Protege

Title: Protégé part one

Warnings and n: Th: This is a slash fic, which means that it involves two guys having strong feelings for one another. This is your only warning; so if you do not like reading about two men in love, then don’t read. Go read some other fic. Do not harass the author, please.

Note that this is my first Harry Potter story. I am not new to the Yaoi/slash concept, and I have written many fics for the Gundam Wing universe (and been writing GW fics for over two years!). So hopefully I will do a pretty decent story telling job for this universe. *Covers head and gets ready for the beatings*

Special thanks goes to my lovely beta reader LadyViolet and my friend Brandy, who knows a bit more about the HP world than I do (at this time), and for correcting any kind of errors that I have overlooked.

Contents: This fic will contain Slash, sap, drama, angst, adventure (let’s hope), and maybe lime, depending on my muse. And of course magic. (Draco muse: DUH! *slaps her across the head*)

Pairings: Draco/Harry, Ron/Hermione

Year: 6th

Disclaimer: I do NOT own any of these characters! J.K. Rowlings is the wonderful person who does, and I wish her luck with her next book. I will read the others, I promise!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Thunder crashed as Draco sat up with a start, heart pounding a mile a minute. He breathed a sigh of relief once he realized that it was just a dream, and then ran a shaky hand through his messy blond locks. It was the fourth night in a row that he’d had this dream, and each time it kept getting worse. He had tried using the Dreamless Sleep potion two nights ago, but that hadn’t helped one bit. The nightmare kept popping into his head and would not leave him be.

“Why *him* of all people?” Draco groaned to himself as he got up. “Why? Have I done something truly horrific that I need to be punished with *this*? Huh??” He stomped over to his dresser, not being very considerate to the others in the room, and opened up the first drawer. He took out a parchment and studied over the written words. “This is perfect.” He began to practice wand movements that he had been planning.

It had been fairly simple to the blond Slytherin. A few tweaks here and there, and the improvement of an old charm was finished. He was so proud of what he did, he couldn’t wait any longer. He just had to try it out. The worst that could happen, he figured, was that the spell could backfire and he could get the charm slapped on himself instead.

Walking with a purpose, Draco soon found himself in front of the painting of the fat lady wearing the pink dress. “Password?” Draco blinked, thinking back to what he heard a few days ago what that Mudblood girl had said to that other Gryffindor mutt during Care of Magical Creatures.

“Honestly, Neville, how in the world could you forget the password for this week?? It’s so simple!” Hermione had huffed, her voice carrying farther than she intended it to. “Have you really forgotten ‘Slytherin’s Suck’? Ron was the one who came up with it, and you agreed!” She thenhed hed in frustration and walked off to join her group of friends.

Draco had to chuckle at the way that Longbottom looked when Hermione had went off on him, but then he frowned when he remembered what the password was. Well, did he want in or not? Deciding to put his pride off to the side for now, Draco sighed heavily and then grumbled under his breath. He made sure that the fat lady could hear him.

“Slytherin’s Suck.” He pronounced. He shook his head, not believing he had the balls to say it.

The lady in the painting smiled widely and opened for him. Draco walked in carefully; still unable to believe he had actually said that. “Not my fault those Gryffin-idiots chose that as their password. It is rather clever though,” he whispered to himself. “What Slytherin in their right mind would really try guessing that as the password? Even though it would be quite obvious.”

He ted ted himself for voicing his thoughts out loud and took the set of stairs that went up to the boy’s dormitory. He crept into the room marked 6th year that his target was occupying along with four other teens. He took sight of who was in which bed (the other’s curtains weren’t drawn) and drew his wand out, waving it at the other beds, whispering something as he cast a spell. And then, as silently as he could, Draco tiptoed over toward the drawn curtains of a certain bed. They were only closed half way, and when Draco moved around to see the occupant lying in the bed, he gasped when a pair of green eyes rose to meet his.

~**~

Harry hadn’t been very tired when he first crawled into bed, so he decided to do a bit of light reading to make his eyes more sleepy. He was reading a book on Quidditch History when he heard the sound of soft footsteps. At first, he thought that it was just someone getting up to go use the loo, but when he felt that someone was actually *watching* him, he looked up from what he was reading.

What Harry saw did not only surprise the hell out of him, but it also gave him some relief. Was he really glad to see Malfoy? No, not really. But he was glad that it wasn’t a teacher, or one of the girl admirers (he knew that they would be just crazy enough to try sneaking in), or even You-Know-Who. He’d rather it have been Ron or Seamus though, and not this git.

“What the HELL are you doing here, Malfoy?” Harry bit out, trying to keep himself quiet at the same time. Draco seemed to know the reason for the whispering and he smirked. He just stood there for a minute, staring.

“Oh,” Draco drawled finally, “You’re awake.”

“No, really?” Harry sneered.

Draco waved a dismissing hand, “No need to whisper. I put a Deafening Spell around their beds.” He nodded his head in the direction of the others.

Harry took note of the wand in Draco’s hand, “You were going to curse me, weren’t you?”

Draco laughed, “No, I wasn’t.”

“Yeah, right.” Harry closed the book, “Look, why don’t you just leave? I’m not going to sleep until you do, and when you do leave, I will place a locking spell around the door so that you can’t get back in.”

Draco almost laughed out loud again, but he just smirked at him. “Think whatever you like, Potter. You know damn well that if I did anything to you now, I could be risking having the wrath of most of the school on my head.”

“You’re up to something, Malfoy, and I don’t like it.”

“Oh, of course you don’t.” Draco said, sounding prudish. “Because you’re the so-called hero and I’m the evil Slytherin out for your blood.”

Harry rolled his eyes, “Tell me why you *are* here.”

“No.” Draco said, looking eerily similar to the way he had the day Harry had confronted him about returning Neville’s Remembrall. “I don’t have to. You’re not my boss.” He put his wand back into his sleeve, “I guess I’ll have to try again another day.” He turned on his heel, giving Harry one of his classic wicked smirks, “Sweet dreams… Potter.”

Harry just about leapt out of his bed to go after him but his legs weren’t working. The way Draco’s eyes flashed with more than sarcasm, the way his head turned back to look at him and then back again, the way he swished back around and strode toward the door… it made his knees quake, making it almost impossible to even kneel. Malfoy was very striking, he had to give him that much. He saw the way many girls would look at Draco, many wishing that he would grace their beds one day, or even give them so much as a glance. Harry could see why they fancied him. Yes, Harry let out his breath finally, Draco Malfoy was handsome. But he wasn’t about to admit that to anyone.
^^*^^

A week had passed, and Draco was feeling very agitated. He wanted to try again, tonight, to see if his improved spell would work. If Harry hadn’t been awake that one night, he would have succeeded in casting it on him, and of course by now he would know if it worked. He growled in frustration, but now wasn’t the time to be feeling sorry for himself. He had to get the new password into the Gryffindor’s dorm if he was going to try again.

His eyes caught a Gryffindor first year going into the library. That particular first year just smelt of gullible. He marched into the library in search of the little tyke. He knew that Gryffindors were very brave, so he knew that there was no chance in hell that he could get the password by force. So what did he do? Lie of course.

And he was right about gullible.

“Thanks.” Draco said, smiling as nicely as he could get himself to do.

“You’re welcome! And next time don’t be so shy about asking Professor Dumbledore. I’m sure he’d understand.”

Draco nodded, trying his hardest in keeping his smirk in check. What he thought passed as a smile only looked really creepy to the young Gryffindor, and the boy eeped and stepped back.

When Draco walked out of the library, he couldn’t contain himself any longer and he let out a loud, boisterous laugh that echoed through the hallways. The look on the first year was just too good. “I still got it.” he said, congratulating himself.
~*~

That night, Draco slinked through the halls again to the Gryffindor painting. The big lady smiled, not seeming too surprised to see him back again.

“Password?”

Draco smiled, “Norbert’s fire.”

The fat lady was astonished by the correct answer, but she opened for him anyways. “Good guess, Malfoy.”

“Thank you.” Draco said, feeling smug. He had found his way easily to the right door again and then whipped out his wand. He put a Silence charm around the door before he opened it. He just knew he had to take some extra precaution because of the last incident. He opened the soundless door and peered in. It was almost pitch black, save the one window by Harry’s bed. The curtains around Potter’s bed were almost the same as last time, but the opening looked a bit wider. The window was slightly open, letting in a small cool breeze.

Draco raised his wand, did a little swish and flick at the other boy’s beds, placing the Deafening Charm around them once more. With a Silencing charm, within a given area, you could scream as loud as you want, and no one outside that area will hear you. But, you *can* hear sounds outside that space. With a Deafening charm, a person within a given area cannot hear anything outside that area, though people outside the area can hear them. [1]

With a ‘nicely done, boy’ smile, Draco advanced toward Harry’s bed. He silently peeked around the curtain’s corner and with a small sigh of relief; he saw that his target was asleep. He said a small thanks inside of his head as he walked over to the idle form, raised his wand, and then did the usual swish and flick. He spoke the charm and then watched as Harry glowed a soft blue.

It was either the sound of Draco’s voice, or something internal telling him to awake up, but after Draco had casted the charm, Harry’s eyes popped open. When he saw Draco standing next to him, wand poised, and smirk firmly in place, he scowled and glared deadly at his rival.

“I was right!” Harry hissed, getting himself into a sitting position, “You *were* gonna curse me!”

Draco laughed, and he laughed loudly. That told Harry that he must have placed the Deafening charm around his friends’ beds again. “No,” Draco said, composing himself once more, “That’s not exactly correct.”

Harry continued to glare, “Then why do you have your wand out?”

Draco looked at his wand and then back to Harry. “Oops, forgot to put it away.” He grinned, sticking it back into his sleeve.

“Alright, Malfoy, tell me what you just did.” Harry got up slowly from the bed.

“Don’t worry yourself into a grave… just yet.” Draco snickered, “I didn’t do anything bad.”

“And I’m supposed to believe you?”

Draco shrugged, “It seems odd, yes. But it’s true. Just trust me.”

“Trust and Malfoy don’t really go together, do they?” Harry spat out. When he took a step closer toward the Slytherin, Draco would take a step back. “Hold on, Malfoy, I want some answers.”

Draco smiled, “Answers to what? I didn’t do anything.”

Harry walked briskly around the blond so he could cut off his escape route. Right when Draco turned around for the door, Harry was there, a few inches from his face, with his hand on his chest.

“Tell me what you did, Malfoy. Right now! Tell me what curse you put on me!”

Draco curled his hand around Harry’s and slowly pulled it away from his chest, “I didn’t curse you, Potter.”

“Despite what you have been saying, I don’t trust you.” Harry tried to keep his eyes on Draco’s face, but they kept moving down to their clasped hands.

“If that’s what you think.” Draco smiled smugly.

Harry became flustered when Draco continued to squeeze and caress his hand in Harry’s. “Let go.”

“Why should I?” Draco smirked.

“I said, *Let* *go*!” He yanked his hand back, face going flush.

Draco decided to try again, “I assure you, Potter, I was NOT trying to curse you. You see, given your history, I thought I’d check in to see if you were still in bed and not getting yourself, or your friends, into trouble. In which I would probably have to rescue you from.”

Harry held in a laugh, “Why would you rescue me?”

“Well, we all know who would be blamed if their precious little Golden Boy was harmed. Am I right?”

Harry looked unsure. Still standing a few inches from the blond Slytherin, he began to stare off into space, as if thinking. After a minute of silence, Harry suddenly whispered, “So you didn’t--?”

“No, I didn’t.”

“Then, what?”

Draco sighed, deciding that he might as well tell, because it would be an even bigger mess if he didn’t let him know. “I slapped a Protection Charm on you.”

“You what??” Harry finally lifted his eyes to stare heatedly into Draco’s blue-gray ones.

Draco swallowed a snicker, “Ok, let me explain before you try to curse ME. You see,” he placed his hands onto Harry’s shoulders, “I know that there’s no way for me to convince you that I won’t harm you, so instead I decided to show you. I have put a Protection charm on you, which I tweaked myself, so that only me, your weasel friend, and Granger may touch you. Everyone else will get shocked.”

“Shocked? Like electrocuted??”

“Depends on how soft or hard the touch is.” He demonstrated this by placing a finger lightly on Harry’s cheek. “A soft touch like this only gives the person a small static shock, but it feels like the biggest one they’ve ever received. A harder touch,” he pressed his finger harder into his cheek, “and it feels like you’ve stuck your finger in a Muggle’s electrical thing.”

“And a hand shake or a hug?” Harry asked, even though he was afraid to.

“Let’s just say, burning flesh.” Draco smirked wickedly, moving his hands to rest lightly on Harry’s back, letting his forearms dangle on Harry’s shoulders. “Understand?”

Harry was furious.

“How-how could you?? What if there’s an emergency and someone other than you or my friends had to touch me? And, and,” Harry tried to stumble back away from Draco, who seemed to be getting closer and closer to him. The only thing that it resulted in was Draco moving his arms around Harry’s waist. “What about Hagrid? I hug him, shake his hand, and stuff like that… and what about the Weasely twins? I shake hands with them, mostly after Quidditch practice and matches!” His green eyes blazed with intensity as he continued his rant. “And have you forgotten my other friends- Seamus, Dean, and Neville? Huh?? And Professor McGonagall? Oen Den Dumbledore? If they get hurt because of your idiotic Protection charm--!”

Draco brought Harry into a stronger embrace, strengthening his hold, “I will be telling everyone at lunch tomorrow about it. But, unfortunately, I could only have two other people able to touch you without getting hurt. If I could alter the charm, I would, but it’s too late now.”

Harry seemed to feel himself flush a deep red from head to toe, but then snapped out of it when he realized that the warm body against his was Draco Malfoy’s. “So why did you put this Protection spell on me?” He asked after calming himself more.

“I hope that you will believe me when I say this,” Draco gently moved his head forward more, their noses almost touching. “But I have been having really bad dreams about you getting killed by something.”

“Like that’s news!” Harry scoffed, “Anyways, wouldn’t you be happy to have me dead?”

Draco sighed, but it sounded more like a low growl, “Only *I* have the privilege to defeating you. No one else!” he slowly trailed a finger along Harry’s jaw line, “Nobody else is to have the pleasure but me. When the time comes, I will win you fair and square. It will be ME that accomplishes that goal. No one but ME!”

Harry stood there, still enveloped in Draco’s arms, transfixed.

“Only I will get the pleasure to hearing you beg me for mercy,” Draco went on, leaning in, touching Harry’s nose with his. “Me and me only, Potter.” He moved some of Harry’s bangs away from his ford, ad, and traced a finger over the lightning scar. He gave Harry a half smile, half smirk.

Harry glowered, “Possessive brat as always, aren’t you?”

“Sometimes. Although when I am, I can be quite fierce. And even protective.” Draco smirked. “Well, I must go now. Sleep well.” He turned back around.

Harry stumbled with words, thinking of what he was supposed to say. He was so used to their usual snide remarks to each other that this sort of thing was completely out of his league. What do you say to a person who had been your rival from day one, competed with you in almost everything, and then suddenly turned around and started to act all caring and possessive? What did it mean?

Draco waved his wand and took off the Deafening spell from around the other four beds before walking out.

Just before Draco clicked the door shut, he heard Harry whisper, “Good night, Draco.”

~TBC~

[1] thanks to LadyViolet for a more understanding description:

Many young wizards and witches did not appreciate the sublte differences
between a Silencing Charm and a Deafening Charm, but Draco was one of the
few who had, even before Professor Flitwick's lecture a few months ago.
Silencing Charms allowed people within a given area to discuss anything as
loudly as they wished, and no one outside that particular area would hear a
thing. Those within the area, however, could hear sounds outside of it.
Deafening Charms, on the other hand, were so that the people within a given
area couldn't hear any sound origingating outside that area. Sounds made
within that area, however, could be heard by anyone within earshot.