Chapter 8
Harry looked nervously at Jasper a week later. Edward had gone off to Alaska to regain control after Bella almost sent her into a frenzy. He wanted to ask Jasper for something but didn't know if Jasper would give it to him so he just drank his applesauce and kept glancing at him.
"What is wrong, Darlin'? Do you need something?" Jasper asked tucking Harry's hair behind his ear.
Harry bit his lip a bit.
"Uh......I.....uh......later." Harry mumbled.
"Why's he drinking applesauce?" they all heard Bella asking.
"Harry has drank a jar of applesauce ever since Jasper started bringing them for him." Harry hadn't bothered to learn the name of the girl that Bella was talking to and didn't care to. Jessica was it? He thought maybe that was it. "He doesn't eat much otherwise. He's anorexic, clearly."
Harry flinched and stared hard at the table. He'd been trying to eat more. He had eaten his entire lunch and the jar of applesauce today. He reached for Draco's lunch but Draco stopped his hand.
"Don't force yourself to eat." Draco told him gently lowering Harry's hand onto the table and releasing it. "I don't want you to get sick. She doesn't know anything and we'll report her for spreading these terrible rumors around."
Jessica's voice reached them again.
"They say that Harry has some kind of medical condition that keeps him from eating but that's a load of crap, really." she laughed tossing her hair. "I mean just look at him."
Harry buried himself in Jasper's side and hid his head a blush of shame on his cheeks. Tears in his eyes. Jasper held him and comforted him.
"I wanna go home." Harry mumbled.
Andromeda was not pleased when she found out why Harry wanted to go home early. She yelled at the Principal until he called Jessica, and her parents into the office. Then yelled at them about Jessica spreading such horrid rumors about Harry.
"His only medical issue is anorexia." Jessica scoffed. "I mean seriously look at him. He hardly eats anything and he's so skinny...."
"You are jealous that Harry looks cuter than you." Jasper snapped. "It's okay, Harry, we know that you aren't anorexic and once you are on Severus' special medicine for a bit you'll be eating normal amounts of food eventually."
Harry clung to him still hiding his head. He was so upset.
Jessica kept it up and kept it up. She thought that she was right and literally said she'd told the entire school that Harry was anorexic and wasn't going to stop.
Harry was crying by the time he was put in the car. He was still clinging to Jasper who was trying his best to comfort him. Andromeda drove him home and told Severus what had happened.
"I assure you that Jessica is just jealous." Jasper informed as Harry and Teddy slept against him. "Harry has many male admirers and most of the school thinks that he's too pretty to be male. She is one of the ones who thinks that Harry is just acting like a male and is really female. Gender-confused she's said." he ran his fingers through Harry's hair and kissed his head. "Harry is safe with my family and I, Luna, and Draco but I do not think that the school is best for Harry's mental health."
Harry snuggled closer to him and Jasper smiled down at him.
They talked it over while Harry and Teddy slept on.
Harry was glancing at Jasper again as they relaxed in his room.
"What is wrong, Darlin'?" Jasper asked tilting Harry's head back by the chin to look him in the eye. "Did I do something wrong?"
"No." Harry said quickly. "I........I just.......I just want to....to kiss you......"
He blushed deeply.
"Well, all you had to do was say so, darlin'." Jasper chuckled.
Harry was happy when Jasper's lips touched his own and began moving against them. Harry closed his eyes and kissed back. His body was instantly burning. He felt amazing and he was so happy to finally be kissing Jasper. It felt amazing. Kissing Cho and Ginny had never felt like this before but then neither of them had been his soulmate. Kissing his soulmate was like nothing he'd ever experienced before. The kiss ended way too soon for his liking and he wanted so much more. He was left breathless. His eyes fluttered open and he stared into Jasper's red eyes.
"I have wanted to do that for a long while now, darlin'." Jasper informed him. "You are so cute."
"I liked that." Harry told him. "Do you think....that......that....."
"We can kiss whenever you want, darlin'." Jasper chuckled. "But I must get myself used to it. I want you so bad that...."
Harry put a Blood Pop in Jasper's mouth.
"Do you get hungry when I'm around you? Like Edward does with Bella?"
"No. Not like that. I do not get hungry with you." Jasper tried to explain. "But I do crave you. To hold you....to be with you....and I get excited and can't control the venom in my fangs...So I need to learn to control myself with you. We will take it slow until I learn this control because I will not risk hurting you in any way."
"You are so sweet, Jasper. Thank you." Harry said and leaned against him. He kissed Jasper's cheek. "Do the Blood Pops help with that?"
"Do not worry, Darlin'. I will master how to control this." Jasper repeated.
Everyone could tell that Harry was happier than normal later that day.
Draco finally asked why while Harry sat in the lab while he and Severus brewed.
"Jasper and I had our first kiss." Harry told them happily. "It was amazing. The most amazing thing in the world."
Draco pursed his lips.
"You are going to fast. You're supposed to be courting. You should not be kissing for another year or two." Draco stated.
"Maybe we do not want to do your stupid courting." Harry snapped at him. "He showers me in gifts, and we talk every day, he takes me out on fabulous dates, and he so nice and sweet and treats me like I'm the most important thing in his world. We are soulmates so we don't need to court. We are perfect for each other. Screw you and your traditions."
It was clear to both Severus and Draco that Draco had made Harry angry with his words.
Harry left the room and went to the workout room where he began working on walking again. He wanted to walk again. He hated sitting in his chair all the time. He kept pushing himself harder and harder to walk. He kept going until he was exhausted just when he thought that he would fall arms caught him. He looked back to see that it was Severus.
"Draco didn't mean to upset you." Severus explained as he helped him back into his chair. "He is just used to the traditions. He was never taught the proper traditions for when one meets their soulmate. I will inform him. You are right on track, don't worry. Go at your own pace and do your own thing."
"Thanks." Harry said to him.
"You shouldn't force yourself to work so hard." Severus sighed as he pushed him back to his room. "I understand that you wish to talk again that is why Andromeda and I have come up with a way to help you. It is one of those exercise machines where they walk on it. We've got it rigged with all sorts of magic that will keep track of your progress. All of it since you started the healing process. It will chart it and show how well you are doing. It will also have goals for you to reach and the goals will get harder and harder until you are fully healthy again. But for now....rest."
Harry fought off sleep as he lay on his bed. He didn't want to sleep. He wanted Jasper.