It had been a bit of a surprise when he saw Malfoy's hair change into the green colour but for some reason he hadn't thought that funny, in fact the words that came to mind was "Cute." But that wasn't right? Could he really find his ex-nemesis cute? No there was no way right?
Ron, Hermione and Harry were all silent as they walked down the halls of the school. Harry had yet again been hit on by no less than five pupils as he sat down to eat dinner, so the mood was heavy. Never in his life did he think that they would continue hitting on him all the bloody time, every day. First, he had tried to be nice to the people coming onto him but now, nope he wanted them to feel his wrath! But luckily, he had his friends that helped him get rid of his fans. And then there was Malfoy, he had been avoiding Harry the whole week. Even if his friends were enjoying it he certainly didn't. He who now had started to enjoy their fights more for each day, but now they suddenly stopped just like that! Had he done something? Oh crap, did I just think that? I should be grateful for not being treated like crap. As they walked towards the common room Harry excused himself. One thing he really wanted now was to be alone, in the common room there was always someone coming up to him and the scent in the school was driving him insane. With slow steps, he walked towards the Owlery after saying goodbye to his friends. That place was often empty during the weekends and therefore a perfect place for Harry to just sit and be alone of a while.
Hermione and Ron shot worried glances at their friend as he walked away from them. Both was starting to worry about Harry as they noticed that each day he only grew more tired from the fans chasing him and that scent that apparently only he could smell. They had to come up with a plan to help their friend even if it was just for a short while.
Inside of the Owlery was quiet and peaceful. The owls that were still inside looked curious at Harry as he sat himself down on a stool. Other than the sound coming from the owls there was absolute quiet. And the only scent up there was coming from the piles of birdpoo on the floor.
"This is heaven! Maybe I should stay up here all day, maybe even every day!" Harry said to himself and looked around. No disturbing fans following him or trying to get his attention and no scent driving him nuts. Why in heavens name was he in the "fans situation"? Was there really a need to mate and bond with someone at such a young age? Well his mother and father had bonded early in their life and so had many couples he knew of. But maybe he just hadn't found the right partner yet, had the crazy people following him thought about that? No probably not! Or if Hermione was correct he had met his mate several times but the person just hadn't had its heat yet. But what was he going to do before he met that special person and how would he find her or him? Ron had suggested to ask everyone in the school to stand in a line and for Harry to go and smell one person after another. But that just sounded desperate and weird, really weird!
A white owl spread its wings and flew to Harry's side. It reminded him of Hedwig, how he missed her. It had been the worst thing ever, losing his family member like that. A smile was shown as he remembered how she often sat there listening to his problems and worries. She had been his support when no one else had been. Harry felt tears growing in his eyes as he remembered when she was shot down to save his life. If only he hadn't let her go and instead given her to someone to look after her as he was away.
But he was happy that he given her a proper funeral as Hagrid had gone out the day after to search for her. Never in his life could Harry understand how Hagrid could have found her but he did and came to Harry with her wrapped in a thick red blanket. Harry himself had dug a grave for her and when it was time he said his goodbye to his dear friend. One white feather had he kept and when everything was too much he often sat with it in his hand as a support. On her gravestone Harry had written "Hedwig, my family, my friend. You will be forever missed."
The white owl on his lap stepped closer and leaned into his hand. Harry started petting it and felt at peace with himself. Maybe he should take Hagrid's advice to get another owl, but it just wouldn't feel right to replace his dearest Hedwig.
Suddenly he heard footsteps on the stairs and Harry's heart fell. Crap I thought I would be alone for a bit more! Should I hide?
Harry looked around in the room and nope he didn't find any place he could hide. As he prepared for the worst when he heard the footsteps only coming closer he continued to stroke the owl in his lap. Then he heard that the person must had noticed him as it grasped for air, but to Harrys sudden surprise the sound reminded him of Malfoy. Harry turned around and saw the blonde standing in the door opening looking rather alarmed.
"Eh, I.." Malfoy looked around and then turned around and hurried of. Harry was so surprised that he just sat still for a moment until his mind caught up. Wait, what the hell? Fast as a golden snitch he ran after Malfoy down the stairs. Why isn't he running like he usually does? Harry could clearly see that Draco was extremely slow in his steps almost as if he was hurt in both his feet. It didn't take long before he was right next to his nemesis. He usually runs faster than this, maybe he is hurt?
"Malfoy what it is the matter with you?!" Harry took a hold onto the blond's shoulder and made him stop running down the stairs. Then he felt something, Malfoy was shaking like a leaf. What is he doing?
"Le-let go-go Potter!" With his mouth hanging opened and one eyebrow raised Harry started to get worried. Had Draco Malfoy just stuttered? No that just couldn't be possible, right?
"Or what?"
Malfoy stopped breathing for a second and just stood still without putting up a fight to get loose. Then it seemed as if he had found his voice again. "Just let me go!" The tone had changed and it more sounded like Malfoy was begging than giving an order. Harry turned the other boy around and when he smelt it. That freaking weird extremely addicting scent was coming from Draco. His whole body was getting hot as he drew in a breath of the scent. Oh dear! Harry could feel his body reacting to the scent, it craved to be near the source of the scent. The pounding of his heart was making all other sounds disappear. His breath quickened and he felt his head move closer to the shivering Malfoy. But after one look in to those blue grey eyes Harry let him go. Malfoy almost tripped when he hurried down the stairs to get away from Harry.
Bloody hell! Harry could still feel it. The emotion craving to get out of his chest. The same time as his nose caught the scent of Malfoy he had felt it. The craving emotion of doing something, but what? He had never in his life felt something like this so it was hard to put into words exactly what it was. His heart was pounding as he remembered the scent of Malfoy. His jaw clenched and the feeling of wanting to bite something was getting stronger. Fuck! Harry didn't want to run after Malfoy but the feeling of the need to bite down in the blonde's neck was getting extreme. With a fast movement, he raised his arm and bit down on it. The feeling of needing to bite something ebbed away and the pain caused his head to clear a bit. That scent, it was different from before, almost like a flower. But that couldn't be right? Alphas didn't smell like flowers or anything sweet, they had an earthier smell. And NO alpha would react that way to an alpha, what were why couples often never where from the same rankings. But why? How could it be? Am I sick or something? Harry released his arm and started to walk down the stairs but slowly to make sure he wouldn't run into Malfoy again.
In the common room, Harry was attacked by his two best friends. Their eyes were beaming and their mouths were up to their ears. What had they been doing while he was out? As they started to jump up and down while holding his arms he caught the scent of alcohol. Have they been drinking? It's only six in the afternoon! Harry didn't think that they could have gotten drunk that fast, he had only been gone for an hour or so. He knew that Ron had a firewhiskey bottle stuffed under his bed for safekeeping but to get this drunk they must have swallowed it whole..
"Harry! Ron and I have just come up with the most splendid idea ever to solve your fan problem until we know who the lucky person is!" Hermione said and started to drag her friend up towards the boy´s bedrooms.
"Why are we heading up to our room? And what lucky person?" Harry was a bit uncertain if he wanted to know what those two had been planning. "Can't we talk about this down stairs?"
"No! What if someone would hear us! Then the plan would fail!" Ron shushed his friend while opening the door to their room.
"So you don't think that yelling that you got a plan to help me with my fan problem in the common room was a bad idea then?" he turned his eyes towards Hermione who didn't falter, instead she was grinning.
"Nope!" She said and pushed Harry inside.
When the door was closed they sat down. "Harry, you want to get rid of the people trying to mate with you, isn't that right? Well until you find the mysterious scent person" Hermione said and seemed really proud of herself. "I am so eager to get to know the person who will be your mate! Maybe we can all be best friends and go out drinking firewhiskey together!" Oh if she knew who that person was she wouldn't say that.
Harry put on his poker face, he had decided before he walked into the common room that he wouldn't tell them about the Malfoy thing just yet. "Well, yes of course I want that I hate to be chased down every day!"
"Then we have a solution!" She continued to say and smiled. Really a solution? How in the world would that sound like? But Hermione is extremely smart so maybe they have gotten something in their sleeves. With a look around she lowered her voice as she leaned in and told Harry their plan. "You only have to get a mate!"
Really, the two hours I have been gone they came up with this idea?! Here I was getting my hopes up for nothing at all! And have they lost their minds? They know I don't like anyone in that way. Well my mind doesn't like anyone in that way! Harry thought back to the stairs and Malfoy, how his body had reacted to the scent. "Really, that's the plan? I came up with the same plan in just ten minutes. I just hope it didn't take two hours for you to come up with it because that would just be sad,, really sad." Harry stood up from his seat and was just about to walk away when Ron caught his hand.
"Harry! Did you really think that was the end of the plan?" Ron looked a bit amused at his friend's lack of patience. "That was only the beginning of our plan! Tell him the rest sweetheart!"
Hermione nodded and a slight blush spread over her cheeks. "Well, Harry you only have to get yourself a mate for the people to stop hunting you down. So, we thought that maybe you could pretend being someone's mate. We already asked Cho and she said yes!" Oh dear Merlin they have gone completely mad if they think that I will agree with this plan! And Cho of the all people in the school, her? Seriously they know I grew to hate myself and my relationship with her. Apparently you really get stupid by drinking too much, well maybe not everyone.
"Sorry but no."
"There you see! I said so didn't I, that he would decline when he heard Cho's name!" Ron laughed and turned to his buddy. "I actually thought that the nice looking Hufflepuff girl would suit you more. You know the one who always stares at you during lunch." Harry stood there looking like he was watching the stupidest person ever.
"Please stop talking Ron. Do you really think that I would want to date a person who already is one of my fans? No thank you!" Harry tried once again to walk away from the dreadful conversation they were having but again he was stopped but not from his maniac friends in the room. No the door opened up and there stood Neville, Luna, Seamus, Dean and Ginny. In their hands were several bottles of firewhiskey and to Harry's surprise vodka.
"See! There you see! I told you that the second option should have been the seeker in Ravenclaw! Hermione pointed her finger on her mate's nose.
"Hey we thought you had run of somewhere!" Ginny said and hugged her brothers back. It was clear that everyone was a bit hammered. Why, just why can't I ever get a break?
"We brought drinks!" Dean said and gave Ron, Hermione and Harry one bottle each. Harry said thanks to his friend and slowly but carefully he put the bottle down on the bedtable next to the door.
"What were you talking about?" Luna asked and looked at Harry. "I hope we didn't interrupted."
"Of course not, I was just about to go!" Harry said and started to walk out but was caught by Dean and Seamus.
"Drag him inside boys!" Ginny said from her seat next to Ron.
"Aye captain!" Dean and Seamus said as they pulled Harry into the room. Why just, why? Harry sighed and understood that he never would be able to get out from the room.
"So what ARE we talking about?" Neville asked and drunk from his bottle of firewhiskey.
"Well we are talking about a top-secret plan to get Harry a fake mate so that the fans will stop running after him!" Hermione said.
"OOOhhh, that was what you were saying before you and Ron!" Ginny laughed. "The whole room was wondering what you were doing, sipping drinks and whispering."
"Yeah especially sense it is my and Luna's anniversary." Neville turned and showed everyone his mark.
"Yeah, yeah we have seen it before." Dean muttered. He was still very jealous of all the mated couples in the school as he was starting to wonder why he hadn't found anyone. Even if he knew that many others still hadn't found their mates yet he still felt left out. So when Harry was saying no to everyone making an effort to mate with him, well let's just say that he was really jealous but as the weeks went by that faded. Now Dean knew how hard it was for Harry to be chased every day. Well he still was a bit jealous sometimes but not as often. "But why would anyone be alright with that? Being a fake mate sounds so sad."
"Well we have asked Cho already but no, Mr no-one-is-good-enough-for-me, said no." Hermione pulled her tongue out.
"Ohhh you are so mature Hermione." Harry was forced down on the floor. He sat between Neville and Seamus who were trying to make him drink from their bottles.
"But why not take the girl from Hufflepuff?" Seamus said.
"Ohh you mean the one who always look at Harry at lunch?" Ginny asked her mate and got a nod to answer.
"Please stop!" Harry felt himself go redder by the minute.
"But have you got any leads on the mysterious scent person?" Neville looked interested at him. Luna turned her eyes on Harry and he knew that she was one who could clearly see if someone was lying. Hopefully she is too drunk to notice!
"No, no leads what so ever." Harry said and to make him seem a bit more relaxed he took a sip from the bottle in front of him. It tasted so strong, like fire! No if he wanted to drink anything it would have been butterbeer. Luna looked sceptical but let it slide and turned to Hermione.
"OMG I know the most perfect person for Harry! That boy in Ravenclaw!" Dean said and got cheers from the girls.
"Wait what?" Harry looked horrified at his friends and hey continued to argue who was the better fit for Harry and as he noticed they didn't care to offer him guys or girls as suggestions.
"It is not our fault you keep saying no to the girl choices so I thought maybe a boy would do."
"Yes! That would be soo sexy!" Ginny said and made dreamy eyes at Harry.
"Ginny I am your brother and I do not want to hear something like that coming from your mouth!" Ron blushed deep crimson red as he tried to hide his ear if there would be more inappropriate stuff coming out from his sisters mouth.
"Oh come on! Hermione likes it to!" Ginny said and in her drunken state she leaned over to Hermione and gave her a hug.
"No I do not!" But that was obviously a lie, Harry noticed Hermione's cheek was burning as she tried to hide it.
"Oh yes you do! I saw you reading,,." Ginny was interrupted by a pillow right in her face. She looked around to see who had thrown it only to see Seamus standing ready with another pillow in his hand. "You will regret that sweetheart!" Ginny grabbed the pillow on the floor and soon the whole room was filled with feathers and cotton.
This is going to be a looong night!
"Pulvinus reparo." Harry said for the seventh time. Soon all the pillows were whole again. He turned around and saw that most of the people in the room were already asleep.
Hermione and Ginny had painted Ron's face with red lipstick. Around his eyes, they had pained glasses and under his nose a moustache. Dean and Seamus had gotten red beard and hearts on their cheeks and Ginny had tried to draw fangs on her but it had only made her look like a clown. Neville and Luna had walked out of the room about two hours after the first one (Ron) fell asleep. They were going to celebrate their anniversary in a bit more secluded place. Harry could only guess what they were up to right now. It felt good somehow that he knew that his friends cared about him so much to come up with an odd but nice plan.
After a look around the room Harry realized that he would be forced to sleep in Neville's bed because his bed was already taken by a snoring Seamus. And to sleep on the floor really didn't seem so soft to him. With a huge yawn, Harry laid himself down on the bed. It felt good just lying there and hearing the sounds of snoring and breathing from his best friends.
Harry didn't notice when he had fallen asleep but it must have been almost at the same time as his pulled the blanked up under his nose. But he had fallen asleep and to his horrible surprise he had a dream that night that he really didn't expect to have EVER.
Harry looked around and noticed by the smell and sound that he was in the owlery. He saw the owls sitting here and there sleeping of cleaning their feathers. When he turned around he noticed a person sitting on the stool in the middle of the room. OMG that's me! With a sudden movement Harry backed away from himself. Even if he clearly made a sound when he backed the other Harry didn't seem to notice, in fact he didn't seem to even sense his presence.
"Hello?" Harry said and slowly but carefully he walked towards himself. But he got no reaction at all from his other self. "What is going on? Is this a dream?"
Then Harry saw Draco Malfoy standing in the opening to the owlery. It is just like before… And like before that day Malfoy hurried of after noticing dream-Harry sitting on the stool. Exactly like before Harry saw himself hurry of after the blonde. Suddenly Harry noticed that his body almost flew from the room and right next to where dream- him and dream- Malfoy were.
"L-let go-go Potter!" Malfoy cried out and tried to get himself loose. Dream-Harry sneered in a way Harry never seen himself sneer before.
"Or what sweetheart?" Dream-Harry asked as he leaned in closer to Malfoy's neck.
"Or-or I w-will hex-hex you!" Malfoy turned around to face Harry who were still holding onto his shoulder.
"You will? Try me." Dream- Potter said in a mocking tone and when Malfoy didn't say a word he grinned. "I thought so." Then Harry saw himself do something he never thought he would see ever. Dream-Harry leaned in and with much force he closed the distance between him and Malfoy with a kiss. Malfoy's eyes widened and he tried to get away. But this apparently only made Harry more eager to continue. Harry pressed Malfoy to the wall and gathered Malfoys hands over his head. Slowly he deepened the kiss, hearing moans coming from Malfoy.
WHAT THE HECK IS HAPPENING?! Harry stood still, watch himself and Malfoy having an extremely hot kiss with each other. It was as if they couldn't get enough and suddenly he heard Malfoy moan into dream-Harry's mouth.
"Ahh Harry, more!" He begged as Harry's free hand was traveling over Malfoy's body, feeling, gripping and touching everywhere. Harry bit down on Malfoy's lower lip and pulled with his teeth this made Malfoy moan even harder while he started to press his body against Harry's. When in god's name have Malfoy ever called me by my first name? AND WHY DO I SEEM TO LIKE IT!? Harry felt a shiver go up his spine as he watched the pair keep feeling each other up. Malfoy's arms were now released and holding a steady grip on his shoulders and neck to press him even closer. Harry's hand had gone under Malfoy's sweater and feeling him up.
"Oh fuck Draco, you're driving me insane!" Harry heard his other self mumble in between the deep kisses. Stop it! Oh bloody hell! STOP IT MYSELF! Then Harry felt something he shouldn't be feeling his member were getting hard by watch the scene. Oh fuck!
"Harry,,,, please!" Malfoy yelled and pushed his hips against Harry's leg. "Hurry!"
"I love hearing you beg!" Harry said and licked Draco's lips.
This just can't get worse! I am getting horny while watching myself French kissing my ex-nemesis. I am the worse of the worst!
Then Harry heard a sound like something were smacked into the wall. He looked in horror as he saw himself pinning Malfoy's face against the wall and pulling down his sweater so much that his neck was exposed.
"No, Harry no don't!" Malfoy suddenly begged and tried to come loose.
"Why not, you said you wanted it." Dream- Harry said and bent down to Draco's alabaster neck. Slowly he let his tongue travel over the exposed neck and he breathed in the intoxication scent of Malfoy.
"But I,, not like this…" Harry noticed in horror how tears were streaming down Malfoy's cheeks and he just hoped that his dream-self would stop.
"Then you shouldn't have egged me on!" With a sudden movement dream-Harry bit down in Malfoy's neck. Harry could hear Malfoy scream in a mix of horror and pleasure as dream-Harry was still biting him on the neck. "Let- let go of me!" Malfoy whispered. His knees went limp and he started falling. Harry took a hold on Malfoy's waist and held him up as he suddenly let the other go. From his mouth dripped blood, just like Malfoy's neck. There was a clear bitemark on the once pure skin.
"Now my dearest, you are mine!" Harry said and licked his lips as he grabbed Malfoy by the hair and turned his mate's face to his.
"Ha-harry." Draco whimpered as tears were streaming down on his cheeks. He couldn't talk more as dream-Harry captured his lips.
Harry had stood there incapable of moving at all when he saw the blood on Draco's cheek. What have I done?He still saw tears streaming down the cheeks and how his other self forced himself onto Malfoy even more. Please stop! WAKE UP! HARRY WAKE UP!
"Wake up Harry!" He heard Luna say and as Harry opened his eyes he saw his friend leaning over him looking worried.
"Lu-Luna, what are you doing here?" Harry said after fetching his glasses. "Oh I am sorry that I took Neville's bed. What time is it?" Something wet was running down his cheek and Harry reached up to dry it off. Great I am crying in my sleep again.
"It is alright Harry, I saw you struggle in your sleep and decided to wake you up. And a nargle was trying to steal your glasses so I had to shoo it away. The time is almost five in the morning." Luna sat herself down in the bed and looked at Harry who felt a bit embarrassed. "You talk in your sleep. Did you know that?"
Harry blushed as he remembered how many times he had heard that before. "Yes Luna, I am quite aware of that."
"Maybe you should try a silencing spell before you go to sleep?"
"I will think about that, thanks Luna." Harry waited and felt himself grew a bit impatience. "Was there something else?"
"Well there could be. But I do not know if you want to talk about it here even if everyone is asleep." Luna stood up and walked over Neville who slept on the floor and then she walked out. Harry thought a moment and then he jumped out of bed and followed Luna out. She stood in the corridor looking at the roof. "There really is a lot of nargles out here tonight." Harry looked up but didn't see anything except the roof.
"So, what did you want to talk about?" Harry walked over to her and leaned on a wall to make himself a bit more comfortable.
"You know you have really grown this summer Harry, before Ginny was taller than you but now." She paused and looked up at the ceiling again. I know I have grown a lot, I am now almost fifteen centimetres taller than before. Probably the cause of getting away from the Dursley's and having defeated Voldemort. "I think that is why you are so popular."
"Oh, I haven't thought about it in that way." Okay this isn't what I thought we would be talking about.
"Draco likes it." Harry's heart stopped at that very minute. Draco? Why would I care what he thinks?"Harry, it quite easy to see on your face. And you said his name several times in your sleep." Luna turned her eyes to Harry who felt his face turn red.
"I didn't,, I mean there is no way,," Luna smiled like she usually do and looked out the window.
"Well, maybe I am wrong." Luna smiled and started walking towards the room. "But Harry, you know there isn't anything wrong with him."
"I know he is,,, no I mean, it is wrong he is you know and I am you know." Harry knew how stupid he sounded. But Luna apparently didn't think so.
"You are a guy, and alpha who is searching for a mate and Draco is an,." She stopped talking and smiled.
"An what?" Harry asked but Luna just turned around and walked into the room again.
Harry stood there looking out of the window, it looked so beautiful. The darkness over the sky and the forest was soothing. The memories from the dream from earlier were coming back to him. Why would I be dreaming of something like that? Damn you and your freaking scent Draco Malfoy!