Author's Notes: Thanks go to my beta and to all those who sent feedback about the original draft of the fic at schnoogle or on my LJ. Your help is greatly appreciated.

Gold Tinted Spectacles

Chapter 6 - The Room

By Beren

       

Harry opened his eyes on a very peculiar world: it was somewhat like the world he had left in Snape's classroom but was more like the real world with the negative world overlaid on it. Objects were touched with metallic shades and there were weird patterns on things, but it felt more ordered and much more controlled. He stared at the ceiling for a while, watching an intricate spiral pulse across it in a vaguely hypnotising manner. It was only after a couple of minutes that he realised someone was lying next to him curled up to their side.

Slowly Harry turned his head and found himself looking at the sleeping face of Draco Malfoy and his lover's features were glowing gold. For a moment Harry thought he was dreaming and then he felt it, the presence in the back of his mind, the calm, reassuring essence of Draco.

He reached for his glasses slowly, wanting to see the world in proper focus. His hand found them on the bedside table and he pushed them onto his nose, relaxing back into the pillow. The logical part of Harry's thoughts informed him that this situation should bother him and that he should be calling for someone to tell him what was going on, but he just lay there. The rest of his mind did not want him to move and did not care that lying in a strange bed next to Draco should worry him: in fact most of his thoughts were taken up with a feeling of content rightness. In his entire life Harry had never really been content: he had been happy at times throughout his life at Hogwarts, but he had never felt like he felt now. He was here, Draco was here, and that was all that mattered.

Harry was so caught up in this feeling that he lay there for a good ten minutes just watching, before his body managed to inform his mind that there were some pressing matters to attend to involving his bladder. Reluctantly he dragged his eyes away from Draco and looked around the room. There were two doors; one of which was covered in patterns and one which was not, a wardrobe, a strange looking alcove and a table that he could see, but no windows and nothing that would aid him in his need. Carefully he climbed out of bed and on instinct headed towards the door without the pattern. It opened towards him and he was very thankful to see a bathroom.

Without waiting to consider why he was in a room with a private bathroom, Harry slipped inside and relieved himself. Then, and only then, did anything but his physical requirements make it into his mind and he looked around. As he washed his hands he had to admire the gold taps and marble surround to the perfectly white porcelain sink. In fact the whole room was done out in gold, white and marble, which was nice because it didn't clash with the new world Harry could see over top of it, and it was very impressive. It also contained all of his toiletries as well as some he didn't recognise, which he assumed were Draco's. He was examining an item that he could not even begin to comprehend when he felt something and on instinct turned. Green eyes met grey and just looked for a moment.

"We have a bathroom?" Draco said in a somewhat surprised tone.

"The other door is locked and charmed," Harry said without thinking, "we need one."

It then occurred to him that he was not sure how he knew that. The information had just come out of his mouth with no conscious thought. Draco just shrugged and Harry decided that his boyfriend felt as if he was accepting everything calmly. Having taken this in, Harry was once again reminded that knowing what someone was feeling was not normal. His lover padded past him and proceeded to do exactly what Harry had done previously without the slightest hint of bashfulness. Now that Draco was awake, the contentment wasn't quite enough to put off the questions that began flying in his brain.

"You're in my head," Harry found himself saying.

Draco turned from where he was cleaning his hands and smiled slightly.

"And you're in mine," he said, as if this made perfect sense to him.

Harry could not deny that it felt as if this was a completely correct state of affairs. There was confusion in Draco, Harry could also feel that, and he didn't think his companion knew what was going on any more than he did, but at least neither of them was panicking about it.

"And I can see these weird shapes everywhere," Harry admitted, looking around the room, "and everything looks vaguely metallic."

Now Draco stopped what he was doing and turned to face Harry completely.

"Now that's not happening to me," his lover admitted. "Everything looks perfectly normal from over here. What exactly can you see?"

On instinct Harry did not try and describe what he was looking at; he took a mental picture and projected it at companion. His lover's eyes opened slightly in surprise, but Draco's face spread in a smile of something close to pleasure.

"That was," he said slowly, obviously trying to find the right word, "incredible. I saw what you saw and not like some stupid spell."

Harry suddenly saw an image of himself in his mind's eye and he blinked in shock. The feeling of rightness did not go away, in fact it intensified, and Harry found himself grinning at Draco. He sobered after a couple of seconds as his always over active thoughts began asking questions again.

"Draco," he said slowly, "why is this not worrying us? This is not normal."

His lover looked thoughtful for a moment and finally shrugged again.

"I have no idea," he said eventually, "but there's a letter on the table out there addressed to both of us so that might give us an idea."

With that the two young men headed back into the other room. By mutual consent Draco picked up the letter and they both walked back to the bed, sitting on it side by side. The seal on the letter was Dumbledore's and it opened as the blond youth pulled at it. At that point the parchment gained a life of its own and for a second Harry was afraid that it was going to be similar to a howler.

"My dear Harry and Draco," Dumbledore's calm tones emanated from the letter, "I took the liberty of charming this letter to avoid the dreariness of having to read my hand writing. I am sure your current situation comes to both of you as somewhat of a surprise. Believe me when I say it has shocked the few members of staff who know the truth more than you could imagine. By all accounts when you read this you will have been asleep for a little over one and a half days and I am sorry there is no one there to talk to you in person, but this would be most uncomfortable for Harry."

This startled the subject of the headmaster's words and he looked away from the letter at Draco, which caused it to suspend its speech: Harry was beginning to feel that this was probably his fault. He turned back to the letter.

"Harry, My Boy, I have to admit that even I did not see this one coming," the headmaster's slightly amused voice continued. "You are a most extraordinary young man and far more extraordinary than anyone could foresee. You are in fact what is known as a Hecatemus."

The spike of surprise that came from Draco caused Harry to look at his companion again and the letter to stop talking.

"I take it you know what that is?" Harry said quietly.

Draco nodded.

"Sort of," his lover admitted, "let it continue."

Harry nodded and returned his attention to the charmed parchment.

"I am sure you are wondering what that is," the voice went on and Harry could imagine Dumbledore's knowing smile, "and I shall not keep you waiting. You are in point of fact an elemental wizard connected to the energies which run through our world in a far more direct way than the rest of wizardkind. This is a role for which you should have been prepared from birth, but please forgive our ignorance. As Draco can most likely tell you, there have only ever been, up to this point, Hecatema: elemental witches, so you were never tested."

The letter paused as Harry felt his brain go into overload: it seemed to realise he needed time to assimilate the information. The newly proclaimed Hecatemus looked around at the room while trying to sort out his thoughts and Draco placed a hand on his arm in an unconscious gesture of support. It occurred to Harry that the designs he could see on the walls and much of the furniture was magic.

"Draco, I am sure you have realised what this information makes you," the letter continued when Harry finally returned his focus to it, "please forgive me if I explain to Harry. The world around you undoubtedly looks somewhat different from that which you are used to, My Boy. This is because you can sense the energies which sustain our world. The most obvious of these will be magic and you may see emotion as well from time to time, but you will most likely just feel that unless it is very strong. Do not fear, in time you will learn to construct mental barriers to return your world to normal. That is where Draco comes in: he is your soul mate."

Harry stopped paying attention again and turned to look at his lover. Something told him that the fact he had just heard should have at least caused him to question, but as Draco gazed back at him the young man knew it was no more than the truth.

"The information you are capable of understanding is far too much for one mind, Harry," Dumbledore's parchment continued to explain. "You chose Draco to stabilise you, so that you are part of each other. Or rather I should say nature chose you both; from what I understand there is no conscious choice involved. Draco, your instincts are your best guide, you understand how to help Harry even if you do no know you know. There is much more I could tell you, but I think now is not the time and it is better if you find some things out yourselves."

Harry and Draco shared a look: it was just like Dumbledore to give most of the information but expect them to work out the rest themselves.

"The wall to the left of your bed is a speaking wall which will allow communication to the outside that will not affect Harry's new awareness," the headmaster's letter told them after a few moments. "Touch the blue stone to activate it and you will be able to talk to whoever is on the other side. It will also record messages if there is no one with which to converse. If there is an emergency press the blue stone three times and an alarm will alert Madame Pomfrey. The alcove is a small summoning chamber; if you need anything simply ask it nicely and it will retrieve it for you. I am sure you have already found the bathroom. The door to the outside is locked and no one will be allowed in or out until such time as Harry is able to shield himself at least partially. This is to prevent any more incidents similar to the one in Professor Snape's lesson. Rest assured that the majority of the school are unaware of the true nature of your incapacitation; they believe you both contracted a rare form of Draconigena Mumps from infected dragon scales. Those who have been made aware of the situation are myself, Madame Pomfrey, Professors Snape, McGonagall, Flitwick and Sprout, Miss Granger and Mr Weasley. Please do not strain yourselves, you have both been through quite a transformation and there is plenty of time. Ah yes, and one more thing, make sure that you eat, both of you will require a great deal of energy from now on."

Then the letter refolded itself and gently floated down onto the bed. The two young men sat side by side in silence for a while and Harry tried to come to terms with what he had just heard. It wasn't that he didn't believe it, in fact he had no doubts it was true, but he just couldn't understand it all. Part of him was absolutely furious at the universe for throwing yet another bludger in his direction, but the rest of him was singing for joy that this was what his whole life had been leading up to. It was difficult to focus on how different this made him, yet again, when he was sitting next to Draco feeling like he had found the part of himself that had always been missing. He glanced at his soul mate and decided that the whole situation was totally insane.

"I agree," Draco said and looked at him, "but the whole world's pretty insane at the moment."

Harry blinked at his lover and it took a moment for it to dawn on him what had happened.

[You heard me,] he thought the words and concentrated on Draco.

His quick witted boyfriend cottoned on immediately.

[Yes,] Draco responded and the word filtered into Harry's head.

This caused another smile to break out on Harry's face, which rather outdid the worry that had begun to creep into his mind.

"Okay, how do I fret about a situation when I keep feeling deliriously happy?" he asked out loud this time.

"It is rather difficult," Draco admitted, smiling himself, "maybe the euphoria will wear off eventually. In the mean time, are you hungry?"

Harry's stomach gave his answer for him with a loud growl.

       

The summoning alcove provided them with a veritable feast and for a while the two young men ate and chatted about insignificant things, avoiding the whole subject of their current situation. Harry let himself live in the moment for once and ignored his brooding side, allowing the contentment he felt to consume him. He and Draco explored the room together: they opened the cupboard and found a selection of their clothes hung up as well as more of their things, including wands; then they investigated the bathroom more thoroughly; and finally they went over every inch of their current home making sure there were no hidden surprises.

The only thing they did not touch was the speaking wall, leaving it until last. Finally they had nosed into everything and Draco walked up to the wall that, as far as Harry was concerned, was bright gold.

"Shall we let them know we're alive?" his lover asked with a sigh.

"Uh-huh," Harry replied, but he felt as reluctant as Draco.

Talking to those outside would let the world in and with that came questions and responsibilities. Part of Harry did not want to give up his simple happiness just yet. Being a responsible Gryffindor he felt it his duty to put those waiting out of their suspense, but he was rather enjoying the time alone with Draco. For a while Harry was decided on doing the right thing and then, as his soul mate reached for the activation stone, the indecisive wizard moved and stopped him.

"Changed my mind," Harry said, giving in to what he had long ago dubbed his inner Slytherin, "there's something else I want to do first."

Draco looked and felt faintly surprised, but his expression turned to one of a knowing smile as Harry stepped towards him so they were nose to nose.

[And what would that be then?] His boyfriend asked, affecting an angelically innocent expression.

[Well I could give you a detailed description,] Harry replied, letting his eyes run all over Draco's face, [but I thought I'd show you instead.]

There was something about the blond wizard that was simply beautiful. To Harry his soul mate's pale skin was still tinged with deep gold and it enhanced the ethereal quality of Draco's fine bones and platinum hair rather than hiding it. At that moment Harry was sure his lover was the most incredible creature he had ever seen and he wanted to touch that beauty.

Their previous encounter had been surreptitious, stolen hours in the disused girl toilets while Nearly Headless Nick kept Moaning Myrtle busy as a favour to Harry. It had been undoubtedly one of the crowning moments of the young wizard's life, but he wanted to make love to Draco without worrying that they'd be interrupted by a ghost. Harry wanted to touch every part of his soul mate and make his lover shudder with ecstasy, and he wanted to do it now.

Draco leant back on the wall as Harry pushed against him, bringing up one hand and running it down the side of his soul mate's face. The touch made Draco smile and Harry wanted to kiss the gently curving lips -- so he did. The moment their lips joined the young wizard felt his awareness change as his mind moved to join with his lover's. Harry could feel Draco like he was almost part of him and he sensed his soul mate's arousal. The enrapt young man took his time tasting the faint cinnamon flavour let over from the food they had recently consumed and feeling the soft skin yield to his mouth.

On impulse Harry nipped at Draco's bottom lip and his lover partially opened his mouth in response. The Hecatemus pushed his tongue through the waiting opening, running his hand behind Draco's head at the same time to bring them closer together. In response his soul mate wound his arms around Harry's body, snaking his hands under the Hecatemus' pyjama top. Harry shivered at the touch, revelling in the feeling of being so close to the man he loved. The kiss deepened as he wound his fingers in his lover's hair and their tongues explored each other's mouths.

[Stop,] Draco's voice suddenly said in his mind and Harry drew back startled and breathless.

The confused young man searched his lover's face and feelings for any sign of what he had done wrong, but he found nothing. Only as a half smile started playing at the corners of Draco's mouth again did Harry stop panicking.

"I want to be clean first," Draco said in a whisper, running a finger over Harry's moist lips. "No point in having a bath that big unless you plan to use it."

Then Draco took his lover's hand and Harry found himself being led towards the bathroom. It was an unexpected turn around and the somewhat bemused young man found himself wondering how he had so suddenly lost control: from seducer to follower.

[Get used to it,] Draco said with a small mental laugh, [a Gryffindor will never be able to keep up with a Slytherin.]

[The Sorting Hat wanted to put me in Slytherin,] Harry replied, deciding that he was willing to play the game, [I'm only a Gryffindor because I asked it not to.]

His companion stopped walking at that revelation and looked at Harry as if he was a completely different person. It was the Hecatemus' turn to laugh and he pulled Draco close again, kissing the tip of his nose.

"You're stunning when you're shocked: I must remember to surprise you more often," Harry said, looking into his lover's grey eyes. "Now you get to have your bath, but I have decided it's my job to make sure every inch of you is clean."

"Every inch?" Draco said, raising an eyebrow playfully,

"Down to the last sixteenth," Harry promised as he ran his hand over his lover's silk clad behind.

It took the pair around five minutes to run the bath and shed their clothes and then another five minutes to actually climb into the water since Harry refused to let go of Draco. Eventually the Slytherin broke away with a laugh and climbed into the tub, Harry watched him with admiration. Draco's naked frame held no teenage awkwardness and he moved with fluid grace and confidence even without clothes. His skin was pale and perfect and he was lithe and muscled from his Quidditch training.

[You are beautiful,] Harry said silently, not trusting his voice to actually work.

The epitome of unearthly beauty looked up as he slid into the hot water and Harry felt his lover's eyes rake over his body.

[And you are intoxicating,] Draco told him with a barely controlled need in his tone.

Harry had never been particularly aware of his body: it served him as a tool and he had not really considered much beyond that, but under Draco's gaze he felt desired. In front of his lover's eyes he was not The Boy Who Lived, nor was he a gawky seventeen year old; he was simply loved. When Draco smiled at him Harry moved and climbed into the bath behind his lover. The already half submerged youth shifted so that Harry could sit behind him and when he was comfortably resting against the side of the large tub he pulled Draco between his legs so his soul mate was leaning against him.

The water was pleasantly hot against his skin and Draco fitted comfortably against his chest and for a while they just lay there enjoying the heat. It was almost perfect and Harry was content; that was until he looked down and his eyes fell on his lover's neck. Draco had his head laying to the side on Harry's shoulder which revealed a long pale section of skin and the dark haired youth did the only sensible thing, he kissed it. A smile played across his companion's face as Draco closed his eyes and Harry could feel the pleasure running through his lover. He then set about making sure the feeling increased by continuing his ministrations. When Draco actually groaned Harry allowed himself a small smile of triumph.

Once he was satisfied he knew every millimetre of exposed neck Harry moved on. The water came to half way up Draco's chest as he relaxed in his soul mate's arms, and the pale youth's skin was completely smooth and hairless. Harry ran his hand over the damp surface and then reached over to pick up the sponge that was lying on the edge of the bath. It was of course a natural sponge and nothing like the off pink things the Dursleys always had in their bathroom. The water was full of scent and bubbles so Harry just soaked the sponge and then tenderly pushed it against Draco's skin, allowing the perfumed liquid to run over his lover's body.

Harry could already feel the potions in the water working on his own skin, cleaning and soothing wherever they touched and he continued to gently sponge off his soul mate's chest in a leisurely fashion. As with most things in the wizarding world, taking a bath was nowhere near as labour intensive as the Muggle system, and the two young men could have just lain there and let the water do its work. As it was Harry was enjoying himself, but he discarded the sponge as soon as he thought Draco was wet enough and went back to using his hands. The hard muscles of his lover's torso twitched under his fingers as the exploring digits found sensitive skin. When Harry ran his nails gently over Draco's nipples and down his sides the blond youth almost purred.

Every touch sent little jolts of pleasure through his soul mate that Harry could feel and he used them to guide him. A light trace here, a more forceful stoke there: Harry ran his hands over every part of his lover's torso, neck and arms, even the tops of his legs. Draco just lay there making small noises of pleasure and moving slightly to allow Harry access to anything he wanted. Under the pale, cold, Malfoy exterior Draco was a well of passion and Harry sensed the arousal building in him until it was an ache. Only when it felt like Draco was about to explode out of his stillness did the tormentor run his fingers over the inside of his lover's thigh and continue the stoking motion over Draco's hard shaft. The air left his lover's chest in an explosive moan at Harry's touch and Draco pulsed under the Hecatemus' hand. The stabs of complete ecstasy running through his soul mate were enough to make Harry moan as well.

Harry's own erection throbbed with desire where he was pressed up against the small of Draco's back and he buried his head in his lover's neck to stifle a second moan. He tried to concentrate on Draco as he moved his hand smoothly up over the blond youth's shaft and then down, lightly stroking over his lover's balls, but each sensation in Draco caused a mirror in him. It was a strange mixture of pleasuring his soul mate and pleasuring himself and as Harry continued it became more difficult to tell the difference.

He kissed and nipped at Draco's neck as his hands moved over his lover's body and the blond youth reached back, interlacing his fingers in Harry hair as the Gryffindor bent forward. It barely mattered who was touching who anymore and Harry could only concentrate on building the pressure in both of them. Draco groaned, Harry groaned: it was all part of the sensation, heightening the sexual experience for both of them. Under Harry's searching fingers his soul mate's body sang and they climbed closer and closer to orgasm together.

When it came, their climax -- there was no other way of describing it, it did not happen to each of them separately it was a joined experience -- was mind blowing. By then Harry was barely aware of which body was his own and he had no idea which of them had reached the edge first, or if they'd done so at the same time: it didn't matter. All that he knew was that Draco shuddered against him moaning his name and Harry surrendered all control of his own muscles as he clung to his lover and matching shivers ran through him. His face was buried in his soul mate's neck and he couldn't help himself: he bit down quite hard.

When Harry finally regained enough brainpower to figure out which way was up and which body parts belonged to him, Draco was lying completely limp in his arms. His lover's eyes were closed and his expression was one of pure pleasure. Harry could feel Draco's mind working, but he chose not to delve as his soul mate savoured the moment.

[I love you,] the words filtered into Harry's head.

[I love you too,] the sated youth replied wrapping his arms around his still companion.

[And that was ...] Draco's mental voice trailed off.

[Yes it was, wasn't it,] Harry agreed, not sure how to describe it either.

They lay there for another few seconds, savouring the post sex haze until finally Draco sat up. Harry's eyes couldn't help but fix on the red teeth marks on his lover's neck: he had not broken the skin, but it had been close. Draco fingered the patch lightly and then half turning smiled at his soul mate.

"You'll have to fix these later," he said, dropping his hand from the marks, "for now we need more water." And with that he reached for the plug.

It took only a minute or so to remove the dirty water and refill the bath, at which point they both relaxed back in the bubbles again. It was nice just to be still.

[Harry?] Draco's voice was quizzical.

[Yes?] the slightly sleepy young man replied.

[Before you chose me you were a virgin, right?] it was not quite the question Harry had been expecting but somehow from Draco it made sense.

[Yeah,] he replied.

There was a moment's pause.

[So if you had never done it before,] his lover voiced his confusion, [how come you are so good at sex? No one has ever touched me like you do.]

Part of Harry wanted to laugh but the rest of him realised it was a serious question.

[Um,] he replied not quite sure of the answer himself, [when it comes to you I just seem to know what to do. I think it's all nature not nurture.]

His lover was silent for a while after that and Harry could feel Draco's thoughts ticking over.

[Fair enough,] his companion finally said thoughtfully, and reached for the sponge, [but you do realise I am going to have to experiment to see if it works the same the other way?]

Harry remained leaning against the side of the bath, a smile gracing his features: now he was quite happy for Draco to take over.

End of Chapter 6

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