Close Enough

NOTE: a little short i know.. but.. here goes..


Ch 61 Beneath you

I lay still curled up with Cloe on the floor when I hear the door open and click shut. I hear steady footfalls making their way toward the screened off area in which we were napping on the floor. I can sense who it is before they breach the divide, my mate is near. I slowly move myself away from the sleeping leopard next to me and pad slowly toward where my mate now sits perched on a chair next to the bed my human form would be lying in.
“Harry, she has been punished for what she did to you.” I hear him murmur softly as he strokes the soft fur between my ears. “I made her pay for your pain. There is no one here to hurt you. Will you come back to me?” I hear slight desperation in his voice, and I want to fix it; yet am unsure how to do so. I glance at the still sleeping Cloe and look back at my mate again purring softly as I shift closer to his legs resting my chin on his knee.

He continues to pet around my ears, and my purr grows in volume. I feel something inside of me reaching out toward him as he touches me, as though a small demon is attempting to claw its way out of my chest to achieve contact with my mate. I realize that it must have something to do with my human side, however am unable to place what exactly that might be. Lost in thought I do not notice my mate shift and slide out of his seat before sitting on the floor next to me.
I am brought out of my reverie when he places a hand on the scruff on my neck and pulls me to lay next to him on the floor. I snuggle close to him. Some part of me is amazed that he would be lying on the floor to be close to me; mate or no there is still a lot of dirt on the floor.

“Harry, my Harry.” I hear him whisper from my place resting on his shoulder. “What have they done to you? I know what they have done, that isn’t what I’m asking. I mean, will you come back to me? Will you complete the bond with me?” he continues to stroke my fur gently, and I feel that little demon becoming even more restless in my chest; paining me, pulling me closer to my mate, and not on a physical level. “You need to come back to me so we can work this out together. I know that it makes it easier to deal with right now as a panther, different thought processes or whatever, but I want you back. As my mate, my Harry, my HUMAN Harry. I miss you.” The whispering was getting softer, as was the petting, “Did you know that you feel different? That the bond feels different while you are like this? I like the other way better… come back Harry. Please, I promise to protect you…” a small yawn, “even from myself. Just come back.” I could hear his heart and breathing slow and level out; he fell asleep.

*************** POV Change: Draco***************

I woke to the feeling of stiff muscles and a terrible cramp in my back, ‘Oh yes, I fell asleep on the floor. Just great, what a wonderful day to be a Malfoy.’ I can’t help but think of my feather bed with soft silk sheets that has gone without my presence for days, and here I am on the floor. Shifting slightly I realize that there is no weight on my arm, and no fur touching me anywhere.

Quickly I sit up and look around, the leopard that was Cloe was no longer in the corner, and Harry was no where to be seen. Standing slowly, hoping to stretch the kinks out of my back and peek around the divider hoping to find that my mate has just wandered off down the ward; no luck. With both Cloe and Harry being gone I began to worry that something has happened, however doubtful seeing as I was left asleep on the floor.
I hear voices coming from down the ward, slightly hushed, but not really a whisper, “Yes, Mr. Potter, we shall head there right now.” A cool female voice stated followed by hurried footsteps and a closing door.

“Madam Pomfrey, now that I am feeling a little better, may Draco and I go back to our rooms?” I hear Harry’s tentative voice ask.
“After you eat something, it has been days. Then you may go. Good to see you back on your feet.” I heard the mediwitch finish with a slight laugh.
“It is good to be back on them.” His voice is getting closer now, I can almost feel the smile in his words. He pokes his head around the corner and sees that I am awake. “Draco.” his smile broadens and he moves closer to me.

“Harry.” I smile back. Now that my mate was back in human form it was harder to ignore the bond; how it pulsated with need, affection, and desire. He stopped right in front of me, nearly touching, I feel my skin crawl with the need to touch him, the need for contact is overwhelming.
“I missed you.” was all I heard before I had arms tightly wrapped around my waist and a face buried in my neck. I nearly instinctively pulled away, knowing that Harry was unhappy with touch before. However I realized that Harry was the one to initiate the contact, thus he must be okay with it, and I wrapped my arms tightly around him in return. Holding my mate close to my chest, breathing deeply his wonderful scent, I smile happily thinking, ‘this is a good sign.’
A soft cough issued from just inside the screens, “Your meal Mr. Potter.” Harry slowly pulled away from me at the mediwitch’s words and perched himself on the edge of the bed. His tray balanced in his lap he began to eat.
“So where were you when I woke up?” I asked, sitting in the chair closest to him.
“Talking to an Auror about releasing Ron from Azkaban.” Harry said between bites.

“I see, and were there any problems?” I asked, well aware that things with the ministry rarely went smoothly.
“No. They took my statement and the account of Hermione’s, and said he would be out within the hour. I made sure to tell them to arrange a private room and St. Mungo’s for him, on my account.” Harry’s voice sounded a little sad, but at the moment I really just wanted him to finish so we could make our way back to our rooms, ‘maybe I’ll get to see my bed today after all.’ I thought to myself as I changed the subject.
“So where did Cloe go?” I asked, wanting to laugh at how methodically my mate was eating. One bite potatoes, one bite meat, one bite bread, one bite vegetables, one bite chocolate pudding; repeat.
“To talk to Cord and Severus. I wanted them to know what was going on. That I was getting out of here, and to thank them for me.” he smiled softly, and continued eating.

“And what exactly is the reason you left me sleeping on the floor when you both left?” I asked, raising an eyebrow at me mate.
“Um… you looked so cute, I couldn’t bear to wake you.” He blushed slightly and shot me a soft smile.
“Oh you shall be paying for that later. Malfoy’s do not sleep on the floor, it’s dirty, hard, and beneath us.” I said, raising my chin slightly. However I looked at my mate quickly when I heard a frantic coughing noise. Harry’s face was reddened and he was holding a hand over his mouth as well as one over his chest. “Harry? Are you okay?” a few more coughs emitted from my mate before he finally spoke.
“Draco, did you just say that the floor was beneath you?” Harry asked before collapsing back onto his bed in a fit of giggles.
“OH you’ll pay for that little one!” I sprung out of my chair on top of my mate, knocking his tray to the floor, tickling his sides mercilessly. ‘He seems so much better already.’ I think to myself as I watch my mate squirm and giggle, ‘Maybe we won’t have to move the bonding too much.’