Draco watched Harry out of the corner of his eye as he tried to play the role of indifferent Slytherin. His housemates had welcomed him back and were filling him in on all the gossip while commiserating with him about being cooped up in isolation with 'the idiot Potter'. Ignoring Harry was the most difficult thing he had ever done, especially since their first day outside the hospital wing had obviously taken its toll on his soulmate. Harry looked tired and he had winced several times at the casual brush touch of his friends, which meant he wasn't blocking enough.
They had agreed that their bond would remain at the unconscious level when they were in such public situations, but halfway through the feast Draco had had enough. He tentatively pushed at the barriers that kept their minds apart and they gave way instantly. Harry's mental presence was so relieved at the contact that Draco actually dropped his goblet at the sensations the link flooded through him.
[You look dreadful,] Draco mentally chided his soulmate while trying to make a joke of the spillage with those sitting next to him.
[Please tell me I don't look as bad as I feel,] Harry returned, and even his mental voice sounded tired.
Draco flashed him an image of what he looked like from across the room and Harry's mental presence shuddered.
[You're overloading aren't you,] Draco returned silently, very concerned.
There was a non-committal reply down the link, but Draco really didn't need the clarification; the situation was obvious. Without direct physical contact with him, Harry had to do most of his shielding himself; he was nowhere near ready to do that for long periods of time. The bond between them shouldered some of the burden, but neither of them had had enough practice to be separated for long.
Draco knew he was feeling agitated at the separation and he had no doubt it was worse for Harry, although his soulmate was doing his best to shield how he was feeling. Ron and Hermione were trying their hardest to physically protect their friend from the other Gryffindors, but this was a feast after all.
[We need to get you somewhere quiet,] Draco said as he glanced over surreptitiously.
[And bang goes your cover,] Harry shot back, sounding a little annoyed at the suggestion.
[I don't give a rat's arse about my cover if it means you're suffering like that,] he replied pointedly. [Staying on this side of the room is a bloody nightmare. This isn't going to work.]
[I'll manage,] his soulmate replied, but Harry's tone was less than certain.
[Who's the protector in this relationship?] Draco asked petulantly. [I have almost decked Goyle twice this evening already because of things he said about you and now you won't listen to sense.]
[We have to get through this,] Harry told him tiredly. [If we can do this we can do anything.]
From the safety of their room in the hospital wing this had seemed like an almost workable idea, now, in practice, Draco was sure it was doomed to failure. Trying to hide something like a Hecatemus bond was a recipe for madness and that they had managed it all day was looking more like a miracle every second.
[I love you, but your stubbornness is annoying,] Draco said succinctly.
[What do you expect, I'm a Gryffindor,] came the weary reply.
It was then that Neville Longbottom walked up behind Harry and cheerfully leant on his shoulder, obviously forgetting completely about the no touching rule. Draco felt the spike of disorientation go through Harry as he was swamped by the other boy's emotions. At least one of Harry's shields shattered at the mental impact and overwhelming input flooded into Harry's peculiar mind. As far as Draco was concerned the debate was over.
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Gold Tinted Spectacles (Hecatemus Book #1)
Fanfiction(Drarry) Harry Potter is about to enter his seventh year, and things are not quite what he expected. He is no longer the angry boy who watched his world fall apart at the end of his fifth year, but neither has he completely found his place yet. He i...
