Hot-Blooded

Chapter Three

Draco isn't thinking about Harry a few days later. Not when he commutes to work or stops by for tea with Dominic and Risa. Not when he drinks stale blood from the stash of bottles in the pantry, none of them satisfying him. Not when he goes to bed and slips a hand into his pyjama bottoms...except he is. All the fucking time. It's enough to drive a person mad.

Having Andromeda and Teddy drop by with another parcel from his mother doesn't help matters. Receiving two in one week is odd, but he's not complaining when he finds his favourite pair of Muggle trousers inside.

Listening while Teddy chatters about school and Andromeda talks about her flower garden is difficult, but Draco does his best.

Mention Potter, he silently begs. Did the transformation go alright? Tell me about Potter!

"How's Potter?" the words slip out without permission.

Andromeda shoots him a knowing look, lifting an eyebrow at him. Draco becomes very interested in his shoes, noticing they could use a polishing charm before he goes to work the next morning, pointedly avoiding her gaze. He can feel a pink flush rising in his cheeks and up the back of his neck.

"Oh! We visited Harry at his house this morning!" Teddy exclaims, oblivious to the odd tension in the air. His hair turns black and curly, and Draco's stomach flips.

"Oh?" Draco asks carefully. "How was that?"

"Excellent! We played with cars, and Grandmother made us noodles for lunch, and we got to have a picnic on his bed! Harry shared the cupcakes Aunt Ginny brought him. I ate a chocolate one."

"Hm." Draco can't help but feel a twinge of jealousy at the mention of Ginevra. "And how—" he glances at his aunt, "—is Pot-Harry feeling?"

"Good," Teddy answers. "He's just tired. He says next time he'll be able to really play with me. I want him to chase me around like a monster."

"You know," Andromeda says. "You could visit. His Portkey doesn't leave for another two days. I'm sure he would love—"

"No, no. That's not—" Draco clears his throat. "So, Teddy. Have you spent any more time on that new broom of yours?"

"No," Teddy sulks. "Grandmother says I have to wait until you or Harry can take me."

Draco stands and extends his hand. "Why don't we go to your house and take it for a fly in the back garden? Is that alright?"

Andromeda purses her lips and nods. He can feel her eyes burning into his back as she follows them to the Floo.

✦ ✦ ✦

Two days.

Andromeda's words rattle around in his head for the rest of the day. He checks the Portkey applications at work and verifies the information himself. She's right. He could visit. He could see Harry one more time before he leaves for several weeks, and, Merlin help him, he wants to. The night before Harry's Portkey, he gives in.

Harry is spending the evening frantically and chaotically packing. It's not entirely unexpected. What is surprising is the loud music coming from his bedroom and the shimmying of his hips as he gathers various items and stuffs them in his old Hogwarts trunk. Draco leans against the doorframe and watches him.

"Evening, Potter," Draco drawls, unable to keep from smirking when Harry startles dramatically. Typically, he would be impossible to sneak up on, but with the music turned up and his focus on packing, he must have missed Draco's presence in his house entirely.

"Malfoy!" He lowers the volume on the record player with a wave of his hand. "Er, hi. I was just..."

"Packing?"