The Boy Who Lived

A Brief Curiosity Unfolds

He couldn't help his thoughts returning to thoughts of Harry's comforting words, spoken so softly as he held him. Of the way he led him to the bathroom and carefully unbuttoning his shirt while trying to keep the towel around Draco for modesty and warmth. He thought of Harry removing his trousers with magic and he shuddered; it had been surprisingly sexual despite his state of shock. He and Tori had never done anything like that, he could imagine the raw energy of such an act in a moment of passion and it sent a little rush of excitement through him. Draco tried not to think about the fact that it was Harry who'd undressed him like that and given him a glimpse into a hidden world he'd never thought about.

Draco thought about his own leg resting against Harry when they were sitting by the fireplace and he knew it gave him a gentle thrill. He realised he was beginning to think about Harry in terms beyond friendship but he couldn't deny he was slightly enthralled and there was an intrigue in the new feeling of excitement it gave him just to surreptitiously touch Harry like that. It was an utterly novel sensation; it scared and excited Draco at the same time.

He thought about Harry touching him lightly on the arm right over where the Dark Mark had been; he imagined that Harry hadn't even thought about that. Instead it was a gesture that could be taken as just friendly. However, it seemed so intimate to Draco, it wasn't something he was used to and, initially, he had frozen. Harry hadn't noticed and the naturalness of his touch had been comforting but Draco wondered if it was something more, was it flirtatious? Maybe he wouldn't have questioned it if there wasn't that memory of Harry leaning over him and huskily murmuring about sex. Draco closed his eyes. There was no denying the curiosity and he allowed himself to briefly imagine what it would be like to touch Harry's naked body; his solid muscles, his arms, his chest, his abs. He stopped himself before the thoughts ran away with themselves. He didn't know what to make of the feelings these reflections elicited.

He pushed himself up from the armchair and wandered through the house again, restlessly flicking through magazines, tidying away Teddy's mess, cleaning the kitchen... he found himself outside Harry's bedroom door and pushed it open. During his initial exploration, he'd just poked his head around the door but, this time, he stepped inside, his heart beating heavily at the intrusiveness of his inquisitiveness.

It was a nice room. Its simplicity and modern feel surprised Draco. He would have predicted Gryffindor red and garish gold if asked beforehand, but the walls were textured deep-grey, the dark oak floorboards bare and a large thick gunmetal-grey rug framed the bed. The bed itself was little more than a mattress on a low dais with simple soft-grey and white bedding, immaculately made. The furniture was minimalist in design and Draco sat down on the edge of the mattress, nosing through the stuff arranged precisely on Harry's bedside table. There was a black angle-poise lamp and some sort of music device next to a book on dog training, a notepad filled with illegible jots of thoughts, some pens, a scribbly drawing by Teddy and Harry's wand. He was surprised that Harry should go to work and forget his wand. He'd never seen Harry not wearing his wand holster. He thought of the wandless magic the previous night. An unusual feat. He wondered how often Harry did wandless magic.

He lay back on the bed. It was surprisingly restful and smelt of Harry. It was comforting, being enveloped in those sandalwood tones. The smell of broom polish was wonderfully nostalgic. There were other tones he could pick out too; not the treacle tart he'd smelt the first morning Harry had walked into his consulting room but certainly a spice like ginger. He lay still for a long time, trying to pick out the exact notes.

He awoke with a start from a noise downstairs. He felt disorientated, and then embarrassed to realise he'd fallen asleep in Harry's bed without him there... oh Salazar! That sounded worse... That wasn't what he meant...