As far as Draco was concerned, one way to describe Harry since his rather radical life change was 'sex maniac'. After their early morning tryst, the couple had retired to the prefect's bathroom to clean up and had not reappeared for three hours.
Draco was wondering quietly to himself how things were still attached as he pulled on his clothes and noted that a healing charm or two might not go amiss if he wanted to sit down without squirming for the next couple of days.
It was not that he had not enjoyed himself, he had had the time of his life; it was just that Harry gave a whole new definition to the term 'sex slave'. His lover had played up to Draco's every desire, only, when the desires were being picked directly from your mind, he had found that control was a relative concept. Draco's thoughts and needs had driven the entire experience as if he was the master, but he smiled to himself wryly as he decided that somehow Harry had been in charge.
When Draco moved to stand up, he couldn't help it, he groaned as various muscles and a significant portion of his behind complained loudly. Harry was by his side instantly a sheepish apology in his eyes.
"Sorry," his soulmate said as if the whole thing was his fault.
It was not as if this was something new, they had had marathon sex sessions before, only the ones of this length had been while they were still in the hospital wing and moving had not been a requirement afterwards. By the looks of things, Harry was having a little problem walking normally as well and Draco couldn't help himself; he laughed.
"We make a right pair," he commented, "if we go anywhere right now everyone is going to know exactly what we've been doing."
"They'll know anyway," Harry replied cheerfully. "Look at it this way, at least we're the only prefects staying for the holidays so no one was banging loudly on the door while we were actually at it."
That drew another laugh from Draco; three hours would have been a little over the top when waiting for a bath. He bent over to reach for his hair brush and wished he hadn't as another groan escaped his mouth. Quidditch aches and pains had nothing on the after effects of sex with the seething mass of hormones that Harry was these days.
"How are your healing spells?" he asked and gingerly sat back down on the bed. "If I'm going to walk straight for my test tomorrow I think I may need some help."
Harry sat down next to him and the grimace he gave mirrored the one Draco had made earlier. Draco couldn't help but smile; they had given each other some things to remember.
"I think I can manage something," Harry replied with a grin, "but would you like your other present first?"
His soulmate was bubbling over with anticipation and, for a moment, Draco considered teasing him, but then decided that they'd teased each other enough that morning already. He nodded and then on impulse leaned over and gave Harry a light kiss before his soulmate could stretch over the bed to the cabinet on the other side and retrieve a parcel from within it. The firm curve of buttock in black jeans that was presented as Harry did this was almost irresistible, but Draco managed to restrain himself from smacking, fondling or doing anything else to it.
When his soulmate sat back up, Harry presented Draco with a neatly wrapped, rectangular package in green and silver striped paper. Draco took it with a small smile and then calmly fondled the present to see if he could figure out what it was before he opened it. It was about a quarter of an inch thick and pliable in most directions except along one edge.
"It's a book," Draco said cheerfully as he felt round the edges. "So what can it be?" he continued to ramble as he began to undo the paper. "One hundred and one sex tips? Possibly the magical Karma Sutra?"
Harry laughed at that and shook his head fondly.
"Contrary to your favourite opinion I do occasionally think of things other than sex," Harry said with mock indignation.
"When?" Draco asked and put on his most angelic expression.
"Just open your present," his lover replied with another laugh.
Smiling broadly Draco went to work on the parcel in earnest, quickly revealing a brown, leather bound book. The back cover was facing him and he flipped it over quickly and then stopped dead. There on the front was the most beautiful dragon inlaid into the leather in silver and beneath it were the words "Volumen Medicatus". As Draco touched it the dragon reared and breathed silver flames over the inscription before returning to its original position.
"Now you can create your own spells and keep them safe," Harry said quietly as Draco ran his finger over the words on the book.
Wizards under the age of seventeen were prohibited from creating their own spells except under supervised conditions such as in a classroom; you could poison yourself with potions to your heart's content, but spells were not allowed. It was another stipulation of the underage wizardry laws, and a traditional coming of age gift in pureblood families was a Volumen Medicatus: a personal spell book. Draco could not begin to express what the gift meant to him.
"It's beautiful," was all he could find to say.
"It's charmed to you," Harry said hesitantly, "and, um, me in case of emergencies. Oh and it should never run out of pages because it'll keep growing more unless you tell it not to."
Harry was rambling because he was nervous, which was typical Harry. Even though his soulmate could tell what he was feeling, Harry was still anxious about the gift and it made Draco look up at him and smile.
"I love it," he said firmly and reached out to take Harry's hand, "it's perfect."
Only then did Harry actually relax.
"So what happens if someone who's not supposed to, tries to use it?" Draco asked, intrigued by the protection on the book.
Personal spell books were often charmed to prevent people stealing them, but he could tell that this one was a very fine example of the craft and he suspected the protection would be something special as well.
"It'll look blank to anyone but us," Harry began to explain cheerfully, "and if they try and charm the answers out they'll end up temporarily blind, deaf, mute or any combination of all three. If anyone tries to write in it their quill will catch fire the first time and they'll catch fire if they try again. You can add people to the protection spells either permanently or for a given period of time so you can share it if you want to."
"Cool," Draco couldn't help himself and the terribly inelegant expression jumped to his lips. "I've been spending too much time with Gryffindors," he concluded as he realised what he'd said.
Harry smirked at him and Draco made a face, but he soon smiled again. Then he leant over and rewarded his lover for his thoughtfulness with a deep, passionate kiss.
"Thank you," he said genuinely as he sat back.
It was as Draco relaxed again that his body reminded him about the earlier topic of conversation.
"Now about those healing charms," he continued with a small frown.
* * *
They wandered to lunch in companionable silence and Harry couldn't help but admit that he was glad Draco was good at charms. Sitting down and walking without taking great care were no longer an issue, which made life so much easier. As they approached the great hall, he glanced at the spell book that Draco was proudly clutching.
[I still can't believe you wrote in it already,] Harry commented.
[Needs must,] Draco replied with a grin, [and I thought the combination of the anti abrasion charm and the muscle relaxant spell was pure genius.]
[I just didn't expect your first spell to be for repairing damage caused by too much sex,] Harry said and laughed. [Call me old fashioned but the idea never crossed my mind.]
[There is a huge gap in the market,] his lover told him in the most delighted fashion. [With a little more thought I could make a stunning career out of these types of spells.]
Harry gave his soulmate a look that caused Draco to smirk contentedly and then they walked into the great hall. There were no more than twenty students staying for the holidays and hence they were all on the one table with the members of staff who also remained. Dumbledore looked up and smiled warmly as the soulmates wandered in and took the seats that had become their place at the table over the holiday so far.
"Good afternoon, Gentlemen," the headmaster greeted cheerfully, "and may I be the first here to wish you a very happy birthday, Draco. I do hope you are enjoying it so far."
"Can't complain thank you, Headmaster" Draco replied and sent Harry a very suggestive look which caused him to feel a blush begin to rise up his face.
Harry sat down and reached for some food to cover it at which point he locked gazes with an unimpressed looking Snape. The dour wizard raised an eyebrow at him and then went back to his plate.
"There were several owls for you at breakfast, Draco," Dumbledore continued conversationally, "I took the liberty of keeping your mail for you until such time as you chose to join us today."
Harry watched as the headmaster delved into his voluminous robe and produced two small packages and two letters.
"Thank you, Professor," Draco said politely and piled the post beside his plate, "that was very kind of you."
The old wizard's eyes sparkled with delight and Harry couldn't help smiling. As a fair percentage of the school had discovered since the pair had bonded, when Draco was not playing the role of Death Eater, he had impeccable manners.
His soulmate did not immediately open any of his post, but instead mirrored Harry's act of loading his plate with food. The initial adjustments to their bond had worn off somewhat, but when they missed a meal they still knew about it and, as Harry set about eating, he was very glad to fill the hole his stomach had become. Harry reckoned that he could put away at least twice as many calories as most of his fellow seventh years without even coming close to putting on any weight, as could Draco, although it was no longer a requirement for remaining upright.
It was only after they had both demolished enough food for a small army and Harry was chatting about Transfiguration with the sixth year Ravenclaw beside him that Draco picked up the smaller of the two packages.
[No return address, no tag,] Draco commented and calmly began to open it.
Harry rounded up his conversation quickly and turned curiously to see what his soulmate had received, just as Draco pulled a small, felt-wrapped bundle from the brown paper.
[Feels very solid,] Draco said thoughtfully and placed it on the table.
As Harry watched his soulmate calmly pulled out his wand and cast a quick revealing charm on the object. The little cloth-covered shape gave off a faint blue glow.
"Charmed, but not dangerously so," Dumbledore said with a benevolent smile and Harry had the feeling the headmaster had probably already checked the gift for booby traps.
Putting his wand back up his sleeve Draco picked up the bundle once more and carefully unwrapped it. What he revealed looked to Harry like an ordinary Muggle penknife, until that was, Draco moved it so that the front side was visible. Curled on the silver coloured surface was a small gold snake in exquisite detail and as it was scrutinised it lifted its head and opened clear blue eyes.
"Master," it hissed as Draco stared at it and almost instantly he looked to Harry for an explanation.
[It called you 'Master',] he translated straight away.
[Ask it what it's for,] Draco requested as he looked into the crystal eyes.
Before he did as he was asked Harry let his mind sink closer to his soulmate's and opened his perceptions to Draco.
"What is your purpose?" he hissed at the enchanted object in Parseltongue. [And it's a he,] he told his lover calmly.
He couldn't help but notice that the entire table was watching him, but Harry felt this was rather important.
"To decorate and protect," the snake replied and turned his eyes on the Gryffindor. "You are my master's mate, I was told about you. I will not bite you, only those who try and steal me."
Since Harry heard English when listening to Parseltongue and Draco was as good at using his ears there was no need to translate. The pair shared a look.
[Ask him who sent him,] Draco said thoughtfully and Harry did.
"My maker sent me," the snake said and swayed a little more off the knife, "but I do not know who asked him to create me. I was shown my Master's likeness and instructed to obey him in all things. I am beautiful, am I not?"
"[Yes you are very beautiful,]" Harry replied with a slight smile; it never hurt to compliment a snake, even when it wasn't a real one.
"May I sleep now, Master?" the snake asked, looking back at Draco as if it knew he understood what it was saying. "You may wake me whenever you like by calling my name."
[Tell him yes, he may sleep,] Draco offered quickly, [and ask him his name.]
The sibilant language rolled from Harry's mouth like it was his native tongue and the snake bobbed its head as he spoke.
"Thank you, Master," the enchanted creature replied. "My name is Calonis."
Then the snake wound itself back onto the penknife and was once again nothing more than a gold decoration.
"A beautiful and intriguing gift," Dumbledore commented as Draco began to investigate the various blades and other gadgets on the knife.
"Who sent it, Mr Malfoy?" it was Snape who came straight to the point.
"I don't know," Draco said, seemly unconcerned that his house master had asked what could have been construed as a rude question, "there's nothing on it at all and the snake doesn't know."
Harry could tell that Draco was curious, but he was also aware that his soulmate was not worried. If one of the most devious people on the face of the planet was not worried, Harry decided that neither was he.
"An anonymous admirer then," Dumbledore said cheerfully and Harry found himself looking at the headmaster.
For some reason, he had the distinct impression that Dumbledore suspected something. The headmaster smiled blandly at him and gave no proof one way or the other, but Harry couldn't help but wonder. Draco finished examining the penknife and placed it reverently on top of the spell book Harry had given him. Then, under Harry's curious gaze he moved on to the second parcel.
Very quickly that produced a chocolate frog and a packet of Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans with a note from Hermione and Ron wishing Draco a Happy Birthday. One of the cards was from Remus wishing Draco many happy returns in his usual understated way, and then the Slytherin moved on to the last envelope.
By this time, the whole table was openly watching and Draco peeled the covering off what was another card extra slowly to make them wait. Harry had long since come to terms with the fact that his soulmate liked to torture people, although Draco confined himself to mundane methods these days.
The card had "You're only 17 once" emblazoned on the front in large cheerful letters and as Draco opened it a chorus of voices yelled at the top of their lungs "Happy Birthday". Shock lanced through his soulmate and hence through Harry and Draco dropped the object on the table and just stared at it. Around a large "Happy Birthday" that was giving off little fireworks were lots of short greetings and signatures. At a quick glance Harry could tell the entire Gryffindor house had signed the card.
A quick look down the table at the other Gryffindors sitting at lunch showed Harry people looking very pleased with themselves. Draco didn't appear to know how to respond and he felt a little over awed. When Gryffindor adopted you they really adopted you and until that moment Harry was pretty sure his soulmate had not realised this.
[They sent me one over the Summer, too,] he decided to try and help his lover regain his composure with camaraderie, [it's a McGonagall tradition for coming of age.]
[But I'm a Slytherin,] Draco replied, still staring at the card.
[I hate to break it to you,] Harry said and rested a hand on his lover's knee, [but you are officially Gryffindor's Slytherin. There's no escape now: you're stuck; trapped for life; marked for good...]
Draco thumped him on the arm to make him shut up, but he was grinning wryly.
[I get the idea,] he said with mock petulance, but picked up the card to read it anyway.
Harry sat back and shared a smile with the other Gryffindors and Dumbledore. At the beginning of the year he never would have imagined that he'd be sitting beside Draco Malfoy commiserating with him about being adopted into Gryffindor. Sometimes the current state of affairs simply amazed Harry.