Chapter 8
Just a day before the start of Christmas break, Harry suddenly disappeared after lunch.
Draco frantically hammered on Severus' door, almost punching his godfather in the process, when the man opened the door. "Merlin, Draco! What happened?", Severus asked. He was dressed in a white button-down shirt and black pants. "Harry is gone!", Draco exclaimed. Severus paled and didn't even bother putting on a robe. He followed Draco to the entrance hall, where a few Slytherins already were preparing to search for Harry. They eyed Severus, having never seen him without his black robes. "Alright, Miss Parkinson, Mr. Zabini and Mr. Nott, you'll search the east wing, Miss Greengrass, Miss Bulstrode and Mr. Morran, you'll search the west wing, Draco, you come with me, we'll search outside!", Severus ordered calmly, but inside his chest anxiety was rising. Everyone ran off and Draco and Severus quickly rushed outside. Severus cast a warming charm on him. He send Draco to go over the grounds while he strode towards the forest.
After walking for a few minutes, Severus found traces in the snow. Footprints of bare feet. He hurriedly followed them until he landed on a clearing after about 15 minutes. What he saw captivated him. There, on the clearing, unicorns had gathered. Beautiful white creatures, brighter than the snow. In between them, a black haired boy was standing, incessantly combing his fingers through their mane. He was looking into the distance, not quite seeing. The Professor send out a quick Patronus to Draco, telling him to go back to the castle and inform his friends, that Harry was found. Severus carefully neared the unicorn, fully knowing how sensitive they were to the dark magic radiating from his Dark Mark. Surprisingly, they didn't try to run away. Slowly, Severus reached out and softly touched one of the unicorns. He continued walking through the horses to get to Harry. The man decided to take the long route, so Harry would see him coming. He cleared his throat and watched, if Harry would show a reaction.
"I know you're here, Severus. I heard you", Harry quietly said. He finally moved his head and looked at Severus. "Can I come to you?", the man asked and Harry nodded. Severus made his way through the unicorns, careful not to poke himself on the horns. When he reached Harry, the boy immediately leaned into his arms. Severus softly embraced him and just held him. "What are you doing out here in the cold? And without shoes?", Severus asked and was involuntarily reminded of finding Miss Lovegood barefoot several times in the forest. When he had asked her how, the girl had only responded with a "I like the sound my feet make on the snow". Severus guessed it was pretty much the same for Harry. He patiently waited for Harry to answer his question. "Someone called me, telling me to come to the forest. I did", Harry confessed. "Before I could go deeper, Athalan stopped me. They protected me against the shadow", he added. Severus had questions. "Harry, dear. First of all, who called you?", Severus asked, trying not to sound distraught. Harry shrugged. Severus knew there wouldn't come more, so he asked his next question: "Who is Athalan?" Harry pointed to the biggest stallion on the clearing, a majestic creature with a long, flowing mane. "Before you ask how I know his name, Professor Malus told me a few weeks ago", Harry mumbled and Severus nodded. "And now... what shadow? Do you still see it?", he asked gently. Harry shook his head. "I never saw it in the first place, but I strongly expected a shadow to be there", the boy admitted. Before Severus could say something, Harry turned around in his arms. "Can you give me a strong hug? I'm feeling floaty." Severus obediently did.
#
"Harry, sweetheart. Hey...", Draco whispered, so as not to startle Harry. The blonde carefully set down on the bed. His boyfriend sat there, gently rocking back and forth. He smiled brightly to Draco. "Dray... I'm sorry for scaring you. It won't happen again in the next time. Severus made me a special potion so I don't hear voices. Please let's not talk about it, please. I wanted to ask you if I can come over for a few days between Christmas and new year", Harry babbled quickly, not giving Draco time to address what happened. The blonde respected his boyfriends wish not to talk about it and smiled. "Of course you can. My parents wanted to invite you anyway", Draco said and Harry kissed him. They sank down on the bed, Draco starting let his hands travel over Harry's body, brushing his nipples. Harry leaned into the touch. "Oh...", he moaned and moved his mouth to suck at Draco's neck. They still hadn't seen each other completely naked. "Dray... do you... want to shower with me?", Harry asked, suddenly a bit shy. The blonde started to smile and nodded. They stood up and Draco dragged Harry out of his bedroom. The smaller boy giggled.
When they passed the living room on the way to the bathroom, neither of them noticed Severus sitting in his armchair. The man looked up from his book and saw a blushing Harry getting pulled by a happy looking Draco. When he heard the bathroom door slam shut, Severus grinned to himself and precautionary cast a Muffliato on himself.
In the bathroom, Harry and Draco had continued their snogging session, carefully removing their clothes. As soon as they both were naked, Draco paused to look at Harry. After a few minutes, Harry started to squirm and asked: "Well... do you like what you see?" He laughed a bit nervously. Draco just couldn't get enough of the sight. "You're drop dead gorgeous", Draco marvelled. Harry blushed. "So are you", he breathed. They slowly approached each other, holding each other close and moving into the shower. Harry turned on the water and the boys sensually cuddled and gently swayed from side to side. Their members rubbed against one another, sending sparks of good feeling into their owners. Quiet moans filled the room and Draco tightened his grip on Harry. "Can I touch you?", he whispered into Harry's ear and when the smaller boy moaned as an answer, the Slytherin gently grabbed his boyfriend's penis and started stroking up and down the shaft. Harry mirrored Draco's actions and soon they both metaphorically dissolved into moans. Their semen mixed and went down the drain. After coming down from their high, Draco and Harry washed themselves and left the shower.
Draco softly traced the scars on Harry's arms. "They make me ugly", Harry whispered. Draco shook his head. "They don't make you ugly, love. They make you strong. I love every part of you", he reassured his boyfriend and placed a kiss on his forehead. Harry sighed and started dressing himself. They left the bathroom and headed to the living room. Harry froze on the spot and Draco almost collided with him. "What's-", he started, but following Harry's gaze he was met with a knowingly smirking Severus. "Had fun, you two?", Severus asked, wiggling his eyebrows. Harry flushed the deepest shade of red while Draco looked everywhere but at his godfather, whereas Severus was having a great time. "It's quite alright, do what you like, I gave you my blessing", he shrugged, after he had calmed down.
#
"I'll let my parents know you're coming between Christmas and New Year, alright?" They were standing behind the barrier to Platform 9 3/4, Draco hugging Harry. "Okay. Dray, I already miss you and we're not even separated yet. I love you so very much, I'll write you", Harry whispered and Draco kissed Harry gently. "It'll only be a few days", he said and after a few last kisses, Goodbyes and I love you's, Harry went to the Dursley's who were waiting for him in the main hall of King's cross. His boyfriend went back through the barrier to meet his parents, who welcomed him warmly.
"Harry!", Dudley shouted and waved at his cousin. Harry smiled and waved back. Aunt Petunia immediately pulled him into a hug and Uncle Vernon patted him on the back. "Who was that young gentleman?", he asked his nephew and took his trunk. "That's Draco. My boyfriend", Harry answered and Dudley chuckled. "You two are really cute together", he honestly said. "Yes, we should invite him some time", Aunt Petunia offered. "Actually", Harry said and skipped a few feet, "I'll go to him for the days between Christmas and New Year. I was hoping we could invite him and his family for New Year's Eve. You won't be able to accompany me to him, since the Manor he lives in is Muggle repellent." The Dursley's accepted that and they still were ready to host for the Malfoy family. They had reached the car and Uncle Vernon heaved Harry's trunk into the boot. After everyone was seated in the car, Uncle Vernon started driving. "What do you think about stopping for dinner?", Aunt Petunia asked. Harry and Dudley looked at each other, back to Petunia and nodded excitedly.
The dinner had been really good. Aunt Petunia had brought Harry's special plate and the nice waiter had asked the cook to prepare food on this plate. Now, Harry and Dudley sat on the couch in front of the telly and watched the last few minutes of a movie called "The Polar-Express".
"By the way, Harry, where is Hedwig?", Aunt Petunia asked from where she was sitting on the kitchen table, writing Christmas cards. "She is still at Hogwarts. My boyfriend also has an owl, Salomon, and Hedwig and him are kind of... a couple?", Harry explained and Uncle Vernon joked: "Just like their owners." Harry chuckled. "Are you guys really okay with this?", he asked. "Of course we are, Harry. It's something very normal. And love isn't something we could forbid you", Uncle Vernon reassured his nephew and the boy smiled. When he lay in bed that night, he thought of Draco and felt nothing but love for his boyfriend.
#
Harry looked at his night stand. The clock showed 2:27 am. The itchy feeling of something looking at him was getting stronger every second. Rationally, he knew there wasn't anything in his room. Harry started feeling the need to cut himself. That was what he had feared. Just before he had left Hogwarts, the boy had talked to Severus about being scared of suddenly needing to cut himself. Severus had reassured Harry, said that he was strong and would be able to fight it. The man gave Harry a stone. "Take it into your palm and close your fist if you need help, I have the counterpart, it'll glow and inform me. I'll touch it and you'll know you're not alone", Severus had said.
Harry eyed the stone. He still was convinced that something was watching him and he noticed, that he had started to lightly scratch at his arms. Quickly, Harry took the stone and prayed to Merlin, that Severus would notice. After about 5 minutes waiting, the stone in Harry's hand started to glow in a deep blue and purple colour with white specks. Following an instinct, Harry stood up and put the stone in the middle of his room. It transformed his bedroom into a night sky.
Harry softly started crying, feeling overwhelmed by the sudden wave of comfort that radiated from the stone.