Potterblinked,lettinggoofDrao’sshoulderimmediately.Buthedidn’tremovehisarmfromthebakofhishair.Draowantedtoshoveitaway,butrefrained.HeremindedhimselfnottogivePottersomuhpoweroverhim.But,Merlin,ifasimpletouhontheshoulderhadthateffetonhim,whatwouldhappenif—No!Notnow.Wait,no,notever!Hewouldneverthinkaboutthat.
AsPotterreahedforhisdrink,hisarmwassuddenlypressedagainstDrao’sbak,makinghimjumpyetagain.Potterobviouslyhosetoignoreitashetookaswigand,irritatingly,stayedinthatposition.Draowasthislosetostompingontheprat’sfoot,onlydistratedbythetinglingthattrikleddownhisspine.Hisheartwasraingasifhehadjustbeenrunningfromahippogriff,hisheadspinningfromthealohol.
WhenBisestartedughingatsomethingPotterhadjustsaid,andnudgedhim,Draofinallyhadenough.Hestartedtogetuptogotothelooagain,butahandonhisthighstartledhimintoploppingdown.Helookedatthelittlehand,thedarkblue,glitterynailsandpaleskin,beforehiseyessnappeduptoLuna’sfae.
“Bise,”shesaid,“maybeyouandIshouldswithpes.Idon’tthinkDraoistoofondofyouflirtingwithHarry.”
Draofroze,everymusleinhisbodylenhing.HestaredatLuna,inredulously,feelinglikehehadjustbeenpunhedinthefae.Hisheekshadneverfeltsohot.
“Isthatso?”Bisesaid,evidentlyamused.“Well,webetterkeepourlittledragonfromspittingfire.Wewouldn’twantanybodytogethurt,nowwouldwe?”
DraoheardBisepushingbakhishairashewathedLunarisefromhersandsteparoundhim.WhenBisesatdowntohim,hepattedDrao’skneewithatoothygrin.
“Thereyougo,Drao,”hesaid.“Youanrexnow.”
Oh,ifonlylooksouldkill.Unfortunately,BiseseemednowherenearthreatenedandsimplysniggeredwhileDraogloweredathim.Hewantedtoturnawayfromthebastard,butthatwouldmeanhewouldhavetolookatPotter,whihreallywasn’tanappealingalternative.Atall.Fukeverything!WhatinSazar’snamewashesupposedtodonow?
Pottershiftedbesidehim,rubbinghisarmagainstDrao’sbakintheproess.Oh,fortheloveof—
“Isthattrue?”Potterwhispered,hishotbreathtiklingDrao’sear.“Doyou…”Helettherestofthesenteneglingbetweenthem,feedingthebzingfireinthepitofDrao’sstomah.
“What!”Draosnapped,finallyturningaroundtohim.HewasmomentarilytakenabakbyPotter’sexpression,whihwasamused,buthealsolooked…urious?“You’resofullofyourself.”
“What?Ididn’t—Lunawastheonewhosaid—I—”
“Merlin,Potter,don’tstrainyourself.Yourheadisgoingtoexplode.”
DraobittheinsideofhisheekasPotterregardedhimwithastrangeexpression.HeleanedbakinhisseatandstarteddrumminghisfingersonDrao’shair;itsentwavesofshokthroughhisbody.Itwasalmosttoomuh,theantiipationofPotter’sfingersaidentallymissingthehairandbrushingagainstDraoinstead…
“Youdolooktense,”Potterremarked.
“Well,youlooklikeahump!”Smooth,Drao,realsmooth.
“Arewereallybaktopettyinsults?”Potterasked.“Man,youwerealotmoreompanionablewhenwewereatlunh.”
Draostiffened,espeiallywhenhesawBise’sfaelightinguplikeaChristmastree.
“Ooooh,really?”hesmirked.“Tellusmore!Youguyshadlunhtogether?When?”
“Twoweeksago,”Pottersaid.