A Throne of Blood and Stars

Chapter Twenty-Nine

"You're awfully quiet."

Draco spits out the sip he had in his mouth and looks up to see a very green pair of eyes. "Potter."

Harry just smiles small. "Harry."

"Harry," Draco says. "Pardon."

"No worries."

"You are awake."

"I have been. Since early morning."

"Oh," Draco breathes. He reaches to pick up a cloth and wipes his chin. "You surprised me."

"I see that," Harry grins.

And then the strangest thing happens. Harry pulls his knees up to his chest and hugs them, lets his head fall back and lets the sun touch his skin through the window.

It's breathtaking.

The way his skin glistens, but that's absurd because he's dry. But he is glowing, with the sun hitting the melanin of his face, Draco just thinks wow over and over again.

"What," he swallows, but it doesn't help because his throat has no moisture. "What are you doing?"

"It's been months," Harry murmurs. "I haven't seen the sun in months."

"You remember?"

Harry gives him a questioning side look.

"You seemed to not remember...last time you were awake."

"I had a dream about it," he chuckles. "I guess it wasn't a dream. A memory. You were there."

Draco scowls. "I found you."

"And then you tried to run away from me."

"You were not the same person," Draco says. He leans forward and rests his elbows on his knees. "You were acting different."

"I know. I wasn't me."

"Was there something...in you?"

"I don't think so," Harry shrugs. "It wasn't harming me. I think it was like, a subconscious. I wasn't possessed or anything. I might have gone mad."

"You might have...gone," Draco breathes. "You are well, though? You feel normal?"

"Define normal," Harry laughs. "I woke up and the first thing I saw was you, sitting by my bedside. So I don't know if I'm hallucinating or not."

Now Draco feels offended. "The least you could have done is prove that I am not."

Harry stares at him for a very long time, it seems.

All of a sudden he rushes off the bed and takes Draco's face in his hands, not even stopping to let him gasp before he plants his lips right over the blond's.

And he's kissing him.

Draco doesn't even get to react before Harry is pulling away with wide eyes and an open mouth.

"Bloody hell," Harry rubs his lips. "You're actually here."

"Of course I am," Draco's snaps, reaching up to touch his own burning lips.

"I'm...I'm sorry," Harry stutters. "I didn't...I wanted to know if you were real."

"And your preferred method of interrogation is snogging," Draco stands up. "Maybe you have gone mad."

The Slytherin is two feet away when Harry speaks up again.

"You're in my dreams."

"I am not sure if you know, but sweet talking me will not save you on this one."

"No," Harry shakes his head. Draco turns just in time to see him grip his messy hair. "You keep appearing in my dreams. Every night. Even before I went missing. And I wake up and you're still there and you talk to me about...us being together.

"So I needed to make sure I wasn't talking to the other you."

Draco doesn't want to turn around. Because turning around means forgiving and second chances and Draco hasn't recieved any of that so why should he give that to someone else?

Especially Harry Potter, who already has everything he could ever ask for?

And he also does not want to mention that he's had dreams about Harry as well. That he knows exactly where the beauty marks are on each side of his face. That he knows precisely what shade of green his eyes are depending on the time of day. That he knows exactly which facial expression Harry pins to his emotions.

He doesn't want Harry Potter to know any of that. Because the moment he does is the moment he has something over him, and that is the day Draco Malfoy's reputation perishes.

And he will not let that happen.

"I will let Weasley and Granger know you have awoken."