“Wathout!”HeheardDraoyellandhepulledonthehandleoftheFireboltinanattempttoswerveoutoftheway.Itwasn’tenough.
Theairseemedtoshiftaroundhim,andhewaspushedunderthebranh.HeouldhearDraohissasoneofhiswingssrapedtheundersideofthebranhandbothboysfelltowardsthegroundandndedinanundignifiedheap.Theyrolled,HarrylosingontrolofhisFirebolt,whihskitteredawayafewfeetbeforeomingtoastandstill.HarrybraedhisarmsagainstthesoftgrassygroundtofighttheirmomentumandthetwostoppedwithHarry’sarmsoneithersideofDrao’shead,theirlegsentangledinthesoftgrass,Drao’swingsspreadoutonthegrassaroundthem,andhismouthafewinhesaboveDrao’sown.
Harryfroze,hiseyeslokingonthesilver-graypoolsthatwerelookingupathimwithnotraeofasneer.Justlooking.
Thelearing,theforestitself,wassilent,waitingforwhatwouldhappen.Slowly,asiffastmovementwouldbreakthestillness,onehandrosetoaressthenapeofHarry’snek,pullinghimdownslightlyasDrao’sbodyroseunderhhim.Theirlipsmetinthesileneofthelearing.Harryrexedand,leaningintothekiss,turnedhastemorepassionate.
Drao’swings,silkenurtainsofnight,ameuptoaroundHarry’sbodyinawaysosimirtohisdreams.Drao’smouthbegantoexplorehisnek,trailingwetkissesdowntohisolrbonebeforereturningtoHarry’smouthagain.
Harry’sfingerstraileddownthesharparistoratijawlineanddowntothenapeofDrao’snektotangleinthesoftptinumstrands.HismouthfollowedhisfingerstoDrao’sear,pausingtowhisper,“IsthisyouortheVeriae?”
Silvereyesaughthisown.“Both.”
“Good.”AndanyotherwordsHarrymighthavesaidwerelosttoDrao’smouthonhisown.
Chapter26:EyeofandSlipsofYew
Harryouldn’tontainasmirkrivalingDrao’spatentedonewhentheDailyProphetbetedlybegantoreporttheattaks.BynowitwasobviousthattheywereDeathEaterattaks.OneofthemorereentoneshadbeenthedestrutionofasmallmuggletownandtheDarkMarkhadbeenpromiinthesky.Nooneouldpretendnow,thattheywerejustfreakaidentsortehnialmalfuntions,atleastnotintheWizardingWorld.Still,asthenumberofattaksgrew,thestudentsbegantogetvisiblytenseandedgy.Parentsbeganwritingmoreoften,justtohekthattheirsonordaughterwassafeandtosaythattheythemselvesweresafe.Whispersinthehallsabouttheattaksbeamelouderasstudentswonderedwhosefamilywouldbethefirsttobeattaked.
Draowoketoastrangenumbsensationinhisleftlegandrealizedthatheouldn’tfeelanythinglowerthanhisthigh.Blinkingblearilyinthedimlight,heattemptedtosituponlytofindthatheouldn’tmovemuhinthatwayeither.Theauseofthiswastheotherpersoninthebed,whowasstillsleepingsoundly,hisarmsedaroundDrao’storsoandhislegsedaroundDrao’sleftleg.
“Potter,”DraogentlypushedHarry.Noreation.“Harry.”Hetriedagain.
Harrymutteredsomethingthatheouldn’tuandintohisstomah.
“Harry,Ineedyoutounwindyourselffrommyleftleg.Ian’tfeelitanymore.”
Withtheeffortofonewhowasmoreasleepthanawake,Harryrolledslightlytotheleft…theoppositediretionofwhatDraohadbeenaimingfor.
“Harry,havingyourlowerbodysituatedbetweenmylegsdoesnothelpmegetoutofbedfaster.”
Draoheardamoreintelligentmumblethistime,“’tbelieveyousaidthatwithastraightfae,”butignoredit.AgainHarryrolledtotheleftandoffofDrao’slegsentirely.However,hewasstillusingDrao’supperbodyasapillow.
“Harry—”Draobegantopointthisoutbutwasutoff.
“Doyouhavetomove?”Harrymumbledandthenaddedsomethingunintelligiblealongthelinesof“M’sleepy.”