Deeper Than Blood

Chapter 12

About an hour later, Harry started feeling a dull aching through their bond. He remembered wondering if that was the separation that was causing the ache, or Draco. Pushing the feeling aside, he tried to focus on his potions essay that was due. It was the last piece of homework that he had left, as soon as he was done with it he could relax.

Exhausted, he put his quill down. It had taken a few hours to finish the essay on horklump juice, he had always mixed up the properties it had with a horned slug.

He went to sit in the garden in the hopes that it would soothe the pain he felt. He missed Draco dearly. The roses seemed to do the trick-their soft perfume caressing some of the pain away. It reminded him of the times they had sat out here watching the stars.

Grasping the pendant around his neck, he tried feel their bond. Draco might not be able to feel him from this far away, but he was going to spend as much time as possible trying to send him warmth and comfort through it.

He gradually fell asleep on the grass while watching the stars. His dreams were filled with Draco; their dates, the way he smiled, the way their lips felt pressed together, the softness of his feathers...

He sat straight up, sweat having drenched his brow. It took him a moment to remember what had happened the previous day and why he had fallen asleep in their garden and that's when the pain struck.

A deep pain seared itself through Harry like a knife. It was unlike anything he had experienced before. It tore through his heart, blinding him. He cried out, curling up into himself on the grass with tears flooding his face. He never cried out, his voice was paralyzed with the pain and loneliness he felt.

Some time later, he had stopped crying. The pain remained, but it was becoming easier to think through with the sharp smell of grass assaulting his senses. As his mind gradually cleared, he reached out to his bond. It was still there, but it was fainter than it was when he fell asleep.

Gulping, he focused all his energy on it. He needed to feel something from it, anything at all. Suddenly, he felt it. A comforting feeling tinged with loneliness. At the same time, his necklace glowed.

Grasping the pendant, he focused on sending all his loneliness through the bond. He could feel the sadness come back but with a hint of determination. It was if Draco was telling him that they were going to make it, even through all the pain.

They communicated like that until the sun was well over the horizon. Their feelings were getting stronger, despite the distance. That was a good sign, once they had noticed their emotions were suddenly flooded with hope. Maybe it wouldn't be too terribly difficult after all.

Harry made the trek down to dinner, hoping his friends would make him feel better. Hermione had saved him a seat and invited him to sit next to her. The plate was already heaping with some of his favorites and his goblet was practically spilling over with pumpkin juice.

The entire time he spent with them, he was thinking about Draco. At least they both had people they cared about there to take care of them when things got too bad. He had his friends and Draco had his parents there to help.

He took a particularly large gulp of pumpkin juice and suddenly saw the dining room at Malfoy Manor. Specifically, he saw Narcissa smiling at him. Juice flew over the table and Harry choked, causing the picture to vanish. That couldn't have been his imagination, he was sure of it.

"Harry, are you alright?" Hermione, always the worrier, pat Harry on his back before waving her wand to vanish the mess.

"Blimey, look at my shirt..." Ron had been directly across from Harry, and had taken most of the blow. Harry took one look at Ron's face and started laughing uncontrollably. The rest of the table quickly joined, the redhead included. He tried so hard to send the image of Ron's face and soaked shirt to Draco and was met with even more amusement, causing him to start laughing harder.