“Harry…” Draco whispered. At his name Harry’s head came up to look at his mate. Draco smiled softly at the reaction. “May I pet you?” he felt foolish for asking, but figured it couldn’t hurt to do so. The answer Harry gave was to slowly pull himself closer to Draco on his stomach on the floor, a nearly pleading look in his feline eyes. The moment Draco’s fingers touched Harry’s soft fur, the brilliant green eyes closed and a loud purring sound rumbled through his chest. “Explains why he purrs when we cuddle.” He said running his fingers through Harry’s fur smiling softly.