Draco woke up at three-thirty to the sound of his wand-alarm. He picked it up wondering why in the hell he made it go off this early. Oh right-training.
He dressed in what Harry told him to get dressed in and ate a light breakfast before Harry arrived. Apparently he wasn't meant to have his entire breakfast before Harry showed up because he hadn't finished when he heard the Floo open. He watched at green flames flickered and flashed before letting Harry out of its warmth. He tried not to look too long at the grey tank top and loose black shorts.
"You ready?" Draco had to nod so he wouldn't seem inferior to the messy-haired male standing in front of him. He always wanted to prove himself to Harry, even when they were kids. There was just something about him that made him want to better himself, but that was a feeling better left ignored. He stood. "Where's the door?" Draco led the way to the back door.
Harry walked outside and motioned to Draco to come out with him. "You ready to run?"
"Run?"
"Yes, run." Harry looked at him incredulously. "Your endurance has to be terrible. I've only seen you run two times and both were because your life was in immediate danger. So, we're running every day before working on your strength and fighting skills."
Draco nodded, suddenly wishing he hadn't eaten. He didn't want to run, he absolutely abhorred it. But his Malfoy pride prevented him from doing anything to stop it. He was determined to, at the very least, go along with Harry. He did have to work with the man. He didn't want to give him any material against him. Again, he felt like the determined boy he was in school, eager to prove himself to this man.
So he took off next to Harry at a light jog, keeping up with him easily for a short distance. And then the pain started to settle in and forced him to slow even more. Harry noticed and stopped.
"Why do my legs hurt this much? I'm not that out of shape."
"You're not breathing right. Slow, deep breaths. Short and fast won't give your muscles the oxygen they need. Just breathe." After a few moments, they started up again. This time, he kept up with him easier. Who knew that he'd be able to help me by correcting my breathing, of all things?
Harry noticed his discomfort and turned around. When they were about two hundred yards away from the back door, they slowed to a walk.
"Why...did you make...me run...so far? I don't mind running...but that far?" Of course, he knew that he minded running, but his pride kept him from saying otherwise.
"Because you need to push yourself farther than you're used to. Push yourself hard the first day and work the same the rest of the week. Then you work harder the next week an so on. And that's exactly what we're going to do."
Draco nodded. He didn't like it, he actually hated it, but pride wouldn't let him say anything against it-he wanted to build up a reputation as well as impressing Harry. Besides, maybe he could get some leverage on him.
The next thing they did was work on Draco's sit-ups.
"On your back. Let's go!" Draco did it, not wanting to piss Harry off and have to run more. "Now sit up. Do it again." Five minutes later Draco was gasping for breath and couldn't sit up anymore. And besides that, he couldn't get enough air. "Deep breaths. Lay down and breathe for a minute. Okay let's do some more. I'll hold your feet, make it easier to focus your muscle usage. Come on." Apparently I protested without giving conscious consent. "I SAID UP!" I did it and he let my feet go. "Better. Now do as many push-ups as possible."
He stood and stretched his back. I managed thirty perfect push-ups and then my arms suddenly collapsed.
"Malfoy! Get up and into position." I blankly got into a push-up position and he held his hands by my elbows but directly below my shoulders. "Five more to my hands. Go." Draco was almost crying by the time he was done but his damn Slytherin stubbornness made him stand up and face his soreness and burning muscles. He cast a tempus charm and saw it was only six in the morning.
"Now what?" Draco's voice sounded tired and Harry noticed.
"Now, we eat." He walked into the house and pulled out a very large lunch box before handing Draco a banana, an orange, an apple and a juice...thing. Harry had the same sitting in front of him. Draco ate his food faster than normal and downed the juice. It's a good thing he did too, because it tasted terrible.
"Ugh what was that?"
"Proteins and vitamins mixed with a variety of juices. Why?"
"It was nasty." He nodded.
"It is. But it's good for you and necessary. So down it fast because it needs to be consumed." He motioned for Draco to follow him and walked outside. He walked around, occasionally stomping on the ground. He said it was to find the right amount if firmness. Eventually, he was content and motioned to Draco.
They spent the remainder of the day doing yoga, followed by some vegetables, followed by pilates followed by chicken and beef followed by using weight machines Harry unshrunk, followed by dinner. After that, Harry told him to take a cool shower and to get some sleep. They'd be doing a condensed version of their workout the next day at the same time.
Draco took a cool shower and promptly fell asleep, not even awake enough to worry about the next day, let alone set his alarm.
Harry stepped out of the fireplace and quickly wiped the ash of of his shoulders. He looked around, curious as to why the house was silent. He knew Draco was here, as it wasn't a foreboding silence...it was just odd.
The morning before he had been eating breakfast. So where was he now?
He walked around opening doors and listening for any sign of movement. Coming upon the last door in the hallway, he listened at the door before hearing a slight shuffle of cloth. It sounded like silk but he couldn't be sure.
He knocked and receiving no answer, promptly walked right in. He then sighed in exasperation. Draco Malfoy was sleeping in.
This wasn't going to work if the dunderhead couldn't even get out of bedl. So Harry pulled out his wand and poured ice cold water all over the blond, laughing when he saw the man jump. Clearly he was wide awake now.
"Hi Draco. Planning on getting up sometime soon?" He chuckled as Draco jumped up and started throwing on clothes. He clearly wasn't aware he was doing it in front of him otherwise he would've demanded he shut the door or he would've gone into the bathroom he could see that adjoined to his room.
"Sorry sorry I forgot to set my alarm." Harry's brow furrowed.
"You need an alarm?" He watched Draco nod. "Oh. I guess once you get used to it you don't need one anymore." Once Draco was dressed, Harry handed him a bottle of water and a banana. "Let's go."
"I can't eat first?" Harry laughed.
"You got up late. Eat it on the go." Without waiting to see if Draco was following, Harry started jogging down the path. Of course, Draco had no choice but to follow him if he wanted to keep his job and therefore rebuild the Malfoy name, so Harry didn't worry about him following.
He just jogged like he would any other morning.
Half an hour later, and no walking breaks, Draco was delighted to see that they were done running. Harry smiled at the relieved look on his companion's face. Too bad they couldn't stop for the day.
"Push ups. Now." Draco's face fell.
"What?"
"Get on the ground and start doing push ups." Harry watched the blond do two pathetic push ups before deciding to intervene. He got down to give Draco the guidelines just like he had the day before. "Fifty push ups. To my hands. Now." He could tell that Draco was about to protest. "NOW!" He felt a little guilty about having to yell, but hey, it got Draco to push himself.
They continued like that for the remainder of the morning, Draco complaining and Harry pushing. By the time noon came around, Draco seemed to officially hate Harry. Of course, that wouldn't do anything to stop Harry from pushing him farther and farther. He noticed fairly quickly that no matter how bad Draco wanted to stop he wouldn't. Sure he might complain but he'd always go through with it anyway. It baffled Harry but then again, he noticed that in their school years he would watch the pitch at night and would see Draco practicing late at night. Maybe he had more determination than Harry had originally thought.
After a light lunch, Harry bid Draco a good afternoon and reminded him that he would be there in the morning to repeat the training.
"What if something happens to me? How can I contact you?" Harry stared but kept his confusion to himself.
"Then apparate to this address and ask for me." Harry walked into the fire just as he finished saying his destination. As the last syllable left his lips he vanished in a flicker of flames. All in all, Harry had been aiming for a rather dramatic exit, which is exactly what he got.
He walked to the main fitness room and saw his class ready to go and without missing a beat started the young adults' aerobics class. He was going to hurt tomorrow, but it would be worth it to get a new partner-one he knew wouldn't scare off as easy as the others had.