Chapter 44 Dudley
Chapter 44 Dudley
Surprisingly one of Dudley’s first thoughts upon waking was that he really needed a shower. The filth of the last few days clung to him, dirt underneath his nails and blood now crispy in his hair. He needed to wash it away, both the grime and the memories of that night. He was surprised Draco could bear to be in the same room as him. He could smell himself.
‘Draco?’
Draco was sat in the chair opposite. They had both collapsed in exhaustion after their last conversation.
‘Mmm?’ He answered not opening his eyes.
‘Can we shower?’
Draco kept his eyes closed but his lips formed a smile, Dudley couldn’t help but start smiling too.
‘Yes’ Draco answered opening his eyes, stretching and standing up.
Dudley hadn’t actually left the bed since waking up, he wasn’t quite sure the best way to move without agitating the enormous gash on his stomach. It sliced right through the scars Bellatrix had left all the way from one side to the other, like the dementors had been trying to slice him in half. His stomach was beginning to look like a patchwork quilt. Draco was stood at the edge of the bed clearly trying to figure out how they were going to get Dudley to the shower. Dudley lifted his arms like a child waiting to be picked up. Draco bent down and placed Dudley’s arms around his neck, then he used his arms and hand to brace Dudley’s back as he pulled them both up. The movement sent a sharp sting across his stomach but he bit his lip to stop himself crying out.
‘Okay?’ Draco asked.
‘Yep.’ Dudley lied.
They slowly hobbled across the room together, Draco bearing most of Dudley’s weight. It was an impressive wound, but Dudley couldn’t shake the feeling that the dementors had taken a particular dislike to him, they hadn’t sliced at Draco in the same way. Dudley recalled his last encounter with the creatures in the underpass, even then they had seemed to aim for him more than Harry, they had sliced at his arm ripping his shirt, violence they hadn’t shown Harry. A sudden jolt of pain pulled Dudley from his thoughts, even the smallest of movements could pull at the gash sparking bolts of pain through his body. Draco had a worried expression on his face that Dudley hated. They made their way along the wood panelled corridor, it was lined with pretty watercolour landscapes in wooden frames. They arrived at the master bedroom, the carpet was thick under his bare feet. The bed was made, dusty white cotton sheets on a hardwood bed-frame. It looked organic, like it could have grown out of the wooden walls. It was simple but cosy, a window allowed dappled sunlight through but sheer curtains kept the glare out. Draco pulled them through to the en suite. The bathroom was large, painted a crisp white with soft green hexagonal tiles. There was a long dead pot plant on the window sill, outside Dudley could see the English countryside. A field of unbothered sheep pottered around bleating occasionally, wooden fencing and rolling hills dotted the landscape. A large oak separated two fields towering over them both and providing shade. A stream cut through the landscape, meandering and bordered by taller grass and colourful wildflowers. Momentarily Dudley was dumbstruck by the picturesque view. Suddenly aware of his own mortality, he couldn’t believe he was still alive to see the beauty of the world. He had been so sure he would die. A tear threatened at the corner of his eye.
‘You okay?’ Draco asked.
‘Yeah.’ Dudley replied. ‘Just… happy I think. I can’t believe we’re here’
He turned to look at Draco.
Draco planted a firm kiss on his lips.
‘I haven’t cleaned my teeth in days’ Dudley laughed.
‘I don’t care.’ Draco said kissing him again.
The bathroom shower was an individual cubicle. They couldn’t both fit and Dudley was finding standing on his own tricky, he couldn’t have showered alone, and he didn’t want to either.
They decided on the bath instead. It was large and circular, more like a small hot tub, it was clad in the same wood panelling as the bedroom walls. Draco sat Dudley on the toilet seat and started to run the bath. Dudley saw a toothbrush and some toothpaste on the side, he leaned over and brushed his teeth, he felt instantly better as the strong mint foamed in his mouth.
‘No hot water.’ Draco said.
Dudley’s heart sank, it must have shown on his face because Draco quickly followed it up with.
‘Don’t worry I can heat it with magic.’
Dudley remembered how he had feared magic, loathed it even. It turned out when Draco was the one performing it, he actually found it quite amazing.
When the bath was ready, Draco helped Dudley out of his underwear. Hooking his fingers in Dudley’s waistband and pulling them down for him. It wasn’t sexy but the gentle care that Draco showed, the way his fingertips brushed all the way down the length of his legs, the tenderness and affection made Dudley stiffen slightly. Dudley blushed when Draco noticed. He responded by kissing Dudley’s shoulder. Draco helped him in, bracing his upper half to allow Dudley to step in without pulling on his stomach.
Dudley melted as he descended into the warmth, the water sank into his bones relaxing his muscles, even the pain of the heat on his wound was a satisfying kind of pain, just on the right side of too painful.
He let out a long sigh and the tension he had been holding was slowly drawn out by the hot water.
Dudley’s eyes were shut but he knew Draco was stood close by watching him. He extended an arm in his general direction.
‘Come in.’ It was an order not a request.
‘You’re sure?’
‘Completely.’
Dudley opened his eyes to watch Draco undress. He had adapted quickly to having one hand, he took his clothes off quickly and gracefully. Dudley soaked up the sight of him, naked in the warm sunlight streaming in through the bathroom window. His substantial manhood on full display. He was angelic, lithe and elegant, he was made of sharp lines and he exuded an innate elegance that Dudley would never be able to emulate. Dudley didn’t deserve him, his body was too soft, too big, it paled in comparison.
‘You’re so beautiful.’ Dudley said ‘I don’t deserve you.’
Draco shook his head
‘You deserve better than me.’
‘Come in.’ Dudley insisted and Draco climbed into the water. The tub was big but it was crowded with the two of them in together.
Dudley softly pulled Draco on top of him, Draco allowed himself to be moved, he straddled Dudley’s legs careful not to touch his torso. Dudley could feel Draco’s length resting on his thigh, the feeling sending sparks to his groin.
‘You’re perfect.’ Dudley whispered.
‘There’s no one else on this earth I would rather have, it’s like I was dead before I knew you. There was something buried deep within me and you found it, you dragged it out of me and grew it in to something beautiful. You found a seed in me that I didn’t even know existed. I’m a better person when you’re with me, you make me brave, I’ve done things I could never have even dreamt of, and it’s because of you. I look at you and it feels like I catch fire.’
Draco’s mouth was trembling, he tried to speak but had to swallow before he could form words properly.
‘But I’m not a good per-‘
‘-Yes you are’ Dudley wouldn’t let him finish his sentence.
‘We are both better people now, because we have each other. Okay?’
Draco nodded.
‘I-I Iove… I love...’ He stuttered but he couldn’t quite make it to the end of his sentence.
‘…I love you too.’ Dudley interrupted.
Draco relaxed on him, muscles turning to jelly, they both let out a breath like they couldn’t quite believe what had just happened. They had both known it long ago but saying it out loud felt like signing a contract, there was no going back. Draco let himself slide off Dudley and settled himself next to him. They sat in silence for a few minutes, allowing their words to penetrate and enjoying the warmth of the water and the feeling of their bare skin touching. Dudley felt so full, despite everything, the torture, the deaths of his parents, the impending certainty of his own imprisonment he still felt like he had won the lottery. He couldn’t bring himself to care about the horrors when Draco was safely tucked next to him, letting out contented sighs every few minutes.
They laid in the bath together until their fingers were pruned and the water was lukewarm. Draco helped Dudley out and they spent the rest of the day lounging In the master bedroom, Draco found a book in the living room and started to read Northanger Abbey out loud, his voice so soporific it slowly lulled Dudley into a contented sleep.
The following morning Dudley woke to find Draco staring at him.
‘That’s slightly disconcerting Draco’ he croaked.
‘Sorry. Your breathing slowed down. I was worried something was wrong.’
‘You’re sweet.’
‘Shut up.’ Draco blushed.
‘I love you.’ Dudley said, for no other reason than he could.
‘I love you too.’ Draco replied immediately and he kissed Dudley’s forehead.
‘Hungry?’
‘There’s food?’
‘I went out after you fell asleep, I used an invisibility spell to steal from the corner shop.’
‘Draco! Stealing?’
‘Well we have no muggle money! Would you rather starve?’
Dudley didn’t really have an answer to that.
‘I am hungry.’ He admitted.
‘I’ll make us breakfast.’
Draco flung back the sheets and slipped out of bed. Dudley had to stifle a small gasp as he watched Draco’s naked body leave the room. He really was beautiful.
Dudley realised he was also naked, they hadn’t bothered redressing before they had slept, the sheets had kept them covered up well enough.
Dudley laid in bed a bit longer but found it was a lot less comfortable without Draco. He managed to get himself into a seated position to examine the gash on his middle. It was deep and long. Draco had done a neat job stitching him back together, the floss was holding the flesh together nicely but it was still new and raw, it itched and felt tight, moving quickly was agony but if he moved slowly the pain was more manageable. He steeled himself and attempted to stand, using the bedside table for support. He attempted a step and found that if he remained in a slightly hunched position that he could slowly shuffle.
He must have looked ridiculous stark naked and staggering slowly across the room. He found his way to the kitchen easily, following his nose more than anything else, the smell of cooking acting as a compass.
‘Dudley! What are you doing?’
Draco was frying eggs on the hob, he had pulled on a large jumper, probably for protection from spitting eggs. The sight of him drowning in an oversized jumper but naked from the waist down made Dudley’s mouth water more than the smell of the food.
‘Wow.’ Dudley said.
Draco was already rushing toward him with a dining chair, he placed it behind him and Dudley sat, secretly glad, he was beginning to see spots, though that could have just been the sight of Draco short circuiting his brain.
‘Thankyou.’ He smiled.
‘You can’t push yourself, you have to be careful. That is no joke.’ He pointed at Dudley’s stomach.
‘Yes sir.’ Dudley replied.
Their casual nakedness felt so intimate, Dudley had never bared himself like this to anyone before, it was exhilarating.
When the food was finished Draco dragged Dudley and his chair to the table and they ate together. Eggs on toast with orange juice. It was the best meal Dudley had had in weeks, simple and delicious and sweeter for having been cooked by Draco.
Dudley was still in pain but he was so incandescently happy that he could barely find the energy to care. He couldn’t help imagining a domestic life with Draco, putting out the bins, cooking together, lazy Sunday mornings and naked breakfasts. If they survived, it could be their future, they could do all of those things together. The idea was so appealing that Dudley revised his wording, not ‘if’ they survived but ‘when.’