Twisted Faerie Tales

Author’s Note: Many thanks to Deb, Mary and Shannon for looking over this story for me.

Sleeping Beauty Part 2

There were twenty-eight challenges total in the Academic Tournament, and Harry skipped most of them in his mission to steer clear of Draco Malfoy at all costs. It sounded as if the earliest tasks were mundane anyway. First Year’s were required to do things like identify a Flobberworm in a patch of other creatures and so on and so forth and Harry thought it was best his lack of excitement not mingle with that of an already lackluster challenge.

Other tasks had included tuning and playing ten different magical instruments, some of which Harry had never even seen before, and a wizard’s chess match between the four houses until Ravenclaw proved victorious. Ravenclaw had also won the Sixth Year challenge where the students were set to outsmart a dragon with riddles. Harry hadn’t known it was possible, but some of the more ancient breeds of dragons still used them as methods to trick thieves who tried to steal their treasure. It was hardly a fair match since Ravenclaws were experts in the field of riddling because they had to be clever enough to decipher them just to get inside their own common room.

Most of this was hearsay, of course, since Harry couldn’t be bothered to stray too close to any of the tournament challenges for fear of running into Malfoy. Since classes had been suspended until the tournament was over, Harry had experienced a good deal of success in his mission so far, and he had no intention of sullying his victory of avoidance by waltzing into a space he was sure to find the blond. If he tried very hard, Harry could pretend nothing unsavory had happened between him and the Slytherin at all, that perhaps Draco was merely on holiday, or busy with schoolwork that kept him from Harry’s side. Deep down Harry knew that none of his flimsy excuses would work to stifle the hurt and loss he felt when Draco had walked away from him after learning of his feelings.

Even though he would have rather burrowed into a hole and slept for a hundred years, he had to go to Ron’s challenge and show his support. He was thankful the Slytherin had decided to forgo watching that particular task, permitting him to cheer as much as his broken heart would allow as his redheaded friend dipped, spun and dove through the obstacle course, winning a point for Gryffindor. By the end of the first week of challenges, Gryffindor had six points and was narrowly leading Slytherin who had four. Ravenclaw had two points and as expected, no one in Hufflepuff had yet to score for their House.

The beginning of the second week brought the Seventh Year Potions challenge, which was to successfully brew the draught of living death and its antidote. With great reluctance, Harry made his way down to the dungeons and took a seat amongst the other spectators. He was obligated to go and watch Hermione, of course, even though that also meant seeing Draco again, bringing his days of peaceful denial to a crashing halt. Harry tried to tell himself that this would be just like every other day, that he would treat it as if Draco weren’t even there and ignore the blond as deftly as possibly. His own shields were painfully erected, making sure the Slytherin caught not even a hint of his sorrow or continued feelings of affection. He refused to be shown as weak in front of the Slytherin ever again.

He tried to avert his gaze as Draco took his seat in between Ryan Wendell and Isabelle Rosen, a Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff respectively. Hermione sat on one end, and though he was still privately livid with her, he had accepted her apologies for butting into his business with Draco and they had been civil during the first week of the tournament. It wasn’t until the blond looked up at him, immediately catching his gaze that Harry lost the ability to breathe.

Those smoldering eyes, so bright and clear, drilled a hole through him, and Harry could feel that gaze start to breach his carefully crafted walls. With a violent shake of his head he glared down at the blond and turned away, storming from the room with an angry huff. The Slytherin wasn’t playing fair. He wanted to keep his own mental privacy, but wouldn’t give Harry the same respect? “Fucking Slytherin,” Harry cursed as he marched further down the corridor. “I hope you drink that stupid Sleeping Draught and never wake up,” he muttered to himself as he fled the castle to sit once more at the lake’s side.

Taking a deep breath, Harry tried to quiet his mind, wishing he could be stronger. How was it he had the power and determination to face Voldemort and his own death but he couldn’t even stand to be in the same room as Draco Malfoy and not feel like he was stripped bare and vulnerable.

He stayed there for hours, watching the water ripple along the surface of the Black Lake as he thought of what could have been. The bond he had felt with Draco was now shattered around his feet like a broken mirror and each piece seemed to reflect a different story, a different future that could have blossomed before him, had Hermione not taken it upon herself to interfere in his love life.

She wondered why Harry was growing distant from her and Ron, but if this was what his friendship with them would hold, than perhaps Harry should work harder at keeping away from them both. He sighed then, shaking his head with the knowledge that he didn’t have it within him to abandon his friends, no matter how much they annoyed him sometimes. Hermione had only been trying to help, though she’d done exactly the opposite. Still, at least she helped Harry see that he was only dragging himself deeper and deeper into an illusion if he thought Draco might ever one day love him back.

When he felt that more than enough time has passed to allow the task to be completed and the students to have all dispersed, Harry stood and stretched before turning to make his long trek back to the castle. The courtyard outside was silent, and Harry wondered if the chill in the air had kept everyone inside until he made it halfway to Gryffindor Tower without spotting a single person. That was peculiar. Perhaps he hadn’t given it enough time and the challenge was still going on in the dungeons. If that were true, Harry would give anything to see Malfoy’s face. It would have taken a catastrophe of some kind not to complete his potions task by now and he would no doubt be livid by his progress, or lack thereof.

Wandering back to the dungeons, Harry stopped when he saw the door still ajar and people inside, but the eerie silence still lingered. He stepped inside the room and caught his breath as he realized no one was speaking, or moving. He had to lean in close just to hear their shallow breathing. Hermione, Draco, Ryan and Isabelle were still sitting in the center of the crowd, bending over their individual cauldrons, although Malfoy’s was suspiciously empty. When Harry looked closer, he noticed the remnants were all over the walls and the staff and the other students. Harry alone seemed to be the only person left awake in all of Hogwarts.

A flutter to his left made Harry jump, and before he could register what was happening, a winged creature bent over Malfoy’s prone form. Harry spared no time leveling his wand at the creature and growled menacingly. “Get away from him.”

The creature looked up and Harry could see now that it wasn’t a creature at all, but a beautiful girl. She was petite and her skin seemed to contain fireflies that illuminated her flesh from within. Her hair was the deepest sapphire blue that Harry had ever seen and flowed in long, curly tendrils from her pale scalp. She blinked up at him and Harry instinctively lowered his wand and bowed.

The girl giggled and took to the air, where Harry noticed for the first time that she had fluttering, translucent wings. “It seems the potion missed one,” she cooed, her voice twinkling like a star. “No matter. This one is mine. You have no claim on him,” she told Harry, her arms twining around Draco’s limp torso.

If her words hadn’t broken Harry of his besotted haze, her possessive stance over Draco’s body did. “He’s not yours,” Harry spat; panic roiling through him when he saw his Slytherin in danger.

“Oh, yes he is,” she hissed, all friendly qualities drained quickly from her tone. “I’ve been coveting this one for years and I’ve finally been presented with the perfect opportunity to grab him up. With a little preparation, he’ll be the perfect addition to my collection. It would be best if you just forgot about him, because only his true love’s kiss could rouse him from this state.”

Harry’s heart sank and broke at the words, knowing he was no such thing to the beautiful blond. Still, he wasn’t going to let some mad faerie fly off with his friend. His wand leveled on her form once more and he took a step closer, aiming at her heart. “I won’t let you hurt him.”

“You can do nothing to stop me,” she growled, letting Draco’s shoulders go and alighting on the table in front of Harry. “Who are you anyway? How did you resist the explosion?”

So that was what happened. Harry bet Malfoy would be utterly humiliated when he woke to find his potion had exploded and put everyone to sleep. “I wasn’t here,” Harry admitted and the faerie seemed to scrutinize his answer before nodding.

“Yes, I see that now. You’re a brave one though, aren’t you?” she chirped, fluttering closer to Harry with each word.

Harry narrowed his eyes and gripped his wand tighter. “Just go away and leave Draco alone.”

“You seem awfully concerned about him,” she purred, “and awfully resistant to my charms.” Her blue eyes narrowed into slits and Harry felt a bubbling of pleasure roil through him but it dissipated almost as soon as it began. One tiny hand reached out and touched his face before Harry could stop her and she pulled away with a snarl. “You?”

“Me what?” Harry stammered. He couldn’t seem to think straight with the faerie in the room. It was like she filled his mind with honey and lavender. All he wanted to do was kiss her and then fall into a deep sleep. His mind knew well enough that it would be his last sleep if he acted on those urges and stepped further away from the enraged faerie.

“It can’t be. It’s not possible,” she ranted, flying over to Draco’s limp body once more and scooping him into her arms. She was surprisingly strong for her small stature and glared at Harry ominously as she lifted the blond into the air. “I don’t care if you are the one. You won’t have him!” she shouted before popping herself and his Draco out of sight and to Godric knew where.

“What in Merlin’s name is that supposed to mean?” he asked the air where the faerie and Draco had just been a moment before. He felt at a complete and utter loss. There was no one awake to help him, he didn’t know the first thing about faeries and all he wanted was his Draco back, but he had no idea where to start looking.

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The first place Harry went was to raid the potions storeroom. He wished he had paid more attention in class when they’d gone over the antidote for the sleeping drought, but he figured there had to be some brewed already. The walls were covered with shelves, which were in turn covered with vials and bottles and jars. He scanned all the labels and cursed when he found nothing useful and glanced over them again more slowly to be certain he hadn’t missed something the first time. Tucked in the back was a thin, corked vial filled with a murky brown liquid.

He read the label again, ‘Essence of Mandrake’, and seemed to recall reading that if lacking an antidote, the Mandrake was usually a good place to start. There wasn’t much left though, maybe not even one full dose, so he wasn’t sure how to proceed, but pocketed the vial and made to leave, stopping only when he heard his name called.

“Stealing from me again, Potter? You should know better by now but I suppose nothing I say could ever get through that thick skull of yours.”

Harry turned to face the portrait of Snape hanging on the wall and fought the urge to roll his eyes. It was only a painting after all; the man could no longer do anything to him. “How could I be stealing from you? You’re dead. Not to mention you’re the Defense Professor now, you don’t even belong here.” He knew even as he spoke the words that Draco must have left Snape there while he was studying. Draco always found the man’s presence calming, which was absurdly opposite from how everyone else felt about having Severus Snape looming over them. At least he couldn’t swat students in the back of the head from his place in the portrait.

“Has no one ever told you that you should respect the dead?” he snapped, looking dourer by the minute.

“Afraid not,” Harry quipped. “Hey, do you know what I would need the wake someone up from the drought of living death?”

“The antidote, of course,” Snape replied lamely.

“And that would be?” Harry pressed, growing anxious.

“Why? Are you planning some Gryffindor mischief?” he asked suspiciously.

“The whole school’s been put to sleep, and then a faerie ran off with Draco and now I’m the only one who can wake everyone up and save Draco from the evil imp,” Harry explained with a blush. It all sounded so ridiculous when he said it out loud.

Snape glared at him intolerantly and mumbled under his breath about the elaborate tales Gryffindors weave in order to get out of trouble. Eventually he leveled his gaze on the boy and sneered. “You’ll have to do better than that if you want my help.”

With an exasperated sigh, Harry grabbed Snape’s portrait and started sprinting toward the competition area, ignoring the man’s rude protests and vile curses as he went. When he got to the room, still covered in sleeping staff and students, he whirled the painting around so that Snape could see.

“Told you so,” Harry muttered as Snape gaped at the sight in front of him.

“What did you do?” he bellowed and Harry rolled his eyes.

“Do you really think that I’m capable of this?” Harry replied, trying to appeal to Snape’s incapacity to think of Harry as clever enough to do more than scrub out cauldrons. As the Potions Master studied the scene and eventually scrunched up his face in disgust, Harry assumed his plan had worked.

“No, this was the work of a good potion gone awry, and you were never capable of making a good potion,” he admitted. Apparently Snape was willing to agree with Harry so long as he got to insult him in the process.

“So, how can I fix it? So far as I can tell, I’m the only one awake,” Harry pressed. He’d already wasted enough time just trying to convince Snape of the truth. The professor was silent for a long moment as he studied the scene, but eventually he got an answer – just not the one he’d wanted.

“You can’t,” Snape replied and Harry narrowed his eyes.

“I know I didn’t pay very good attention in your class, but with your guidance now, I think I could brew-” Harry started to argue, but Snape cut him off.

“My answer has nothing to do with your talent, or lack thereof, in potions. This room has been cursed; I can feel it trying to peel the paint away from my frame. You mentioned a faerie earlier?” he asked and Harry nodded. “It seems she’s done more than simply kidnap my godson. The people in this room will not wake up until Draco wakes up,” he explained. “Besides, it would take months to brew this much antidote,” he added with a casual wave of his hand. “Now, get me out of here before I fall asleep as well.”

“Maybe you’d be more tolerable in that state,” Harry pondered aloud, fully aware of Snape’s malicious glare. “But, I might need your help later, so I suppose I could move you from the vicinity for now.”

Snape seemed to sigh with relief from within his frame as Harry moved him into the next room. “She’ll try to kill you if you go after him,” Snape warned.

“The operative word there is try,” Harry replied, some of Draco’s smugness had apparently rubbed off on him.

“Well, you are rather adept at defying death, but you must be careful. She’ll set traps and she’ll use whatever she can against you. Faeries don’t fight fair,” the man explained, almost as if he cared about Harry’s well being.

“Constant vigilance!” Harry shouted as he gave the portrait a mock salute.

“You’re not taking this seriously enough, Potter,” Snape growled, but Harry had already left the room, heading toward Gryffindor tower where he could fetch the Marauder’s Map. Surely that would show him where Draco was if the boy was still in the building. He didn’t need Snape’s reminders to be cautious, it’s not as if he always went blindly into trouble or anything….

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The journey up to Gryffindor tower seemed much longer than usual.

Harry knew it wasn’t strictly due to his impatience either, because he was fairly certain that the stairs and corridors weren’t usually covered in thick, thorny vines. He remembered that one of the tasks was for the Fourth Year champions to make their way through a briar maze, and it seemed the unwieldy plant had gotten a little overzealous while the professor who was supposed to be controlling it was asleep. He wondered what other tasks had gotten out of control without the proper monitoring, but reckoned he would be finding out soon enough.

He slashed through the brambles with perfectly executed cutting charms, parting a way large enough for his slender body to worm through. He wasn’t getting anywhere though. Just as soon as he’d cut a vine away, another would unfurl and latch itself to another bit and block his path once more. Worse, the giant thorns seemed to drip an ominous green fluid that Harry was certain had to be poisonous.

The errand seemed to take forever, but eventually Harry made it to the topmost floor and shouted the password to the Fat Lady’s portrait. Sprinting to his room, he rummaged in his trunk until he found the map, and then searched impatiently for Draco’s name. Sure enough, the faerie had kept him there in the castle. According to the map, he was being held in the Astronomy tower, which would have been easy to get to if not for the insidious plant just outside the common room.

A thought occurred to him that he wished he’d had around the second floor, and he dashed back to the trunk to retrieve his broom. The flight from Gryffindor tower to the Astronomy tower would be a short one, and he’d have Draco rescued in no time.

Not that Harry knew what he would do once he got there.

Shoving the map into his pocket, Harry leapt on his broom and rocketed out the window, marveling at what a beautiful day it was. It was a shame that he was the only one awake to witness it.

Harry was trying to prove Snape wrong by being more cautious than he might usually be. He didn’t take a flight path straight to the other tower. Instead, he flew low along the parapets, trying to conceal himself against the dark shingles in case the faerie, or any one else was keeping an eye out for him.

In his deep focus while flying, another focus must have been compromised, because in the next moment Harry heard a voice in his head that certainly wasn’t his own, and it was calling out to him. He couldn’t believe he’d allowed his barriers to collapse and felt a sudden twinge of worry that he would never be able to ask Draco to help him practice with his concentration. Still, the relief at hearing Draco’s voice, alive and well, was more important to him in that moment than anything else.

“Harry, watch out!”

The voice shouted through his mind again, though it held a drowsy edge, it still had the distinct and unmistakable flavor of Draco. He could hardly contain his excitement at hearing the blond’s voice in his head again, and he nearly ignored the second warning in his joy.

“Duck!”

Harry did, just in the nick of time, before a giant, spiny tail flung through the air and directly at him. Instead of crashing into his body and snapping him like a dry twig, it smashed into the roof of the castle, carving a sizable dent in the structure.

“Brilliant,” Harry muttered to himself against the wind. “Always a bloody dragon around when I really don’t need one.”

Draco’s voice chuckled in his mind and urged him forward. “Just be careful,” the blond said. “I know you can beat it.”

A smile came to Harry’s lips unbidden, and for a moment he forgot all about his rift with the Slytherin and instead focused on getting himself off the dragon’s radar. “You’d think that with what happened during my Tri-Wizard task, the school wouldn’t allow dragons on the premise anymore.”

“They do make for a very entertaining show,” Draco reminded him, eliciting scoffing laughter from Harry. “I remember the terrified look on your face when that Horntail came after you. Priceless.”

“You’re pretty funny for a guy under a faerie coma,” Harry replied bitterly.

“Touché, Potter,” he replied and then remained silent while Harry dipped through the air, trying to dodge another swipe of the Dragon’s tail. “That was close.”

“How do you even know? You can’t see me…can you?” Harry asked, a bit less sure than he would have liked.

“I can see what you see,” Draco replied.

“Can you see anything about where you are? Is the faerie there? Are you hurt?” Harry asked, ice running through his veins at the very idea of that faerie harming a hair on Draco’s beautiful head.

“I can’t see her…well, I can’t see anything at all, but I can feel her. She’s here somewhere,” he confirmed. “I don’t think I’m hurt. I feel very numb though.”

“I can’t imagine why,” Harry shot back sarcastically. “I should win the House Cup myself for this nonsense. I don’t suppose I could persuade you to just wake the bloody hell up.”

“Oh, gee. I wish I would have thought of that hours ago,” Draco replied unhelpfully. Harry could feel the blond rolling his eyes through their connection but he still couldn’t stop the smile on his lips. This was how it had been before he, or Hermione rather, had fouled up their friendship by allowing Draco to glimpse the part of his mind he’d been hiding. He hoped that when he finally rescued Draco that things could stay this way, but he feared he was being naïve.

“About that,” Draco whispered. “I’m sorry I ran.”

“Not now, Malfoy,” Harry hissed as he swooped through the air in complicated evasive maneuvers. He shouldn’t have even been thinking about it, but he certainly couldn’t have this conversation with Draco and outrun a dragon at the same time.

“Just listen to me then,” he huffed. “I like you, Harry.”

“I know, I know, just not like that,” Harry finished for him but Draco only growled.

“What will it take to get you to shut up already?” Draco shouted through his mind. Heat ran across Harry’s back and he realized that he’d barely missed a spout of flame from the Dragon’s mouth.

“This really isn’t a good time, Malfoy,” Harry warned, his voice tense. “I told you it was stupid, that I would get over it, can we just drop it?”

“No!” Draco replied sharply, his voice becoming less and less hazy in Harry’s mind. “Because I don’t want you to get over it and if you call it stupid again I’ll figure out a way to wake myself up from this magical sleep just to throttle you!”

“What?” Harry asked, his attention completely distracted by the blond’s words. So much so, that the dragon took his advantage and launched forward, clamping his teeth into the bristles of Harry’s broom. The Gryffindor teetered on the handle, grasping it with all his might to keep from tumbling to his death, and all the while he could hear Draco’s frightened shouts in his mind.

He should have been more worried that the dragon was seconds away from dashing his body against the side of the castle, but all he could think about was what Draco had said. He didn’t mind that Harry fancied him, and he didn’t want Harry to stop. “Do you fancy me too?” Harry asked breathlessly, his heart beating frantically in anticipation of Draco’s answer.

“I can’t very well be in love with you if you’re dead, Harry! Get the hell away from that bloody dragon!” he demanded.

That was all Harry needed to hear. A smile broke out across his face despite the peril he was in. Looking ahead, he saw that the Dragon was about to careen them both into the castle wall, and Harry knew that he would not survive that kind of blow. Seeing an opportunity, he leapt sideways off the side of his broom, arching his body while he covered his head with his arms. He dove off of his broom and into a closed window as the dragon flew by on its kamikaze mission. Shattering glass fell all around him and Harry tucked and rolled, trying to escape the shards before they pierced his skin and mostly succeeded. He wasted no time before breaking into a sprint to try and get to the Astronomy tower.

“I thought I told you to be careful,” hissed a voice that was decidedly not Draco’s. Harry whirled to see a painting on the wall, and Snape’s face staring menacingly down at him. It looked as though he had forced the painting’s previous occupant – a disgruntled looking old woman – into a nearby portrait of a kingly looking toad.

“I was being careful,” Harry pointed out, spinning around so that his old professor could see him properly. “See, not even a scratch.”

“You call burrowing through thorny brush and fighting off dangerous dragons ‘being careful’?” Snape demanded.

“I call it ‘doing what’s necessary to save Draco’,” Harry corrected and grinned. “Your concern is noted, however. It warms my heart to know you were worried about me, Snape.” Harry felt emboldened by his race with the dragon, and even more so by Draco’s declaration that he felt the same as Harry. Although it certainly didn’t hurt that Snape was only a portrait now and incapable of hexing him.

“It will always be Professor Snape to you, you sappy little Gryffindor,” he challenged, but Harry didn’t have time for the old Potion Master’s antics just now. He could feel Draco’s relief course through him, mingling with his own giddy surprise that Draco returned his feelings. He had to save him from the faerie’s clutches before it was too late. Who knew how long she’d keep him in the tower.

So, he shot the portrait a cheeky grin and took off without supplying the man with an answer of any kind. Besides, he had something he needed to discuss with his damsel in distress.

“So why did you run?” he asked Draco, when danger seemed to be far behind him.

“You made it sound like you didn’t want to fancy me, like it was all a big mistake that you were trying to eliminate,” Draco muttered.

“I just didn’t think you felt the same. I didn’t want you to stop being my friend because you felt awkward,” Harry replied silently as he neared the closed door that would take him to Draco.

“I realize that now. It seems I’ve been spending too much time with you. Your tendency to jump to conclusions must have rubbed off on me,” he teased.

“That’s unfair. I most certainly do not jump to conclusions,” Harry argued. “Ever!”

“Whatever you say, boyfriend,” Draco replied and that stopped Harry in his tracks.

“What did you just call me?” he asked, a wide grin breaking across his face.

“Something you’ll never get to hear again if you don’t get in here and save me!” Draco replied, his voice a desperate hiss. “I think she knows you’re here!”

Harry paused and ducked low to the ground as he eased the door open. Sure enough, a curse flew over his head, right where his chest would have been if not for Draco’s warning. He fired back, but he couldn’t see where the faerie was and his shot went too wide.

The faerie screamed, a high-pitched, nasty little noise and Harry had to cover his ears for fear his head might explode from the sound of it. He saw Draco at once, lying prone on one of the benches, and his heart ached to see him so defenseless. He ran, weaving through the spells the faerie tried to hit him with until he stood defending his love, very much enjoying how that sounded in his mind.

Harry put up a shield Charm so that he could get a closer look at Draco to ensure he hadn’t been harmed. The faerie had placed Draco in the most ridiculous looking Edwardian outfit; complete with a frilly cravat and pearly white stockings. Harry would have laughed except he didn’t think Draco would find the humor in being transformed into a porcelain doll for the faerie to play with.

“Kiss me!” Draco gasped through his mind, and Harry looked down at his unmoving form with impatience.

“I don’t think now is the time to start snogging, Draco,” he huffed, but the blond’s voice in his head was insistent.

“Just shut up and kiss me, Harry!” he demanded, and Harry found he was unable to deny the blond anything.

Harry leaned down; ignoring the shrieking protests from the wicked little faerie and pressed his lips to Draco’s for the first time. As far as first kisses went, it was a bit one-sided. But just as Harry was about to pull away, he felt Draco’s fingers twine through his wild hair and those previously lifeless lips responded with fervor, drinking Harry in.

A soft moan vibrated through him, and Harry found himself exploring every inch of the Slytherin’s mouth, memorizing it in case this was all an elaborate dream. When they finally broke apart, Draco sighed contentedly and gazed up into Harry’s bright, emerald eyes. “I always knew you were my knight in shining armor,” he whispered, which brought a tender smile to Harry’s lips.

“Do you have a fetish for being rescued? Should I be worried?” Harry teased, but Draco grabbed his neck and pulled him into another kiss. It wasn’t until they stopped, each gasping for breath, that Harry realized he should have been hit by a curse long before now.

Grasping Harry’s line of thinking, Draco turned and they both looked over to see the faerie staring at them with a petulant pout on her face. “I never get to have any fun,” she huffed. “You blasted humans and your true love,” she whined, making the words sound like they were an unwanted substance on her tongue, “always mucking everything up!”

The faerie practically stomped her foot in frustration and all Harry could do was roll his eyes. “If you’re going to kill us, would you get it over with already,” he groaned.

“How about you stop being so hasty, Harry,” Draco warned through gritted teeth, his fake smile unwavering.

“You should listen to the blond one,” the faerie snarled. “He’s obviously the more clever of the two of you, not that that’s saying much.”

“Hey!” both boys protested at once, but the faerie just waved away their shouts and crossed her arms over her chest.

“Nevermind,” she huffed. “It doesn’t matter anyway. Now that you’ve kissed him awake, I can’t touch either of you.” Harry got the distinct feeling, by the tone she used, that he and Draco were supposed to feel sorry for foiling her plans, but she popped out of sight in the next moment, so Harry simply sagged with relief instead.

“Do you think she’s coming back?” Harry asked.

“Probably not,” Draco mused. “Faeries are fickle creatures. She’s probably already moved on to a new target by now.”

“Do you think we should go and make sure everyone else is awake?” Harry asked, staring into his lover’s mercurial eyes.

“I’m not too worried about it,” Draco replied, planting another lingering kiss on Harry’s lips. “I’m sure they’ll wake up eventually, and if they don’t we can always seek help from the Ministry.”

“Aren’t you curious which House will take the cup?” Harry asked, pursing his lips. The blond had made such a big deal out of it only weeks ago, but now he seemed thoroughly distracted.

Draco shrugged and ran his fingers along Harry’s jaw. “I think you were right before. You should win it for saving the entire school.”

“But I was only trying to save you. Do I get a prize from you as well?” Harry asked, waggling his eyebrows suggestively.

“We can reenact your heroic saving of my life if you’d like?” Draco offered and Harry grinned.

“Only this time, perhaps it wouldn’t be simply a kiss that woke you from your enchanted sleep,” Harry proposed.

“Oh, my dirty little knight in shining armor, whatever will I do with you?” Draco purred as he pulled his boyfriend on top of him and plied him with kisses.

“Well, you’ve had a nice long nap, so you should have plenty of energy to experiment,” Harry goaded and Draco chuckled, his eyes filled with lust at he stared up into his boyfriend’s eyes. Draco could have told Harry he loved him right then, but he didn’t need to. There were no more secrets between them now, and Harry could feel those three little words whooshing through his mind as if Draco had said them aloud.

And in a way, that was even better, because Harry knew it was true.

FIN

Author’s Note: I had fun with this one, even though it took me a while to finish it. Next up, Snow White and the Seven Weasleys. If anyone has a request, well, I'm sure you all know how to get in touch with me by now, and if you don't you can find that info on my profile.