Lifeguards (a Drarry Story)

Chapter Twenty Four- Battle Wounds

Harry threads his fingers softly through Draco's hair, feeling the soft blond locks slip through his fingers with ease. He can feel Draco's breath on his neck, his arms wrapped around his back, which is slightly uncomfortable but he doesn't mind.

Draco is hugging him tightly and he thinks back to the last couple of weeks, he's been a right git. Hermione had come over to his house a while after he had left Draco's, he was expecting her to yell at him but not to the degree she did. He already felt terrible and she wasn't helping by yelling how he needs to 'get his head out of his arse,' because he doesn't know everything like he thinks he does. Harry has never seen her so livid and that's saying a lot considering he's known her for the last twelve years. He even got the cold shoulder from Ron for a few days, Harry doesn't know how Draco is even holding him when he said those things to him. He doesn't know why he seems to have let it go, Harry wouldn't have and he knows that.

He remembers the first few days where he was so mad at himself, he knows Draco was scared, he just didn't know why. His first reaction was to revert back into his old self, the one that would have thrown Draco under the bus as quickly as he could. He regrets that his first instinct was to say those things, the things that he knows would hurt him the most. It has been hard to break out of some of the bad habits he has. He still is paranoid, not knowing what the future has for him because, well, he never really had to think about it when he was a teenager. He was convinced that he was going to die before his eighteenth birthday so why would he need to think about a future that most likely wouldn't have happened? It may be a cynical way to look at life but it's true.

Harry is lost in his thoughts so he barely comprehends Draco has said anything.

"Hello? Earth to Harry?" Draco snaps his fingers in front of his face and watches Harry shake his head and look down at him.

"Yeah? Sorry spaced out," Harry smiles sheepishly looking at the blond.

"It's alright Space Cadet, I was just wondering if you had seen the Prophet lately?" Draco messes with the collar of Harry's shirt, feeling the fabric between his fingers.

"Not really," Harry replies staring at the ceiling remembering that paper from a couple weeks ago.

"Well, Hermione showed me the one article from a couple weeks ago," Draco trails off his fingers stopping as well. "I haven't had any issues yet, but I'm kind of scared. I don't know who heard about it, my parents know now. They think it was probably one of the Death Eaters, turning me so they could have everyone turn on us more. I don't know, I'm scared. I talked to Corvus more, he said that it is so small that it won't affect me at all. Just the allure thing and that shouldn't affect me anymore as we have been working on it."

"Wait, who's Corvus?" Harry asks looking at the blond with a raised eyebrow.

"The curse breaker? The healer, he was the one who first told me about everything, remember?" Harry furrows his eyebrows tightly. His eyes widen and his eyebrows shoot up remembering the small man.

"You mean the tiny off brand version of me?" Draco lets out a loud snort and laughs loudly into Harry's neck. Harry smiles hearing his laugh.

"That's so mean," Draco chuckles pressing his nose into Harry's collarbone. Harry just smirks and drags his fingernails up Draco's back. Draco simply hums and leans closer to his touch. Harry smiles and Draco tightens his grip on Harry's shoulders.

"How did your parents take it?" Harry asks and continues to run his fingernails up his back. Draco snorts and Harry raises an eyebrow.

"You should have seen Father's face! He wasn't mad, he found it utterly hilarious while I was bawling my eyes out about it. Mother tried to not laugh as well, but she let out the loudest cackle I think she ever has, so they took it very well. They were a little worried about the Sacred Twenty-Eight, but they had already figured since you and I are together that well," Draco blushes deeply and tries to hide his grin. "Well, they assumed there would be no blood heir, so they had already accepted that fact. They're just excited for when they will become grandparents. So they're not concerned if it will be a blood heir."