I'll Take That Chance

CH 36 - "I'm Making Long Term Plans For Us, If You're On Board"

Harry stared at his plate of eggs and thought about teaching Draco the Patronus charm. He had been able to teach others before and Draco was sure he could teach him, he just hoped he could do it and not let him down.

"What are you thinking so hard about, Harry?" Neville asked, coming to sit beside him.

"The Patronus Charm. I'm going to try and teach it to Draco and I was just thinking about how I taught all of you."

"Oh, it'll be easy I bet. If you could teach me, you'll certainly be able to teach him. I was abysmal and can work it just fine now. He's always been a strong wizard, he'll be able to get it I bet."

"You weren't abysmal, plus you were one of the ones who worked the hardest! And it showed, too."

"Thanks, Harry. So, did you have a good holiday?"

"I did," he said. He pulled out the photos of Teddy under the Christmas tree and showed him a few.

"You really are happy aren't you, Harry?" Neville asked, looking over at the Slytherin table. Harry watched Draco while he read a book and picked at his breakfast.

"I am, Neville. I love him." Harry shook his head with a smile and Neville grinned at him.

"I can tell," Neville said with an eyebrow raised and he clapped him on the back and turned back to his own food, leaving Harry to his own thoughts. He wished he and Draco could sit together again. Once they were out of school they wouldn't have to be apart. Harry rolled his eyes and finished his breakfast.

***

Draco looked around the room Harry had brought them into. There were mats on the floor and lots of light and some cabinets and books along the far wall.

"So where do we get started?" he asked as Harry was opening and closing the drawers of the cabinet.

"I was thinking if we could find a boggart, it would most likely take the form of a Dementor, which is how Remus first taught me." He pulled open the last two doors and slammed the last one closed quickly. "Got one!" he yelled.

"Good," Draco said, although he wasn't very excited. His hands were starting to sweat and his heart was thumping loudly in his chest.

"It'll be fine. Not, let's go over some basics. First, repeat the incantation. Expecto Patronum." He picked up his wand and took a deep breath.

"Expecto Patronum." He felt his wand vibrate in response to the spell and he gripped it tighter.

"Now, think of something happy. The happiest thing you can think of, and it has to be strong. That's the majority of what fuels your Patronus." Draco nodded, thinking hard and realized this was probably his problem before. He did have happy memories from his childhood, but not necessarily as strong as he needed them to be. But now... he thought of the first time he and Harry had spoken as friends, the way Harry had genuinely smiled at him. He thought about the first time they had held hands, when Harry held him and comforted him. He thought of their first kiss.

"Have you got one?" Harry asked.

"Yes," he answered, thinking of Harry waking up next to him in bed, grumbling with a smile on his tired face.

"Okay, focus on it. Immerse yourself in it and repeat the incantation with it in your mind."

"Alright." He took a deep breath and squared his shoulders. "Expecto Patronum!" his wand began vibrating and a silvery rope-like vapor shot out of the end and surrounded them. He was able to hold it for a few moments before it stopped.

"That was great!" Harry exclaimed, clapping him on the back. "The very first time I tried it, I passed out right on the floor, but I wasn't as strong of a wizard as you are now."

"Can I see you do it?" Draco asked quietly. He had only heard about Harry's patronus, he had never seen it.

"Sure," Harry nodded. He closed his eyes for a moment, apparently thinking hard and then his eyes opened again, flashing brightly at him. He smiled and raised his wand. "Expecto Patronum!"

Draco watched as a great stag burst forth from Harry's wand and cantered around the room, watching them carefully before it went to stand near Harry. Harry watched it with a warm expression on his face and then he turned back to Draco with a wink.

"Impressive," Draco said, grinning down at him.

"Thanks," Harry blushed. "Now, it's easier done like that with nothing scary around. It will get trickier when you're faced with a Dementor and it's feeding off your happiness. That's why you must have such a strong, happy memory to work with. Set back over there and let me show you." Harry's stag disappeared, and Draco went to stand by the door. Harry flexed his arms and Draco smirked and pointed at the cabinet. Harry laughed and turned back, grabbing the handle and pulling it open. Draco pressed himself against the wall as the Boggart spilled out and took the form of a Dementor. He watched as it glided overhead, but instead of going for Harry, it hovered near the floor. Draco took a step closer and looked past Harry to see the Dementor hovering over the form of his own body. His body was sprawled out on the floor, bleeding, and it was sucking out his soul. His body was shaking, and a scabbed, gnarled hand was reaching out from under the cloak towards his face. Draco almost thought he could feel it on his own, actual body. He looked at Harry who had his wand raised but his hand was trembling.

"Expecto Patronum... Expecto..." Harry managed to get out, but nothing happened. "Riddikulus," he whispered but again, nothing happened. The boggart must have sensed his dread and it shifted again. This time it was just Draco's body, in a pool of blood, scars and wounds covering his body. He could feel the same scars on his actual body from the library attack and the first time Harry used the curse on him tingling as he saw them spread out before him on the floor. The blood was pooling from the wounds and the eyes were lifeless, but it's mouth was moving and speaking to Harry. "You did this to me," over and over. Harry was down on his knees and Draco rushed forward, wand extended.

"Riddikulus!" he shouted and the boggart was blasted with such force that it hit the wall behind it and fled back into the drawer from where it had come. He knelt and took Harry's face in his hands; he was pale and trembling and his eyes weren't moving from the spot where the boggart had been.

"Harry, look at me. It's gone, okay? Talk to me, Harry," he implored. Harry slowly took a few deep breaths and then looked around, finally locking eyes with Draco. "Harry?"

"Once, I walked in on Mrs. Weasley trying to get rid of a boggart, but it kept changing into her family, and even me, lifeless and dead," he whispered. "It was terrifying to see them all that way, and she was just frozen, couldn't barely lift her wand, and I understand now. When I saw you lying there... rationally I knew it wasn't you, but I couldn't do anything. It would kill me to see you hurt, especially at my own hand." Harry was looking at his hands and shaking his head. Draco cupped his cheek in his palm, comforting him.

"I think we've had enough for tonight." He pulled Harry to his feet and eyed the cabinet door again. He knew they would have to face it again and he was sure he was going to need a lot more practice. He didn't want Harry to have to deal with it again and he didn't want to know what it could show him if it didn't turn into a Dementor. He didn't want to see Harry's lifeless body, or that of his mother or aunt, and especially not Teddy.

"I'm sorry," Harry said as they left the room. He rubbed his hands up and down his arms and Draco grabbed his hand.

"Don't be sorry, Harry. You can't control what a boggart shows you, plus I think it's kind of sweet," he added with a wink, trying to lighten the mood. Harry chuckled and pulled his face down to his own, kissing him deeply and giving him a tight hug. "Harry, I know it was hard seeing that, but I don't plan on you ever seeing me that way. And I plan on spending my life with you," he added quickly.

"You what?" Harry asked, his eyes wide.

"Well," Draco said, and he straightened his tie, swallowing around the nerves, "unofficially for now, of course, but I'm making long-term plans for us, if you're on board. I love you, Harry. You're it, dear." Draco swallowed hard again, and Harry reached up and kissed his chin, blushing just as hard.

"I love you, Draco. And you know, a lifetime with you doesn't sound half-bad." They kissed again and parted ways, breathing heavily and dreaming of the future.