IMPOSSIBLE RISKS // Drarry

31) OCCLUMENCY!

TW: Gay.

Somehow, Severus was able to convince Dumbledore to give Draco a chance at teaching Harry Occlumency, though he feels a little bit apprehensive about being the one to teach it to him, unsure of the kinds of horrid memories he may find, but at the same time, he is glad that Severus won't be the one to see them.

"Hey, Professor Malfoy," says Harry's voice as Draco approaches the Room of Requirement; the agreed-upon location for their Occlumency lessons. He looks around for about half a second before realizing that Harry must be underneath the invisibility cloak.

"Good evening, Mr. Potter," he says with a small smile, "staying out of trouble, I assume?"

"Of course, I have, Professor."

Draco snorts.

Harry rips the cloak off of himself and paces through the hallway for a few moments before the Room of Requirement reveals itself. They enter their usual space and before Draco can even take a seat, the other has pulled him down on a chair and begins kissing him.

"Hang on, hang on," says Draco as Harry moves his mouth over to peck at his cheek a few times before shifting to look back at him, "We're here to learn Occlumency, not have a make-out session."

Harry gives him a pout but moves away from him regardless, "Alright. . . But we're messing around after, right?"

"Obviously, you horny git.".

"It's not my fault that I can't resist your sexy, sexy, hair," he says lightly.

Draco glares at him, "Let's get to Occlumency, shall we?"

"Whatever you say, sir."

He decided to ignore the way his stomach flips again, and says, "This branch of magic seals the mind against magical intrusion and influence."

"And why does Professor Dumbledore think I need it, sir?" asks Harry and Draco's stomach twists a little bit at being called sir. Why does he have to be such a flirt?

He tries to breathe evenly, "The Dark Lord is highly skilled at Legilimency -"

"What's that, Sir?"

"It is the ability to extract feelings and memories from another person's mind -"

"He can read minds?" asks Harry quickly, his worst fears confirmed.

"Only Muggles talk of 'mind reading.' The mind is not a book, to be opened and read. Thoughts are not imprinted on the inside of skulls, to be perused by any invader. The mind is a complex and many-layered thing, Harry . . . or at least, most minds are . . ." He says, a teasing smile etching on his lips as he breaks his role of 'professor' for a moment. Harry gives him a small laugh before he stares back at him readily, "It is true, however, that those who have mastered Legilimency are able, under certain conditions, to delve into the minds of their victims and to interpret their findings correctly."

Despite Draco's reassurance, Legilimency sounds like mind-reading to Harry and he does not like the sound of it at all.

"Vold-he- is a very strong Legilmence. . . And it is the fear of the Order that, he's become aware of this connection that you have with him," Says Draco, "that is why you must learn Occlumency. We want you to be able to block him out so that he doesn't spy on the Order or. . ."

"Or?"

"Or trick you with visions. . ." he says hastily, "but that won't happen. I---we---won't let him trick you."

But when he next looks at Harry, he can see that the boy's legs have begun to shake and his face is twitching as though trying to keep himself from crying.