The Boy Who Lived

The Boy Who Lived Twice

A/N there are discussions about self-harm and suicide early in this chapter. Marked between ***, please skip if you will find this triggering.

Although he swore he wasn't going to be drawn to Potter and that he couldn't afford for his life to get complexly embroiled with 'The Boy Who Lived'; a week later, Draco found himself at puppy training classes again. Once more, he found himself sitting too close to Harry. Their thighs touched because of the closeness of the chairs squashed together around the side of the room. Draco found it disconcerting, barely able to focus on their conversation. He was beginning to regret accepting the invite because he didn't know what to say and was becoming flustered by their proximity and the smell of Harry's aftershave. It kept taking him back to the brief exchange before his trial when they stood in the corridor and Harry had-for want of a better phrase-'cared for him and his mother' before they faced the Wizengamot. He had taken Harry's tenderness to heart when he'd shut himself away from the Wizarding World and sunk himself into his veterinary studies. It had, to a degree, confused him that Harry would act so benevolently towards him after all their school years but it had also taught him a lot about forgiveness and moving forward.

They watched as Miss Summerlee explained to the group about teaching their puppies to lie down. Using a treat, she demonstrated with Mr Hercules, getting him to follow the treat to the floor.

'I get the impression you've already taught Mr Hercules all the tricks,' Draco muttered as the big puppy did exactly what was expected of him.

Harry smiled, crinkles appearing around his eyes. 'You've caught me out. Yes, this is for Teddy. He gets so excited around Hercules and tries to get him to do things but doesn't understand how. Hercules is fine to keep going over the basics, it means the harder stuff that I do with him comes a bit easier.'

'How long will it take, the military training?'

Harry shrugged, 'four to seven months, depending on the dog's nature and our relationship. We have to build trust as well as the skills.'

'He clearly adores you; he looks to you all the time.'

'Teddy or Hercules?' smiled Harry, giving a thumbs-up to the boy who was doing really well with Hercules.

'Both. I suppose you must not notice it anymore, with all your adoring fans falling at your feet...' Draco faltered when he saw a familiar flicker of annoyance cross Harry's face. 'Sorry, that was uncalled for...' Draco added quietly.

Harry looked at him sharply, a furrow appearing between his eyebrows and Draco immediately wanted to smooth it away.

'...don't be on tenterhooks around me, Draco. I'm not going to retaliate. We're not kids anymore...'

'...I know, I just didn't mean to annoy you.'

'You didn't. Though I do ask that you differentiate between those who simply view me as the Boy who Lived Twice and someone like Teddy, who's my family. By all means, take the piss out of the sycophantic idiots who only see me as "Harry The Saviour Potter" but not my family.'

'Sorry,' Draco mumbled inaudibly. 'Old habits die hard sometimes but I really don't want to go back to how things were. Apart from the fact that I haven't duelled with anyone for years so if you decided on that route, I'd come out of it far worse.'

Harry nudged him with his shoulder. 'I'm not going to duel with you. I've learned my lesson after the last time ended fucking badly. For which I'm sorry.'

'You apologised already.'

'I wasn't sure you accepted it. It was a big change in our dynamic to approach you like that and I can completely understand if you never forgive me. I had to let you know though; that I was sorry.'