"Ready?" Draco asked and squeezed Harry's hand as he considered his answer.
The invitation to Christmas dinner at the Weasleys had arrived by owl the previous morning and Harry had been really enthusiastic until he realised that the only way they could make it to the Burrow was to Apparate. Short distances were one thing, but he hadn't been sure about trying it over such a long journey. He had almost written a note to politely refuse the invitation, but a comment from Snape at the lunch table the previous day had brought out his stubborn side.
Draco had been less than pleased with the idea, but had not objected. Harry had proved he could Apparate without splinching himself so his soulmate was only worried about how ill it would make Harry feel. Their little experiments had proved that Harry was very sensitive to the mode of transport, but it was like everything else in their world now: Harry could deal with it if he needed to.
"As I'll ever be," he finally said and tried to smile.
They both had their wands clutched in their hands and a large bag of presents between them. The pair had practised Apparating together all the previous afternoon in the room of requirement so they had the spell down to a fine art. Taking a deep breath Harry lifted his wand, opened his mind so he was perfectly in tune with Draco and then they both cast the spell. He did not hear the crack of them Disapparating nor was he really aware of the crack that announced their arrival at their destination, all he noticed was the fact that his stomach was heaving and the world was spinning.
Harry sat down heavily, regardless of what he might be sitting on and begged for the universe to forgive him. A hand around his shoulders steadied the world somewhat but he still couldn't focus.
"For future reference," he said more to try and distract himself from the nausea than anything else, "distance makes it worse. There has to be a better way of getting about than this."
"Next time we'll borrow a Thestral or two," Draco said and waved a couple of fingers in front of Harry's face. "How many?"
"Two," Harry replied as his eyes finally began to behave.
"Good," his soulmate said with a smile, "you're better than after the first try the other day at least. You look like death warmed over, but at least you're not going to pass out on me, I don't think I can carry you and the presents into the house."
Harry snorted a laugh and pushed his glasses properly onto his nose.
"How about helping me up then?" he asked, his Christmas cheer returning. His stomach was still doing little flip-flops, but the world had come to a stop at least.
Shaking his head and rolling his eyes, Draco reached out his arm and Harry grasped it just below the elbow as his lover's fingers wound round his own forearm. With a firm tug Draco helped Harry to his feet.
[Do I really look like death warmed over?] Harry asked as he surveyed the front of the Weasleys' house.
Draco nodded with a wry grin.
[If I hid in the dungeons for a month and didn't come out I'd still have more colour than you at the moment,] his lover told him and released his grip on Harry's arm.
Draco also helpfully flashed Harry an image of what he looked like and he had to agree that the almost grey skin and little pink spots on his cheeks did make him appear as if he was about to keel over. Harry gave a groan of resignation and tried to will some colour back into his face: the last thing he wanted was to worry anyone.
[There really does have to be a better way to travel,] he said firmly and went to reach for the bag of presents.
With a quick step and a swift grab, of which Harry was incapable at the moment, Draco made it to the gifts first.
YOU ARE READING
Gold Tinted Spectacles (Hecatemus Book #1)
Fanfiction(Drarry) Harry Potter is about to enter his seventh year, and things are not quite what he expected. He is no longer the angry boy who watched his world fall apart at the end of his fifth year, but neither has he completely found his place yet. He i...
