Happily Ever After I'm Dead

Chapter 4

Draco woke up at three-thirty to the sound of his wand-alarm. He picked it up wondering why in the hell he made it go off this early. Oh right-training.

He dressed in what Harry told him to get dressed in and ate a light breakfast before Harry arrived. Apparently he wasn't meant to have his entire breakfast before Harry showed up because he hadn't finished when he heard the Floo open. He watched at green flames flickered and flashed before letting Harry out of its warmth. He tried not to look too long at the grey tank top and loose black shorts.

"You ready?" Draco had to nod so he wouldn't seem inferior to the messy-haired male standing in front of him. He always wanted to prove himself to Harry, even when they were kids. There was just something about him that made him want to better himself, but that was a feeling better left ignored. He stood. "Where's the door?" Draco led the way to the back door.

Harry walked outside and motioned to Draco to come out with him. "You ready to run?"

"Run?"

"Yes, run." Harry looked at him incredulously. "Your endurance has to be terrible. I've only seen you run two times and both were because your life was in immediate danger. So, we're running every day before working on your strength and fighting skills."

Draco nodded, suddenly wishing he hadn't eaten. He didn't want to run, he absolutely abhorred it. But his Malfoy pride prevented him from doing anything to stop it. He was determined to, at the very least, go along with Harry. He did have to work with the man. He didn't want to give him any material against him. Again, he felt like the determined boy he was in school, eager to prove himself to this man.

So he took off next to Harry at a light jog, keeping up with him easily for a short distance. And then the pain started to settle in and forced him to slow even more. Harry noticed and stopped.

"Why do my legs hurt this much? I'm not that out of shape."

"You're not breathing right. Slow, deep breaths. Short and fast won't give your muscles the oxygen they need. Just breathe." After a few moments, they started up again. This time, he kept up with him easier. Who knew that he'd be able to help me by correcting my breathing, of all things?

Harry noticed his discomfort and turned around. When they were about two hundred yards away from the back door, they slowed to a walk.

"Why...did you make...me run...so far? I don't mind running...but that far?" Of course, he knew that he minded running, but his pride kept him from saying otherwise.

"Because you need to push yourself farther than you're used to. Push yourself hard the first day and work the same the rest of the week. Then you work harder the next week an so on. And that's exactly what we're going to do."

Draco nodded. He didn't like it, he actually hated it, but pride wouldn't let him say anything against it-he wanted to build up a reputation as well as impressing Harry. Besides, maybe he could get some leverage on him.

The next thing they did was work on Draco's sit-ups.

"On your back. Let's go!" Draco did it, not wanting to piss Harry off and have to run more. "Now sit up. Do it again." Five minutes later Draco was gasping for breath and couldn't sit up anymore. And besides that, he couldn't get enough air. "Deep breaths. Lay down and breathe for a minute. Okay let's do some more. I'll hold your feet, make it easier to focus your muscle usage. Come on." Apparently I protested without giving conscious consent. "I SAID UP!" I did it and he let my feet go. "Better. Now do as many push-ups as possible."

He stood and stretched his back. I managed thirty perfect push-ups and then my arms suddenly collapsed.

"Malfoy! Get up and into position." I blankly got into a push-up position and he held his hands by my elbows but directly below my shoulders. "Five more to my hands. Go." Draco was almost crying by the time he was done but his damn Slytherin stubbornness made him stand up and face his soreness and burning muscles. He cast a tempus charm and saw it was only six in the morning.